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CANAL GUARDSMAN WANTS TO GO TO THE FRONT
But He Must Get Someone to Take His Place on the Guard
Volunteer Wanted for Local Duty in Order That Soldier May Go Overseas
[Welland Telegraph, 22 August 1916]
Who will release W.J. Stinson for overseas service? Who will take his place on the Welland canal guard?
Is there a reader of The Telegraph anywhere who while himself unfit for overseas service will join the canal guard and let Stinson go to the front?
The case is explained in the following communications:-
Camp Borden, Aug. 15, 1916
| Louis Blake Duff, Welland, Ont.: Dear Mr. Duff,-I am enclosing a copy of a letter received from the A.A.G.M.D., No. 2, relative to the discharge and re-enlistment of Pte. W.J. Stinson. The story is this: W.J. Stinson has been on the the Welland Guard Force for something like eight months, stationed at Fort Erie. He has made fruitless endeavors to be transferred to an overseas unit and always the reason given is that they could not spare him. Last June he left his detachment at Fort Erie without leave and enlisted in the 213th Bn. He showed himself to be a remarkably good soldier and within two weeks was promoted to the rank of acting corporal. His mother, who lives in Buffalo, then wrote explaining that he was absent from Fort Erie and if he did not return within the time limit would be declared a deserter. Also, the officer commanding the Welland Canal Force wrote demanding the man back. We returned him and made an application to headquarters for his return.
Personally, I have been working on this matter to try and get this man back again. He came here the other day as a recruit and tried to enlist under another name and stated that he was going with the overseas force in spite of everything. Now, the proposition is, if we can get the Welland Canal Force a man they will give Stinson his discharge. We haven’t got one here to send them and if you printed the story perhaps some one would volunteer to take his place and let him go. He is an American and has a clean conduct record. He is a fine well-built young man and it is a shame to keep him on guard duty when he can do so much better work with the army. Yours Sincerely, B.J. McCORMICK Lieut.-Col., O.C., 213th O.S. Batt., C.E.F. |
Camp Borden, Aug., 9, 1916
From the A.A.G.M.D, No. 2, Camp Borden, Ont., to the Officer Commanding 213th O.S. Bn., C.E.F.
Camp Borden, Ont.:
| Discharge Pte. W.J. Stinson Welland Guard Force
In reply to your recent request for the discharge of the marginally named man from the Welland Canal Force in order that he may be enlisted in your unit: I have now heard from the camp commandant, Niagara Camp, to the effect that the officer commanding the Welland Canal Force states that this man will be discharged as soon as you send him a man in exchange. Owing to the fact that the Welland Canal Force requires all the men on their strength, the officer commanding that unit states that is impossible for him at the present time to release this man except on such conditions. As I understand it was your intention to do so, will you be good enough to arrange this matter. The man at present on your strength will have to be discharged in order to be enlisted on the Welland Canal Force, Pte. Stinson being discharged from that force and then taken on yours. J. GEORGE Captain for A.A.G.M.D., No.2 |
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