There was a scream
First World War Audio Archive
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There was a scream
Transcript
Hill 62 Memorial Belgium.
was one out of Arras. It started off, well, not too bad, but there was two big German shells come over, and at that time, instead of advancement in a line, we’d go over about six men,Courtrai Memorial Belgium.
one behind the other, maybe 20 feet apart. They thought it might save casualties. And he made two direct hits on, one next to us and then next one over and they were all wiped out, although theyLe Quesnel Memorial Belgium.
never knew what hit them. There was a scream in the air both times that I can still remember. We got up into a place called Parvillers. All the houses were knocked down but the Germans hadGueudecourt Memorial France.
escaped the barrage there under these brick cellars. Things didn’t go very good then. Our officer was killed. A fellow called LaPorte was killed right beside me. A fellow calledDury Memorial France.
Stanley from Dunville went to yell something in my ear about a barrage and I saw blood spurt out of his neck. The bullet went in his open mouth and he never lost a tooth. I still remember theMonchy Memorial France.
surprised look in his eyes and then he waved me bye-bye and he disappeared. So there was 15 of us then. We got cut off and longPasschendaele Memorial Belgium.
in the afternoon the sergeant had been wounded and gone out. The corporal in charge, he said, “We should surrender,” and I said, “There’s too many of us. There’s 15 of us, we’re not goingMasnières memorial France.
to surrender.” I was just a private. I started crawling in the hay, it was a hayfield, and I come nose to nose with Milton Greg, who was our adjutant, who afterwards won the Victoria Cross andBourion Wood Memorial France.
was sergeant-at-arms in Ottawa. So he told me that if we crawled a certain way on our belly, another 150 yards, that he thoughtCourcelette Memorial France.
we’d be okay. So I crawled back and I led the way and there was ten followed. Jock McCall, the last man, unknown to me got hit in the leg and was taken prisoner and he lost a leg, I think,Beaumont-Hamel Memorial France.
below the knee but he come back to Canada. But the corporal and three fellows who were conscripts the first time in, they surrendered. I took the fellows with me over the top the nextSt. Julien Memorial Belgium.
morning in another barrage. Anyway, I said I got a military medal for being stubborn, I guess. I was recommended by a sergeant andCanadian National Vimy Memorial France.
several of the other men, so that ended that episode.Description
Mr. Close describes action during the battle of Arras. Two flanking platoons are wiped out by artillery, a soldier speaking in his ear is shot through the mouth, and finally he describes leading 10 of 15 men to safety through a grain field at Parvillers, for which he receives the Military Medal.
John Hamilton Close
John Hamilton Close was born in Mitchell, Ontario on July 4, 1896. After the death of both his parents, he went to work on his uncle’s farm in Garrett, Ontario. On March 15, 1916, Mr. Close enlisted with the 114th Battalion in Hagersville, Ontario. He started training immediately and was sent to Camp Borden. After going overseas to England he was quickly deployed to Le Havre. He was wounded at Vimy Ridge, rehabilitated in England, and returned to France to fight at Amiens and Arras where he won a Military Medal for bravery. Mr. Close ended his service with the rank of Corporal. He died in Hagersville, Ontario in February, 1993.
Meta Data
- Medium:
- Video
- Owner:
- Veterans Affairs Canada
- Duration:
- 3:14
- Person Interviewed:
- John Hamilton Close
- War, Conflict or Mission:
- First World War
- Location/Theatre:
- Europe
- Battle/Campaign:
- Arras
- Branch:
- Army
- Units/Ship:
- 114th Battalion
- Rank:
- 2-stripe Corporal
- Occupation:
- Section Leader
Attestation
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