Life cut short

Canniff Foster remembered

She was by accounts the most beautiful girl in Hillier Township. So Canniff Foster was as surprised as anyone when Helen Gilbert agreed to marry him. Canniff was a rugged young man, classically handsome and eager for adventure. Helen was the Hillier schoolteacher.

It was 1917 and the war to end all wars was raging in Europe. Canniff, his twin brothers Sherman and Norman, and closest buddy Roy Thomson had already signed up.

Canniff Foster and Roy Thompson in uniform. Roy returned home from war wounded. Canniff never came home.

Helen’s parents agreed to the marriage—but insisted that the newlywed couple promise that no children would be produced from the marriage until Canniff returned home again. This story, however, doesn’t have a happy ending.

In April the following year, Helen received a cable that delivered the news that her young husband, just 22 years of age, was dead. Canniff had died in a trench in France—in the middle of the night. He had just relieved his buddy Roy Thompson when the enemy began shelling his post. The fatal shell land just a few feet away. Canniff died instantly.

Norman and Sherman learned of the fate of their brother later in the morning.

It was left to Norman, likely with some assistance from the chaplain, to explain the circumstances of his death to their parents Miriam and W.A. Foster.

Much effort is taken in the letter to assure their grieving mother that Canniff’s final resting place was peaceful, respectable and undisturbed. Surprisingly the twins offer no indication of their own welfare or state of mind in the letter. This leads his heirs to believe the chaplain had a significant hand in its writing.

Sherman and Norman Foster survived the war, as did Roy Thompson—though he was wounded. Sherman battled the flu at the end of the war—the pandemic that killed millions. He spent several months recuperating in hospital in England before making it home.

Miriam Foster examines a photograph of her boys with her husband W.A. by her side in this undated photo.

Sherman was awarded the distinguished conduct medal, one of the army’s highest honours. This earned him the right to be presented his medal by the King at Buckingham Palace. But Sherman turned down the pomp and ceremony to get home sooner to Hillier instead. He would eventually be presented his medal by the Prince of Wales in a ceremony in Kingston. Sherman bought the family farm on Cold Creek Road— now home to his daughter Ruth Crawford. Norman settled two farms away. Sherman and Norman each raised four children. Together they produced “lots of grandchildren.”

Canniff, however, was never forgotten. His story is told over and over again across generations, particularly this time of year. A young descendant now bears tribute to his name. Young Canniff Foster is the great-grandson of Sherman Foster.

Mabel Lloyd, now deceased, used to tell the story of her teacher and the soldier, and how she come to name her two dolls Helen and Canniff. She remembered the widespread feeling of devastation and loss in the community on the news of Canniff’s death. Even very young children were affected by the pain of war.

Helen eventually married again and moved away from the area. Life had to move on but in her heart she never forgot her first true love.

Story details and photographs courtesy of Ruth Crawford.