“French Canada accounts for twenty-eight percent of Canada’s population, though it accounts for less than five percent of the Canadian Expeditionary Force’s population,” Hughes stated in Parliament on a June day.
Furthermore, of Quebec’s enlistees, half were English Canadians. Of all French Canadians in uniform, half lived outside Quebec. Spring alone saw 20,000 Canadian casualties overseas. At the same time, spring saw the sole French province give fewer than one hundred sons to the cause. After “God save the King” was sung in Parliament, members of Parliament set about discussing the new Military Service Agreement bill.
Kellynch was shown into one of Pembina’s front rooms. Aubrey had invited him for afternoon tea. He was most relieved to receive her invitation. He had meant to call before but feared rejection. Aubrey beamed. Kellynch gave a most humble apology for past transgressions against her husband. He wished to make amends. Aubrey was most certainly taken aback. Kellynch had come to see Auré, not her. She was hot with anger as she rang for Auré. Her husband had just come from town to sign a medical compensation claim of a returned wounded private. Regulars could not be trusted for such applications without an approved inquiry, usually made by their local Patriotic Fund branch or a committee that held no ties to the soldier. As an officer and a gentleman, Auré had given his word that the fellow was of sound character. The papers were signed in his office at the university, converted from a bathroom into office space due to the cause.
Enlistment for French Canada was governed by affluent English Canada. Kellynch was in charge of the pamphlet, Pourquoi Je M’enrole (Why I enlisted). Kellynch wanted Auré to appear in the next issue of the pamphlet.
Kellynch relayed his and Aubrey’s conversation to Auré. The apology Kellynch extended to Auré was entirely accepted. Aubrey looked quizzically at her husband after his uncharacteristically gracious behaviour in regard to the effort.
Kellynch removed a newspaper printed a few days prior from his briefcase. Fierce French-Canadian nationalist, politician, and founder of Le Devoir newspaper, Henri Bourassa was greatly opposed to Canada’s war contribution. In 1914, Bourassa was supportive of Canada’s involvement in the war. As time elapsed, however, Bourassa became more and more outspoken against Borden’s commitment to soldiers sent overseas, while French-Canadian rights were denied in the dominion. Ardently opposed to conscription, he was the voice for French Canada on the matter and on their position in the war. In response to Bourassa’s unyielding anti-imperialistic views, French-Canadian soldier Talbot Papineau wrote an open letter published in the Montreal Gazette. Bourassa and Papineau were relatives and came from a very prominent Canadian family. The pair would publicly argue multiple times in letters printed in newspapers across the country.
Papineau expressed, As I write, French and English Canadians are fighting and dying side by side. Is their sacrifice to go for nothing, or will it not cement a foundation for a true Canadian nation… independent in thought, independent in action, independent even in its political organization — but in spirit united for high international and humane purposes to the two Motherlands of England and France? As a (French) minority in a great English-speaking continent… we must rather seek to find points of contact and of common interest than points of friction and separation. We must make certain concessions and certain sacrifices of our distinct individuality if we mean to live on amicable terms with our fellow citizens or if we expect them to make similar concessions to us.
The following week, Bourassa answered his younger cousin. Comparisons to Belgians, who were made to endure misery by the Germans, and Franco-Ontarians, who were denied rights from Regulation 17, were clearly outlined in Bourassa’s response: To preach Holy War for the “liberties of peoples” overseas, and to oppress the national minorities within Canada is, in our opinion, nothing but odious hypocrisy.
Most Canadians lauded Papineau, and he instantly became a dominion-wide hero. Previous letters by Papineau stated, Especially, I want to see Canadian pride based on substantial achievements, and not on the supercilious and fallacious sense of self-satisfaction we have borrowed from England. The issue in Canada after the war is going to be between Imperialism and Nationalism… My whole inclination is towards an independent Canada with all the attributes of sovereignty, including its responsibilities.
Kellynch began bravely, “What with our soldiers sacrificing to keep the country together and, pardon my frankness, Major Richardieux, but your most prestigious war record proves not all Frenchmen are, are—” he looked around at loss for words.
“Cowards,” Auré nodded simply, as though he conceded. Pembina’s master then acknowledged he had read the article.
Aubrey started at Auré’s response. She thought to speak for him. He would not dare do the pamphlet! Humiliated at Kellynch’s rebuff, Aubrey left the room. Once Kellynch and Auré were left together, they automatically switched to speaking French.
As Aubrey walked from the room, Auré said to Kellynch, “Dites leur que je fait mon devoir130 (Tell them I did my duty).”
The newest edition of the pamphlet, with Auré’s picture on the cover and his Victoria Cross story as the featured article, was distributed. His name was now known from sea to sea. Downtown, Auré received handshakes from Englishmen and forced smiles from wives of men at the front.
Men said, over papers for the next petition at gentleman’s clubs, “My son reported Richardieux was a good man on the line… Poor bloke, I heard it said there was only circumstantial evidence for the trial in Regina, for all the scandal it caused… But I must say he’s a capitol fellow… Enlisted voluntarily131 and that’s a mark of a gentleman. He can’t be all bad.”
