Over the top
First World War Audio Archive
Over the top
Transcript
Soldiers building a railroad.
work party, the first names you’d hear was Evans, Freeman,Crowd of soldiers in front of barracks.
Galloway, Gleason. And we told him he should put it to music - make a song out of it. He repeated it so darned often he shouldSoldiers entering trenches.
know who we were anyhow. Well that Evans, Freeman, Galloway, Gleason had a rather a scaring effect on me the morning of the 12th of April when we went over the top to attack the Pimple, as it was called. That was the fourth day of the Vimy battle.Men existing trenches and running across field.
It was snowing that morning. We went up in single file. And thereSoldiers running out of a trench, through a fence line and smoke.
is several single files, of course, short distance, one from the other. We hadn’t gone very far until the three of us stepped overAs smoke clears, men walk past a fallen soldier.
Evans. He was killed. A little farther on, Freeman got his.Soldiers running along dirt road and field.
We went on another, quite a little distance then and I steppedMen walking over barbed wire.
over Galloway. Well, I said there’s the bunch gone now; Evans, Freeman, Galloway, Gleason will be next. Well, I was next but IInjured soldier being helped by two other.
didn’t get it like they did. I got a bullet through the right thigh, just above the knee. And I managed to get back to the dressing station. Well, I had a rather harrowing experience firstSoldiers patroling at dawn.
because I just started on my way back when there was a...Artillery fire.
one of these big high explosive shells you could hear coming before they got there, and I heard it. I took a dive into what I thought was a shell hole. But it was filled with water and I damnSoldier relaxing on his equipment on the ground.
near got drowned in that thing. Anyhow, I managed to get out ofDead soldiers lying on the ground
it, soaking wet, cold. Started out again and I met a fellow by the name of Stuart. He had gone over with the 196th too,Wounded soldier being carried by friend throught the trenches.
and he said, “Where you going, pal?” I said, “I am going back to the dressing station.” He said, “Well, you’re heading right toDead soldier being carried to stretcher/
the front line now.” And I said, “You’re hit too!”Marching on dirt road.
And he said, “Yeah, I’m hit.” So I turned around andAnother wounded soldier being carried.
followed him back to the dressing station.Description
Mr. Gleason describes the assault at Vimy Ridge on the fourth day, losing three friends, being wounded, and nearly drowning trying to evade enemy shelling.
Patrick William Gleason
Patrick William Gleason was born in North Dakota, USA, on October 31, 1897. His family moved to Yorkton, Saskatchewan in 1907. Mr. Gleason was a student in Yorkton prior to his enlistment in the 196th Regiment. He was accepted for duty on May 10, 1916, at Brandon, Manitoba, and arrived in France in early 1917 in preparation for the Battle of Vimy Ridge. Mr. Gleason was wounded in the thigh by machine gun fire at Vimy on April 12, 1917. After returning to active duty in France, he spent the remainder of the war hauling munitions to the front lines, and survived a shell explosion and two gas attacks at Amiens. Mr. Gleason was discharged, rank of private, on June 10, 1919. After the war, he farmed for a few years, then taught at several country schools until 1930 when economic and agricultural conditions left the school board with too little money to pay a teacher’s salary. Mr. Gleason then returned to farming in the Yorkton area, and was also employed as postmaster in his hometown of Tonkin from 1950 until he retired in 1973. He was instrumental in organizing sports activities in his community, as well as a Credit Union of which he was secretary treasurer for a number of years. During the 1940s and 1950s, he was also secretary treasurer of the local school board, president of the Saskatchewan Trustees Association, and president of the Saskatchewan Liberal Party. Mr. Gleason married Marion Cecilia Robinson in 1925 and had eight children. He died of cancer on June 21, 1978, and is buried in Yorkton.
Meta Data
- Medium:
- Video
- Owner:
- Veterans Affairs Canada
- Duration:
- 2:40
- Person Interviewed:
- Patrick William Gleason
- War, Conflict or Mission:
- First World War
- Location/Theatre:
- Europe
- Battle/Campaign:
- Vimy
- Branch:
- Army
- Units/Ship:
- 196th Saskatchewan Regiment
- Rank:
- Private
- Occupation:
- Infantryman
Attestation
Related Videos
Enlightening experience
Mr. Gleason describes being helped to a dressing station by a badly wounded Japanese-Canadian soldier from an adjacent battalion, and years later giving a neighbour a lesson in tolerance.
Digging trenches
Mr. Gleason describes the long hours and drudgery of digging trenches which were sometimes never used.
We hoofed it all the way
Mr. Gleason describes moving from Arras to Amiens on foot.. He has an interesting take on the army’s definition of “non-essential kit.”
He put me in charge
Mr. Gleason describes escaping a dangerous situation with his ammunition supply team, and a dangerous yet amusing situation arising from a girlfriend’s photo.
They’d break your leg
Mr. Gleason discusses the challenges of moving supplies, in particular moving mule teams over pontoon bridges, and driving trucks at night in total blackout conditions.
Missing rations
Mr. Gleason describes the fact rations intended for the soldiers were sometimes sold, resulting in unnecessary hunger among the troops. He complains to his officer, resulting in a unexpectedly positive outcome.
Everything stopped
Mr. Gleason describes the lack of celebration when the armistice took effect, and how his war experience later resulted in nightmares.
- Date modified: