Editor’s Note: During the First World War, Pte Cecil Minary served in the CEF, beginning his military training at Camp Hughes prior to being shipped to England for additional training. He saw his first action in France soon after Canada’s involvement in the Battle of Vimy Ridge in April 1917. His great-great-niece Kendra Minary from Souris spent the COVID pandemic going through the original letters he wrote home from England and France prior to being KIA on Aug. 28, 1918. The Lewis gunner died on the battlefield after his crew was hit by a German artillery shell. The Stag’s website will share Kendra’s great-great-uncle’s letters with our viewers here to give you a peek at what a soldier was contemplating with pencil and paper while in the UK training or in France in a trench waiting for the next attack or counter-attack. Pte Minary’s letters are transcribed as they were written by Kendra, so this includes his spelling, grammar and punctuation mistakes. Of note, from his letters home he rarely described his clashes with Fritz, instead preferring to enquire about life on the family farm in Nesbitt or what his family and friends were doing back in Manitoba. Unlike some some soldiers who would share their war stories in their always censored letters, Pte Minary had his own distinct writing style no matter if the letter was for his his dad, sister or a relatives. He also made the job of Army censors easier by not including war details which would be censored by being blacked out. That’s the reason why his letters are “somewhere in France” once he left England for the Western Front. Those original letters are stored at the Wawanesa Museum.

Censors have fun reading love letters, says Pte Cecil Minary

829297 B. Coy.

52nd Battalion

Canadians B.E.F. France

Somewhere in France

June 23rd 1917

Dear Edna:

Received your letter of May 21st a few days ago and was very pleased to hear from you, also to get those dandy snaps, especially that one of yourself, if that is your beginning in photographing you will soon be an expert at it. There were a few more letters besides yours of course for the mail boat does not sail every day.

The last letter from home was dated May twenty eights so I got the happenings of the twenty fourth by what Annie said they must have had a whale of a time, they went to Wawanesa this year, there must have been a pretty good crowds for they made seven hundred and fifty dollars for the red cross, not to bad for the Red Cross eh?

The Boys must have a pretty good Ball team this year, they beat Brandons best team the first game that day, but they spoilt things by letting Wawa beat them in the second game, but we should worry they will get another chance before the season is over.

We are out in rest Billets again just now, our last trip up was just as short as the one before was long, the weather has taken a change for the worse, it is raining every day now and has turned cooler.

Well Edna I’m in luck tonight another parcel has arrived since I started the letter, it is from home dated May 28th not to bad for time eh? I have not opened it yet, but oh mob when I do and Edna when your box arrives, I’ll imagine you are here helping me eat it if I can, “but I have me drools”

I guess it would be great fun to be the censor and read the love letters, but I’m afraid Edna that you would be out of luck in my case for I never do the like of that “Ha Ha” you will not believe it I Know but I can’t help it.

But Edna I’m surprised I did not think you would do a trick like the one on the twenty fourth it was pretty hard on our cousin. I only hope you will have heart if you catch me in the same fix.

I met Emma’s fellow Frank Dougherty a couple weeks ago and he was looking well then he had had a letter from Emma that day, he seems to always just to have had a letter from her, so she must write quite often.

Well Edna this is all the news just now and anyway I’m going to see a football match tonight so will have to get a move on.

So Bye Bye for this time

with love to all

your Cousin.

Cecil Minary

Pte Minary references Battle of Vimy Ridge in letter home

Somewhere in France

Sunday April 13th 1917

Dear Edna,

Well hear I am again still alive and feeling fine, received your letter of Feb 25th and of course was pleased to get it, the mail now has just started to come in and I don’t know how I’ll ever get it all answered, thirteen letters in five days is going some what do you think Edna?

I got a snap of Annie and Mae in the one from home, They seemed to be all well there and enjoying themselves as usual. Bertha Minary sent a picture of herself and also said she was sending me a box my I hope it soon gets here for I have not had anything like that since sometime in January, and over here is were (sic) a fellow thinks something of a box.

Well Edna I’ve left the third entrenching Battalion at last We joined our Battalion yesterday so soon expect to have a crack at Old Hienie (sic) I suppose you will be proud to call yourself a Canadian after what has just happened here, I know that I am. My address is just the same 829297 52nd Battalion BEF France, I can not give you the company as I’m not just sure yet but will in the next letter.

The weather here is some thing fierce Old Manitoba can’t come up with it at all. We had over three inches of snow the night before last and it took all day yesterday to melt it so you can try and imagine what things are like here just now. That must have been a great time you had when the two loads of young people went out into the country, Now Edna please tell me who was the lucky fellow that night, now you don’t need to tell me different for I have a strong suspicion (sic) that I’m right (that there was a fellow)

My Edna, but wouldn’t it be great if I did drop in on you some evening for tea, I’ll bet you would be so surprised that you would forget all about tea “and I guess I would be too.”

Well Edna, I guess I’ll have to close for this time as I’m going to make an attempt at answering some of those letters yours is the third one now today.

