Author Archives: Ted Berryman

Nell – with her hair up

My mother quotes Ted’s diary in her book of the letters, saying:

His diary from the end of August onwards, is more a record of 1915 than of the current year.

Sunday, 27 August 1916: Col Hogg arived to command 3rd Bn. – Y.M.C.A. tent day at Sneedhams Green, 1915! – Nell saw me for the first time, but I never saw her!

After recording little more than ‘Wrote Nell’ on the succeeding days he comes to

Thursday, 7 September 1916: Davies’ tea party at Sneedhams Green a year ago today where I first met Nelll.

Sunday 10 Sept, 1916: Wrote Nell (170) Dance at Broadsground this time last year & I first spoke to Nell!

If Ted wrote his 170th letter to Nell after being parted for about 250 days, he was writing to her most days even though the mails went once a week and took a month or so to arrive.

Friday 15 Sept 1916: Wrote Nell (176) My first lunch at Broadsground this time last year!

Wednesday, 20 Sept 1916: Wrote Nell (181) Tea at Broadsground with Nell last year!

Thursday, 21 Sept 1916: Wrote Nell (182) – C.O. gave me R.H.S. bronze medal today

Friday, 6 Oct 1916: Nell put up her hair a year ago today.

Nell – with her hair down

For the Edwardians and during the War, putting up her hair signified that a girl should now be considered a young woman. Nell’s waist-length hair had never been cut, and she wore it in one or two plaits. When she put it up, she wore the plaits curled around her ears; later in life she wore them at the nape of her neck.

At a month off her 18th birthday, Nell was considerably younger than Ted who was 33 when they met. 

Sunday, 8 Oct 1916: Wrote Nell (196) – over to Cheltenham in the car last year, came back with Nell.

Friday, 27 Oct 1916: Left Landsdowne 8 a.m., arrived Kohdwara 4 p.m. … Hot march & men tired. Entrained 9.30 & off at 10 p.m.

Saturday, 28 Oct 1916: Arrived Delhi (Kingsway) 8 a.m. Nothing ready in camp, as tents had arrived but no poles! Camp hear Durbar polo grounds, between them and Kingsway Station. Familiar ground of the Durbar of Xmas 1911. Wrote Nell (213).

Sunday, 29 Oct 1916: Pitching camp all day. I went up to Viceregal Lodge 3 or 4 times to see about guards etc as the Viceroy turns up tomorrow. — This time last year! THE happiest day of my life — Wrote Nell (214).

Ted and Nell – Autumn 1915

Oct 25/16

Dear Mother

Many thanks for your letter last week, dated Sept 26. You were just off to Pitney when you wrote, & I was very glad to hear it as I’m sure you deserve a bit of a rest and change, & I do hope you had a quiet restful time. Yes, I saw about poor Guy Crossman being reported killed now; as you say I don’t know what Mrs Crossman will do.

It must have been ripping having old Topher home, & for such a long leave. I had most enthusiastic letters from Nell about her stay in Guildford & she evidently thoroughly enjoyed her dear self. You all say such nice things about her and it’s awful nice to hear them. She seems to have put off her departure several times.

Of course the weather up here now is absolutely perfect, gorgeously cold & fresh, air like chanpagne & sunny & bright all day, with generally a lovely sunset. The views of the hills are lovely and the snows are absolutely indescribable, especially in the evening when the setting sun just catches them and turns them all pink. We got a wire a day or two ago saying we had to be in Delhi before the 30^th, as the Viceroy was going there then. So all is hurry & bustle now & you must excuse a scrappy letter, as I really am rather busy. I have got up specially early to write this & it’s a lovely morning. We leave here on 27^th & entrain the same day I hope; & reach Delhi on 28^th, but everything seems very uncertain just at present.

What alarming Zepp raids ther’ve been lately, and it’s near to hear the S. coast had been attacked; I wish they’d tell us more. The news is fairly good still, though I’m afraid the Roumanians are rather hard pressed. However, I expect they’ll manage to keep their end up.

Must fly off & finish up some office work.

Best love to all

Yr loving son

Ted.

http://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/556434/CROSSMAN,%20GUY%20DANVERS%20MAINWARING

http://www.lansdownehotels.net/image/sunset_view_lansdowne.jpg

LANSDOWNE,
GARHWAL,
U.P.

Oct 12/16

Dear Mother

Very many thanks for your letter last week. I see this week’s mail did’nt leave till 2 days late so I suppose there will be another long delay in getting my letters. I don’t suppose that old picture will have turned up just yet, & as you say when it does turn up I expect it will be so beautifully packed that you won’t like to open it. Very many thanks for the Daily Mirror and the falling Zepp pictures, much appreciated in the mess, it must have been a wonderful sight & Robinson earned his V.C. all right. Of course all the other airmen were just as plucky & would have done just the same, given the chance; but someone’s got to have the luck, after all have’nt they, & they should benefit accordingly.

