Being constant reader of your valuable paper, I thought you would like to know how one of the boys of the old town is getting on. I am writing this under the doubtful shelter although mansion, somewhere in France, but we’re thankful to be under any kind of shelter here, as the weather at present has a decidedly Blighty touch about it. At present our Company has been very lucky in escaping the Jack Johnsons, etc, whereas some of our other boys have had it rather the hot just lately. We don’t know whether to be amused or disgusted at some of the so-called reasons of the “ hope to be exempted” who appear before the Tribunals. They must be apologies for Britishers, perhaps they have not finished teething yet and are afraid to tackle bully and biscuits! If they were to appeal to the chaps out here they would get a warm reception. Wishing your paper every success that it deserves.
https://www.stneotsmuseum.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/st-neots-museum-logo.svg00Kelly Garnerhttps://www.stneotsmuseum.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/st-neots-museum-logo.svgKelly Garner1916-06-23 05:55:462018-10-21 05:59:14Private Alex Proudlock
I just sit down to write a few lines to you in answer to your most kind and welcome letter, and also papers. I am very pleased to hear Uncle Jim was a bit better, tell him if he was over here I would get him more tobacco than he could smoke. I am in the best of health at present and am all right. Tell Grandfather that this week I pulled a ticket off the trusses of hay and I saw where it came from: Mr Warrington’s farm at Offord Station. It did remind me of my old life at Buckden. I am sending the ticket.
https://www.stneotsmuseum.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/st-neots-museum-logo.svg00Kelly Garnerhttps://www.stneotsmuseum.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/st-neots-museum-logo.svgKelly Garner1916-06-23 05:53:202021-02-12 09:50:05Private S Clayton
I am writing a few lines to tell you how pleased we are to get the Advertiser. I see young Shaw got wounded. I am very sorry, and hope he will be restored to good health again. I always read the soldiers’ letters but of course we can’t tell you much news. It is very interesting out here to hear news of people one knows, as it’s lively to be in trenches and dug-outs for weeks at a time. By what I read of young Shaws letter I guess we were in the same lot. Those gas shells are cruel; your eyes are as bad as if someone had thrown lime in them. I shan’t forget it I can tell you. We are now at rest in a large wood close to a nice town, where we go for a good swim in some grand baths. Last night I went to the picture house – fancy, not far behind the line and going to the pictures. One afternoon when I was walking down the trenches I met a Bombardier, and he wanted to find our Brigade Headquarters. We got talking and he told me the Brigade he was in was at the other side of the road, and it was the Highland Brigade that was in training at St Neots. Of course we had a good old chat about the common and people he knew. He lodged up Avenue Road, it was most interesting. I was where a young lady at Eaton had received a piece of a German aeroplane. I sent a piece home to Eynesbury. I was at the plane and it was a sight to watch one come down, but I think about seven came down on this front. We are having some very nice weather, some nice showers, which makes things grow. The corn out here looks nice. Well I have been reading a paper we got today and I see Lord Kitchener has got drowned. All the troops out here are very upset about it, it’s very sad. The naval battle we know was a good victory. Sometimes we get a paper six and seven days old when we are up the line. I really must close with kindest regards to you and your staff.
https://www.stneotsmuseum.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/st-neots-museum-logo.svg00Kelly Garnerhttps://www.stneotsmuseum.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/st-neots-museum-logo.svgKelly Garner1916-06-16 05:49:092021-02-11 18:58:31Bombardier Joe A Baker
I expect everyone is most curious about last week’s “scrap.” It was a fine show. Unhappily there are so many pessimists ashore that by the tone of the papers we lost. Don’t believe it. We won in both number of ships lost and relative value to sea power. It is obvious to anyone who knows anything about it, that it is far easier to estimate one’s own losses than the enemies’. One never knows how badly his ships were and a lot might sink on the flight back. I’ve underlined “flight,” as I have never seen anything more literal in my life. We personally went into action, and did good slaughter; they didn’t hit us but landed some shots short and some over the ship. I had a splendid view of the whole thing, and their shooting was rotten. We could only see five miles, so they fled in the mist, but not before they got it hot. Saw jolly old Zepp and drove him off with a flea in his ear. Also drove off a torpedo boat destroyer attack with great success. I see by this morning’s list we lost 300 officers odd. I had tons of pals among them too worse luck. Dixon Wright, the Padre who was at Dartmouth with me, was killed. It’s bad loosing those battle cruisers, but it took the whole enemy’s fleet to keep them waiting for us, and when we came they got away in the fog. But they lost heavily in ships and men. It was the sight of a life-time, and we wait again. More details I’m not allowed to give you, but after the war I can.
https://www.stneotsmuseum.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/st-neots-museum-logo.svg00Kelly Garnerhttps://www.stneotsmuseum.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/st-neots-museum-logo.svgKelly Garner1916-06-16 05:46:312018-10-21 05:48:59Heathcote Maurice, Royal Navy
Allow me a small space in your paper just to let the boys know I am still in the land of the living. I have been away from the Regt, and while I was away “Fritz” cut up rough (as we put it) and blew some mines up, and some of the Germans came over and brought their tools with them as if they came to stop, but they soon found out that their trenches were the safest and beat a hasty retreat. Of course “Fritz”’ got his artillery into action, and a new sort of trench bomb somewhat bigger than before, three feet long, one foot across, and 210 pounds, shaking the ground like an earthquake. What would a few conscientious objectors think to having them dropping behind their heels? I think most of them are afraid they would get “trench fever.” Corpl. Bellamy is right. He is reading a bit about the naval battle. Wishing you and your paper the best of luck.
