The Collection
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The Last Moments of The Doomed Battleshippublication Image from Nelson's Portfolio of War Pictures: No 4: "This is certainly the most remarkable battle scene ever photographed. It represents the Blucher in the act of going down down. At the moment when the photograph was taken the 'sauve qui peut' was sounded. The bow of the sinking ship is to the right of the spectator. She turned over with a slow even movement, and when she was upside down floated for ten minutes." Click to view… |
62nd Field Battery & Ammunition Column of the 15th Artillary Brigadephotograph From the Elsie Allan fonds. Click to view… |
The Camosun, editorial, 1917, page 1publication Editorial from the December 1917 Victoria High School publication The Camosun: "The time again is drawing near when Christmas, symbolical of good cheer and happiness, will be celelbrated. Contrary to our hopes it will not witness peace, but at least, it may serve as a forerunner of that satate ..." Click to view… |
The Victoria Times, "Left with 11th C. M. R."publication From the Victoria Times newspaper: Son of Mr. and Mrs. F.H. Wills, 1002 Caledonia avenue, left here with the 11th C.M.R., recently ... He joined the 11th Battalion last March. His brothe, Archie Wills, formerly marine reporter on the Times, went away with the 62nd Battery, C.F.A. Click to view… |
The Daily Times,"Honor Roll Features Vic High Alumni," May 6, 1978publication Article by Elizabeth Forbes in The Daily Times: So many young men who left Victoria with the 15th Brigade on Sunday May 28th 1916 (after encamping on Macauley Plains [Esquimalt BC]) were - or had been - Victoria High School students. In some instances there were two or more from a family - Percy and Archie Wills, Jimmy and Claude Pottinger, Edgar and Victor Fawcett to name a few - and practically everyone on the brigade list was well known in the city. Click to view… |
The Victoria Times, "Mr. Archie Wills Joins 5th Regiment"publication From the Victoria Times newspaper: Mr. Archie Wills, for the last five years marine editor of the Victoria Times, resigned his office yesterday to join the 5th Regiment. He commences his military duties next Tuesday, and has made application for addimission to the next overseas draft ... Click to view… |
discharge certificategovernment document Official discharge certificate, Archie Wills fonds: This is to certify that No. 1260347 (Rank) Sgt. Henry Archibald Wills enlisted with the 5th Regiment C.G.A. 62nd Batty.15th B.D.E.,C.F.A. Canadian Expeditionary Force at Victoria BC 13th day of April 1916. He served in France with the 14th B.D.E. C.F.A. and is now discharged from the service by reason of DEMOBILIZATION. Click to view… |
The Ypres Salientpoem From the Archie Wills fonds, The Ypes Salient by R.N. Clements, M.C.: ...In that sea of mud you can feel your blood go cold as you shake with fright / And among the dead you raise your head to stand to your post to fight / So few survive and are still alive / when at last relief breaks through / And the press reports all quiet / as they bury the lads they knew ... Click to view… |
Canadian Soldiers in uniform at Fort Macauley, 1916photograph Canadian soldiers pose for a photogrpaph in full uniform at Fort Macauley training camp, Esquimalt BC, 1916, from the Archie Wills fonds. Unable to join an aerial corps (he had a life-long interest in aviation), Archie joined the 58th Battery, Canadian Forces Artillery. He trained at Fort MacAulay, Petawawa, and Witley (England) and then saw sixteen months of action in France. Click to view… |