Also for the Guildford Chronicle, whatever its name is, with the account of Jim’s wedding in it. I see they got “many & valuable presents”. Nell wrote & said she had chosen a cigarette box for Jim, but she did’nt describe the trickiness of it. She tells me she has been doing night work for a fortnight, & apparently they are going to change about like that in future; rather a good plan I think as the night work must be very trying.

We have had a tremendous lot of rain lately, quite unusual, but thank goodness it has more or less cleared up now, & it is fine at anyrate though cloudy. The air is ever so much colder too, & much more bracing & pleasant than that awful relaxing rains atmosphere.

Yes, I saw Gladys Lloyd’s picture in the Tatler, or some paper, but of course did’nt recognise her in the least. Was that the one they used to call Mar? And is Kitty married yet, & I wonder what John & Arthur are doing; I don’t quite know why I’ve suddenly shot off late into this diversion on the Lloyds!

Is that the Fish, as Bridget used to call him, in today’s casualty list; I see a Captain R.W. Fisher of the Northumberland Fusiliers killed, & I was wondering if it was he; I seem to think it must be. Yes that cable you mention was from me, a trifle late for the wedding I’m thinking. I’m so awfully glad to hear you say Ben is better again; it relieves me greatly. I had a line from Phyllis Morris last mail & she said Ben had been to see them at Shanklin.

No news here; no more orders or excitements, I suppose we shall suddenly get orders one day to be in Delhi the next. I don’t think the Viceroy will be there till after Christmas as he is going on a long tour to Burma & all over the place.

Are’nt those Germans beyond all hope now that they’ve started a submarine campaign in American waters. How those Yanks can sit under it I can’t think, & Wilson has made a very poor show all round has’nt he.  The land news is good though, & I think Bapaume will soon be ours, & that will make a tremendous difference. Must change for a game of hockey now.

Love to all

from your loving son

Ted.

Relevant Daily Mirror scans on 6/9/16

Captain Raymond Wadhams Fisher, Intelligence Officer

http://twgpp.org/information.php?id=977612

http://www.historyplace.com/worldhistory/firstworldwar/brit-advance-bapaume.htm

LANSDOWNE,
GARHWAL,
U.P.

Sept 26/16
[From context the date was probably October 1st 1916]

Dear Mother

I got the mail letters from you this mail, somehow or other you must have missed the mail last week. Your letters are dated 24^th & 31^st August, and very many thanks for them.

I don’t think I have very much to tell you. I went out for a week end, just Saturday & Sunday, with Guy Mainwaring to try & get a few hill partridge, but it was a rotten sort of wet day & we only got 3 birds. However we had a lot of top hole walking & climbing & exercise generally, a pleaasant change from the ordinary routine of this place. The rains seem to be giving one final ducking before they stop, for really the last two days have been quite impossible; incessant rain and it’s getting quite cold too. My cold bath of a morning is really cold nowadays; it’s generally quite luke warm up here in the summer.

Did I tell you we are under orders for Delhi this cold weather? Anyway, we are; as we’ve been finding the Viceroy’s escort all the summer at Simla, it follows on a natural course that we should go as a regiment to Delhi when he moves to Delhi for the winter. There will be other troops there of course, but we shall be the sort of specials. In ordinary times it’s rather nice, lots to do there and a centre of gaiety of course; but I don’t know that I’m a bit keen to go just now; for one thing it’s sure to be expensive living there, and I’d much rather not go with the regiment as it is now, so many pals gone. However, I expect it will be all right when we get there. I believe we are going on manoeuvres for a week or two first, & then go to Delhi, but I have no idea of dates etc.

I had a long letter from Ben this mail at Seaview; I wonder if she has been able to settle down to anything yet. I also had a short note from Jim, saying he was to be married on the 9^th, & I saw the notice in the weekly times too. He seems to have done things in a typically erratic way as usual, & made up his mind on the spurs of various moments. Poor old Jane, I hope she managed to find someone to do her job, or else was unable to shut up the shop for a bit so as she could get away for her holiday.

For all his cables & hurried orders I believe Dick only left on the 18^th after all; he wired me on the 14 August that he was off next day, but I heard several times from him in Bombay, & I believe he really did sail on the 18^th of this month. You will have heard by now of course what his orders are more or less, & I suppose he’s going to join a field ambulance, probably a cavalry one, with the Indian cavalry, or he may be going to an Indian cavalry regiment as doctor. So glad to get good news of Topher; yes, he’s bound to be popular & I expect he does his job well too. I should think they’d open leave again before Christmas. Air raids I see are still the order of the day, but how splendid bringing down two in the last one; we got Reuters wire about it yesterday. We really do seem to have done something to drive off these raids at last.

