As December opens the men are voting at Chateau De La Haie. There is already snow on the ground. What are the soldiers voting for? There is a federal election back in Canada. A divisive election fought over the issue of conscription. Robert Borden needs the votes of the Canadian Soldiers. And soldiers wives were also eligible to vote in Canada on election day on December 17th – the first time women were eligible to vote in a federal election. Deborah Ross Dixon is among the first Canadian women to cast a vote in a Canadian Federal Election.
Shortly after the voting is done , the troops are back on the front line. They take a 3 hour train ride to La Coulette. For most nights the situation is Quiet – near the end of the tour the enemy turns more active using Minnies, Trench Mortars and gas. But this is normal by now and no casualties were recorded. And good news – Private Dixon is granted Leave – for 14 days from the 8th to the 22nd of December. And boy does he deserve it. He takes a train to the coast, a leave ship across the English Channel and a train up to London. He sees a tattoo artist just outside Waterloo station. He gets a new tattoo, this time on his left arm – of a basket of flowers . It is there to remind him of how fortunate he has been, how many dear friends he has lost , and especially of his wife Deborah back at home. Speaking of Deborah, you might be thinking he would give her a phone call. Sorry – not possible. Transatlantic phone calls were not yet available. He still has to rely on postcards or a very brief cable. private Dixon has been on the Western Front for almost a year now – he has been involved in some of the deadliest battles of WW1 – Vimy Ridge, the Scarpe, Hill 70, and Passchendaele. And his has survived. He has seen things we don’t even want to imagine. Things he would never describe to you or me. If I were him I am not sure I would return to France. But Robert Dixon is not me. He returns to France for whatever fate awaits him. He is back for the presentation of medals related to the battle at Passchendaele on the 22nd, and then the Christmas concert on the 25th. Private Dixon is not awarded a medal, but on December 31st he is given a promotion. Congratulations to Corporal Dixon.
