BX November 19, 1915
Four Men, All from Brantford Were Killed by one Hun Shell – Lowes, O’Neill Brothers and Stephenson Were Quartet – Corporal Stephenson Enlisted at Brantford in Newman’s Company with O’Neill Boys
Last Letter
That the four members of Lt.-Col. McLaren’s 19th Battalion, who were recently killed by the explosion of a shell, while the 19th Battalion, in which their company was, was in the first line trenches, were all Brantford boys was definitely ascertained today, the fourth being Corp. Howard McLean Stephenson, for two years a resident of this city.
Two days ago it was known that Pte. J.H. Lowes had been killed, along with three others. Yesterday word was received that the O’Neill brothers, Percy and Vernon, had also been killed by the same shell, and the last list of casualties gave the fourth man as Corp. Howard McLean Stephenson, of Windsor Ont.
While the late Corp. Stephenson resided in Brantford, he lived with Mrs. E. Gilliard, 25 Wellington St. As soon as Mrs. Gilliard saw the casualty list, she recognized the name, which was given under his mother’s address, 85 Gladstone Avenue, Windsor.
Stephenson was employed in the Brantford Scale Company’s plant before enlisting and his intention had been to come back here, as he left all his belongings with Mrs. Gilliard. They heard from him continuously since he left here up to six weeks ago, and until his death was reported they have had no further word from him.
The young man was only 24 years of age and decidedly popular during his sojourn in Brantford. He left Brantford in the fall of 1914, with Major Newman’s company, spent the winter in Toronto, where they became part of the 19th Battalion. Early this year he went to England, and was at the front about two months before he was killed.
The Last Letter
In what is possibly the last letter he wrote, Private Percy O’Neill tells of some of the horrors of trench warfare. The letter was received just a few days ago by J.T. Whittaker, a close friend of Pte. O’Neill, while he was in the city. The letter reads:
October 18, 1915
Somewhere in Belgium,
My Dear Jim,
No doubt, you think I have forgotten all my Brantford friends, but such is not the case, especially you. I often think of you all and the good times we have had together and I am looking forward when I shall return and have a few more of them. Life in the trenches is rather exciting at times, but not near so as we expected to have.
I have not had my clothes off since leaving England. You see we are going all the time. Our battalion is again in the firing line – our company in reserve. This part of the line was taken by the Princess Pats Regiment. Our line is about 100 yards from the Germans. Between these two lines are bodies of French soldiers. They have been there since last winter. I saw one headless body while out with our boys working repairing trenches. We can see bodies of French soldiers which I suppose had been there for some time. I am sorry I cannot tell you more, Jim, about the firing line. If I did the censors would not let it go through. But believe me, it is awful.
I am enclosing you a photo of yourself which I have carried since leaving Brantford. As you know you were my dearest friend. I thought you would like to keep it as a souvenir, as it had been in the trenches with me. Besides, it is the only way I can get a souvenir to you, as they won’t let us send any from here. No doubt you have seen by the Brantford papers that we have lost some of the boys from Brantford. Our major, Bert Newman, and captain had a very narrow escape. Our C.S.M. was killed by a bomb. (This refers to Col Sergeant-Major Mack.) I was cutting one of our boys’ hair and talking about Brantford and the old barber shops, about 25 feet from the spot where the bomb fell. Gee! I was lucky, wasn’t I? At this time we were in the most advanced part of the line.
How is the opera house coming along? Wish you all kinds of luck. A box for men when I return. So with kind regards to your wife and yourself I will close.
I remain, yours as ever,
Percy.
BX November 25, 1915
Unfinished Letter from Late Private Percy O’Neill Received Here by J. Miller – Details Given in Another Letter, This from George Patte, of Tragedy That Wiped Out Lives of Four Young Brantfordites – Sad Story
Full details of the death of Corporal Stephenson, the two O’Neill boys and Private J.H. Lowes are in hand today in letters from the battlefield – literally so. Mr. James Miller of the Savoy barbershop, who was a partner of Percy O’Neill, was the recipient of three letters this morning, one being a complete letter from Percy O’Neill, the second an unfinished one from him, and the third a letter from Corp. George Patte, telling of the manner in which they met their death, which was instantaneous, and of the funeral.
