Veterans Column: Bagpiper Mathews returns to Newark after World War I

Shortly after Harry Mathews returned from his leave in Scotland, the Germans surrendered and the war was over. On November 19, 1918, Harry wrote to his mother from Soignies, Belgium.

“Well, the old war is all over but the shouting and the signing of peace. You will note that I am putting the name of the place where we are, the censoring regulations are waived and we are now permitted to say what we are doing and where we are. We are marching through Belgium on our way to Germany.

We form part of the picked troops that are to occupy the part of Germany that borders on France and Belgium. It is quite an honor for us to be on this job, for we are to represent the British soldiers at his best to make an impression on the Germans. We have some awful long marches and are dead tired when we stop for the night, we march three days and rest two days. I think with all of the honor that is connected with this army of occupation that all of us chaps would rather be on our way home instead of Germany. But I think from what we have been told that it will be nearly a year before they can get us demobilized and we finally get home, how good that sounds, get home. All the towns that we enter have arches at the entrance of the towns, with inscriptions on them hailing us as liberators etc. The people all turn out to welcome us. It is the first time they have seen Highland troops so we make a great hit of course. We Pipers are the main attraction with the pipes and the bright kilts and shining ornaments, it sure takes their eye. I am getting the new pipes sent out for the big day we enter Germany.

It’s pretty cold out here now, the first snow fell yesterday, but it didn't last long. Suppose there was great rejoicing at home when hostilities ceased. Well, guess this is all for this time. Regards to Dad and Betty, your Harry.”

Harry faced one last battle in February 1919, spending time in a hospital recovering from the flu. Shortly thereafter he was sent to England to be discharged and sailed for home. Before he returned his mother received a letter from Scotland from a Mrs. Catherine Stewart Glen. Harry had spent his leave with her family and she wanted to let Mrs. Mathews know the “splendid qualities” of her son.

In April 1919, Bagpiper Harry Mathews, having served two years with the Canadian Expeditionary Force, returned to Newark. For the next few months, according to local news stories, Mathews told his story and played his bagpipes for the Kiwanis and the Newark Rotary. Harry married Ethel Moore and stayed in the Newark area for the rest of his life, retiring from the Owens-Corning Technical Center. Eighty-five-year-old, Harry Mathews passed away Oct 1, 1981 and is buried at Duncan Falls Cemetery in Muskingum County. Licking County's only WWI Canadian Piper had made his last journey ‘over the top.’

Doug Stout is the Veterans Project Coordinator for the Licking County Library. You may contact him at 740-349-5571.