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"I fired my 1st shot the second night just after midnight. I got the fellow I shot at just in front of our wire. I won't forget the feeling as I pressed the trigger that night + I hadn't got over it when I wrote."
See below for Mr. Scherer's entire testimony.
Please be advised that Memory Project primary sources may deal with personal testimony that reflect the speaker’s recollections and interpretations of events. Individual testimony does not necessarily reflect the views of the Memory Project and Historica Canada.
![Leslie Scherer (left) and friend Jack Murray outside their barracks. When Leslie sent this photo home, he wrote on the back that he did not like how much his tongue was sticking out when the photo was taken.]({"id":"47393a1d-8a4b-4026-b63b-0ea6b368c460","disk":"s3","directory":"MemoryProject\/GeorgeLeslieScherer","filename":"15461_538","extension":"jpg","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","aggregate_type":"image","size":25231,"variant_name":null,"original_media_id":null,"created_at":"2021-08-24T21:00:50.000000Z","updated_at":"2021-08-24T21:00:50.000000Z","title":"Leslie Scherer (left) and friend Jack Murray outside their barracks. When Leslie sent this photo home, he wrote on the back that he did not like how much his tongue was sticking out when the photo was taken.","alt":"Leslie Scherer (left) and friend Jack Murray outside their barracks. When Leslie sent this photo home, he wrote on the back that he did not like how much his tongue was sticking out when the photo was taken.","caption":null,"creator":null,"source":"Courtesy of George Leslie Scherer","conversion_urls":{"original":"https:\/\/d2ttikhf7xbzbs.cloudfront.net\/MemoryProject\/GeorgeLeslieScherer\/15461_538.jpg"},"url":"https:\/\/d2ttikhf7xbzbs.cloudfront.net\/MemoryProject\/GeorgeLeslieScherer\/15461_538.jpg","credit":"Courtesy of George Leslie Scherer","pivot":{"mediable_id":"b5654c82-f225-44ec-81b5-8726d113ebfd","media_id":"47393a1d-8a4b-4026-b63b-0ea6b368c460","mediable_type":"App\\Models\\Article","tag":"gallery","order":1},"translations":[{"id":"778e4e8e-72de-41fb-b0b6-53101d00bd0f","media_id":"47393a1d-8a4b-4026-b63b-0ea6b368c460","title":"Leslie Scherer (left) and friend Jack Murray outside their barracks. When Leslie sent this photo home, he wrote on the back that he did not like how much his tongue was sticking out when the photo was taken.","alt":"Leslie Scherer (left) and friend Jack Murray outside their barracks. When Leslie sent this photo home, he wrote on the back that he did not like how much his tongue was sticking out when the photo was taken.","caption":null,"creator":null,"source":"Courtesy of George Leslie Scherer","locale":"en","credit":"Courtesy of George Leslie Scherer"},{"id":"acc705ae-4c9b-4c33-a515-e79d99ba058b","media_id":"47393a1d-8a4b-4026-b63b-0ea6b368c460","title":"Leslie Scherer (\u00e0 gauche) et son ami Jack Murray \u00e0 l\u2019ext\u00e9rieur de leurs casernes. Lorsque Leslie a envoy\u00e9 cette photo \u00e0 sa famille, il a \u00e9crit \u00e0 l\u2019arri\u00e8re qu\u2019il n\u2019aimait pas la fa\u00e7on dont sa langue sortait de sa bouche au moment de prendre la photo.","alt":"Leslie Scherer (\u00e0 gauche) et son ami Jack Murray \u00e0 l\u2019ext\u00e9rieur de leurs casernes. Lorsque Leslie a envoy\u00e9 cette photo \u00e0 sa famille, il a \u00e9crit \u00e0 l\u2019arri\u00e8re qu\u2019il n\u2019aimait pas la fa\u00e7on dont sa langue sortait de sa bouche au moment de prendre la photo.","caption":null,"creator":null,"source":"Avec la permission de George Leslie Scherer","locale":"fr","credit":"Avec la permission de George Leslie Scherer"}]} "Leslie Scherer (left) and friend Jack Murray outside their barracks. When Leslie sent this photo home, he wrote on the back that he did not like how much his tongue was sticking out when the photo was taken.")
