Welcome to our home

First World War Audio Archive

Welcome to our home

Transcript

In the winter of 1909, my father and I worked at the coal mines

Picture of soldier.

in Canmore. And we returned in the spring. We got off the train at Wilkie, walked part way to Scott, and then along about four o’clock in the afternoon or possibly five, we came upon a German farmer. We did not know the man was German. He had the largest sod house I ever saw. It must have been 50 or 60 feet from east to west. The west portion being the house, next to that was the horse barn, next to that the cow barn, then the hog and poultry barn to the extreme east. As we approached, two dogs came barking at us, and the German came out and said something to the dogs in German. And I thought that was strange, how the dogs could understand German. However, the dogs took off and we got behind the barn. And as we approached the German, he said - my father spoke first, wanting to know if he could rest for a few minutes or possible half an hour, and possibly have a cup of tea or something. He said, “You are most, most welcome, most welcome at my home. As you will see, we have here very little yes, but you are most welcome to anything and all that we have. Come in the house, please.” In the house, we met his wife who spoke no English whatsoever. Plus, we saw two or three little kiddies peeking around the corners having a quick peek. The wife,

Soldier in his later years, many years after the war.

of course, as I said spoke no English, but she manoeuvred around there to prepare a small lunch. And while so doing, I fell asleep on the chair and she, when I awoke, she had taken off my shoes and was patting me on the side of the face. And she indicated with her hands putting them at her side, “Come, come.” So she put me into bed and covered me up. And while my father and the German were speaking, the German had brought out his municipal map. And of course my father, my father’s land was included on this map so they became quite friendly. In the meantime, the wife had prepared a nice lunch for us. Home cured ham,

Veteran and his wife sitting outside their home.

home preserved fruit, home-made bread, home ground flour, and the works. And when the lunch was ready, she came and patted me on the face to wake me up, but she didn’t only hold me, she hugged me as she packed me to the kitchen table. So we had our lunch, we had another, my father and me and the man, visit for a little “Will you please come back, please come back sometime, anytime. We will be most pleased, happy to see you.” I was never harsh to Germans while in action, though I disposed of many. Any who were inclined to surrender was given the option and I directed where to go and how to do it. And in that way, no more lives were lost than was absolutely necessary. We as soldiers had nothing against the German soldier. Actually, he was just the same as ourselves, but had been misguided.

Description

Mr. Butterworth describes being treated kindly by a poor German farm family while he was a youth in Alberta, and how it affected his attitude toward German soldiers during the war.

James Howcroft Butterworth

James Butterworth was born in England and emigrated to Canada in 1907 with his Parents and syblings. His family moved to Alberta where they became farmers. Mr. Butterworth remembers an act of great sacrifice and kindness by a German farm family in Alberta which was to affect his attitude for life. He enlisted on October 27, 1915, with the 65th Battalion, Canadian Expeditionary Force, and joined the 46th Battalion. He served in France and was wounded in the foot and knee (accidental). He left the service on February 26, 1919, at rank of private. On June 21, 1926, Mr. Butterworth married Gertrude E. Wilson and they had three children. He was a farmer and worked as a grain buyer for United Grain Growers and later for the Veterans’ Land Act, both in Alberta. He retired in 1961 and settled in Calgary where he died on January 4, 1976.

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