Honorable discharge

First World War Audio Archive

Honorable discharge

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Transcript

There was a bunch of us at Bramshott; Dick Rouse, Jesse James,

Hill 62 Memorial Belgium.

Shorty McNabb, more and more of them - and we were supposed

Courtrai Memorial Belgium.

to go back to the battalion headquarters, but instead of that,

Le Quesnel Memorial Belgium.

they loaded us, they took us over to Rell (sp), loaded us on a boat and sent us back to Canada. And I was on the boat for

Gueudecourt Memorial France.

Christmas and on the train for New Year’s. I landed back in Saskatoon on the seventh of January at 7 o’clock in the morning

Dury Memorial France.

and I got off the CNR station in Saskatoon, went over to Second

Monchy Memorial France.

Avenue, got on a street car. In those days they had a motor man and a conductor. Well, I didn’t have five cents to put in the

Passchendaele Memorial Belgium.

change box so the motor man, the conductor came up to me and he said, “You didn’t put any money in.” And I was in full

Masnières memorial France.

marching order less rifle and I said to him, I said, “Look here

Bourion Wood Memorial France.

fellow,” I said, “I’ll be back here on this car for a while to come yet.” My people lived up on 14th Street in Saskatoon and I

Courcelette Memorial France.

said, “I’ll pay you the five cents some time when I get my money, when I get my cheque.” And that’s the end of my war,

Beaumont-Hamel Memorial France.

my war career except I went back down to Regina on the 23rd of January 1919, and got an honourable discharge dated in Regina,

St. Julien Memorial Belgium.

December 23, 1919, Military District #12. That’s my career.

Canadian National Vimy Memorial France.

Description

Mr. Smith discusses his return home from England.

Allan A ‘Spike’ Smith

Allan A ‘Spike’ Smith was born in Minto, Manitoba on May 7, 1894. Mr. Smith enlisted while attending the University of Saskatchewan, joining the 196th Battalion. He did his basic training at Camp Hughes, Manitoba. Once overseas, he was at Camp Seaford in England when he was selected to reinforce the 46th Battalion. He saw his first action just prior to Vimy, and was wounded by shrapnel at the Chalk Pits. He returned to action at Drocourt-Queant, and was again wounded by shrapnel. He later returned to Passchendaele. He received a Military Medal for bravery. After the war, Mr. Smith became a farmer, coached a women’s volleyball team, and became an agriculture inspector. He died on August 12, 1981.

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