Stretcher Bearers at the Double - ElectricCanadian.com

THE LAST PHASE 235
and cold. It was like a Fall day "back home" and, for the first
time, the lads realized to the full that Peace had really come and
that it wouldn t be very long until they were home once more.
All through the day there was gaiety in every face,
voice and
gesture. The townspeople were simply delirious with joy and the
infection of their spirits quickly spread to the troops. All joined
in a riotous celebration and "the
sky was the limit" so far as
discipline and military comportment were concerned.
In the evening the whole unit sat down to a special dinner in
the large assembly room of the school. Additional food and
beverages had been brought up from Arras and everybody had
plenty. Major Lomer read to us the official terms of the armistice;
and the evening (and many of the men) passed away quite
pleasantly.
The name Denain shall always conjure up
thoughts in the minds of every
enough
fond memories and
Fifth man who was fortunate
-
to be there. The town wasn t much to look at - only a
plain, humble, somewhat drab sort of place. Dozens of ugly
slag-heaps dotted its environs and its buildings bore ample
evidence of the grimy dust which had for many years showered
over the city. Civilians told us that the town s bessemer steel
plant had been wantonly blown up by the Huns just before they
were forced out of Denain by our troops. Another piece of childish
vandalism committed by the thwarted enemy was the removal
of Marshall Villars statue. Only the stone base of this monu
ment remained. Villars, who had saved France by defeating the
Austrians at Denain in 1712, was the city s greatest hero and
nothing could have hurt the townspeople more than the dese
cration of his memorial.
Denain also reminds us that it was while we were there two
of our senior noncoms. nearly had a battle over some apples.
While one of the noncoms. was away on leave a crate of excellent
arrived for him from Canada. Our mailman left the
Spy apples
crate in charge of one of our most exalted sergeants, thinking
that they were in safe hands and would be duly turned over to
their rightful owner who was expected back within a day or two.
The owner of the apples never saw one of them, however.
When he rejoined the Fifth he discovered that his fellow noncom.
had eaten them - - except for some he had given away to a few
of his cronies, who wondered at his suddenly acquired generosity.