Driver John Stanislaus McTague 324961 son of John Stanislaus McTague and Agnes Purcell McTague, of 79, Durham St., Guelph, Ontario. Born 27 March 1897. ‘Jack’, a Reporter by trade with the Guelph Mercury newspaper.
Here a family picture circa 1906 – possibly about the time when Charlie Mctague graduated from high school. Charlie the tall guy in the back (eldest child) right of the photo, and Jack way over on the left. Jack had measles when 3 years old. Operation when a baby. Had pneumonia when a year old, and again when he was ten years old.
Enlistment
Jack left a position at the Guelph Mercury and enlisted with the 56th Overseas Battery, 14th Howitzer Brigade, CFA on 24 April 1916 in Guelph, Ontario.
Major Victor John Kent commanding officer. Captain Frederick Walsh the medical officer. At this time, Jack stood 5′ 9″ tall, with medium-fair complexion, blue eyes and dark brown hair. A Roman Catholic. Brother Charles Patrick McTague 324952 also enlisted with the 56th.
Major Victor John Kent with the 55th Battery, 13th Brigade Canadian Field Artillery, when killed on 4 March 1918. Buried later at Aix-Noulette Communal Cemetery Extension, Pas de Calais, France – Victor the son of Malcolm and Annie Kent of Dundas Street London, and a graduate of Royal Military College.
Lt Col Count de Bury
The 13th Brigade CFA under command of Lt Col Count de Bury left Petawawa on the evening of 15 September 1916 and embarked on the transport SS OLYMPIC on the morning of 19 September, later arriving at Liverpool on 24 September. Disembarking the following morning, the 50th (Captain Anglin), 51st (Major Plummer), 52nd (Captain Lawson), 53rd (Captain McDougall) Batteries and an Ammunition Column (Captain Wood) from Princess Wharf, later arriving at Witley Camp about 8:30 p.m.
The batteries have a total strength of four hundred and sixty NCOs and men took landing leave of six days on 6 October 1916. Stables apportioned to HQ and the Batteries on 14 October 1916. One 18-pdr Gun Carriage and Limber, and one extra limber, also 2 horses taken on strength on 21 October. Hon Capt and Chaplain A G Emmett T-o-S on 23 October 1916.
Sick
Driver John Stanislaus McTague admitted to Connaught Hospital in Aldershot on 4 December 1915 with appendicitis (pneumonia/influenza after admission), later discharged on 12 December 1915.
Jack completed his will on 30 October 1916, bequeathing everything to his father.
Dvr McTague admitted to Canadian Military Hospital, Bramshott, appendicitis, 2 December 1916. Developed influenza after admittance, and later discharged 12 December 1916.
Upon reorganization of the CFA, Driver John Stanislaus McTague transferred to 55th Battery on 22 January 1917.
Witley
Witley, Jan 22/17
Dear Mother,
Received a couple of letters from you last week and as usual was most delighted to receive them. Once more we are in quarantine, again for measles. We have had about one week of it now so that the worst is over.
Some more bad news. The 56 Battery is no more. All the artillery in this division has been broken up and reorganized into six gun batteries. The right section and headquarters go to the fifty fifth, while the left section is to be with the sixty sixth. Major Kent is to have command of the new battery while Mr. Benallick is our section commander. It certainly hit the fellows in the battery hard as they nearly all enlisted with the idea that the battery would stick together all the way through.
Carncross
Carncross especially is very downhearted which he has every right to be, I think as it was greatly due to him the battery was formed. We are being transferred from one of the best batteries in the camp to the very worst, which makes it a good deal harder. Charlie and I will be together as before, in fact the whole headquarters has been transferred as the fifty fifth was of absolutely no use to any battery.
Major Simpson’s battery, the 82nd, arrived in camp the other day to help complete the division. Jim Kennedy, Hayes, Wilf Smith and Jimmy O’Brien are with that battery and I have seen them several times. They all seem to be very well, especially Jim and Wilf who are vey fat. They are both with the headquarters of the battery as signalers. There are several other Guelph fellows with them but I do not know them very well. Also saw Art Dryden the other day while he was in England on a leave from the front. He is also looking very well.
Guelph
So Buster Kelly did not enjoy his trip to Guelph a great deal. I guess he missed Bill, and found Fred rather young to be traveling around with. He must be some sporty guy now wearing a ring and having a big voice. I can scarcely picture the ring on Kelly.
I haven’t written Bill for some time now as I have had really very little time for writing to anybody. Working all the day with about three night stable piquets per week.
Helen was telling of going skating in one of her letters to Charlie which I read. She must be quite recovered eh, and attends dances and balls as well. I suppose there is little else to do around Guelph now. Well, I must close in order to catch this mail. With love to all
Your affectionate son,
Jack
Overseas
Proceeded overseas from Milford Camp with 13th Brigade, CFA on 20 August 1917, the 55th Battery entraining last at 12:30 a.m. The remainder of August spent at Amettes Rest Camp. The brigade reaches the forward lines at Bully-Grenay on 4 September 1917.
