Kathy Calvert - June Mickle: One Womans Life in the Foothills and Mountains of Western Canada

Copyright 2015 by Kathy Calvert
First Edition

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Cataloguing data available from Library and Archives Canada
ISBN 978-1-771601-49-8 (epub)

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We acknowledge the financial support of the Government of Canada through the Canada Book Fund and the Canada Council for the Arts, and of the province of British Columbia through the British Columbia Arts Council and the Book Publishing Tax Credit.

Nous reconnaissons laide financire du gouvernement du Canada par lentremise du Fonds du livre du Canada et le Conseil des arts du Canada, et de la province de la Colombie-Britannique par le Conseil des arts de la Colombie-Britannique et le Crdit dimpt pour ldition de livres.

This book would not have been possible without the stories and diaries June kept all her life. But I wish to thank her most of all for all the time she dedicated to personal interviews and constant questions. Her life was truly remarkable.

I also wish to thank Don and Grace Mickle for adding so immensely to the story. In particular, I wish to thank Don for the hours he spent reviewing facts and supplying the information on the family. My thanks also extend to his niece Debbie Smith who helped by providing some of the early history of the Mickles and the Hamiltons.

This book was brought to life with the accounts and insights from family and friends, especially Louie Kohler, Perry Jacobson, Janey Peterson and Billy Monroe. Thanks for the memories.

I especially wish to thank the editors of this book, who managed to make the original prose so much more readable. Their clarity and direction are truly appreciated.

Finally I would like to thank my husband Dale Portman whose help and unwavering support was so necessary to see the project completed. Writing a book is truly a collaborative effort.

On a dark day a young woman, advanced in pregnancy, wandered precariously close to the slippery tide pools of the Pacific Ocean that defined the western extent of Vancouver. But she was too deep in thought to pay much attention to where she walked, despite the possible danger of a fall. The baby could come any time, but where she would eventually live and raise it was not yet fully decided in her mind.

A year earlier, Clara Hamilton Roughton had married an attractive young soldier with an irresistible smile and an easy laugh. They had met on a double date that her sister Lulu had arranged with Basil Roughtons brother Alan. They were taking in an early evening show and decided to walk to the theatre to allow the two brothers, who had just returned from the war, to absorb the nightlife of downtown Calgary, such as it was in 1919. Lulu had originally arranged for Clara to accompany Allan, but Basil impulsively scattered that plan when he ran ahead and grabbed Clara by the arm, determined to sit next to her during the show. Clara was so distracted by this exciting young soldier that she remembered very little of what was playing. Years later, she realized they had fallen in love that night.

Basil Roughtons family was of English descent and had settled in Calgary in the late 1800s. Basil was one of seven brothers, five of whom enlisted as soldiers in the 10th and 31st Canadian Infantry Battalions, CEF. Clifford and Basil were the youngest and served together in the 10th Battalion. They were exceptionally fit young men, and the recruiters did not look too closely when they both claimed to be eighteen. Clifford just met this qualification, but Basil had lied; he was only seventeen. The Roughton family was exceptionally fortunate in losing only one son during those devastating years, but the ultimate horror was borne by Basil, who saw Clifford blown to pieces while fighting at his side. While Basil choked down the loss of his brother and several close friends, he was awarded the rank of Sergeant Major, along with six medals for bravery. Doubtless Basil had earned these honours, but in that war, the rewards seemed given largely for survival.

CLARA HAMILTON (1919)

Though Basil returned with the Dogs of War snapping at his heels, he found great joy in his immediate marriage to Clara. They enjoyed a rare happiness in their marriage, which deepened at news of her pregnancy. It was only marred by a sadness that would unexpectedly creep over him. It was not something he could talk about with anyone who had not experienced the horrors of the war. A famous British soldier frequently sent dispatches home from the front, trying to describe the appalling conditions soldiers were expected to endure.

Geoffrey Winthrop-Young wrote: The stories of madness are frequent. This was a monstrous inversion of civilization. To call it war was to imply something of the sun remained

The common denominator of these soul-blasted survivors was their inability to convey, even remotely, to those who had not experienced such horrors, what they had lived through. Most buried it deep in their minds and lived with any relief that peace brought.

To all who knew him, Basil succeeded in this, finding the greatest joy in his love for Clara. But their union did not survive even one year. If Basil Roughton had cheated death during a time of war, he was not so lucky under the peaceful skies of western Alberta.

BASIL ROUGHTON IN UNIFORM (1919)

BASIL BEFORE THE WAR

It was a beautiful fall day when Basil joined his brother-in-law Jappy Rogers to go bird hunting near Okotoks. As Basil kissed Clara, who was drowsy with sleep, he whispered a short endearment and promised a pheasant for supper. Clara woke enough to reply, I know you are a very good hunter and an expert shot, but they need to hang a few days before the pot sees them. Ill whip up something good for supper keep me busy. She drifted to sleep under the covers, planning his favorite meal of pork chops and applesauce and perhaps a pie for dessert.