Jim threw the jacket he was holding to the nearest player. Reaching into the box he took out another jacket, throwing it to the next man. Jim threw a jacket to each man in turn as Russ waited his turn. Perry, sitting to Russ’s right, caught his. But as Russ readied himself to catch the next jacket, it was not thrown to him. It went to the man on his left. The players fell silent as everyone looked at Jim and then at Russ.
Gerry watched as Jim continued tossing the jackets to the remaining players; he knew about the disagreement over the sweater. Finally Jim reached the last player on his right. It was Gerry. The room was silent as Jim kicked the now empty box into the centre of the room. Saying nothing, Gerry walked across the room and handed his jacket to Russ.[12]
The Georgians’ opponent in the provincial semi-finals was the team from Brooklin, a town near Oshawa. Russ and Perry continued appearing at the Georgians games, made possible by Colonel Rutherford approving their leave from Camp Borden. Owen Sound beat Brooklin in three straight games. It qualified them to play for the provincial Senior B Lacrosse Championship against Sarnia. Everyone expected the series to be their toughest challenge.
The Owen Sound Georgians lacrosse team, on winning the Ontario Senior B Championship in 1940. Back row, left to right: Roy “Sally” Tyler (trainer), Andy Blair, executive members Bill Gilligan, Charlie Gagan, Charlie Peacock, Ted Manners, and Harry Ashcroft, Jack MacLeod, and manager Jim MacLeod. Middle row, left to right: Bun White, Ken MacLeod, Russ Colombo, John McConachie, Harvey LeBarr, Orville McDonald. Front row, left to right: John Standeaven, Fred Smith, Gerry Johnson, Chuck Harden, Jack Fletcher, mascot Bud Rush, Tommy Burlington, Hiram Dean, Perry Wilson, Maurice Cassidy.
(Photo courtesy of the Owen Sound Sports Hall of Fame)
After nearly three months at Camp Borden, the regiment’s officers decided to take the Foresters on the road. It would allow the regiment to practice moving across country and give the men a few days break from camp life, showing off their training in their hometowns. The Foresters marched through Barrie, Orillia, Midland, and Collingwood that first day. In each town, a thousand soldiers jumped from the trucks and marched down the town’s main street, greeted by cheering crowds at each stop.
While the Foresters spent the night in tents in Collingwood, Russ and Perry left to play lacrosse in Owen Sound that evening. The Georgians easily won the opening game in the best of three series, beating Sarnia 24–5. The crowd in the arena, packed to standing room capacity, cheered their team as the time clock ticked off the seconds.
The next morning, the regiment paraded at the Indian Reservation at Chippewa Hill. Foresters from Owen Sound were excited at their chance to parade in front of friends and family. They had come a long way from the group who had left town a few months earlier. Their arrival was also anticipated by the people of Owen Sound. For the first time the town was going to see its sons parade in uniform. Anyone with a Canadian Red Ensign, Canada’s national flag, had it hanging in front of their home, businesses decorated their stores and put out their flags, and children were let out of school to attend the parade. The city and local businesses took a full page in the local newspaper to welcome the Foresters, with the message:
Now, after nearly three months of strenuous training at Camp Borden, the Battalion is coming back to visit. Owen Sound, the home of many of the Grey-Simcoe officers and men is mighty proud of this Regiment and we know every man will live up to the splendid traditions and achievements of the famous 147th and 248th Regiment in the last war. Thrilling with pride Owen Sound extends a royal welcome and wishes every one of these men the Best of Luck and God’s Blessings when they go forth to battle a ruthless foe threatening our Homes and Civil Rights.
The Foresters arrived in Owen Sound early in the afternoon. Russ and Perry were waiting when they arrived. When the regiment began to march, it was led by Colonel Rutherford, followed by the drum and bugle band, and then the troops, who marched in their platoons, each man with a rifle on his shoulder. People stood three and four deep along the main street, applauding, waving and calling greetings to soldiers they knew. Young boys on bikes made an impromptu addition, riding back and forth along the column of soldiers. Children waved small Canadian flags and cheered the soldiers parading past. It was a stirring sight, the Regiment stretching for blocks, marching three abreast, each with one arm swinging to breast pocket height, the other holding the butt of his rifle, a thousand boots striking the pavement in unison sounding like drums.
Marching with his platoon, Russ heard his name called several times as the parade wended through town. Then he heard his mother’s voice calling. From the corner of his eye, he saw her and his brother Jack. It was hard to say who was prouder, the people of Owen Sound whose young men had been transformed into soldiers, or the men marching proudly in front of family and neighbours.
As the regiment reached the end of the parade route, it continued marching south to Harrison Park. Waiting trucks took the soldiers to the barracks on 14th Street West, where the men fanned out towards their homes or downtown.
Russ and Perry walked together, greeted by friends and acquaintances. Perry, who was from Fergus, was invited to stay with Russ. During dinner they told stories of life at Camp Borden. Later, the two soldiers slipped out of the house and made their way to Gerry and Marge Johnson’s home, stopping to buy a bottle of whiskey. Although Prohibition had ended in Ontario more than a decade before, a city plebiscite had kept Owen Sound a dry town. Nevertheless, Russ and Perry had no problem buying liquor, since bootleggers’ houses were well-known throughout town.
It was early in the morning when they returned home. Russ hoped his brother’s snoring would cover the creaking wooden stairs. Perry proceeded to the bedroom on the third floor. Russ went to his room on the second floor and was asleep almost before his head touched the pillow.
His eyes flew open after what seemed an instant. Light streamed through the window and Russ reached for his watch. It was seven thirty, and he knew the Foresters had boarded their trucks at seven and left town. He and Perry were instead headed to the next game in the series that evening in Sarnia as the Foresters continued their tour to other towns in the district.
Sarnia took the early lead before Russ replied with the Georgians’ opening goal, halfway through the first period.
“Russ Colombo and Johnny Standeavan started the ball rolling in the first period, when trailing 2–0, the two players combined on a lovely passing attack to sink the first Owen Sound goal,” the Sun-Times reported.
When the Georgians finally took the lead, Sarnia all but collapsed. The Georgians won 15–9.
“One of the Owen Sound players who couldn’t be stopped last evening was Perry Wilson,” said the paper. “… Wilson picked up a pair last night, but he went like a million dollars all through the game. Jack MacLeod with a pair of goals and a like number of assists turned in a good game for the winners … (and) coach Gerry Johnson formed the backbone of the club’s powerful … defence.”
It was Owen Sound’s first Ontario Lacrosse championship in thirty years, and the players were greeted as returning heroes.
Thanksgiving weekend was a three-day leave for most of Camp Borden. Like many Foresters from Owen Sound, Russ made his way home, joined by Perry. But instead of returning Monday night when his leave was over, Russ and Perry showed up at Gerry’s house. They were staying a few more days. As their absence stretched to Wednesday, the provosts began searching for them, phoning Blanche, asking if she knew where Russ was. He was constantly on the lookout for provosts. When Russ appeared at Gerry’s house, he asked if the provosts had come looking for him there. It was cloak-and-dagger in Owen Sound.
When Russ woke Sunday morning, he was five days late returning from leave. He relished the luxury of relaxing a moment longer without a bugler’s reveille shattering the peace. When he came out of this room, he called to Perry, who was already coming downstairs. The smell of breakfast had woken them. As they sat