My Dear People,
Just a few lines to let you know I am quite well. Since writing to you I have received 6 letters - one for Siss (April 4th) one from Kath (March 29th) one from Aunt Bessie (April 8th) one from Nell (March 31st) and two from Annie (9th and 21st of April). I was very pleased to get these letters and to hear that you are all doing well. I also got my Records and see that there had been a lot of socials etc. around there lately.
I was surprised to hear of the rumour that John Best was married, but I hope that it is true, and if it is I wish him the best of luck. I was sorry to hear that Ralph Thomas had lost his leg. I did not know he had been wounded as badly as that.
I got a letter from Mat Griffen. He is in hospital in England, wounded in the elbow, very near the same place as before. He does not expect to be laid up very long with it this time.
I went and saw Buzz Simmons about a fortnight ago. He looks well and hardly knew me. He was mending boots and says the job will do him - better than carting ammunition.
Kathleen says Mrs. Siegert wanted to know if I had heard anything of her boy George, but I have not been near his Battalion so I have not had a chance to make any enquiries. "Missing" is a very unsatisfactory return in a casualty list. I feel sorry for anyone who has their soldier laddies reported that way. If they are not reported Prisoners of War within 2 or 3 months, there is very little chance of them being heard of again. So I am very much afraid that little Georgie was killed. I see by the Record that Augie Pohler was given a great reception home. Hilda is evidently doing well too with her reciting etc. By the way I hear that she has got herself a returned soldier boy - is that so?
I am very glad I did not order a French tart for John Best if that is his game. Frank Richards and Harry Tralaggan are quite alright. Wally Arnolds is having a spell out of the line this trip, he well deserves it as he has done a lot of line work.
We got some Christmas parcels yesterday and some shirts and socks from the Australian Comfort Fund. It was rather late for Christmas parcels, but they are just as welcome. We often get tobacco, cocoa and milk etc. from the Fund.
I will close now hoping you are all well.
I remain
Your Loving Son and Brother,
Tom.
Showing posts with label WW1. Show all posts
Showing posts with label WW1. Show all posts
France; June 9th, 1918
My Dear People,
Just a few lines to let you know I am quite well. We are camped in little bivouacs now & the days are lovely & warm with nice chilly nights.
Since last writing I have seen Mat and Mick Griffen - they are both well. Mat is attached to the A.S.C. for the time. They tell me Bert, Frank, Aleck & Lorrie Bell are still going. Buzz Simmons is camped about ten miles away & I believe is quite well. He is a cobble in an ammunition Column. Bob Honan is in the same section. Mick said he saw Jack Soccins some time ago - he was quite alright. Bob Crewes has been wounded again.
We had a Church Parade this morning, the first time we had a chance since I have been in France.
One of our lads had the bad luck to be drowned yesterday. We were in swimming & he went down quite near the bank & only came up once. He never struggled or sang out at all, so I think his heart must have failed. He was in about 15 ft of water & they had a terrible job to get him out. The man who got down & tied a rope on him was very nearly done when he came up. They are having a funeral parade this afternoon. I am going to it. I suppose they will have the Brigade Band there, but I don't think they will have a firing party.
I see by the Record that the Burra Ladies Band has been doing quite a lot of playing in Adelaide & elsewhere. I also see where "yours truly" was having a tremendously good time in hospital at Portsmouth. I do know what my little Janie will think if she hears of such things & I am keeping as true as could be to her.
Well I will close now, hoping you are all well,
I remain
Your loving Son & Brother
Tom
Just a few lines to let you know I am quite well. We are camped in little bivouacs now & the days are lovely & warm with nice chilly nights.
Since last writing I have seen Mat and Mick Griffen - they are both well. Mat is attached to the A.S.C. for the time. They tell me Bert, Frank, Aleck & Lorrie Bell are still going. Buzz Simmons is camped about ten miles away & I believe is quite well. He is a cobble in an ammunition Column. Bob Honan is in the same section. Mick said he saw Jack Soccins some time ago - he was quite alright. Bob Crewes has been wounded again.
We had a Church Parade this morning, the first time we had a chance since I have been in France.
One of our lads had the bad luck to be drowned yesterday. We were in swimming & he went down quite near the bank & only came up once. He never struggled or sang out at all, so I think his heart must have failed. He was in about 15 ft of water & they had a terrible job to get him out. The man who got down & tied a rope on him was very nearly done when he came up. They are having a funeral parade this afternoon. I am going to it. I suppose they will have the Brigade Band there, but I don't think they will have a firing party.
I see by the Record that the Burra Ladies Band has been doing quite a lot of playing in Adelaide & elsewhere. I also see where "yours truly" was having a tremendously good time in hospital at Portsmouth. I do know what my little Janie will think if she hears of such things & I am keeping as true as could be to her.
Well I will close now, hoping you are all well,
I remain
Your loving Son & Brother
Tom
France; May 6, 1918
My Dear People,
Just a short note to let you know how I am getting along.
Since last writing to you I have received 9 letters - one from Sis, 2 from Uncle Dan & Aunty Ada & a photo, one from Pat Griffen, one from Hilda Taylor, 2 from Annie (Feb 26th, March 6th), one from Mum (Feb 27) & one from Dad (Feb 17th). I was glad to hear you were all doing well & very pleased to know your wheat & wool turned out so well.
We are still on our good job & doing quite well.
May 8th
I am still doing quite alright but, we have shifted out of our comfortable house & are in little bivouacs now, still things are very nice & we are all quite happy. We had some rain yesterday, but it is fine & a bit cloudy to-day.
Poor Ada Onley had bad luck losing her husband so soon. How is Mrs. Cahill getting along?
Uncle Dan tells me he had a lovely crop, the family look quite well in the photo they sent me.
By the way the Block must have had a lot of wheat on it if you got 3,400 bags, as I think someone mentioned that you had 700 bags at Ilfradale. I am not quite sure of this. That would leave 2,700 for the Block or a few bags more than I got off it & I suppose they were heavier bags than mine (some crop). I suppose Poor Will was grease & dust all over when he was reaping it. Who is his girl, now? & who does John use his bike after?
Well I must close now as I have to get the rations directly, hoping you are all quite well.
I remain
Your Loving Son & Brother
Tom.
I heard Frank Richards was wounded (W. Arnold told me) but I do not think he got to Blighty (England).
Just a short note to let you know how I am getting along.
Since last writing to you I have received 9 letters - one from Sis, 2 from Uncle Dan & Aunty Ada & a photo, one from Pat Griffen, one from Hilda Taylor, 2 from Annie (Feb 26th, March 6th), one from Mum (Feb 27) & one from Dad (Feb 17th). I was glad to hear you were all doing well & very pleased to know your wheat & wool turned out so well.
We are still on our good job & doing quite well.
May 8th
I am still doing quite alright but, we have shifted out of our comfortable house & are in little bivouacs now, still things are very nice & we are all quite happy. We had some rain yesterday, but it is fine & a bit cloudy to-day.
Poor Ada Onley had bad luck losing her husband so soon. How is Mrs. Cahill getting along?
Uncle Dan tells me he had a lovely crop, the family look quite well in the photo they sent me.
By the way the Block must have had a lot of wheat on it if you got 3,400 bags, as I think someone mentioned that you had 700 bags at Ilfradale. I am not quite sure of this. That would leave 2,700 for the Block or a few bags more than I got off it & I suppose they were heavier bags than mine (some crop). I suppose Poor Will was grease & dust all over when he was reaping it. Who is his girl, now? & who does John use his bike after?
Well I must close now as I have to get the rations directly, hoping you are all quite well.
I remain
Your Loving Son & Brother
Tom.
I heard Frank Richards was wounded (W. Arnold told me) but I do not think he got to Blighty (England).
France; April, 28th, 1918
My Dear People,
Just a few lines to let you know, I am quite well. We are still on our good job & having a Bonza time.
We have been living on roast & fried meats & plenty of potatoes, jam tarts, (I am pretty good on pastry cooking) but I am getting short of flour now as these Froggies buy bakers bread & unless
I souvenir some more flour, our tarts will come to an end. We had some nice fresh fish which we caught too. One of my lads got possession of a fowl to-night so the troops will likely have poultry for dinner one of these days.
