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Belgian Relief Fund (19 November 1914)

By • On • In Fall 1914, Home Front

Work began in mid- November to form a committee for the relief efforts in Belgium. Concerns over the contributions of the rural communities were paramount in a Waterloo Chronicle -Telegraph article. The Waterloo Chronicle reported on the ‘liberal’ responses by local farmers to produce food for the relief efforts. Local representatives of the Belgian Relief Fund reported that Huron County and Grey County already shipped 33 and 50 carloads of food to Belgium. The committee in Waterloo region was to assess what type of contribution the region could send.

(“Belgian Relief Fund,” Waterloo Chronicle-Telegraph, 19 November 1914)

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Farmers and the Patriotic Fund (19 November 1914)

By • On • In Fall 1914, Home Front

The Waterloo town council became increasingly concerned about the role of local farmers as contributors to the war effort. Not only were there questions posed regarding the lack of manpower to bring in the harvests due to volunteerism but also the role the rural areas would have in supporting the Funds being raised for the war effort.

On 19 November, the Waterloo Chronicle-Telegraph announced that the local farmers were willing to collaborate to raise monetary support for the Patriotic Fund and Belgian Relief Fund. Farmers committed to join the Patriotic Fund as a sign of good faith for the war effort. This commitment demonstrated that rural areas of the Waterloo Region would also to be heavily involved in the donation and industrial phase of the war effort.

(“To the Men of the Village of Ayr,” Waterloo Chronicle-Telegraph, 19 November 1914)

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Catharine Breithaupt’s Diary (25-28 November 1914)

By • On • In Fall 1914, Home Front

The Breithaupts, a prominent local family, contributed immensely to the war effort. Not only did the household insure the volunteers from Berlin, but they also manufactured goods for British servicemen. Catharine Breithaupt, the 17 year-old family member, recorded the business details of the Breithaupt Tanning Company in her personal diary. On 5 November, she recorded that a total of 2,600 shirts were shipped to the Canadian Expeditionary Force in Britain. Three days later the company sent another 2,200 shirts. Their commitment to the war effort and filling their war contract orders proves that those of German background in the region were supportive of the Canadian cause.

(Breithaupt, Catherine Olive. 1914 Diary (Breithaupt Diary Collection, Rare Books Room at Dana Port Library, University of Waterloo), 25-28 November 1914.)

 

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Hespeler Joins the Patriotic Fund (26 November 1914)

By • On • In Fall 1914, Home Front

On 23 November, a meeting was held in Alexandra Hall for Hespeler residents. During this time C. H. Mills, the M.P.P. of Berlin, along with several colleagues, attempted to convince the town to create its own branch of the Patriotic Fund. Several addresses were made by the likes of Mayor Kribs, Mills, and local businessman Mr. Forbes. The meeting created an enthusiastic response and the Hespeler Herald pointed out, “Get ready to get busy.” Full details and an official launch date of the campaign were to take place a week later, in early December.

(“Hespeler to Organize Patriotic Fund,” Hespeler Herald, 26 November 1914)

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Elections In the Townships (17 December 1914)

By • On • In Fall 1914, Home Front, Politics

Waterloo Region citizens cast their votes for their respective council positions at the start of December 1914. Towns such as Wellesley did not vote as their council leader A. B. Robertson was re-elected by acclamation along with the Waterloo council, which re-elected its respective council leaders. This was one of the few mentions of local elections, as the local war industry and news from the frontlines dominated the newspapers of the region. Political differences were sidelined to avoid distractions and maintain a level of unity in the Waterloo Region. Additionally, the low level of political strife in the region was in accordance with the political truce proclaimed and observed by the Federal Government.

(“Elections in the Townships,” Elmira Signet, 17 December 1914)

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Public Christmas Tree Erected at City Hall (23 December 1914)

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

December 21st Berliners gathered at city hall to celebrate Christmas. The Salvation Army and the Army band were present to provide the audience with music as Mayor Euler addressed the people of Berlin. He discussed the pressure that war had put on the city and expressed hope that the conflict would soon come to a close. Following the ceremony, city hall officials illuminated the town square’s twenty-eight-foot Christmas tree.

