Lt. Dudley A.H. Acheson, 54th CEF

[BottsGreys]

Remembering today:

Lieutenant DUDLEY ALAN HERBERT ACHESON

who died on November 5, 1916.

Age: 28

Force: Army

Regiment: Canadian Infantry (British Columbia Regiment)

Unit: 54th Bn.

Son of Mrs. Acheson, of Penticton, British Columbia, and the late Col. Herbert Acheson (Saskatchewan Light Horse), of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan.

Text of letter he wrote to a female friend written a little over 3 weeks before his death: (A good expression of how close some officers were to their men). Scans of most of these materials have been added to the photo section of Acheson's record in the Veteran's Affairs Canada Virtual War Memorial.

France

12 Oct. 1916

My dearest Lady:

It's ages since I wrote I know but I couldn't get mail away before as our Bde

hasn't settled down out of its recent peregrinations. But now I can. However, I

don't know how much I shall be able to write as I am on five-minutes notice to go up to the line. I may not go tonight at all & I may go before I finish this line, so you see it's a bit uncertain.

My platoon has gone in ahead of me unfortunately, but I think I will be with them

soon again. Only half the officers are sent in at a time on this sector & I was one

of those kept back in "B" Coy. It's rotten to have to let them go in without you but

"pigs is pigs" as the classics say, & that means here "orders is orders." But the rest of us are to go in as a carrying party, which means that we will take in ammunition I think & so I may see the boys again before there are any casualties. There are bound to be some of course, as this is the hottest part

of the line & I am told it even makes Verdun look like a holiday (tho' whether that

is to be taken with a grain of salt or not I shall be able to tell you better when I've

been in). Anyway, from where I am I can hear the guns pounding away in one continuous roar & the sky never gets dark the flash of the guns keeping it light.

That sounds pretty tall, doesn't it? Yet it's quite literally true. We are sufficiently

far back to make all the firing sound like a dying thunderstorm, but I imagine they

must be pretty glad of cotton batting in their ears up there.

I am sending mother a Can. Pictorial with a lot of ready-censored views to which

I have added my remarks. It's much better than a mere letter as most of the photos were taken right on a front that I know. The accounts in it are quite good too I think.

I don't feel in any more personal danger here than I did before, that is, as to my

life. I shall possibly be wounded, but a little trip to England will be quite welcome,

especially if some of the boys have to go too. It's remarkable how soon one gets attached to the men. I am as fond of the ones I have now as I was of my old

65th bunch.

I'm going to stop now & write one or two more letters that I owe & will write more if I find I have time then. God guard & keep you always, my beloved.

Ever your own,

Dudley

more to follow in posts below, ending in newspaper article

Below:

Lt. Dudley Alan Herbert Acheson

[BottsGreys]

54th Battalion, CEF, War Diary November 1916

Albert

1st: Battalion in billets. A few shells dropped in the town. Nothing special to report.

2nd: In billets. Orders received to take over front line on the night of the 3rd-4th November, relieving the 12th Brigade. Nothing special to report.

3rd: Advance party left at 9 a.m. to reconnoitre line. Battalion moved off at 1 p.m., Major R.D. Daviesin command, Lieut. Col. Kemball remaining behind. The following officers went into the line: Staff: Major R.D. Davies, Lieuts T.E.L. Taylor, H.B. Hicks, Napper, E.C.F. Allen, A.B. Jackson. "A" Coy--Major G. Anderson, Lieuts R.J. Hosie, H.M. Parsons. "B" Coy--Capt G.G. Hoffatt, Lieut D.A.H. Acheson, "C: Coy--Capt J.S. Gladwin, Lieuts F.M. Raphael, D. Ashby. "D" Coy--Lieuts N.L. Tooker, D.S. Rashleigh, J.L. Evans.

Relieved the 78th Canadian Infantry Battn (Lieut Col Kirkcaldy) in Regina Trench and Old Front Line. Frontage - Regina Trench from E. Miraumont Road to block at M.13.? 7.1K and Old Front Line from 10th Street to M. 14 Central. Battalion on our right --46th canadian Infantry Battn, on our left 7th Bedfords.

Disposition: "D" Coy and two platoons of "C" Coy in Regina Trench under Lieut N.L. Tooker. Relief completed by 9:40 p.m. Night passed quietly. Ground reconnoitered for new trench to run from a point on E. Miraumont Road to junction New St. and Advance Trench, also from junction 10th Street and Regina Trench to Old Front Line near M. 14 Central.

