Remembrance Day on November 11, 1918, will mark the 100th anniversary of the end of World War I, and Chapleau citizens made a significant contribution to the war effort, both on the battlefields of Europe and at home.
In our book, 'The Chapleau Boys Go To War', Michael McMullen and I produced a list of 283 volunteers, 282 men and one woman, with a Chapleau connection, who enlisted in World War I. That was more than 10 percent of the entire population of the community at the time.
We also identified 32 Chapleau boys who died in World War I, or died thereafter, due to their war related wounds/health conditions.
On the home front, citizens contributed to the war effort through the Chapleau branch of the Canadian Red Cross Society and other organizations.
On November 4, 1918, just a week before World War ended, Lt. Lorne Nicholson of the First Chapleau Platoon of the 227th Battalion (Men O The North) was killed while on active service overseas. His parents, George and Charlotte Nicholson, both members of St. John's Anglican Church, decided to build a parish house. Mr. Nicholson, Chapleau's first reeve from 1901 to 1913, was in the lumber business while Mrs. Nicholson was one of the community's first school teachers.
The inscription on the front of the building says, "Saint John's Parish House... In memory of Lt. Lorne W. Nicholson and all those who with him voluntarily gave their lives in the Great War. Erected by his father and mother A.D. 1919''.
The inscription on the front of the building says, "Saint John's Parish House... In memory of Lt. Lorne W. Nicholson and all those who with him voluntarily gave their lives in the Great War. Erected by his father and mother A.D. 1919''.
The parish house, which now houses Branch Number 5 (Ontario) of the Royal Canadian Legion was officially opened on April 19, 1920. It was likely in use as a parish house by late 1919.
The Legion branch was established in 1926, one year after the Canadian Legion was formed at a meeting in Winnipeg with a Chapleau delegation led by Harry Searle in attendance.
Ian Macdonald, retired Head of the Department of Architecture and Professor Emeritus at the University of Manitoba, writing about the building, wrote in part that the Nicholson generosity "has left Chapleau with what is probably the most elegant and distinctive of all Royal Canadian Legion properties in Canada.."
Just as World War I ended, disaster struck the Roman Catholic Church members in Chapleau when just before Christmas, the church burned down.
According to an article by Father Albert Burns SJ, a Chapleau native, the first church was built in 1885, on the site of what is today Collins Hardware. This church had become too small, and a larger one was built in 1891 with its final touch in 1898 on the site of the present church.
Unfortunately it was destroyed by fire on December 18, 1918 just before Christmas. Under the guidance of Father Romeo Gascon, the parish priest, the good people of the parish came together, and Midnight Mass on December 24, 1919 was celebrated in the new church built on the site where it is today. Father Burns was an altar boy at that Christmas Eve Service. The "new" church will celebrate its 100th anniversary in 1919.
It struck me as I was researching this column that Chapleau was a busy place for construction in 1919 as the Parish House for the Anglicans and a new church for the Roman Catholics were both under construction about a block away from each other.
Finally, in my musings about some important moments in Chapleau history from 100 years ago, in 1922, Chapleau High School will celebrate its 100th anniversary. The first school was on Pine Street until 1966 when it relocated to a new building where it is today.
If interest in a 100th anniversary reunion can be gauged from a Facebook page established by Janice (Corston) Whitely is any indication of support for the idea, it now has 2,065 members.
I am told by Graham Bertrand that informal chats about the possibility are underway, and hopefully a decision will be made in early 2018. Graham chaired the 90th anniversary as well as chairing and being actively involved in all major Chapleau celebrations for more than 40 years. If interested maybe chat with Graham!
As an aside, I got thinking about Chapleau houses as I have been writing, and when some of them were built. When I was home for the launch of 'The Chapleau Boys Go To War' with Michael McMullen in 2015, Ken Schroeder, my lifelong friend took me on a front street/back lane tour but we didn't establish when houses were built. Story for another day.
Speaking of Ken, he has a remarkable memory for all things Chapleau and here is a note I received about my Alton Morse column: "Good one,.....Loved it,....thanks,....noted the huge size of the logs,....wow,...Remember a school trip to the mill pond at S&M and watched these logs floating and being pushed to the debarker,....we went for a walk on these floating logs,..could hardly believe they held us up,...You were there and we walked on them,....now,....today the logs are so much smaller,....Take care,.....Ken,......"
I also received a kind comment from Eric Morse (through Donald Swanson), who accepted the Order of Canada on behalf of his grandfather. Thanks Eric and Donald. My email is mj.morris@live.ca and yes, I am on Facebook.