Algoma News- Circa 1942

ALGOMA NEWS

Smelting Season In Full Swing

THESSALON, April 5

The smelting season is in full swing now and many town people are taking advantage of this popular spring sport.

There seems to be a good run this season and the tiny fish will be served in many homes for the next couple of weeks.

CAPTURES GERMAN GUN

Signalman Bill Rothera in a recent letter to his parents, Major and Mrs. C. F. Rothera mentions reading in an English newspaper that a local boy had distinguished himself by capturing a German gun and was likely to be rewarded for the outstanding act of bravery.

Stanley a member of the Royal Hamilton Light Infantry has been wounded twice and is now in a hospital suffering from concussion due to a blast.

In recent letters to his mother Mrs. Mary Omstead Stan says in part - ``Just a few lines to let you know I am now in the hospital again but don't worry too much this time, only they call it `` battle exhaustion`` and I guess after I have a good rest and different surroundings for a while I`ll be alright. I hope I never have to go through anything like that again. I just managed to scrape through with my life. It was just a miracle, which I never believed in much before. However I did come out, so I had better not worry you any more with my troubles. Keep sending my mail to the unit as I might be moving around a bit before I get settled down.``

In a later letter Stan says in part ``Just a few lines to let you know I am doing ok, but still don`t know where I am going from here. I`m looking forward to getting that last parcel you sent. It would really come in handy here.i

My nerves aren`t too bad now, but I think I have had enough I know I`ve seen more than I`ll ever be able to forget in a short time. I see I have my name in today`s army paper, which I am enclosing. I wish they had said more about my boys that were with me as they were real fellows and I would have done anything for them. I will never forget the part they played, poor boys.

SENDS CLIPPING

In the clipping from the paper Stan enclosed it said in part `` During the Canadian Army drive to the banks of the Rhine, the H.H. L.I. has more than lived up to the proud record of this distinguished regiment. Two epic stands against the full force of German hate, one along the Goch-Calcar Road and the second on the western fringes of Xanten will always be glowingly remembered in the annals of the Hamilton unit.

A joint British Canadian attack on Senten found the R.H.L.I. fighting forward on the expanded right flank of the combined effort in an action that Hollywood couldn`t equal, best fought by Canadian flesh and blood able company made a heroic stand throughout the long day.

Occupying two battered buildings in the midst of a farm settlement, the Canucks were besieged on all sides by the enemy who did everything they could do to eject the Hamilton intruders. Things were grim in this cluster of buildings. From farm houses 20 to 30 yards away German snipers kept up a steady stream of bullets at the Canadians. Col. Tom covered ground to recover ammunition in another building. A buried grenade effectively dealt with the Nazi defenders in this structure and the courageous pair returned with the recovered mortar and

pint bombs.

Meanwhile Cpl. Stanley Omstead of Thessalon, Ontario and his section separated from their comrades held out in trenches dominated by two 88`s at about 75 yards range, firing at them over open sights.

When the battle had cleared 15 enemy tanks lay shattered victims of the combined efforts of artillery, self propelled anti tank guns and infantry.