Most of our lads are collecting little souvenirs to send horse '& you can get plenty of nice little ornaments too, but I do not bother anything like that. (I believe the leaning figure of the
Virgin I sent home has fallen at last).
You can get anything you want here, from a frying pan, to a grand Piano, & my word these Frenchies have some lovely furniture. To look at most of the houses from the outside they do not seem very flash, but inside the furniture and decorations are beautiful. There must have been some wealthy people here, & it seems such a pity that they should have to leave such nice homes. It is also quite possible that if there was any heavy fighting about here the houses would be levelled to the ground by shells.
We have a fair amount of sport when we are looking for food owing to the language on the labels but, we can generally pick out what they are by the look or taste. One of my men reported a large find of flour but, on examination I pronounced it plaster of paris (what a sell). The best of the joke was that he gave a sand bag of it to some other chaps & they carried it about a mile, but I found out & told them about it before they tried to use it.
The war seems to be going on with a good swing & though we have lost a bit of ground I do not think Fritz can stand the pace he has been going for long. He has had a little go or two at the Aussies but does not get on too well with them.
I hear that poor old Tom Dearlove was killed. He was one of the best soldiers in our Battalion, He never growled or grumbled no matter what happened & had been with the Battalion right through everything. These sort of men do not get much in the way of decoration but I think they are real "dinkum" heroes.
I expect by the time you get this you will be pretty near finished tilling. I see the Governmentis guaranteeing 4/- a bushel for last seasons wheat so that is not so bad, as you have had pretty good returns.
I suppose Annie will be nearly finished her course at T.T.C. by the time you get this. And Kathie's leave will be up. Of course she will find that keeping house is not all sugar & honey & I
suppose she will be glad to get back to her teaching again.
I have not seen or heard anything of the other Mt. B. boys since I came to France this time as I have not been near their Batts. I guess those chaps who have returned home are doing some swank, but I am sorry for those who have lost a limb.
Well I must close now hoping you are all well.
I remain
Your Loving Son & Brother
Tom
Just a few lines to let you know, I am quite well. We are still on our good job & having a Bonza time.
We have been living on roast & fried meats & plenty of potatoes, jam tarts, (I am pretty good on pastry cooking) but I am getting short of flour now as these Froggies buy bakers bread & unless
I souvenir some more flour, our tarts will come to an end. We had some nice fresh fish which we caught too. One of my lads got possession of a fowl to-night so the troops will likely have poultry for dinner one of these days.
Most of our lads are collecting little souvenirs to send horse '& you can get plenty of nice little ornaments too, but I do not bother anything like that. (I believe the leaning figure of the
Virgin I sent home has fallen at last).
You can get anything you want here, from a frying pan, to a grand Piano, & my word these Frenchies have some lovely furniture. To look at most of the houses from the outside they do not seem very flash, but inside the furniture and decorations are beautiful. There must have been some wealthy people here, & it seems such a pity that they should have to leave such nice homes. It is also quite possible that if there was any heavy fighting about here the houses would be levelled to the ground by shells.
We have a fair amount of sport when we are looking for food owing to the language on the labels but, we can generally pick out what they are by the look or taste. One of my men reported a large find of flour but, on examination I pronounced it plaster of paris (what a sell). The best of the joke was that he gave a sand bag of it to some other chaps & they carried it about a mile, but I found out & told them about it before they tried to use it.
The war seems to be going on with a good swing & though we have lost a bit of ground I do not think Fritz can stand the pace he has been going for long. He has had a little go or two at the Aussies but does not get on too well with them.
I hear that poor old Tom Dearlove was killed. He was one of the best soldiers in our Battalion, He never growled or grumbled no matter what happened & had been with the Battalion right through everything. These sort of men do not get much in the way of decoration but I think they are real "dinkum" heroes.
I expect by the time you get this you will be pretty near finished tilling. I see the Governmentis guaranteeing 4/- a bushel for last seasons wheat so that is not so bad, as you have had pretty good returns.
I suppose Annie will be nearly finished her course at T.T.C. by the time you get this. And Kathie's leave will be up. Of course she will find that keeping house is not all sugar & honey & I
suppose she will be glad to get back to her teaching again.
I have not seen or heard anything of the other Mt. B. boys since I came to France this time as I have not been near their Batts. I guess those chaps who have returned home are doing some swank, but I am sorry for those who have lost a limb.
Well I must close now hoping you are all well.
I remain
Your Loving Son & Brother
Tom
France; April 9th 1918
My Dear People,
Just few lines to let you know I am getting along alright.
Since last writing I have received a Burra Record & 3 letters - one from Mum (Jan 9th) & two from Annie (Dec 2nd & 12th). I told you in my last letter that I had received 2 letters before that, so I think I have got just about all my letters now.
We were up near the line for a day or so but are back in fairly decent billets now. It has been raining a lot lately. Things have been a bit sloppy at times.
April 22nd
I am still quite well, but, have not been able to get any letters away since I started to write this. I hope you do not worry if my letters are a bit straggly now as we are likely to be fairly busy for a while. Just at present we are having the time of our lives in a village which the French have left and this soldier has never been on such a good job in the army before, it would do me quite well for the duration of the war.
When we came here last night I got six letters. Two from Mum (Jan 27th & Feb 5th) 1 from Kath (Feb 6th) 2 from Annie (Jan 29th & Feb 9th), one from Siss (Feb 10th) & one from Hilda Pohlner. I was very glad to hear you were all doing fairly well & that you had received my Photo etc. from Portsmouth. I told you in my last letter that I had received the 10/- note Kathleen sent me.
I would like to be able to tell you about the things I see in this village. It is a terrible thing to have to pack up & leave your home at very short notice & I am very sorry for the poor people who have to do it. There are some beautiful homes here & the soldiers are sleeping on feather beds with eider-down quilts & generally living like lords, as of course the French did not have time to take their stores with them. I have got some flour & intend having fritters for breakfast in the morning, the first since I left home.
All this comes strange after being in the line & I am afraid the troops will be ill, having such a good time. It is however a terrible shame for the people who have had to leave it & war is a rotten thing.
April 24th
Just few lines to let you know I am getting along alright.
Since last writing I have received a Burra Record & 3 letters - one from Mum (Jan 9th) & two from Annie (Dec 2nd & 12th). I told you in my last letter that I had received 2 letters before that, so I think I have got just about all my letters now.
We were up near the line for a day or so but are back in fairly decent billets now. It has been raining a lot lately. Things have been a bit sloppy at times.
April 22nd
I am still quite well, but, have not been able to get any letters away since I started to write this. I hope you do not worry if my letters are a bit straggly now as we are likely to be fairly busy for a while. Just at present we are having the time of our lives in a village which the French have left and this soldier has never been on such a good job in the army before, it would do me quite well for the duration of the war.
When we came here last night I got six letters. Two from Mum (Jan 27th & Feb 5th) 1 from Kath (Feb 6th) 2 from Annie (Jan 29th & Feb 9th), one from Siss (Feb 10th) & one from Hilda Pohlner. I was very glad to hear you were all doing fairly well & that you had received my Photo etc. from Portsmouth. I told you in my last letter that I had received the 10/- note Kathleen sent me.
I would like to be able to tell you about the things I see in this village. It is a terrible thing to have to pack up & leave your home at very short notice & I am very sorry for the poor people who have to do it. There are some beautiful homes here & the soldiers are sleeping on feather beds with eider-down quilts & generally living like lords, as of course the French did not have time to take their stores with them. I have got some flour & intend having fritters for breakfast in the morning, the first since I left home.
All this comes strange after being in the line & I am afraid the troops will be ill, having such a good time. It is however a terrible shame for the people who have had to leave it & war is a rotten thing.
April 24th
We are still in the same place & I am doing quite well, although Fritz annoys us now & again with nasty things that go bang. Ralph Thomas is indeed lucky to be exchanged as a prisoner of war & I suppose he will soon be back home now. I guess his mother will be pleased to have him home again.
Well I must close now, hoping you are all quite well,
I remain
Your Loving Son & Brother
Tom
Well I must close now, hoping you are all quite well,
I remain
Your Loving Son & Brother
Tom
France, March 29, 1918
My Dear People,
Just a few lines to let you know that I am quite well. I joined my old Battalion 10 days ago and went into the front line the same night. We did a few days in the line and then shifted out. I suppose you know that Fritz has made his big attack and it is quite likely that I will be having a bit to do with stopping him during the next few days.
