Letters From the Trenches: A Soldier of the Great War (16 page)
Read Letters From the Trenches: A Soldier of the Great War Online
Authors: Bill Lamin
Tags: #World War I, #Autobiography, #Personal Memoirs
5th–12th
[January]
Bn in the line. During this period in spite of snow and exceptionally cold weather several attempts were made by patrols to cross the
river and to reach the enemy’s line but owing to the swiftness of the stream its depth and the lack of any chart, no crossing could be effected for some time. Towards the end of our tour
in the front line however 2/Lt Flory with a patrol succeeded in definitely locating a sufficiently shallow spot in each stream to enable a continuous crossing to be made and this route has been
definitely established. On the first occasion of a patrol crossing the entire bed of the river it was heavily fired upon by a post and withdrew but this post as was ascertained later was
removed to a position further East.
We can see how things are quite different on this front. By now the cold weather would be spilling down from the mountains. Patrols would have to deal with a river in the way,
rather than, as in the Ypres sector, the barbed-wire entanglements and shell holes of no man’s land. Defensive measures would be rather different, too. In Flanders, gaps in the wire necessary
to allow patrols and even attacking troops a way forward through the entanglements would be targeted. Here the focus would be on the shallow river crossings as possible danger spots.
For his part, Harry takes advantage of the relative quietness of this sector to write home again (Bonser was Harry’s mother’s maiden name, so Shelton and Jack must almost certainly
be an uncle and a cousin, respectively):
Jan 9th/1917
32507/9th York & Lancs Batt, C. Company,
12 Platoon L.G.S., B.E.F. Italy
Dear Kate
I have just received your parcel alright everything was in good order. I am glad you are going on alright and like your job. How did you go on at Christmas. Ethel tells me you managed to
get home for a week. How did you find Connie and Willie where they alright, well how did you find them all. I hope you enjoyed yourself. I am going to write home. It is very cold out here at
night but we have some nice days. I am sorry to hear about Uncle Shelton and about Jack Bonser getting wounded. I hope he gets on alright. Write as often as you can. I think we shall get our
letters alright now. I shall be glad to see you all again.
With love
from Harry
A few days later:
Jan 14 1918
32507 / 9th Batt York and Lancs, C Company,
12 platoon L. G. S., BEF Italy
Dear Jack
I have received your letter. I have also received two parcels of woollen goods from Mrs. Higgins but you can’t carry a lot of stuff about we have enough to carry
about. It was very good, their was a nice jersey home made which I am keeping and some socks so I had a clean and new rig out which I wanted. Your biscuits was grand and I enjoyed them. I have
also had a nice parcel from Kate she said she enjoyed the Christmas alright at home. Willie and Connie as not been very well but they are going on alright now. Kate says Willie gets a rum
little chap and can say anything. I am pleased to hear you are going on alright and that you are very comfortable and settled down. It is still very cold out here at night and we have had some
snow. it is different to being out in France
[in fact, Belgium]
, very quiet. Write and let me know how you’re getting on as soon as possible. As Kate or Annie been to see you yet.
I have wrote to Mrs. Higgins so I shall no doubt have a letter from either Mrs. Higgins or Miss Worthington. Pleased you liked the card.
With best love
Harry
In that war, the soldiers of the British infantry carried everything they owned, as well as everything with which they had officially been issued (and for which they were
personally accountable). As attractive as extra clothing must have seemed, the penalty was that it would have to be carried. Harry is sensibly selective in what he holds on to. Food is not a
problem as it can soon be shared out and eaten. Clothes are a little more difficult. Within the restrictions of the regulations about uniform, the soldiers would wear anything that made them more
comfortable. It wasn’t always possible to exchange torn or worn-through articles of uniform or issue clothing in the line, so they just had to improvise or ‘lump it’. As to the
rest of the letter, I’m afraid that I know nothing of Mrs Higgins or Miss Worthington, but it is likely that they were either neighbours or family friends.