The letter written by Percy O’Neill to Harvey, with whom he worked, and to James Miller, was:
Somewhere
Dear Harve and Jim,
A few lines to let you know we are all well, but working hard. We have been in the trenches for some time. Life in the trenches is rather exciting at times, but not nearly so as we expected to have. I have only had my clothes off once since leaving England. I suppose you have heard the good news by this time. We were in the trenches at the time. I heard the bombarding by our guns. On our right we could see the flashes from our artillery. It was just like a lightning strike. Our part was the fake attack. We lighted bags filled with straw and sulphur. These were thrown over our trenches and smoked a long time. Our bombers threw smoke bombs over, keeping a cloud between our line and the Germans.
Our bombers were also active with hand grenades and rifle grenades. The object was to hold the Germans from reinforcing their right and left. I’ll bet they stayed there, too. You should have heard the rapid fire they turned on our parapet. They must have thought we were coming over. I was out the other day with a working party repairing trenches and came to two bodies of French soldiers, which I suppose had been there for some time. Now I am running short of news, so will have to ring off for now, hoping Jim and yourself are getting along right, and remember me to all, Tom and all the other boys that come in the shops, and with kind regards to yourself and Jim, I remain yours as ever,
Perc.
P.S. – Pat just came in while I was writing this letter and told me to be sure to remember him to you all.
Private Percy O’Neill’s unfinished letter to James Miller, which was
Oct. 21, 1915
Somewhere,
Dear Jim,
Just a few lines to let you know we are all well and working hard. We have just come from the firing line. Our company has been in the dugouts the past week not far behind the first line and I see by the paper you have had the good news. We were in the trenches at the time and heard the big guns. We had filled bags with straw and sulphur. These were thrown over our trenches and smoked for a long time. Our bombers threw smoke bombs between our lines and the Germans were also active with hand grenades. The object was to hold the Germans from reinforcing their right and left.
Here the letter ended abruptly, being left in its unfinished condition.
News of the Deaths
Details of the deaths were given in a letter from Corp. George Patte to James Miller as follows:
November 5, 1915
Somewhere,
Mr. Jim Miller
Brantford, Ont.
Dear Friend Jim,
Well Jim old … hard letter to write, but it has to be done, so here it goes. You have had no doubt the official news of Percy’s and Vernon’s death by this time, and no doubt you are hoping against hope that there may be some mistake and I am only sorry, old boy, that I have to tell you that it is only too true. Percy, Vernon, Jack Knott and Jimmie Lowes were guarding a stream that ran through the German trenches to ours. They were to see that none of our boys touched the water for any purpose whatever for fear of it being poisoned. Corp. Stephenson and myself had a dugout in which we slept in about 10 feet away. We would come out of the dugout, he would sit on the step of O’Neill’s dugout and I would sit on the bench they had, and we would all talk. We were all there talking shortly before it occurred, when the word was passed down to go for our supper rations. We all went and I stayed down there, as my section was stationed in a bay in that part of the trench, and I always eat with them.
The O’Neill’s, Stephenson, Knott and Lowes went back and were eating supper when the Germans started shelling. The first four or five went over their heads, but they suddenly shortened the range and one cut through the parapet right above their heads. It killed the four instantly and wounded Knott pretty severely. They never suffered, Jim, for they never knew what hit them, and somehow or other, old man, words won’t come to me to tell you just how we felt and feel now. I helped to get their equipment off and sorted out their personal belongings which will be forwarded in time. Our officer, Mr. McKay and nine of us went out the next day to bury them. I being the only non-com in the place it was my part to throw the earth in when the chaplain said “ashes to ashes and dust to dust,” and Jim, I just can’t explain how I felt when I threw the earth in on those old pals of ours.
The four graves are all in a row, Percy and Vernon side by side. We are going to sod them over and make them look as nice as possible. Jim, I know how you feel and I want you to know also, Kelly, Harvey and all the rest that we all share the sorrow and loss that you feel. You probably did not know Stephenson and Lowes, but they were fine fellows, so we lost four of our best pals all at once.
Had a very close call myself the day after. W.R. Smith, West Brantford, and myself were in the dugout that Stephenson and myself had slept in, when a shell hit it, knocking over sandbags and covering us with earth. We were sure wearing horse shoes that day, for neither one of us were hurt, the only casualty being a big rat, which had its sides all ripped out. Found the nose of the shell sticking in the dugout. I am keeping it as a souvenir.
Now Jim drop us a line at once on receiving this, telling me of anything I could do and if possible will be only too glad to assist in any way. With all good wishes to yourself and boys, with sympathy,
Your old pal,
Pat.
Corp. G.J. Patte,
No 55679
C Co., 19th Batt.
4th Brigade,
2nd C.E.F. Army Post office,
London, Eng.
P.S.: Enclosed you will find a letter I found in Percy’s kit bag; he [?]