The Simcoe Forester: September 8

September 8 - France

Dear mother & sister

Just a few lines to let you know I am well. I like France fine. I am at the base. I expect we may be here for some time. We are getting fed better here than we have got fed since we left the Harbour. We get good butter to eat here where we used to only get margarine in England. But I have been well satisfied where ever I have been. I enjoyed the trip. I saw Alex Douglas last night. My address is 4th Canadian St 7 Div. France.

Well I hope this finds you well. I will write you a big long letter tomorrow. Now don’t worry and trust in God and I will soon be home again. I am your loving son and brother Bruce with love xxxx

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Every Remembrance Day we hear about how hard it is to keep the stories of veterans alive, particularly those from the two World Wars. For the next 156 days or so I'm going to post actual letters my great-great uncle wrote home to his mother and sister while serving in WWI. It's my way of remembering, and honouring his memory. It's not a spectacular story full of combat action, although there is some of that. It's an account of an ordinary 20 year old from a small farming community in central Ontario enlisting and serving for a country he loved. Its about farming, it's about war, but mostly it's about being away from home.

James Bruce Speerin was born in Moonstone on February 7,1896. He was a farmer, working the same farm his father did before him.

On January 4, 1916, weeks before his 20th birthday, Bruce enlisted in the Canadian Expeditionary Forces. He was part of the 177th Battalion, who were recruited from the Simcoe area and part of the Grey & Simcoe Foresters. He trained in Barrie and Orillia and learned to be a Machine Gun Fighter in Toronto. The 177th sailed to England in May 1917. He was part of the 4th Battalion, and fought on the Western Front, in France and Belgium. When he was demobilized in March, 1919 he was just 23.

Where was he on November 11, 1918 when WWI ended? Well, that's skipping ahead.

The Cast

Bruce Speerin - Farmer, WWI Soldier with 177th Battalion
Lizzie Speerin - Bruce's younger sister
Sarah Speerin - Bruce's mother, widowed several years before
Clarence Speerin - Bruce's cousin, served with 157th Battalion Willie Speerin - Bruce's cousin, Clarence's brother, served with 152nd and became a Sargeant.
Allie (or Alex) Speerin - Bruce's older brother
Annie - Allie's wife

Other people were friends and family of the Speerins, in Moonstone, Ontario, a community just outside of Orillia.

The Simcoe Forester

September 8 - France

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