BX September 29, 1917
Returned Invalided Soldiers
The following Brantford men are expected to leave Halifax on Saturday, Sept. 29 by the intercolonial and Grand Trunk. They may reach Toronto Sunday Morning, Sept. 30. Cpl. E. Van Sickle, Privates H. Reeve, W. O’Heron, E. Hall, H. Baird, C. Wells.
BX October 3, 1917
Veterans Were Not Met Here – No Word of Their Coming had Preceded Them – Were Unwelcomed
As a result of a laxness somewhere no word was received here yesterday as to the time of arrival of the expected party of returned veterans, so they arrived home unwelcomed. A deputation of returned soldiers, members of the Soldiers’ Aid Commission and citizens, met the 7.33 train from Toronto but the men were all home by that time. Seven men in all arrived, four of them at 6.52 and the other three during the afternoon.
The party was not long held in Toronto as they just reached there at noon yesterday. The London bunch went through Brantford about the middle of the afternoon and a few relatives of the men expected were on hand but no Brantford men came with the party and the expectation was that they would arrive as usual at 7.33.
The men who returned yesterday are as far as is known the following: Corp. E. Vansickle, Private Harry Baird, H. Reeve, W. O’Heron, and E. Hall. In this party Lance Corp. Vansickle had probably suffered the most. He had been wounded 23 times at Vimy Ridge, as the result of a bursting shell. Pte. Harry Baird, who before enlisting was a brakeman on the G.T.R., has been at the front for three years. He is also badly off, having suffered seven wounds and is still suffering from shock.
Ald. M.M. MacBride returned from Toronto on the same train as the veterans last evening and he was thanked for assisting one home with his baggage. One of the veterans who came in last evening stated that he saw more lights in Brantford than he has seen in three years. He also remarked on the pleasure the men took in cleaning up huge platters of white bread when they reached Halifax. White bread and butter were great luxuries overseas and were enjoyed to the full on the return.
A veteran states that the Bantam Battalion has been found unfit for active service, conditions owing to their size, as a result of which, he states about half of them are returning to Canada, the balance having been absorbed by the Engineers.
BX December 4, 1917
Two Veterans Arrived Home – More Expected to Come to the City Today or Tuesday
Two Brantford veterans returned home Saturday afternoon. The Soldiers’ Aid Commission and the G.W.V.A. had deputations to meet the 3.52 G.T.R. train from Toronto on Saturday afternoon, expecting to meet H. Blanchard of 53 Oxford Street; H. Churchward, 105 Cayuga; Sergt J. Hardy, 29 Rawdon Street, and A. Lamb, 90 Oxford Street. None of these men however arrived. The Soldiers’ Aid Commission which was represented by Ald. Dowling and Mr. George MacDonald then met the 4.36 T.H. and B. train and on this arrived Privates Blanchard and Hardy. The other two men who were expected had broken their journey at Hamilton and were to return later by radial. The seven other men H.W. Parks, 79 Palace Street; G.B. Ramsay, 6 Spring Street; J. Rumble, 59 Strathcona Avenue; A.H. Selmes, 74 Spring Street; G. Sowers, Ruth Street and A. Waterhouse Oakland, P.O., who are the balance of the party expected last week, will likely arrive sometime today. Further word has been received that five more men will reach Toronto today. They are William Abbott, 103 Sydenham Street; E.G. Hall, 284 St. Paul Avenue; J.A. Pennell, 41 Spring Street; C.E. Warner, 17 Balfour Street.
