Son of Fred and Camille Bourdeau of Tilbury. A single stock cutter living at 41 Madison Rd., Ford City, Essex Co., ON. MSA 419254 AR. Attestation: 4/01/1918 at London, ON. to 1^st WOR., served in France with the 47^th Bn., TADHS, RCL Br. 206 Tilbury, .

Letter from the Front:

To his parents Fred and Camille Bourdeau and reprinted in the Tilbury Times 12/12/18.

France, Sept. 11, 1918

 Dear Father and Mother:

  Just a few lines to let you knowthat I am quite well and that my letter will find you the same. It has been a long letter so I will attempt to do this time. You have no doubt read the papers the accoubt of the battles in near Amiens about a month ago. It is marvelous how a change of command will change things. Before General Foch became general-in-chief, we practically knew a week before hand when we would be moving from one sector to another, but this last move was certainly a secret, for with the exception od the officers there was none who knew where we’re going until we arrived at the station where we were told to get off the train. When we did this we knew we were near Amiens. We met some fellows that belonged to one of France’s best arm,y corps and they were all very nice fellows. After we started advancing it was a great site to see the prisioners coming into our lines. The shock was such a surprise to them that they all seemed dazed and lost. I will tell youwhat one said to me that could speak very good French, when I asked him he thought of the Canadians. He was a wireless operatorand was working with a battery of artillery about 4 ½  miles behind the lines, and he said about 4:30 they were standing around the guns when our artillery started firing and they thought that it was the usual morning bombardment, but then we kept it up for awhile it grew heavier, so they decided to go to some dugouts about one hundred yards from the guns, their cook remained upstairs to get their breakfast. They stayed in the dugout until about 10 o’clock in the morning when they heard bombs exploding and rifle and machine gun fire, so they decided to go upstairs and see what was wrong and also get their breakfast. But, he said, when they go to the top of the stairs, instead of getting his breakfast, they met some Canadians with bayonets in their hands, who had already eaten their breakfast and they were then taken prisioners. He said that as soon as he saw it was Canadians he decided not to fight at all for he had heard what the Canadians werer, and that the Canadians were so dreaded that when we were giving battle they think it is the best policy to surrender at once. Well I suppose you are getting tired reading so I will now close.

   Your loving son,

       Joseph

  Note: The Battle of Amiens went from 8 to 11 August, 1918.

German Quarter Master General Ludendorph admitted this battle was “The blackest days of the German Army”. They suffered 75,000 casualties and 5,033 wher taken as POW’s. The Canadian Exped-

Itonary Force lost 1,055 dead, 2,803 wounded and 26 taken as POW’s.  JRH.    

 The Tilbury Times, Thursday

20 March, 1919.

Two Tilbury Soldiers Return. 

   “ The full duration of the warexcept for the first six days is the record of Pte. Jos. Bourdeau, son of Fred Bourdeau, who returned home from France last Thursday. He is twenty-three years of age. He signed up in Windsor in August, 1914. At Valcartier he joined the Royal Canadian Regiment and went with them to Bermuda. After 11 months service there, they were sent to England, landing in September 1915. Two month later his active service career began when the armistice was signed, he had only suffered one wound and that a slight one. He attributed his escape he says to a lucky card an ace of spades — picked up one dark night in the front line — his first night there — when the enemy’s shells were bursting. The regiment to which he was attached throughout the war was reduced to the forty four of the originals when the armistice was signed. Pte Bourdeau is an enthusiastic champion of the Y.M.C.A. At the end of a “scrap” or in any other emergency th “Y” was always on hand with a needed hot drink or lunch and the pleasures furnished by their free entertainment was beyond estimating. He was present at the capture of Mons, the final war incident and he says his division lost only eight men and that the term “slaughter” does not apply to the battle of Mons.”

[The second man returned to Tilbury was Wilfred Cowan.]

Joseph married Agnes (nee Hickey) and adopted their daughter Eileen (Thibodeau) and a son Alfred. They lived at 157 Queen st., Tilbury the same house he was born in. He farmed in both Tilbury North and East. “He will be remembered by many who as children were taken in and raised by he an Agnes.  Joseph passed away 4 January, 1959 and was buried at St. Francis Cemetery, Tilbury.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Sources

Royal Canadian Legion Br. 206 - Tilbury - List of Veterans, RG 150, Accession 1992-93/166, Box 929 – 51, TT (8/01/1959 Obit.)

Birthplace

07/10/1895 at Tilbury, ON.

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