Admitted to No. 1 Canadian Field Ambulance, P.U.O., 2 December 1917, discharged to duty on 5 December 1917.
Two McTague brothers on active service with the 55th Battery, 13th Brigade, CFA (5th CDA) and one child of that family had chosen to pursue the priesthood and also enrolled as a novice at the St. Stanislaus Novitiate.
William Arthur McTague had become a novice after graduation from the Guelph Collegiate Vocational Institute in 1916. William still at the Novitiate when the raid occurred.
Chanteclerc
Here a transcript of a letter sent from Driver McTague to his mother. Some of this letter addresses the Novitiate raid where Jack’s brother, Bill, a novice.
France, July 11/18
Dear Mother,
Received your letter of June 13th a couple days ago and assure you I was most delighted to get same.
I had heard of the militia’s raid on the novitiate, but no particulars, so did not know George Minan was in on it. Suppose it is all straightened out by this time. I had a letter from Bill not very long ago but he did not mention anything about it. Maybe, however it was written previous to the event.
I received a parcel from Kathleen this afternoon. Hence the improvement in notepaper and envelope. Also a box of cigarettes with greetings from Uncle Pat. Charlie received a box from them a week or so ago but as he was at the guns I did not partake. I expect him down tonight. I also expect to see Joe Collins again soon as I have seen some of his bunch around. Am going down to see George Downey one of these days when I can get a pass and a horse, as he is some distance away. I haven’t seen him since January, when his battery was close to ours.
I got a box of chocolates which Helen sent from Stratford yesterday. They were very good.
Well now I will close for this time with love to all.
Your affect. son,
PS. Just saw Joe Collins a couple minutes ago, as his battery passed here, but did not get a chance to talk to him. Intend going over tomorrow
Jack
Here a transcript of a letter Jack sent home during his second day in Paris.
Paris
Paris Oct 3, 1918
Dear Mother,
Well, at last I am here. Arrived yesterday morning after a couple days traveling in box cars. It is too early yet to tell anything of the trip, but it will follow soon.
The leave was in a way unexpected, but nevertheless welcome at the time. I was at the guns “Strafing the Hun” a couple days ago, in fact had just finished putting over a barrage, and went for breakfast, when the fellows starting wishing me the best of luck on my leave. I think I was about the toughest looking guy in the Canadian Corps that morning.
Charlie
Hadn’t had a chance to wash or shave for three days, and my clothes were covered with grease from the gun. However it took me just about five minutes to get away to the wagon lines and about an hour and a half to get a new outfit and get cleaned up and away. I travelled to the station by motor lorry which I was lucky enough to catch on the road. I saw Charlie just before I left. He expects to get his leave shortly, and I believe he intends coming here.
I received two letters from you the night before I left the line, one of them containing the news of Randall O’Connor’s 3320457 death (31-08-18, buried St Sever Cemetery and Extension). Did not know he had been out here at all and he must certainly have had hard luck. I think from the time of his being killed that I know where it was. Suppose his people know the location anyway. I believe they are generally notified.
Well, I must close now, but will write again soon. Love to all.
Your affect. son,
Jack
Last leave
Driver John Stanislaus McTague granted 14 days Leave on 4 October 1918, and later rejoined his unit on 25 October 1918 at Rouvignies, just before Brigadier General W O H Dodds visited HQ, visiting again the day after Jack’s arrival. Dodds visits again, on 1 November 1918, with the battery HQ now in La Sentinelle. Anzin reached on 3 November, then Valenciennes on 4 November 1918. Onnaing from 5 to 6 November, returning to Valenciennes on 7 November 1918. Crespin reached the day before the truce, with the battery in comfortable billets.
Death of Driver John Stanilsaus McTague
The brigade war diary reports an abnormal number of Influenza cases lately keeping the Medical Officer quite occupied. Reported from Base, Jack died in Billet (sick), 14 November 1918. Cause of death, heart failure.
Jack’s parents had received a cable which told them that their son “had just been returned to the British lines as a repatriated prisoner of war, after having been in the hands of the Germans only a few days.”
Driver John Stanislaus McTague 324961 died while on active service, in France, on November 14, 1918.
Father McPherson
The Roman Catholic Chaplain of the 5th Divisional Artillery, Father McPherson, presided over the burial.
Quievrechain Communal Cemetery, France
Quievrechain Communal Cemetery
Quiévrechain a commune in the Nord department in northern France. Quiévrechain a border town, located 15 kilometres northeast of Valenciennes and 20 km from Mons, Belgium. Opposite its Belgian sister town of Quiévrain.
Quiévrechain Communal Cemetery contains six Commonwealth burials of the Great War.
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