Saskatoon Star Phoenix
November 10, 1977. p.21
By Nancy Russell
On Nov.1, 1918, just 10 days before the First World War ended, Sgt. Hugh
Cairns of the 46th Battalion, Saskatchewan Regiment was awarded the Victoria
Cross. The next day he died of injuries sustained in the campaign which
resulted in the medal.
Since then his name has been honored in Saskatoon with a monument unveiled
in 1921 in what is now known as Kiwanis Park. Cairns Field and a local IODE
chapter were named for him and later in 1960, Hugh Cairns V.C. Public School
opened. In that year, the Hugh Cairns Armory opened as well.
Last week, another chapter in the Cairns story unfolded when members of the
family presented the soldier's medals in trust to the armory.
Cairns' nephew, Bill, who has had the medals in safe keeping, said the family
wanted to present the medals to the armory for some years now.
"We want the public to be able to see the medals, and the armory is the most
appropriate place to have them displayed."
Along with the Victoria Cross, he received the French Legion of Honor,
posthumously in 1936, the two standard First World War medals, plus the
Distinguished Conduct Medal he won in June, 1918, on the Lens front when
he held up a German advance practically single-handed for 90 minutes.
Cairns gave his life in November when the Canadian forces took the Belgium
town of Valenciennes.
During the advance he was in command of a platoon of 20 men. When a machine
gun opened on his men Cairns seized a Lewis gun, rushed forward, killed 12
enemy and took 18 prisoners enabling the line to advance. He was wounded
later in the shoulder, but worked his way to within 75 yards of the enemy
line, which led to the capture of seven machine guns, four field guns and
one trench mortar.
Later, he joined a battle patrol and forced his way into a courtyard and
came face to face with about 60 enemy and forced them to surrender.
Before he could disarm them he was fired upon by an enemy officer and severely
wounded in the stomach. He opened fire with his gun, was wounded again in
the hand and arm and continued to operate his gun until it was
destroyed.
He was 21 years old when he died.
Born in England, he came to Canada in 1911 as an apprentice plumber.
In addition to Hugh Cairns' medals, the Cairns family also presented the
armory with medals presented to Hugh's brothers, Albert, Harry and
Lawrence.
