Murdo and Evelyn, Honored in the Arras 100 Celebrations

Arras, 8 April, 2017

Arras holds a special place in my heart. I spent six very happy months of my university career here. Although that’s a fraction of the three and a half years I spent in Chestertown, MD I have been back to Arras three times since I graduated, and I haven’t been back to Chestertown once.

I was eternally grateful that I got a few hours sleep on the flight from New York. Having to jumpseat worked to my advantage as I got to use one of the crew rest bunks. 

We drove right back to Arras from Tyne Cot, and I spent the time examining the PDF files on the Arras 100 Centenary that the Carriere Wellington organizers had sent out. In late 2015 one of my Twitter followers informed me that the Carriere Wellington (Wellington Quarry, an ancient chalk quarry on the outskirts of Arras and one of the starting points for the New Zealand tunnelers who made 12 miles of tunnels up to the German front lines at Vimy) were looking for pictures, letters, and personal details of those who had fought at the Battle of Arras, which includes Vimy Ridge. I had just posted my great-grandparents wedding photo, both in uniform, from October, 1918.

Of course, my father and I excitedly submitted their wedding photo, a picture of their two cap badges, and a copy of their marriage certificate along with information of their service. 

Sergeant Murdo Nicolson was number 86 in his regiment, and joined the 90th Royal Winnipeg Rifles on 4 August, 1918 in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Evelyn Vice joined the Royal Canadian Nursing Corps shortly thereafter from Ontario. They had known each other slightly in Ontario, but Murdo had emigrated from the Isle of Skye in Scotland in 1912 at the age of 20 to work for the Canadian Railroads and had moved to Winnipeg as part of his work. They lost touch, but when Murdo found out that Evelyn was in Flanders he spent his two days leave trying to track her down unsuccessfully. In April, 1915 the 8th Battalion was part of the line at St. Julien near Ypres, next to the French Colonial troops during the first poison gas attack of the War. When the French Colonial troops fled the chlorine gas, the 8th Battalion held the line for a full day in the face of the gas before reinforcements could be sent up. One of their number, a chemistry professor in civilian life, recognized the gas as chlorine because of the tarnishing of the brass buttons and instructed the men to urinate on their handkerchiefs and hold them over their mouths and noses. The ammonia in the urine would partially crystalize the chlorine and might save them. Even so, many died and Murdo ended up in a hospital for several week. Evelyn's hospital!

We were absolutely thrilled to be informed that they had been chosen as one of 120 photos that would be placed around the city of Arras from mid-March 2017 to mid-May 2017. Their sweet story and the fact that they had both served in Flanders and on the Arras front singled them out. Of course, we had to go see them! We could only manage to go for the weekend, but it was completely worth it.

We parked just outside the Grand’Place, and walked in. If you haven’t been to Arras, you must go— it has been beautifully rebuilt, and is a stunning town. At the corner where the Grand’Place meets the Petite Place (also known as the Place des Heroes) is a cafe with a dozen tables, in the prettiest corner of the main squares.  

We decided to sit down and have a drink and as we did, I looked up and saw one of these posters. To our surprise, it was Murdo and Evelyn! At the best spot in the whole city! Naturally we decided to stay with them. How many people have the chance to have a drink with their great-grandparents? We ended up staying there almost the whole afternoon, and we chatted with the people who came to look at them. We were quite surprised by how many people stopped to take their picture,  wanted to know more, and were thrilled to discover their story.

(I’m taking the picture, obviously.) This was definitely one of the coolest things we have ever done.

Two men who stopped by with whom we were chatting turned out to be from Winnipeg! And they are personally acquainted with Bruce Tascona, who wrote the regimental history of the 90th Winnipeg Rifles. We have the book, and while it’s interesting, we found it very difficult to get through. Murdo was twice mentioned in dispatches and had several decorations, but all his war records were destroyed in the London blitz in 1940.

There are a few errors, Murdo was born in Scotland, though Evelyn was born in Canada. They ended up in Vancouver, but they had known each other in Ontario.

The website with all their information is here: https://www.regardsdesoldats.com/86-nicolson

They are in very august company; around the corner are Billy Bishop, Baron von Richtoffen, the Colonel who was in charge of the defense for Arras, General Carton de Wiart, Siegfried Sassoon, Ernst Junger, and the most decorated nurse in the First World War. Not to mention all the other incredibly brave men who spent five years of hell on the Western Front. On April 9th, we decided to return and spend more time with them. Like the Oscars, “It’s a honor just to be nominated”, and we are incredibly honored and grateful that Murdo and Evelyn were included in the amazing Arras 100 celebrations.