The Icelandic connection - 01.06.2014, Side 16

158
ICELANDIC CONNECTION
Vol. 66 #4
Her Darling Boy
an excerpt
by Tom Goodman
On April 2,1917, the Canadian artillery
at Vimy Ridge commenced an assault
on the enemy’s trenches. It lasted for a
week, and culminated in the final attack on
April 9. War historian Gerald Nicholson
writes that the German forces described
the onslaught by the Canadians as “the
week of suffering” because their trenches
and defensive works (presumably he meant
their fortifications) were almost completely
demolished.1 It took several days to gain
full control of the ridge, but the army’s goal
was achieved late on April 12.
The only record of an attempt by
the Germans to reply to the Canadian
shelling is a notation in the wartime diary
Naval gun firing over Vimy Ridge
of a Canadian soldier named John Newton,
apparently written on April 6th, 1917:
“Night alarm at 10 p.m. last night. The
whole line woke up. Shells rained across-
machine guns rattled-bedlam broke loose.
Things settled down after half an hour, with
the exception of the occasional rattle of
machine guns and the regular night firing
of artillery.”2
Archie was wounded on April 5, likely
during that exchange.
The Poison family was first notified in
a Night Lettergram dated April 11,1917.
G.N.W. Ottawa, OntAprl. llth/17
August Poison — Gimli, Man.
D.L.L. 7 — Sincerely regret inform you
721948Private Archibald
John Poison infantry
officially reported seriously
ill. Sixteen General
Hospital, Letreport April
eighth nineteen seventeen.
Gunshot wound right
thigh, arms. Will send
further particidars when
received.
Offcer I. C. Records.
* * *
The whole family
was distraught at the
news, but no one more
than Elfsabet. She wrote
to Arch i e on April 17, as
soon as she obtained an
address for him. In fact,
she wrote two letters,