Gerrard, Alex: my Army recollections (June 11, 1977)

An interview/narrative of Alex Gerrard's experiences during World War I. Private Gerrard served with the 100th Battalion (Winnipeg Grenadiers), Canadian Expeditionary Force and the 1st Battalion, Canadian Mounted Rifles, Canadian Expeditionary Force. Interview took place on June 11, 1977.

Rank: Private.

Interviewer: Murphy, James

ABSTRACT: Pte. Alex Gerrard 100th Battalion (Winnipeg Grenadiers), Canadian Expeditionary Force 1st Battalion, Canadian Mounted Rifles, Canadian Expeditionary Force Gerrard_A_0057_01.mp3 Born in 1895 in Aberdeenshire (d. 1979) and, as a boy of twelve, came to Canada in 1907. Farmed at Alexander, near Brandon, Man. Enlisted at Winnipeg in the spring of 1916. Recalls that, during basic training, they drilled and shovelled snow and assisted in recruiting drives. Many of the unit were given a month off for spring planting. Reported to Camp Hughes and from there went overseas. About fifty of his battalion were sent to France, through Le Havre, as reinforcements for the 1st C.M.R.s. He recalls moving directly into the front line to guard duty in a "sap-head". These forward positions might be sited as close as twenty yards from the enemy. (15:00) They were thus able to give warning to their unit of any extra activity in the German trenches. The regimen of ten days in the front line, ten in reserve and then out to rest was a job for the younger men. Describes trenches, routine, playing cards off-duty, or a visit to the Y.M.C.A. canteen in the second-line trenches. Slept when and where they could: sometimes there were bunks in the dugouts. Rations fairly good. One round loaf of bread for four men, and always dixies of tea, coffee or stew. They underwent concentrated training for the Battle of Vimy Ridge, during which time he became a Lewis gunner. Gerrard_A_0057_02.mp3 During the battle the first objective was reached fairly quickly, stopped to clean their gun while others passed through their position. (35:00) The advance was preceded by a tremendous "fireworks" display at 4:25 A.M. Advancing under artillery-fire some Canadian troops overran the barrage and were killed by our own shells. Did not actually see any of the enemy during the advance except as prisoners of war. Badly wounded in the eye and shoulder. Hospital in Boulogne (45:00), then King George Hospital in London where his injured eye was removed. A special diet, including a bottle of stout each day, helped him to regain his strength. (02:00)

Interviewee: Gerrard, Alex, 1895-1979

In Collection:

• Canadian Military Oral Histories

Contributor

• Murphy, James
• Gerrard, Alex, 1895-1979

Subject

• Personal narratives--Canadian
• Military history
• World War (1914-1918)
• Canada. Canadian Army

Language

• eng

Keyword

• Canada--Canadian Army--Battalion, 100th
• Trench warfare
• World War, 1914-1918--Medical care
• Gerrard, Alex, 1895-1979--Interviews
• World War, 1914-1918--Personal narratives, Canadian
• Vimy Ridge, Battle of, France, 1917
• World War, 1914-1918--Hospitals
• Friendly fire (Military science)
• Camp Hughes (Carberry, Man.)
• Military surveillance
• Operational rations (Military supplies)
• Canada--Canadian Army--Canadian Expeditionary Force--Military life
• War wounds
• Lewis machine gun
• Canada--Canadian Army--Military life
• Canada--Canadian Army--Canadian Mounted Rifles--Battalion, 1st
• Military reconnaissance

Date created

• June 11, 1977

Relation

• Part of the Reginald H. Roy collection of interviews.

Resource type

• Sound

Rights statement

• In Copyright - Educational Use Permitted

Extent

• 2 sound recordings (MP3)

Geographic coverage

• France
• Canada

Coordinates

• 60.10867, -113.64258
• 46, 2

Additional physical characteristics

• One original sound tape reel (ca. 48 min.) : 3 3/4 ips, 2 track, mono. ; 1 sound cassette copy : standard, mono. in Special Collections.

Physical repository

• University of Victoria (B.C.). Library

Collection

• Canadian Military Oral History Collection

Provider

• University of Victoria (B.C.). Library

Genre

• sound recordings
• oral histories (literary genre)
• interviews
• reminiscences

Archival item identifier

• GA_057

Fonds title

• Reginald Herbert Roy fonds

Fonds identifier

• SC104

Is referenced by

• Special Collections Finding Aid: https://uvic2.coppul.archivematica.org/reginald-herbert-roy-fonds

Date digitized

• May 13, 2010

Technical note

• Digital sound recording in .wav format at 16 bits and 44 kHz. In .mp3 format at 56 kbps and 24 kHz. Digitized by JF, technical and cataloguing metadata provided by JF and JP. ; WWI Transferred from audio reel to audio cassette between 1987-1997. Interview migrated to digital format for UVic Special Collections in 2010. Migration metadata by KD and MT.

Rights

• This interview has been posted with the understanding that it may be used for research purposes only. Should the interviewee or their heirs have any objections to this interview being accessible on the Internet, it will be removed promptly. Contact UVic Special Collections for permission if using for other than research purposes: speccoll@uvic.ca

DOI

•  https://doi.org/10.58066/g8a1-yv86

Thumbnail	Title	Date Uploaded	Visibility	Actions
	SC141_MilitaryOralHistory_GenericThumbnail		Public	Press to Select an action Download
	Gerrard_A_0057_01.mp3		Public	Press to Select an action Download
	Gerrard_A_0057_02.mp3		Public	Press to Select an action Download