The First Canadians in France: The Chronicle of a Military Hospital in the War ZoneBell, F. McKelvey (Frederick McKelvey)
History
The First Canadians in France: The Chronicle of a Military Hospital in the War Zone
Bell, F. McKelvey (Frederick McKelvey)
World War, 1914-1918 -- Hospitals -- France; World War, 1914-1918 -- Personal narratives, Canadian
As we looked again upon those time-honoured, tottering walls the great
jagged holes seemed to cry out to us for revenge, and a sudden just but
implacable anger against the perpetrators of these hideous world-crimes
stormed within our hearts and choked our utterance.
With a sigh we turned from the contemplation of this scene of wanton
destruction and started our walk through the desolate streets. Crossing
the Menin road, we entered that little graveyard where so many of our
brave men lay buried. The houses round about lay crumbled, but this
sacred spot, by accident or design, had been spared. As we passed
bareheaded down the path between rows of closely crowded graves, the
new-made wooden crosses seemed to lift their white arms to us in mute
appeal. Here and there the cap of some once gallant French or Belgian
officer hung upon his cross—a crown of glory that no mortal hand dare
touch. Some of these caps had rested there for months, rotted by rain,
torn by the wind, faded by the sun—but dyed with a glory which time
could never dim, and emblazoned with the halo of self-sacrifice. And as
we stood there upon the threshold of the battlefield we saw the conflict
in a clearer light—behind us faith and patriotism; in front patience and
heroism, and at our feet self-sacrifice and deathless love.
A great wreath of purple leaves lay upon the grave of a young prince,
clinging lovingly to the new-made mound. He rested there side by side
with his humbler fellows—they had fought and died together. We
sometimes forget that a prince is human; he seems so far above us—he
lives in a different sphere and appears to be cast in a different mould.
But when we stand beside his grave, we realise at last that he was but a
mortal like ourselves; that he has lived his life like us—the same
desires, the same ambitions and the same need for love. Only one word
was entwined, in white letters, with the purple leaves; only one word,
but it bridged two countries and two souls—heaven and earth were
joined—for the small white flowers clinging together spelled the magic
name of "_Mother_." We may fall unnoticed in the thick of battle, we
may be buried with a host of comrades in a nameless grave, but a
mother’s heart will seek us out, no matter where we lie, and wrap our
lonely souls about with the mantle of her undying love.
"You have seen both ends of a battle now—the hospital and the
graveyard," Jack exclaimed, as we left the cemetery; "come with me and I
will show you what it is like to be in the middle."
"Can’t we take a little walk along this road, and see the first line
trenches?" Reggy enquired. We were crossing the Menin road again at the
moment.
Jack laughed. "Not if you wish to come further with us. If you step
out of this shelter in daylight there won’t be any Reggy to brighten our
trip. No one goes out there in daylight—that is, if he wishes to attain
old age."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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