Paddy Scott’s War

On Aug 4th 1914 Britain declared war on Germany. Paddy, with his father, fished out of Quidi Vidi on the east coast of Newfoundland. When the Government called for able-bodied volunteers to fight for King and country, young men from harbours and towns eagerly responded.

Underaged, Paddy was forced to wait and contrive a way to gain the support of his family and sweetheart who were against him enlisting. Unable to resist the lure of adventure and the pride of patriotism, Paddy joined the Regiment. He embraced the role of a soldier and forged close friendships with courageous young men from all parts of Newfoundland.

However, nothing can prepare a person for the shock, intensity, and horror of war. July 1st, 1916, on the battlefield of Beaumont Hamel, Paddy met that reality. The young man who sailed into St. John’s harbour at the end of August 1916 was a changed person from the one who, just a year earlier, had stood at the ship’s railing together with his fellow soldiers, laughing and waving to family and friends.

Can Paddy accept the changes to his life and strive to build a new future for himself?