in flanders fields and other poems-第12章

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a　squadron　of　battleships；　arrived　here　this　morning。〃

The　problem　presented　itself　to　him　as　to　many　another。
The　decision　was　made。　　To　go　back　to　America　was　to　go　back　from　the　war。
Here　are　the　words：　　〃It　seems　quite　impossible　to　return；
and　I　do　not　think　I　should　try。　　I　would　not　feel　quite　comfortable　over　it。
I　am　cabling　to　Morrison　at　Ottawa；　that　I　am　available　either　as　combatant
or　medical　if　they　need　me。　　I　do　not　go　to　it　very　light…heartedly；
but　I　think　it　is　up　to　me。〃

It　was　not　so　easy　in　those　days　to　get　to　the　war；　as　he　and　many　others
were　soon　to　discover。　　There　was　in　Canada　at　the　time
a　small　permanent　force　of　3000　men；　a　military　college；　a　Headquarters　staff；
and　divisional　staff　for　the　various　districts　into　which　the　country
was　divided。　　In　addition　there　was　a　body　of　militia　with　a　strength
of　about　60；000　officers　and　other　ranks。　　Annual　camps　were　formed
at　which　all　arms　of　the　service　were　represented；　and　the　whole
was　a　very　good　imitation　of　service　conditions。　　Complete　plans
for　mobilization　were　in　existence；　by　which　a　certain　quota；
according　to　the　establishment　required；　could　be　detailed　from　each　district。
But　upon　the　outbreak　of　war　the　operations　were　taken　in　hand
by　a　Minister　of　Militia　who　assumed　in　his　own　person　all　those　duties
usually　assigned　to　the　staff。　　He　called　to　his　assistance
certain　business　and　political　associates；　with　the　result　that　volunteers
who　followed　military　methods　did　not　get　very　far。

Accordingly　we　find　it　written　in　John　McCrae's　diary　from　London：
〃Nothing　doing　here。　　I　have　yet　no　word　from　the　Department　at　Ottawa；
but　I　try　to　be　philosophical　until　I　hear　from　Morrison。
If　they　want　me　for　the　Canadian　forces；　I　could　use　my　old　Sam　Browne　belt；
sword；　and　saddle　if　it　is　yet　extant。　　At　times　I　wish　I　could　go　home
with　a　clear　conscience。〃

He　sailed　for　Canada　in　the　‘Calgarian'　on　August　28th；
having　received　a　cablegram　from　Colonel　Morrison；　that　he　had　been
provisionally　appointed　surgeon　to　the　1st　Brigade　Artillery。
The　night　he　arrived　in　Montreal　I　dined　with　him　at　the　University　Club；
and　he　was　aglow　with　enthusiasm　over　this　new　adventure。
He　remained　in　Montreal　for　a　few　days；　and　on　September　9th；
joined　the　unit　to　which　he　was　attached　as　medical　officer。
Before　leaving　Montreal　he　wrote　to　his　sister　Geills：

〃Out　on　the　awful　old　trail　again！　　And　with　very　mixed　feelings；
but　some　determination。　　I　am　off　to　Val…cartier　to…night。　　I　was　really
afraid　to　go　home；　for　I　feared　it　would　only　be　harrowing　for　Mater；
and　I　think　she　agrees。　　We　can　hope　for　happier　times。
Everyone　most　kind　and　helpful：　　my　going　does　not　seem　to　surprise　anyone。
I　know　you　will　understand　it　is　hard　to　go　home；　and　perhaps　easier
for　us　all　that　I　do　not。　　I　am　in　good　hope　of　coming　back　soon　and　safely：
that；　I　am　glad　to　say；　is　in　other　and　better　hands　than　ours。〃




　　V

South　Africa



In　the　Autumn　of　1914；　after　John　McCrae　had　gone　over…seas；
I　was　in　a　warehouse　in　Montreal；　in　which　one　might　find
an　old　piece　of　mahogany　wood。　　His　boxes　were　there　in　storage；
with　his　name　plainly　printed　upon　them。　　The　storeman；　observing　my　interest；
remarked：　　〃This　Doctor　McCrae　cannot　be　doing　much　business；
he　is　always　going　to　the　wars。〃　　The　remark　was　profoundly　significant
of　the　state　of　mind　upon　the　subject　of　war　which　prevailed　at　the　time
in　Canada　in　more　intelligent　persons。　　To　this　storeman　war　merely　meant
that　the　less　usefully　employed　members　of　the　community
sent　their　boxes　to　him　for　safe…keeping　until　their　return。
War　was　a　great　holiday　from　work；　and　he　had　a　vague　remembrance
that　some　fifteen　years　before　this　customer　had　required　of　him
a　similar　service　when　the　South　African　war　broke　out。

Either　‘in　esse'　or　‘in　posse'　John　McCrae　had　〃always　been　going
to　the　wars。〃　　At　fourteen　years　of　age　he　joined　the　Guelph　Highland　Cadets；
and　rose　to　the　rank　of　1st　Lieutenant。　　As　his　size　and　strength　increased
he　reverted　to　the　ranks　and　transferred　to　the　Artillery。　　In　due　time
he　rose　from　gunner　to　major。　　The　formal　date　of　his　〃Gazette〃　is　17…3…02
as　they　write　it　in　the　army；　but　he　earned　his　rank　in　South　Africa。

