PRIVATE WILLIAM KIDD
31ST BTTN CANADIAN INFANTRY
9TH AUGUST 1918 AGE 26
BURIED: CAIX BRITISH CEMETERY, SOMME, FRANCE
This inscription originates in a song written by S.J. Arnold in 1811, which laments the death of Admiral Lord Nelson. The general tenor of the work can be judged from the following extracts:
Three cheers our gallant seaman gave,
Nor thought of home or beauty.
Along the line this signal ran,
England expects that ev'ry man
This day will do his duty!
And from the next verse:
Too well the gallant Hero fought,
For England, home and beauty.
He cried as 'midst the fire he ran,
"England shall find that ev'ry man
This day will do his duty.
And finally:
In honour's cause my life was past,
In honours cause I fell at last,
For England, home and beauty."
Stirring stuff but the only trouble was that Nelson's enemy were the French who were now now our allies. For this reason it's possible that William Kidd's father had the words of another song in mind, For England, Home and Beauty' ' by Private E Growcott of the Worcestershire Regiment. Growcott pays tribute to the men who came from all over the Empire "To fight for England's honour, and the King upon his throne". William Kidd had emigrated to Canada before the war but his parents were still in England. Growcott's words could well have resonated with them. But a word of warning - Growcott's words are not an improvement on Arnold's!
The call to arms, the trumpets heard, in lands across the foam,
Canada hears, they have no fear, the sons of England's home.
God bless the sons of Canada, each one will play his part,
For in the near future, their glorious deeds at heart,
Bravo! Bravo! Canadians thy praise is heard at last,
Across the sea, it's echoed loud, Well done! 'twas a noble task,
Hurrah! Hurrah! for Canada thou hast done a loyal duty,
And Canada's sons shall man our guns -
England, home and beauty.
William Kidd, who had enlisted in Edmonton on 10 December 1915, was killed in action on 9 August 1918, the second day of the Battle of Amiens.