German Machine Gun
This article will provide a bit of the history behind the existence of the German Machine Gun now on display in the Banting Homestead Heritage Park octagonal shed.
From an Alliston newspaper just after the Great War, we find the following:
Trophy for Alliston – Captain F. G. Banting Sending German Machine Gun: A few days ago Mayor W. J. Cunningham received from Captain F.G. Banting, who was recently wounded by shrapnel striking his right arm, a letter telling of the capture of some machine guns in an exploit in which Captain Banting took part and stating that he wanted to present the one allotted to him to the Town of Alliston. In part, Fred Banting’s letter follows:
“October 10, 1918: In the recent fighting the 44th Battalion captured a number of machine guns. I was their medical officer and they gave me one which I wish to present to the Town of Alliston. It is at present in the charge of War Trophies committee. It will be plated and delivered after the war. (Excuse the writing. I am in hospital with a wound in right forearm). F. G. Banting, Captain C.A.M.C”.
From an Alliston newspaper much later we get the following information:
Machine Gun Trophy: How Sir Frederick Banting secured the one at the High School
Reminiscences and stories of the late Sir Frederick Banting will come to light for a long time in the future. The story of how Fred Banting, while serving in France in the last war, secured the German machine gun that now rests by the memorial at the High School is related in a letter written to Mr. John H. Mitchell while the latter was Mayor of Alliston in 1920. The closing words of the letter which follows shows the inveterate shyness of Sir Frederick and his often expressed wish that his name should not be mentioned.
The German machine gun shown in the right of the photo below taken about 1932 was part of the Soldier’s Memorial.
When the above letter was written in 1920, the town was preparing to erect a war memorial. In August 1920, the town was informed that a trench mortar was being sent to the town as a war trophy, standard practice. In November, the town was informed that it would also receive a German machine gun. The Mayor, knowing of the original letter from Capt. Banting, asked Fred for clarification on the circumstances of receiving the machine gun. Always a master of the understatement, Banting and his Batman, Kells took custody of the Germans. Article in Herald as follows:
“Dear Mr. Mitchell: From my diary I find that on September 2, 1918, while acting as medical officer of the 44th Canadian Infantry Battalion, I entered a dugout in the south west corner of the village of Dury. The “mopping up” party had not as yet arrived and in the dugout there were seven or eight Germans, five machine guns, some bombs, rifles and boxes of cartridges. I used the dugout as a dressing station for 24 hours. After the “show” I told Major Donald Martin who was acting O.C. of the 44th. of the incident and he asked me if I wished a machine gun to be sent as trophy to my home town after the war. This I was very glad to do. But not being a combatant officer, I wished the gun to be presented to the 44th Battalion. Accordingly, the plate was attached”.
“You know the rest of the story. I hope that this letter will supply you with the information you desire. But I most earnestly pray that no publicity be given to the matter”.
Sincerely,
F.G. Banting
Information for this article was provided by Carolyn Knowles of Alliston Ontario.