Ralph Leonard Craig (1898 - 1916)

Born 3 Apr 1898 in Zionville, York County, New Brunswick, Canada

Ancestors

Died 2 Jun 1916 at age 18 in Ypres (Ieper), Arrondissement Ieper, West Flanders (West-Vlaanderen), Belgium

Biography

Name is listed on the Zionville Cemetery War Memorial

Leonard Craig April 23,1898 - June 2,1916, was the son of James Craigs and Nellie Sommerville of Zionville. When war broke out 16 year old Leonard Craig went to Fredericton and on September 24,1914 enlisted joining the 71st. York Regiment under the command of Lieut. Col. Guthrie, Leonard went with the regiment to Valcartier Quebec, here he became part of the 12th Battalion, and was one of the first draft from that unit to go to the front and reinforce the Princess Pats. Leonard is recorded as the finest shot in his Battalion and received the highest score among the members of his draft, he saw action near St. Eloi, Polygon, Armentieres and Ypres in 1915. Ypres, France 1915, the Canadian troops were placed on the front line with two British troops to their right and on their left was a French division, from the first week in April to April 22, the opposing forces fought a stalemate. It was here at Ypres on April 22, 1915 that the Germans wishing to break the Stalemate introduced for the first time a new weapon, poison gas. 160 tons of chlorine gas was released into a northeast wind that drifted over our allied trenches and crumbled the French defences leaving a four mile hole in the allied line. The Germans advanced two miles then dug in, all through the night Leonard and his Canadian comrades fought mounting counter attacks to drive the enemy out. Little ground was gained but they had bought enough time to close their flank. The Canadians had fought valiantly. April 23, 1915 Leonard spent his 17th birthday on the front line in a trench at Ypres, under heavy German fire. The following day April 24th, following an intensive artillery bombardment the Germans gassed the Canadian line. Major Harold Mathews wrote: " This wall of vapour appeared to me to be at least fifteen feet in height, white on top, the remainder being of a greenish yellow colour. Although the breeze was of the highest, it advanced with great rapidity and was on us in less than three minutes. It is impossible for me to give a real idea of the terror and horror spread among us by this filthy loathsome pestilence. Not, I think, the fear of death or anything supernatural, but the great dread that we could not stand the fearful suffocation sufficiently to be each in our proper places and able to resist to the uttermost the attack which we felt sure must follow, and so hang on at all costs to the trench that we had been ordered to hold." Leonard and his comrades covered their faces with mud-soaked handkerchiefs their only protection from the gas, gasping for air and violently ill. Major Mathews: " breathing became difficult, it was hard to resist the temptation to tear away the damp rags from our mouths in the struggle for air........men were coughing, spitting, cursing and grovelling on the ground and trying to be sick............there was not a single officer or man who did not do his duty by manfully fighting down to the best of his ability the awful choking sensation and trying to stick to his post." The Canadians held their ground and fought until reinforcements arrived. General Currie: " the only regiment in the British service to date that, after being gassed, held their trenches." This battle established for the Canadians a reputation as a fighting force second to none. Major Mathews: " I don't suppose the worst lasted more than ten minutes, but we could not have stood it much longer. After the excitement was over the symptoms chiefly noticed were coldness of the hands and feet and great weakness, the lungs seemed to refuse to do their duty. When I say that the men's bayonets looked as though they had been dipped in a solution of copper it is possible to realize to some extent what the effect on human beings would be. Many of the men lay down at once and went into a deep sleep. Very few were fit for sentry duty but those that were bravely stuck to their posts. The majority of them gradually recovered and were fairly fit again by noon. The worst cases, however, were just as bad twelve hours after and it was very difficult to get them back from the trench, the least exertion bringing on choking fits almost like convulsions." General Smith-Dorrien in a conversation with General Currie: " Currie, when I first heard of the attack by poison gas and of the retirement of the troops on your left, I threw up my hands and foresaw the greatest disaster that ever overtook the British army. If every man in the salient had tried to get out that night, I should not have blamed them; and when I thought of all the troops that were there, all the transports and guns trying to get across those four bridges over the canal...I shudder with horror. Then I got the message that the Canadians were holding on. I would not believe it; I could not believe it. I sent out one of my staff, and he brought back the message that it was perfectly true." Sir John French, Commander-in-chief of the British Expeditionary Force: " In spite of the danger to which they were exposed the Canadians held their ground with a magnificent display of tenacity and courage; and it is not too much to say that the bearing and conduct of these splendid troops averted a disaster which might have been attended with most serious consequences." Prime Minister Borden: " We rejoice in their gallantry but while mourning the loss of many brave comrades our one great desire is to avenge the loss. The hearts of all Canadians are with them." On May 8, 1915 Leonard was wounded at Ypres and sent to England for treatment, but returned to the front in July just two months later, staying on the firing line in the front line trenches the rest of that year as well as another birthday his 18th. Then on June 2, 1916, Germans attacked the Allied positions at Mount Sorrel north of the Ypres menin road, and bombed whole sections of trench completely annihilating the defending troops. Human bodies and trees from Sanctuary Woods were hurled into the air by the explosions. Our Nashwaak son eighteen year old Ralph Leonard Craig never again would hunt or fish with his brother Tom, nor see the lush green fields of his Zionville home, for Leonard Craig described by newspapers of the day, as " Nashwaak Hero" gave his life in the Sanctuary Wood battle, and having no known grave his name is commemorated on the Menin Gate Memorial in France. Written by Marilyn Stewart-Evans Stewart-35389. ^{[1] [2]}

1901 Zionville, St Marys, York, New Brunswick, Canada. ^[3]

Ralph was born in 1898. He was the son of James Craig and Ellen Somerville. He passed away in 1916.

Sources

1. ↑ A Journey Through Time Nashwaak History by Marilyn Stewart-Evans
2. ↑ https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/11987695/rolph-leonard_james-craig
3. ↑ Source: 1901 census place: Nb Residence date: 1901 Residence place: St Marys, York, New Brunswick, Canada1901 census

See Also:

• McNeil sourced Family Tree, Ancestry Family Tree 11422786 by Marilyn Stewart-Evans Stewart-35389
• Information source: Faye Stewart and Ina Dodds-MacLaggan

• 1901 Census of Canada New Brunswick , York, St. Marys Parish 1901 Census Source added by Marilyn Stewart

Acknowledgment

Profile created by Marilyn Stewart