I had a very good trip to France this time, but have not had an opportunity to write owing to the shifting about. I sent a couple of field cards which I hope you get alright.
Since joining the Battalion I have received a Burra Record and 12 letters - 3 from Mum (Nov 4, 8, and 15th) 4 from Annie (Nov 11th, Oct 28th, Jan 13th and 21st) 2 from Siss (November 20th and Jan 16th) and 3 from Kathleen (Nov 2nd and 29th and Jan 20th), one of which contained a 10/ note. I appreciate Kathie's kindness but I am glad to say I do not need the money. I think this is just about all my letters now. The only thing that I have not received is the parcel with Siss' wedding cake and the parcel of gloves Kathie sent me, so I have been pretty lucky.
Harry Tralaggan is still going, but I think his shoulder is pretty weak. He tells me there is a rumour going around at last Burra Show that I was killed. I do not know if you heard it or not. It was supposed, in the Battalion, that I would not get over my "whack" as the man who dressed me did not give me much of a chance, but it will take more than that to finish me.
Wally Arnolds is quite well and has got a stripe now.
March 31st.
Still quite well and resting in billets, must close now.
Hope you are all well,
T. J. Quinn
Just a few lines to let you know that I am quite well. I joined my old Battalion 10 days ago and went into the front line the same night. We did a few days in the line and then shifted out. I suppose you know that Fritz has made his big attack and it is quite likely that I will be having a bit to do with stopping him during the next few days.
I had a very good trip to France this time, but have not had an opportunity to write owing to the shifting about. I sent a couple of field cards which I hope you get alright.
Since joining the Battalion I have received a Burra Record and 12 letters - 3 from Mum (Nov 4, 8, and 15th) 4 from Annie (Nov 11th, Oct 28th, Jan 13th and 21st) 2 from Siss (November 20th and Jan 16th) and 3 from Kathleen (Nov 2nd and 29th and Jan 20th), one of which contained a 10/ note. I appreciate Kathie's kindness but I am glad to say I do not need the money. I think this is just about all my letters now. The only thing that I have not received is the parcel with Siss' wedding cake and the parcel of gloves Kathie sent me, so I have been pretty lucky.
Harry Tralaggan is still going, but I think his shoulder is pretty weak. He tells me there is a rumour going around at last Burra Show that I was killed. I do not know if you heard it or not. It was supposed, in the Battalion, that I would not get over my "whack" as the man who dressed me did not give me much of a chance, but it will take more than that to finish me.
Wally Arnolds is quite well and has got a stripe now.
March 31st.
Still quite well and resting in billets, must close now.
Hope you are all well,
T. J. Quinn
Warminster, UK; March 3, 1918
No 3 Battalion
Overseas Training Brigade
Sandhill Camp
My Dear People,
Just a few lines to let you know I am quite well.
I received 7 letters last week, one from Mum (Dec 16th) two from Siss (Dec 18th and 30th) one from Aunt Bessie, one from Elsie Bryce and two from Annie (Dec 28th and 1st Jan). I was very glad to hear you were all doing alright but sorry that you were worrying about me as I was having a splendid time.
There are a good many of my letters missing. I suppose they are chasing me round the hospitals I have been in. Noel Tiver is in this camp. He had an ingrowing toenail & was lucky enough to be sent to England with it.
From Mum's letter I see that some of your ideas of a wounded man's treatment are wrong. For instance, when you heard I had been sent to England you thought I was badly hit. This is not always so as men are sent to England with very slight affairs sometimes. It depends on the hospitals in France. If a big "stunt" is coming off all the hospitals in France are cleared out to make room for the wounded who are sure to come. That was how Noel got over with such a trifle. He was in hospital in France & nearly right, when a special clear-out was made for the Cambrai business.
Overseas Training Brigade
Sandhill Camp
My Dear People,
Just a few lines to let you know I am quite well.
I received 7 letters last week, one from Mum (Dec 16th) two from Siss (Dec 18th and 30th) one from Aunt Bessie, one from Elsie Bryce and two from Annie (Dec 28th and 1st Jan). I was very glad to hear you were all doing alright but sorry that you were worrying about me as I was having a splendid time.
There are a good many of my letters missing. I suppose they are chasing me round the hospitals I have been in. Noel Tiver is in this camp. He had an ingrowing toenail & was lucky enough to be sent to England with it.
From Mum's letter I see that some of your ideas of a wounded man's treatment are wrong. For instance, when you heard I had been sent to England you thought I was badly hit. This is not always so as men are sent to England with very slight affairs sometimes. It depends on the hospitals in France. If a big "stunt" is coming off all the hospitals in France are cleared out to make room for the wounded who are sure to come. That was how Noel got over with such a trifle. He was in hospital in France & nearly right, when a special clear-out was made for the Cambrai business.
So if I get wounded again & sent to England, do not think it is serious until the Military tell you so. You can rely on the casualty reports being pretty correct, as I have seen men wounded & then seen the reports on them & they are pretty accurate. Do not worry the Red Cross or cable, as if a man is dangerously ill the authorities always let his people know. If an English soldier is very ill in a French hospital the doctor sends for his people & the Government pay their expenses & send them over to France to see their son. Of course that would be impossible for an Australian. I do not know if you are aware of it but that is what most soldiers pray for - a nice little wound to get them into hospital for a spell. A man who is so seriously damaged as to be discharged is considered the luckiest man alive.
The weather here is lovely now (real spring) & yesterday was the nicest day I have seen in England. At Church this morning the priest gave us a great sermon on our boys marrying English girls. (There were 800 Australians married English girls last month). He was pointing out the difficulties & dangers of doing this especially to Catholics who, of course, generally marry Protestant girls. Besides this he did not think it fair to forget about the girls that most of our chaps have waiting for them in Australia. I do not think it is fair either. It is a standing joke in this country that the "Aussies" English wife does not have to knit him any socks as he gets plenty of parcels from the girl he left in Australia. Of course some of the English girls are alright, but, the class that most of our chaps marry are, well "not much".
I expect to go to France on Thursday to have another go at the horrible Hun. If I don't have any harder time than I did last trip I will be alright. The weather from now on should not be so bad. Aunty tells me Kath has got six months leave (what's the matter Kathy tired of the game?) & that Annie is going to T.T.C.
I suppose Will put in some good work while Megs was staying with you (go for it while you're young Will). By the way, who is Phil O'Rielly marrying, Miss Nugent? I am enclosing a little sprig of shamrock. Noel Tiver tells me that there were big bush fires in the North East. The feed must have been pretty good & the wheat crops must have been pretty good too. It is a pity you cannot sell it straight out for full price.
I was glad to hear Ralph Thomas had only been taken prisoner. I expect he will have a pretty rough time for a while, but he will be fairly sure of getting home alright. I suppose his mother is worrying about him.
Well I will close now hoping you are all quite well.
I remain
Your Loving Son & Brother
Tom
The weather here is lovely now (real spring) & yesterday was the nicest day I have seen in England. At Church this morning the priest gave us a great sermon on our boys marrying English girls. (There were 800 Australians married English girls last month). He was pointing out the difficulties & dangers of doing this especially to Catholics who, of course, generally marry Protestant girls. Besides this he did not think it fair to forget about the girls that most of our chaps have waiting for them in Australia. I do not think it is fair either. It is a standing joke in this country that the "Aussies" English wife does not have to knit him any socks as he gets plenty of parcels from the girl he left in Australia. Of course some of the English girls are alright, but, the class that most of our chaps marry are, well "not much".
I expect to go to France on Thursday to have another go at the horrible Hun. If I don't have any harder time than I did last trip I will be alright. The weather from now on should not be so bad. Aunty tells me Kath has got six months leave (what's the matter Kathy tired of the game?) & that Annie is going to T.T.C.
I suppose Will put in some good work while Megs was staying with you (go for it while you're young Will). By the way, who is Phil O'Rielly marrying, Miss Nugent? I am enclosing a little sprig of shamrock. Noel Tiver tells me that there were big bush fires in the North East. The feed must have been pretty good & the wheat crops must have been pretty good too. It is a pity you cannot sell it straight out for full price.
I was glad to hear Ralph Thomas had only been taken prisoner. I expect he will have a pretty rough time for a while, but he will be fairly sure of getting home alright. I suppose his mother is worrying about him.
