Frank Swannell Diaries: Part I
Diaries of Frank Cyril Swannell Learn more.
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BC Archives MS-0392 - Box 1, Volume 4-5
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This meeting Grestlock incuplicable. He had only been two weeks on the survey in 1901 & I had never heard of him again. The 5th hearing the Strathconas were coming out from the deep communication Trench facing me it suddenly flashed into my mind, "Wasn't Grestlock, in 1901 with the Strathconas in the S.A. war [wondered?] if he joined them this war.
I stopped the first Strathcona to appear, and asked "Have you by any chance a man named Grestlock among you." He answered "I am Grestlock". Yet his name occurred to me before I could possibly have seen him as the Trench was 8 feet deep
(large picture of a man) words on the picture: killed Feb 1917 Corporal on Sept 8/15
LIEUT. HOWARD GRESTLOCK News of whose death in action while serving with the Strathcona Horse was received here yesterday. He was well known in Victoria, although he has no relatives here, and also in the North, having gone all the way from Dawson to Ottawa to join the forces at the beginning of war. A typical soldier of fortune, he served through the South African war, and was the outbreak of the present struggle. He left Canada with the first contingent as all the important engagements since, at Givenchy, at St. Eloi and later at the Somme. He rose from the ranks of a lieutenancy on his personal merit. On February 4 he was reported missing and a cable to the effect that he was killed reached Ottawa on Friday.