First World War letters offer glimpse into life in the trenches
Gordon Parkinson's letters and medals, saved by his niece and donated to McMaster, were featured on CBC's The National on Aug. 3.
Gordon William Parkinson sent a letter home March 29, 1918 – the day of his “rough voyage” across the channel from England to France.
The note was to let everyone at home know he was safe and ready for action, as he and his fellow soldiers were “rather fed up with so much drill.”
It was one of more than 100 letters the Granton, Ontario native sent home before and during his tour on the Western Front.
The letters, now housed in McMaster’s William Ready Division of Archives and Research Collections, include one Parkinson wrote about his belief in destiny.
“There is always a bright side to look at, and I always let things roll right along and keep happy, and trust to destiny,” he wrote. “Lots of the fellows believe in luck, but I believe in destiny, and no one can make me believe otherwise.”
It was one of the last letters he wrote before being killed in action.
The letters and accompanying materials – including a Silver Cross, photos and a scrapbook – were highlighted August 3 on CBC’s The National.
The letters “are very lengthy, very detailed,” archivist Rick Stapleton told the CBC. “They’re very Canadian, often talking about the weather and the crops he’s seeing growing throughout England and France.”
Parkinson was barely more than 17 years of age when he volunteered with London’s Own Battalion.
His niece Catherine Cook saved the letters and related items and donated them to McMaster after learning of its extensive collections of material regarding the First and Second World Wars.
