The Carmody Genealogist

The 38th Royal Ottawa Battalion 

The Ottawa Evening Citizen

The people of Ottawa demonstrated how thoroughly they are in sympathy with the 38th Battalion by filling the Russell Theater to its capacity on Saturday night at the farewell concert of the corps, before its departure for Barriefield. Early in the day all the seating of the house had been sold out and with standing room only available the crowds had filled every part of the theater when the curtain went up at 8:15. The great audience was delighted with the concert. Not only did they have the satisfaction of knowing that they were swelling the funds of the battalion by their presence, but they were provided with a musical and literary program of a very high order.

Sir George Foster was chairman, and in an eloquent address which was received with great enthusiasm, he appealed for recruits for the defence of the empire. Lieut.-Col Edwards, commander of the battalion, thanked the citizens of this city for the generous support they had given the battalion. All the numbers on the program were generously applauded and most of the artists responded with encores.

The concert was a big financial success, the band and regimental funds receiving over $1,000 as a result.

“On behalf of the officers, non-commissioned officers and men of the 38th Battalion,” said Lieut.-Col. Edwards, “I wish to take this opportunity to thank the citizens of Ottawa for the great assistance they have rendered the battalion while it has been in training here. This is the climax of a continual series of kindnesses.” He thanked the chairman, Sir George E. Foster, and the artists who were taking part in the program. The very large attendance will swell the band and regimental funds, which will be a great asset to the battalion.

“This evening marks another step in the march of the 38th Battalion,” said Sir George Foster. “It is the farewell of the battalion to the citizens of Ottawa, the people in whose hearts, since over 60 per cent of the members come from this city, they have such a warm place.” He referred to the long, uncertain and strenuous future that lies nearly in front of these men, and the friends they had made while in training here.  For all these reasons, the people of Ottawa will keep this battalion particularly in their minds as it goes forth.

“And the men of the battalion themselves, as they go out of Ottawa, out of Ontario, out of Canada and across the seas, to the stern duty to which they have been called, when suffering dangers and hardships, will remember the kindly faces which are before me, and the kindly feelings of the people of this city and it will have a pleasing, invigorating and strengthening influence.

“A man in action for a good cause, keyed up to the best that is in him, is a wonderful piece of machinery, capable of tremendous results,” the speaker continued. “Multiply this by the total units of the nation, and we have a nation in action. As we contemplate it, it fills up with wonder and admiration.”

The speaker pointed out the tremendous results of a nation in action, the keenness of mind, the strength of body, accomplishing such great results in industrial, commercial, literary and in all the activities of the race.  But a nation is never seen at its best in action until a great crisis comes.

“It is not because we are a bloodthirsty people, delighting in slaughter, carnage and destruction that we are attracted to a nation's armies, when in action. When a nation is called upon to battle in the defence of its liberties and ideals, of its very existence, then we see man at his best, a nation at its best, an empire at its best. When a nation bends its back to resist the onslaught, self-interest is shoved into the background, and self-sacrifice and devotion takes its place. Then it is that man proves his claim to be more than mere animal, to be human and immortal.”

He emphasized that the Empire was battling for its existence, for the perpetuation of the civilization and ideals which the people of the Empire hold so dear.

“We should feel the importance of it and it should sink into our heats that this is no holiday excursion,” he said. “This is no dash and then the hurrah of victory, but a war which may yet last months and years.”

“It used to seem to me that we never could have such a war in the 20th century. But the war came. I am sure many of you thought that it would be over in a few short months, that with such gigantic forces pitted against one another, it could not last long. Now, nine months have gone and on the Eastern line, on the Western line and along the shores of the Dardanelles are millions of men with step not far removed from step, eye almost looking into eye in the grim grip of war. There are brave men on both sides for we are faced by foemen worthy of our steed.”

