Author Archives: Ted Berryman

LANSDOWNE,
GARHWAL,
U.P.

Sept 6/16

Dear Mother

Very many thanks for your letter which turned up last Saturday. More good news after a longish lull, but we can’t expect to make  a very rapid advance just yet. The general opinion seems to incline towards the Germans retiring either voluntarily in order to shorten their line, or because they will have to weaken their western front on account of Roumania’s entry into the Arena. I only hope they will go, but on the other hand it may prolong the war by enabling them to hold out longer, unless they are routed & retire in disorder. What rotters the Greeks are, & I’m glad the others are taking similar action at last, & are manning their show for them, as they seem quite incapable of doing so themselves. As for Tino – well, there, I don’t know what to say, he’s too despicable for words.

I say I hope you were all right in the last big air raid, 13 zepps they say, & only 3 managed to reach London & one was brought down near there. But the rest seem to have penetrated over the Eastern & Southern counties & I do hope they had’nt got as far as you. The official statements put the casualties & damage at a very low figure & I sincerely hope they are telling the truth & not concealing anything.

I had’nt seen Guy Crossman’s name as a matter of fact; I’m awfully sorry, & I don’t know what Mrs Crossman will say. Indeed I well remember our week end at St Edith’s, great fun. Yes I was at Canterbury with the Brinsley Richards, I missed his name too, though I always go through the lists very carefully.

I had a wire from Dick as I told you to say he was off at once, but I got another yesterday to say he was awaiting orders, & might not even go till the 15^th of this month. He’ll be glad to get away I expect.

What a smash hit that was outside Delaford, the old motor van taking a toss, but it’s so long ago by the time you get this that I expect you’ll have forgotten all about it.

I had a line from Ben last mail, poor child, I do hope she’s feeling better now.

I’m glad Ruth’s taking up Red X work but it’ll put her back a bit at Guy’s won’t it. However as you say she’s young yet, & in any case she will be able to begin next year all right.

What great news about Jim! I don’t know whether to send a cable or not on the 8^th, as it does’nt seem quite certain yet. I must wait for the next mail which should be here on the 8^th before I take any steps, & even then I’m afraid it’ll be a trifle late in arriving. Yes I hope you see Billy Barlow, but I fancy he’ll be in town in hospital for a longish time. They are going to cut a bit off one of his ribs & make him a new bone from it in his upper arm; sounds jolly does’nt it; poor man, he’s suffered enough as it is, & ought never to have been sent out here again.

No news here. The rains are coming to an end thank goodness, I was getting a bit tired of them. The first Batt. have’nt gone to Quetta yet, & have got no further orders. Meantime the 3^rd Batt is “all dressed up & no where to go” as the saying is, as there are no barracks for them here & won’t be till the 1^st Batt go. So thoroughly Indian all the arrangements have been; they just sit down in comfort up at Simla, & say Raise a third Battn of the 39^th, & leave the rest to chance & the British officer!

Nell sends good news, & has been staying with her godmother at Leamington. Her godmother’s people have a castle or something in the orkneys & have asked us to go & stay there! Far off at all! I hear she is getting thin; well I suppose she can spare a little, but I do hope she’s not working too hard at that old hospital. I have told her to be careful, & if you are writing you might say I hate thin people!

Must wind up

Best love to all

yr loving son

Ted

“Tino”

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

3^rd Septemer Zeppelin raids and the first domestic VC

http://www.worcestershireregiment.com/wr.php?main=inc/vc_w_l_robinson_page6

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

Pathé reel

http://www.britishpathe.com/video/zeppelin-wreck-at-enfield/query/AIRSHIPS

Guy Crossman

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

Brinsley-Richards

http://www.hambo.org/kingscanterbury/view_man.php?id=130

When You’re All Dressed Up & No Place To Go sung by Billy Murray

http://www.loc.gov/jukebox/recordings/detail/id/3648/

Probable Orkney castle

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Balfour,_Orkney

LANSDOWNE,
GARHWAL,
U.P.

Aug 31. 1916

Dear Mother

I think I answered your last mail last week, and since then we’ve had no mail in. It’s due up here in two days’ time I fancy & they are still very erratic.

What about Dick going to Marseilles! As of course you must have heard of him by now. I got a hurried line on the 24^th saying he was sailing next day. I fancy he’ll be rather pleased, as he was rather sick of kicking his heels about in Stationary Hospitals and I don’t think Government were doing him very well. I feel rather lonely out here now he’s gone, even though he was such miles away & I only saw him once for an hour or two.

