Revs. Hall, Tron, D.S.O., and Addison, V.C. 299 



As a boy he was a member of the Church Lads' Brigade ; his 

 vicar became interested in him, and sent him to a theological 

 college. He subsequently worked with the Bush Brotherhood. 

 At the outbreak of war he joined an Australian Unit of the 

 R.A.M.C. and was at Suvla Bay, where he was the sole survivor 

 of his patrol. For his resource and bravery he received the 

 Military Cross and was transferred to the chaplains' department. 

 He further distinguished himself in France, taking charge of a 

 dressing-station when the doctor was killed. I would like to 

 tell you much more of wonderful things he did, but he does not 

 wish it. Anyway, he got a second bar to his medal, and the 

 D.S.O. All honour to him. 



As I began my book with a V.C. parson perhaps I cannot do 

 better than finish with one, though here again I must say very 

 little, as the hero is alive and very shy, and begs me not to say 

 much. The Rev. William Robert Fountain e Addison was the 

 second army chaplain to be honoured during the war. Four 

 others on whom the Victoria Cross was conferred at this time 

 lost their lives in winning it. 



Mrs. Addison feared her son had not had education enough 

 and had not the physical strength or ability to succeed in 

 England, so arranged for him to become a colonist, and to Canada 

 he went, and appears to have had a very dull and lonely life 

 there on a farm, but gained considerable experience in riding 

 and breaking horses. In the lumber camps he shared the life 

 of the lumber-jacks — tree-felling, etc., but, like many other 

 Canadians, he is unwilling to recall memories of that time. 



Mr. Addison's uncle, knowing this life was uncongenial to 

 his nephew, assisted and persuaded him to return to England. 

 After his return, in a letter to his uncle, he says, " Looking 

 back upon my life in Canada it is like a ghastly, vivid nightmare. 

 You alone have rescued me from a dark, dreary, and slaving 

 life. . . ." 



During Mr. Addison's lumber-camp experiences he learned 

 to deal with many types of men, and this has no doubt been a 

 help to him in later years. 



After his return from Canada he went to Salisbury Theo- 

 logical College, and was ordained in 1913 ; after which he became 

 curate at St. Edmunds, Salisbury, and worked there until he 

 obtained an army chaplaincy. 