Well I will close now hoping you are all quite well.
I remain
Your Loving Son & Brother
Tom
Warminster, UK; March 3rd, 1918
No 3 Battalion
Overseas Training Brigade,
Sandhill Camp. Warminster
My Dear People,
Just a few lines to let You know I am quite well. I came down here Thursday & have been fitted out with a full set of fighting equipment, rifle, steel helmets, & gas mask etc. & things are beginning to look very like France again. I am supposed to stop here for 3 weeks training, but if they will let me go I will get put on the first draft for France.
View Larger Map
We have had very cold winds here the last day or two. I went to Warminster yesterday. It is a nice little town, but crowded with Australians as there are a lot of camps about here. We are about 20 miles from Salisbury. One of the Earles boys is in the same hut as I am here. He was in the 32nd Transport. It was his brother you had working for you last year.
I sent you 2 parcels from Hurdcott. One books of views & the other a little box of souvenirs. I hope you get them alright as I sent something for each one of you - all little trinkets of Ireland. I have got four parcels, one with the leather waistcoat from M.B.C., one from home with a tin of pudding which I like very much, one from Siss & George with some very nice preserved fruit & a parcel of woollens from Mt. B. Red cross circle. I was very pleased to get all these parcels and of course am writing to thank the societies for theirs, but the mail route is a bit risky now.
I am enclosing a photo of myself taken at Hurdcott just before I went on leave. You will notice that I am wearing two stripes. I was a Lance Cpl in the Battalion for a good while and about a fortnight before I was hit was promoted Temporary Cpl and of course was being paid for it, but as soon as I was hit my pay stopped, though I still wore my stripes. When I go back to the Battalion I may be paid again but if I am not then I will hand in my stripes altogether as I do not believe in having charge of a section and get no pay for it. I do not care very much about my position in the photo and prefer my stand on the donkey cart at Killarney. They are cutting down the rations a bit for home service men here, but men under training for France still get plenty & I am in pretty good condition. I do not think my leg will give me any trouble.
I see by the papers that they are sending soldiers to the part of Ireland I was floating about in, to enforce law and order a bit. I thought that would happen.
Well, I will close now, hoping you are all well.
I remain
Your Loving Son & Brother
Tom
Overseas Training Brigade,
Sandhill Camp. Warminster
My Dear People,
Just a few lines to let You know I am quite well. I came down here Thursday & have been fitted out with a full set of fighting equipment, rifle, steel helmets, & gas mask etc. & things are beginning to look very like France again. I am supposed to stop here for 3 weeks training, but if they will let me go I will get put on the first draft for France.
View Larger Map
We have had very cold winds here the last day or two. I went to Warminster yesterday. It is a nice little town, but crowded with Australians as there are a lot of camps about here. We are about 20 miles from Salisbury. One of the Earles boys is in the same hut as I am here. He was in the 32nd Transport. It was his brother you had working for you last year.
I sent you 2 parcels from Hurdcott. One books of views & the other a little box of souvenirs. I hope you get them alright as I sent something for each one of you - all little trinkets of Ireland. I have got four parcels, one with the leather waistcoat from M.B.C., one from home with a tin of pudding which I like very much, one from Siss & George with some very nice preserved fruit & a parcel of woollens from Mt. B. Red cross circle. I was very pleased to get all these parcels and of course am writing to thank the societies for theirs, but the mail route is a bit risky now.
I am enclosing a photo of myself taken at Hurdcott just before I went on leave. You will notice that I am wearing two stripes. I was a Lance Cpl in the Battalion for a good while and about a fortnight before I was hit was promoted Temporary Cpl and of course was being paid for it, but as soon as I was hit my pay stopped, though I still wore my stripes. When I go back to the Battalion I may be paid again but if I am not then I will hand in my stripes altogether as I do not believe in having charge of a section and get no pay for it. I do not care very much about my position in the photo and prefer my stand on the donkey cart at Killarney. They are cutting down the rations a bit for home service men here, but men under training for France still get plenty & I am in pretty good condition. I do not think my leg will give me any trouble.
I see by the papers that they are sending soldiers to the part of Ireland I was floating about in, to enforce law and order a bit. I thought that would happen.
Well, I will close now, hoping you are all well.
I remain
Your Loving Son & Brother
Tom
Hurdcott; February 23, 1918
My Dear People,
Just a few lines to let you know I am quite alright. I came back from Furlough on Thursday after a most enjoyable and interesting trip.
When I got back I got 5 letters, one from Hilda Pohlner (Oct 14) one from Kath (Oct 14) 2 from Annie (Oct 14th & Nov 18th) and one from Nell (Nov 21st). In the last two you knew that I had been hit. I also got three parcels from home: one from Siss & George & one from Mt Bryan Red Cross circle. I was mighty pleased to get them as I had given up hope of getting them. I told you before that I had received the parcel with the waistcoat from the M.B.C. people. I wrote to Hilda thanking them but of course the mail route is a risky one now. I have sent you some books of views of Ireland & some Sinn Fien literature which I hope you get safely. I have got a lot of postcards and some little souvenirs to send yet but I don't want them to go on one mail.
I was very sorry to hear Frank Kelly and Charlie Burton were killed & I hope Ralph Thomas has been found alright. I think I will soon be going to Sutton Veney now as I told the doctor this morning that I was quite fit for France. You see I have had a real good time & I think it is nearly time I went back and done a bit more.
I will now give you a description of my trip through Ireland. I left Custon Station (London) Thursday night at 8.40pm and went right across England about 300 miles with only one stop at Crewe to Holyhead. I then got on the boat and went over the Channel in about 3 hours (it is 64 miles) and landed at Kingstown (Dublin), at 6 o'clock. I got in the train there and went straight to Killarney, arriving there at dinner time on Friday. Had a look over the Cathedral there. It has not been finished very long and I believe some priests went to Australia and collected a lot of money to help finish it. Saturday it was rather wet, so we went to see some lace at a convent in Killarney. They are on Red Cross work now as there is no market for lace. I got a couple of handkerchiefs or doilies which I am sending home to Mum. The lace is made by hand and the finer sorts are fairly expensive.
Sunday morning I went to Mass and then with another Corporal and a honeymoon couple, went in a jaunting car for a drive around the beautiful lakes of Killarney.
It is indeed lovely scenery. On Monday I went to a Fair at a little place called Killarglin (about 30 miles from Killarney). The people in this part are supposed to be the most backward and uneducated in Ireland but, I believe, as honest as could be. At the Fair there were cattle and people so thick in the street you could hardly walk through them. The crowd (girls & all) push and bump as bad as a lot of soldiers rushing for pay or dinner. There were a lot of cheap-jacks etc. They're much the same as a show in Australia. All the stock were bought and sold privately.
On Tuesday I went to Cork. It is a very old-fashioned town with about 100,000 inhabitants. There was a bit of a strike on there. A tobacco manufacturer there was paying the girls 3/6 a week for 10 hours a day and they struck. They had his place picketed and there were a lot of police there to keep order. The Irish police are very big, fine men and they do not want there to be any squibs either. I can tell you one afternoon they were escorting two or three fellows down the street and there was a mob of 200 or 300 chasing after them and boo-hooing something splendid.
At Limerick there was some trouble over a steam crane that was being put up. Some of the dock labourers thinking it would do them out of a job. One evening I was standing on the quay and a wagon belonging to the people putting up the crane was being escorted by about 20 police along the street. A yelling mob was following it. Some police who were guarding the yard rushed out with rifles and let the wagon in. Then the police rushed the mob and drove them off the quay like a mob of sheep. I take it that these are quite everyday occurrences in the poor misgoverned Ireland.
View Larger Map
On the Wednesday I went out to Blarney castle, about 10 miles from Cork, and kissed the Blarney stone. It is a very pretty place.
