Pete and Jimmie Gammie Go To War

On May 17, 1916, at Aneroid, Saskatchewan, Canada, two young men decided to do their part in the war effort. Peter or 'Pete' was 23 years old and his younger brother James or 'Jimmie' was just 21 years old. Both had been born to Andrew and Helen Gammie (see Seeing Helen Shand) in their native Scotland. They had accompanied their parents to the far off land of Saskatchewan, Canada where free land and a new life, full of promise and opportunity awaited. I don't think anybody told them about the depth of cold during a prairie winter.

Pete was the largest of the two brothers. Standing 5 feet, 9 inches in height, he had piercing blue eyes and light hair (pictured below). Jimmie was a bit shorter at 5 feet, 8 inches and had brown eyes and black hair (pictured below). Both listed Quimper, Saskatchewan as their current home and the home of their next of kin, their mother Helen Gammie. Pete and Jimmie were found, probably not surprisingly, to be medically fit when examined by the army doctor.



James 'Jimmie' Gammie in Saskatchewan in an undated photograph



Peter 'Pete' Gammie

It is unclear as to what occurred but in June 1917, Pete Gammie was sent home as unfit for medical reasons, possibly due to battle injuries. His younger brother, Jimmie stayed in France to fight but sadly became one of the war casualties on September 28, 1918 and was buried in France.

The family photo of Jimmie Gammie was identified for me by Alexander Gaull Hadden, Jimmie's nephew, who lived on the homestead in Saskatchewan from 1923 - 1927. The Pete Gammie photo is from the local commemorative book Ponteix Yesterday and Today, page 831.