Bull / Smeed Bull (W.E. Bull)
Lieut. W.E. Bull, Sci. '15: a fellow McGill man in the Canadian Engineers, also called "Smeed Bull" in the diary (see March 1, 1916 and June 24, 1917). Wounded (shot through the thigh) in early 1916, and part of the same January 3, 1916 Channel crossing to France as Robertson, Pope, and Cassels. Also part of the mess at Shorncliffe in 1915, per an October 1915 McGill Daily letter. Visited at the 6th Field Company in June 1917, where Robertson notes he "isn't quite so lively as he used to be" and doubts he'll "stick the winter." A different, separate officer is also nicknamed "Bull" through much of 1917: see Boswell. Two 1918 letters mention a close friend and travel companion, "my pal, Bull" (born and raised in Winnipeg); it isn't confirmed which of the two this refers to, so both mentions are left unlinked. Also spelled "Smee" once, in February 1918, when Robertson meets up with him in Paris on leave.
Appears in the diary · 11 entries
1916
- 3 January 1916… w pretty hard to be left behind. My holdall split before it was on the boat. Fairly rough crossing. Pope, Bull & Cassels casualties. I was foolish + wouldn’t. - Arr’d Boulogne about 1. - Put up at the …
- 1 March 1916Fair. - Too lazy to go up the line. - Wrote letters & visited 2nd Army Troops Co’y - Smeed Bull shot thro’ thigh - Taking R. Calvin’s place - R.E. (1) Major. - 59th Div. visiting us for …
1917
- 24 June 1917… rring. – Stitt dropped in this aft. - Got back yesterday. Went over to the 6th F.C. about tea time to see Smeed Bull. Stayed to dinner & had a couple of sets of tennis. – Bull isn't quite so lively as he us …
1918
- 24 January 1918Dull. Smeed Bull came down to lunch. Went over to 3rd A.T. Coy to tea & then up to CAMBLAIN to see the “Bo …
- 28 January 1918Fine. Maj. Lindsay (I Div Am. Pk) came down to lunch. Went for a walk out around ACQ this aft. – Bull was in for a while. – Will be going on leave soon. Capt. Robertson (Ike) was in to tea. – …
- 4 February 1918… d over to 3rd A.T. to see McCuaig & have tea. – He seems to think Nice is well worth a visit. – Must poke Bull up about it. Brought Simpson, Ewart & King (7th F.C.) back to dinner. (Cooper says “Napoo …
- 5 February 1918Fair. Rode up to Fort George to see Bull this aft. – He is ready to go on leave at any time so we shall put in right away. – Phone …
- 6 February 1918… club and had lunch with him. – Tells me Bunty died very suddenly just after Xmas. Boswell was in to tea. Bull put in for leave from the 17th.
- 16 February 1918Fine. – Cold. Got a horse from 3rd A.T. & went up to Ft. George – Saw Smeed. – His authority came thro’ two days ago, so he is catching the [?].20 from Arras to-morr …
- 18 February 1918Arr’d Etaples 4.45 A.M. Breakfast at Y.M. rest hut & left at 8.40. Arr’d Paris 4.00 P.M. Didn’t find Bull – Tea at Ciro’s. – Dinner at Grand – Went to Casino – Met Green (H.T.M. [?])
- 19 February 1918Fine. Picked up Smee. – Registered at Can. Office. – Gare de Lyon to book our seats (Good R.T.O. there) – Book …