We had quite a severe earthquake shock here 2 or 3 days ago, about 11 o’clock in the morning; I was in office, & we all flew out into the open when we realised what it was. It was’nt an ordinary side to side one, but a sort of undulating motion, lasting nearly a minute I should think. No damage was done as far as I know, except a chimney fell through the roof of a – luckily – empty house & one or two rickety old walls & outbuildings collapsed I believe. I see the Simla seismograph recorded a big shock 300 miles away, but we’ve heard nothing more.

We heard the splendid news of Romania’s ultimatum yesterday, which should cut several months off the probable duration of the war. I like Lloyd George’s optimistic attitude immensely, as I feel he must know what’s going on and that his sayings are inspired, and, as it were, official. Tremendous fighting still in progress I see, but the casualty lists seem shorter.

Wretched weather still, the rains are still on; how I loathe them! Jack Hogg has got command of our new 3^rd Battalion, he has come from the 9^th Gurkhas, & arrived a day or two ago. We had a brief F.F. about his people at Camberley. I had met him once or twice before, but did’nt really know him.

I’m writing before brekker in pyjamas, & I must get up. Lots of love to all.

Yr loving son

Ted

28 August earthquake

http://asc-india.org/seismi/seis-uttar-pradesh.htm

an hour later in Taiwan

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1916%E2%80%9317_Nantou_earthquakes

King Ferdinand of Romania’s declaration on the 28th

http://www.firstworldwar.com/source/romania_ferdinandproc1.htm

Lt Col John McKenzie Trower Hogg – his son was Ian Hogg

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ian_Hogg_%28Royal_Navy_officer%29

LANSDOWNE,
GARHWAL,
U.P.

Aug 23/16

Dear Mother

I wrote you a line this morning, & now the mail has come in & I have just got your letter dated August 2^nd, for which many thanks. Also the enclosures about Wiggs; pathetic reading but how splendidly he died, and what a general favourite he must have been. Thanks most awfully for sending them; I am so vastly relieved to hear he died quickly; I knew he must have died bravely.

I heard from Ben too; & I must try & answer her letter if possible this mail; but as it leaves tomorrow I shall be rather pushed. Poor child; I feel as if it would take me years to get over my sorrow for her.

So glad Ruth is going in for war work as apparently the demand for nurses is tremendous now. And Ben too, the very best thing she could do, & what a splendid nurse she will make. Nell tells me they wanted to move her from Gloster to another hospital, but they have changed that now and she is putting in extra time at the Gloster hospital instead. Apparently Mr & Mrs Fielding are very depressed about their son in the Gunners in France; I wish they would take an example from you; for you have many more to think about & yet you never show anything; you’re just splendid, mother, & I’m very proud of you.

Right; many thanks for the bureau cheque; I have asked Cox to send you £12 this mail; if the £11-5 excluded carriage, the rest can go to pay Betsers Bill for Boots. If not, please let me know & I’ll send some more. It sounds a lovely bureau, but Nell does’nt mention it in her letters, so I suppose it had’nt turned up. Apparently she has been wanting one for years, so it’s rather a lucky shot of mine.

Raining again now, after a very nice fine week. I am supposed to be teaing out, but I shan’t go if it pours like it is now.

On land & water has turned up from you I see; many thanks, I have’nt opened it yet.

Best love to all

Yr loving son

Ted.

I’m very fit & well, but rather bored! Any amount of work though.

I see the bureau was £11-15, so am sending £12-10; NOT £13!

Betsers engravers

http://www.handengravers.co.uk/member/gm-betser-co-ltd

LANSDOWNE,
GARHWAL,
U.P.

August 23. 1916.

Dear Mother

Very many thanks for your letter last mail. Terribly sad about poor Wiggs, I do hope old Ben is getting along all right: poor girl, I am most frightfully sorry, but words are useless to express what I really feel. I am glad she had a good friend like Dolly Darwen close at hand to go to; I can quite imagine she was most awfully kind to her. I know she will be brave, but it’s a terrible blow for her. The Queen’s seem to have done awfully well, as far as one can gather from the meagre mention that is made of regiments in the papers, but at what a cost! Fancy only 200 men coming out of the fight.

