Private Felix Bourdeau left London for overseas May 25th, 1916, and was drafted for France November 1916, attached to the 4th. C.M.R. which Battalion he joined at Albert on the Somme. when his Battalion left for Canada he was in Bramshott Camp Hospital with the flu.

Letter from the front:- To the IODE-Tilbury

Somewhere in France,

9 March, 1917.

Dear Ladies,

   Received your most welcome parcel of January 11 last nigt and also a pair of gloves in a separate parcel about a week ago. I beg to thank you most sincereky for same.

   We are out of the trenches for a rest these days and we are well treated by the French people. The do all in their power for our comfort, and I can assure you that their hospitality is appreciated after four months of trench life. Perhaps it would interest the ladies if I tried to explain “two hours of duty in the trenches to them thus:

   There are always two a post, one looks over the parapet while the other halts everyone who passes up and down the trench. “Say mate have you rifle oil? My rifle bolt is working stiff”

   “No, L – L- Look out here come a trench mortar”. — BANG!!! “Gee that was close— sput – sput! (German sniper). “Halt ! who goes there”  “Pass friend all is well.”(Rifle grenade) Bang! Bang!, Bang ! “Are you hit mate?” “No just a piece of shrapnel stuck in my tin hat” (machine gun)rat-a-tat-tat. “Halt, —pass friend” Bang – sput sput sput — Bang! Bang! Bang!. “Halt — All is well, Sir” — “N Sir, Nothing doing” “This has been a quite night so far Sir”— rat-a-tat-tat – sput- sput. “What time is it mate?” “Wait until Fritzie send up a flare and I can see” — sput sput — “it is 1:10 a.m. and our relief has not come yet.” Bang! Bang! Bang! “Halt who come there?” — “Relief.”  “We thought you fellows had forgotten us.” — BANG !!! “Nothing doingmuch boys; things are quite tonight. He is not sending up many flares so keep a sharp look-out”. Rat-a-tat-tat – sput – bang and thus the night goes in rain or shine; warm or cold.

       This is a very poor explanation, but it will give you some idea of war. I am very poor at describing things on paper, but some day I hope to give you a verbal description of all things I have seen. Thanking you again , and old Tilbury Boy.  TT 5/04/17.

Discharged May 16th, 1919 due to demobilisation.

From the obituary for Philias ‘Felix’ BORDEAU.

Felix died at Westminister Hospital, London, ON. 19/07/79 where he had been a patient since 1972. After the war he operated a grocery store in Tilbury, then worked at Canadian top & Body Corp and finally Chatco Steele Co. where he worked until he retired.

His brother Monseigneur William Bordeau of Bayfield conducted the funeral mass. His other siblings included Alice (Ouellette), Rose Ann (Sister Marie Taraise), Nolas, Alphonse, Alfred, Anthony and Edgar. Internment at St. Francis Cemetery, Tilbury.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Sources

IODE, Chatham Daily News (16-05-1919), Tilbury Story - Community History, Tilbury Times (25/07/79)

Height	5' 5"
Eye Colour	Brown
Age	25
Complexion	Dark
Hair	Black
Race	White
Birthplace	Tilbury, Ontario
Religion	Catholic
Last Place of Employment	Grocery Department of J.S. Richardson Company.
Average Earnings	$12.00 per week
Marital Status	Single
When Enlisted	February 9th, 1916
Where Enlisted	Tilbury, Ontario
Next of Kin	Mother- Mrs. Margaret Boudeau, Tilbury, Ontario.

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