The Spirit of The British Soldier

Lieutenant William Denton Northgrave enlisted with the 160th Bruce Battalion and served with the 8th and 18th Battalions until his attachment to the 4th Canadian Machine Gun Company.

This transcription offers the reader the Lieutenant’s point of view from his active combat service.

With thanks to Jim Kelly for contributing this news clipping. Transcribed in its entirety.

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The Spirit of The British Soldier

The Times editor had the privilege of an interview with Lieut. William Northgrave, who is home on furlough, recovering from wounds, received in the winding up battles of Vimy Ridge.

Mr. Northgrave was twice wounded, in the hand and arm at St. Eloi, and through both legs at Vimy. He went over to France with a machine gun co.[i] serving as a private until the big battles at the Somme, on September 15th, when for conspicuous bravery, and wisdom in handling men when his officers were wounded or killed, he was made lieutenant on the field, and praised for his work by the commanding officer.

Questioned as to the method of his work which brought the promotion, Lieut. Northgrave preferred not to talk. He said it was only what thousands of brave lads were doing every day for the defence of liberty against a vicious foe.

Questioned as to his opinion of what further help Canada should send, Lieut. Northgrave said:

“Well, now, you are touching a political question, and I do not care to say much on that either, except that Canada cannot do too much. We do need reinforcements badly. Just think of this. Out of the 400,000 men enlisting from Canada there are not more than 80,000 at the front. You remember Mr. Churchill questioned in the British house that the ratio of men behind the lines and in England was that only one man in five soldiers got to the trenches, and you remember Mr. Asquith said it was mainly true, but that the matter would be enquired into. This ratio still exists, and our people should remember there are numerous other jobs in war time as well as that of actual fighting. It takes men to make an army medical corps, to make a transport, and to do the many odd jobs in any army. Do you know that the towns in France behind the lines contain a huge army all the time receiving instruction in just the very things that our armies did not know in the beginning of the war. Our officers, our non-coms and privates are being instructed daily in all the new and improved methods. This is how the British army is gaining superiority. Another thing which uses up a lot of men is that every casualty must report at once. The slightest wound the man must go to the dressing station and report. It is a crime, according to our rules, not to do so. You see, the army takes no chances on blood poisoning. Everything for the care and protection of the soldier is provided now.”

“What about the Red Cross. Have they lots of supplies?”

“Now, the army medical corps gives first aid. The Red Cross gives its aid farther back. But let me say this, all soldiers are filled with praise for the good work of the Red Cross. The socks, the gifts of all kinds, and the assistance to wounded and sick is appreciated beyond the power of words. No man need worry of being neglected. He will have every attention in this great British army. Good food, good clothes, the best surgeons and nurses, and best of all the splendid fellowship of the British soldier, which is most cheering and encouraging.”

“Do you know that one of the things which is beating the Germans is the absolute reliance and fearlessness of the British soldier, and this takes in all the colonial troops. His spirit is unbeatable. The German attacks en masse. That’s only way he fights, and only then when he knows he has supports and artillery. If he thinks he has not these supports, up goes his hands.

“Yes, the thing that barred the road to Calais and the thing that has saved the Allies many times in the first years of this war, has been the unbroken spirit of a few men. The German has no idea of a few men holding an impossible position, and fighting to the death. This is the spirit which has saved Canada to the Canadians, and we can only say that the more men that are sent will convince Germans that they are putting up a hopeless fight, and the sooner they will see defeat.”

“St. Eloi proved this, the Ypres salient, the Somme, and the recent battles. Vimy Ridge showed the superiority of the British in the most complete fashion. We have taken many important positions but none so complete as the Vimy Ridge fight. In all these battles there was a splendid co-operation with the English Tommy. We used to laugh at our little English cockney, but believe me he is some fighter. Every British soldier believes himself a better soldier than the German, and every Englishman believes he is as good as any twelve Germans, that’s why very small parties of these old country soldiers will stave off quite an army, or die in the attempt. There is splendid harmony between the Canadians and other troops. The Frenchmen are superb and so are their families behind the lines. They will do anything for the allied soldier.”

