The Intelligencer May 3, 1916 (page 3)
“Of all the organizations serving the soldiers that have been set out in bold relief during the last year by reason of their activities in this particular field, none have merited more attention or been of greater interest, than the service of the Y.M.C.A. to the soldier boys. …
Such a value does the war office place upon the services thus rendered that six men have been permitted to go to the front with each division as Y.M.C.A. officers to be among the men ‘as one who ministers.’ …
With the coming of the troops to Belleville came a military Y.M.C.A. representative who has cultivated the friendship and respect of the men and served them in a multitude of ways, too numerous to mention but well known to the men. It is safe to say that no one in the Battalion is better known than ‘the Y.M.C.A. man’ and no one knows the battalion better for he has served not only the men of the 80th and 155th in Belleville but every two weeks through the winter found his way to Picton and Napanee too, where he served those companies in the limited way his short time there made possible. …
Upwards of 50,000 sheets of paper and almost as many envelopes have been furnished the men to write their letters home and the fact that these missives have been written on Y.M.C.A. paper and under Y.M.C.A. surroundings has brought satisfaction to many especially the home folks. …
Mr. Sharpe the local representative of the Military Y.M.C.A. has been notified that he is to be granted an honorary commission and will accompany the 80th Battalion with the rank of captain as Y.M.C.A. representative. If the arrangements to take the same transport with them are not complete in time which is just possible, he is under instructions to take the first passenger boat possible and meet the men at the other side.”
First World War Belleville 