Poem ~ Major's Misadventure - Monday, 11 December 1916 - Tuesday 12 December 1916

Source: File: Major John Meredith. See an original image at: <http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/remembrance/memorials/canadian-virtual-war-memorial/detail/426338> [Accessed 9 December 2016]

In an army career started before 1914 war,

A Canadian soldier, John Redmond Meredith

Had gradually climbed the ranks to become

A Major, by 1916.

Son of Lady Mary and Sir William Meredith,

Chief Justice of Ontario, was John born 1878;

Schooled at Trinity College Port Hope

And Toronto University.

After final legal education at Osgoode Hall

He joined the law firm of Hellmuth, Cattanach

And Meredith - John Meredith married Miriam

Isadore to reside 45 Binscarth Road.

Into the third month of the European conflict,

October 1914, John Meredith became attached

To the Queens Own Rifles, reaching the rank

Of Lieutenant.

Previous to the war situation Meredith had

Joined 9th Mississauga Horse - whose history

Originated in Toronto Ontario, as Mounted

Rifles from 1901.

Named after first Nations people, Anishinaabe

Subtribe, the Mississaugas had lived on banks

Of Mississagi River - an indigenous people prior

To any European settler.

In reaction to Europe’s war, volunteers formed

The Canadian Expeditionary Force and included

Many coming from 170th Mississauga Horse,

As members of Field Force.

Having gained his qualifications at School

Of Infantry Lieutenant John Meredith,

As part of 95th Battalion, took on the role

Of Overseas Adjutant.

Promotion quickly followed to Junior Major,

For him then to be based in England - After

The Battalion disbanded Major John Meredith

Became involved in officer training.

Major Meredith assigned to Shorncliffe camp

In Kent - where training for soldiers had taken

Place since Napoleonic wars - where Canadian

Troops became based since 1915.

Given leave prior to being stationed in France,

Major John Meredith travelled across to London -

With various acquaintances he stayed in Regent

Palace Hotel, off Regent Street.

Meredith stating he felt slightly ill left his friends 

To return to his room alone - some time later

Around 11 O'clock, Captain O’Brien decided  

To see how he was.

Major Meredith aged 38 had appeared in good 

Health earlier that day, Saturday 25 November;

There were no indications seen by others for

Anything than a slight malady.

Captain O’Brien discovered the officer had died -

An inquest found that Major Meredith overdosed

Having taken a narcotic drug called 'Somnos' -

Seen as a case of misadventure.

A cable sent to Sir William Meredith told

Of his son's sudden death while on active

Service - the real details perhaps never

To be disclosed.

Reasons could only be guessed - Somnos

Being a sedative to allow sleep or reduce

Anxieties - possibly troubled, Major Meredith

Had previously good health.

by Jamie Mann.

Anon.,1916. Day By Day. The Daily Telegraph, [online] 1 December 1916. P.10. Col.6. Available at: <http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/12213905/Daily-Telegraph-December-1-1916.html> [Accessed: 9 December 2016].

Source: File: Canadian Virtual War Memorial. In memory of Major John Redmond Meredith. Available at: <http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/remembrance/memorials/canadian-virtual-war-memorial/detail/426338> [Accessed 9 December 2016]

Mann, J., 2016. 100 years Ago - Poems by Jamie Mann. [letter] (Personal communication, 9 December 2016). 

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/12213905/Daily-Telegraph-December-1-1916.html

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