Thursday I went to Limmerick and then on to Dublin, Saturday night. I had not heard or seen much of Sinn Fein till I got to Limerick, but I went to a lecture there on the Dublin Rebellion by one of the men who was in it and sentenced to death, but was eventually released. I had my eyes considerably opened by what I heard and saw there. A good many of those present were in the uniform of the volunteer Republican Army. I did not think they would be allowed to wear that in public. They have officers and I saw a good bit of saluting being done by the privates. The Officers wear Shamrocks instead of stars on their sleeves. Some of the speaking was done in Gaelic and it is Sinn Fein's idea to get rid of everything English. Government, Language and all. I am afraid they are taking on a hopeless task. Any one of them would cut your throat for a rifle. So when the Irish soldiers come home on leave from France, the police take charge of their rifles till they go back. Of course everybody had their eyes on me but I clapped and hurrahed with the rest when they sang songs and gave recitations, some of which I have sent in a bundle of Sinn Fein stuff. It seemed a bit rich for me to be wearing a British uniform and cheering rank Sedition. I would have given quids to have had Uncle Jimmy with me.
Anyone I spoke to always wanted to know what part my grand-parents came from - but I do not even know what county they came from (terrible disgrace), you must write and tell me as it would be quite easy for me to trace some of my poor relations if I went to Ireland again. They also pointed out to me that it was on account of bad English laws that my people had to leave Ireland. But I don't bear England any grudge for that, seeing Australia has a climate more suitable for me to live in than Ireland. Dublin is a very nice little town with some lovely buildings and Phoenix park is a magnificent place.
The museum there has a wonderful stuff and I even saw some of our old South Australian stamps - it would take a week to go through it properly. The Art gallery is splendid too. I went over Guiness' Brewery - it is an immense industry. When you had had a look over the place they treat you to some of their stout, but I don't like any liquor much. Sackville street, which was knocked about a bit during the rebellion is still in ruins and the GPO is still the same.
I got back to London Thursday morning and went and saw the King's Guard change at Buckingham Palace (very smart) and then caught the train home after a most enjoyable fortnight.
The whole trip, fare and all cost me £14.0.0 and I came home with £11.0.0 in my belt as I did not intend to be short of money on my trip and I had everything I wanted and lived pretty swanky.
Well I must close now, hoping you are all well as I am.
I remain,
Your loving Son and Brother,
Tom
Just a few lines to let you know I am quite alright. I came back from Furlough on Thursday after a most enjoyable and interesting trip.
When I got back I got 5 letters, one from Hilda Pohlner (Oct 14) one from Kath (Oct 14) 2 from Annie (Oct 14th & Nov 18th) and one from Nell (Nov 21st). In the last two you knew that I had been hit. I also got three parcels from home: one from Siss & George & one from Mt Bryan Red Cross circle. I was mighty pleased to get them as I had given up hope of getting them. I told you before that I had received the parcel with the waistcoat from the M.B.C. people. I wrote to Hilda thanking them but of course the mail route is a risky one now. I have sent you some books of views of Ireland & some Sinn Fien literature which I hope you get safely. I have got a lot of postcards and some little souvenirs to send yet but I don't want them to go on one mail.
I was very sorry to hear Frank Kelly and Charlie Burton were killed & I hope Ralph Thomas has been found alright. I think I will soon be going to Sutton Veney now as I told the doctor this morning that I was quite fit for France. You see I have had a real good time & I think it is nearly time I went back and done a bit more.
I will now give you a description of my trip through Ireland. I left Custon Station (London) Thursday night at 8.40pm and went right across England about 300 miles with only one stop at Crewe to Holyhead. I then got on the boat and went over the Channel in about 3 hours (it is 64 miles) and landed at Kingstown (Dublin), at 6 o'clock. I got in the train there and went straight to Killarney, arriving there at dinner time on Friday. Had a look over the Cathedral there. It has not been finished very long and I believe some priests went to Australia and collected a lot of money to help finish it. Saturday it was rather wet, so we went to see some lace at a convent in Killarney. They are on Red Cross work now as there is no market for lace. I got a couple of handkerchiefs or doilies which I am sending home to Mum. The lace is made by hand and the finer sorts are fairly expensive.
Sunday morning I went to Mass and then with another Corporal and a honeymoon couple, went in a jaunting car for a drive around the beautiful lakes of Killarney.
It is indeed lovely scenery. On Monday I went to a Fair at a little place called Killarglin (about 30 miles from Killarney). The people in this part are supposed to be the most backward and uneducated in Ireland but, I believe, as honest as could be. At the Fair there were cattle and people so thick in the street you could hardly walk through them. The crowd (girls & all) push and bump as bad as a lot of soldiers rushing for pay or dinner. There were a lot of cheap-jacks etc. They're much the same as a show in Australia. All the stock were bought and sold privately.
On Tuesday I went to Cork. It is a very old-fashioned town with about 100,000 inhabitants. There was a bit of a strike on there. A tobacco manufacturer there was paying the girls 3/6 a week for 10 hours a day and they struck. They had his place picketed and there were a lot of police there to keep order. The Irish police are very big, fine men and they do not want there to be any squibs either. I can tell you one afternoon they were escorting two or three fellows down the street and there was a mob of 200 or 300 chasing after them and boo-hooing something splendid.
At Limerick there was some trouble over a steam crane that was being put up. Some of the dock labourers thinking it would do them out of a job. One evening I was standing on the quay and a wagon belonging to the people putting up the crane was being escorted by about 20 police along the street. A yelling mob was following it. Some police who were guarding the yard rushed out with rifles and let the wagon in. Then the police rushed the mob and drove them off the quay like a mob of sheep. I take it that these are quite everyday occurrences in the poor misgoverned Ireland.
View Larger Map
On the Wednesday I went out to Blarney castle, about 10 miles from Cork, and kissed the Blarney stone. It is a very pretty place.
Thursday I went to Limmerick and then on to Dublin, Saturday night. I had not heard or seen much of Sinn Fein till I got to Limerick, but I went to a lecture there on the Dublin Rebellion by one of the men who was in it and sentenced to death, but was eventually released. I had my eyes considerably opened by what I heard and saw there. A good many of those present were in the uniform of the volunteer Republican Army. I did not think they would be allowed to wear that in public. They have officers and I saw a good bit of saluting being done by the privates. The Officers wear Shamrocks instead of stars on their sleeves. Some of the speaking was done in Gaelic and it is Sinn Fein's idea to get rid of everything English. Government, Language and all. I am afraid they are taking on a hopeless task. Any one of them would cut your throat for a rifle. So when the Irish soldiers come home on leave from France, the police take charge of their rifles till they go back. Of course everybody had their eyes on me but I clapped and hurrahed with the rest when they sang songs and gave recitations, some of which I have sent in a bundle of Sinn Fein stuff. It seemed a bit rich for me to be wearing a British uniform and cheering rank Sedition. I would have given quids to have had Uncle Jimmy with me.
Anyone I spoke to always wanted to know what part my grand-parents came from - but I do not even know what county they came from (terrible disgrace), you must write and tell me as it would be quite easy for me to trace some of my poor relations if I went to Ireland again. They also pointed out to me that it was on account of bad English laws that my people had to leave Ireland. But I don't bear England any grudge for that, seeing Australia has a climate more suitable for me to live in than Ireland. Dublin is a very nice little town with some lovely buildings and Phoenix park is a magnificent place.
The museum there has a wonderful stuff and I even saw some of our old South Australian stamps - it would take a week to go through it properly. The Art gallery is splendid too. I went over Guiness' Brewery - it is an immense industry. When you had had a look over the place they treat you to some of their stout, but I don't like any liquor much. Sackville street, which was knocked about a bit during the rebellion is still in ruins and the GPO is still the same.
I got back to London Thursday morning and went and saw the King's Guard change at Buckingham Palace (very smart) and then caught the train home after a most enjoyable fortnight.
The whole trip, fare and all cost me £14.0.0 and I came home with £11.0.0 in my belt as I did not intend to be short of money on my trip and I had everything I wanted and lived pretty swanky.
Well I must close now, hoping you are all well as I am.
I remain,
Your loving Son and Brother,
Tom
Dublin; February 20, 1918
My Dear People,
Just a few lines to let you know I am quite alright.
I am leaving Dublin for London to-night. I should get into London at 6 o'clock to-morrow morning & will be back at Hurdcott tomorrow night. My leave is up at midnight to-morrow.
I have enjoyed my trip immensely and find Ireland a very nice place. You see they hardly know there is a war on over here and in England things are pretty different. In English towns you can hardly see your hand in front of your face at night, but here there are no lighting restrictions.
I am enclosing a P.C. with a packet of shamrock seed. They tell me they will not grow out of Ireland, but try them and see.
