Top 10 Historical Events in Albert County in Review - #7 The Birthplace and Hometown of Canada's 11th Prime Minister RB Bennett

The Seventh Top 10 Historical Event in Albert County was the birth of our 11th Prime Minster RB Bennett. Who just happens to be on our list of the Most Historical People in Albert County, so be sure to take the time to vote for the 10 Most Historical People of Albert County . Vote Here. Now the seventh event in the Top Ten Historical Events in Albert County History 

1. First European Settlers in 1699. 

2. The Acadian Expulsion in 1755. Ending 57 years of Acadian colonies in Albert County, this includes the Battle of Petitcodiac, September 4, 1755. 

3. Arrival of the Steeves family in 1766. 

4. The founding of the county 1845. 

5. Development of Commercially Viable Kerosene from Albertite by geologist Abraham Gesner in 1846 which led directly to the petroleum age and the modern world and indirectly to saving all the whales. Thanks Albert County! 

6. The Saxby Gale of 1869, which brought untold destruction of property and the loss of a number of lives. 

7. The Birthplace and Hometown of Canada's 11th Prime Minister RB Bennett (b1870), who founded the Bank of Canada, the CBC and numerous other important Canadian Institutions. 

   RICHARD BEDFORD BENNETT (1870-1947)

   was Canada’s eleventh Prime Minister and leader of the Conservative government from August 7th, 1930 to October 23rd, 1935, a period of tribulation that encompassed the worst years of the Great Depression.

   Born on July 3rd, 1870 to Henrietta Stiles and Henry Bennett, a ship-building family, R. B. Bennett grew up in Hopewell Cape.  His early education was rudimentary, but his mother instructed him in the classics.  After teaching school for a few years, Bennett graduated from Dalhousie University in 1893 and practiced law in Chatham, New Brunswick for four years before moving to Calgary in what was then the Northwest Territories. 

   He served as Member of the Assembly of the Territories for six years before being elected MLA and Leader of the Opposition (1909-1911) in the new Alberta Legislature.   He was president of the Calgary Power Company (1910-1920) and legal counsel for the Canadian Pacific Railway for many years.   Bennett entered national politics and represented the constituency of Calgary East from 1911 to 1917, then Calgary West from 1925 to 1939.

   R. B. Bennett held many portfolios during his years in government including: Director-General of National Service (1914-1917); Minister of Justice and Attorney General (1921); Minister Without Portfolio (1926); Minister of Finance (1926); Receiver General (1926, 1930-1932); Minister of Mines and Interior and Superintendent of Indian Affairs (1926); Secretary of State for External Affairs and President of the Privy Council (1930-1935).  In 1927 he was elected leader of the Conservative Party.  Bennett was an excellent parliamentarian and debater who strengthened his party leading up to the election of 1930.

   PRIME MINISTER 

   Elected Prime Minister of Canada in 1930 with a strong majority, Bennett campaigned on a platform to provide progressive action to deal with the serious economic situation that would become known as The Great Depression.  As the global economic depression continued to worsen, voters turned to governments for security that the economy could not provide.  Traditional government measures which Bennett advocated, such as supporting the dollar and maintaining tariffs for dealing with deflation and unemployment, proved to be ineffective.  Later, the new federal social welfare measures he introduced, such as early unemployment insurance and public work programs, called the “Bennett New Deal”, showed some early results during the last six months of his term, although they shocked many of his Conservative colleagues at the time.  As the Depression continued amid declining provincial revenues that approached bankruptcy, especially in the West, the federal government had to contribute more to relief costs, further limiting Bennett’s programs through loss of government credit and revenues.  As a result, Bennett faced isolation and major dissent across the country and even within his own party.  The blame and responsibility for The Great Depression was attributed to Bennett personally with the Conservatives losing the election of 1935.

   While Prime Minister of Canada R. B. Bennett created many progressive programs.  He passed the Relief Act (1932); created the Canadian Broadcasting Commission (forerunner of the CBC); the central Bank of Canada (1935); and the Canadian Wheat Board (1935).  In addition, Bennett signed the Statute of Westminster making the Canadian Parliament fully independent in its decisions.

   VISCOUNT BENNETT

    After suffering political and personal family losses, feeling no longer wanted as their Prime Minister by the people of Canada, and betrayed by his own Party, Bennett reconsidered a suggestion made to him in earlier years by his old friend Max Aitken (Lord Beaverbrook) and moved to England to live and continue his law practice.  In 1941 R. B. Bennett was made Viscount (of Mickleham, Calgary and Hopewell) and joined the House of Lords.  His health gradually deteriorated until his death at home in Mickelham in 1947.  He was buried there in the ancient churchyard; the only Prime Minister not interred in Canada.  Noted for his strong personality, decisiveness, and dedication to Canada, Bennett was personally generous with his acquired wealth during his lifetime and, by the direction of his estate, remains a benefactor to Canadians.

