Three letters from Harold and Bill....(Canadians)
Stockcross Camp
Newbury
20th May 1916.
Better address my mail to
Army Post Office
London
Dear Mother
Received two letters from you this week and they were very welcome as I had not heard from home for some time.
I also got one from Jean and Rita and Miss Matts also two hundred more cigarettes from the Lachine Curling Club which is the third lot so far.
We are under canvas now and I like it fine as it is much more healthier, we are just about one hour and a half from London and in a very high and healthy part. I just wish father could see this country now it is just wonderful just like you see in picture books.
I really must write Hazel Adams a letter and congratulate her on her coming marriage but you might phone her and say I was very sorry to hear of her loosing her mother.
The maps we had taken at Lydd did not turn out good so just as soon as I get some more money I shall go in to town and get some taken (P.C. size). I will write Father another letter to-morrow but I have not heard from him for over two months now.
I think we shal getout of here by the middle of June as we have all our stores and our guns arrived to-night and we have all to work to-morrow (Sunday) but that will be nothing new as the major often takes a job and works us on Sunday.
Have never heard a word from G. Beattie but I suppose he is busy with his commission.
I am sending Dorthy Brown a card. I dont suppose she will mind.
Well mother I will close for this time but shall write Rita to-morrow so you should get a little news from now all at once. Hope this will find everybody will. I never felt better myself.
Your loving son.
Bill
P.S. Am sending Father a small snap which was taken at Lydd but you cant me out very well.
and..
France,
November 26, 1916
Dearest Mother
Sunday afternoon and I want to write home today for several reasons; first, I think it is almost a week since I have written; second, I am off duty and have nothing to do; third, because this is Sunday afternoon and, although Sunday is almost the same as every other day out here yet, whether on duty or not, it always brings back memories and I know on Sunday your thoughts and prayers are with me even more than on week days, and, last but not least, on this day, a year ago, I saw you all for the last time, for this is the anniversary of the day we said good bye to the shores of dear old P.E.I. and left for overseas. Well do I remember that eventful morning. I remember the sharp clear notes of the Reveille, breaking in the still morning air. Then the bustle of preparation, the last overhauling of kit, and the issuing of our final orders. Then the quarter call sounded and those of us who had been out at the door, saying good bye to any friends we might spy in the crowd which was hanging around, beat it for our kits. Once more the bugle was heard and this time five minute call,. and we shouldered our kits and got out onto the parade ground. Then the fall in roll call, the inspection to see that we had left nothing behind and the command "Quick March" and we were off - along Fitzroy to Prince, down Prince to the music of the band, and right on board the boat.
And then I saw you all for a few moments, just long enough for a few precious words, and - we were gone. For a few moments we could recognize faces; then all was lost in the crowd. Soon we were well out of the harbour and then the trouble began. Most of us had eaten a good deal of sweet stuff the night before, and that morning it was pretty rough, and one by one the fellows began to get seasick. I with a few others stayed up in the bow where I got the cool sea breeze in my face and did not mind the trip at all.Well, we got to Pictou at last and took a train to Halifax where we arrived just in time for supper.
During the evening, from 6 to 10, we were allowed up town, but in four hours in a strange town after dark one can not see a great deal. At 10 we got back to our train where we slept for the night.
The next forenoon we boarded the boat that was to bring us across and on the following morning, Sunday, Nov. 28 at 7 a.m., we pulled out of Halifax Harbour and said good bye to the shores of good old Canada. For seven days we sailed eastward, sleeping the last night on the upper deck with our life belts on, and on Sunday morning. at 7 a.m.,with flags flying and bands playing, we pulled into Plymouth Harbour. From Plymouth we went to Horsham by rail, arriving at our camp there the same night at about 10 p.m.. Here we were to camp for the greater part of the time we were in England and here we were to
get a large portion of our training. We worked hard but had a good deal of time to ourselves, and some of us made friends in the town. I told you of the family with which we were acquainted, the Debneys, and of the many enjoyable Sunday evenings spent there.