I am also enclosing an account of a breach of promise action. I have been told that during Shrove-tide it is often the custom between farming families to arrange weddings without consulting the wishes of the chief parties at all. The father of the girl paying £200 or £300 to the father of the boy, who must have a pretty decent farm and stock etc. If there is more than one boy in the family, the money is, I believe, divided among them and helps to start them in life. I expect Mum and Dad would have heard of this from their parents, but I did not know about this before. They also tell me that the priest's wedding fees differ according to your means - a poor man paying £5 or £6 and a wealthy man perhaps £20.
I have collected a nice lot of views and souvenirs of Ireland which I will pack and send them to you when I get back to England. I will try and send them by different mails so that some of them should reach you.
Hoping you are all quite well,
I remain
Your Loving Son and Brother
Tom
______________________________________
Newspaper clipping
A £400 Nest egg
Limerick Breach of Promise Action
Deal for a fortune
A commercial transaction says counsel
***********
Today at Nisi Prills, before Mr Justice Moore and a city common jury, a case of Reeves vs Kennedy was heard. The plaintiff, Mary Reeves, an infant, suing by her father John Reeves, a farmer of Ploughlands, Croom, Co Limmerick, sought to recover £700 damages for alleged breach of promise of marriage from the defendant, James Kennedy, a farmer of Ludden, Ballynesty, Co. Limerick. The defence was that the promise, if made was subject to a condition which was not fulfilled - namely the payment of a fortune - and that the promise was mutually rescinded.
Mr Serjeant Sullivan and a Mr Patrick Kelly (instructed by Mr P. G. O'Donnell) appeared for the plaintiff and Mr P. D. Fleming K.C. and Mr James Comyn (instructed by Messrs. W. Leahy and Son).
In stating the case Serjeant Sullivan said that the plaintiff was a very charming girl her parents occupying a good position as substantial farmers. Then defendant occupied an equally substantial position and was a most eligible partner for the lady. He had a farm absolutely unencumbered with supercilious relations (laughter). Not only had he a fine farm in the Golden Vein, but he was the owner of about 20 milch cows. He was a young man between 30 and 35 and well fitted to become the husband of the young lady. The parties met at Croom Races in 1916 and met frequently afterwards.
Although he was taken with her charms, there was a certain element of economy about him, because, before he finally committed himself to proposing to her, he ascertained that there was a little nest egg of £400 in the bank which he would get. The grey heads in the parish would say that the defendant was foolish in breaking away from tradition and select a girl after his own heart, with a comparatively small fortune, for he could have done much better from a monetary point of view.
The girl's friends were not going to take a pig in a poke and her father and some others went to inspect the defendant's place and they came to the conclusion that she was making a good investment for her £400.
On July 3, everything was arranged to the satisfaction of everybody. Defendant bought the wedding ring and six guineas present for the bridesmaid and the event was fixed for July 17. On July 11 plaintiff wrote to him to make arrangements with the priest and he replied breaking off the match because of certain things that did not please him. He thought that he would not waste the ring so he married another lady.
The plaintiff a young lady of attractive appearance gave evidence bearing out the statements of her counsel. She added that she had bought the trousseau in preparation for the wedding.
Mr Fleming suggested in the course of cross-examination that it was a commercial transaction and that the match was broken off because the girl's father was "shifting" in reference to the fortune.
Evidence was given by plaintiff's father that when he offered the defendant a fortune of £100, the defendant replied "Oh you will give me another hundred". Witnesses remarked "you are a long time after the girl and you are getting enough. The defendant then consented to take £100. In cross-examination, witnesses denied that the £ 100 was to be paid in a solicitor's office by a certain day.
The further hearing was adjourned until tomorrow morning.
Just a few lines to let you know I am quite alright.
I am leaving Dublin for London to-night. I should get into London at 6 o'clock to-morrow morning & will be back at Hurdcott tomorrow night. My leave is up at midnight to-morrow.
I have enjoyed my trip immensely and find Ireland a very nice place. You see they hardly know there is a war on over here and in England things are pretty different. In English towns you can hardly see your hand in front of your face at night, but here there are no lighting restrictions.
I am enclosing a P.C. with a packet of shamrock seed. They tell me they will not grow out of Ireland, but try them and see.
I am also enclosing an account of a breach of promise action. I have been told that during Shrove-tide it is often the custom between farming families to arrange weddings without consulting the wishes of the chief parties at all. The father of the girl paying £200 or £300 to the father of the boy, who must have a pretty decent farm and stock etc. If there is more than one boy in the family, the money is, I believe, divided among them and helps to start them in life. I expect Mum and Dad would have heard of this from their parents, but I did not know about this before. They also tell me that the priest's wedding fees differ according to your means - a poor man paying £5 or £6 and a wealthy man perhaps £20.
I have collected a nice lot of views and souvenirs of Ireland which I will pack and send them to you when I get back to England. I will try and send them by different mails so that some of them should reach you.
Hoping you are all quite well,
I remain
Your Loving Son and Brother
Tom
______________________________________
Newspaper clipping
A £400 Nest egg
Limerick Breach of Promise Action
Deal for a fortune
A commercial transaction says counsel
***********
Today at Nisi Prills, before Mr Justice Moore and a city common jury, a case of Reeves vs Kennedy was heard. The plaintiff, Mary Reeves, an infant, suing by her father John Reeves, a farmer of Ploughlands, Croom, Co Limmerick, sought to recover £700 damages for alleged breach of promise of marriage from the defendant, James Kennedy, a farmer of Ludden, Ballynesty, Co. Limerick. The defence was that the promise, if made was subject to a condition which was not fulfilled - namely the payment of a fortune - and that the promise was mutually rescinded.
Mr Serjeant Sullivan and a Mr Patrick Kelly (instructed by Mr P. G. O'Donnell) appeared for the plaintiff and Mr P. D. Fleming K.C. and Mr James Comyn (instructed by Messrs. W. Leahy and Son).
In stating the case Serjeant Sullivan said that the plaintiff was a very charming girl her parents occupying a good position as substantial farmers. Then defendant occupied an equally substantial position and was a most eligible partner for the lady. He had a farm absolutely unencumbered with supercilious relations (laughter). Not only had he a fine farm in the Golden Vein, but he was the owner of about 20 milch cows. He was a young man between 30 and 35 and well fitted to become the husband of the young lady. The parties met at Croom Races in 1916 and met frequently afterwards.
Although he was taken with her charms, there was a certain element of economy about him, because, before he finally committed himself to proposing to her, he ascertained that there was a little nest egg of £400 in the bank which he would get. The grey heads in the parish would say that the defendant was foolish in breaking away from tradition and select a girl after his own heart, with a comparatively small fortune, for he could have done much better from a monetary point of view.
The girl's friends were not going to take a pig in a poke and her father and some others went to inspect the defendant's place and they came to the conclusion that she was making a good investment for her £400.
On July 3, everything was arranged to the satisfaction of everybody. Defendant bought the wedding ring and six guineas present for the bridesmaid and the event was fixed for July 17. On July 11 plaintiff wrote to him to make arrangements with the priest and he replied breaking off the match because of certain things that did not please him. He thought that he would not waste the ring so he married another lady.
The plaintiff a young lady of attractive appearance gave evidence bearing out the statements of her counsel. She added that she had bought the trousseau in preparation for the wedding.
Mr Fleming suggested in the course of cross-examination that it was a commercial transaction and that the match was broken off because the girl's father was "shifting" in reference to the fortune.
Evidence was given by plaintiff's father that when he offered the defendant a fortune of £100, the defendant replied "Oh you will give me another hundred". Witnesses remarked "you are a long time after the girl and you are getting enough. The defendant then consented to take £100. In cross-examination, witnesses denied that the £ 100 was to be paid in a solicitor's office by a certain day.
The further hearing was adjourned until tomorrow morning.
Killarney, February 9th, 1918
My Dear People,
Just a few lines to let you know I am quite alright.
I arrived here yesterday. I left London at 8.40 p.m. & at dinner-time next day I was here - about 600 miles by sea & land. The fare cost me £2.7.0 return but soldiers on leave travel at half rate.
I have not had time to look around much yet, but intend to have a few days here sight-seeing. It is not the best time of the year to be here as it is a very wet place in winter. But it is not very cold now, though it is raining a little this morning. If it fines up I am going for a drive around the lakes this afternoon.
