CSM Lou Verdon DCM
Diary


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May 1915

 

Saturday, May 1st
  • Confined to town but was able to get a pass to Ottawa.
  • Stayed at my Brother’s place.
  • Saw my cousin and his family.
  • Went to the Dominion Theatre and saw an Englishman’s Home-very appropriate.
Sunday, May 2nd
  • Aroused by my Brother knocking on the door at 10:00AM.
  • In the afternoon, I went to Mrs. Fee’s and had a most enjoyable time
Monday, May 3rd
  • I received a telegram to return to Kingston.
  • I had a pleasant time and I was so glad to have stayed at Henry’s
Tuesday, May 4th
  • Confined to barracks.  Everyone back from holiday and everyone is happy.
  • Wives of soldiers thronging the streets. It is a pity to see all them and I am so sorry for them.
Wednesday, May 5th
  • Confined to barracks.
  • Packed and ready to go.
  • Marched around town.
  • Rousing send-off from people of Kingston.
  • Took the train at 8:00PM.
Thursday, May 6th
  • Arrived at Montreal at 6:00AM.
  • Boarded the S.S. Metagama and had a rousing send-off from thousands of people.
  • The sirens sounded grand!
Friday,
May 7th
  • Steaming up the St. Lawrence River.
  • Sirens sounded repeatedly.
  • Followed by tugs.
  • The food on board is delicious!
Saturday, May 8th
  • Painted ship dark gray.
  • Heard rumours of the ship Mauretania being sunk-500 persons lost. (It was the Lusitania that was sunk on May 7th-The Mauretania was put back into service in May 1915).  See Notes at bottom.
  • Played deck Quoits with Sgt. Mainguy.
Sunday, May 9th
  • Sports on lower deck-fine time.
  • Divine Service on deck.
  • Getting rough but plenty of ships passing.
Monday, May 10th
  • Battalion Orderly Sergt.
  • Passed fogs and icebergs.
  • 200 Nurses on board-a jolly lot!
  • Sports on aft-deck.
Tuesday, May 11th
  • Passed three ships, a little alarm at first.
  • More sports.
  • Sea rough, lads very bad.
  • Myself, A1.
  • Ship pitches, but not rocking.
Wednesday, May 12th
  • Sea extremely rough.
  • Water washing the forward deck which rises about thirty feet.
  • Rumours concerning the Mauretania confirmed.
Thursday, May 13th
  • Very heavy seas all day and high winds.
  • Practically all Officers and men seasick.
  • I am still dandy.
  • Passed four ships.
Friday,
May 14th
  • Sea still has heavy swells but not so many are seasick.
  • Lovely concert with lots of singing.
  • Passed fine ships.
  • Plenty of birds.
Saturday, May 15th
  • Arrived at Devonport at 6:00AM being chased by submarines.
  • Were escorted by two destroyers at night.
  • Left for Hythe at 8:00PM.
Sunday, May 16th
  • Arrived at Hythe at 7:00AM
  • Everyone enraptured with the place.
  • Divine Service on the grass.
  • Walked into Hythe in the afternoon.
  • Had tea there-a beautiful place.
Monday, May 17th
  • Straightened camp a little.
  • Went to Shorncliffe.
  • Pictures with Q. M. Sergt. Fee, Sergt. Jealous, and Sergt. Murphy-fine time.
Tuesday, May 18th
  • Made pack and left camp at 8:00AM.
  • Arrived at St. Martins camp.
  • Quartered next to the P.P.C. L. I.

