"It is worth a man’s life to see this place"

Leading up to the 100th anniversary of the end of World War I, the Clyde River blog has started posting a series of letters home from the war from former Clyde River resident Lee Grant Darrach, under the title Letters from The Great War.

They posted the first one yesterday; here’s an excerpt:

We came up the canal from Liverpool to Manchester. It is 36 miles and, Jack, I never seen such a sight in my life. Some of the finest bridges and factories and old mansions that I ever seen or I ever expect to see. It is worth a man’s life to see this place. Right handy where I am boarding, there is a home for Belgians. I seen a little girl yesterday about 12 years old with both her hands cut off at the wrists, little children maimed in every manner you could think of, it would make any man cry to see them that had a heart, children that could not harm anyone.

It’s almost inconceivable to imagine the journey of a boy from Clyde River into the maelstrom of war; Darrach is a talented, breezy writer, and to see things through his eyes provides much insight. Kudos to his Clyde River ancestors for taking this on.