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 soon after Canada’s involvement in the Battle of Vimy Ridge in France in April 1917. His great-great-niece Kendra Minary spent the COVID pandemic going thru 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 will continue sharing Kendra’s great-great-uncle’s letters with our website viewers 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 German attack or counter-attack. Cecil’s letters are transcribed as they were written, 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 learn about life on the family farm or what his family and friends were doing back in Manitoba. Unlike 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 blacked out. That’s the reason why his letters are “somewhere in France” once he left England for the Western Front. Those letters are stored at the Wawanesa Museum.

Somewhere in France

May 18th 1917

Dear Edna

Received your cheery long letter of April 15th a couple of days ago and certainly was glad to get it for they are alway welcome no matter how short or how long or how often, it generally makes a fellow feel homesick at the time, but you certainly do feel down and out if there is no mail at all for a week or two. I got four other letters besides yours two from home one from Berta Prette and one from Bertha Minary.

They were busy at the seeding at home with four four horse teams so they should not be long in getting the crop in, May give the names the horses that each are driving and Arnott is taking my four horse team, so I see where I will be out of a job when I get back. Bertha and May said they were sending me another box the next week, so I am on the lookout every night at main time now, but it may not arrive for a week or two yet. But we should worry as long as it gets here.

There was some sad news in the letter from Annie, Harry Hardwick a boy about my own age who I had went to school with was wounded in three places and had died in hospital the thirteenth of April, he had been in France from Feb 16th, he has a brother billy over here in the same battalion but I do not know which one.

We are up the line just at present and will be yet for a while as the weather is still keeping fine with just a little rain now and then, and good and warm to. My address is the same as usual 829297 B. Coy. 52nd Battalion Canadians B.E.F. (sic) France.

Some of the fellows kind of think it is an insult to get rewriting paper sent in a letter, this is some that they sent from home, as a ground rule we can get paper, but just when I wrote that letter there was hardly none to be had any where. I would have wrote you yesterday but there were no envelopes but got some today. I just finished writing home before I started this one.

I hope you have better luck the next time you want to make any pictures and all kind of luck for the 24th that was a good clear snap of Mildred.

Well this is all for this time

So Bye Bye Teddy and don’t forget to write.

With love to all

your Cousin

Cecil Minary

829297 Somewhere in France

B. Coy. Saterday (sic) May 4th 1918.

My Dear Dad

Received your letter of April sixth this evening and was glad to know that everyone was still keeping fine and that prospects were good for an early seeding this year, the five spot Dad was jake and thanks awfully. I have plenty of money just at present it certainly comes in fine over here. But don’t worry about anymore for you are sending quite enough for me, I am not like the most of the fellows here spending it on cigarettes and Vim Blanc and such like.

There has not been much mail latley (sic) only a letter or two, But probably it will Brighton (sic) up now again.

I am Back with the Company again But am quite safe for the present, that is for France. I had my picture taken with some of the fellows who were taking the Machine Gun course But will not send it in this letter for I don’t think that they allow pictures in these envelopes.

The weather is quite warm here now, But is raining alot (sic) more than it did last month, I hope Bruce misses this bunch But if he has to come he will do his Best like the rest of us.

Well Dad there are no more news so will close hoping to hear from you soon again.

With love to all From Cecil

Somewhere in France

829297 B Coy

Monday May 13th 1918.

Dear Edna,

Hello Teddy how is every thing and every one around Owen Sound jake like myself I hope. You will be thinking by this time that I have forgotten you or that old Fritze (sic) had got me at last, But the truth is that I have been lazy as usual and been kept a little bits into the Bargain so have not been tending to my letter writing as I should have done; your splendid long letter or April 12th came this evening so am answering right away I had one from Bertha Minary and one from Annie Prette also But none from home, I’ll likly (sic) get it tomorrow at least I hope so.

There are no news that I can send you from here only that the weather is rather dirty at present it gave us a good wetting today I guess we will sleep in our clothes tonight to dry them out, I am sending you a snap that was taken last month I hope you will know me by it But for fear you do not I am the one standing on the left.

Say Teddy who is this new fellow the little sailor Boy that you speak of you never mentioned him before I would imagine that he was some guy to get you going like that. Or that you must be some girl to get so many of the fellows on the string as that “Ha Ha”.

That is right Edna you just wait untill (sic) I get back before you take that trip west, I admit I can do a lot more talking then when you saw me last for I’m not as shy of the girls now as then.

That dream of yours is very near right for we do sing some funny songs over here ones that are usually our own make up, the wording is not up to much but it answers our sentiments fine.

I will be on the watch for that photo you are going to get taken be sure you send me one now I’ll be able to tell you if it is you that is well finished or the photo for the Boys here will all give you their opinion on it and the Majority ought be right, what do you think Teddy?

Well I have to close for now as I want to write to Annie Prette tonight yet and I’m beginning to feel cold now in the wet cloths. So Bye Bye with love

From your Cousin Cecil

The Hardwick family have a recently cleaned grave marker for ancestors in the Minnewawa Cemetery located just east of Hwy 10, on Hwy 2. The large grave stone honours the son they lost during the Great War. Bdr J. Harry Hardwick was born on Oct. 14,1893, but during the First World War died of his wounds three days after being part of the Battle of Vimy Ridge in France on April 13, 1917. He was a classmate of Pte Cecil Minary, who was also KIA on Aug. 28, 1918 as a Lewis Gunner when a German artillery shell hit near his crew on the battlefield in France. Pte Minary is listed on a plaque outside of the defunct Berbank Memorial Church. Pte Minary is also listed on his father’s grave marker located in a rural cemetery south of Brandon. Photo Jules Xavier/Shilo Stag