Private Alex Proudlock
/in A letter homeBeing constant reader of your valuable paper, I thought you would like to know how one of the boys of the old town is getting on. I am writing this under the doubtful shelter although mansion, somewhere in France, but we’re thankful to be under any kind of shelter here, as the weather at present has a decidedly Blighty touch about it. At present our Company has been very lucky in escaping the Jack Johnsons, etc, whereas some of our other boys have had it rather the hot just lately. We don’t know whether to be amused or disgusted at some of the so-called reasons of the “ hope to be exempted” who appear before the Tribunals. They must be apologies for Britishers, perhaps they have not finished teething yet and are afraid to tackle bully and biscuits! If they were to appeal to the chaps out here they would get a warm reception. Wishing your paper every success that it deserves.
Private S Clayton
/in A letter homeI just sit down to write a few lines to you in answer to your most kind and welcome letter, and also papers. I am very pleased to hear Uncle Jim was a bit better, tell him if he was over here I would get him more tobacco than he could smoke. I am in the best of health at present and am all right. Tell Grandfather that this week I pulled a ticket off the trusses of hay and I saw where it came from: Mr Warrington’s farm at Offord Station. It did remind me of my old life at Buckden. I am sending the ticket.
Bombardier Joe A Baker
/in A letter homeI am writing a few lines to tell you how pleased we are to get the Advertiser. I see young Shaw got wounded. I am very sorry, and hope he will be restored to good health again. I always read the soldiers’ letters but of course we can’t tell you much news. It is very interesting out here to hear news of people one knows, as it’s lively to be in trenches and dug-outs for weeks at a time. By what I read of young Shaws letter I guess we were in the same lot. Those gas shells are cruel; your eyes are as bad as if someone had thrown lime in them. I shan’t forget it I can tell you. We are now at rest in a large wood close to a nice town, where we go for a good swim in some grand baths. Last night I went to the picture house – fancy, not far behind the line and going to the pictures. One afternoon when I was walking down the trenches I met a Bombardier, and he wanted to find our Brigade Headquarters. We got talking and he told me the Brigade he was in was at the other side of the road, and it was the Highland Brigade that was in training at St Neots. Of course we had a good old chat about the common and people he knew. He lodged up Avenue Road, it was most interesting. I was where a young lady at Eaton had received a piece of a German aeroplane. I sent a piece home to Eynesbury. I was at the plane and it was a sight to watch one come down, but I think about seven came down on this front. We are having some very nice weather, some nice showers, which makes things grow. The corn out here looks nice. Well I have been reading a paper we got today and I see Lord Kitchener has got drowned. All the troops out here are very upset about it, it’s very sad. The naval battle we know was a good victory. Sometimes we get a paper six and seven days old when we are up the line. I really must close with kindest regards to you and your staff.
Heathcote Maurice, Royal Navy
/in A letter homeI expect everyone is most curious about last week’s “scrap.” It was a fine show. Unhappily there are so many pessimists ashore that by the tone of the papers we lost. Don’t believe it. We won in both number of ships lost and relative value to sea power. It is obvious to anyone who knows anything about it, that it is far easier to estimate one’s own losses than the enemies’. One never knows how badly his ships were and a lot might sink on the flight back. I’ve underlined “flight,” as I have never seen anything more literal in my life. We personally went into action, and did good slaughter; they didn’t hit us but landed some shots short and some over the ship. I had a splendid view of the whole thing, and their shooting was rotten. We could only see five miles, so they fled in the mist, but not before they got it hot. Saw jolly old Zepp and drove him off with a flea in his ear. Also drove off a torpedo boat destroyer attack with great success. I see by this morning’s list we lost 300 officers odd. I had tons of pals among them too worse luck. Dixon Wright, the Padre who was at Dartmouth with me, was killed. It’s bad loosing those battle cruisers, but it took the whole enemy’s fleet to keep them waiting for us, and when we came they got away in the fog. But they lost heavily in ships and men. It was the sight of a life-time, and we wait again. More details I’m not allowed to give you, but after the war I can.
Private Sidney Medlock, Bedfordshire Regiment
/in A letter homeAllow me a small space in your paper just to let the boys know I am still in the land of the living. I have been away from the Regt, and while I was away “Fritz” cut up rough (as we put it) and blew some mines up, and some of the Germans came over and brought their tools with them as if they came to stop, but they soon found out that their trenches were the safest and beat a hasty retreat. Of course “Fritz”’ got his artillery into action, and a new sort of trench bomb somewhat bigger than before, three feet long, one foot across, and 210 pounds, shaking the ground like an earthquake. What would a few conscientious objectors think to having them dropping behind their heels? I think most of them are afraid they would get “trench fever.” Corpl. Bellamy is right. He is reading a bit about the naval battle. Wishing you and your paper the best of luck.