It also included John Macnaughton； L。 S。 Amery； Lord Percy；
Lord Lanesborough； and one or two others。 The ship had called
at North Sydney where Lady Grey and the Lady Evelyn joined。
Through the place in a deep ravine runs an innocent stream which broadens out
into still pools； dark under the alders。 There was a rod
a very beautiful rod in two pieces。 It excited his suspicion。
It was put into his hand； the first stranger hand that ever held it；
and the first cast showed that it was a worthy hand。 The sea…trout
were running that afternoon。 Thirty years before； in that memorable visit
to Scotland； he had been taken aside by 〃an old friend of his grandfather's〃。
It was there he learned 〃to love the trooties〃。 The love and the art
never left him。 It was at this same Orwell his brother first heard
the world called to arms on that early August morning in 1914。
In those civil years there were； of course； diversions：
visits to the United States and meetings with notable men
Welch； Futcher； Hurd； White； Howard； Barker： voyages to Europe
with a detailed itinerary upon the record； walks and rides upon the mountain；
excursion in winter to the woods； and in summer to the lakes； and one visit
to the Packards in Maine； with the sea enthusiastically described。
Upon those woodland excursions and upon many other adventures
his companion is often referred to as 〃Billy T。〃； who can be no other
than Lieut。…Col。 W。 G。 Turner； 〃M。C。〃
Much is left out of the diary that we would wish to have recorded。
There is tantalizing mention of 〃conversations〃 with Shepherd
with Roddick with Chipman with Armstrong with Gardner
with Martin with Moyse。 Occasionally there is a note of description：
〃James Mavor is a kindly genius with much knowledge〃； 〃Tait McKenzie
presided ideally〃 at a Shakespeare dinner； 〃Stephen Leacock does not keep
all the good things for his publisher。〃 Those who know the life in Montreal
may well for themselves supply the details。
IX
Dead in His Prime
John McCrae left the front after the second battle of Ypres；
and never returned。 On June 1st； 1915； he was posted to
No。 3 General Hospital at Boulogne； a most efficient unit
organized by McGill University and commanded by that fine soldier
Colonel H。 S。 Birkett； C。B。 He was placed in charge of medicine；
with the rank of Lieut。…Colonel as from April 17th； 1915；
and there he remained until his death。
At first he did not relish the change。 His heart was with the guns。
He had transferred from the artillery to the medical service
as recently as the previous autumn； and embarked a few days afterwards
at Quebec； on the 29th of September； arriving at Davenport；
October 20th； 1914。 Although he was attached as Medical Officer
to the 1st Brigade of Artillery； he could not forget that he was
no longer a gunner； and in those tumultuous days he was often to be found
in the observation post rather than in his dressing station。
He had inherited something of the old army superciliousness towards
a 〃non…combatant〃 service； being unaware that in this war
the battle casualties in the medical corps were to be higher
than in any other arm of the service。 From South Africa he wrote
exactly fifteen years before： 〃I am glad that I am not ‘a medical' out here。
No ‘R。A。M。C。' or any other ‘M。C。' for me。 There is a big breach；
and the medicals are on the far side of it。〃 On August 7th； 1915；
he writes from his hospital post； 〃I expect to wish often
that I had stuck by the artillery。〃 But he had no choice。
Of this period of his service there is little written record。
He merely did his work； and did it well； as he always did
what his mind found to do。 His health was failing。 He suffered
from the cold。 A year before his death he writes on January 25th； 1917：
The cruel cold is still holding。 Everyone is suffering；
and the men in the wards in bed cannot keep warm。 I know of nothing
so absolutely pitiless as weather。 Let one wish； let one pray；
do what one will； still the same clear sky and no sign；
you know the cold brand of sunshine。 For my own part I do not think
I have ever been more uncomfortable。 Everything is so cold
that it hurts to pick it up。 To go to bed is a nightmare
and to get up a worse one。 I have heard of cold weather in Europe；
and how the poor suffer； now I know！
All his life he was a victim of asthma。 The first definite attack
was in the autumn of 1894； and the following winter it recurred
with persistence。 For the next five years his letters abound in references