21st–31st
[January]
Bn in the line. This period has been distinguished for the great deal of work done in the connection with the improvement and
strengthening of our trenches and dug outs also for the nightly patrols. Officers & men have been continuously practised in patrol
[ing]
the river bed at night and the negotiable
spots of the various streams have been pointed out to each officer and man. Enemy posts have been engaged but we have suffered no casualties up to date. A miniature range has been built and
every man has been trained and practised with the rifle whilst the promotion of Inter Company and Inter Platoon
[shooting]
Competitions has
[
sic
]
interested and encouraged
the men tremendously.
MENTIONED IN DISPATCHES
(London Gazette Supplement, December 21st 1917)
Lt Col. D. Rumbold D.S.O. M.C.
Major D. Lewis M.C.
Major F. Colley D.S.O. and bar
Capt. R. J. M. Leakey
Capt. N. Macleod
Capt. L. Tester
No 15394 – CSM
[company sergeant-major]
Oldfield
The defences occupied by the battalion needed continual attention, to get them, and then to keep them up to the standard that they were used to in Flanders. As the war diary mentions, all the
likely pitfalls or advantages that might be of use in an assault have been scouted and then pointed out to everyone, signifying a really competent approach by the battalion. (A mention in
dispatches indicates that an officer, warrant officer, NCO or other rank has been singled out by name in the official dispatch of a senior commander, usually the army commander, in the relevant
sector of the front. It is indicated by a small bronze oak leaf worn on the ribbon of the medal awarded for that particular campaign; the recipient also gets a certificate.)
Harry’s next letter, to Jack, is undeniably a curiosity:
Jan 29/1/18
32507/9th Batt Y & L, C Company,
12 Platoon L.G.S., IEF
Dear Jack
I have received your long letter and tin of salmon which was very good. I was sorry to hear the bad news about Uncle
[Shelton]
and Jack Bonser. I did not know he
was died but I heard he was wounded very bad. I was glad . . .
[turn page]
. . . to hear that you and Kate went to the funeral it was the least you could do. I am also pleased Mrs.
Higgins liked the letter which I wrote. We are on that part of the line you seen in the paper and it is quite true except for the long march after but they left the rum bottle out which they
never forget to take . . .
[turn page]
. . . Their is five or six parts
[i.e. channels]
of the river they have to cross before they get to the other side it is very wide and the
farthest away from the enemy I have been when in the front line. I have not had the job yet but might get it any time a fighting patrol mostly as a lewis gun and three or four of the team . .
.
[turn page]
. . . with them our batt as had no luck yet, mostly get spotted. I was pleased you found Willie and Connie alright, but we can except
[expect?]
dad being bad I think
he has been very lucky I hope he gets better. I hope the war is finished before you have to come out their are plenty of younger men
[Jack is forty-nine]
.
Write as soon as possible.
With Love from
Harry
This is a strange letter, for it doesn’t quite make sense. I have indicated the ends of pages so that readers can form their own judgements about it. I wonder whether
there’s a page missing, or whether ‘they left the rum bottle out which they never forget to take’ may be significant. If so, its finders were battle-hardened soldiers, and I can
imagine that coming across a gallon of strong rum lying unattended would not have caused a lot of earnest discussion among them. Nor would they have been much worried by such trivial matters as the
likely consequences. At all events, I hope that Harry and his pals did actually enjoy a few mugs of rum. It may be that he then tried to write a letter . . .
According to the battalion’s war diary, Harry was in the front line when he wrote this letter. It was not without its dangers, but it would have been quieter than the front line in
Flanders. And for all that the letter rambles in places, it contains a very clear description of the River Piave, as well as an indication of what the troops faced in the forward trenches.
(Note for the enthusiast. ‘BEF Italy’ [British Expeditionary Force – Italy] has just changed to ‘IEF’ [Italian Expeditionary Force]. I gather that this was an
official change to reflect the involvement of the other Allied forces.)
