Leon Adrien Aurelien Cattin
Private
102nd Battalion
Switzerland to Canada
La Chaux-de-Fonds embodied the definition of antiquity with its old buildings and long legacy of watch making, providing a home for many generations in the rolling hills on the Swiss-France border. Apprenticeships for trades in this European town began early with Leon Cattin starting his career as a pastry maker at only 13 years old (1). Seeking more than this quiet life, the Swiss youth departed for the wider world, living in London at 19 before making the voyage across the Atlantic to Maine in 1913 (1). The 5’4” immigrant's travels landing him in Hamilton, Ontario where he found work farming, aspiring to eventually obtain his own tract of land.
Though agriculture was important, Canada was at war, and the Swiss-Canadian was drawn by the consistent push for volunteers in Southern Ontario, joining up with the Canadian Mounted Rifles in Hamilton in January of 1917. Not long after he was shipped back across the Atlantic for training and posted to France. The 26-year-old would not be joining a CMR formation as promised on his enlistment, instead he was labeled as a reinforcement for the understrength 102nd British Columbia Battalion. In early September, the khaki-clad soldier joined 268 others in being attached to the weakened outfit (2). Ironically, so many of the new lads were from Ontario that the Battalion would altogether cease to be considered a British Columbian formation (2).
Trench Rotations
Training in Niagara Camp would help further the men’s understanding of tactical platoons, with Leon being prepared to participate in an offensive action (2). This was the hope when they were moved towards Passchendaele, but unfortunately the battalion was relegated to long and exhausting work parties instead, ensuring that cable was buried and trenches were serviceable (2). The 102nd eventually did move into the line on October 31st, but merely was set to hold the conquered territory, Leon clinging to the protection of the trench line as the battalion was continuously shelled well there. This vast empty expanse of shell holes and shattered woods in Passchendaele left an impression on all those lads who witnessed it and endured the withering enemy fire (2).
For several months the battalion rotated in and out of the line, performing work parties and holding positions (2). Some major trench raids were conducted but the combat was otherwise relegated to being shelled by the Germans (2). It seemed the 102nd continuously drew the short end of the stick with German artillery always picking them out and pounding their positions with gas and high explosives (2). On occasion a German airplane would even drop bombs, targeting the lads when marching in the open (2). It was all a lot to endure, with now weary Leon only being given a mere 14 days leave to escape some of the madness (2). It all appeared an endless cycle of labor and artillery to the volunteer.
Battle for Amiens
In early August of 1918, the 102nd was placed on a series of lengthy route marches with Leon and company being told nothing of their destination or purpose (2). Yet as they approached the front, the masses of men and material began to speak for itself, clearly an offensive was imminent (2). The Canadian lads noted in particular the masses of French troops, which in their eyes were supported by a logistical system which rivaled a circus (2). Even the French’s weary horses though were preferable to the blistered feet of the 102nd men who finally were settled 9 miles from the line on wet and soggy ground without shelter (1). This was after their appointed guides got them lost and made the exhausted soldiers trudge back through deep mud well trying to retrace their steps (2). Finally the battle orders were relayed in full and the men awaited the opening bombardment in the deep darkness of the night (2).
At 4:20 am on August 8th, the heavy artillery began, creating a loud and unending noise as guns of all calibers flung projectiles at the German foe (2). An hour later at 5:20am, Leon and his platoon were ordered to move out, his gray eyes scanning in front of him, though his line of sight was clouded on account of the deep mist which hungover the French landscape. As the Swiss-Canadian trudged on, he past a swamp, orchards, and the first German positions taken by those before him (2). Miraculously, his platoon suffered no casualties and arrived at their jumping off positions at 12:10 pm, Leon holding his rifle at the ready as he prepared for what he had trained for (2). |
The 102nd moved toward their objectives, the companies splitting in pairs as they assaulted each position. B & D company quickly dispatched the Germans in a sunken trench well A & C pushed into Beaucourt woods (2). The latter proved difficult with withering German machine gun fire coming from the left flank and front of the woods (3). The eager Canadians overcame it by launching successive assaults in smaller tactical groups (2). With support from D Company, the woods were cleared only for the men to be peppered by German fire from two more positions, one on a hill and the other in a sunken road (2). Fortunately for the lads, two friendly Whippet style tanks came to their aid and they were able to take the trenches after intense close quarters fighting (2). The rest of the day was spent securing the area by dispatching the few stubborn German machine gun teams who refused to retire (2). The 102nd managed to reach each of their objectives, capturing a plethora of enemy guns and supplies, including much celebrated German made cakes (2). Such spoils of war only helped distract the survivors from the casualties suffered, Leon being among the many wounded (2).
Wounded Veteran
During this victory at Amiens, Leon was hit in the right shoulder by a bullet, resulting in his right arm becoming unusable. The young Swiss-Canadian was evacuated and began a lengthy recovery which would include physical therapy. Eventually, the majority of his motion would return in the arm, though he was forever left with a nasty scar and the fowl memories to go with it.
Even after such an experience, Leon remained focused on his aspirations and eventually obtained farmland in Bright, Ontario. In 1920, he would marry a Hamilton gal, Ada Pittock, the two starting a lovely family (1), His disability would hinder him little, with the entrepreneurial man farming, becoming a coal salesman, and running his own shoe mending business (1). To those who knew him in later years, it was hard to picture the happy elderly gentlemen in the trenches of the Great War, though he had very much been in his youth. |
Sources:
(1) Kitchener Public Library – Soldier Information Card Collection – World War One, http://vitacollections.ca/kpl-gsr/2887027/data
(2) War diaries - 102nd Canadian Infantry Battalion, Library and Archives of Canada, 1883280, https://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/CollectionSearch/Pages/record.aspx?app=fonandcol&IdNumber=1883280&new=-8586202100656446720
(3) McLeod, Leonard. HQ 102 Canadians, www.102ndbattalioncef.ca/.
(1) Kitchener Public Library – Soldier Information Card Collection – World War One, http://vitacollections.ca/kpl-gsr/2887027/data
(2) War diaries - 102nd Canadian Infantry Battalion, Library and Archives of Canada, 1883280, https://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/CollectionSearch/Pages/record.aspx?app=fonandcol&IdNumber=1883280&new=-8586202100656446720
(3) McLeod, Leonard. HQ 102 Canadians, www.102ndbattalioncef.ca/.