8. The Tom Collins Axe Murder Triple Trial which directly lead to Canada's Double Jeopardy laws. Double Jeopardy is a procedural defence that forbids a defendant from being tried again on the same (or similar) charges following a legitimate acquittal or conviction.

9. Winning the Victory Loans Competition of 1919 by raising a greater percentage over their set goal than anywhere else in the Province. The county raised $347600.00 with a goal of $110000.00. That's triple the amount! (in today's dollars that is $6.2 million!).

10. Founding of Fundy National Park in 1948.

A Window on the Great War - A Christmas Letter from the Trenches, December 20, 1915 Belgium

One Hundred years ago today (Dec 20, 2015), Hugh C. Wright from Shepody, Albert County, NB was busy fighting with the 26th New Brunswick battalion in trenches of Belgium. He was only 20 years old at the time. This was one of his letters home and was written December 20, 1915.  

A note on the Author - Hugh Carlisle Wright, from Hopewell,(Shepody), Albert County, NB, enlisted in the 26th Battalion on November 17, 1914. He was 19 years of age. He was in A Company, No. 1 Platoon while training in Saint John. He served in the 26th Battalion, 5th Infantry Brigade in Belgium and France and spent 17 months in the trenches. In February 1917, he transferred to the 4th Siege Battery, 2nd Brigade CGA and was a gunner for the remainder of the war. He was discharged in May 10, 1919...on his birthday!

Hugh's letters are addressed … “Dear Father” because his mother died when he was only 7 years old. Harvey and Clarke were Hugh's older brothers. His brother Clarke enlisted in October 1915, arriving in England with CEF April 1916. Harvey didn't enlist but stayed home to run the family farm in Shepody. 

With many thanks to Hugh Wright's great niece, Dawne McLean who kindly submitted the letter.

“Belgium
Dec 20, 1915

My Dear Father,

I received your letter of Dec. 5th to day and was glad to get it. I have got the moccasins and the stuff alright. I had the moccasins on this last time in the trenches and I didn’t have to put on a pair of hip boots all the time we were in as I never was over the tops of these. They are fine.
I shall be on the look out for the parcel from Gordon. I had a letter from Uncle Silas while we were up in the trenches and he said that Mrs. Cook and he were sending me a large parcel, so with all the others I hear that are coming I will not do too bad. I saw a list of stuff that is in the boxes for us from home and it sounds good so I am anxiously waiting for them.
I don’t need hip rubber boots as we have them when in the trenches.

Uncle Silas said in his letter that Blair had enlisted and I think it will be the best thing for him as a good rough life is just what he needs. I haven’t seen many that have failed on it in this Batt.
I hope Clarke doesn’t get away before Xmas as he will enjoy it better home.

Our Company will be in as usual just back of the front line on Xmas Day. We go in there on Xmas Eve (some different place to go on Xmas eve than I had last year), but we will make the best of it wherever we are.

I haven’t had a letter from Clarke for some time. I was expecting one from him today but none came. You ought to get my pay alright as I fixed it up with the paymaster some time ago.

It would be a nice thing if the three counties could raise a Batt. I must write to Mrs. Carnwarth just as soon as I get time. I sent her a Xmas Card some time ago. I don’t know of anything I can send here for they don’t have anything over here any good. I have some good pieces of aluminum off the nose of shells, but it is hard to send anything like that home.

There has been terrible artillery fire for these last two days and it is still at it tonight. The report is here that the Germans tried the gas but the wind changed and it went back at themselves.
I think there is something going to happen pretty soon and the sooner the better and get this thing over as soon as possible.

Well, I must close and get ready to go out on fatigue tonight.

I just got a nice big parcel from Uncle Silas tonight with some cake, cookies and chocolate. It was a dandy box. Walter Danahy and Stevens were here so I gave them some and will give Silas some in the morning.

Good night, Hugh

(letter cont’d next day)

I received a nice parcel from Aunt Berta last night so I have plenty to eat for a few days anyway.
This writing paper is a little tablet that we got in a little book with envelopes in it - a present from the women of Canada.