Still, we seem to be pushing on slowly, and on all fronts, which must tell eventually, & the news from Salonika today seems to indicate great happenings there in the near future. I hope Jack Houghton is all right; what a nasty wound he got, but at least he is alive. Hope Paul’s all right, I see the German fleet put its nose out again but retired hurriedly & we lost two cruisers, but is not it ripping to think the crews were practically all saved. I imagine we can spare the ships, it’s the trained crews that matter most.

Alix has I believe arrived in India; I saw her name down in a list of passengers arriving at Bombay yesterday. I must see if I can manage to go & see them in Simla if I can wangle the leave.

I am sending you a book of photographs taken in Egypt, of the trenches we made at Ayun Musa, & various other pictures of Port Said etc during the war. I sent Nell a similar book, and now I hear hers has reached her safely, I will send one along to you. Lovely weather lately, very little rain & nice & cool, & some lovely views of the hills. We get a mail on Friday I believe, in 2 days’ time, quite nice & early this week.

No more for the present

Best love to all

Yr loving son

Ted

It’s not clear what else is “terribly sad about poor Wiggs” other than that he died. Wiggs’s body wasn’t identified until the 1930s, so Ted may be referring to the fact that he had no known grave at that time. Or perhaps he had originally been posted as missing and was now confirmed dead. 

It’s satisfying that we still have this album. Here are some of the best photographs from it.

Ayun Musa 1916

Ayun Musa 1915

Ayun Musa 1915

LANSDOWNE,
GARHWAL,
U.P.

Aug 17/16

Dear Mother

A very belated mail reached us on Monday, & I don’t think it was even then complete. I got a letter from you dated July 19, & Nell’s last was on the 16^th, so I expect some is hung up somewhere. Many thanks for your letter. Yes rather, we have read Jellicoe’s despatch now and I think I told you I had a long letter from Paul all about the show. So he’s gone off again has he, but I’m afraid he and his pals did too much damage last time to actually encourage the Germans to come out again. However one never knows of course. The news continues to be good, especially from the Russian front, and what tremendous efforts we are making in the ammunition and gun line, our present output must be enormous & almost incredible.

Quite fine days here now, though a day or two ago I was tempted to pitch my tents in the garden in the sun, to air them a bit, but like an ass I left them up at night & it began to rain about 3 am & went on nearly all next day! However  today has been fine and warm again so I have managed to dry them and put them away.

Glad Ruth’s pleased to have got what she wanted; I expect I shall hear next mail what it is. So glad Jim is in such good form, & is so important; I suppose they are keeping him at home to run courses of bombing and such little things.

Fancy Nance getting a little two seater; hardly war economy, but I don’t think that matters much. Nell seems very fit & flourishing, & very hard at work as the hospital is very full just now of course. Our 1^st Bn: is off to Quetta shortly, as a sort of garrison for the place I suppose, & also probably to make room for the 3^rd Bn: here. No more news about the raising of it yet, but I suppose we shall get some shortly.

Best love to all

Yr loving son

Ted.

Did I tell you I had moved out of Dolly Lyell’s bungalow as he is replastering it & generally repairs etc. I am living in 2 tiny little rooms ordinarily reserved for the Brigade clerks in peace time but now empty.

I saw one of the Lloyds’ photographs in the paper the other day, engaged to some man, I forget who or what, but I saw the name Lloyd of Hartford House Winchfield

“Nance” may have been Nancy Swan who would become engaged to Paul in 19017, but she was  only 20 or 21 at the time and it seems rather fast and rather extravagant for a woman that young to have got a car. 

Gladys Mary Lloyd

http://www.mundia.com/in/Person/52038937/13291503293

Her first husband, Major Geoffrey Lee Compton Smith, was captured by the IRA and executed on the 30th April 1921. It is an extraordinary story and his letter to his wife displays the British upper lip at its stiffest. He leaves his watch “to the officer who is executing me because I believe him to be a gentleman and to mark the fact that I bear him no malice for carrying out what he sincerely believes to be his duty”.

http://www.cairogang.com/soldiers-killed/compton-smith/compton-smith.html

http://hansard.millbanksystems.com/commons/1924/may/19/major-g-l-compton-smith-murder

http://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/2743800/COMPTON-SMITH,%20GEOFFREY%20LEE

http://historicgraves.com/story/major-geoffrey-lee-compton-smith

http://irishvolunteers.org/2012/04/frank-busteed-cork-ira-no-1-brigade/

Her brother Wynell Hastings Lloyd was also murdered, in his case he was shot in his trench by one of his platoon in 1918

http://www.woodyatt.bravehost.com/cradley/pafg24.htm

LANSDOWNE,
GARHWAL,
U.P.

