Spring Rice Document, The: Newfoundland at War 1914 - 1918

by Jack Fitzgerald

Within ten days of the Newfoundland Governor receiving the 'Spring Rice Document', two armed patrol vessels, each carrying an armed forty man unit of the Newfoundland Regiment, were on their way to the Harbour Deep area of northern Newfoundland. The Newfoundland Government, acting on information contained in the document, ordered all enemy aliens in Newfoundland to be detained; including eight of nine Moravian missionaries in Labrador. While these events were unfolding, Newfoundlanders in Europe were being slaughtered in battles fought on poorly based strategies, which Winston Churchill described as "doomed offences". The Spring Rice Document not only tells the story of Newfoundland in WWI, but also sheds new light on the decisions made and the battles fought and enhances the admiration and respect for those whose courage, dedication, and loyalty contributed to changing world history.

275 pages, Paperback

First published September 1, 2011

About the author

Jack Fitzgerald was born and educated in St. John's, Newfoundland. During his career he has been a journalist, a feature writer and political columnist with the St. John's Daily News; a reporter and public affairs writer with CJON and VOCM News Services; editor of the Newfoundland Herald and the Newfoundland Chronicle. During the last years of the Smallwood administration he was assistant director of Public Relations with the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador. He has also worked as Assistance Officer with the Department of Social Services. Jack Fitzgerald also hosted a regular radio program featuring off-beat Newfoundland stories on radio station VOFM.

As well as writing about unusual happenings relating to Newfoundland and Newfoundlanders, Fitzgerald has also authored a series of Newfoundland crime and punishment stories as well as Newfoundland historical publications.