The Tricker Brothers: Five Soldiers, Five Fates in WWII
This is the concluding post about Corporal Christopher Tricker and his WWII letters home to Agassiz, British Columbia. He wasn’t the only sibling serving in WWII, four of his brothers were also serving. I can’t imagine having five of my children fighting in a war and not knowing if or when I might see them again. Christopher and his brothers, Percy, Ernest, Edward, and Albert all saw different fates. In Christopher’s letter to the McCallum family, he talks about soon getting a boat home to Canada and how his mother recently received a notice that his brother, Ernest, was reported missing.
Corporal Christopher Tricker
Christopher Tricker was born in Saskatchewan, Canada to his parents Edward and Marie in 1911. He was the first child of ten in the family. He completed high school in Saskatchewan, and in 1937 moved to British Columbia to work in Agassiz. By trade Christopher was a printer, carpenter, and a farmer and met the McCallum family when he was working on a nearby farm in Agassiz, British Columbia.
You can read the previous letters from Christopher Tricker here.
Christopher’s Fate -Malaria
The last letter from Christopher to the McCallum siblings is dated July 24, 1944. Sadly in only a two month’s later he died from Malaria in a hospital in Calcutta.
Edward Tricker – Accidental Drowning
Christopher’s younger brother, Edward, was a rifleman stationed in Holland during the war. Only two month’s after Christopher’s passing in Calcutta, Edward died from an accidental drowning.
Edward Tricker – Prisoner of War
Edward was a prisoner of war and was held captive in Germany until he was freed in May
Percy Tricker- Discharged
According to one newspaper article, Percy was discharged from the war and went to live in his home province of Saskatchewan
Albert Tricker – Discharged
Letter
Christopher’s Letter to Jeannie – June 5, 1944
Ceylon,
June 5, 1944Dear Jeannie:
Another letter from Agassiz has been received and most welcome it is too. At the moment I am in the throws of an ambitious letter-writing campaign, having just returned from a fourteen days leave during which I did no writing at all. I’ve received almost two dozen letters since I returned, so you can imagine how big a job I have before me. I had a really good grand leave, the first I’ve had in India. I had hoped to spend my first holiday in some place such as Kashmir or Darjeeling, or in seeing Delhi, Agus, and the Taj Mohal, but all those places are too far away.How ever, the place I did go to was no less alarming than those. I went to Oatacommund (“Oaty”) for short) in the Nilgiris Hills, southern India’s holiday place. Oaty is a beautiful little town between seven and eight thousand feet above the sea. It is surrounded by mountain peaks and rolling downs and the climate is really delightful – not unlike England’s or British Columbia’s. After the months of heat I’ve experienced it was like heaven to feel cool again, even chilly in the evenings, so that to sit before an open fire with a good book was a most desirable and pleasant way to spend some of the time.
These are some of the things I enjoyed: cycling out over the downs; looking down on Oaty and Coonoor the far-away sun-scorched plains from the top of peaks almost nine thousand feet high; rowing in a canoe on Oaty Lake; from my bedroom window watching the morning mists lift from the valley, and at night looking at the lights dotting the hill-sides, with the hills themselves darkly silhouetted against the starts; going to bed in a chilly room and pulling warm blankets right up to my chin (It’s a long time since I did that); eating strawberries and cream for the first time since leaving British Columbia (not as good as those in the Fraser Valley – but delicious); seeing cedar trees and cypress trees instead of the everlasting palms; going for long hikes along any one of a dozen enchanting roads. All these I enjoyed, and many more. It was next best thing to being home.
I’m afraid there isn’t so much paper here as I should like to have. I’ve found I can’t talk about anything except my holiday – not until next time.
Good luck to you and Jimmy.
God blessChris.
Credit: Agassiz-Harrison Museum
Christopher’s Letter to Jeannie and Jimmy – July 24, 1944
(CAN.) R-97944,
CPL. Tricker, C.W.