Aug 10/16

Dear Mother

No mail in this week, it’s very late arriving in Bombay for some reason & does’nt get in till tomorrow morning (Friday) so it won’t probably be up here till Sunday or Monday; it’s a nuisance when it’s as late as that.

Nothing much doing up here. We have just got orders to raise a third battalion of Garhwalis, I suppose they have done so well that they want to make more use of them. We, both the 1st & 2nd Battns:, are giving some men each to form a nucleous, but no officers have been appointed yet, & the thing is very much in the embryo stage at present. I don’t quite know if it will be permanent, or only a temporary war measure, but I fancy they’d have some difficulty in recruiting in peace time sufficiently to keep 3 battalions going.

We’ve had a tremendous lot of rain lately, very heavy indeed, & one gets a good many duckings during the week, merely incidental on going out, as one can’t stay indoors all day, & as it’s nearly always raining you simply must get wet.

I have changed my quarters, & am now domiciled in two tiny rooms which were originally built for the Brigade Head quarters office clerks to be in; but during the war Bde H.Q. have been done away with, so these quarters are empty. They are small but quite allright, for after all it matters little where one lives nowadays, so long as you have a roof  over your head.

I get the Spectator & pink paper regularly; very many thanks for them

I’ve been thinking a lot of poor Ben this week; I do hope she’s all right; I know she’ll be brave, but there is so little to be said or done is’nt there; if sympathy of family friends is any comfort she must indeed find plenty; for no one who knows Ben – however slightly – could help being more than anxious to share her sorrow.

Best love to all

Yr loving son

Ted

LANSDOWNE,
GARHWAL,
U.P.

July 27/16

Dear Mother

Very many thanks for your letter which I got yesterday dated July 5^th. Yes I had a huge long letter from Paul, as I think I told you, most awfully interesting in spite of the censor. We have’nt seen the text of Jellicoe’s despatch yet, only extracts in telegrams.

A pouring wet day, & not much of it clearing either. I got soaked through on parade this morning, but as it’s our usual condition nowadays it does’nt matter very much.

Yes there is some fighting going on now, & I know how anxious you must feel about it all. We seem to be successful on the whole, but it must wait some time yet I’m afraid before we can advance at all quickly. However all is undoubtedly well so far, & full of promise. I managed to get a few hours in with Dick as I wrote & told you; it was awful good fun, & I’m awful glad I went.

The girls seem to have had a good weekend at home; Mr Stanton is new, is’nt he?

I suppose they find Jim’s services of more value as an instructor in bombing etc at home & that’s why they won’t let him go. I expect he would like to go, after all the long time at home, but perhaps now he’s not worrying much about it. I did’nt know Betty Neville was married; who to? I remember Roberts of the “Mallow” was an old flame of hers. I hope they promote Jim a captain soon, but I wish our promotion was as quick!

No news since I wrote yesterday; the show at the Club yesterday was quite amazing & I’m glad I went & met a few people. I wish the rain would stop. I heard from Jinny yesterday but I must answer her letter next mail; no time just now. I have also written to Jane today.

Love to all from your loving son

Ted

Ted’s doubtfulness about Jim is interesting in the light of Jim’s army records which of course Ted would not have been privy to. Ill-health prevented Jim from contributing well to the army. His CO was unsympathetic, saying Jim had “a curvature of the spine which gives him an excuse for avoiding anything he does not care for”. Harsh sarcasm indeed. 

Jim’s CO had prevented him from going to France, saying  “I do not consider him likely to do well on active service” and “this officer should be transferred to another formation, and his promotion should be delayed”. 

At this distance of time, it is impossible to tell whether the CO’s dislike of Jim’s physical problems prejudiced him against Jim, or whether his harsh judgement was fair.  

Jim’s physical difficulties and Topher’s frayed nerves contrast with the three brothers whose letters we have. Paul had an athletic enthusiasm for sport, Richard exudes a work-hard, play-hard glamour and Ted always declares himself “awfully fit and well” in the face of trench foot, wounds and shipwreck.

http://www.familyletters.co.uk/report-from-jims-co-10-oct-1915/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Mallow_%281915%29

LANSDOWNE,
GARHWAL,
U.P.

