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This is the commentary from the Editor of the Evening Telegram on July 7, 1916. Note how he pays tribute to those who have lost their lives in the Battle that had just taken place at Beaumont Hamel and the expressions of sympathy he gives to those who had lost loved ones. The last paragraph of his editorial however focuses on recruiting and encouraging those men who have yet to join the Regiment to do so to avenge the deaths of those soldiers who had just died. ****************************************************************************************************** Killed in Action At such a time as this when to sorrow known is added the fear of sorrow yet to come, we can only speak what words of comfort we may. Yet is to comfort a country for it is the country that mourns. All Newfoundland received the blow yesterday: to St. John’s it was a cruelly hard one. In larger cities and larger communities there is on such occasions a general and kind feeling of sympathy for those immediately afflicted, but these alone know the real bitterness, the real grief of their loss. It is far otherwise with us. These brave fellows were, we might say the sons and brothers of the whole city for they were its very chosen. Is there one amongst us that did not know one of these lads intimately? It may be: but there are many to whom they were all so known, many to whom more than one of them were loved companions, schoolmates it might be friends in sport or in work, kind associates of everyday life. The comfort we can give, and the comfort we can feel, must be at the same time our pride. Have not these men given Newfoundland an honoured place, high even on this long roll of great deeds and deathless names? Already, at Gallipoli they had done this. But Gallipoli was a defeat- a glory and a name to all save the highest command, but still a defeat. The action of July 1st was no defeat. It was the first and greatest step towards the final victory that will crush German power and humble German arrogance. In it our men played no small part of that we may be sure. We read down the list with a tightening of the heart-strings; but we know these men, we know the stuff they were made of and we know they did not give their lives for nothing. The very size and nature of the causality list is eloquent. It speaks of an advance, impetuous and fearless, through a hail of bullets. On our men fell part of the heavy task of the first infantry rush and we all know by this time what that means. That it was not in vain the very fact of the progress made, the bad reports of the messages, show well. We know the price (it is alas! only part of the price) that our regiment paid: we do not yet know what they bought for it. When we do know, when the story of their achievements in all its glorious details is told there will be a thrill of pride throughout our Island such as it has never felt before. It is great comfort and reassurance to know that those who bore the brunt of the fierce fighting of those first days have been replaced by others. Our regiment is almost certainly now enjoying a well earned rest behind the firing line. To our grief for the fallen and our hopes of recovery and ease of suffering to the wounded there must be added one thought. These men have died for their country. Their blood cries out for vengeance. Let every man who can spring to avenge them. Their places must be filled; let them be filled tenfold. They heard the battle cry and responded. To-day it comes ringing again across the waters to our manhood, louder and with a fuller meaning through their death. Let it be heard and answered by all who yet live and have power to strike as they did. Source: The Evening Telegram, July 7, 1916 |
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The Regiment The Battle Soldier/Family Stories Commemoration Additional Information |
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