Karl Oskar Martiniusen Bjerke
Private
2nd CMR Battalion
From Fjords to Prairies
Vast swaths of coniferous forest covered the rocky hillsides and the banks of clear blue lakes spread across the beautiful northern landscape. Such tranquility was only minorly disturbed by quaint villages and homes which were spread throughout the area in Ostre Toten, Norway. This tranquil rural area made for a lovely childhood home for Karl Bjerke. Yet despite the abundance of nature, work and money were in short supply, a result of Norway’s economic stagnation. Such a depression drove masses of locals to emigrate, with Karl’s parents choosing to do so in search of a better life. The blue-eyes of the young Norwegian would glance at his homeland one final time in 1892 before departing for the United States.
The Bjerke family would settle as farmers on the very flat prairie of Sherbrook, North Dakota in the United States. This particular area was home to many fellow Norwegian emigrants from their same region and therefore softened the culture shock experienced by Karl who would grow up here. North Dakota became home, it was where he married his wife Josefine, and where they had their first son Henry. Yet the young Norwegian farmer was enthralled by the prospect of cheap tracts of land just to their north in Saskatchewan, Canada. In 1906, he and his extended family would choose to once again emigrate to Pelly, Saskatchewan, where they all secured sizeable pieces of property. It was an exciting but also tragic time, with Karl’s wife passing away unexpectedly, leaving just him and his son. |
For several years Karl tended to his farm in rural Saskatchewan, the flat prairie stretching on for miles with little of anything of real excitement occurring, it was tranquil. In 1914, the peace was disturbed when news reached the Norwegian homesteaders that Canada had gone to war. Less than a year later, many of the boys were being encouraged to join up with local Battalions. At 28 years old, Karl was still very healthy and strong, a perfect candidate for soldering. He determined he would join the cause of his adopted nation and traveled to Roblin, Manitoba where he enlisted in the 44th Battalion on May 8th, 1915. When he departed for England, he left behind his son in the care of his extended family, the young lad no doubt eagerly awaiting his father’s eventual return.
Life in Ypres
Heavy snow and bitter cold greeted the Norwegian-Canadian as he joined the 2nd Canadian Mounted Rifles Battalion near the besieged city of Ypres, Belgium in March of 1916. The burly farmer was one of many fresh replacements who were being melted into the Battalion well they drilled and sat in reserve positions (1). The monotony of training would quickly be changed with the men being assigned to work parties in and around Ypres, which was a city that had become little more than a pile of rubble (1).
On April 21st, Karl and his fellow replacements got their first stint in the line, moving into positions at Sanctuary Woods where they relieved their sister Battalion, the 1st CMR (1). The men had long since lost their horses and instead enjoyed the splendor of damp muddy trenches like the rest of the infantry. The inexperienced Karl got the luxury of slowly being introduced to the typically chaotic hellhole that was the Ypres Salient, with artillery fire being limited on their position well in the line. Yet the Germans could hardly keep completely quiet and frequently fired off rifle grenades which took the lives of several in the Battalion (1).
Following their stint in the frontline, they were withdrawn to reserve, and once again assigned to labor intensive work parties. This of course only lasted until they were thrown into the rotation process again on May 28th when they relieved the 48th Battalion near St. Eloi (1). For a second time Karl survived the grime of a trench rotation, happy to leave the quaqmire for reserve positions. He had only the pleasure of being pulled out of this endless cycle for a handful of days to attend sniping school. Such a skill hardly served to protect against the often random and cruel artillery, a single shell having obliterated a Major and Captain of the 2nd CMR well the unit was walking back to their rest area during the first rotation, a horrible and memorable event for all in the Battalion (1).
Mount Sorrel
The Norwegian-Canadian was happy to finally be relieved from reserve with the rest of the Battalion on June 1st. The men could finally relax a bit before they would have to return to the manual labor associated with work parties. At 3:00pm, any hopes of respite that Karl had conjured were dashed when emergency orders came through (1). The Germans were attacking at Mount Sorrel and the 2nd CMR was ordered into the line. Karl slung his rifle over his shoulder and marched with the rest of the men towards Zollebeke Hutts and directly into a major assault (1).
The CMR lads moved carefully through the war-scarred battlefield, navigating via the many former buildings or wooded areas given memorable nicknames. B Company drew the short straw of leading off a counterattack with A Company in support (1). The Two Companies were to retake Rudkin House from the Germans, a task easier said than done. As the men of these companies surged forward, they immediately were hit with vicious machine-gun, artillery, and rifle fire (1). With casualties mounting, they attempted to dig in on the open ground south of Maple Copse but were quickly cut to pieces and had to withdraw (1). The brave surviving Canadians of the 2nd CMR huddled in a support trench from where they held (1). The relentless artillery bombardment continued for the entirety of the day, killing or wounding dozens more men. Despite the bombardment, they held on to their positions until relieved on June 3rd (1).
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The failed rapid counterattack and horrible bombardment endured claimed the lives of some 40 men with 180 wounded and another 23 missing all from the 2nd CMR (1). The blue-eyed Karl Bjerke was among those missing, though it soon became clear he had been killed. Never found, his name was inscribed on the Menin Gate, a tribute to a proud Canadian who left behind his farm and beloved son who forever awaited his father’s return.
Sources:
(1) War diaries - 2nd Battalion, Canadian Mounted Rifles, Library and Archives of Canada, https://recherche-collection-search.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/Home/Search?q=%2075th%20battaliuon%20war%20diraries
(1) War diaries - 2nd Battalion, Canadian Mounted Rifles, Library and Archives of Canada, https://recherche-collection-search.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/Home/Search?q=%2075th%20battaliuon%20war%20diraries