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| Major James Howard Tupper |
James Howard Tupper was 40 years old when he enlisted in the 25th Battalion of the Canadian Infantry - Nova Scotia Regiment. The date was December 7, 1914 and he was designated a Major due to his age and experience as a leader in his community.
During his time in France, it is said that Jim asked a friend to take a small piece of ivy from a French Convent home to his wife, Letty. She planted the dried up vine in the rich Annapolis soil and soon it thrived and became a symbol of luck in the community. Even today it graces anniversary corsages, bridal bouquets and crawls along the walls of the old family home.
Before leaving for France, Jim left letters with Letty to be given to his children when they reached the age of 12. These letters were written, just in case he did not return from the war.
In the letter written to his son Douglas - aged 9, he said:
'In going into this war it is a great satisfaction to me to know your mother thinks I am doing right and I do not know but what she has hardest part to do, to stay home and have the care of every thing. I know you boys will be a great help to her. Perhaps some day you will be a soldier and a soldier must on all occasions fulfill and carry out his duty his first duty is to obey. Can you do that? I hope so and I think you do. If not you are no soldier. A soldier must obey. I am taking a group of you four children with me. Vera is so young she will not remember me, she is a dear little thing. And now my own dear boy farewell I hope I may return to you. I pray that God may watch over and keep you. There is not a German Sword cut that cuts as deeply as it cuts me to leave you all. I am simply doing my duty as thousands of others are doing. My own dear boy good bye.
Your loving father,
J.H. Tupper'
The other letter that survived was to his son Borden - aged 12
My dear Son:
How dear you are to me you will never know or how hard it is for me to leave you, perhaps never to return, you can never understand unless you go through the same ordeal yourself some day and I hope you may never have to but if you do, face it boy, face it bravely. Do not back down. I love you with all the power of love within me and now on the eve of my departure for war I am writing to you and if I do not come back this will help you to understand why I went, why I took such a risk, why it was necessary. I count my life cheap in the scale compared with the empire. I am a man and being a man I could not stand by and see our country in danger and not do my best to save it. It does not appeal to all alike. As you grow older you will realize more fully what I mean. Perhaps when you read this the war will be over and peace in the world once more.
It may be my lot to fall and not return with the troops and if so I would like you to always remember that I loved you better than life itself. I have looked forward to the time when you would be a little older and I would have the benefit of the years of experience I have had. We would be good friends, you and I, the best of friends. You are my eldest son and I hope you will grow up to be as good a man as you promise to at present.
My boy, always be good to your mother. If my actions deprive you of a father, you will still have one of the best of mothers. You cannot afford to neglect her. Honour her and love her above all else and you can safely rely on her councils and judgement. Be kind and true to Grandma. She is Daddy's mother and has a great store of wisdom for boys and girls.
I must think of you as a boy of twelve, a big boy, a true boy, a boy who will make a man. True men are not plenty and all boys are not true boys. Be a true boy. There are things to be true too. First, be true to your "God". Second, be true to yourself. Third, be true to your country.
You can be true to God by obeying His commands, carrying out His will and being kind to all his creatures.
You can be true to yourself by treating yourself fair. God has given you a body to go through this life. Use your body in the way He would wish you to. Keep your body clean, that will keep it healthy. Keep your mind clean by reading good books, thinking good thoughts and doing kind acts. Choose clean friends and always by friendly. Never go back on a friend. One good friend is worth a great many poor ones. In your play and daily contact with your friends and school fellows be clean in your conduct to them, particularly with the girls. Remember you are a gentleman and treat them as ladies. No matter what they are like it will not excuse you. Avoid the bad ones. You cannot afford to spend time with them. That would not be treating yourself fairly.
To get an education God has given you a time of youth to prepare your mind, knowledge to gained every day but only one day at a time. You will get tired of school and you will see boys who do not do very much and you will think they get along just as well but they will not and they will perhaps find it out in time. Study your lessons each day, one day at a time and you will find the better you know your lessons the better you will like to go to school. You will not be true to yourself unless you learn your lessons each day as they come along. You are storing up knowledge that will be most useful by and bye. Get your storehouse "your mind" well stored with the useful knowledge that you get at school and as you go through life you will always find use for it and no man can take it from you and you cannot lose it. You will always have it.
Be true to yourself in your play. Play fair or not at all. A boy who will not play fair is likely to make a man who will cheat in his business. They are both on the same road. The business comes a little later on.
You can be true to your country by being a good citizen, one ever ready to defend what is right and oppose what is wrong. As you grow to manhood you will have to decide on many questions, "public questions" and take one side or the other. It is your duty to do that. Decide honestly and then act accordingly. If filling any office of any society, or in any public capacity, do your best. This is all included in "citizenship of the right kind. It is not always necessary to die for your country to serve her. You can live for her, and only do your duty as you see it and you will not be fulfilling your obligations.
I have many friends upon whom you may rely for council and help. I cannot name them all but only a few of my nearest and dearest ones. I need not mention your uncles Elias and Forbes as well as uncles Charlie, Hallet, and Uncle Reg. You can always depend on Rev. E. B. Spurr. He is one of my very best friends and I claim him as a brother. Mr. C. L. G. Hervey, Mr. L. Wiltshire, Mr. C. C. Rice, Mr. R. G. Whitman, as well as many of the newer friends in Bridgetown. You will of course have your own friends and companions but you can remember these as some of my best and truest friends. I did not mention Mr. Young or Mr. Williams you know now what friends they are.
And now my own dear boy may God keep you, protect you and watch over you and make you worthy of the love bestowed upon you.
Be kind to your sisters. You have two sisters now and I hope you will have them for many years. You and Douglas love each other which is right. I know you both love your sisters and they love you. How happy you will all be.
My own dear boy I must close. I cannot express my love for you. May God keep you and watch over you,
Your loving father,
J.H. Tupper
Major James Howard Tupper was killed by artillary fire during the Battle of Courcelette, France on September 16, 1916 and is buried in the Albert Communal Cemetery Extension, Somme France. He was 42 years old.
What a rich legacy he left behind!
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