4th: Enemy artillery active during afternoon and sniping from near Block. Staking of new trench carried out by Lieut H.B. Hicks and Acheson covered by artillery fire. "A" and "B" Coys relieved "C" and "D" Coys in front line. No casualties. G.O.C. 11th Canadian Infantry Brigade inspected whole front line area accompanied by Major R.D. Davies. All available officers and O.R. moved from Transport Lines to 11th Canadian Inf Bde H.Q. at X.11.a to prepare for accomodation of Battalion.

5th: Stakes of proposed new trench checked up as much as possible but thorough inspection impossible in daytime account enemy snipers very active. Lieut Acheson, D.A.H., killed while going over proposed trench work with Lieut B.S. Todd of the 87th Canadian Inf Battn, who was also killed. Enemy artillery active in afternoon. The Battalion was relieved by the 87th Canadian Infantry Battn, relief being completed by 8 p.m. On relief Battalion proceeded to X.11.a.

Casualties: 8 off. killed, 8 O.R. wounded. Capt J.S. Gladwin and Lieut J.L. Evans admitted to hospital.

Below: Acheson (right) "takes five" with a friend named Ross.

[Andrew P]

Hi Mate

He will be remembered

A relative of mine (see signature) died at Flers on the same day.

Regards

Andrew

[BottsGreys]

Saskatoon Phoenix

November 11, 1916

DEATH OF LIEUT DUDLEY ACHESON EXTREMELY SAD

One of the saddest deaths of the war was reported yesterday when Lt.-Colonel Acheson received a telegram from Ottawa that his only son Dudley Acheson was killed in action on Sunday, November 5. Lieut. Acheson or Dudley Acheson, as he was familiarly known, enlisted for active service with the 65th Battalion, Canadian Expeditionary Force, in the spring of the present year, having qualified as a lieutenant at the school of instruction for officers held at Winnipeg, commencing with the first of the year. When the 65th Battalion arrived in England, the neccessities of war demanded that it be discontinued as a unit, but the platoon in which Mr. Acheson was serving as an officer was taken to France as a unit, a fact which gave Mr. Acheson particular pleasure. Mr. Acheson comes of a long line of fighting ancestors. His great grandfather was killed in action and his grandfather was a veteran of the Crimean War. His father, Lieut.-Col. Acheson, is the head of the well-known legal firm of Acheson, Durie and Wakeling of this City. He fought in the Riel Rebellion and in recent years was colonel of the 29th Light Horse Regiment. He is prominently spoken of as commanding officer for one of the forthcoming battalions for overseas service.

Speaking of Mr. Acheson, his late partner, Mr. Russell Hartney, said: "The deceased Lt. Acheson was a barrister by profession, having been enrolled as a barrister in Saskatchewan on June 9, 1914. I have known him since we were both boys in Souris, Manitoba. He has always been the same; of an aesthetic temprament. He was not taken with the dusty purlieus of the law and one would think that he would not have chosen soldiering as a profession. But he was heartily impressed with the justice of the cause of the Allies, and when he felt that duty caled there was only one answer, and that was "I go."

"He became much attached to the work and to the men of his platoon. Some of his friends were urging him to take up the work in the Flying Corps, but he felt that though he was attracted by it, that his duty was with his platoon, as he said that he would seem like deserting his old comrades were he to change to some other branch of the service at the present crisis.

"I have read many letters from the boys at the front and articles on the war, but never did I hear from one who seemed so absolutely fearless as he. Only last week I received a letter from him in which he stated that he was chafing under the restraint of orders to stay in the rear. He said that where the shells were bursting on his platoon was the place for him, and he meant it. His wish was to remain in the Army after the war, and he was looking forward to the day when he would know that he could make it his life work. One did not get to know Mr. Acheson easily, but when one knew him as I did, he was impressed with the fact that here

was a man who was eminently clean of character. He was extremely talented as a writer, as those who have received his letters well know. Who can tell but if he had lived he might have excelled as a poet or an artist. His was one of those extremely fine and sensitive natures which we instincively admire and respect. In their sorrow his excellen: father and his most esteemed mother and all his friends will have the satisfaction of knowing that he died a glorious death, but what may be even greater: "He lived a blameless life."

Chris

[BottsGreys]

Andrew:

Thanks for sharing--great pic. I'll raise a glass to both Dudley and Phillip today.

Chris

[Stephen Nulty]

Chris

A really interesting amd personal posting. Thanks for sharing with us.

Steve

[Broznitsky]

Good work, Chris, very interesting.

May I ask how you discovered this man?

I think each of us here begins to "collect" men, who we get to know in some fashion, yearning to know as much about them as possible . . .

Peter in Vancouver

[Terry]

Great and tragic story, one of so many in the conflict. Outstanding photos as well.

[Canadawwi]

Botts (Chris):

What a wonderful job you have done researching this man! The letters and pictures are very moving.

Broz - I feel the same - like I've adopted some of the men.