As John and I listened to the Morning worship from Newfoundland's Wesley United Church on Sunday morning; I said to him.. "You know the member of our family whom I remember is Grandfather Kernick, who was in the Boar Wars".
So here today, Less we forget, John gives me a Rememberance Day Blog to the Kernick Family. Charles Kernick, granddfather Kernick was my father's father and probably fought with the British troops in South Africa's Boar Wars around 1899. (the Boar was the name given to the dutch settlers of south Africa with whom Britian fought. It appears that after Grandfather Kernick came home they all immigrated to Canada, as my father came to Canada at about 4..( I remember, I think) I remember his garage out back and the big pennies he gave me for candy when I was a little 4 or 5 year old. He finished his days there in the small shed which still stands in Sydney Mines because he had given the family home to my father's sister. Anna remembers his funeral and says he had one of the biggest funerals in Sydney Mines with bagpipes and all. (Brad would know more as he did the family tree back beyond Charles family)
Rememberance Day is to remember our soldiers. and so this story of George Ives who at 111 years from Brighton may have served with grandfather Kernick as they lived so close in England during the recuitment for the Boar War. This was probably what Grandfather Kernick knew and experience as he went off and died. The year was probably after 1908 and in the 2nd Boar War became Canada was very slow to enter the conflict Lieutenant-Colonel W.D. Otter became the first Canadian-born officer to command Canada's military. He commanded the 2nd (Special Service) Battalion of The Royal Canadian Regiment of Infantry in 1908, which consisted of volunteers.This British conflict lasted from 11 October 1899 until 31 May 1902.
The Boer War marked the first occasion in which large contingents of Canadian troops served abroad although the Canadian government and citizens were divided about any participation. Because the french Canadians wished to stay out of the war and others, primarily the English wanted to help England in this fight; Sir Wilfrid Laurier and his government finally compromised by agreeing to support the British by providing only volunteers, equipment and transportation to the war. The United Kingdom would be responsible for paying the troops and returning them to Canada at the end of their service.
So here today, Less we forget, John gives me a Rememberance Day Blog to the Kernick Family. Charles Kernick, granddfather Kernick was my father's father and probably fought with the British troops in South Africa's Boar Wars around 1899. (the Boar was the name given to the dutch settlers of south Africa with whom Britian fought. It appears that after Grandfather Kernick came home they all immigrated to Canada, as my father came to Canada at about 4..( I remember, I think) I remember his garage out back and the big pennies he gave me for candy when I was a little 4 or 5 year old. He finished his days there in the small shed which still stands in Sydney Mines because he had given the family home to my father's sister. Anna remembers his funeral and says he had one of the biggest funerals in Sydney Mines with bagpipes and all. (Brad would know more as he did the family tree back beyond Charles family)
Rememberance Day is to remember our soldiers. and so this story of George Ives who at 111 years from Brighton may have served with grandfather Kernick as they lived so close in England during the recuitment for the Boar War. This was probably what Grandfather Kernick knew and experience as he went off and died. The year was probably after 1908 and in the 2nd Boar War became Canada was very slow to enter the conflict Lieutenant-Colonel W.D. Otter became the first Canadian-born officer to command Canada's military. He commanded the 2nd (Special Service) Battalion of The Royal Canadian Regiment of Infantry in 1908, which consisted of volunteers.This British conflict lasted from 11 October 1899 until 31 May 1902.
The Boer War marked the first occasion in which large contingents of Canadian troops served abroad although the Canadian government and citizens were divided about any participation. Because the french Canadians wished to stay out of the war and others, primarily the English wanted to help England in this fight; Sir Wilfrid Laurier and his government finally compromised by agreeing to support the British by providing only volunteers, equipment and transportation to the war. The United Kingdom would be responsible for paying the troops and returning them to Canada at the end of their service.
From John's Library come the following letter home from the Boar wars by a Canadian Soldier, TomWallace the son of Conservative MP in October 29th..
Less we forgot... these young men.
Oct 29th
My Dear Papa
I received your letter and papers all right and you don't know how glad I was to hear from you all. It has been raining here all day. We just been issued with our kits which includes two pairs of heavy boots, 1 paair leggins, 1 pr trousers, 1 serge, 1 good big overcoat and cape, two flannel shirts, two undershirts, 2 pr drawers, 1 heavy sweater, the new Olivere equipment that is brown leather belts and valise on our back, a rifle and a bayonet, a knife, spoon, fork, 3 brushes. We have to get the rest of the kit in the morning. Mr. Brown of the Mail and Empire is doing all he can for us. I know Hamilton the correspordance of the Globe also. We are getting along all right. A great many of the Toronto co'y were tranferred to another co'y but I am going to stay with "C" company all right. We had a fine church parade here today to Holy Trinity Church. Hendrie and McGee and I sleep next each other. (yes it is written sleep.."Battle Lines"J.L.Granatstein,..pg79). Lord Minto and Sen Hutton were at church. The minister preached a grand sermon and a great many of the contingent took the sacrement. I enclose you a form of the serice.. Alf Sherritt the amateur champion bicycle rider of Canada is with us too. Thre are no accounts that I left unpaid. The Armory in Bolton is all paid up. We have a fine Co'y. Young Rorke is a nice cha. H.V.Rorke of Customs Ottawa is down here today. A great many of the boys are Orangeman. We get all the papers sent to us. World, Globe, Mail and Montreal Star. We go on board the boat tomorrow ..
With Love to all ... Your Loving Son.. Tom.. It is 9:30 pm and Col Sergt is call the role so I must stop.
Later letters write such things as
The boat trip... "This is the forth sunday on board and we are beginning to feel like we would like to get on land again.. We expect to arrive in Cape Town on Wed Nov 29th"....."
We have all our outfit now and we are ready to march as soon as we land"
And position and pay... "We drew our first pay on thursday last $15.38. I am a full private in the front ranks of No.3 Section "C"Company.... I haave been acting as Coloney Otter's orderly (not the one who shines his boots) this last few days and it si a pretty good job"... carry messages from the colonel to the different officers."
March 16,..... My Dear mother... After foor weeks of marching , fighting, and hardships we have arrived at last in Bloemfontein the capitial of Orange Free State."......"I was sick one day on the whole march. Sometimes, we marched all night and other times all day in the heat of day. We were on half rations all the way here and everyone said it is remarkable how we kept up the way we did. We marched a good many more than 176 miles ... we slept out in the open rain or shine and we were othten lying on the wet ground all night." "Our fellows didn't grumble at all but just took things as they came."" LESS WE FORGET.... God have mercy...
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