Wednesday,
May 19th

  • Paraded at 9:00AM
  • Physical drill one hour.
  • Instruction one hour.
  • Bayonet fighting one hour.
  • Folkestone in evening-fine time.
Thursday, May 20th
  • Paraded at 9:00AM and 2:00PM.
  • Physical and bayonet drills-one hour each.
  • Trench works, one hour.
  • Shorncliffe in the evening-a dandy time.
Friday,
May 21st
  • Usual Parades.
  • Passed all examinations.
  • Started instructing.
Saturday, May 22nd
  • Paraded in the morning.
  • Left for home at 4:00PM.
  • Saw girl and family.
  • Visited friends.
  • Had a most enjoyable time.
Sunday, May 23rd
  • Home once more and so glad.
  • Pleased Aunt Mina was there.
  • Called on friends and Aunt Annie Parkinson and girls.
  • Pictures with girl.
Monday, May 24th
  • Returned home at 10:00PM.
  • Usual parades.
  • Folkestone afternoon and evening.
  • Billiards and pictures.
  • Walked the Promenade.
Tuesday, May 25th
  • Paraded as usual both the morning and afternoon.
  • Dover in the evening.
  • Theatre with the boys (16).
  • Received letters.
Wednesday, May 26th
  • Parades as usual.
  • Went to Folkestone in the evening-dandy time.
Thursday, May 27th
  • Parades as usual.
  • Dover in the evening.
  • Great time and Pictures dandy.
Friday, May 28th
  • Bayonet fighting and physical drill as usual.
  • Pleasant time, quite enjoyed it.
Saturday, May 29th
  • Roaming about camp.
  • Played billiards with Jack.
  • Left camp for Sandling at 1:50PM and arrived at 8:00PM.
  • Went to Folkestone and had a good time.
Sunday, May 30th
  • Divine Service at 8:00AM.
  • Went for a walk with my friend, QM Sgt. Fee.
Monday, May 31st
  • Guard Sergeant, twenty four hours.
  • General Steale who is commanding the Division, inspected the Brigade
 

Notes

 

On May 7, 1915, the Lusitania took a solid hit whose sound was described by passengers as a "peal of thunder," a "dull thud-like sound," or "like a million-ton hammer hitting a steel boiler a hundred feet high and a hundred feet long" (Hickey and Smith 184-185). Though they did not explode, water rushed into the first and second boiler rooms and caused the boat to shake from side to side. She then rose a little before a second massive explosion took her down into the sea.

The exact cause of the second explosion is a point of contention. The Lusitania shows evidence that she may have been torpedoed a second or even a third time - but the second, most destructive, explosion may not have been caused by a German torpedo, but rather may have come from inside the ship. The reason behind this speculation is that the Lusitania's cargo can be called into question. She had originally said she would take, along with her passengers, platinum, bullion, diamonds and various other precious stones, but these things were never found and port records do not list them either. She is believed to have instead carried, under the guise of bales of fur and cheese boxes, 3-inch shells and millions of rounds of rifle ammunition. If true, these materials comprised "a contraband and explosive cargo which was forbidden by American law and... should never have been placed on a passenger liner" (Simpson 157-158).

Whether the torpedoes completed the destruction of the ship by their own power or they were aided by internal ammunition explosions, the German submarine attack devastated the Lusitania. The ship sank within twenty minutes of when she was hit and took with her 1,201 people - and left only 764 to be saved by those who responded to her SOS (Simpson 9). Many American lives were lost as a result of the sinking, and because the Lusitania was never officially in government service, the United States believed the attack on her "was contrary to international law and the conventions of all civilized nations" (Simpson 8-9). The sinking of the Lusitania caused serious tension between the United States and Germany. Though those tensions were in a large part resolved over time, the sinking of the Lusitania still stands out in history because it was the single most dramatic incident in the conflicts over German submarine warfare in World War I

After the loss of the Lusitania in May 1915 the Mauretania was required to return to service. Before it did, however, the Admiralty requisitioned the ship to transport troops during the Gallipoli campaign, later in May. During this period the ship made several voyages to Mudros Bay island of Lemnos, the Allied base for operations in the area. On one of these voyages the Mauretania was attacked by a submarine but managed to avoid the torpedo, largely due the ship's high speed

 

Click for June 1915

 

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