From Hotels to Hovels - The NL Regiment (Dis)-Honored

As always our readers are more than welcome to send in letters or opinion pieces for posting on the main page. The following is from a gentleman on Bell Island regarding the recent memorial services held to mark the 90th anniversary at Beaumont Hamel.

Myles



Even though I served in Canada and continental Europe with the R.C.A.F., over fifty years ago, subsequently served in Saskatchewan, Nova Scotia and in the Arctic as a Constable in the R.C.M. Police, completed four years of postsecondary education at the University of Victoria, Victoria, B.C., and then completed three more years in the Faculty of Law at the University of British Columbia, Vancouver, B.C.; as a Newfoundlander of six-generations of domicile by choice, it is difficult to feel great about being a Canadian. Nedwfoundlanders are really slighted by Canada at every opportunity and hence, it is now time to fly the "pink, white and green" the flag of the Republic of Newfoundland. With 30% of Canada's Armed Forces being Newfoundlanders including the top general, who could stop our leaving this Canadian family should we so decide?

We are contemptously referred to as "Newfies" often by semi-illiterates in central Canada particularly. It depicts one is stupid and simply that. Notwithstanding that we produce .04% of the world's oil and while Alberta produces 3.4% and within 5 years this province shall produce 25% of Canada's fossil fuels, I fear that we will always be Canada's "okies and "arkies." Oil is much easier to sell than fish, minerals or forest products. Yet, the issue is: are we the descendants of Celts and Saxons prepared to take such abuse forever from central Canada and the federal government? I say that we give them a chance to shape up or we simply ship out and join the European Union. After all, our nearest foreign neighbors, St Pierre-Miquelon as a department of France, are part of the European community with all the rights and benefits of a member-nation situate within the European continent though in North America.

On July l, 2006, we remembered the destruction of 90% of the Royal Newfoundland Regiment at Beaumont-Hamil, France (the names of the Bell Island ferry boats are "Beaumont-Hamil" and "Flanders"), ninety years ago. Yet, that those who gave such an order that men run into a hail of machine-gun bullets, were never tried as a war criminals, has always amazed me. They were brave men but they were cannon fodder and one wonders why? Was not WW I merely a trade war between colonizing states and nothing more? There was no loss of freedom save for loss of trade by Britain and France as Germany finally united, sought to build an empire abroad too.

I am extremely angry that federal civil servants particularly those from Veterans Affairs (Canada) were lodged in luxury in expensive hotels in Lille, France while Newfoundland officers, soldiers and army cadets were housed in an old, run-down barracks of a French army base at Douai, France, as reported by yesterday's issue of The Telegram of St John's. Soldiers and army cadets slept on simple cots in a building without showers, phones or toilet seats. And moreover, the building was found to have bed bugs and it had to be fumigated while the troops lived in this rat hole which Canada saw fit to rent for "goofie Newfies." One of the bathrooms flooded, light fixtures hung precariously from the walls and one officer described the living quarters and conditions simply as horrendous.

Speaking in anonymity, this officer said it was unfair to expect troops, even Newfoundlanders, to live in such austere conditions. Soldiers should expect to live in simple surroundings during an exercise, emergency or in wartime, but this trip to France to commemorate our then dominion war-dead, was a pilgrimmage.

Canada is responsible for the Royal Newfoundland Regiment as it is a part of Canada's Reserves.Ottawa baureaucrats and army brass thought of everything else, particularly setting up federal civil servants in expensive hotels with large expense accounts, gave the least-thought to the kids who manned the parades and ceremonies and had to sleep on these cots fully clothed in combat uniforms. It was a miserable home that Canada provided; it must have been rented cheap.

These young-adult female and male soldiers alike, spent five days of early rises and late nights, of marching in hot sunlight for hours on end. Sure, they grumbled and who would not? Yet, Canada let them down even on their return to this province. After an exhausting Saturday last, which ended in a regimental barbecue that night, the soldiers had to muster at 2:00 a.m., with their luggage and equipment.

Finally, at about 4:00 a.m., these soldiers boarded five buses for a two-hour journey from Douai to an airport in Brussels, Belgium. Here, they had to wait for hours before boarding a Belgium jet for a flight home, and what was supposed to be a seven-hour flight to Gander, Newfoundland. Yet, because this plane was carrying more passengers and cargo than initially anticipated, a refueling stop was necessary at Reykjavik, Iceland; it added 90 minutes to the trip. Upon arrival at Gander finally, soldiers boarded other buses for their respective homes across the province. Accordingly, it took some soldiers 24 hours to arrive to their homes, and that was poor or no planning whatsoever on Canada's part.

What was the purpose of Veterans Affairs anyway? The Royal Newfoundland Regiment fought on July l, l9l6 under The Union Jack as Newfoundland's contribution to the British Army but most of Newfoundland's volunteers served in the Royal Navy simultanously. Most of my family were Navy because of their contiguity to the sea in civilian life. One first cousin thrice removed, Lord Edward Morris, was Prime Minister of Newfoundland from l907 to December 31, 1917 when he resigned to become a member of the Imperial War Council at London, England and was subsequently raised the the English peerage as "First Baron of St John's and Waterford" and it was then a heriditary one.

Newfoundlanders have been "white Niggers" of Canada since we voted to join the Canadian family in l949 as Canada's foster child. I doubt if the vote was really 52% in the last referendum. Canada offered to forgive England's World War II debt if Newfoundland and Labrador could be orchestrated into Canada, I understand and Churchill was out and a Labour Government with Atlee as Prime Minister, at London, U.K.

After all without our province, Canada would have not much more, if any, coastline than it has on its Pacific coast. I sailed the Arctic coast in summertime and mushed dogsleds along it and the Mackenzie Delta in wintertime as a Mountie. Unless there is oil beneath the perma-frost landscape, it is not worth much in dollars and cents currently. Fishing is not practical nor are fish abundant there when even daily herring catches are counted less than one hundred normally.

It was England's policy after WW II, to form federations of former and existing colonies. The West Indies and southeastern Africa (including Madagascar) are two of several such federal unions. Only Newfoundland's union with Canada from that period, still lasts. Hence, nothing is written in stone; countries disintegrate and civilizations pass on to anonymity. No doubt, Canada is a great country and it will be sad if Newfoundland is forced to leave and strike out as a member of the European Union on its own, as evidenced by the events experienced by our young soldiers on pilgrimage on forget-me-not day of July l, 2006 at Beaumont-Hamil, France. Nobody should be expected to allow themselves as a people to be treated as such by anyone.

Whomsoever it was at Ottawa or at Charlottetown, and who did not properly look after these young soldiers' quarters was neglectful and ought to be severely punished. If a civilian the operative word is "fired" summarily and no explanations nor apologies be accepted.

Et aussi, nous nous souvenons toujours!


Yours faithfully,


Michael J. Laurie
Bell Island