Sheldon Van Sickle

Rank:

Gunner

Regimental number:

42840

Unit at enlistment:

3rd Brigade C.F.A., Base Company

Force:

C.E.F.

Volunteered or conscripted:

Volunteered

Survived the war:

Yes

Wounded:

Yes

Commemorated at:

First Baptist Church, Victoria Public School Honour Roll

Birth country:

Canada

Birth county:

Brant

Birth city:

Brantford, Ontario

Address at enlistment:

55 Albion Street, Brantford, Ontario

Next of kin address:

55 Albion Street, Brantford, Ontario

Trade or calling:

Printer

Employer:

MacBride Press

Religious denominations:

Baptist

Marital status:

Single

Age at enlistment:

Letters and documents

BX January 12, 1915

Activities of the Y.M.C.A. Appreciated by Soldiers

Gunner Sheldon Van Sickle, Writes An Interesting Letter From Salisbury Plain To His Former Sunday School Teacher - Letters From Home Friends Are Eagerly Looked For.

The following interesting letter was received by John F. Schultz from Gunner Sheldon Van Sickle, who left this city with the First Contingent for Valcartier, later proceeding to Salisbury Plain, where he is now encamped. Gunner Van Sickle was a member of the A.F. Bible class of First Baptist Church, of which Mr. Schultz is leader. The letter follows:

Dear Friend,

Received your welcome letter and greeting card which were greatly appreciated as it is very lonesome here unless we get some mail once in a while.

We spent a very pleasant Christmas here, although we are only under canvas and the weather is very wet and chilly. We feasted on roast pork and apple sauce, cake, pudding, oranges, nuts, etc., which are a great treat here.

I received a very nice letter from the Patriotic Association on Christmas Eve, so I see we are not forgotten by the good old city.

I am writing this letter in the Y.M.C.A. tent, which is only a few minutes' walk from my tent. They supply us with paper and envelopes and use us fine. The Y.M.C.A. is certainly proving its worth and willingness during this great national crisis and should be patronized by every loyal young Canadian.

We expect to leave here for Berlin (Via Tipperary) shortly, and we are all anxious to do our little part to defeat William (the great I am), and if it is my lot to stop a stray piece of shrapnel, I am ready to do that much for my country and home.

While away on leave I visited Bristol and went to the Bristol Royal Infirmary and visited a number of our wounded allies. The tales they tell of the brutality of the Germans make one's blood boil. There are men there who were wounded, but who will recover, who had their wrists cut so they would not be able to take up arms again, so you cannot wonder at us for wanting to get to the front.

Our troops are getting into fine shape now and are beginning to look like real soldiers.

I have a fine job now. I am a range-taker, that is, we take the distance from the gun to the target. This is done with a small instrument that is carried on a belt, and will give the exact distance in yards.

I suppose you have heard of the raids on this country by the Germans. They raided the east coast from the water; also Dover and a spot on the Thames by aeroplanes. It is also reported that a bomb was dropped on the plains near here last night, but there have been no papers here yet to verify this.

Give my best regards to the class and tell them I think of them and the good times we have had together every Sunday, while I am at the services in the Y.M.C.A., and tell them I wish them every success and a very successful year in 1915.

Tell the boys I am patiently waiting for a letter from some of them, as a few minutes spent by them in this way will give me a great deal of pleasure. A few lines from home is better to me than all the newspapers published in England. I would drop them all a card if I knew where to send them.

Well, I must close, as I have to saddle my horse for morning parade, so will say good-bye for now and should I not get another chance to write and should our meeting be postponed till "the roll is called up yonder," I trust we will all be united there.

Gunner S. Van Sickle

BX June 1, 1915

In a brief letter to his parents, Gunner Sheldon Van Sickle, who left Brantford with the First Contingent and who with the 12th Battery went through the great battle of Ypres, tells of the casualties in his unit, and of his impressions of the big fight. The letter is as follows:

May 9, 1915,
Belgium

Dear Dad,

Just a few lines to say I am well and happy and hope you are all the same at home. We are near ---- at present and hope to get out of here soon, as it is a very hot corner just at present. We have been very busy since the night of April 22, at 5.15, when the attack started. We were the most advanced Canadian battery and had to leave our position when the Algerians let go on our left flank. We came back to an open position and had a very hard night’s work. The Germans were only about 300 yards from us, so you see we had some exciting time, and believe me the next time anything like that happens I want to be about 300 miles from it.

