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Len Smith writes in his diary: "The colonials joined up in blocks of pals- from the prairies and towns - some officers - some the ranks, but still lifelong chums." Amongst them was Lisle Whiteside whose signature is included amongst the author's 'Roll Call of Good Pals. Whiteside writes in a passage pasted in the diary in his own handwriting entitled 'My Dreamland'. He writes movingly of his dreams about the 'free and wild' prairies of his native Alberta - only to wake up and find he was still amongst the full horrors of France. He talks about playing as a lad and school. He wrote of helping his father on the ranch. His horse was named after his 'Lightning' speed. That was before he 'found it my duty to answer my country's roll call and join the khaki forces'. |
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The family of Lisle Whiteside have been traced by researcher Vince McGarry and they have added to his story. Lisle joined up with his brother in November 1915 and arrived with his unit in England in April 1916. Whilst in the trenches he was so angered when he saw a German fighter plane shoot down a British observation aircraft, that he resolved to become a pilot. So in 1917, he got a transfer to the Royal Flying Corps, and got into 'dogfights' with the 'Flying circus' led by the famous German ace Baron von Richthofen. Lisle was shot down twice and once wounded. When peace came he went back to his farming life but in 1929, he qualified as a civilian pilot. when war broke out again in 1939, at the age of 43, he joined the Royal Canadian flying corps and trained pilots. With his first wife he had five children, four girls and a boy. She died in 1956 and, six years later, he remarried. He died age 76 after a well-deserved retirement. |