Yes, Dryden told me some time ago she was sending me “Trench Yarns”, but they have’nt turned up yet. Nell seems very fit, and sent me a photograph of the bureau, & seems delighted with it. What a splendid choice Ben made. She sent me “the Eve” book, you know those weird but really clever drawings out of the Tatler.

We are supposed to be having a Battalion parade at 9.30, but unless the weather cheers up a bit I’m afraid it’ll have to be off. I must go up to the mess & have some breakfast now, off one of Sunday’s bag of partirdges.

By the way you know that Jaeger British warm I had in Gloucester, a big double breasted one, with leather buttons, light colour, belonged to someone who sent it to us? Could you send that out to me, as I want it for Delhi, unless one of the rest of the family have bagged it meantime. Jinny would know the one I mean, & I expect you all do. It’s an awful nice one, & I hope it’s still available.

Lots of love to all

from your loving son

Ted.

Somewhere Over Essex – Notebook on Zepp raids

http://www.essex.police.uk/museum/historynotebooks/7.pdf

Trench Yarns for Subalterns & Others by ‘Peter’ – middle left

http://www.greatwardustjackets.co.uk/index-25.html

Brushes & Bayonets – book featuring “Eve”

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Brushes-Bayonets-Cartoons-sketches-paintings/dp/1846030951

Ted is probably wearing his British Warm in the photograph below.

Gladys Fielding, Ted Berryman, Nell Fielding, Jane Berrryman, Belinda Berryman,
Gloucestershire 1915

LANSDOWNE,
GARHWAL,
U.P.

Sept 26/16

Dear Mother

I’ve just got 8 days’ leave & Guy Mainwaring and I are going off to loaf primarily & just to shoot a few birds when we feel inclined. We go off tomorrow Thursday & come back on Monday, so I thought I’d just write a line tonight to catch the mail.

We’ve had 3 wretched days of rain, but it looks clearer tonight & I do hope it clears up a bit and at least lets us reach our camp dry. Yes, Jim wrote to me about his coming to India scare, but I’ve heard nothing more, so presume it has gone the way of most scares. Dick’s cable must indeed have made you think a bit, but by now I suppose you probably heard from him; they kept him out here long enough in all conscience did’nt they, after telling him to fly off at once. He must have stayed 3 weeks or more in Bombay before he sailed. How typical of Jim all the wedding arrangements seem to have been, so mysterious an’ all at first, & then asking a lot of people!

So sorry Dryden was seedy that day & I s’pose she’s quite all right now. Yes, I expect that parcel you mention was one I sent her. What exciting times England is having now, & 2 Zepps being brought down is good news, but it’s horrible to read of all those poor innocent people being killed. I wish they’d let us know more of the actual damage done. What are the Greeks doing! They are fools indeed, & the laughing stock of the world, & they’ve fairly let themselves in now by their silly vacillating policy hitherto, and serve ’em jolly well right.

I hope Jane managed to get a pal to help her when Chubbie was away. Very sad about Basil Hallam being killed, he was a distinct type, & do you remember how everyone used to write to the papers & say why does’nt he go? They must feel rather sorry now, because after all he went quite soon enough & was doing a lot to keep the spirits of the nation up before he went.

But where pray is the Dudmans’ property which you say was smashed up? I presume you mean in London, though I did’nt know they had any there.

Lots of love to all from your loving son

Ted

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Basil_Hallam

“Gilbert the Filbert” from The Passing Show 1915

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ppJCuAx1K40

LANSDOWNE,
GARHWAL,
U.P.

Sept 21/16

Dear Mother

I got no letters from home last week, only one from Ben at Seaview, & I’m afraid our next mail is’nt in till Saturday (this is Thursday) so I shan’t be able to answer any letters, having none to answer!

Such hot weather all this last week but today was perfect this morning & a magnificent view of the snows; it’s clouding over again now though, & looks like more rain; I am so sick of the rain.

The regiment goes to Delhi in November sometimes, for the cold weather, sort of guard over the Viceroy, same like our detachment at Simla is doing now. It will be a lovely change from here, but a trifle expensive, as we shall indeed be among the nuts. It ought to be rather fun, as our work will be chiefly social & doing guards etc. I heard from Dick a day or two ago, he said he was sailing on the 18^th but did not seem to know for certain.

Not much news from here, some old hard grind. The 3^rd Batt: is going strong now, but the 1^st Batt: have’nt left for Quetta yet, so we are rather squashed up here.

The news from France is good is’nt it, our men are wonderful, & what a wonderful thing this new armoured caterpillar car of ours seems to be, & what splendid work it has done. I see Capt H.P. Gabb in today’s casualty list, R. West Surreys, wounded, so I suppose that’s Harold, & it must be in Mesopotamia somewhere. I hope he’s all right.