1st
[February]
Battn in the line. Left Bn
[of the]
Right Brigade
Disposition:
B Coy Right Front Line Coy, C Centre
D Left
A Support Coy
2nd & 3rd In the line. All works, competitions and general cleaning up referred to in final part of January diary maintained with unabated energy until relieved by
the 11th NORTHUMBERLAND FUSILIERS on the evening of 3rd. Platoons moved independently by route CIANO – BUSCO thence to billets in BIADENE. Bn in billets at 11 p.m.
As readers have probably come to expect by now, Harry used the time out of the line to write to both Kate and Jack.
Feb 7th /1918
32507/ 9th Batt York & Lanc Regt., C Company,
12 Platoon L.G.S., I.E.F.
P.S. (Put I.E.F. on address and leave Italy out)
Dear Kate
I have received your letter. I also received your parcel. it was in good order. The weather here is very cold at night, but it is quite warm in the day. I have received a
letter from Jack he’s going on alright and said they were alright at Ilkeston
[i.e. Harry’s wife and his children]
excepting dad who does not seem to get much better. I was
sorry to here the bad news I got about Jack Bonser and Uncle.
[Harry’s brother]
Jack’s wife was headmistress at East Oxford Girls school and also head mistress of the Girls
Night School. of course that is some years back. I don’t know how long she remained there, but I remember her quite well. He often sends me bits of things which come in very useful. I
don’t know whether I told you that I had a parcel from Mrs. Higgins at Christmas. I don’t know when I shall get a leave I don’t suppose it will be just yet as there is plenty
to go before me, but anyhow I would certainly let you know. Ethel tells me what a job it is to get a bit of butter, tea or sugar [food rationing had finally been introduced in Britain in
January, largely in response to the German U-boat campaign against Allied shipping]. I hope you’re keeping in good health as I am very well at the present. Write back as often as you can
and I will answer as many as possible.
With best love from Harry
Feb 7th /1918
32507/ 9th Batt York & Lanc Regt., C Company,
12 Platoon L.G.S., I.E.F.
P.S. (Put I.E.F. on address and leave Italy out)
Dear Jack
I have received your letter and I also got your small parcel alright. I was very pleased to hear that you are both keeping well and hope you remain so. The news was very
sad which I have had about Jack Bonser and Uncle what had Aunt Annie got to say I don’t suppose she would stay very long especially were Aunt Polly was. I shall never forget her tongue.
It does not seem that she has altered much. It must have upset Uncle a great deal when he heard about Jack’s death and no doubt it would make him worse. The weather here is still very
cold at night but it is grand in the day. I don’t suppose the war will be over just yet it looks like lasting another twelve months to me, I hope I’m wrong. I think America has got
to have a good try at it before it finishes. Things look very bad in England as regards food they seem short all over of course we get our usual rations which is none to big, but we cant
grumble we have missed something coming out here and leaving Flanders I hope we don’t go back again, things are very quiet out here, well they have been up to now but we don’t know
how long they going to last. When in the front line we have had a fire at night and sometimes we have been in an old house so you can bet we are not bothered much by shells. I could not say
where the H.A.C.
[Honourable Artillery Company]
is. It is a London Regt. I remember quite well when we were going in the trenches at Ypres they were just being releived. I got lost I
could not get along it was up to the waist in slug
[sludge?]
and water. I came across some chaps who are also lost and they said they belong to the H.A.C. It is supposed to be a Toffs
regt. Artillery is only a name they have given them they belong to the infantry. I don’t know how they went on but I found my way after wandering about for two or three hours. I shall
never forget the times we had up there. I don’t know how we managed sometimes, but I don’t feel no worse for it now, but I hope that we don’t get anything like it again. We
have to get our feet rubbed every morning with whale oil when in the trenches every morning it is cold at night.
Write back as soon as possible
With best love to you both
Harry