We have about 25 casualties out of about 135 men, so we got it pretty heavy, but not as bad as some of our infantry. I consider myself very lucky that I am alive to write this letter. I was through …. 14 times one week, and that is just as exciting as it is on Colborne Street on Saturday night (and then some). I will sure be glad when I see Newfoundland again, and I hope it will be soon.

Tell mother I received all the parcels up to date except the one with the cigarettes in, and the one with the Old Chum was very acceptable, as it is hard to get good tobacco. I am smoking the pipe now.

Your loving son,
Sheldon

Gunner Van Sickle gives his address as follows:

Gunner S. Van Sickle, No. 42840
12th Battery, 3rd Brigade
Canadian Division, British Expeditionary Force
France

BX August 31, 1915

S. Van Sickle Wounded? – Local Gunner Has Been Removed to Queen Mary’s Hospital

The unwelcome tidings were received in the city this morning that Gunner Sheldon Van Sickle, son of Mr. and Mrs. L. Van Sickle, 55 Albion Street, had just arrived in the Queen Mary Hospital at Southend-on-Sea, Essex, England. No further information was contained on the card which was forwarded by the British Red Cross Society. Naturally his parents are very anxious concerning the nature and extent of the injuries or sickness. Mr. Van Sickle will cable direct to the hospital to obtain further information regarding his son’s welfare.

Gunner Van Sickle was among the first to volunteer from this city, enlisting with the first contingent of the 32nd Battery and leaving Brantford for Valcartier and overseas towards the latter part of August.

BX February 22, 1916

Gunner Van Sickle Returns

Mr. Lewis Van Sickle, 55 Albion Street, has received from the adjutant-general of the Canadian militia a letter stating that his son, Sheldon, now with the Reserve Artillery, left England on Feb. 11 last, bound for home. Mr. Van Sickle received a telegram from his son this morning telling of his safe arrival at St. John, N.B., and stating that he would reach Brantford toward the end of the week. Gunner Sheldon Van Sickle left the city Aug. 28, 1914, with a quota of the 32nd Battery, and went to England with the First Contingent. He was wounded while at the front and is now being invalided home after spending some months in England.

BX March 1, 1916

A Warm Welcome Was Extended To Gunner Van Sickle – Hero Who Was Gassed And Wounded returned To His Home Here – Big Attendance

Gunner Sheldon Van Sickle of the Reserve Artillery, who was wounded August 31, 1915, and has spent over seven months in the hospitals in England and France, returned to the city last night on the 7.32 Grand Trunk train and was given a rousing reception by the band of the 125th and a large number of soldiers and citizens.

Promptly upon the arrival of the train the returned hero, in spite of his protests, was placed on the shoulders of several of his fellow soldiers and amid loud cheers was escorted to a waiting motor car containing the other members of the family.

A parade was formed and upon arrival at the Market Square, Ald. J.S. Dowling, chairman of the Soldiers’ Aid Commission and acting mayor in the absence of Mayor Bowlby, officially welcomed Gunner Van Sickle back to the city.

After calling for three cheers, which were heartily responded to by the crowd, Rev. Llewellyn Brown was called upon and extended a very hearty welcome to Gunner Van Sickle, who left here with the First Contingent from the 32nd Battery, early in the war. He referred to the sacrifice that Gunner Van Sickle had made and emphasized the honor that was due, not only to him, but also to his mother, whose sacrifice had also been great, even greater than that of the returned hero. The greatest honor that could possibly be shown was her due. He further hoped that the presence of Gunner Van Sickle crowned with honor, would be an inspiration for those who had not already donned the khaki to do so.

Ex-Mayor Spence

Ex-Mayor J.H. Spence also spoke a few brief but fitting words of welcome, adding to the tributes of praise extended the returned hero by Rev. Mr. Brown. He also emphasized the need for all who could and were fit to go to do so.

German Gas

Ald. Dowling then explained how Gunner Van Sickle’s lungs had been affected by German gas and at the request of the mother of the returned hero he had promised not to keep him in the cold air any longer than necessary. After more cheers and the rendering of the national anthem by the band the reception was brought to a close and he was whirled away once again to his home on Albion Street.

BX March 6, 1916

A Welcome Home

In the First Baptist Church last evening a welcome home service was held for Gunner Sheldon Van Sickle of the Reserve Artillery, who was invalided home about a week ago. Mr. Van Sickle was formerly a member of this church and a favorite with all, and was one of the first members of the congregation to volunteer when war broke out. The church was packed for the service. Rev. Llewellyn Brown spoke on the work of the soldier and told of how those at home appreciated it.