Two Brothers Fall at Vimy Ridge

There appears on page 2 of this issue of The Reformer the portraits of seven Houghton soldiers. 
Since that page was printed the news that two of them fell at Vimy Ridge in one day's fighting has been received.

They are the brothers William James West [797116] 
and Arthur West [797132], two of the three sons of Abram West who joined the 133rd Battalion. 
Lewis is the third brother. James Edward [West, also shown in the Reformer] a cousin.

Abram West, the father, lives on the North Road, 
in Houghton, not far from Hemlock Post Office. 

Both were young single men, in their early twenties.
 
 
  

War with all its horrors has never seemed so hideous 
to the people of this community as on Tuesday when 
the news came that Arthur and William West, sons of Mr. and Mrs. Abram West, had been killed in action in France on 9 Apr 1917. 

They enlisted with the 133rd Battalion, Norfolk's Own, during the winter of 1916, and went overseas in November. They had been on active service about three months. Another brother is also on the firing line.

They were industrious young men and all fine specimens of Canadian manhood. Every heart goes out in sympathy to the bereaved parents and family.
 

A large crowd attended the memorial service held in the Free Methodist Church here on Sunday for the brothers Arthur and Will West. The church was crowed to its utmost capacity and Rev. Mr. Roberts preached a very impressive sermon from the 11th verse of the 12th chapter of Revelation, "And they loved not their lives unto the death." A very large number of the deceased soldiers' relatives were in attendance. 
 

houghton
In Memory of 
Arthur and William West

Three brave brothers from Houghton went to fight the German foe,
Arthur, Lew and William West, while others would not go;
Arthur and Will were killed at Vimy Ridge while fighting with the foe,
They did their best, laid down their lives, what more could soldiers do?

They are buried now somewhere in France; each fills a hero's grave;
All honour to brave boys like these who died their homes to save.
Their brave deeds shall ne'er forgotten be in this fair land of ours,
We wish their graves were nearer by -- we'd deck them each with flowers.

We all wish to convey our sympathy to their father and mother, too
In this great loss of these two sons but would remind they still have Lew.
We hope he will be spared till the war is o'er and come back all safe and sound,
A victorious hero from this great war, and a good place for him be found.

If they had faults forget them now, and speak their names with pride,
For on the bloody fields of France no braver soldiers died;
And on our nation's honour roll let's see their names are there,
To show among the heroes slain Old Houghton gave a share.