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Virtually every Canadian knows the poem “In
Flanders Fields” by heart, but few realize that its story revolves
around two Canadian Gunners. The two served together in the Canadian Field
Artillery during the Boer War. Edward “Dinky” Morrison and John McCrae were
Lieutenants together in D Battery, sharing many adventures in South Africa.
Morrison was a newspaperman in civilian life, serving as Editor-in-Chief of
the Ottawa Citizen from 1898 to 1908. He took up full time military service
after 1908 and rose to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel by 1914. McCrae rose
to the rank of Major in the Militia Artillery by the time he retired in
1904.
When
the Great War erupted, Morrison was given command of the 1st
Field Brigade, Canadian Field Artillery. He recommended McCrae for command
of an Artillery Brigade, but his superiors rejected the request. He was
told to make McCrae a doctor. So, Morrison, who already had a Medical
Officer, invented a position in his unit to facilitate McCrae’s wish to
serve as a Gunner. Titled “Brigade Surgeon and Second in Command”, John was
pleased that his daily duties consisted mainly of assisting Morrison in
directing gunfire and running the unit, though he also relieved the unit
Medical staff when necessary. The two friends enjoyed each other’s company,
taking daily walks or rides together for relaxation as often as their duties
allowed.
During the battles on the western front in the spring of 1915, McCrae was
moved to write “In Flanders Fields” by the death of a young Gunner officer
named Alexis Helmer. He showed the draft to Morrison, and then, apparently
threw it away. Morrison rescued the foolscap from the trash and convinced
McCrae to try to get it published. The poem was later published in Punch
Magazine in December 1915.
Prior
to the publishing, duty pulled the friends apart. McCrae was promoted to
Lieutenant Colonel and ordered to transfer to the Medical service in the
summer of 1915. Morrison rose to be Commander of all Canadian Artillery at
the front by the end of the war. Sadly, John McCrae died of pneumonia on 28
January 1918. A few months before his death, he wrote out a copy of his
most famous poem as a souvenir for his old friend “Dinky”. Morrison spoke
at the graveside at the end of John’s funeral, saying "From your hands we
have received the torch, be it ours to hold high so the dead may sleep at
last." He kept the hand-written copy of the poem as a treasured remembrance
of his friend.
After the war, likely to raise money for the Royal Canadian
Artillery Association, Morrison had a printing plate inscribed from his copy
of the poem, even including a correction John had made to one line. Major
General Sir Edward “Dinky” Morrison died in 1925, aged 58. The printing
plate remained in the hands of his family until it was donated to the RCA
Museum, where it is now preserved for future generations. It is a lasting
tribute to the friendship of these two soldiers. Donors of $500.00 or more
to The RCA Heritage Campaign will be able to share in this legacy of
remembrance by receiving a framed copy of the poem, recently re-printed from
Morrison’s plate. |
