Remembering the heroes of Carbonear Island

July 7, 2023

If we are to know who we are and where we are going, we must understand the history of our past. And, where it is appropriate, that history should be respected and honoured. But one has to be aware that histories can, and are, somethings written differently depending on who is recording it and writing about the events. For example, it’s an old cliche that many times history is written by the winners, who write mistruths as truths, because it suits them. Or politicians may tweak the truth or overemphasize aspects of some events which support their agenda.

Among the many proud events in Carbonear’s history is the stand made by local residents of the town and surrounding area at Carbonear Island against an attack made by the French military in the late sixteen-hundreds. The French had burned St. John’s and towns around Conception Bay, but were unable to capture the island, or achieve a surrender from the people. The truth is the French general retreated from Carbonear because the local militants, who came over the hills and through the trees with their muzzle loaders, from Fresh Water and the Nord Shore, like guerrilla fighters, and were killing the French.

Unrelenting bravery was what won the day for our local inhabitants. And it saved Newfoundland from the brutal hands, and take over, of a foreign nation, to become, eventually, the oldest British Colony. This unconquerable spirit of Carbonear’s, and our province’s ancestors, was later to show itself again in the fighting Newfoundland Regiment in WWI, which was bestowed the title of Royal by the King, in honour of their valour. Is there any wonder why the Royal Yacht Britannica, with Price Charles and Dianna, came to Carbonbear in 1988? Charles, who is now King, wanted to pay respect to our town and her forefathers for saving Newfoundland for the British Commonwealth.

Some years ago, bureaucrats in the government created and placed display boards on Harbour Rock Hill which gives a disturbing presentation of the battle at Carbonear Island. Five of the boards repeatedly depict and expound on the exploits of the French and their leader, with their coat of arms displayed at the top. And if that wasn’t enough, they named a street after the French leader! The actions of heroism by the town’s people who resisted, and halted, the French invasion is shown almost as an afterthought.

It is disturbing that anyone could post such a disrespectful, and disproportionate display of the truth of who, and what, the Carbonear militants achieved back in that day, and who they really were. They showed a strength in character, one that entered a mystical realm of the spirit, which would never surrender to the forces of evil. The histories of some of mankind’s greatest battles occasionally have shown this mystical power of human beings, where an unexplained force arose in a small group to hold back much larger enemies. I often wondered how our ancestors would feel if they knew that the French were given such a presentation as that displayed on Harbour Rock Hill, while the invincible attitude they showed to save Newfoundland against a trained force was never deservingly expressed.

I don’t see any display boards posted on Bell Island that expound at length on the Germans and the commander of the sub which sank the iron ore boats, with great loss of life, during the Second World War. Nor are there any displays posted in Port Aux Basques for the Germans who sank the SS Caribou in 1942.

These brief comments tell a remarkable story of a people’s fight for human rights, which set the template of character for the town of Carbonear, our town, nine generations ago. The people of Carbonear, and our province, who are aware of the facts of this part of our history, such as I have revealed, should be offended, as I am, by the inappropriate, expounding descriptions of the actions of the destructive, murderous enemy which attacked Carbonear, while the fortitude and unyielding fighting spirit of our people that defeated the French is mentioned as background.

The display boards at Harbour Rock Hill, Carbonear, which abundantly depict the French militants and their leader, who murdered our people and burnt our towns, should be removed and in its place new boards erected telling a more revealing story of the truth of the bravery and spirit of our people who repelled a trained militant force with just their guts and a belief in themselves.

Phil Earle

Carbonear