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War-Time Cooking and Food Values (11 March 1915)

By • On • In Economics, Home Front, Timeline, Uncategorized

War-Time Cooking and Food ValuesCooking in times of war can be difficult as, in addition to local needs, food is also shipped to the troops at the front, to war refugees, and to hospitals. The price of food also inflates (rises), making it more expensive and difficult to feed a family. Therefore, the Ontario Board of Health published a pamphlet, entitled “The best foods to buy during the war”, to help educate the people on the home front about the best affordable and nutritional foods to buy. There were four categories of food – fat and energy foods, muscle and flesh-forming foods, bone-building foods, and medical foods. It also examined alternatives, such as only having meat once a day and replacing meat at certain meals with dried beans and peas, which contain the same amount of flesh-forming material as meat, but were much cheaper. The article also re-assured the reader that the government was watching the price of food and would step in if prices went too high.

 

“War-Time Cooking and Food Values,” Berlin Daily Telegraph, March 11, 1915.

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Send Offs for the Third Contingent (12-13 March 1915)

By • On • In 1915, Home Front

On March 12 and March 13, Berlin and Waterloo, respectively, held their official send-offs for a combined total of 99 soldiers for the third contingent of the Canadian Expeditionary Force. In both cases, the mayor handed out a $10 gold piece to each recruit. The ceremonies were attended by many of the townsfolk who gave the soldiers their support.
In Berlin, where there were 94 soldiers, the ceremony was held during the intermission of a double feature at the Grand Opera House, and the men were provided a dinner at the local restaurant, Gettas and Gettas. In Waterloo, there were only five volunteers, but a ceremony was still held for them at Waterloo Town Hall. The Waterloo soldiers also received a “package of clothing and comforts” from the ladies of Waterloo. Reflecting the large German population, one speech at the Waterloo ceremony reminded the volunteers that they were fighting Prussian militarism, not the German people.

(“Official Send-Off to Boys of the 3rd Contingent,” Berlin Daily Telegraph, 12 March 1915.; “Enthusiastic Send-Off to the Third Contingent Volunteers,” Berlin Daily Telegraph, 13 March 1915.; “Volunteers from Waterloo Receive Sendoff To-Night,” Berlin Daily Telegraph, 13 March 1915.; “Gifts for the Waterloo Volunteers,” Berlin Daily Telegraph, 15 March 1915.; “Volunteers Appreciated Sendoff,” Berlin Daily Telegraph, 20 March 1915.
Visual: http://images.ourontario.ca/Partners/Waterloo/WatPL29737.jpg)

Waterloo Town Hall

Waterloo Town Hall

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Socks and Handkerchiefs Required (25 March 1915)

By • On • In Home Front, Timeline

Socks Still Required, Also HandkerchiefsThe Canadian home front sent supplies to soldiers to ensure they had some comforts on the front lines and to remind them that the people of Canada supported them. A dispatch from London claimed the current supply of woolen goods from the Canadian home front would supply her soldiers, but coloured handkerchiefs, tobacco, pies, games, and newspapers, and especially socks, were still needed. Socks were always required, and given that trenches were often muddy and full of water, this is not surprising.

Gifts and packages such as these were much appreciated by soldiers. As a Canadian officer writing from the front claimed, the last batch of magazines sent was almost worth their weight in gold.

 

“Socks Still Required, Also Handkerchiefs,” Elmira Signet, March 25, 1915.

 

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Woman’s Duty to Empire (25 March 1915)

By • On • In Economics, Home Front, Uncategorized

Ayr News-1915-03-25-Woman's Duty to EmpireDuring the First World War, women working outside the home became more acceptable, even encouraged, especially if it freed a man to fight or equipped a man to fight. For the full fighting power of a nation to be realized, everyone with the ability to work on the home front must do so. Unfortunately, there were not always enough men or women available fulfill these economic and national needs. Therefore, the government also requested that women register, whether trained or not, so the government would know they could call upon them if they were needed.

 

“Woman’s Duty to Empire,” Ayr News, March 25, 1915.