![Leslie Scherer in the Scottish uniform of the 48th Highlanders.]({"id":"80852fa2-1245-412e-a1e2-1cdd63d94d24","disk":"s3","directory":"MemoryProject\/GeorgeLeslieScherer","filename":"15460_538","extension":"jpg","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","aggregate_type":"image","size":32787,"variant_name":null,"original_media_id":null,"created_at":"2021-08-24T21:00:50.000000Z","updated_at":"2021-08-24T21:00:50.000000Z","title":"Leslie Scherer in the Scottish uniform of the 48th Highlanders.","alt":"Leslie Scherer in the Scottish uniform of the 48th Highlanders.","caption":null,"creator":null,"source":"Courtesy of Norman MacInnes","conversion_urls":{"original":"https:\/\/d2ttikhf7xbzbs.cloudfront.net\/MemoryProject\/GeorgeLeslieScherer\/15460_538.jpg"},"url":"https:\/\/d2ttikhf7xbzbs.cloudfront.net\/MemoryProject\/GeorgeLeslieScherer\/15460_538.jpg","credit":"Courtesy of Norman MacInnes","pivot":{"mediable_id":"b5654c82-f225-44ec-81b5-8726d113ebfd","media_id":"80852fa2-1245-412e-a1e2-1cdd63d94d24","mediable_type":"App\\Models\\Article","tag":"gallery","order":2},"translations":[{"id":"d669c313-5e00-4a8e-afea-6422cf1bd7f7","media_id":"80852fa2-1245-412e-a1e2-1cdd63d94d24","title":"Leslie Scherer in the Scottish uniform of the 48th Highlanders.","alt":"Leslie Scherer in the Scottish uniform of the 48th Highlanders.","caption":null,"creator":null,"source":"Courtesy of Norman MacInnes","locale":"en","credit":"Courtesy of Norman MacInnes"},{"id":"521e9d66-0a0a-43f9-8e79-5744fee3289f","media_id":"80852fa2-1245-412e-a1e2-1cdd63d94d24","title":"Leslie Scherer portant l\u2019uniforme \u00e9cossais du 48th Highlanders.","alt":"Leslie Scherer portant l\u2019uniforme \u00e9cossais du 48th Highlanders.","caption":null,"creator":null,"source":"Avec la permission de Norman MacInnes","locale":"fr","credit":"Avec la permission de Norman MacInnes"}]} "Leslie Scherer in the Scottish uniform of the 48th Highlanders.")
![Postcard showing French troops advancing to a new position in the field.]({"id":"5b5de5d6-3846-4ec0-ac5f-96c859fa23be","disk":"s3","directory":"MemoryProject\/GeorgeLeslieScherer","filename":"15465_538","extension":"jpg","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","aggregate_type":"image","size":32086,"variant_name":null,"original_media_id":null,"created_at":"2021-08-24T21:00:50.000000Z","updated_at":"2021-08-24T21:00:50.000000Z","title":"Postcard showing French troops advancing to a new position in the field.","alt":"Postcard showing French troops advancing to a new position in the field.","caption":null,"creator":null,"source":"Courtesy of George Leslie Scherer","conversion_urls":{"original":"https:\/\/d2ttikhf7xbzbs.cloudfront.net\/MemoryProject\/GeorgeLeslieScherer\/15465_538.jpg"},"url":"https:\/\/d2ttikhf7xbzbs.cloudfront.net\/MemoryProject\/GeorgeLeslieScherer\/15465_538.jpg","credit":"Courtesy of George Leslie Scherer","pivot":{"mediable_id":"b5654c82-f225-44ec-81b5-8726d113ebfd","media_id":"5b5de5d6-3846-4ec0-ac5f-96c859fa23be","mediable_type":"App\\Models\\Article","tag":"gallery","order":3},"translations":[{"id":"55ae6c53-691c-476a-9d25-9b09ee5383d2","media_id":"5b5de5d6-3846-4ec0-ac5f-96c859fa23be","title":"Postcard showing French troops advancing to a new position in the field.","alt":"Postcard showing French troops advancing to a new position in the field.","caption":null,"creator":null,"source":"Courtesy of George Leslie Scherer","locale":"en","credit":"Courtesy of George Leslie Scherer"},{"id":"2819674d-35f4-4aa0-b043-d0256c634c21","media_id":"5b5de5d6-3846-4ec0-ac5f-96c859fa23be","title":"Carte postale montrant les troupes fran\u00e7aises avan\u00e7ant vers une nouvelle position dans le champ.","alt":"Carte postale montrant les troupes fran\u00e7aises avan\u00e7ant vers une nouvelle position dans le champ.","caption":null,"creator":null,"source":"Avec la permission de George Leslie Scherer","locale":"fr","credit":"Avec la permission de George Leslie Scherer"}]} "Postcard showing French troops advancing to a new position in the field.")
