“At the station the boys all stood in line and after the roll was called, they were allowed to go free until the train was ready to leave and it was then that one of the most pathetic meetings took place as mothers said goodbye to sons, sisters to brothers and sweethearts to sweethearts. Many tears were shed for the boys who did, at the call of duty, respond to this call and offer their services to their country.”

One hundred years ago, that’s what people were reading on the front page of the Merritt Herald.

The story, titled Pathetic Scenes at Local Depot from the August 2, 1914 edition of the paper — which came out just weeks after Great Britain entered the First World War — described the scene at a local train station as Merritt’s young men left for the front.

Since Canada wasn’t its own country yet, Canadians were automatically thrust into the conflict that would change the course of history.
Sources such as this newspaper article can provide a window into the past as to what type of impact the First World War had on the Nicola Valley.

“As the train slowly moved away from the station, the band struck up Auld Lang Syne and until the train was far out of sight, the crowd waved their handkerchiefs and hats, cheered and sang to the many noble boys who have left their comfortable homes and surroundings to do their duty wherever or whatever it may be,” the article went on to state.

Fast forward to the centennial of the start of that infamous conflict, and there are some in the Nicola Valley who want to observe that anniversary.

The Nicola Valley Museum and Archives and Merritt library have partnered in an effort to commemorate the valley’s contribution to the First World War. Throughout the remainder of 2014 and continuing to 2015, they hope to be able to hold a series of events and projects in observance of the war’s centenary.

The First World War took the lives of 40 of the 335 men from the Nicola Valley who went overseas to fight between 1914 and 1918.
Michael Sasges from the Nicola Valley Museum and Archives is looking to write biographies on those men who died for their country. To do so, he is looking for researchers and writers to help in this project.

“The First World War was Canada’s bloodiest military conflict,” Sasges said, noting every eighth man from the Nicola Valley who went to war perished.

Other projects to observe the First World War’s 100th anniversary include having musicians or bands hold concerts featuring songs from the 1914 era and having local artists re-imagine and recreate famous battles in the form of paintings. They’d also like to see local quilters create a
memorial quilt.

“We’re looking for people to join us in commemorating the men and women who left the valley a hundred years ago to serve,” Sasges said.
He said organizers hope to do this in a way that reflects what people were like back then.

Anyone with information or looking to help can contact either the museum or the library.