At The Diamond

All aboard for Beaverdale, Speedsville and points west. Homeward bound are Elmer Schmidt, Bill Bowman, Scott Dickie and George Jiggins.

Union Executive

Guarding the destiny of the W.W.U. for 1945 are: Treasurer, Frank Featherstone; Vice-President, Georgina White; President, John Garside; Secretary; Bob Townsley.

Gnr. Bob Logan, home on leave from Kingston, where he is stationed at present, visited the mill last Saturday.

Members of the Winding Dept. (day shift) enjoyed a skating party at the mill rink. After an hour of skating, lunch was served at the Legion home.

Paul Wiechers, Ruth Foss, George Oliver, Gladys Shier, Isobel Guttin, William Stewart, Irene Mitchell, John Garside, Bernard Hollings, George McTavish, Ernest Connell, Fred Beasley, Isaac Wilson, Art Shepherd, Mary Inglis, Charles Smith, Gilbert Povey and Elsie Lietch have been successful in passing the St. John’s Ambulance first aid examinations.

R89950 LAC. John H. Reid,
R.C.A.F. Overseas.

“Just a few words to say ‘hello’ to the old gang at the mill. I want to thank you most sincerely for the paper and cigarettes which I have received regularly. The paper goes the rounds at the station as the lads in the hut all like to look at it. They all say we must have a good firm to work for. I have just returned from a visit to Scotland. It is a very beautiful place and the people are just like the folks back home, friendly and always trying to help make our stay a pleasant one.

Can.R-161003,
LAC. Murray Seeley.
R.C.A.F. – S.H.Q.,
Overseas.

Here I am again to write you a few more lines and thank you for the cigarettes which I just recently received. I receive the mill paper every month and enjoy reading it very much. I guess Hespeler will have lots of snow now. We had a bad snow storm here and the roads were nearly blocked but the weather has turned mild again and the snow is nearly all gone.

It will be nice when this war is over. It shouldn’t be long now. I haven’t decided what to do when I get back but don’t be surprised if I drop into the office some day soon and ask for a job.

I must close now. Hoping this letter finds everyone in the very best of health. Cheerio and good luck.

A106697 Pte. Randall Clulow,
“B” Coy., Lincoln & Welland Regt.,
Canadian Army Overseas.

“Thanks for the cigarettes received three weeks ago. This is the first opportunity I have had to get a place to write a letter. I am on the verge of returning to the front and have another crack at old Jerry. I have been to the fair city of Paris which I enjoyed very much. It is not very badly damaged in comparison with other towns such as Caen. It certainly took a terrific beating. On account of moving so rapidly I have not had much chance to look at other towns. I suppose by now the fair community is growing rapidly with the finer or feminine sex. I would like to return in time to see some of these fair gals, etc. Well folks, as news is scarce, I will close for now.”

A105843 Pte. J.K. Dunford,
No. 1 C.I.B., Bde. H.Q.,
(C.A.) C.M.F.

“I guess I had better write and let you know that I am still alive. I am a little late this month but really this country gets a fellow down. Good old Fred, still on the winders. Yes, I remember him, and we always worked swell together. I still think I could beat any of the winders you have there, folks. If you don’t believe me, write and get me home for one month’s trial. If I fail I’ll come back to Italy. If I win, well, that’s your tough luck. Put Maurice Bruce and me on the Cheese Winder and if we make $1.50 bonus one night we’ll double it the next. I showed the boys here the pictures of Hespeler and they said a “hick town” and turned away. Then I showed them the ladies on the opposite page and now they want their addresses. Oh for the life of Fred Hutchings, wow—and here we are in Italy, with moldy aqua (water) between us. Is Milt Baker still on the job? Also May Pearce whom I used to work beside, and Nell Murray, the pride of the weavers? Well folks, I really appreciate the paper, so I will close with ‘carry on Hespeler’—the finest town I have ever lived in. Don’t forget, ‘good weaving’ means ‘good knees’ for us over here.”

A214780 F/Sgt. J.M. Welsh,
115 Squadron,
R.C.A.F. Overseas.

“For several months now I have been receiving regularly your most welcome cigarettes and news about the mill in the form of the D. W. & W. News. I have decided it is time that I wrote this very much belated letter to express my appreciation.

