The Intelligencer June 27, 1916 (page 1)
“Mass Meeting in the Interests of Recruiting. A meeting for men, at request of Col. C.G. Williams, was held last evening in the lecture room at the Armouries. … Lieut.-Col. Cecil G. Williams, who was the chief speaker of the evening, said that as Chief Recruiting Officer for Canada, he came to ascertain the feeling of the community and obtain suggestions relative to recruiting. …
Lt.-Col. Williams here dealt with facts and figures in regard to the population of the country and the number of those enlisted. The urban and rural population was equal but the rural districts had not furnished anywhere near the number that the urbanites furnished. He had every sympathy with the farmer, but he spoke whereof he knew, as the figures had been compiled from the attestation papers. …
Mayor Ketcheson … stated that he felt that the day has about gone by when you can persuade young men to enlist. You can not get young men to attend meetings, therefore: you must get them by some means of compulsion. How can young men see their chums, fighting and dying in France and Belgium, while they stay at home? … The time has now arrived when we should adopt some form of registration or conscription. …
Moved by E.F. Ketcheson, Mayor of Belleville, and President of the Board of Trade, and seconded by Lieut. Colonel W.N. Ponton, K.C.
Resolved: That while recognizing the splendid results from the Recruiting System which has obtained throughout Canada during this conflict, yet fully realizing that under present conditions the result of the present system has become disappointing, not wholly satisfactory, and often inequitable in application, therefore be it resolved that in the opinion of this meeting of Canadian citizens some practical form of National Registration followed by National Service throughout the whole Dominion of Canada, as part of our British Empire, should be immediately provided for by effective Legislation, having due regard to munition works and other essential industries. …
The next speaker was Major MacColl, who stated that most of the farmers who have enlisted are hired help, nearly all of whom are English. There are any number of men in this city today who are eligible for enlistment. … Conscription is an absolute necessity. …
Mr. Mikel suggested that the government have control of food supply and make it more attractive at the front than it is at home. It is the attraction that the young men are after. We also want to eliminate the French element in Quebec, and the German-Austro element in Saskatchewan. …
The resolution, moved his Worship Mayor Ketcheson, seconded by Col. W.N. Ponton, was unanimously adopted. … The meeting closed with the singing of the National Anthem.”
The Intelligencer June 27, 1916 (page 2)
“My Splendid Ones, Well Done. In the window of the Trenton Electric Company on Bridge street, Colonel Ponton has placed six of the actual newspaper bulletins of the great London dailies, announcing to the Empire the gallant victory of the Canadians at Ypres on the evening of June 14th; also a symbolic picture of Britannia and the Lion’s Whelps with the motto, ‘My Splendid Ones, Well Done!’ ”
The Intelligencer June 27, 1916 (page 3)
“From Chaplain Fallis. Annexed in a letter received by Mrs. Floyd, of 20 Franklin street, from the Chaplain of the 8th C.M.R., who informs her that her son is missing:
F.Q., 8th Brigade, C.M.R., France, Dear Friends:—You will have heard long before this reaches you through other official sources that your dear one was missing after one of the biggest battles the Canadians have been in since the war began. The battle begun about half-past seven o’clock on the morning of June 2nd, and lasted almost to the following Wednesday. …
Our boys had to fight nearly three times their numbers and died or were taken prisoners, with their face to the foe. Probably the Canadians never showed more courage or took more punishment before. …
Naturally after such a time there are many who are prisoners. The enemy’s official report says that they have 350 unwounded prisoners and about 200 wounded, so your dear one may yet be returned to you. Only time will give us the official lists from Germany. …
I shall be glad to hear if you obtain any news … Sympathetically and sincerely yours, GEO. O. FALLIS, Chaplain.”
First World War Belleville 