RCMP NL's Sergeant Major Doug Pack wrote this article a few years back to explain to his colleagues in other provinces why July 1 is both a day of remembrance and a day of celebration in NL.
Across Canada and in many countries of the Commonwealth, November 11th marks a special day - Remembrance Day, Armistice Day, or Poppy Day as it is sometimes called. It of course was first adopted in 1919 to commemorate the end of the World War the previous year - a terrible, horrific span of four agonizing years that resulted in the greatest slaughter of people the world had yet seen. It was called the "war to end all wars", as people at the time could not believe that we, as human beings, could ever stomach another one.
It affected almost everyone in Canada and, what was then, the colony of Newfoundland. Because I am a Newfoundlander, I want to share this with you. I was posted to nine different communities throughout British Columbia from 1986 until August 2014, when I transferred back to "B" Division. When I talked to folks out west about what is was like growing up in Newfoundland and the shadow that World War I cast on this part of the country, they were surprised and, as odd as it sounds, almost envious that we would care so deeply about what happened over a century ago.
Newfoundland in 1914 was a colony of Great Britain. The population for the entire island was 241,000 people – a little more than modern metropolitan St. John's. The capital then was the largest city and its population was only 30,000 people. But in 1914, this small corner of the North Atlantic raised a regiment of just over 800 men as part of the British Army. In 1915, along with soldiers from New Zealand and Australia, they fought at Gallipoli - the only regiment from North America to do so. But it was the events of July 1st, 1916 that marked the Newfoundland Regiment and the people of that island forever.
As part of the "July 1st Drive" in the Somme valley, intended to push the enemy backward, near the small French village of Beaumont-Hamel, the Newfoundland Regiment left their trenches on St. John's Road at 8:45 am and began their attack. As the Newfoundlanders crested the slope on the battlefield they were openly exposed to the full fury of the opposing enemy. In short, they were slaughtered. Within 15 minutes the Newfoundland Regiment was wiped out as a fighting force. 801 men went "over the top" but only 68 answered roll call the following day. When the British Divisional Commander, General Sir Henry de Beauvoir de Lisle referred to the Newfoundlanders, he stated, "It was a magnificent display of trained and disciplined valour, and its assault only failed of success because dead men can advance no further."
The regiment was eventually reinforced, and it was able to rejoin the fight. In 1917 it received the designation "Royal" in recognition of its contribution in Ypres. By war's end in 1918, the colony had sent over 5000 men overseas and, of those, 2314 were wounded and over 1200 were killed. There was not a family home in St. John's or for that matter anywhere in the colony that was left unaffected. All those husbands, sons, uncles, nephews, cousins, friends, and neighbours were lost forever.
Not only was an entire generation killed, but another was never born. Many families never recovered as their sons were killed overseas leaving no children - nobody to carry on the family name. In some places, what schools there were closed because there were no teachers nor students. Houses were abandoned as there was no reason to stay - nobody was coming home.
For a small, poor colony, it was a bitter pill to swallow. Bound by the sea, Newfoundlanders have a history of loss and tragedy, but they saw nothing before or since on the scale of July 1st, 1916. And we have never forgotten it. It is part of our fabric.
Because July 1 was Memorial Day in Newfoundland since 1917 (a year before Remembrance Day was officially observed), even after joining Confederation in 1949, Newfoundlanders retained the date as one of commemoration. For the majority of Canada, July 1st is of course, Canada Day - a celebration of our unification as a nation. For Newfoundlanders - it is a day that has two distinct elements: one somber and reflective, one happy and celebratory.
We take the morning to remember our war dead, just as we and the remainder of the country does every November 11th. The morning of July 1 is marked with ceremonies, services, memorials, laying of wreaths and parades. The afternoon is when we move from the somber act of remembrance to the joyful celebration of being part of the best nation on earth. And this unique feature of what July 1st means to most residents of our province reinforces the importance of why we must remember: achieving greatness only comes from great sacrifice.
Canada is a great country, and a wonderful place to live. But to make the dream of this nation a reality, a lot of good people died under some appalling circumstances - and we will always owe them our thanks, our gratitude and our remembrance.
So, on Canada Day here in Newfoundland and Labrador we first remember.