A dispatch from Berlin, sent through Amsterdam, claimed that the German Kaiser went to the Western Front to a neighbourhood where many Germans had lost their lives. According to the dispatch, the Kaiser got off his horse and knelt on the ground and offered a prayer. As he rose, he proclaimed, “Oh God, I did not want this war.”
“”I Did Not Want This War,” Says Kaiser,” Berlin Daily Telegraph, June 29, 1915.
According to this article, Germany was beginning to realize that they would not be able to conquer the sea using submarine warfare. These claims were based on the fact that German newspapers were no longer boasting about the military and naval power of Germany. Combined with the growth of the British navy, German critics were realizing that submarines would not dominate maritime warfare as they had planned.
“German Critics Beginning to Realize that their Submarines are not likely to Conquer the Sea,” Berlin Daily Telegraph, June 30, 1915.
The Royal Naval Hospital in Haslar, on the southern coast of England, would soon have a new wing that would be dedicated to the women of Canada for their patriotism and loyalty to Britain. When war broke out, Canadian women organized a fund to support the sick and wounded. In a short time, the fund reached $250,000 which was given to the Imperial Government to be spent in whatever way they deemed best. It was decided that the money would be spent on a new wing for this hospital as nurses and hospital staff were using some of the patient beds. This new wing, named the Canadian Women’s Wing, would allow 250 beds to be made available for wounded and sick soldiers.
“England Pays Tribute to Canadian Women,” Berlin Daily Telegraph, July 3, 1915.
Fears and rumours that Canada would be invaded by Germany were real fears during the First World War, and in early July 1915, Major Robinson of the 21st Regiment was warned that a force was coming and a home guard was set up to keep watch. Fears such as these were understandable, especially as it was claimed at a conference of the Deutscher Bund in Detroit, “If Germany is to get Canada it would be ceded in the regular way at the end of the war.” Meaning if Germany took Canada and was victorious in the war while Canada was still in their control, Canada would be given to Germany. This German-American political group was also quick to assure Canadians that Germans felt no ill will towards them as they knew Canada had no say in whether or not it went to war and nine out of every ten soldiers in the Canadian army was born in the British Isles. They noted that men born in Canada joined the Canadian armed forces in a much smaller number because they knew there was nothing for them to gain in the war. Therefore, Germans had no quarrel with Canadians.
“Canada Not to Fear Say German-Americans,” Berlin Daily Telegraph, July 5, 1915.
The warfare of the First World War involved new tactics and weapons that had not been utilized in war before. This also meant that it was expected this war would cause more blindness than previous wars as claimed by Vienna, Paris, and Montreal. While Ontario had a program in place for blind children, they did not have a suitable program for blind adults. Soldiers blinded in war should be able to receive proper instruction to enable them to integrate back into society and be contributing members of society rather than living the rest of their lives in despair.
This article was not a call to arms to figure this issue out; it was ensuring citizens knew that this war was going to result in a large number of blind men due to the weapons and characteristics of this war, and a program to help these men had to be developed.
“Our Duty to the Blind,” Elmira Signet, August 5, 1915.
Advertisements using the war came in many forms and Jordan Harbor Peach Ranch advertised in a very patriotic way. The company stated that starting in September, they would be shipping 100,000 gallons of hospital sized cans of peaches, each containing six and a half to seven pounds of peaches, to hospitals in the British Isles, France and Belgium, distributed through the Red Cross Society. The advertisement also stated the cost for one of these large cans to be sent was 50 cents and both their company and the Canadian Red Cross Society would be accepting donations, allowing these cans to be sent overseas to feed wounded soldiers.
“A Tremendous Offering of Peaches to the Canadian Red Cross Society,” Ayr News, August 26, 1915.