I think you all know that St Patrick's Convent School, Deanery Avenue, which opened in 1921, was built as a Memorial to those of the parish who fell in WWI. Every year, on 1st July, Newfoundlanders remember them and all who fell in that brutal conflict. This Blog also tries to honour them in some small way. For that reason, in the couple of weeks leading up to 1st July, the posts will concentrate on our Regiment and its men. In this first post, "WHAT THEY SAID", I will simply quote what some others have said in regard to the Newfoundland Regiment.
In Scotland, they were popular with the locals and on 25th April 1915, The Edinburgh Evening News said "THE NEWFOUNDLANDERS WILL LEAVE BEHIND THEM THE NAME OF A MODEL REGIMENT, WHICH KNEW HOW TO HONOUR ITSELF AND THE PLACE WHENCE IT CAME."
Of course, their bravery in the face of terrible odds also impressed those who fought alongside them. After the horror of 1st July an eyewitness, Pte F H Cameron of the King's Own Scottish Borderers had this to say, "ON CAME THE NEWFOUNDLANDERS, A GREAT BODY OF MEN, BUT THE FIRE INTENSIFIED AND THEY WERE WIPED OUT IN FRONT OF MY EYES. I CURSED THE GENERALS FOR THEIR USELESS SLAUGHTER - THEY SEEMED TO HAVE NO IDEA OF WHAT WAS GOING ON."
Throughout the war, the Newfoundland Regiment was highly thought of as a brave and dependable body of men - a Regiment to be trusted and to rely on. In October 1918 there was ferocious fighting in the Steenbeck. A respected British Officer, Brigadier General Freyberg, heartened to learn that his left flank was being protected by the Royal Newfoundland Regiment remarked, "THANK GOD, MY LEFT FLANK IS SAFE!"
In a letter to the Government of Newfoundland, Sir Douglas Haig, expressed his admiration of the Regiment's courage and determination on 1st July, 1916. "I SHOULD LIKE YOU TO LET MY FELLOW CITIZENS OF THE EMPIRE IN THE OLDEST OVERSEAS PORTION OF THE BRITISH REALM KNOW HOW WELL THEIR LADS HAVE DONE......., HOW PROUD I, AS THEIR CORPS COMMANDER, AM TO HAVE HAD SUCH A BATTALION UNDER MY COMMAND, AND TO BE A COMRADE IN ARMS OF EACH AND ALL OF THEM.
NEWFOUNDLANDERS, I SALUTE YOU! YOU ARE BETTER THAN THE BEST."
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| The plaque from St Patrick's Convent School, Deanery Avenue |
I learned that the school on Deanery Avenue was memorial to St. Patrick's parish men only a few years ago. I only knew it as Talbot house.
ReplyDeleteOnly memorial specifically for men of St. Patrick's. Time to reestablish this memorial and truly Remember the losses and horror endured by the parish with a list of names
Hi Bill. I couldn't agree more! Several years ago I posted a photo of the empty lot where the school once stood. At that time there was nothing there to indicate what had previously stood there. I think a plaque or some sort of marker would be appropriate. The late Rita Feehan tried to get something there but didn't have any luck. However, thanks to former Parish Priest at St Patrick's, Fr Dohey,the plaque that used to be on the Deanery Avenue School entrance is now on display in the Church along with a photo of Padre Thomas Nangle. For a short time, Padre Nangle served at St Patrick's.
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