My lady friend of the “Persia” & the C.O. & one or two others made a great fuss about that show, & today to my surprise I get the bronze medal of the Royal Humane Society, but I’m sure it’s far too much for what I did. I have written to her & told her about it.

Best love to all

yr loving son

Ted

http://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/tanks_and_world_war_one.htm

NZ Marlborough Express, 23/09/16

“Caterpillar” Tractors Very Powerful Machines

http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&d=MEX19160923.2.4

http://www.britishpathe.com/video/the-forerunner-of-the-tanks-caterpillar-tractor/query/VEHICLES

“Captain H. P. Gabb and Captain A. S. Gabb, sons of Dr. Gabb, of Guildford, who have also two other brothers iu the Army, have both won the Military Cross.”

http://newspaperarchive.com/london-daily-mail/1916-12-12/page-3

Auction of his medals in 1999

http://www.invaluable.com/auction-lot/the-medals-of-capt.-h.p.-gabb-m.c.-the-late-dr.-430-c-invr75how0

LANSDOWNE,
GARHWAL,
U.P.

Sept 14/16

Dear Mother

English mail in today, but no letters from Delaford. Funny, as I always get some; but these days I suppose anything may happen, and I expect they’ll turn up tomorrow all right. I heard from old Ben at Seaview, and also from Nell, so I suppose your letters have been mislaid somewhere. I got some papers from you today; many thanks, much appreciated.

I am sending along some very cheap & not very pretty felt rugs, 2 white with a pattern, & one really horrid green one, heaven knows why I bought it! Anyhow I expect it will do for the parlour, where it’s fairly dark & can be hidden easily. I’m told they last better if you back them with canvas. I must send you some nicer ones one day; & I’m also sending you quite a nice carpet, smallish but nice; I don’t quite know where you will put it, but I expect it will come in useful for somewhere. It’s not persian, only Indian I think.

Such a wet day, the rains’ last effort I suppose. But it’s cleared up this evening so I shall go out & try & get a blow of air for an hour as I’ve been busy in office all day. We’ve had the general up inspecting these last 2 or 3 days, but he was very gentlemanly & did’nt worry us much.

Ben’s comments on Eric were truly amusing, he does indeed seem to go further back as the line advances! Has he any shame? And she said Topher had told her that he had built himself a house! so he evidently intends never to get forward at all. He seems a useless sort of fellow, so perhaps he’s better where he is.

Nothing doing here; we are all still very busy; no news of any immediate move though the 3^rd Batt: are sort of still semi-under orders for Quetta.

Must end up; hope I get some letters from you tomorrow. I had a line from Dick in Bombay, bored with waiting about but quite pleased at the prospect of going to France.

Love to all   yr loving son

Ted.

LANSDOWNE,
GARHWAL,
U.P.

Sept 9th/16

Dear Mother

I see the mail leaves a day later so I’ll be able to catch it today. Many thanks for your letter yesterday, dated 16 Aug. So Jim’s to be married today, that appears to be the latest fixed date anyhow. So I’m sending him along a cable, & I hope it gets him somewhere near the right time. I’m most awfully glad he’s getting married- the very best thing for him, & from all accounts Sheina is the right girl for him. I had a line from him yesterday, also telling me he was getting married today. I also heard from Dryden & Ruth, which I must answer next week.

Yes Dick & I had great – if short – times. I wonder if he has sailed yet; last time I heard he was awaiting further orders, though the first line I got said he was off at once. Rains have more or less stopped, thnak goodness, as they were most depressing; & now we have gorgeous weather, cool mornings & evenings & nights & fairly hot days; but I expect we shall have a drop or two more rain yet awhile.

Nell has got the bureau & is mighty pleased with it; old Ben made a splendid choice apparently. I do hope she’s better now; I did’nt hear last mail. Nell is still very busy “house maiding” as she calls it at her hospital. She sometimes writes & says she’s had a real hard day, I do hope they’re not over-working her there; but she seems very cheery & happy enough.

So glad you have good news of Topher, & I’m glad he’s well behind, at present, at anyrate. Fancy feeling the effect of gas 9 miles away! I do hope Julian Yeatman’s all right; I thought I saw his name in the paper, one’s R.A & one’s Wiltshires is’nt he, I forget which is which. Harry was wounded before; is he all right again now I wonder?

Must scurry to catch the mail: I’ll answer your letter properly later.

Best love to all

Yr loving son

Ted

Julian is Robert Julian Yeatman – www.london-gazette.co.uk/issues/28984/pages/9696/page.pdf (bottom left) educated at Marlborough College, co-author of ‘1066 And All That’ – http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/R._J._Yeatman