![Leslie (left) and two comrades relaxing outside their barracks.]({"id":"6ae99ef1-6af2-45f7-9516-1e1d789b7b30","disk":"s3","directory":"MemoryProject\/GeorgeLeslieScherer","filename":"15463_538","extension":"jpg","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","aggregate_type":"image","size":30489,"variant_name":null,"original_media_id":null,"created_at":"2021-08-24T21:00:50.000000Z","updated_at":"2021-08-24T21:00:50.000000Z","title":"Leslie (left) and two comrades relaxing outside their barracks.","alt":"Leslie (left) and two comrades relaxing outside their barracks.","caption":null,"creator":null,"source":"Courtesy of George Leslie Scherer","conversion_urls":{"original":"https:\/\/d2ttikhf7xbzbs.cloudfront.net\/MemoryProject\/GeorgeLeslieScherer\/15463_538.jpg"},"url":"https:\/\/d2ttikhf7xbzbs.cloudfront.net\/MemoryProject\/GeorgeLeslieScherer\/15463_538.jpg","credit":"Courtesy of George Leslie Scherer","pivot":{"mediable_id":"b5654c82-f225-44ec-81b5-8726d113ebfd","media_id":"6ae99ef1-6af2-45f7-9516-1e1d789b7b30","mediable_type":"App\\Models\\Article","tag":"gallery","order":4},"translations":[{"id":"10a1c1f4-1cb0-4733-a51b-f0ba4c2872fe","media_id":"6ae99ef1-6af2-45f7-9516-1e1d789b7b30","title":"Leslie (left) and two comrades relaxing outside their barracks.","alt":"Leslie (left) and two comrades relaxing outside their barracks.","caption":null,"creator":null,"source":"Courtesy of George Leslie Scherer","locale":"en","credit":"Courtesy of George Leslie Scherer"},{"id":"5e606390-759f-40fe-aa2e-f715042e17d0","media_id":"6ae99ef1-6af2-45f7-9516-1e1d789b7b30","title":"Leslie (\u00e0 gauche) et deux camarades \u00e0 l\u2019ext\u00e9rieur de leurs casernes.","alt":"Leslie (\u00e0 gauche) et deux camarades \u00e0 l\u2019ext\u00e9rieur de leurs casernes.","caption":null,"creator":null,"source":"Avec la permission de George Leslie Scherer","locale":"fr","credit":"Avec la permission de George Leslie Scherer"}]} "Leslie (left) and two comrades relaxing outside their barracks.")
