Private John Vivian

Reprinted from The Packet, May 20, 2016
by Lester Green

Pte. John Vivian married Alice Smith and raised their family at Northwest Brook. (Photo courtesy Ross Vivian)

John Thomas Vivian was born at North West Brook in 1900, one of four children of to John Charles Vivian and Julia Jane Baker.

His father died when John was seven years old and his mother remarried in 1909 to William Hiscock of Hickman’s Harbour.

John made two attempts at joining Newfoundland military forces.

His first was in May of 1916 when he travelled to St. John’s without informing his parents of his intentions to enlist with the Royal Naval Reserve at the HMS Calypso Base.

His name is recorded in the HMS Calypso register for May 16, 1916 but there is no record of him completing any of the drills that sailors were required to complete.

His son, Ross, clarifies the lack of any information in the registry by relating the following story: “When grandmother, Julia Jane, found out that he was enlisted, she was so upset and angry with her son that she went to Clarenville and demand to see the magistrate. She explained that her son was not old enough to be in the war and she wanted him released and sent home.”

However, John was not finished with his urge to serve his King and Country. Just after his eighteenth birthday, he travelled again to St. John’s. Due to his previous discharge from the Navy, John enlisted in the Royal Newfoundland Regiment on April 22, 1918. Unlike other soldiers from the Random region who listed their occupation as that of a fishermen, John listed his trade as a lumberman.

A form that was completed during routine medical examination on April 22 noted: “has strained legs and gives out when walked on very far…”

He began his basic training at St. John’s and was admitted to General Hospital in early June. His mother wrote Captain O’Grady in St. John’s on June 13 inquiring about her son who was admitted with a fever. The military responded on June 14 informing her that her son was doing well. Pte. Vivian was discharged from the General Hospital on June 15 and was granted ten day period of convalescence.

On July 1, 1918 he informed the pay depot to deduct an allotment of 60 cents to be made payable to his mother.

He was assigned Special Duty, Home Defence at Bishop’s Falls on Sept. 3, 1918 and spent the next 60 days on active duty performing security around the Bishop Fall’s region. He returned to headquarters at St. John’s on Oct. 29.

Pte. Vivian was admitted to the Barracks Hospital on November 8 and remained there until 23rd.

His demobilization began on November 28 and on January 8, 1919 he received his discharge papers and was free of military obligations. He returned to civilian life at his home in Northern Bights.

It is likely that the medical board’s observation of Private Vivian’s inability to walk for extended periods of time led to his entire service of 262 days being served in Newfoundland and not overseas.

On December 5, 1919, he sent a letter to the Militia at St. John’s inquiring about War Gratuity payments because of his service in Newfoundland, explaining that he had heard other individuals that served in Newfoundland had received the money.

On December 23, 1919, a letter of response from the Paymaster informed him that he was not entitled because he had served less than one year and did not serve overseas.

He married Alice, daughter of Simeon and Maria Smith of Island Cove, on March 18, 1919.

They built their home and raised six children in North West Brook.

His son Ross says his father’s major employer after the war was the Newfoundland government where he worked as a fire fighter for the railway for a large portion of his life.

“In the early years, he would ride the railway tracks watching for any hot coals that would fall from the train engine and land among the creosote railway ties. The coals would be extinguished and the risk of forest fires reduced. He also operated a sawmill at North West Brook.”

John Vivian passed away in 1972 and was buried next to his wife, Alice, at All Saints Cemetery North West Brook.