The First World War was a major milestone in Canadian history. The mainstream, historic interpretation of the war takes into consideration all of the acts of bravery and sacrifice performed on the battlefield by the men in Khakis of the Canadian Expeditionary Force. There were, however, others who made sacrifices during the war who were not as fondly remembered as those who died in battle. The book Unwanted Warriors by Nic Clarke examines the stories of those men who were not permitted to go to war for Canada. While Clarke expertly describes, in detail, the experiences of those men who were rejected by the military, he falls short by not acknowledging that there were others who could have fought but chose instead to reject military service.…show more content… As a result, men who objected on their own personal beliefs (as opposed to those of an organised religion) were prosecuted and if found guilty were punished. Sydney B. Curry’s religion was not a well-recognized religion in Canada and as a result, he was sentenced to two years less one day at the Burwash Prison Farm. Similar to the men rejected from military service that Clarke describes in his book, these objectors are also men who appear to be able to fight but do not. Arguably, their stories are just as important to the historical account of Canada’s role in the war. Clarke’s historical account would have benefited from him challenging the standard historical accounts and adding these additional stories to his…show more content… These farmers were in a unique position as they were among the only men who had an obligation not to serve in the war. These men had to use their expertise in the field of farming to feed the troops. While farmers faced pressure to join the army, they were difficult to replace in the fields. Those from the city began to criticise farmers as being non-patriotic and putting their own interests first ahead of the interests of Canada. Rural Canada’s view was that “The farmer's isolated and individualistic way of life created a quieter confidence which differed from the city's obsessive need to proclaim its loyalty”. Ben Wagner, a farmer from Bruce County, commented that "the people who did the most hurrahing were the people who weren't going to be affected by the war”. Ben’s statement reflected the reality faced by farmers for the First World War. They demonstrated their patriotism in their own way but they were demonised by the urban community. Fortunately, farmers were recognised by the government as having an important role in the war effort. A farmer named W.H. Rowntree received an exemption from military service in order to help his elderly father and brother farm over 150 acres of land near Weston, Ontario. This set a precedent of farmers being allowed to receive exemptions from military service in order to work on their respective farms. The Bordon government used this to