I am staying at Park Place Hotel tariff 6/6 per day. Kept by a Maurice Collins & it is a very nice place. There are practically no food restrictions in Ireland, in England some things are very scarce.
I am sure I will enjoy my stay here immensely as the people interest & amuse me greatly. The women all wear shawls and the jaunting & donkey carts are all very queer to me.
I will be sending you some little souvenir which I hope you get alright as I know how much you will value them. I wish you were here & could see the beautiful country round here & the real Irish style of the people.
I am enclosing a little Blarney stone for John. I will probably go to Cork on my way back to Dublin & if I do will go to Blarney Castle.
There are a few Australians here & of course plenty of Colleens for those who like them. I am enclosing a P.C. with some views of places which I will probably see before I leave here.
Hoping you are all well.
I remain
Your Loving Son & Brother
Just a few lines to let you know I am quite alright.
I arrived here yesterday. I left London at 8.40 p.m. & at dinner-time next day I was here - about 600 miles by sea & land. The fare cost me £2.7.0 return but soldiers on leave travel at half rate.
I have not had time to look around much yet, but intend to have a few days here sight-seeing. It is not the best time of the year to be here as it is a very wet place in winter. But it is not very cold now, though it is raining a little this morning. If it fines up I am going for a drive around the lakes this afternoon.
I am staying at Park Place Hotel tariff 6/6 per day. Kept by a Maurice Collins & it is a very nice place. There are practically no food restrictions in Ireland, in England some things are very scarce.
I am sure I will enjoy my stay here immensely as the people interest & amuse me greatly. The women all wear shawls and the jaunting & donkey carts are all very queer to me.
I will be sending you some little souvenir which I hope you get alright as I know how much you will value them. I wish you were here & could see the beautiful country round here & the real Irish style of the people.
I am enclosing a little Blarney stone for John. I will probably go to Cork on my way back to Dublin & if I do will go to Blarney Castle.
There are a few Australians here & of course plenty of Colleens for those who like them. I am enclosing a P.C. with some views of places which I will probably see before I leave here.
Hoping you are all well.
I remain
Your Loving Son & Brother
Hurdcott; February 3, 1918
My Dear People,
Just a few lines to let you know I am getting on alright.
Things are very dull here and I am just about stuck for news.
I struck Roy McBride here the other day, he has been wounded too, but is pretty alright now.
My classification is B1A1 now and unless I dodge it I get a bit of marching and Physical Jerks. I expect I will be going on Furlough next Thursday.
I got my Phiz taken yesterday and will send you one when I get them.
I strolled into Wilton yesterday - it is pretty quiet there. We had some pretty good concert parties here last week.
Well must close now. Hoping you are all quite well as I am
Your Loving Son and Brother,
Tom.
Just a few lines to let you know I am getting on alright.
Things are very dull here and I am just about stuck for news.
I struck Roy McBride here the other day, he has been wounded too, but is pretty alright now.
My classification is B1A1 now and unless I dodge it I get a bit of marching and Physical Jerks. I expect I will be going on Furlough next Thursday.
I got my Phiz taken yesterday and will send you one when I get them.
I am enclosing a P.C. of the Rising Sun on the hill here. We had a little rain yesterday but it is fine to-day and not too cold at all. I hope the weather is good when I am on Furlough. We have church here and I have just come back. The priest is not as good as a preacher as the one that was here last year.
I strolled into Wilton yesterday - it is pretty quiet there. We had some pretty good concert parties here last week.
Well must close now. Hoping you are all quite well as I am
Your Loving Son and Brother,
Tom.
Hurdcott; January 27, 1918
My Dear People,
Just a few lines to let you know I am quite alright.
I received 3 letters yesterday; 2 from Mum (Sept 25th & Oct 25th) and one from Sis (28th Oct) & I was glad to hear you were alright.
I received your parcel this morning, it was quite alright. Leather waistcoat (a regular beauty) shirt & flannel, 2 pairs socks, skull cap from Eva Thomas, chocolates, cocoa, housewife & smokes.
The cocoa tin burst & got over everything. It burst in the parcel I got from you last Year too, but the letter I wrote telling you about it went down on the Mongolia. The tins are not properly soldered and do not stand the rough handling.
The waistcoat is not necessary here in England, especially as it has been very mild so far but, it will be splendid in France. The shirts are of course very acceptable, although I have a good new lot of underwear here & socks are always welcome especially in winter.
In France, when the summer comes on, we hand in our waistcoats, cardigans, rain-coats etc. as it is impossible for us to carry them about, & then when the winter starts we are issued with them again. If they did not do this the troops would dump them anywhere, even if they had to pay for a new lot next winter. I used to carry a terrible big pack last year in France but I was so fit & strong it did not trouble me. I guess I will travel a bit lighter this summer.
I saw in a list here where Augie Pohlner was going home. I suppose Cyril Collins was very glad to get home. He had a good long spin over here.
Mum mentioned in her letter that Roy Tralaggan had sent in the £5 that I gave Henry in France. Some of the December mail from Australia here has, I believe, been lost at sea.
Sis tells me that Charlie Dare was married alright & was spending his honey-moon at Mt. Gambier. I suppose poor Claire has got another boy or two by this.
My wound has quite healed up & I pulled the last dressing off last night after over 14 weeks dressing. It has left a lovely clean scar which I will carry as long as I live. I am quite fit for furlough now & I expect to go shortly. One of our Sgts in France went to Paris for leave (they are giving Paris leave to N.C.O.s & men, as well as officers). He had such a good time that he does not want English leave but, wants his 14 days in Paris. I would like to see Paris if I got a chance.
I am enclosing a map of Australia on the hill here at Hurdcott. It is done with white chalk stone & is longingly watched by the troops camped here.
I suppose you will be nearly finished harvesting by now. I hope you did not have too much trouble getting it off. Well I must close now hoping you are all well.
I remain
Your Loving Son & Brother
Tom
Just a few lines to let you know I am quite alright.
I received 3 letters yesterday; 2 from Mum (Sept 25th & Oct 25th) and one from Sis (28th Oct) & I was glad to hear you were alright.
I received your parcel this morning, it was quite alright. Leather waistcoat (a regular beauty) shirt & flannel, 2 pairs socks, skull cap from Eva Thomas, chocolates, cocoa, housewife & smokes.
The cocoa tin burst & got over everything. It burst in the parcel I got from you last Year too, but the letter I wrote telling you about it went down on the Mongolia. The tins are not properly soldered and do not stand the rough handling.
The waistcoat is not necessary here in England, especially as it has been very mild so far but, it will be splendid in France. The shirts are of course very acceptable, although I have a good new lot of underwear here & socks are always welcome especially in winter.
In France, when the summer comes on, we hand in our waistcoats, cardigans, rain-coats etc. as it is impossible for us to carry them about, & then when the winter starts we are issued with them again. If they did not do this the troops would dump them anywhere, even if they had to pay for a new lot next winter. I used to carry a terrible big pack last year in France but I was so fit & strong it did not trouble me. I guess I will travel a bit lighter this summer.
I saw in a list here where Augie Pohlner was going home. I suppose Cyril Collins was very glad to get home. He had a good long spin over here.
Mum mentioned in her letter that Roy Tralaggan had sent in the £5 that I gave Henry in France. Some of the December mail from Australia here has, I believe, been lost at sea.
Sis tells me that Charlie Dare was married alright & was spending his honey-moon at Mt. Gambier. I suppose poor Claire has got another boy or two by this.
My wound has quite healed up & I pulled the last dressing off last night after over 14 weeks dressing. It has left a lovely clean scar which I will carry as long as I live. I am quite fit for furlough now & I expect to go shortly. One of our Sgts in France went to Paris for leave (they are giving Paris leave to N.C.O.s & men, as well as officers). He had such a good time that he does not want English leave but, wants his 14 days in Paris. I would like to see Paris if I got a chance.
I am enclosing a map of Australia on the hill here at Hurdcott. It is done with white chalk stone & is longingly watched by the troops camped here.
I suppose you will be nearly finished harvesting by now. I hope you did not have too much trouble getting it off. Well I must close now hoping you are all well.
I remain
Your Loving Son & Brother
Tom
Hurdcott; January 19, 1918
No. 3 Command Depot
No. 5 Camp
My Dear People,
Just a few lines to let you know I am doing alright.
