Monthly Archives: June 2015

H.M.S. Gloucester

30^th June

Dear Mother.

V. many thanks for your letter and the cake – yes quite eatable & very nice – only the oven was too hot when you made it – because it was just a bit stoggy in the middle –

I have’nt had a word from Bournemouth about the motor accident – how awful though & I do hope Ben & Alex are all right. I heard from Bee Dudman this morning – she seemed to tell me a good deal about it & that “Susan” is dead – was she in the car & killed or what?

I’ve just written a line to Topher – I thought he was more than 22 – why I don’t know –.

Are you buying any of the War Loan. It seems to be the thing to do – however little one puts into it.

I say those green peas & beans sound rather nice!

Yes I suppose it does sound funny to be playing football now, but the sailors much prefer it to anything else & we’ve got heaps of grounds up here.

Oh – will you send me my grey flannel trousers & are there any black brogue shoes anywhere about – that nobody wants or uses – as we get ashore a certain amount & I have no plain clothes, boots or shoes at all & we can wear anything like that, grey or white bags & uniform coat & cap?

There’s awfully little news – oh how is your leg – I quite forgot to ask in my last letter- I do hope he is all right.

with ever so much love

from your ever loving son

Paul

H.M.S. Gloucester

June 25^th

Dear Mother.

Thank you muchly for your letter and the slippers – simply lovely they are and quite the right size. My photographs arrived yesterday – so you have kept one – quite right – but I don’t think they are fearfully good – They will always touch them up so and makes my face look like putty – & so fat – but still – I suppose they are all right.

I am so glad to hear Ted has got some more leave – I’m sure he wanted it. Where is he now, down at Bournemouth? Rather nice for Jane down at Pitney – I’m going to write and ask them to have another shot with some cream – fairly safe this time I think – I have never got the last lot at all.

We’ve been doing nothing much lately, one or two football matches – and yesterday I went to a local “Café Chantant” – rather dull I thought – & rotten Tableaux, but I met some people I knew – an officer & his wife – so I talked to them most of the time.

I enclose some photographs taken during our last trip. Most of them are rather rotten – There are some of our “Crossing the Line” show – Neptune & Coy.

My very best love to you all from ever

Your loving son

Paul

H.M.S. Gloucester
C/o G.P.O.

June 17^th

Dear Mother.

Ever so many thanks for your two letters. Our mails have been all wrong again – such a nuisance, and we got our first mails since we left G 2 days ago.

I am glad to hear Dreda has got her job – I must say I do think it is a fine thing for her to have done – and I do hope she will get on allright.

Oh. Thank you awfully for the cake – it arrived quite fresh & ever so good.

Somebody seems to be getting worried about my photographs. It’s all right – they’ve been ordered from Robinson – but will someone pop in one day & send with them a piece of cardboard – or the thing they send photographs away in, one for each for me to send them away – do you see what I mean – and you know how crumpled a photograph gets if it’s not properly wrapped up especially nowadays, & tell him to hurry up too.

And will you send me a pair of Bedroom slippers – leather soles – sort of carpet slippers- 7½ or 8?

Ted sent me a lovely present the other day – a silver flask – most useful really and some ripping records – from the “Passing Show”. Has he passed his board! I do hope they won’t let him go out till he is really fit. He writes & says he’s still a bit dicky.

He & Dick down at B-mouth seem to have had a lovely time –visiting various old friends

Well I must stop now – ever so much love to you all-

Your ever loving son

Paul

It’s hard to tell where G may have been without sight of the logs. The obvious place is Gibraltar but Paul talks of being cold. Other candidates might be Grangemouth on the Forth, or possibly Gloucester itself or Glasgow.  

Sunday

Dear Mother. I arrived onboard safely yesterday morning – We are spending the time here & are off very shortly.

We had a splendid time in town on Friday evening & it was lovely, all of them coming to see me off. I went down to Orpington for lunch & tea and had quite a good time.

It’s most awfully cold up here – & it has been raining – beastly is’nt it – because I had such gorgeous weather for my leave.

I don’t think the girls packed my hair brush & comb – will you have a look – it’s a small brush & a small comb – sort of ½ a comb & all big teeth in it – black one –

I have been working hard all yesterday and to-day. I just went ashore for an hour this afternoon to see some flying

I must say I DID enjoy my leave – every moment of it; and it was ripping seeing everybody again. I wonder when the next time will be.

Well good-night Mother – I must fly off to bed.

With ever so much love to you all

ever your loving son

Paul

Saturday

Dear Mother- I arrived down safely last night – Miserable down here- & appalling weather & the ship is inside out & filthy. It does’nt seem as if we should leave much before Wednesday.- but nobody knows really.

I hope the girls all arrived back safely – & that you did’nt mind me taking them up to see me off.

Must be off to do a job of work.

With very best love

Your ever loving son

Paul

Oh Mother – I never thanked you half enough for your Birthday present. It was kind of you Mother & thank you so awfully.

Paul

It’s difficult to tell which Saturday this was, but it appears to fit roughly here in the summer of 1915.