Hoping this finds you still in the best of health

With love to all

From your Cousin

Cecil Minary

Parcels from home contains apples, socks for Great War soldier

April 19th 1917

Dear Edna,

You will be surprised no doubt when you see the difference between the dates of these notes some time to finish a letter, what do you think eh?

The reason is that we got a sudden call up to the front and of course your letter went to and we just got back yesterday.

There were more letters for me today from Margaret Smith, Berta Prette, Annie + Lucy Prette, and one from home. There were also two boxes one from Bertha Minary everything was in splendid shape especially the apples, the other was from my Aunt Aggie Patterson, Nesbitt. It was two pairs of socks and they certainly came in fine after just coming out of the trenches as a fellows feet are not to dry just then, Margaret Smith said that they were sending me ten pairs and that I was to divide them out among my chums. Well Edna, I guess this is all for this time.

So Bye Bye

With Love

From Cecil

Private with Little Black Devils awaits word he’s medically fit to return to training at Camp Hughes

I.O.D.E. Soldiers

Convalescent Home

Winnipeg

Aug 20/16

Dear Edna,

I received your letter yesterday and was glad to get it as it is a little lonesome here among strangers. Annie sent it down in her letter so I had two letters in one.

You asked me how I liked the training well I have not done much training yet and it is so long since I done any that I am afraid I have forgotten what little I did know.

I went into the hospital on the fifteenth of December and was four months and three weeks in the Hospital and a little over three months convalescence now, but I’m up before the medical board tomorrow to see if I’m fit for service and if I am I may be on my way to England by the time you receive this, if not I’ll be out home.

My Batt. Is the 144th Winnipeg Rifles Little Black Devils Some name eh? And we sure live up to our name.

Lucy Prette is coming in to town today on the 11.05 train and I’m going down to meet if she is coming in to go to school. Dick Pretty I guess you met him when you were out here anyway he got back to Winnipeg on Friday from the front. He was shot through the foot and he limps quite a bit yet. He went down to see his mother at Whitemouth last night.

I hope Emma Minary soon gets out hear (sic) for I would like to see her before I go away. I will close for this hoping that you are all well as I am at present, with love to all.

Cecil Minary

Ps. adress (sic) the letter at home and Annie will send it to me

Lewis Gunner’s letter written three day before he was KIA by artillery round

829297 Somewhere in France

B. Coy Sunday Aug 25th 1918

Dear Annie,

Just a few lines to let you know that I am still keeping as well as usual and hoping that this will find you all the same. There has been no mail from you this week so I won’t be writing a very long letter this time. I got a letter from Edna Blythe and Maggie Smith every one was fine down there. Edna wrote me thirteen pages, some letter eh? she was telling me her holiday experiences she must have had a great old time of it all by all accounts.

Maggie Smith said that the boys from home there were getting a months leave for every month that they had been in the army I don’t see why they couldn’t do that with the Manitoba Boys to. She said that the crops were very good I guess you will be all hard at work now with that big crop at home how are you of for help pretty short I suspect but never mind probley (sic) next year there will be lots of help like Bruce and I eh? Who is going to run the engine this fall will Vic be taking a try at it we will all be Engineers soon eh Annie? Arnott and Roy will be the main stay as stookees I guess I’ll bet they think that they are someone now I would like to hear Roy talk about it, is he just the same as he was?

There is nothing much from here only that the weather is still keeping fine and warm, Say Annie I met two more of the Boys from Wawanesa just after I had finished that last letter to you. A fellow come up to me and asked if I wasn’t a Minary, I knew his face but could not think who it was , it was Cecil McKibbon and so I got all the latest from Wawa, he is in the same Battalion as Roy Wallace. Roy is slightly wounded now and in Hospital. The other fellow I don’t think you would guess in a month of Sundays it was Jack Stephenson the kid who used to work in Chick Corries Drug Store a cousin of that friend of yours at Nesbitt. Ha Ha. Jacks just as jolly as ever and looking splendid for all the time he has been over here.

Well Annie, this is all for now so will close hoping to hear from you soon.

With love to all

Your loving Brother

Cecil

Hit by shrapnel, Great War soldier share close calls on battlefield in letter with cousin

829297

Pte C.E. Minary

France Aug 31 1917

Dear Edna

Well here I am again still alive and feeling fine as usual and hoping that this will find you all the same, I have not received any letter from you latly (sic) but expect one any day now, there has been quite a lot of mail these last few days although almost a month I got none at all hardly.

We are just out now after another trip in the trenches and some trip too, the worst that I have been in yet. I guess you will have read something of the scrap that were (sic) in, in the papers and it was some fight too, I had a few close ones, was knocked of (sic) my feet once, blown down a dug out entrance another, and then a piece of shrapnel hit my helmet and put a kink in my neck for quite a while, but should worry, he has not found my number yet.