War　was　the　burden　of　his　thought；　war　and　death　the　theme　of　his　verse。
At　the　age　of　thirteen　we　find　him　at　a　gallery　in　Nottingham；
writing　this　note：　　〃I　saw　the　picture　of　the　artillery　going　over
the　trenches　at　Tel…el…Kebir。　　It　is　a　good　picture；　but　there　are　four　teams
on　the　guns。　　Perhaps　an　extra　one　had　to　be　put　on。〃　　If　his　nomenclature
was　not　correct；　the　observation　of　the　young　artillerist　was　exact。
Such　excesses　were　not　permitted　in　his　father's　battery　in　Guelph；　Ontario。
During　this　same　visit　his　curiosity　led　him　into　the　House　of　Lords；
and　the　sum　of　his　written　observation　is；　〃When　someone　is　speaking
no　one　seems　to　listen　at　all。〃

His　mother　I　never　knew。　　Canada　is　a　large　place。　　With　his　father　I　had
four　hours'　talk　from　seven　to　eleven　one　June　evening　in　London　in　1917。
At　the　time　I　was　on　leave　from　France　to　give　the　Cavendish　Lecture；
a　task　which　demanded　some　thought；　and　after　two　years　in　the　army
it　was　a　curious　sensation　　watching　one's　mind　at　work　again。
The　day　was　Sunday。　　I　had　walked　down　to　the　river　to　watch　the　flowing　tide。
To　one　brought　up　in　a　country　of　streams　and　a　moving　sea
the　curse　of　Flanders　is　her　stagnant　waters。　　It　is　little　wonder
the　exiles　from　the　Judaean　hillsides　wept　beside　the　slimy　River。

The　Thames　by　evening　in　June；　memories　that　reached　from　Tacitus
to　Wordsworth；　the　embrasure　that　extends　in　front　of　the　Egyptian　obelisk
for　a　standing　place；　and　some　children　〃swimming　a　dog〃；　
that　was　the　scene　and　circumstance　of　my　first　meeting　with　his　father。
A　man　of　middle　age　was　standing　by。　　He　wore　the　flashings
of　a　Lieutenant…Colonel　and　for　badges　the　Artillery　grenades。
He　seemed　a　friendly　man；　and　under　the　influence　of　the　moment；
which　he　also　surely　felt；　I　spoke　to　him。

〃A　fine　river；〃　　　That　was　a　safe　remark。

〃But　I　know　a　finer。〃

〃Pharpar　and　Abana？〃　　I　put　the　stranger　to　the　test。

〃No；〃　he　said。　　〃The　St。　Lawrence　is　not　of　Damascus。〃　　He　had　answered
to　the　sign；　and　looked　at　my　patches。

〃I　have　a　son　in　France；　myself；〃　he　said。　　〃His　name　is　McCrae。〃

〃Not　John　McCrae？〃

〃John　McCrae　is　my　son。〃

The　resemblance　was　instant；　but　this　was　an　older　man
than　at　first　sight　he　seemed　to　be。　　I　asked　him　to　dinner　at　Morley's；
my　place　of　resort　for　a　length　of　time　beyond　the　memory
of　all　but　the　oldest　servants。　　He　had　already　dined
but　he　came　and　sat　with　me；　and　told　me　marvellous　things。

David　McCrae　had　raised；　and　trained；　a　field　battery　in　Guelph；
and　brought　it　overseas。　　He　was　at　the　time　upwards　of　seventy　years　of　age；
and　was　considered　on　account　of　years　alone　〃unfit〃　to　proceed　to　the　front。
For　many　years　he　had　commanded　a　field　battery　in　the　Canadian　militia；
went　on　manoeuvres　with　his　〃cannons〃；　and　fired　round　shot。
When　the　time　came　for　using　shells　he　bored　the　fuse　with　a　gimlet；
and　if　the　gimlet　were　lost　in　the　grass；　the　gun　was　out　of　action
until　the　useful　tool　could　be　found。　　This　〃cannon　ball〃
would　travel　over　the　country　according　to　the　obstacles　it　encountered　and；
〃if　it　struck　a　man；　it　might　break　his　leg。〃

In　such　a　martial　atmosphere　the　boy　was　brought　up；
and　he　was　early　nourished　with　the　history　of　the　Highland　regiments。
Also　from　his　father　he　inherited；　or　had　instilled　into　him；
a　love　of　the　out　of　doors；　a　knowledge　of　trees；　and　plants；
a　sympathy　with　birds　and　beasts；　domestic　and　wild。
When　the　South　African　war　broke　out　a　contingent　was　dispatched　from　Canada；
but　it　was　so　small　that　few　of　those　desiring　to　go　could　find　a　place。
This　explains　the　genesis　of　the　following　letter：



I　see　by　to…night's　bulletin　that　there　is　to　be　no　second　contingent。
I　feel　sick　with　disappointment；　and　do　not　believe　that　I　have　ever　been
so　disappointed　in　my　life；　for　ever　since　this　business　began
I　am　certain　there　have　not　been　fifteen　minutes　of　my