to the malady。 After coming to Montreal it subsided； but he always felt
that the enemy was around the corner。 He had frequent periods in bed；
but he enjoyed the relief from work and the occasion they afforded
for rest and reading。
In January； 1918； minutes begin to appear upon his official file
which were of great interest to him； and to us。 Colonel Birkett
had relinquished command of the unit to resume his duties
as Dean of the Medical Faculty of McGill University。 He was succeeded by
that veteran soldier； Colonel J。 M。 Elder； C。M。G。 At the same time
the command of No。 1 General Hospital fell vacant。 Lieut。…Colonel McCrae
was required for that post； but a higher honour was in store；
namely the place of Consultant to the British Armies in the Field。
All these events； and the final great event； are best recorded
in the austere official correspondence which I am permitted to extract
from the files：
From D。M。S。 Canadian Contingents。 （Major…General C。 L。 Foster； C。B。）。
To O。C。 No。 3 General Hospital； B。E。F。； 13th December； 1917：
There is a probability of the command of No。 1 General Hospital
becoming vacant。 It is requested； please； that you obtain
from Lieut。…Col。 J。 McCrae his wishes in the matter。 If he is available；
and willing to take over this command； it is proposed to offer it to him。
O。C。 No。 3 General Hospital； B。E。F。； To D。M。S。 Canadian Contingents；
28th December； 1917： Lieut。…Colonel McCrae desires me to say that；
while he naturally looks forward to succeeding to the command
of this unit； he is quite willing to comply with your desire；
and will take command of No。 1 General Hospital at any time you may wish。
D。G。M。S。 British Armies in France。 To D。M。S。 Canadian Contingents；
January 2nd； 1918： It is proposed to appoint Lieut。…Colonel J。 McCrae；
now serving with No。 3 Canadian General Hospital； Consulting Physician
to the British Armies in France。 Notification of this appointment；
when made； will be sent to you in due course。
D。M。S。 Canadian Contingents。 To O。C。 No。 3 General Hospital； B。E。F。；
January 5th； 1918： Since receiving your letter I have information
from G。H。Q。 that they will appoint a Consultant Physician
to the British Armies in the Field； and have indicated their desire
for Lieut。…Colonel McCrae for this duty。 This is a much higher honour
than commanding a General Hospital； and I hope he will take the post；
as this is a position I have long wished should be filled
by a C。A。M。C。 officer。
D。M。S。 Canadian Contingents。 To D。G。M。S。； G。H。Q。； 2nd Echelon；
January 15th； 1918： I fully concur in this appointment； and consider
this officer will prove his ability as an able Consulting Physician。
Telegram： D。G。M。S。； G。H。Q。； 2nd Echelon。 To D。M。S。 Canadian Contingents；
January 18th； 1918： Any objection to Lieut。…Col。 J。 McCrae
being appointed Consulting Physician to British Armies in France。
If appointed； temporary rank of Colonel recommended。
Telegram： O。C。 No。 3 General Hospital； B。E。F。 To D。M。S。
Canadian Contingents； January 27th； 1918： Lieut。…Col。 John McCrae
seriously ill with pneumonia at No。 14 General Hospital。
Telegram： O。C。 No。 14 General Hospital。 To O。C。 No。 3 General Hospital；
B。E。F。； January 28th； 1918： Lieut。…Col。 John McCrae died this morning。
This was the end。 For him the war was finished and all the glory of the world
had passed。
Henceforth we are concerned not with the letters he wrote；
but with the letters which were written about him。 They came
from all quarters； literally in hundreds； all inspired by pure sympathy；
but some tinged with a curiosity which it is hoped this writing
will do something to assuage。
Let us first confine ourselves to the facts。 They are all contained
in a letter which Colonel Elder wrote to myself in common with other friends。
On Wednesday； January 23rd； he was as usual in the morning；
but in the afternoon Colonel Elder found him asleep in his chair
in the mess room。 〃I have a slight headache；〃 he said。
He went to his quarters。 In the evening he was worse；
but had no increase of temperature； no acceleration of pulse or respiration。
At this moment the order arrived for him to proceed forthwith
as Consulting Physician of the First Army。 Colonel Elder writes；
〃I read the order to him； and told him I should announce the contents at mess。
He was very much pleased over the appointment。 We discussed the matter
at some length； and I took his advice upon measures for carrying on
the medi