Love, Louis (Helping Canadians with crops in WWI)

When Canada was fighting in the WWI, the crops needed tending. A representative came to the University of Illinois, from Winnipeg, to recruit agricultural students to help with the grain and other farming duties. They would receive $50 per month and earn college credit. They were happy to do it!
Canadian Pacific Railroad was happy to have them come as well, as they wanted people to settle in the central part of Canada.
When they got off the train in Winnipeg, in the spring of 1917, the 250 students were served a luncheon at the Cafe Royal, at the Alexandra Hotel, before they were shipped out to the the western Canadian farms. Louis was one of them.
His daughter, Ruth, thought he went to Canada to avoid fighting in the war. She thought that for 85 years! I was able to tell her of this noble cause! America entered the war soon after, and Louis was in the Army Air Corps by November of the same year, serving the country he came to 14 years earlier.

Above: 

This is Louis' Registration card for the draft in 1917. It says he was in Canada with other students for 3 months.

Pin It