November 1918-December 1969

The war was finally over, but it would be many months before Jack would return back to Canada. He would not fully recover from his bout of influenza until February 1919. From there he was attached to C.C.C. Kinmel Park for return to Canada. On February 19th, Jack sailed home on the Empress of Britain.


Now this is a piece of history that isn't widely known, but there was a large scale riot of Canadian soldiers a few weeks after Jack left camp. Conditions at Kinmel Park were far from ideal. Even though the war was over days were filled with marches, military exercises, and medical examinations. The food was bad and local store owners inflated their prices, so any luxurious the soldiers could have bought were expensive. Many soldiers just wanted to return home and start up their lives again, but military bureaucracy slowed them down. On March 4th 1,000 soldiers stationed there had enough. Canteens were burned, local store owners had their establishments destroyed and looted. On March 5th, officers and a few "loyal" troops tried to take control of the situation. Five Canadian soldiers were killed, twenty-eight injured, fifty-one were eventually court martialed. The government covered up the mutiny and records of it still are sealed to the public.

Jack arrived back in Canada on February 25th 1919 and soon was TOS with the 2 District Depot in Toronto to be discharged. He had been away from home all most three years and no doubt the reunion between him and Alma was a happy one.

While at #2 D.D, Jack under went a medical board, where they found him unfit for further duty in the CEF. He was discharged to a convalescent home as an out-patient, where the ongoing injury to his foot was finally looked at properly.

His discharge came into effect on March 18th 1919. Given his war service gratituty and later his "mut and jeff" campagin medals, Jack's war was finally over.

Unlike many returned soldiers, Jack was able to secure work quickly at his father-in-law's (Frank Kerr) tannery. Jack soon left this job as he could not stand the smell. Using the skills he learned while with the 123rd Pioneer Battalion, Jack went to work as an electrician with Toronto Hydro. He and Alma quickly settled down and had four children, Frank (my grandfather) Edward, Patricia and Milton.

In 1939, war was declared with Germany again. Frank, part of the 48th Highlanders, was one of the first soldiers to go over to England. He spent most of the war in England, where he rose to the rank of first Lieutenant. Edward joined the RCAF and went over to England in 1943. In February 1944, his bomber was shot down over Germany. There were no survivors.

 

For Jack, who survived Vimy Ridge and the horrors of Passchandaele, the death of his son in the another European War, was huge blow that he never recovered from. Though, this new war did not stop Jack from trying to join up again. Deemed too old, he instead joined the Veterans Guard and spent the war guarding military installations.

After the war, Jack returned to Toronto Hydro and worked till his retirement in the 1960's. All though his health began to deteriorate from diabetes, he still played all the hockey he could. Finding his condition unmanageable, Alma and Jack made the decision to relocate closer to their son Frank and his family in Ottawa. In early 1969, Jack was admitted to Veterans Hospital as it was becoming difficult to care for him at home. On December 23rd 1969, Jack died in hospital with Alma and Milton by his side. He was given a simple soldier's funeral on Christmas Day.