 

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The Canadian Patriotic Fund (31 March 1915)

By • On • In 1915, Home Front

In fall 1914, 5700 of the 20 000 citizens of Berlin had pledged to raise $96 000 within two years for The Canadian Patriotic Fund, which provided support to the families of soldiers. As March 1915 closed, Berlin was still well on target to meeting its goal. Articles in the Berlin Daily Telegraph reminded readers of the 6-month installments, and also tracked the funds contributed to that point.
As of February 28, the Berlin chapter of the Canadian Patriotic Fund had collected $22 994.17. By the end of March, they had exceeded $30 000, and so, were further ahead than projected.
The Waterloo branch, by the same point had received over $9000. Waterloo’s population was approximately one quarter the size of Berlin, so its per capita contributions were greater than Berlin’s.
Waterloo County counted on these contributions to demonstrate that even though they had such a large German population and did not have impressive recruitment numbers, they were still loyal to the Empire and willing to do their part for the war effort.

(Philip H. Morris, The Canadian Patriotic Fund; A Record of Its Activities from 1914 to 1919, (Ottawa, 1920): 215-216.; “Second Instalment Due,” Berlin Daily Telegraph, 1 March 1915.; “Canadian Patriotic Fund in Berlin,” Berlin Daily Telegraph, 30 March 1915.; “Patriotic Fund Monies Being Paid in,” Berlin Daily Telegraph, 8 April 1915.; “Over $8500 Is Sent to Headquarters,” Waterloo Chronicle, 1 April 1915.; Norm Threinen, “Canadian Lutherans in the First World War,” Canadian Churches and the First World War, Gordon L Leath, ed. (Eugene, OR: Pickwick Publications, 2014): 205.
Visual: Picture courtesy of Archives Ontario
http://www.archives.gov.on.ca/en/explore/online/posters/pics/16186_patriotic_fund_770.jpg
With permission)The Patriotic Fund Will Care for You

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The War Hits Home (29 April 1915)

By • On • In 1915, Home Front

The heavy casualties of the Second Battle of Ypres suddenly made Canadians more aware of their vulnerability. It also inspired involvement, particularly in areas like Toronto and Ottawa, because an especially high number of casualties originated from these areas.
At the end of April, there was still widespread confidence in the Allies and the war effort. Nonetheless, the rising Canadian casualty count was beginning to cause concern over the sustainability of the Canadian war effort.
A report from Ottawa indicated that over 300 Canadian soldiers had died up to that point and the total casualties were over 1000. This led to concerns that Canada and the Entente might not be able to recruit and train more men in time to replace the mounting casualties.
Reports of high casualties stressed the importance of patriotism and perseverance. By late 1915, these ideas would contribute to a heavy and aggressive push for recruitment in all parts of the country, and not least of all in Waterloo.

(James Wood, Militia Myths: Ideas of the Canadian Citizen Soldier, 1896-1921, (Toronto: UBC Press, 2010): 225.; “Canadians’ Death Roll Totals over 300,” Berlin Daily Telegraph, 22 April 1915.; “The War is Coming Home to Canadians,” Elmira Signet, 29 April 1915.)The War is Coming Home to Canadians

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The Lusitania (7 May 1915)

By • On • In Home Front, Timeline, War

The first time the Cunard vessel Royal Mail Ship Lusitania, a British passenger ship, made the news in 1915 was on February 11. The shLusitaniaip had crossed the Atlantic flying an American flag rather than the Union Jack. The Captain made the decision to protect his neutral passengers after receiving word that German submarines were active near Ireland. According to the British Foreign Office, this act was not sanctioned by the British government. After this incident the Lusitania flew the Union Jack.

Sadly, the ship made headlines again when it was torpedoed by the Germans on May 7, 1915 off the coast of Ireland. The sinking dominated newspapers during May and into June 1915. At first, it was reported that the ship took about twelve hours to sink and crew and passengers had been rescued. The RMS Mauretania, owned by the same company, was set to sail on May 29 but its voyage was quickly cancelled.

The sinking turned out to be a larger disaster than originally expected as by May 13, it was known the Lusitania was fired upon with no warning, sunk within thirty-five minutes, and over thirteen hundred people had lost their lives.

Interestingly, during this period, travelers had been warned via newspapers that a war was being fought and any ship in the Atlantic Ocean under a British flag was liable to be fired upon and sunk; therefore passengers were traveling at their own risk. But there was also reason to believe the ship would not be in any danger: the Lusitania carried many neutral American citizens, and no soldiers, masked guns, gunners, or special ammunition were being transported other than a few cases of cartridges. (Germany justified the sinking by claiming the ship carried military personnel and.) Finally, the ship held the transatlantic Blue Riband award for speed, leading some to believe that even if the ship was fired upon, it could outrun the torpedoes. As Maritime Law states that in times of war, merchant ships are to be given a warning before being fired upon, it might have theoretically been able to outrun the torpedoes. The Lusitania was given no such warning.

