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17 October 1918 – Ted to Gertrude

17 Oct

Oct 17/18

 

Dear Mother, very many thanks for two letters from you which I got 2 days ago, also several papers and things- The letters were dated 28th & 21st August, so I think there must be still one mail to come – These two I got were addressed direct 34th Bde- By the way while I’m on the subject, please address as under

MAJOR E.R.P.B.

HD:QRS: 34TH INF BDE

or “Bde Major” instead of “H.Q.”

M.E.F.

 

Don’t put the regiment & don’t put “Brigade-Major E.R.P.B.” It’s not done! I know my cable gave you that idea, I meant you to put Brigade-Major after my name: that’s all right, anything but “Brigade-Major Berryman”,  I got an awful shock when I saw your letters!

Some more papers have just come in from Cox, about mid-August, but no more letters yet- I wonder what’s happened to them, & I’ve got none from Nell at all, either today or with yours 2 days ago! I suppose she’s come a fearful toss over the address, & put the regiment, Cox, and 34th Bde on the envelope, so no wonder the post office is a wee bit confused.

I had rather a krewst 2 nights ago- I suddenly got a wire from Jim to say he was dining with Col Lumb in the 1st Bn! & would I go down & stay the night. Of course I had’nt the vaguest idea where anyone lived or was in camp, as they are nothing to do with us, but after much telephoning & enquiry I found out where they were & wangled a car, stuck a bed & some bedding & kit into it & dashed off.

I found them eventually after wading through seas and fogs of dust and we had a very cheery evening. I stayed the night with Lumb as he had more room in his tent than Jim had, Jim being in a little tiny thing as wide as Dick’s motor bike garage & about half as high! I saw Jim for a few minutes next morning, but he was rather busy & I had to get back to camp, so we did’nt have much time. He was looking very fit & well & seemed very happy. He said I was looking ever so much fitter than when he last saw me in June I think, & I certainly feel much fitter in myself.

It’s still unusually hot for some unknown reason, 96° or so by day – much cooler of course than it has been, but it should’nt be by rights even as warm as this-

The news continues wonderfully good, & we are all wondering of course what will be the outcome of all this peace talk. It seems we are going to be firm, & accept nothing but complete & absolute surrender, backed by guarantees that Germany will be powerless to continue hostilities. In either case it seems Turkey is likely to chuck up the sponge soon, & Austria evidently longs to end the struggle- So much will have happened by the time you get this that it seems idle to speculate, but it seems more than probable that Turkey & Austria will be out of it & Germany still fighting- She’s doing her cause no good is she, by such crimes as sinking the Leinster & by the wanton way she is destroying the fair land of France as she retires.

I did send a line to say you could get that watch that Aunt Edward’s left me, a most legal document, I remember writing it in Baghdad – However it may have been sunk, so I’ll send you another-

I know Nepean quite well, an awful nice fellow & got a D.S.O on the field for gallantry at Ramadie, badly wounded & stuck to his job like a man. But I think he’s laying it on a bit thick about me, & I don’t think you ought to have told me all that! However, no harm done, as most of it or all of it if you like is I’m sure quite untrue- At anyrate it’s nice to know people say they appreciate you, anyhow.

No, I never got your cable, I got one from Nell, (addressed Cox & Co & it came on from them by post!) but yours has never arrived.

I’m most awfully glad Topher has passed out & done so well, & I hope he’ll get a good job somewhere now. He seemed to be on the verge of going to Egypt in your letter.

I’m sure I paid Hacker’s Bill, I distinctly remember asking Cox to send him £3/3s, you might ask. I am sending along £1-7-6 for Savage; so sorry you’ve been worried with these Bills- Hacker’s is for a pair of riding breeches I lost with all my kit at sea, so I don’t score much there! Thanks awfully for the new woolly which you say you are sending, if it’s anything like as useful as the last one it will be tremendously so. Best love to all

Yr loving son               Ted

I think my legal wording of the enclosed document is rather good don’t you- I hope the solicitors don’t think I’m ragging them, tho’ of course I am really!

 

I, Edward Rolleston Palmer Berryman, Major, of His Majesty’s Indian Army, do hereby authorise my mother, Mrs C.P. Berryman, of Delaford, Guildford, in the county of Surrey, to receive on my behalf one WATCH, which I am informed was bequeathed to me by the late Mrs Edward Gibbs, of 25 Old Gravel Lane, London E, in her will-

Dated this seventeenth day of October, nineteen hundred and eighteen.

E.R.P. Berryman


Major

Col Herbert DHY Nepean

 
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