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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.
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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.
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