Well the months passed quickly and pleasantly, and at last we left Horsham and went to Lydd. There we received the finishing touches of our course and got our real test of efficiency in our firing practice, and believe me, we measured up to that test, too. Our work at Lydd completed, we went to Stockcross Camp for a couple of weeks before going across. Here I think was one of the most beautiful sections of country I have ever seen, certainly the most beautiful I have seen in England, although not nearly so nice as some parts of Scotland which we saw. While in Lydd we had our four days overseas leave and now we were already for France and on the last day of May we left Stockcross and about 7 p.m. the same evening we started on our trip across the channel, docking in France. at 1 a.m. June 1st. On June 7th we got to our position in the firing line and started digging in. On the 16th we fired our first shots and on July first we had our first big
bombardment on Gommecourt. Then on July 4th we left Sailley-au-Bois arriving at Fricourt on the 6th. Since then we have moved ahead three times and for each move the enemy have had to be driven back first and in this driving back process we have had a good share.
and..
Stockcross, Birkshire,
May 23, 1916
Dear Folks,
Tuesday night and I must drop you a line. Had a letter and a bundle of papers from Clemmie and card from Enid on Sunday and a letter from home the latter part of the week. I intended to write the last of the week but did not get around to it. Well, we have said goodbye to Lydd. We left on Thursday morning and came to Stockcross, a little
village three miles out of the town of Newbury, a nice little town with 15,000 of a population. Here we are under canvas and our life is practically the same as it was in Brighton. It is a beautiful country around here, the most beautiful part of England that we have yet been stationed in and everything is green and fresh, just like July at home. The free open life of the tent is certainly splendid and we are enjoying it to the full. Don't know how long we will be here. Perhaps we leave next week, perhaps not for three weeks. We have drawn practically all our mobilization stores including our guns which are six inch howitzers, the newest gun out and the best in the service and they are dandies.
From here we expect to go to France directly and hope to be in action in early June. I hope we get away next week. We are all anxious to get across. The old 98th has made a name for itself everywhere it has gone and believe me it will not disgrace itself when it gets into the actual work. Our life here is as near the life at the front as it could be out of hearing of the big guns. The cooking is done in outdoor kitchens. There are the same number to a tent and we have the same equipment as we will have at base and as for work our training has been harder than ever our work will be in France. As for danger in siege work the percentage of casualties is very small and even if the danger was greater it
would be all the same - we all hope to get back and we all expect to get back but if Providence should see fit that any of us should remain then we are ready for what comes. We do not take this as a joke, we realize that it is a serious undertaking but still we are anxious to get across and see it and take our little part in it. Personally I have no fear of going and only wish we were going tomorrow. We have the same hours here as in Horsham and Lydd -.do not have a great deal of work. Chiefly the overhauling of stores such as wire and telephones etc. so as to ensure their perfect working when we get across.
Sent some postcards of Scotland a few days ago and a long letter describing our trip also a picture of the battery. It was taken when I had the measles so I am not in it but it is a very good picture of the battery. Let me know if you get them all OK. Am sending a few little trinkets this week. Hope they get across safely. They are not of much value, just a few little things I got in Scotland.
Am glad to see that they are having such good success with the new battery. There is certainly a good bunch enlisting in it. You will recognize the names of a good many of our college crowd. PEI is certainly doing well. Had a long letter from Nelson McEwen a few days ago with all of the college news. Have a lot of letters not answered. We have been so busy since we went to Lydd that it has been impossible to find time to write. I will try to send a bunch of postcards and let them serve as answers. When we get across the number of our letters I suppose will be restricted to two or three a week so we won't have much chance to write anywhere but home. However I hope the friends down home
won't forget to write even if we haven't time to answer. Possibly by the time this reaches you we will be on the other side. But wherever I am I will be happy and I don't want you to worry if you could just see how jolly we are you would not worry about us. I was weighed a few days ago and now weigh 185 pounds so am not losing any.
Think I must close now and drop a line to Clemmie. Will write you the last of the week. This must be an awful scrawl as I am writing with a pad on my knee outside the tent and it does not make a very good desk.
A heart full of love to all from your soldier boy, Harold
Looks like it might have been a sizeable muster area throughout WW1.
Wasn't Benham V. used in WWII? maybe they merely used it again.
Seems really sad to contrast these letters with the horrors that awaited the authors.
Threep.
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