“How is it there are so many raids made, and little advance in bigger efforts?”

“Well you have asked an important question. The raids are more important than your readers think. True, we do lose a few men in these affairs, but they are most important in finding out what the enemy intends to do, or what they think we intend to do. So by these raids we have, after all, saved many lives and beaten the German in many ways. Now supposing we wanted to advance on the German positions, we would test out their lines by raids here and there. If we found Bavarians or Prussians in front of us we would know that they either expected us, or were going to attack us. So you see these raids by night keep us informed. On the other hand if we found Silesians, German Poles or Saxons we would know that the situation was easy. They are not good fighters.

“Is the German soldier as well-kept to-day as he was?”

“Yes, he is. He is just as well fed, clothed and booted as he ever was. Do not believe all the reports in newspapers about the German soldier being ill-fed. The last German trenches we raided had plenty of black bread, canned stuff, etc. And the last prisoners we saw were well clothed. He is as good a shot as the Britisher, but he is not as good with the bayonet. The use of the bayonet is bred in the bone, so far as the British are concerned, and they can put it over the Germans when it comes to close quarters. The German soldier is husky fellow, but strength is not all in this war. Force is getting a beating in this contest. The British authorities are appealing to the intelligence of our soldiers. As I said before, we have a whole army at the back being trained by men who are just out of the trenches, and these men go up as seasoned troops, with new ideas developed so nicely. Yes, Germany started this war with a fine organization. They will not finish it, though. British organization is now supreme. We remember when our guns put a shell over Fritz would probably give us 20 in return. Not so now. We lead in the artillery department.”

“Some people ask why the advances are so small. Why can’t the Germans be kept on the run? Let me remind our people that no human being can advance in this war without the aid of artillery, and he can go no farther than the distance the artillery has prepared for him. The ground is always churned and there are great shell holes. If the season is wet, so much the worse, and it takes time to move these great guns, so advances are slow, but the main thing is that the allies are always making advances. Germany started out to win. She has not done it, and cannot do it, but Canadians should do all in their power to help the allies.

“Perhaps it would be interesting to tell you that the German prisoner is a very humble fellow. But he does this for a reason. Just as soon as he gets to our lines he wants to give us something for souvenirs, he wants to do something; work for us; carry our wounded. But he don’t do this because he likes us. He’s got an idea that we won’t hurt him if he does these things. He wants to carry our wounded because he knows our fellows won’t teach him if he is doing that. But all this is because of fear. His officers tell him we are torturing and killing prisoners. Of course every prisoner captured is treated decently by us. The German prisoners talk a great deal. They will tell you the war will soon be over, and that they don’t want to fight, and all that sort of stuff, but you can’t get them to say one word against the Kaiser.”

Lieut. Northgrave has been through all the big engagements for the past year and a half. He says his wounds will permit him to go back and fight again shortly. He is happy to be back to his old home and friends. Like most men who have been through the fighting he does not say how long the war will last. He only knows the foe is mighty powerful and stubborn, and that the Allies need every support that it is possible for our people to give them.

Lieut. Northgrave showed us a piece of shrapnel taken from his left leg. The surgeons extract the iron and then tie the piece to the patient’s clothes. That is how they endeavor to keep the “souvenirs” for the boys. “We notice there are not so many German helmets coming over as souvenirs. What’s the matter?” “Well, that’s so, and it’s funny, too. The boys are a little superstitious about these black helmets with the big spike, and gold eagle in front. Do you know, some of them started a story that if a soldier puts one of these on his head it is sure death. And the thing has caught on. Perhaps that’s why I haven’t got one” said Mr. Northgrave.

Port Elgin Times. August 15, 1917. Contributed by Jim Kelly.

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[i] 4^th Brigade Machine Gun Company effective 29 February 1916. Per his service record.