While the war placed a great burden upon the Waterloo Region, the communities came together to celebrate the holidays. These gatherings also allowed time for reflection on the war itself and for those who had already enlisted.

(“Public Christmas Tree Erected at City Hall,” Berlin Daily Telegraph, 23 December 1914)

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Prayers for the Empire (7 January 1915)

By • On • In Home Front, Uncategorized

 

Religion played a large role in the lives of citizens during the First World War as this article clearly demonstrates. The Waterloo Methodist Church was one of many Churches that, in accordance with a proclamation made by the Dominion Government, observed the past Sunday (January 3) as an intercession (praying on behalf of) for the Empire and her soldiers and sailors engaged in the war.

 

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“Prayers for the Empire,” Waterloo Chronicle, January 7, 1915.

 

 

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Recruiting for the Third Contingent (11 January 1915)

By • On • In 1915, Home Front

The British War Office issued orders that the counties of Oxford, Wellington, Perth, Waterloo, Huron and Bruce contribute recruits to the 34th Battalion.
Galt, within one week, enlisted 135 out of the necessary 200 to fulfill its allotment. Although Waterloo South (which included Galt) was a little smaller than Waterloo North (which included Berlin), they had far greater enlistment numbers for the 34th Battalion in January 1915.
Of the men who enlisted in January and went overseas with the 34th Battalion, three times as many enlisted in Galt than in Berlin. A large reason for this difference was the ethnic makeup of both cities. Berlin was the German capital of Canada, so much of the population was of German descent (either born in Germany or with German ancestry), but of those who enlisted in both Galt and Berlin, over 85% were immigrants from the British Isles. Only 10% identified as being from Canada.

(“Recruiting in Berlin Started on Monday,” Waterloo Chronicle, 14 January 1915.; “Galt Enrolls 135 for 3rd Contingent,” Waterloo Chronicle, 21 January 1915. https://archive.org/details/CEF_34thBattalion_1915; http://www.ogs.on.ca/ogspi/1/1.htm.
Visual: “Recruits Wanted,” Ayr News, 7 January 1915.)Ayr-1915-01-07-RecruitsWanted

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Destitution in Belgium (11 February 1915)

By • On • In Home Front

Destitution in BelgiumWhen the Germans invaded Belgium, rumours spread of horrid acts being committed and the deplorable living conditions of the Belgian people. The reported atrocities were often used by the media to justify Britain joining the war. Germany had broken international law by invading a neutral country and this in addition to the reported atrocities enabled Britain to claim the war was a noble cause for they were defending the innocent and ensuring justice.

By 1915, the commission for the relief of the Belgian people claimed they were short about 76,000 tons of food, and if this was not remedied promptly, thousands of Belgian citizens would die. There were about 1,400,000 Belgians in need of this aid. However, this aid cost about $2,800,000 per month, which was making it harder and harder to continue this aid on a sustained basis.

 

“Destitute in Belgium,” Elmira Signet, February 11, 1915.

Leanna Green, “Advertising War: Picturing Belgium in First World War Publicity,” Media, War & Conflict 7, no. 3    (2014): 309-325.

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Leaving Part of Pay for Families in Canada (11 February 1915)

By • On • In Economics, Home Front

Leaving part of pay for FamilyWhile the average pay for Canadian soldiers of all ranks was $1.25 per day, it became apparent that many soldiers in the first contingent were dividing their pay to ensure their families in Canada were provided for, whether it was a wife, children, or parents. While most of the first recruits for the armed forces gave up good paying jobs, some men were forced to enlist for employment after experiencing two years of an economic depression.

 

 

“Leaving Part of Pay for Families in Canada,” Waterloo Chronicle, February 11, 1915.

Tim Cook, At the Sharp End: Canadians Fighting the Great War, 1914-1916 Volume 1 (Toronto: Viking Canada, 2007).