July 26/16

Dear Mother

Very many thanks for your letter of 28^th June, which arrived last Saturday, but I don’t seem to have had much time to answer letters so far this week, but I must try & catch the mail now. It leaves tomorrow, but I generally try & post today to make sure. I believe there is another mail due in today, but whether I shall be able to answer any of that in time for this mail I cannot say.

What splendid news about Jim! I am glad & will certainly write him a line. But I can’t get hold of her Christian name at all; I don’t think I can ever have heard of it before, Sheina is it or Sheima; anyhow that does’nt matter very much. Yes rather I’ve often heard you speak of her as Miss Hellier in your letters, & Dryden often seems to have gone round to dinner there. I’m most awfully glad, for old Jim’s sake, the very best thing in the world that could have happened to him; & I’m so glad you’re glad. The war has proved prolific in family engagments has’nt it. Can you send me a snapshot of her, or anything, of course I’m longing to see what she’s like. I have’nt heard from Jim since I came out, & I must say the news came as a great surprise to me.

Thanks awfully for Action Front; the stories are splendid; I have been vastly entertained. Thanks awfully too for all the good wishes you sent along. Glad the £4 turned up safely, & thanks for the bills. I had forgotten all about Betser, but I will pay him at once; I’m setting up Tagney & Randall & one or two more town bills next month. Sorry you’ve been worried with them. Poor old Topher, no leave yet, & I don’t suppose he’ll be getting any just yet awhile either.

I had great fun at Ambala, & saw Dick for a few hours. I arrived one morning at 5.30 as I told you I think, ‘cos I wrote from the Club there. His train turned up punctually at 6 pm. & mine went off again at 2.30 so we had about 8 or 9 hours together. We talked hard the whole time of course, & rode about on his motor bike. He rode it & I sat on behind & took the salutes! We had dinner on his train, and after that went for a spin round Ambala, quite a long way out into the country; it was hottish, so very pleasant flying through the air like that.

We got well out into the country & then sat & talked on a bridge; the place was just like England in the moonlight, & might have been, except for the croaking of frogs & various other Indian night noises. Then we came back & sat & talked in his train till it was time to go. He was awfully fit & well, & I thoroughly enjoyed the trip, even though I was only away about 2 days. His train is quite comfy, electric fans an’ all, but I should think it was jolly hard to keep clean on those desert journeys.

The Lieut-governor of the U.P. turned up last Thursday. We paraded for him at 3 o’clock, all four regiments up here, & at 3 o’clock exactly it came on to pour, great sheets & streams of water, no ordinary shower. However as we were there we stayed there & of course, being only in thin drill kit, were soaked to the skin in less than 2 minutes. At 3.15 the L.G. turned up, mackintoshed an’ all, but as he stepped on to the parade ground, he said “I can’t stand this” & flung off his Burberry, & came on in his morning coat & beautifully creased trousers! Seeing us stand there in this awful downpour was too much for him, & of course in 3 minutes he was a drowned rat! Soaked through & through; jolly sporting of him, as his kit must have been ruined, whereas our khaki drill of course does’nt matter, being washable.

Well he inspected us all, & presented some medals to men who had won them in France, & we marched past him & then the parade was over, about 4.30, so we had been standing in this appalling downpour for 1½ hours! I’ve never been so wet, or seen anyone so wet as the L.G. was! However, we all went on to the club, where there was an at home for him, of course we changed for it, & you would never have guessed we were all the same people as had been on parade. He dined with us in the evening, a big official dinner, & went next day, but I should think it would be a long time before he forgets his visit to Lansdowne.

Thanks awfully for the Spectator, most interesting, & the other papers are turning up regularly & are much appreciated. Yes, specs is a rotter I’m afraid.

I hope Casement will have been strung up by the time you get this. I met a man here, one Barker, of the 8^th Gurkhas who knows Jinny quite well at her shop. Love to all.

Your loving son

Ted

Action Front

http://www.pagebypagebooks.com/Boyd_Cable/Action_Front/index.html

One & only mention of Tagney & Randall Tailors, London

http://journal.pugnaciousgeorge.com/articles/arts-entertainment/melbourne-s-man-style-exhibition/