I have been here nearly a fortnight now and according to my own opinion, I am nearly fit for active service again. This camp is only a few hundred yards from where I was living here last year.
I noticed it as a bit cold here in the huts after the steam-heated ones at Dartford, but it is not nearly so cold as it was last winter. We had a little bit of frost and some heavy falls of snow & a lot of rain. Last year it was very cold & dry at this time. We have practically nothing to do here in this camp. Every few days we are classified by the M.O. & as you improve you are sent along to other camps & have to do fatigues, drills & guards. I will stay here as long as I have nothing to do. But as soon as I am sent drilling etc. I will put in to go to the overseas depot & then to France. Our boys are having an easy time in France now & I guess they deserve it.
We wear our uniforms here so I have finished with "blues" for this trip, in Milton & Dartford you were not allowed out in uniform & if you wore your overcoat, you had to have a blue band on the arm. This is so you cannot get the good and joyful liquor which makes the boys sing. There are a lot of "pubs" in England and a lot of drinking is done here. The women drink a lot too & come into the bar to drink it. Of course I know there are plenty of "hussies" who drink in Australia, but they do not generally go into the bar to drink it. I have got a very nice uniform & will look fairly decent on leave.
I wrote to the Australian Hospitality Bureau & got a very nice letter from the Secretary. She tells me she has plenty of invitations for men on furlough to spend a few days at private houses, & as I think it would be very nice to stay a few days at a private house. I will go & see her when I go to London.
I intend to go to Ireland & it will not be my fault if I do not get some fun out of my fourteen days. I hope the Sinn Fieners do not hang me when I get over there.
It is not much of a game stopping in London, as the place is fairly swarming with Australians. I want to get away where we are not so well known.
We have a fairly decent time here - concert parties at the Y.M.C.A.s and the old Picture show is still going. I am enclosing a card of some of the badges on the hills here they are made of white
stone. There are a lot of them on the hills here of different Regiments. There is a big map of Australia & I will send it to you. I saw a pack of hounds out the other day & a considerable number of ladies and gentlemen after them, but they did not stir up any fox while I was watching them.
Well I will close now, hoping that you are all quite well.
I remain
Lour Loving Son & Brother
Tom.
P.S. We got another parcel from the Red Cross the other day, more tobacco & Sweets. I swapped my tobacco for chocolate.
No. 5 Camp
My Dear People,
Just a few lines to let you know I am doing alright.
I have been here nearly a fortnight now and according to my own opinion, I am nearly fit for active service again. This camp is only a few hundred yards from where I was living here last year.
I noticed it as a bit cold here in the huts after the steam-heated ones at Dartford, but it is not nearly so cold as it was last winter. We had a little bit of frost and some heavy falls of snow & a lot of rain. Last year it was very cold & dry at this time. We have practically nothing to do here in this camp. Every few days we are classified by the M.O. & as you improve you are sent along to other camps & have to do fatigues, drills & guards. I will stay here as long as I have nothing to do. But as soon as I am sent drilling etc. I will put in to go to the overseas depot & then to France. Our boys are having an easy time in France now & I guess they deserve it.
We wear our uniforms here so I have finished with "blues" for this trip, in Milton & Dartford you were not allowed out in uniform & if you wore your overcoat, you had to have a blue band on the arm. This is so you cannot get the good and joyful liquor which makes the boys sing. There are a lot of "pubs" in England and a lot of drinking is done here. The women drink a lot too & come into the bar to drink it. Of course I know there are plenty of "hussies" who drink in Australia, but they do not generally go into the bar to drink it. I have got a very nice uniform & will look fairly decent on leave.
I wrote to the Australian Hospitality Bureau & got a very nice letter from the Secretary. She tells me she has plenty of invitations for men on furlough to spend a few days at private houses, & as I think it would be very nice to stay a few days at a private house. I will go & see her when I go to London.
I intend to go to Ireland & it will not be my fault if I do not get some fun out of my fourteen days. I hope the Sinn Fieners do not hang me when I get over there.
It is not much of a game stopping in London, as the place is fairly swarming with Australians. I want to get away where we are not so well known.
We have a fairly decent time here - concert parties at the Y.M.C.A.s and the old Picture show is still going. I am enclosing a card of some of the badges on the hills here they are made of white
stone. There are a lot of them on the hills here of different Regiments. There is a big map of Australia & I will send it to you. I saw a pack of hounds out the other day & a considerable number of ladies and gentlemen after them, but they did not stir up any fox while I was watching them.
Well I will close now, hoping that you are all quite well.
I remain
Lour Loving Son & Brother
Tom.
P.S. We got another parcel from the Red Cross the other day, more tobacco & Sweets. I swapped my tobacco for chocolate.
Dartford; January 6, 1918
No. 3 Australian Auxiliary Hospital
My Dear People,
Just a few lines to let you know how I am getting along.
I am leaving here to-morrow & going to the Convalescent Camp at Hurdcott. I am not quite fit for Furlough yet as my wound is not healed up & I do not want to go on leave till that is quite right. I have got rid of my bandages now. I just have the dressing stuck on with big strips of sticking plaster.
I went to London with a theatre party on New Year's Day. We went and saw "Any Old Thing" at the Pavilion Theatre, in Piccadilly.
After the Matinee we were taken to the Y.M.C.A. at "Ciros" & given a very nice tea. "Ciros" was one of the most fashionable clubs in the West End before the war, where you paid a "fiver" for what was worth a "sprat". But there was so much gambling & "high" life there that the authorities seized it and handed it over to the Y.M.C.A. people & a very nice little place it is.
After tea I went out & strolled up and down the "Strand" till I was tired & then caught a train & came home, after spending a most enjoyable day. All this was free we only had to pay our train fare 1/6.
Last-night I went to a "Twelfth Night Party" at Slade Green. This was given by the Munition girls. They give two dances a week to our chaps from this hospital. About 70 of us went down & had a splendid time. I had a couple of quiet dances.
The girls round these parts are very fond of our chaps & if anyone feels inclined for flirtations or "dinkum" courting, there is plenty of opportunity. Unless you want a girl looking after you, you have to be very careful who you give "glad eyes" to. Of course I am too old & steady for anything like that now. I suppose things will be a bit quieter at Hurdcott.
To-day is a special day of prayer for Victory. I have just been to Mass. I mentioned in my last letter that I had received your cable, but that letter might go astray. There has been no Australian mail in for a good while now. Well, I will close now hoping you are all quite well.
I remain
Your Loving Son & Brother
Tom
My Dear People,
Just a few lines to let you know how I am getting along.
I am leaving here to-morrow & going to the Convalescent Camp at Hurdcott. I am not quite fit for Furlough yet as my wound is not healed up & I do not want to go on leave till that is quite right. I have got rid of my bandages now. I just have the dressing stuck on with big strips of sticking plaster.
I went to London with a theatre party on New Year's Day. We went and saw "Any Old Thing" at the Pavilion Theatre, in Piccadilly.
Piccadilly Circus
After the Matinee we were taken to the Y.M.C.A. at "Ciros" & given a very nice tea. "Ciros" was one of the most fashionable clubs in the West End before the war, where you paid a "fiver" for what was worth a "sprat". But there was so much gambling & "high" life there that the authorities seized it and handed it over to the Y.M.C.A. people & a very nice little place it is.
After tea I went out & strolled up and down the "Strand" till I was tired & then caught a train & came home, after spending a most enjoyable day. All this was free we only had to pay our train fare 1/6.
Last-night I went to a "Twelfth Night Party" at Slade Green. This was given by the Munition girls. They give two dances a week to our chaps from this hospital. About 70 of us went down & had a splendid time. I had a couple of quiet dances.
A sing-song in the YMCA- a female pianist plays for Australian soldiers. London, 1918.
The girls round these parts are very fond of our chaps & if anyone feels inclined for flirtations or "dinkum" courting, there is plenty of opportunity. Unless you want a girl looking after you, you have to be very careful who you give "glad eyes" to. Of course I am too old & steady for anything like that now. I suppose things will be a bit quieter at Hurdcott.
To-day is a special day of prayer for Victory. I have just been to Mass. I mentioned in my last letter that I had received your cable, but that letter might go astray. There has been no Australian mail in for a good while now. Well, I will close now hoping you are all quite well.
I remain
Your Loving Son & Brother
Tom
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