![Letter Leslie sent from Rome on November 17, 1917, while he was there on leave. In the letter to his friend Catherine, he apologized for not writing sooner and raved about their accommodations at the Bristol Hotel, the finest in the city.]({"id":"79d0ff4a-8bdc-4a40-8aa4-57439debfb98","disk":"s3","directory":"MemoryProject\/GeorgeLeslieScherer","filename":"15464_538","extension":"jpg","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","aggregate_type":"image","size":37095,"variant_name":null,"original_media_id":null,"created_at":"2021-08-24T21:00:50.000000Z","updated_at":"2021-08-24T21:00:50.000000Z","title":"Letter Leslie sent from Rome on November 17, 1917, while he was there on leave. In the letter to his friend Catherine, he apologized for not writing sooner and raved about their accommodations at the Bristol Hotel, the finest in the city.","alt":"Letter Leslie sent from Rome on November 17, 1917, while he was there on leave. In the letter to his friend Catherine, he apologized for not writing sooner and raved about their accommodations at the Bristol Hotel, the finest in the city.","caption":null,"creator":null,"source":"Courtesy of George Leslie Scherer","conversion_urls":{"original":"https:\/\/d2ttikhf7xbzbs.cloudfront.net\/MemoryProject\/GeorgeLeslieScherer\/15464_538.jpg"},"url":"https:\/\/d2ttikhf7xbzbs.cloudfront.net\/MemoryProject\/GeorgeLeslieScherer\/15464_538.jpg","credit":"Courtesy of George Leslie Scherer","pivot":{"mediable_id":"b5654c82-f225-44ec-81b5-8726d113ebfd","media_id":"79d0ff4a-8bdc-4a40-8aa4-57439debfb98","mediable_type":"App\\Models\\Article","tag":"gallery","order":5},"translations":[{"id":"72ce0499-cffd-4074-a812-f1a8b5bf2549","media_id":"79d0ff4a-8bdc-4a40-8aa4-57439debfb98","title":"Letter Leslie sent from Rome on November 17, 1917, while he was there on leave. In the letter to his friend Catherine, he apologized for not writing sooner and raved about their accommodations at the Bristol Hotel, the finest in the city.","alt":"Letter Leslie sent from Rome on November 17, 1917, while he was there on leave. In the letter to his friend Catherine, he apologized for not writing sooner and raved about their accommodations at the Bristol Hotel, the finest in the city.","caption":null,"creator":null,"source":"Courtesy of George Leslie Scherer","locale":"en","credit":"Courtesy of George Leslie Scherer"},{"id":"4eb697b0-0c48-4f68-a70f-e9b93ef561c2","media_id":"79d0ff4a-8bdc-4a40-8aa4-57439debfb98","title":"Lettre envoy\u00e9e de Rome par Leslie le 17 novembre 1917 alors qu\u2019il \u00e9tait en cong\u00e9. Dans sa lettre \u00e0 son amie Catherine, il s\u2019excuse de ne pas avoir \u00e9crit plus t\u00f4t et fait l\u2019\u00e9loge du Bristol Hotel, le meilleur h\u00f4tel en ville.","alt":"Lettre envoy\u00e9e de Rome par Leslie le 17 novembre 1917 alors qu\u2019il \u00e9tait en cong\u00e9. Dans sa lettre \u00e0 son amie Catherine, il s\u2019excuse de ne pas avoir \u00e9crit plus t\u00f4t et fait l\u2019\u00e9loge du Bristol Hotel, le meilleur h\u00f4tel en ville.","caption":null,"creator":null,"source":"Avec la permission de George Leslie Scherer","locale":"fr","credit":"Avec la permission de George Leslie Scherer"}]} "Letter Leslie sent from Rome on November 17, 1917, while he was there on leave. In the letter to his friend Catherine, he apologized for not writing sooner and raved about their accommodations at the Bristol Hotel, the finest in the city.")