The president of the Daughters of the Empire reasoned to her staff during the superintending of the next baking bazaar, “His family will not speak to him, on account of his er — rather unfortunate divorce, that is to say, but that does not make him one jot less agreeable. True, generous, brave132; he is wonderfully patriotic. Great hearts are glad when it is time to give133, after all.”
“He is acting like an Imperialist: a British Anglicizer… He should return to the 22nd Battalion and support his kinsmen,” vocalized cross Frenchmen.
The Richardieux were invited to numerous parties because everyone wanted a Victoria Cross recipient as their guest of honour. It was not until early August that Pembina hosted a ball for the master. Not a Frenchman was present, as all were in a gentleman’s agreement to refuse attendance at an event where the guest of honour was a Prussian of Ontario.
The cool evening did not reach the Richardieux’s guests for the Victoria Cross ball. The endless candles set a romantic glow in Pembina’s ornate hall.
“The time I spent behind enemy lines is of no importance.”
“How closely bravery and modesty are entwined134,” were the conceded murmurs from all around, in response to their host’s time in captivity. Auré was now in charming good fellowship with the highest echelon of Ottawa’s aristocracy.
While clasping Auré on the back, a laughing Kellynch teased, “Mr. Great Heart, Officer and Gentleman135. To what do you object, you Old British Tommy?”
A cajoled Auré began, “All of a sudden, the foe had me in his dishonest grasp… The terrain: blasted to the dickens… A shell explosion partially buried us. After we managed to dig ourselves out, I handed the German officer back his firearm that I was able to locate and we carried on… I asked God every day that my general set over me and His Majesty would find it in their grace to pardon my inability to contribute more to the effort.”
Ladies pressed him for details of the palace and the Queen’s attire. Gentlemen asked after the state of the city and the King’s drink of choice. Auré and Aubrey had stayed with Gran in her city residence. Her country estate was offered as a convalescent hospital. Gran had stopped all communication with Aubrey at the onset of Aubrey’s engagement. One of Aubrey’s uncles had married an American industrialist’s daughter years before. Thus far, Gran had refused to meet her daughter-in-law. However, after Auré was accorded the Victoria Cross, Gran actually relented and contacted her granddaughter, to Aubrey’s surprise. They were invited to stay with her, provided the divorce not be made known, during their short stay in London. Gran went so far as to ask for a photo of René: the first time she acknowledged her great-grandson.
Aubrey looked across the room to where Auré was encircled. Vimy was being discussed by the lot. She could just hear Auré state from afar, “Well they jolly well ought to have captured her with all the training they received. One of my men wrote me that the lads agreed their objective was basically unassailable, although he went on to pen that enough time was given for them to properly train and the like. They felt confident they could take it. The Ridge was surely to draw attention away from France’s campaign in the Champagne area, close to the Aisne River, in the Battle of Arras. Our lads attacked north of the British, who fought close to the town of Arras. The British Forces’ objective was to ease the pressure for the French.”
Auré disclosed remarkable information about the battle. Aubrey simply did not know from what source he would have learned those details. She had a feeling he had more men who respected him at the front than he let on.
“You know, on the second day of the battle and as the terrain was scaled, the Douai plain’s untouched green fields could be viewed on the other side of the Ridge. The Ridge was blasted beyond recognition by our artillery. You have to wonder at how they must have felt when they saw those fields with the battle still raging,” added Courtney. Courtney was present at the ball as a guest. Beforehand, Aubrey had never known his proper name. As Auré’s batman, since the pair’s return from the front, Auré had addressed Pembina’s former footman by his Christian name.
Upstairs and downstairs were in an unspoken agreement to partake in the invisible care of estates in exchange for meager wages sent to poverty-stricken families. In the trenches, masters and servants trusted one another with their lives. After proving witness to their master’s maiming or death, lower orders were spiteful from their experiences on the front lines and were unwilling to return to life below stairs once discharged from the military.
Kellynch added, “The peak of the Vimy Ridge is actually where one can view the war the most than from any other region in France. One wonders, too, at how the boys felt when they crested the Ridge. And to have been there to see them.”
Auré explained, “Another of my men wrote to me about ze formidable success of McNaughton’z counterbattery. The vast majority of enemy batteries were found, along with eh few hundred guns which had been put out of commission ahead of ze battle. The foe’s firing power had been reduced to near rubble during the fray.”
Courtney, who was being treated like an equal at the ball, explained, “In terms of casualites, Medical Officers usually witness a comparison of three to one between light to serious casualties, or “walking” to “stretcher-case,” during any given scrap. Although, at Vimy, the comparisons were about equal to each other. The casualties suffered at Vimy often needed more attention and usually endured more prominent, life-alternating, or deadly wounds.”
Auré talked to Henrietta so much Aubrey thought he might even ask her to dance! She looked at the two of them conversing pleasantly and thought, If only he was in love with me! Aubrey looked to Lawrence and almost resigned herself to the fact that being a mistress was all she would ever have. Aubrey had her chance to tell Auré she loved him! After all, they were married! Now Aubrey had so many others to contend with!
After all the toasts to the King, to Currie, and to Auré, and after singing “For He’s A Jolly Good Fellow,” she was alone with her husband. However, his unreadable and reserved demeanor never wavered with her publicly or privately.