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Call for Volunteer Nurses (6 August 1914)  

By • On • In Home Front, Summer 1914, Summer 1914'

On 6 August, the Canadian National Nurses Association made the call for volunteer nurses. Women who were willing to perform their duty to the empire on the field of battle and wherever else they were needed were asked to answer this call. Only those who were prepared for such a duty were asked to register their names with Miss Rodgers, the Superintendent of the Berlin & Waterloo Hospital, or Miss Masters, the Secretary of the Graduate Nurses’ Association in the Waterloo Region. By 8 August, five young women from the region had offered their services and reported to Miss Masters. The women would join the volunteer Red Cross Society in overseas service with the first contingent.

(“Volunteer Nurses Wanted for War Duty,” Berlin Daily Telegraph, 6 August 1914; “Five have Volunteered,” Berlin Daily Telegraph, 8 August 1914; “Five have Volunteered,” Waterloo Chronicle Telegraph, 13 August 1914)

Volunteer Nurses

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Berlin Band Concert This Evening (6 August 1914)  

By • On • In German-Canadian Identity, Home Front, Summer 1914, Summer 1914 -

Life proceeded normally in Waterloo region for the first few days after war was declared. Waterloo region’s industries continued to bustle, and so did their festivities. On 6 August, the Berlin City Band played in the Market Square. They performed many traditional German, Czech, Italian and British songs. What is important to note about their program is the emergence of songs like “The Volunteers” with its patriotic message. As the month progressed, patriotic songs became more prominent in band concerts across the region in response to the war. This demonstrated the region’s urge to display patriotism and their support of the British Empire during the war.

(“Band Concert This Evening,” Berlin Daily Telegraph, 6 August 1914; “Patriotic Band Concert,” Ayr News, 13 August 1914; “Band Will Play Tonight,” Ayr News, 20 August 1914; “Concert a Fine One,” Waterloo Chronicle Telegraph, 27 August 1914.)

 

Band Concert

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Canada Can Feed the Motherland (6 August 1914)  

By • On • In Economics, Summer 1914, Summer 1914.

By 6 August, Canadians were adamant that they could help the motherland by feeding her people. Prior to war, two-thirds to three quarters of Great Britain’s food supply was actually imported goods from Canada, the United States, India, Argentina, and Australia. Canada traditionally supplied one third of Great Britain’s wheat and flour.

There was normally only enough food in the United Kingdom at one time to feed its inhabitants for a maximum of six to seven weeks, meaning that if Britain did not receive its imports, it would likely be starved into submission. It was up to Canada, and the other members of the British Empire, to help make sure that that did not happen. Canada would supply Great Britain with grains, bacon, fish and cheese, but would not be able to supply much more than that. Canada’s foodstuff contributions were part of her patriotic and imperialistic duties to Great Britain.

(“Can Feed Motherland with Bread and Cheese,” Berlin Daily-Telegraph, 6 August 1914, “Britain is Quiet,” Berlin Daily-Telegraph, 6 August 1914; Visual: http://ao.minisisinc.com/WEBIMAGES/I0002281.jpg)

 

I0002281

 

 

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The War’s Impact on Canada’s Agriculture (6 August 1914)  

By • On • In Economics, Summer 1914, Summer 1914.

Immediately after the war was declared economists, and many others, became concerned with how the war would affect the Canadian market. By 6 August, there was already a price increase in sugar and flour, which were two of the main necessities of Canadian homes. It was also predicted that the prices of other foodstuff and clothing would increase in the near future.

On 6 August, the Berlin Daily Telegraph reported that Mr. J. Uffelman, of the Ontario Seed Company, stated that while the war would not affect the 1914 harvest, next year’s harvest might be affected. This was because the war might potentially prevent the importation of certain varieties of seeds, especially those that were normally imported from Germany. This would affect the Waterloo Region, where some farmers grew a European variety of rye.

(“Prices for Foodstuffs Increasing,” Berlin Daily-Telegraph, 6 August 1914)

 

The War’s affect on Canada’s Agriculture (6 August 1914)

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German Canadians and the War (7 August 1914)  

By • On • In German-Canadian Identity, Summer 1914, Summer 1914 -

On 7 August, the Berlin Daily Telegraph reprinted an article from the Toronto Globe on the presence of German-Canadians, including those in Berlin and Waterloo, during the crisis. The politically charged article stated that the war was not against Germany, or Germans, but against the Bismarckian system of government that reigned over Germany. The article stated that this government system threatened the freedom of the rest of the world and that Britain, and subsequently Canada as well, needed to stand against this threat. Britain was therefore fighting for freedom, not for glory or gain.

The article addressed the sentiment of the thousands of citizens in Berlin and Waterloo, and the smaller German communities across Ontario and Canada. Austrians and Germans with Canadian citizenship were willing to join in the fight against their ancestral countries. This did not mean that these citizens did not still love their ancestral lands. They would answer Great Britain’s call to arms because it was for freedom and because:

“They know better than an English-Canadian or French-Canadian among us, that the whole system of autocratic and militarist despotism, is doomed, damned and doomed.”

(“German-Canadians and the War,” Berlin Daily Telegraph, 6 August 1914.)