This is all for this time.
Hugh
”

Hugh was one of the hundreds of Albert County men who volunteered for the Canadian Expeditionary Force (CEF), the majority joining the New Brunswick 26th Battalion. It was because of their sacrifices that Albert County was awarded the 77mm field cannon which sits in the square in Hopewell Cape. The museum is in process of restoring this cannon to help preserve their stories.  If you have not done so, please donate to the Victory Cannon Campaign. You can donate online here. 

The HOPEWELL HILL HERO - Albert County's Victoria Cross Winner

Victoria Cross Background:

The Victoria Cross (VC), instituted in 1856 by Queen Victoria, is the Commonwealth’s highest military decoration for valour. It is awarded in recognition of the most exceptional bravery displayed in the presence of the enemy, although in rare instances the decoration has been given to mark other courageous acts.

Since its inception during the Crimean War, the VC has been awarded 1,356 times, 300 of them posthumously. Depending on which of a variety of sources is cited and on the selection criteria applied, somewhere between 94 and 98 Victoria Crosses have been awarded to Canadians or to others serving with the Canadian Forces. A distinctly Canadian version of the medal was introduced in 1993. To date no one has been awarded the Canadian medal.

LCol Cyrus Wesley Peck:

Cyrus Wesley Peck was born in Hopewell Hill, New Brunswick, on April 26, 1871, and was educated at Hopewell Hill Superior School. In June 1887, at the age of 16, he and his family moved to New Westminster, British Columbia, then later to Skeena, BC.

As a young man, he pioneered in the Klondike, and set himself up as a broker in salmon canning, sawmills and towing operations. He was also an elected Unionist Member of Parliament for the Skeena riding. As a member of the militia, Peck was given a captain's commission and attached to the 30th Battalion, with which he sailed to England. In April 1915, he was promoted to major and later transferred to the 16th Battalion, Canadian Scottish. He was wounded in both legs during fighting around the town of Festubert, France, May 21, 1915. In January 1916, he was given command of the regiment.

In addition to the Victoria Cross, he was awarded the Distinguished Service Order (DSO) twice and Mentioned in Dispatches five times. In 1917, while he was overseas, he was elected to the House of Commons as the Member of Parliament for Skeena in British Columbia.

VC Citation: Lieutenant-Colonel Peck was awarded the Victoria Cross for his courageous leadership on September 2, 1918, during the fighting for the Drocourt-Quéant Line, near Cagnicourt in France.

“For most conspicuous bravery and skilful leading when in attack under intense fire. His command quickly captured the first objective, but progress to the further objective was held up by enemy machine-gun fire on his right flank. The situation being critical in the extreme, Colonel Peck pushed forward and made a personal reconnaissance under heavy machine-gun and sniping fire, across a stretch of ground which was heavily swept by fire. Having reconnoitred the position he returned, reorganised his battalion, and, acting upon the knowledge personally gained, pushed them forward and arranged to protect his flanks. He then went out under the most intense artillery and machine gun fire, intercepted the Tanks, gave them the necessary directions, pointing out where they were to make for, and thus pave the way for a Canadian Infantry battalion to push forward. To this battalion he subsequently gave requisite support. His magnificent display of courage and fine qualities of leadership enabled the advance to be continued, although always under heavy artillery and machine-gun fire, and contributed largely to the success of the brigade attack.”

The London Gazette, November 15, 1918

Post War: At the end of the war, Peck returned home to Skeena, and reclaimed his seat in the House of Commons, being active in veterans' rights issues. In 1924, he became a Legislative Member for British Columbia. He later acted as aide-decamp for two of Canada's Governors General. Peck died in Sydney, British Columbia on September 27, 1956.

Gravesite: He is buried in the New Westminster Crematorium in Vancouver, BC.

Medal Location: His Victoria Cross is held at the Canadian War Museum in Ottawa, Ontario.

Post Script: As the Canadian Corps moved against the Drocourt-Quéant defensive line from 1 to 4 September 1918, six other VCs were awarded to Canadians in addition to that of Lieutenant-Colonel Peck. They were Captain Bellenden Seymour Hutcheson, Sergeant Arthur George Knight, Lance- Corporal William Henry Metcalf and Privates Claude Joseph Patrick Nunney, Walter Leigh Rayfield and John Francis Young.

Peck is reputedly the only Member of Parliament in the British Empire/Commonwealth to have been awarded the Victoria Cross while in office.  

This Article was taken Verbatim from Fact Sheet # 67 Published by: The Friends of the Canadian War Museum and was written by Captain (N) (Ret’d) M. Braham, CD. The original article can be found here. 

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