#CanadaRemembers - JOSEPH HENRY DOWN (1889-1915)

“Imagine, it’s easy if you try”.  You are Joseph Henry Down born in 1889 and you have signed up for the war in 1914.  You are young, an electrician and linesman.  The war will be an adventure and it will be over by Christmas everyone says so.  You leave behind a mother and father, and brothers and sisters, a wife and 2 soon to be 3 children and 2 stepdaughters.  What an adventure.  One of your brothers and an uncle also signed up and you are all sent together for training in Quebec.

Joseph Henry Down - taken in Salisbury, England circa 1914

You eventually end up at Ypres as a Sapper in the 2nd Field Company, Canadian Engineers .  On April 12, 1915 you send a card to your family.  It’s preprinted: yes, I‘m well, yes, I received your letter of March 26, 1915.  This will be great news for the family.  They have to rely on the radio broadcasts and the newspaper headlines.  Gossip is rampant at the stores back in Toronto,  everyone has someone in the war.  Every scrap of news is analyzed.

War letter from Joseph Down, postmarked Toronto April 26, 1915

“No hell below us, above us only sky.”  Of course when you wrote the card the gas attacks hadn’t started.  You have been on duty for 24 hours straight, possibly 48.  Little do you know it but you are in the middle of the 2nd battle of Ypres.  It is chaos.  There are so many wounded and the attacks just keep coming.  Your Lieutenant volunteers your Section to hold back the enemy.  It’s 10:00am April 24, 1915 and you are shot in the head, along with several soldiers in your Section.  You are just one of many of the thousands of dead.

“Imagine there are no countries, nothing to kill or die for, and no religion too.”  Back home your family still unaware receives your card.  It is post marked April 26, 1915.  They don’t know the truth you are already dead. In their ignorance they are jubilant.  We have news he’s ok!  Tell all your friends and family, he is safe.

And then the awful telegram is sent.  “Killed in Action.”  Joseph’s body was never recovered.  His name is inscribed at the Menin Gate in Ypres, Belgium.

Joseph Down- Killed in Action Telegram

“Imagine all the people living in peace.”