Loyola College - Review Yearbook (Montreal, Quebec Canada)

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LIEUT. JOHN HOWE, 14th Battalion, O. L. 1900. Killed in action on April 25th, 1916.

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LOYOLA COLLEGE KEV LEW 15 I lost track of Adrian completely—heard neither of nor from him—until the night of January 17th. At five-thirty o'clock in the afternoon of that date I was waiting for my horse near a farm house close to the firing line, when out of the darkness (although early it was quite dark) he came up to me calling “Hello, George, how are you? As far as I can remember, the conversation which was not long, ran as follows:— oe well, Adrian, happy New Year, and so you are back? Tell me about your wound. Oh, it wasn’t very much. A clean bullet wound through the shoulder. The wound itself would have been nothing, if I had not suffered from the effects of anti-tetanus serum. For over a month, my sight was very much affected. But I'm in splendid shape now . .” “Why don't you ever write, Adie? You promised you would. I should like to get news from you. I was anxious about your bullet wound. Curious, George, I wrote only a few days ago; have you received the letter 2” “No, it will probably reach me in due course. | By the way, your mother sent me a Christmas present. It was jolly decent of her. It reached me in the hospital where it was doubly appreciated. | “I must be off, Adie. Good-bye and good luck, old boy.” Good luck, George. А hand shake, and I rode off. Little did I think that I should never see him again. The next incident which brought Adie back to my mind was the receipt of the letter he had referred to. I received it on January 18th, when in billets. The letter reads as follows:— January 13th, 1916. ‘ Just a line to let you know I am all right again. I joined the battalion again this week after being away for two months. I thought I might have been able to see you, but I guess that we won’t have much chance. I heard from John, and received a parcel from your mother at Xmas. Ernie was in France for a few days, but I couldn’t manage to see him. Drop me a line and let me know how you are keeping. I am sending this down by one of the despatch riders. Best regards.' And then the news, the awful news,—heard casually—by the merest chance. Here is how it happened. I met Mr. Duclos, Brigade Bombing Officer, late at night on Jan. 20th, and in some way | mentioned Adrian’s name, perhaps because Mr. Duclos had been formerly in the 24th. At once Mr Duclos said: ‘“ Why, George, he's dead. Killed yesterday. Adrian, I am told, was shot through the lungs and died almost immediately. I have as yet no other details. I have been unable to see anyone who was with Adrian at the time of the accident. I shall make it my particular business to get in touch with some one who can give me more definite details of his death. Не was buried Jan. 20th, with all the rites of our Church. Had I known then of his death, it is needless to say that I would have been present. I know the little cemetery,where he rests,very well indeed. Often, on and off duty, Í pass it. It lies near the intersection of two roads. Very tall trees throw their shade over the mounds of earth that mark the last resting place of Canada's boys. . . . . . . . .Forthe time being, а simple white cross will mark his grave. Не is with his men, where probably he would wish to be LIEUTENANT JOHN HOWE, 14th BATTALION, Killed in action on April 25th, 1916. Lieutenant John Howe was the second of our boys to give his life for the Empire. He was the son of the late Mr. and Mrs. Arthur W. Howe and a grand-nephew of Joseph Howe, the famous Nova Scotia statesman and patriot. Lieut. Howe was born in St. John, N.B., twenty-five years ago. He was quite young when he first came to the College, but even then his manliness gained him the esteem of all, and during the four years he was with us he made many friends. He was an expert paddler and oarsman, a member of the St. Lambert Boating Club, taking part in many races, and a member of the St. Lambert Football Club. His interest in military work is not of recent date. For many years he was a sergeant in the Victoria Rifles. He left Canada as a sergeant in the First Contingent and was promoted lieutenant at the front. Unfortunately we were unable to obtain any detailed information about his death, in time to