R.A.F. Section 4,
Ceylon,
July 24, 1944Dear Jeannie and Jimmy:
Do you remember that poem by Yeats which begins:
“I will arise and go now,
and go to Innisfree,”I mention that because quite recently I heard it read most freeingly by our station padré at a meeting of our newly-formed Toe H. circle. I was reminded of it again when I read your description of the peaceful scene you were looking out upon as you wrote. Yeat’s conveys very well, I think, the feelings of an exile, far from home, who is longing for a well loved scene where “peace comes dropping slow.”
He might well have been writing of Agassiz.
*******I am pleased to learn that both of you are well. The same can be said of me. I am keeping reasonably busy, though I wish my work involved a bit more variety than it has done lately. A change of location would suit me now – I’ve been here rather longer than I’ve yet been at any one place
Everyone at home, according to recent letters is well, though I have received some very distressing news of my brother, Ernest in Italy. Mother received a telegram from Ottawa not long ago saying that he has been reported missing. Though Mother expresses the hope that she will soon hear that he is alive and well in enemy hands, I know she is very upset about it.
Ernest is quite a lot younger than I , being the youngest boy in the family. It seems hard that he should here become involved in this war too. It seems but a short time a go he was a–chap. My other brother in the army, Edward – I believe you met him – was still in England July 1st.
Unlike home, where the weather at this time of year is approaching its hottest, the days are, for the most part, cooler than they were. Rains are more frequent, and rather strong winds tend to moderate the heat. A heavy breeze is blowing this afternoon. Despite the change in weather, I am still bothered by “prickley heat.” Indeed it’s even worse than it was.
Did you people see the eclipse of the sun last week? A rather stupid question I just realized, for, since it was viewed as a total eclipse in central India, it could hardly have been seen on the other side of the world, could it? In this particular part, there was an eighty per-cent “black-out”- just enough to transform a sunny day into a rather gloomy one.
Also last week, I had the privilege of seeing and hearing Neol Coward. As you probably know, he is here in India entertaining the forces. I wasn’t greatly impressed by his singing, but his very gesture revealed him as the accomplished man he is. After all, a concert of the nature he gave us, hardly l had the scope to do justice to him. I should love to see him in one of his plays.
You mentioned election results in Saskatchewan. Yes I am very interested in that. I have for some time now regarded myself as a C.C.F. supporter. How-ever,, I am not committing myself. I shall watch the experiment in my old home-province with the keenest interest and sympathy. They will have the chance to show us what they can do.
At the beginning of this letter I referred to our Joe H. I think you’ll be interested in it. As you probably know, the other poems included Brook’s “Grantchester” and several others. The music ranged from Back to Gilbert and Sullivan and from “Ave Maria” to a selection of “swing.”
Having almost completed three years over-seas, in accordance with the latest arrangements made for us who are attached to the R.A.F. I expect to be sailing for Canada in the no too distant future.
However, I’m not counting on it too much. SO much depends on shipping and replacements. It’s something pleasant to look forward to though, especially since the war news is going so well.
Cheers, for now, folks!
May God bless you. I am aye
Yours sincerely,Chris.
Credit- Agassiz-Harrison Museum
Why These Letters Matter to British Columbia History
The Christopher Trickler letters offer a detailed record of a soldier in India during the Second World War. In these letters to the McCallum family in Agassiz, British Columbia, we learn about how much he longs for home and we also are painted a picture of what life in India for those stationed there looked like
Preserved today at the Agassiz-Harrison Museum & Archives, the Christopher Trickler letters and supporting photographs, are kept so that future generations can know the history of Agassiz, British Columbia and it’s people.
Want to Read More Letters From Agassiz?
Check out the Hazeley Letter Series that was written in 1896-1897.
Editorial Note: How These Letters Are Used
The letters this post are transcribed verbatim from original manuscripts held at the Agassiz-Harrison Museum & Archives. Spelling, grammar, and punctuation have been preserved to maintain the integrity of the original documents. Editorial introductions and historical context have been added to assist modern readers and to situate the letters within the broader social and historical landscape of twentieth-century British Columbia.
This post forms part of an ongoing research and transcription project telling the stories of British Columbians.
