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Seagrave Honours Her Soldier Boys

 Seagrave and the surrounding community were proud to honour their returned boys with a banquet on Friday evening, Jan. 11th. Everyone had been looking forward to this event for some time and all had done what they could to make it a success.

 The basement of the church was decorated with red, white and blue streamers and flags. The tables were very nicely arranged with flower centers, candles and patriotic serviettes.

 The ladies had planned and worked to serve the most inviting banquet that could be prepared. The first guests were seated at six o'clock and friends belonging to the community were served until eight o'clock. Upon the arirval of a bus from Toronto, the tables reserved for the Ex-service men and their immediate families, were filled with these honoured guests. About 300 joined in the feast.

 After all had partaken of the bountiful repast, Rev. Mr. Morris took charge of the toasts. He greeted the men in a few words and offered theI toast to His Majesty the King, to which everyone responded. He then spoke very reverently of all those who had fallen in the great struggle and referred very sympathetically to those with whom we had been acquainted. These were honoured by a two minutes of silence.  Mr. J. N. Mark, Clerk of the Session of our Church, in a few fitting remarks, proposed the toast to the Church. Rev. Mr. Morris thanked Mr. Mark for his appreciative words.

 Mr. T. K. Creighton, M.L.A., who was present, proposed the toast to the Ex-service Men. He spoke with pride of the contribution made by the youth of Canada, in the fight for freedom. He was surprised to learn that so many young men from this district had served in the Forces. He was pleased to offer a toast in their honor. F/O Reginald Moase spoke in reply to Mr. Creighton's remarks. He thanked the War Workers for the splendid boxes they had sent regularly to the boys overseas. He expressed the appreciation of the boys to the Community Club, who for several years send a pound of chocolates or a hundred cigarettes every months to each man overseas.  He had a word of thanks for those In charge of the Seagrave Howler which went each month to every boy in the Forces. The little bits of news and jokes, from-home added much to their pleasure.

Glenn Wanamaker in his usual jovial manner expressed the sentiments of all the men present when he congratulated the ladies on the quality and quantity of the banquet which had been served. He asked them to join in drinking a toast to the ladies.

 Mrs. A. Bruce made a brief reply. The crowd then went to the auditorium of the church where Rev. Mr. Morris again took charge. The program was as follows:

Orchestra selections; piano duet by Mrs. Wallace and Doris; community singing; piano solo, Doris Wallace; violin solo, Earlby Thomas; short address by Rev. Mr. Morris; distribution of gifts by Mr. T. K. Creighton; Orchestra selections; Auld Lang Syne; God Save the King.

 The gifts to the overseas men were wrist watches. To those who had served in Canada, Parker Pen and Pencil Sets.  Those receiving gifts were: Service Overseas—Pte. Jas. Short, (wounded); Pte. Wm. Tristram, Drv. Clare Wooldridge, P/O Ross Wooldridge, G/S C. R. Wilkings, Cpi. D. Dale, Fus. A. Hammond, Pte. Ross Harding (wounded), L/CpL Brace McCoy (wounded), Sgt. Glenn Moase, F/O Reg. Moase, Pte. Matthew Lea-cock (killed), Pte. Jas. Wyatt, Pte. C. Heyward, Drv. Chas. Griffin, Pte. A. Gaunt, L/St. W. D. Joe Grantham, Tpr. Richard Butler, Sigm. Robt. Nodwell, L.A.C. Reid MacFarlane, Pte. Edward Bolton, Spr. Mansel Stone, R. C.A.F. William Lukas.

 Service in Canada—Lieut. T. Dale, Capt. Walter Tristram, Pte. Merle Stone, A.C.2 Harvey Clarke, L.A.C. Harold Scott, Pte. Carl Sornberger, A. C.2 Roy Wilkings, Pte. Lawrence Ewen, Pte. Francis Hackett, Pte. Geo. Gallop, Pte. Robert Beharrell, Gnv. F. Lyle, A.B.L.E. John Tristram.

 Mrs. Phyllis Leacock was presented with a watch in memory of her husband Matthew, who had paid the supreme sacrifice.

Several of the men were unable to attend but their gifts were taken care of by relatives.