 

German Canadians and the War (7 August 1914)

 

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Will Arrest German Reservists if They Try to Leave Canada (7 August 1914)  

By • On • In German-Canadian Identity, Summer 1914, Summer 1914 -

Almost immediately after Canada entered the war, the issue of German officers and reservists in Canada arose. As early as 7 August, the Canadian Militia Department and the Dominion Cabinet took steps to ensure that German officers and reservists were prevented from returning to Germany. German reservists were encouraged the report to authorities to state their intentions; a failure to do so would likely lead to arrest and confinement. Despite this hostility, reservists in the Waterloo region were assured that if they wanted to remain in Canada and proceed with their normal daily life, under parole, they would not be harassed. Any German reservist in Berlin and Waterloo was to report to Captain Osborne, Captain of the “C” Squadron of the 24th Grey’s Horse Regiment, stationed in Waterloo Region.

(“Will arrest German Reservists if they seek to leave Canada,” Berlin Daily Telegraph, 8 August 1914; “Will arrest German Reservists if they seek to leave Canada,” Waterloo Chronicle-Telegraph, 13 August 1914; “German Reservists in Dominion must state intention at once,” Waterloo Chronicle-Telegraph, 13 August 1914; “Reservists Handed in Their Parole,” Berlin Daily Telegraph, 8 August 1914; “Reservists Handed in Their Parole,” Waterloo Chronicle Telegraph, 13 August 1914; “War News,” Elmira Signet, 13 August).

 

Will arrest German Reservists if they try to leave Canada (7 August 1914)

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Canada’s Gift to Britain (9 August 1914)  

By • On • In Economics, Summer 1914, Summer 1914.

In addition to Canada’s commitment to export as much as possible to Britain, the Canadian Government also offered Britain a gift. Soon after the war was declared, Canada offered to send Britain a gift of one million bags of flour, to be placed at the disposal of the British Government.

In response to this offer, the Colonial Secretary of the Imperial Government stated:

“On behalf of the people of the United Kingdom, his Majesty’s Government accepts with gratitude the splendid and welcome gift of flour from Canada … We can never forget the generosity and promptitude of this gift and the patriotism from which it springs.”

This gift was worth an estimated three million dollars. Parliament would be asked to vote for the necessary funds and once the funding was secured, the flour would be shipped to the United Kingdom in September.

(“Canada’s Gift to Britain,” Elmira Signet, 20 August 1914)

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Young German Warned to Keep Quiet (10 August 1914)  

By • On • In German-Canadian Identity, Summer 1914, Summer 1914 -

On 10 August, a young German named John Winterburg was arrested in Dutton, Ontario. He faced a charge of vagrancy. The young man had planned to leave Dutton and travel to Cleveland so that he could return to Germany. He was caught when he failed to keep his plan secret and was arrested by a local constable. The County Magistrate informed Winterburg that he would not be leaving for Germany and that he would be kept under strict surveillance for the remainder of the war, although he would not necessarily be detained for the duration of the war.

This article, originally printed in St. Thomas, Ontario (also part of Elgin County) demonstrated to those living in Waterloo Region that local law enforcement were taking the Canadian Militia Department and the Dominion Cabinet’s orders to prevent German reservists from leaving the country seriously. Both the Berlin Daily Telegraph and the Waterloo Chronicle Telegraph reprinted this story for their Waterloo Region readers. Articles like these demonstrated that law enforcement and the Canadian government would not hesitate to use their power over Germans and  German-Canadians during the war.

(“Young German Warned to Keep a Quiet Tongue,” Berlin Daily Telegraph, 11 August 1914, “Young German Warned to Keep a Quiet tongue,” Waterloo Chronicle-Telegraph, 13 August 1914.)

 

Young German Warned to Keep Quiet (10 August 1914)

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A Possible Naval Battle? (11 August 1914)  

By • On • In Summer 1914, Summer 1914', War

The week after war was declared, there was a rising suspicion that there would soon be a large naval battle. Britain was the leading naval power in the world, and some believed that she could bring a quick end to the war if she could engage Germany in a naval battle. When all of the Canadian Atlantic ports, including Montreal, closed at the same time that the British ports closed, predictions of a naval battle became all the more persistent. Contributing to this suspicion was the fact that two Canadian Ships, the steamships Margaret and Canada, were being transferred to the naval service. Many other ships had also been placed on active service. There was no report of any action on the water though, and officials remained adamant that the port closures were carried out as a precaution. German cruisers were in the Atlantic and once they were removed ports would be opened again. Despite these assurances, predictions of a naval battle continued throughout August.

(“Would Join Force,” Berlin Daily Telegraph, 11 August 1914; “What A Spoil,” Elmira Signet, 20 August 1914, “Now in Navy,” Hespeler Herald, 13 August 1914; Photo Origin: London Advertiser, 3 August 1914.)

A Possible Naval Battle? (11 August 1914)

 

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Ontario Offers to Vaccinate Troops (11 August 1914)  

By • On • In Home Front, Summer 1914, Summer 1914'

The Ontario government offered to contribute to the preparation of the Canadian Forces by bearing the cost to vaccinate the First Contingent. Typhoid and enteric fever had resulted in approximately 8200 deaths during the South African War. It was hoped that vaccination against typhoid, before Canadians went overseas, would save Canadians from a similar fate during this war.

The Department of Health in Ontario began preparations for a system of anti-typhoid vaccination to be carried out by the end of the month. This would require many health care professionals and a large amount of the serum. This was seen as a way for the province to demonstrate its support of the Dominion and by extension the motherland, and hopefully to help protect Canadian soldiers.

(“Offers Vaccine for Troops,” Waterloo Chronicle Telegraph, 13 August 1914.)

Vaccine