Tenez bon, mes vieux, ne les laissez pas passer, il faut les arrêter!
Joseph Kaeble 889958, son of Madame Joseph Kaeble, of Sayabec, Matane Co., Québec. Born on 5 May 1893. He joined the Royal 22nd Regiment in 1916 and soon earned the Military Medal (MM). Caporal Joseph Kaeble died near Arras in 1918, single-handedly repelling a strong German attack of 50 men with his Lewis Gun. Posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross (VC).
Joseph-Thomas Kaeble lived in Gaspé until the age of 22. He had a brother, a sister, and a half-brother. His father had died in 1900 when he was still a child. Then, the family moved to Sayabec, Lac Matapédia. Kaeble attended school run by the Frères de la Croix de Jésus.
Service
Jospeh Kaeble a machinist, providing sole family support. He worked as a driver-mechanic with a forestry company before enlisting with the 189th Bataillon of the Canadian Expeditionary Force on 20 March 20 1916. Joseph stood 5’7″ tall, with fair complexion and dark hair. He was Roman Catholic.
In 1916 Lieutenant-Colonel Philippe-Auguste Piuze, raised the 189th Infantry Battalion, and Joseph Kaeble was one of the first men in Gaspé to sign up. Then, the initial organization and training of infantry units took place at Valcartier.
Private Kaeble arrived in England in October 1916 when the 189th Battalion absorbed by the 69th Battalion. On 12 November 1916, transferred to the 22nd French Canadian Battalion. Kaeble spent six months training before leaving for England on 27 September 1917.
France
Sent to the front lines on 3 March 1917, one month before the attack at Vimy Ridge. Following the battle, promoted Caporal Joseph Kaeble, in the Field, on 23 April 1918.
On 30 April 1917, Caporal Joseph Kaeble wounded and admitted to No. 13 General Hospital, Boulogne. GSW right shoulder, hand. Finally, released from No.1 Convalescent Depot on 25 May 1917.
Caporal Joseph Kaeble left Boulogne for the front on 25 May 1917. Back with his unit, he resumed his post as a machine-gunner. For the 22nd battalion, Vimy followed by Hill 70 in August, Passchendaele (Passendale), Belgium, in October, and then the Neuville-Vitasse sector and Mercatel from the end of March 1918.
Kaeble had made a will before leaving Sayabec. A letter home on 29 September 1917 read:
Je prie Dieu tous les jours pour que je puisse vous revoir, mais cela ne m’empêche pas de faire mon devoir au front. Nous ne devons craindre que le Bon Dieu. Ici, nous ne craignons rien, sauf Dieu.
Joseph-Thomas Kaeble
8 June 1918
On the night of 8 June 1918, at 9.45 pm. intense barrage of all calibres including T.Ms. opened on entire front line also on support lines and along BEARAIS-NEUVILLE VITASSE road from central to South East and North West as far as BEARAINS and down MERCATEL-BEAURAINS road.
Front line barrage, after five minutes and joined barrage on supports. Intense enemy barrage lasted 30 minutes and gradually slackened to normal. As soon as the barrage lifted from front line at 9.50 pm, 3 hun parties each numbering approximately 50, rushed forward following their barrage very closely and attempted to enter our lines at three locations.
The attacking party completely repulsed before it reached our lines. Our men rushed out and captured a prisoner belonging to the 65th I.R. Lewis Guns and bombs used with great effect. A few men of the attacking party managed to reach our parapet, but immediately repulsed by the aid of Lewis guns and bombing. Corporal Joseph Kaeble 889958 was i/c of Lewis Gun section at this point and was instrumental to large extent in repulsing attempted raid by enemy.
Caporal Joseph Kaeble Severely Wounded
Although severely wounded he continued to fire his Lewis Gun until he fell into the trench exhausted, suffering from compound fractures of both legs. While lying on his back in the trench he fired his last cartridges over the parapet at the retreating Germans, and before losing consciousness shouted to the wounded about him: Tenez bon, mes vieux, ne les laissez pas passer, il faut les arrêter! At this point fierce fighting with bayonet took place.