You will probably be interested to know that after a decidedly lengthy period of training I have at last reached an operational squadron. I can tell you that I am really getting a ‘kick’ out of dumping explosive presents on Germany. I am in a crew that is almost a ‘League of Nations’. We have two Englishmen, one Irishman, one Australian, and last but not least three Canadians, and I can tell you that we have some darn good times together.

Please say ‘hello’ to the Winding Room staff for me, and especially the night winders, although there are not many left that I know.

W3526 L/W Pauline Dugmore,
H.M.C.S. Stadacona,
Halifax, N.S.

“Sorry I’m so late in doing this but I thought I’d like to drop you a line telling you how much I appreciated your Christmas gift. It was really wonderful to know that at Christmas time all those at home were thinking about the rest of us no matter where we were.

I enjoy the mill paper very much, in fact the boys in the hospital do too, and after seeing some of the shots your photographer has taken. I used to get teased about coming from such a small town, but not any more, I pass the paper on to them and they have also seen our ship, so Hespeler is the “Biggest Little Town in Canada” now.

We had a very nice Christmas down here. As usual the officers served us our Christmas dinner which included soup, turkey and all the trimmings even to a glass of beer. The hospital was all decorated. Each ward had their own Christmas tree and on Christmas morning Santa Claus came to see them and deliver his gifts. Everyone did have a good time and kept that blue homesick feeling away. Here’s hoping I get back to leave this summer. I haven’t been home in warm weather yet, so when I do I’ll be down to visit you all at the mill.”

A Portrait

Mary Bailey lends charm to our paper.

CHRISTMAS MESSAGE FROM A BOY IN THE ARMED FORCES

The old guns are silent tonight. Only the echo of machine guns can be heard. For tonight is Christmas Eve and the boys are not home with their families.

Outside on the dyke a heavy rain is falling. The night air is wet and cold. A heavy mist hangs around the friendly slit-trench windows and the gentle curses of someone in two feet of water reach our ears. Nearer comes the roar of that grand old thing, “The Flying Bomb.” Do we remember the first time we heard it? “We wished for the old homestead, and the faces we love.” Could any other tune be better on Christmas Eve for those away from home? Yes!

Perhaps you will read this while rising quietly on a chesterfield, close to a nice warm fire, where the silence is broken only by soft music from the radio. Perhaps you are in action at the dinner table or stationed in a lovely bedroom in Ontario or British Columbia. Or you may be in a Buick or Ford ploughing along the highway with toys for the kids. We know you are thinking of us even as we are thinking of you. We hope that next Christmas will find us at our own firesides, and at least the whole of Europe at peace. So, to all of you at home, this tank crew wishes you all the safe return of your loved ones from Holland. The country about which we grumble the most and yet – we grumbled in Belgium, France and England.

Apologies to D. W. & W. News for this distortion of their most appropriate Christmas message.

Written by Sgt. Robt. J.A. Craig.

LAC Bill Turner, R.C.A.F., Toronto, and his wife were recent visitors at the mill.

Dolph Little has been honorably discharged from the Air Force and is back to work in the Cost Office.

We welcome back Shirley Harlock, who has received her discharge from the Air Force and is now working in the Burling and Mending dept.

We are glad to hear that Ida Wildman (Worsted Spinning Dept.) who underwent an operation recently is well on the way to recovery.

Good luck to Tressa Shute and Jean Nichol of the Burling and Mending Dept. who left to join the C.W.A.C.’s. Tressa was presented with a pen and pencil set and Jean with a pen and wallet on behalf of the girls of the department.

Rex Brent of the Dyehouse enlisted in the Army and is at present stationed in London.

Tpr. Donald Bruce called in at the mill on his arrival home after two years overseas. Don was wounded in action in Italy. He was a member of the Cloth Examining & Shipping Dept. prior to his enlistment.

Robin Low, who was severely wounded in action in Belgium on Oct. 22, has returned home from overseas. Robin enlisted just one year ago and has been overseas since last July. He spent a few days at his home here before returning to Chorley Park Hospital, Toronto, to undergo an operation.

The members of the night shift of the Winding Dept. Also enjoyed as skating party at the mill rink. After a full evening of skating they adjourned to Butler’s Hotel, Puslinch Lake, for refreshments.

The Burling & Mending Dept., the Cloth Examining & Shipping Dept. and the Finishing Depts. got together for a skating party over at the mill rink. After an hour of skating lunch was served at the Legion Home.

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