They Don't Know When to Quit in Newfoundland

[Michael Johnson]

I recently bought a Canadian Army Second War discharge certificate, showing entitlement to a 1939-45 Star, Atlantic Star, and C.V.S.M. and clasp, to F577 Corporal Peter Power, a Nova Scotia enlistment into the R.C.A.M.C. According to the vendor, he was from Newfoundland. He was discharged in 1946, aged 52, and under "Marks and Scars" was noted: Scar left side of head. Scar right shoulder blade. It had the sound of someone with Great War service, and if I was lucky, with the Newfoundland Regiment. In any case, an Army Atlantic Star was rare enough to justify the purchase.

Sure enough there was a Corporal Peter Power from Conception Bay who served with the Royal Newfoundland R. He got frostbite at Gallipoli, and was wounded July 1st at Beaumont Hamel (a battlefield my son and I crossed on a tour in 2010). He was invalided.

My researcher got the Second War file, and the two are the same man. I'm looking forward to getting the file to see which Hospital Ships he served on 1941-45.

I'll never be able to afford medals to a Beaumont Hamel casualty. But I have a discharge to one of them.

NOTE: the vendor stated that he had taken flak for "selling Newfoundland's history" to foreigners, and that he would never sell medals to "the Regiment" except to Newfoundland or Newfoundland ex-pats. He can be reassured. My wife's father was from St. John's.

[Ulsterman]

Very Cool. Odd that you'd be thought a "frgnnr" being from Toronto...

[Mervyn Mitton]

Michael - it just shows how a little research can be worthwhile. You've turned-up a most interesting history.

[Michael Johnson]

Very Cool. Odd that you'd be thought a "frgnnr" being from Toronto...

Not really. Newfoundland only joined Canada in 1949, in a very close (and some allege rigged) plebiscite. Even to other Maritimers Torontonians are regarded as "westerners".

Joey Smallwood expropriated my wife's family's farm to build the Confederation Buildings. :violent:

[Michael Johnson]

Michael - it just shows how a little research can be worthwhile. You've turned-up a most interesting history.

It also shows that sometimes playing a hunch pays off.