Intro to Recollections With the presence of mind of an officer who was awarded the VD and was later the Commanding Officer of the Elgin Regiment, Lt. Col. Warren Andrews recorded his encounter with General Sir Arthur Currie, Commander of Canadian Troops and Kenneth Lawrence the last Canadian casualty of the Great War. The occasion was a celebratory dinner for thousands in St. Thomas, Ontario in 1921. The encounter did not begin well. |  |
1921 Recollections of |  |
Naturally very Bitter
Turned His Back on the General
He was naturally very bitter about it and, as the party was breaking up after the banquet served to several thousand in the open at Pinafore Park in the summer of 1921, officially commemorating peace on the western front. I met this man and while chatting with him, all service men were in uniform for this occasion, Mayor Horton approached with Gen. Sir Arthur Currie, Commander of the Canadian Corp. during the last years of the war. As my family and I were introduced to the General, Lawrence turned his back on him. It was very apparent that the General was quite perturbed by his action.
Currie Asks for the Details
 | However, he was tactfully persuaded to about face and be greeted by the General, who was visibly moved, enquired regarding he circumstances which resulted in the loss of his leg. Expressed his deep regret, then put the question to him, “Lawrence will you be good enough to relate to me, the gist of the last order as received by your unit before the cease fire was received on the morning of November 11th.” Lawrence briefly related what their instructions were. Gen. Currie then said “Now Lawrence I will tell you what my instructions, as received from Gen. Foch as Supreme Allied Commander, at six A.M. on the morning of November 11th. I quote: - |
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My instructions received at six A.M. were to the effect that an official party representing the German high command would pass through our lines at 7 A.M., for the purpose of negotiating terms of surrender, and it was expected an armistice would be signed and the cease fire order issued at 11 A.M. but, in the meantime, we were under no circumstances to release our pressure.” After he had given this information to Lawrence, he said “There was not alternative for me but to carry on, as the slightest relaxing of vigilance could easily lead to serious consequences, as we were still at war until the “Cease Fire” was received.” |
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Much More Cordial
He expressed his most sincere regret that Lawrence in particular, and others may have been killed or wounded during the last few hours before the official order to cease fire had been received. He again shook hands with Lawrence and asked him to accept the explanation he had given concerning his responsibility of the Canadian Corp. maintaining a state of war until released by the official “Cease Fire” order had been received.
General Currie had been severely criticized by both service men and civilians concerning his leadership during these last few hours, but Lawrence appeared to have accepted his explanation, and appeared much more cordial on parting than when he reluctantly consented to being introduced to his former Corp. Commander.
General Currie had been severely criticized by both service men and civilians concerning his leadership during these last few hours, but Lawrence appeared to have accepted his explanation, and appeared much more cordial on parting than when he reluctantly consented to being introduced to his former Corp. Commander.
Andrews Reveals a Sad Twist |
I related this as being a most interesting experience of having been present at an unexpected meeting between our old Canadian Corp. Commander and the last casualty of the Great War.
Others present at the time were Mayor, the Late E.A. Horton, John McKenzie, living in Lynhurst and a veteran of the Great War, my wife and two small children. Little did we think at that time that one of these little children, our only son, would twenty-one years later lose his life in the attack of the second Canadian Division on Dieppe, where as one of the youngest Lt. Colonels in the Canadian Army, he commanded the first Tank Battalion, in the history of warfare, to land from the sea and participate in a major attack on a heavily fortified enemy position.
Others present at the time were Mayor, the Late E.A. Horton, John McKenzie, living in Lynhurst and a veteran of the Great War, my wife and two small children. Little did we think at that time that one of these little children, our only son, would twenty-one years later lose his life in the attack of the second Canadian Division on Dieppe, where as one of the youngest Lt. Colonels in the Canadian Army, he commanded the first Tank Battalion, in the history of warfare, to land from the sea and participate in a major attack on a heavily fortified enemy position.
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