“We heard just now the beautiful solo, ‘Your King and Country Call You’. King and country, two simple words, yet they call into action men and women from all parts of the Empire, even unto its farthest bounds. At these words, hearts throb, feet walk and mind and spirit and will are at work.” He said that as people become more highly developed both spiritually and intellectually, these words read a wealth of meaning to them. They lose their significance of the man who is King or the geographical confines of the country, and stand instead for all the glorious traditions of the past, which our fathers struggled for through generations. The more one studies, the more one knows, the stronger comes the call of these two words.

“Every man cannot go to the front. To some the cal of King and country is a call for them to other forms of service. But there are men in this building, there are men on the streets of Ottawa, there are hundreds of thousands of me in Canada who ought seriously consider whether they are answering that call of not. Kitchener is asking for 300,000 more men and more will be needed after that. Does this call mean anything to you? I want you to consider it. Consider whether you have any excuse to stay here on the street looking after pleasure and your own gain. Decide for yourself whether you will answer the call or not, but in heaven’s name make it a question of consideration. Do not dodge it, but settle it, and go or stay as the result of your decision after careful consideration.”

He said that one of the blessings of the war it that it is making the nation more spiritual, more given to deep thinking, and this country could stand a lot of deep thinking.

This battalion will soon (be) over in yonder fields of France and Belgium, not the happy conditions we have here, but facing the stern realities of war. And when the verities of life are weighing in on them, thank Heaven, Canadians neither flinch nor fail. Every man must die, and it is a noble death to die for King and country, rather than to rust out in idle inactivity.

“Our Canadians on the battle line are hard pressed, they need help. Their cry comes across the seas. We need your help for King and country, comrades in Canada, do not fail us. This call will not be unheeded. Men will march for, fight for, die for the splendid ideals of the race, for the civilization which for a thousand years our forefathers have built up for us to enjoy.”

This program was opened by selections by the Boy Scout Bugle band. This well trained organization gave a number of camp calls, and at the close of the program sounded the Last Post, giving this difficult call in excellent unison and correctness.

Mrs. George Patterson Murphy rendered, “The Hills of Donegal,” which gave scope for her sweet well trained voice and was very popular. For an encore she sang the great recruiting song, “Your King and Country Calls You,” better known by the closing words of the chorus, “We’ll cheer you, thank you, kiss you, when you come back again.” It has been a big hit in England, and made quite as deep an impression when so well rendered by Mrs. Murphy. She was presented with a beautiful bouquet.

Miss G. Ferguson was also exceptionally popular in excellent solos, particularly in “Rose of My Heart,” which she gave as an encore and which caught the audience and it applauded again and again. She was the recipient of two immense bouquets of roses.

Mr. Charles Parkinson sang with splendid effect that ever popular song, “The Bow was Made in England,” and gave a humorous song as an encore.

Mr. Rudolph Pelisk, the accomplished violinist rendered two difficult compositions in a pleasing and faultless manner, and was warmly applauded.

Mr. E. Rochon, a popular violinist, also delighted the audience with two violin solos.

Miss Helen Langdon, one of the leading soloists of the city, played with marked skill, two cello solos. She received great applause and was presented with a bouquet of daisies and one of roses.

Bandsmen Ward and Fenton delighted the audience with duets on the cornet and trombone. Band Sergt. Hillis gave an exceptionally well rendered clarinet solo. 

Pte. Neale, of the 38th Battalion, gave a very funny character sketch ending with a humorous solo. It was well done and kept the crowd laughing from start to finish.

Miss Edith Lamb was accompanist.

Mr. Gordon Rogers gave to the delight of all who heard him the humorous character monolog, How Bill Adams Won the Battle of Waterloo.

An original sketch, Money Makes the Honeymoon, was presented by Mr. Gordon Rogers and Miss Ashfield as Mr. And Mrs. Newlywed and Oscar Fillman as a boy from Murphy-Gambles. It proved a happy part of the program. It is a cleverly written sketch with bright, laughable dialog and was well interpreted.

Mr. Gregory O’Regan presented a number of tricks in magic art. He is a well-known local magician and his difficult sleight-of-hand work was clever, the one of taking off his coat with both hands tied proving the most interesting and novel.

 The 38th Royal Ottawa Battalion