Rank: LT Reference: RG 150, Accession 1992-93/166, Box 3376 – 15
Lieut. Gallaugher’s home was in Omemee near Peterborough, Ontario, where his widowed mother and sister were still living while he worked in Chatham. He had a brother Hiram who was married and working for the Post Office Inspectors staff in North Bay. Lieut. Gallaugher came to Chatham in October of 1913 and was attached with the Canadian Bank of Commerce. Chatham Daily Planet 22/03/1915. He was also a member of Christ Church in Chatham, ON.
In a letter from Gallauger to J. A. McNevi of Chatham published in the Chatham Planet 24/09/1914, writing from Valcartier, Gallaugher wrote, “ I happen to be one of the lucky officers. In fact we three, Capt. Smith, Lieut. Douglas and myself have been chosen to go with the first contingent to the front.”
GALLAUGHER, WILLIAM NELSON Initials: W N Nationality: Canadian Rank: Lieutenant Regiment: Canadian Infantry (Western Ontario Regt.) Unit Text: 1st Bn. Age: 27. KIA, Date of Death: 26/03/1915 Additional information: Son of Susan Galaugher, of Omemee, Ontario, and the late Alexander Galaugher. Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead Grave/Memorial Reference: J. 24. Cemetery: Y FARM MILITARY CEMETERY, BOIS-GRENIER. CWG
“Lieut. Gallaugher of Chatham, Ont., met his death in the trenches. Gallaugher was shot through the head and instantly killed when he looked above the parapet to see what was going on where the Germans were entrenched.” Chatham Daily Planet 27/03/1915. A memorial service was conducted at Christ Church, Chatham, ON., conducted by Rev. Canon Howard. Lt. Gallaugher was a member of the church.
Fred Sheff, mentions the death of Lieut. Gallaugher in a letter to his sister in the Chatham Daily Planet 8/05/1915. The letter dated “France, April 15, 1915” reports that, “The boys felt sorry when they heard the news.” “He was talking to one of the machine gun men when he was killed, so we heard. When he was killed he happened to look over the parapet when a bullet struck him in the head, killing him instantly.”
In a letter to Lieut.- Col. H. D. Smith from Major George Smith, Academy Lodge Dug Out HQ, “S” Company, printed in the Chatham Planet 7/04/1915. According to Major Smith, “Poor Gallaugher has passed out. He was inspecting posts at the front this morning early. A flare went up, and a cursed sniper got him through the head, and he died immediately.” He had been transferred from Major Smith’s command to No. 3, “ I had an overflow of officers and it was a case of go to another company or back to base.
Lieut. Gallaugher had been with Smith for some time and it was evident that the Major was saddened by his death, prophetically the Major goes on to say “This game is not for sympathetic people. We must save that for afterwards if there is to be any after for us”. LATER – Smith returns to the letter and writes, “We all went down last night and buried Gallaugher. He is buried about 1,600 yards behind the firing line
Battle hardened soldiers can still be moved by the loss of a comrade, Major Smith was no exception. “The moon was shining brightly and we all stood beside the open grave with the body lying beside it. All was quiet when a bullet went singing overhead, a chap fifty yards away not knowing what was going, whistled “Home Sweet Home”. “It was a sad affair. The boys from Chatham feel it. Some of them went down today and put flowers on his grave. J. Murdock who was his orderly is badly cut up about it. Both Major Smith and John Murdock would soon fall in action.
In another letter, this time from Capt. George Musson M.D., First Canadian Division, No. 2 Field Ambulance Corp, B.E.F., France, 22 March, 1915 writing to Alex Gregory of Chatham on the death of Lieut. Gallagher. Capt. Musson also a Chatham man knew Lieut. Gallagher from his time with XVI Field Ambulance which was attached to the 24th Kent Regiment, his letter appeared in the Chatham Daily Planet 17/04/1915.
“Lieut. Gallaugher was instantly killed about 8:30 Saturday morning, 20 March. He was in the trenches, and unfortunately exposed his head for a moment. It was long enough for a sniper to get him. He was evidently stooping at the time, too, as the bullet struck him on the crown of the head.” Capt. Musson goes on to say, “I was shocked when I heard of his death, as it was just a week ago that he and major Smith had tea with me at the table here where I am now writing. We three Chatham fellows spent an evening together for the first time since we left Canada.” How it sounds like such a normal thing, when at the same time, bullets and shells are reeking such carnage.
Lieut. Glen Napier Gordon of Stratford, the brother of Mrs. Watson who owned the Classic Theatre in Chatham, then serving with the 1st Contingent C.E.F., writing to his parents Mr. and Mrs. William Gordon adds more insight into Lieut. Gallaughers’ death. “I am back with old Number 4, the banner company of the Battalion – My platoon is 13 and is composed chiefly of Chatham men”. The ‘Nominal Roll’ of D-Company 13 Platoon for 17/ 02/1915 was 56 men
Lieut. Gordon goes on to describe the location that D-Company / 13 Platoon finds itself in, “ We are in our billets just a mile from the long line of trench and redoubts. This farm house has never been shelled. One of its inmates has been under surveillance for espionage.” Gordon had been elected president of No. 4 mess and as such, “This evening the “C.O.” (Major George Smith) is to be our guest at “dinner” after his recovery from influenza at Boulonge”. Even so close to the battle front there is opportunity to socialize.
He adds more to Lieut. Gallaugher story, “he was next junior to me in the battalion”. “By the press dispatches you have seen our casualty lists. Lieut, Bill Gallaugher was killed instantly the other morning. He was a fine fellow over six foot tall and was an accountant at the Bank of Commerce in Chatham.”
Gordon attended the burial and describes much the same scene as Major Smith’s account, “few bullets whistled past our ears and occasional a German flare would light up the scene – It was very impressive and reminded me of the poem written on the burial of Sir John More at Corunna.*
“NOT a drum was heard, not a funeral note,
As his course to the rampart we hurried;
Not a soldier discharged his farewell shot
O’er the grave where our hero we buried.
We buried him darkly at dead of night,
The sods with our bayonets turning,
By the struggling moonbeam’s turning
And the lantern dimly burning.
[ the first to stanzas of the poem]
Not a word was spoken save the brief service of the brigade chaplain (Major Beatty). Some ‘Tommy’ could be heard chanting “Home Sweet Home” down in the trenches not knowing that that moment one of our finest officers was being laid to rest. Gallaugher’s batman was terribly cut up sobbing like a child at the foot of the grave, beside a score of other of our regiment, with their wooden crosses marked “CANADA”. There can be few things more moving than the ceremony of men laying one of their comrades to rest near a field of battle.
The body of Lieut. Gallaugher was respectfully buried 1600 yards from the front lines in Belgium when four days later on Wednesday the 31st of March at the Anglican Church in the small town of Omemee. He was very popular in his hometown, “as he also was in the Maple City, and his friends in all parts of the province where he was known honor his memory as one of the real heroes of the hour”. Chatham Daily Planet 3/04/1915.
Likewise the town of Chatham, where he had lived but a short time, also held a memorial from Christ Church, officiated by Rev. Cannon Howard, the Chaplain of the 24th Regiment. The service held at noon on the 23rd of March the service was well attended by officers and men of the 24th Regt., the City Council, as well as, business and professionals’ people and others who knew the popular young man. Chatham Daily Planet 22 & 23/03/1915.
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