My war hero woudl be my Grandad. Dr. Ermerson McNeill, born in Alberton, P.E.I, in 1880. WW1 began 1914 but as he was in his mid thirties, he remained in Toronto to care for the civilian population.
By 1916, the need for all types of medical care for the troops overseas was overwhelming. He was commissioned directly into the Royal Canadian Army Dental Corps. As a Captain, he restored teeth, jaws and faces shattered and shredded in the never-enfing battle.
He operatory was located in a field hospital in B Echelon, not quite in the horror of the lines: but close enough to make the following family legend credible.
My Grandmother, Mother and Aunt had stayed in Toronto. One night, fast asleep, Grandma heard Grandpa him call rout her name three times. She was very uneasy about this event until several months later, a letter arrived from Grandpa reporting that the hospital had come under arial attack - unusual in those days - by the 'dreaded Hun' and he had been injured.
On a lighter note, the dental drills in the Field Hospitals were powered by a corpsman, sitting on a bicycle-like contraption, connected to the drill by a drive chain and belts. The corpsman pedalled and Grandpa drilled.
Side note - In the days of Revolution in England, beheading by axe was a common method of disposing of royalty superfluous to the needs of the moment. Knowing she or he (equal opportunity before its time) were headed for the block, the victim would give the headsman a gold piece to ensure his stroke was 'swift and true'.
The thought wandered through my ADD mind (finally diagnosed at the age of 73) that this might have found a 20th Century equivalent - pedal swiftly, Private, and you shall have my sundown rum ration!