![Leslie (middle) and two friends wearing battle dress.]({"id":"e106cc26-4d63-4df5-9f4d-16e468ec6ecb","disk":"s3","directory":"MemoryProject\/GeorgeLeslieScherer","filename":"15462_538","extension":"jpg","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","aggregate_type":"image","size":36900,"variant_name":null,"original_media_id":null,"created_at":"2021-08-24T21:00:50.000000Z","updated_at":"2021-08-24T21:00:50.000000Z","title":"Leslie (middle) and two friends wearing battle dress.","alt":"Leslie (middle) and two friends wearing battle dress.","caption":null,"creator":null,"source":"Courtesy of George Leslie Scherer","conversion_urls":{"original":"https:\/\/d2ttikhf7xbzbs.cloudfront.net\/MemoryProject\/GeorgeLeslieScherer\/15462_538.jpg"},"url":"https:\/\/d2ttikhf7xbzbs.cloudfront.net\/MemoryProject\/GeorgeLeslieScherer\/15462_538.jpg","credit":"Courtesy of George Leslie Scherer","pivot":{"mediable_id":"b5654c82-f225-44ec-81b5-8726d113ebfd","media_id":"e106cc26-4d63-4df5-9f4d-16e468ec6ecb","mediable_type":"App\\Models\\Article","tag":"gallery","order":6},"translations":[{"id":"498a4324-ed6d-4c08-b2e6-512e954587d0","media_id":"e106cc26-4d63-4df5-9f4d-16e468ec6ecb","title":"Leslie (middle) and two friends wearing battle dress.","alt":"Leslie (middle) and two friends wearing battle dress.","caption":null,"creator":null,"source":"Courtesy of George Leslie Scherer","locale":"en","credit":"Courtesy of George Leslie Scherer"},{"id":"7e926e39-c7b0-485a-b5a2-0f01fbfda4a2","media_id":"e106cc26-4d63-4df5-9f4d-16e468ec6ecb","title":"Leslie (au milieu) et deux amis portant la tenue de combat.","alt":"Leslie (au milieu) et deux amis portant la tenue de combat.","caption":null,"creator":null,"source":"Avec la permission de George Leslie Scherer","locale":"fr","credit":"Avec la permission de George Leslie Scherer"}]} "Leslie (middle) and two friends wearing battle dress.")
Transcript
My grandfather left Ridgetown, Ontario in January 1916 at the age of 19 to join the 48th Highlanders. The following are excerpts from letters he wrote to Catherine Crawford, who after the war became my grandmother.
Toronto, Jan 14, 1916
…so Lawrence & I went down to the armories last night. Just as we got there, we met a Highlander officer. I told him we wanted to join the 134th & he said, "Come right along with me," Suddenly he looked up at me + said "Say how tall are you? We can't take anyone under 5'-5". I told him I couldn't quite do it, but I showed him a letter which I had received from Col. Donald, saying that if a man was specially well built, he would stretch a point in his favor. "Well", he said "You certainly deserve some consideration under the circumstances and you're well built all right. He took my measure and I just went 5' 4 1/2" But he let my hair stand up and it just stood high enough to touch the scale at 5'5". Well he thought that would do if I could pass examination….
But the worst blow came this morning when I went down to be examined. When I entered the room, another officer said " Say, how tall are you" I answered quite confidently "5' 5", He wouldn't allow for my hair and with my low heeled shoes on I just touched 5' 3 3/4" "see that!" he said, "I'm sorry but we can't take you – you're too short". My heart dropped right down to my boots and I thought it was all up, but I produced the letter again. The officer took me in to see the commander. ..he joked about the matter for a while, but finally he said that he'd put a pair of high heeled shoes on me and, … He would add my height to my friend's and divide it by 2 and make up for my deficiency in that way. In my bare feet I stand 5' - 2 1/2"…
Rome, Nov. 28, 1917
I made my first trip in the trenches at Vimy Ridge + for mud that piece of line had them all beat. I fired my 1st shot the second night just after midnight. I got the fellow I shot at just in front of our wire. I won't forget the feeling as I pressed the trigger that night + I hadn't got over it when I wrote. On Feb. 27th 14 Fritz raided our machine gun post and yours truly was on sentry. It was an awfully dark night. Of course it was too late to fire the gun, … but some way or other I managed to alarm the rest of the crew + we beat them off. The joke of it all was I received a bunch of daily Mails from home a few weeks later and on the front page of one was a full account of the whole thing. I bet mother little dreamed that little Leslie was the sentry she was reading about.
The second time I went over was at Vimy on Apr. 9th. That was a great day for the Canucks, and it was then I had my first real go at Fritz.
So you see we've had quite an exciting time of it all year and I consider myself extremely lucky to be still at it.
Wishing you a very Merry Xmas + a Happy New Year, I remain
Yours Sincerely Leslie
