Tag Archive for: Kimbolton

Heathcote Maurice, Royal Navy

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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.

Gunner R Whiteman, Royal Field Artillery

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We are not having an exceedingly hard time here now, although it gets a bit monotonous at times. We have reveille at 6.30, and, at 7.30, breakfast with the usual diet of bacon. We are not allowed to do much ‘outdoor’ work during the day, that is if it is clear owing to the activity of the German aircraft. Talking about our aeroplanes: I saw a good ‘scrap’ in the air the other day between a British biplane and a German scout. The German machine seemed to tilt all of a sudden, at an awful angle, and looked to me as if it dropped just in its own lines, but whether or no, I could not say for certain: this happened immediately above our heads. We do not lack ammunition, not by a long way; but on the enemy’s side it is doubtful, as not many months ago the Germans used to retaliate with about three shots to our one. But now, where we are it is a great event if we hear a shell let alone see one. We have had it a bit hard with the firing lately, as I can tell you it is no weaklings job to handle 36lb shells especially when you have had about a dozen rounds as fast as you can. The climate out here is suiting me to a ‘T’, nice and sharp in the mornings which gives me a good appetite for breakfast. I was pleased to hear ‘Jimmy’ Skinner was still well. Kindly remember me to all the boys in the office.

Gunner R Whiteman, Royal Field Artillery

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I am thankful that up to present I have managed to keep clear of the German Shells and am in the best of health. You need not be surprised to see me popping in one of these days, as there are rumours going round that our battery starts leave on Sunday. Anyhow, we must ‘wait and see.’ One thing to be thankful for we have good sleeping accommodation out here now, possessing fine dugouts. As I write this some of the boys are gathered round the fire making toast and singing and enjoying themselves. The weather does not change much in fact I think it gets colder. But roll on the spring when we can get going. Things are pretty quiet in this quarter just now, or as ‘Pat’ used to say ‘nothing doing.’