Trench mortars used extensively at this point and caused heavy casualties to our men. In spite of this fact the remainder of the men repulsed the enemy with bombs and Lewis Gun fire, post at this point rushed out of the trenches to meet the enemy beyond the parapet.
After Raid Patrols
After raid patrols immediately pushed forward and they found several dead Germans in no man’s land. Because of the length of grass at these points, it is possible that further dead will be located tonight. Enemy casualties, 2 prisoners, one of whom died in our hands. These men of the 65th I.R. A great number of enemy dead lying in no man’s land and located by our patrols. Numbers of enemy wounded high, as shrieks and screams heard in no man’s land and whistling for stretcher bearers.
Lt. Braun Langelier slightly wounded and returned to duty. Lt. George Houston Murphy suffering from deafness due to concussion. 37 other ranks wounded, 4 other ranks killed, and 2 other ranks as yet unaccounted for. It is thought the 2 unaccounted for went through a dressing station, rather than this unit’s or through Field Ambulance.
Transported to 1st London Field Ambulance, Caporal Joseph Kaeble died of his wounds the next night, 9 June. Buried in Wanquetin Communal Cemetery & Extension, 7 miles west of Arras, Pas de Calais, France, Plot II, Row H, Grave 10.
Victoria Cross Citation
For most conspicuous bravery and extraordinary devotion to duty when in charge of a Lewis gun section in the front line trenches, in which a strong enemy raid was attempted. During an intense bombardment Corporal Kaeble remained at the parapet with his Lewis gun shouldered ready for action, the field of fire being very short.
As soon as the barrage lifted from the front line, about fifty of the enemy advanced towards his post. By this time the whole of his section except one had become casualties. Corporal Kaeble jumped over the parapet, and holding his Lewis gun at the hip, emptied one magazine after another into the advancing enemy, and although wounded several times by fragments of shells and bombs, he continued to fire and entirely blocked the enemy by his determined stand. Finally, firing all the time, he fell backwards into the trench mortally wounded.
While lying on his back in the trench he fired his last cartridges over the parapet at the retreating Germans, and before losing consciousness shouted to the wounded about him: “Keep it up, boys; do not let them get through! We must stop them !”
The complete repulse of the enemy attack at this point was due to the remarkable personal bravery and self-sacrifice of this gallant non-commissioned officer, who died of his wounds shortly afterwards.
London Gazette, Supplement No. 30903, dated 16 September 1918.
Later, the VC presented on 16 December 1918 by the Governor-General of Canada, Duke of Devonshire at Rimouski, Quebec, to his mother.
Military Medal Citation
His Majesty the King has been graciously pleased to approve of the award of the Military Medal for bravery in the Field.
Authority London Gazette No. 30940, dated 7 October 1918.
Wanquetin Communal Cemetery Extension
Wanquetin is a village approximately 12 kilometres west of Arras and approximately 6 kilometres north of Beaumetz.
MORT GLORIEUSEMENT AU CHAMP D’HONNEUR A NEUVILLE-VITASSE, ARRAS
Headstone Inscription
Legacy
Kaeble’s legacy holds strong in Canada. In November of 2012, a new patrol vessel, the CCGS Caporal Kaeble V.C., presented to the Canadian Coast Guard. This vessel is part of a group of 9 Hero-class patrol vessels.
- Memorial Plaque, Sayabec Parish Church, Quebec, Canada
- Named on Cenotaph, Municpel Park, Sayabec, Quebec, Canada
- Bust, Valiants Memorial, Confederation Square, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
- Bust, The Citadel, Quebec, Canada
- Memorial Plaque, Royal 22e Regimental Museum, The Citadel, Quebec, Canada
- Victoria Cross Commemoration Paving Stone, National Memorial, Arboretum, Alrewas, Staffordshire
- Victoria Cross Commemorative Plaque, British High Commission, Elgin Street, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
- Rue Kaeble, Sayabec, Quebec, Canada
VC held by Royal 22e Regimental Museum, La Citadel, Quebec City, Quebec, Canada.
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