We had a bath and clean change of cloths the other day and it certainly made a fellow feel good, although I was not to bad off this time for I got a parcel just a few hours before we left to go up the line this last from Margaret Smith and there was a new shirt and a pair of socks in it, so I had a clean change anyway, there was a nice tin of honey in it to so there was some extra eats also. I got a parcel of eats the other night from a Mrs Anderson in Winnipeg, but it is all gone now.

They all seemed to be well at home by Annies letter, the Boys have been doing well in Baseball she said that they had won two cups in two different Leagues and a hundred and twenty dollars in prizes and they were going to Souris on the ninth of August to play for a two hundred and forty dollar prize, so they ought to have a good days sport, I guess I’ll be away behind the times when I get back, what do you think Edna?

I had a letter from Bertha Minary since she went back from her holidays and she sent me a snap of herself working in the hayfield, it is a good one too although she looked too well dressed to be working very hard.

Well Edna, this is all the news this time so will close hoping to hear from you soon.

With love to everyone

your loving Cousin

Cecil

B Coy Batt.

Canadian BEF

Private writes letter home from confines of battlefield trench called Angels Recluse

Somewhere in France

Sunday Dec 30th 1917

Dear Annie and Mae

Well girls here I am again Back at the old job again of soldiering in France and feeling fine as usual. I just got Back in time to go with the Battalion into the trenches where we are at present so please excuse the writing and the dirt as I have not washed for a few days, it is not to bad here though as we are in on what they call a quiet front, we have a little dug out and a fire in it and we have to be on our good behaviour to as the name of it is Angels Recluse. It is a lot like Manitoba here now as everything is froze up with a nice coat of snow on the ground, very nice for standing on post at night. My address is the same 829297 B Coy 52nd Battalion Canadians BEF France.

I received Both your letters of Nov 7th and 11th the day I came of (sic) leave and was very pleased to get them, the snaps were very good and Dad’s five dollar Bill was fine. I have lots of money for a couple of months now as I had some left from my leave money.

I have got the most of the Christmas mail now that is the parcels anyway, I got three just before coming on leave and five since I come Back. One was from the Chesley’s Ladies and so I have to write them a letter of thanks right away.

I sent you a picture of myself the day before Christmas from Eng. so hope you get it all right, I am sending Grandma one too and a short letter with it, I weighted (sic) myself the same day as the picture was taken and I only went one hundred and sixty seven pounds so I have just been holding my own in France.

We had a very good Christmas Dinner at the Maple Leaf Club in London and Lady Drummond from Montreal was there but it did not seem real Christmas some way as it was not at home, that is my third Christmas away from home isn’t it girls. And I hope there is no more. I was down to see that girl I spoke of while in London and well girls I’m alright so far, I have not fell in love yet.

Well this is all for this time so will close.

With Best love and wishes to all

Your loving Brother

Cecil Minary

Cousin receives sports news of Chesley ball team’s diamond exploits

in France

July 28th 1918

Dear Edna-:

Hello Teddy and how are you as fine and dandy as usual I suppose just the same as myself I am shure (sic) only not half so lazy I hope, for it is almost to much for me to eat what little we get for meals.

I received your letter of July the fourth the day before yesterday and of course as usually was overjoyed to receive it, I got three others one from home and two from Unity, one from that newly married cousin, the other from Aunt Mabell Harris the morning of the nineteenth just after coming in of out post in the front line so had a good read for a little while, they all seemed to be in the best of health for none of them complained of any illness; Annies letter was mostly of Baseball for it was written right in the middle of the season, the Boys seem to be in real good Ball team this year, for she said that Chesley was in the lead in the South Brandon league and a tie in the Central, if they win Both cups it will be a feather in there caps what do you think Edna?

You seem to be getting all kinds of rain but I’ll bet a penny that it will never come anyways near up to France it tried to drown us the last night in the line this time, the rain did not last long but ou-la-la it certainly did not waste any time while it lasted (sic) the trench was a good immatation (sic) of a canal when it was over, that Ou la la is an expression we use quite a lot over hear (sic) it is French for oh my or such like.

Say Edna but I would have liked to have there to take that trip with you girls to that Garden Partie in Shallow Lake who sat beside the chauffeur, you did not say, but Edna that was real mean of you to tease that poor fellow like that.

So Edna Minary is to be married eh? First thing I know I’ll have no single cousins left is that not so, I hope you are not thinking serious of that yet.

We have got orders to put our Address somewhere in the centre of the letter some idea of the censors I guess so here it is 829297 B.Coy. 52nd Battalion Canadians B.E.F. France.

We are just out on another rest again, a good long one this time I believe for we are out for a divisional And rest this time, the others were Brigade rest.

I hope that those snaps are all right and they soon arrive here, it would not be very hard to make me believe you are a sister edna for you write a letter just as a sister would.

Well this is all for this time hoping to hear from you soon again.

Your loving Cousin Cecil

829297 Pte. C.E. Minary

Souris resident Kendra Minary worked on her great-great-uncle’s military history during the COVID-19 pandemic. Pte Cecil Minary was KIA on Aug. 28, 1918, and was buried in a nearby French cemetery. He wrote a lot of letters home to cousin Edna.