Dear Miss Griffis

Special Archivist Note: The End.

missgriffis — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 14:00:24 +0000

Hello again from Susan, Archivist at the Glenbow Archives.

You have just read the final war letter. So what happened next? Emma and Harold returned to Canada on the H.M.S. Olympic, sailing from Southampton on May 10 and arriving in Halifax on May 16, 1919. The Olympic was a sister ship of the ill-fated Titanic. It had been converted to a troop ship early in the war and brought thousands of Canadian Expeditionary Force troops home after the Armistice. I wondered how Emma, in the early months of pregnancy, coped with the crossing but discovered, sadly, that she had had a miscarriage in England before their departure.

The McGills arrived back in Calgary in early June, and Harold again took up his job as physician to the Sarcee (Tsuu T’ina) reserve on the edge of the city. Emma was soon pregnant with their first child, Kathleen, shortly followed by their second daughter, Doris. In 1930s the family moved to Ottawa where Harold was appointed Director of Indian Affairs. They retired to British Columbia in 1945. Harold died in 1961 and Emma in 1971.

Harold’s war memoirs have recently been edited by Marjorie Barron Norris and published as Medicine and Duty. It is a good read and I highly recommend it.

Whitley, April 23/19

missgriffis — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 14:00:38 +0000

Dearest Emma;-
Your two letters are to hand. I received the one dated April 20 last evening and the other this morning. Apparently a letter takes two days to come from London here.
I am very sorry to hear of Mrs. Gardner’s illness. She will be more anxious than ever now to get back to Canada.
I forgot to tell you that I wanted combination suits in the underwear, but I presume you ordered such. I have worn no other kind for some years.
There is no further word of the unit moving and nothing more concerning the accomodation for dependents on the troopships. We shall probably know within a few days whether or not we shall be able to return with the unit. Personally I have ceased to worry over the matter. I shall not go without you unless they take me by force.
The 2nd Division dinner takes place in the Savoy Hotel to-night. Only two of our officers are going. I felt that I could not afford it. If you are not coming down to Mrs. Drysdale’s house I shall try to get up for the week end. Can you put me up? If I go up on Saturday I shall try to get the train leaving here at 9.47 and reaching Waterloo at 10.04. I shall be delighted to have you meet me at the station if you can manage to do so. I can go direct from the station to the bank and thence to the leggings shop on Oxford St. I shall have a stick to buy also as I left mine on the train last Sunday when I got off at Godalming.
Hope this letter reaches you before Saturday. You may expect me then. Goodby.
Your loving husband
Harold W. McGill

Witley, April 21/19

missgriffis — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 14:00:07 +0000

Dear Emma;-
This is my first letter to you in quite a long time. I got off at Godalming yesterday afternoon and got out to the camp without any especial exciting adventures. The evening was quite chilly.
I hope you are feeling better and able to start right in at your shopping. This morning I sent in your name as that of my dependent who desired to accompany me on the troopship. We should hear something about it in a few days. It may be that we shall get away at an earlier date than we have been counting upon. In any case there will scarcely be time for me to get another suit finished. Have you decided to have your hamper go with my surplus kit, or shall we send the trunk or perhaps both through the O. in/c of Estates branch?
I came away from the hotel yesterday with the key to our suite in my pocket. I must mail it back to-day. Let me know when you write as to whether or not you can furnish me with a bed (single) at your house should I manage to get up within the next week. The O.C. went on his leave last Thursday so I shall not likely be able to get up until Saturday at the earliest and perhaps not until Monday or Tuesday of next week. In any case I shall go up again at the earliest opportunity.
One of our sergeants who has been out to Devon for his leave told me that we were wise not to attempt the trip to the West of England. He says he never before saw such crowds out that way and that travelling was devoid of all comfort, the trains being so crowded.
Write soon and let me know how you are getting along with your shopping. I have a few pounds left over after our leave in case you should need any money.
Your loving husband
Harold W. McGill

Belgium, March 31/19

missgriffis — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 14:00:40 +0000

Dearest Emma;-
I was disappointed in not receiving a letter from you to-day but had a telegram from Capt Bouck to the effect that you were going along well. Perhaps I shall have a letter from you to-morrow. If one does not come then I shall probably not hear from or of you until I arrive in England.
The weather keeps quite cold but the sun was shining most of to-day. I hope that we get warmer days for our trip to Le Havre. We are all to ride in box cars. If the weather is warm enough we can leave the side doors open and view the landscape as we tear along at the rate of 5 or 6 miles per hour.
A notice came to the orderly room to day to the effect that M.O.s would be allowed to remain in England for the purpose of doing post graduate medical study, this period not to exceed 6 months duration. I shall not bother with any thing of that kind. I should like very much to do some work in that line but my first great desire is to get free of the army.
By the time this letter reaches you I shall likely be in Le Havre and you may look for me within a few days of the receipt of the letter. I shall try to get my 8 days leave at once after we reach England, and thereafter will likely be able to get up once a week to London. I really do not think it would be worth your while to move away from London for the short time we are to be in England.
With all my love
Yours ever
Harold W. McGill

Belgium, March 30/19

missgriffis — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 14:00:11 +0000

Dear Emma;-
Your letter of March 24 came to hand yesterday. There was no letter from you in the mail to-day. I am pleased to know that you are going along alright but am very anxious nevertheless, especially as I did not hear from you to-day.
You will note that I have not yet left Belgium. Our entraining orders were changed and we do not leave here until Wednesday April 2. We shall probably not get to Bramshott until about April 8 or 9. I shall write to you again before we leave here if it is possible to get a letter away. You need not answer this letter for we shall be away from here before a reply could reach me.
Col. Gunn’s sending for me will not hurry my home coming any, for it usually takes weeks to get a thing like that put through and I shall, or at least hope I shall, be in England within a couple of weeks at the latest.
The weather keeps very cold and wintry. If it were not that I am anxious to get to England at the earliest possible moment I should not feel so bad about our departure being delayed for the 3 days, for there is a chance of us having better weather for the trip than if we had started to day. We ride in box cars and the train journey to Le Havre will occupy about 40 hours. We shall probably remain in Le Havre 3 or 4 days. There does not seem to be any possible chance for me to get away from the division. The last three months outside of our leave has been an absolute waste of my time. I could have been doing something useful in either England or Canada. Why I have been held God only knows.
Your loving husband
Harold W. McGill