This devastation would be reported on throughout May and into June, and was used to demonize the Germans.  A good example of this was seen on June 2, 1915, when the Berlin Daily Telegraph reprinted a story from the Toronto Globe about how the “baby killers” must have been disappointed that their recent zeppelin bombings in London had only killed one infant. It was also learned by June 4, that the Lusitania had been carrying eighty-two bags of mail, all now lost at sea. At the Roma, a local theatre, the planned program for June 3, included showing pictures of the Lusitania up to her sinking.

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“At the Grave of the Lusitania Dead,” Berlin Daily Telegraph, June 2, 1915.

“At the Roma,” Berlin Daily Telegraph, June 3, 1915.

Bruno S. Frey, et al,., “Interactions of Natural Survival Instincts and Internalized Social Norms Exploring the Titanic and Lusitania Disasters,” Proceedings of the National Academy of Science of the United States of America 107, no. 11 (2010): 4862-4865.

“Hoisted American Flag,” Ayr News, February 11, 1915.

Image of the Lusitania, Ayr News, May 13, 1915.

“Only One Infant killed,: Berlin Daily Telegraph, June 2, 1915.

“Sailing of the Mauretania is cancelled,” Berlin Daily Telegraph, May 11, 1915.

“The “Lusitania” Mails,” Berlin Daily Telegraph, June 4, 1915.

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Germany Showing Signs of Collapse (8 May 1915)

By • On • In Home Front, Timeline, War

As it was believed the First World War would not last very long, it is not surprising to see articles claiming the war would soon be over and the Germans were showing signs of defeat. Such an article appeared on May 8, 1915. On May 7, 1915, General Sam Hughes claimed that the radical actions of the Germans – the use of poisonous gas, rushing their newly trained troops to the front, and their submarine warfare on merchant ships, the Lusitania only being the latest casualty – combined with the British and all her armies holding their ground, indicated that the German army was close to collapse. These radical claims were mainly about influencing Italy, which was on the brink of joining the war, but Hughes believed these actions Plowing the Sandsalso meant that Germany was on the brink of collapse. Similar claims re-appeared on May 31, when a short article claimed the Germans had used all their strength during the second battle of Ypres, but failed to win the battle. Therefore, the Germans knew the Entente was stronger. The strength of the Entente would be a recurring theme that could sometimes be summed up by a single image in the newspaper.

“Heroic Stand at Ypres has Shortened the War,” Berlin Daily Telegraph, May 31, 1915.

“Indicates that the Germans are in the First Stages of Collapse,” Berlin Daily Telegraph, May 8, 1915.

Image – “Plowing the Sands; or, Hate’s Labour Lost,” Ayr News, May 31, 1915.

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German War Bread A Cause of Hatred (8 May 1915)

By • On • In German-Canadian Identity, Home Front, Timeline

During war, the diet of civilians and soldiers changed based on the availability of food. This article claimed that for Germans, bread was starting to become a controversial topic. German soldiers were able to eat wheat bread as they were living on the food stuffs of France and Belgium. This was not the case for German civilians, who had to eat “K” bread, or potato bread. “K” bread, “K” meaning kavtoffeln, German for potato, was even being eaten by the Kaiser and the kings of Saxony and Bavaria. This bread’s nutritional value was sub-par compared to wheaten bread as potatoes are pure starch. All this extra starch would create a strain on the stomachs of German citizens. An article printed in the Berlin Daily Telegraph stated the hatred German citizens now had for Britain came from this bread as it caused irritation, depression, moodiness, and despondency.

“German War Bread A Cause of Hatred,” Berlin Daily Telegraph, May 8, 1915.

 

 

 

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German Brutality to British Prisoners of War (11 May 1915)

By • On • In German-Canadian Identity, Home Front, Timeline

Prisoners of war were common in the First and Second World Wars, and their treatment varied. However, if they wrote home or escaped, their experience could shape how the home front viewed prisoner camps and could either ease or increase their fears for a loved one if they were captured. Major C.B. Vandaleur was a British officer who had escaped from a prisoner camp at Crefeld. He claimed he was cursed at, pushed around, and he and fifty-two other prisoners had been confined to a wagon and starved on the three day journey from Douai to Cologne.

 

“German Brutality to British Prisoners of War,” Berlin Daily Telegraph, May 11, 1915.