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15 September 1914 – Benedicta to Gertrude

15 Sep

On the way to Karachi

Tuesday Sept 15th 1914

Dear Mother

I must just send you a line now in case I don’t get time before we sail. Alix & I are on our way to Karachi, we’ve got passages in the Dilwara (you will have had my cable which I am sending before I sail) & you will also have had my mail letters, telling you I had a good chance of a passage. We had a dreadfull rush, only 12 hrs’ notice & everything to pack & see to, goodness I don’t know how we did it. Mr Fox ran all the travelling part you see, it isn’t quite like starting from Guildford; we were 30 miles from a station! and coolies carry your luggage down, we had 20!

Alix & I are awfully lucky to get these passages & together too, we are the only two from Lansdowne this time; the others have to wait till end of Oct. Now we go along with the 7th Division under the same escort, so shall be more or less with the 39th till they get to France, an historical voyage anyway. We travel with warrants marked “War 1914” in red ink, everything free, so I’ve saved £10 or more in railway fares & it wasn’t right to spend about £30 or more to get to Dick for a month, as he is giving up Lahoal then, so I’m very lucky.

I shall get my P. & O. refunded when I get back, no time this end and I can never discribe this journey; it is dreadfull frantic heat, well over 100 in our carriage & we are crossing the Sind desert, & the whole carriage is really inches in dust & we ourselves are absolutely black & pour with perspiration the entire day.

Well it’s good training for the red sea, which will be alarming, & we are only going 8 knots an hour all the voyage, it will take us nearly 5 or 6 weeks, so I am sending this by the mail this week, which will overtake us but I shan’t be far behind. I’ll wire the day I land & come along. I’ve got tons of luggage, 3 packing cases – I’ve brought all the china Ted & I had back, rather a nice dinner service & tea set, & all his books.

The discomfort of this journey is beyond discription, but I shall be glad to get home so I don’t mind. Ted will be glad to know I’m safe & on my way back before he sails too, & don’t think he quite like leaving me stranded you see, four days’ journey which one can’t do alone, from Dick makes one rather alone. I don’t suppose I shall see Ted as they have embarked but he will know I’m there, but I hope I may get a glimpse if we stay a few days before sailing, I expect we shall.

Yesterday we spent at Lahore, you have 22 hours’ wait! & you sleep in the waiting room, goodness it was a nightmare, so hot & mosquitoes, flying ants all over the place. My mosquito bites swell up to an enormous size, I suppose my blood isn’t in a brilliant state. This journey & voyage won’t do me much good, I look like nothing on earth but a few days at home will put that allright.

Really the war news is better isn’t it, how thankfull I am, & I hope & pray the fighting won’t be so fierce; by the time our lot get there it will take another 6 weeks, & lots of things can happen in that time. I do hope Willie & George are safe, I don’t know for certain if Willie has gone. I’m afraid such a heap of our friends must have been killed, it’s too dreadfull.

It would be nice if the Gloucester formed part of our escort, I hope we go to Malta; we shall I expect. This train is full of “families” of the Expeditionary force, going into the Dilwara, but Alix & I with our usual luck have a carriage (2 berths) to ourselves. We were packed in last night all under one punka in the waiting room, your nightdress was the only thing you could face near you!

The Dilwara is either a hospital ship, or we are going with some of the Rifle Brigade or Lancashire Fusiliers. I may be able to tell you later, anyway it’s not a pack of females as was expected. There are three troopers with females in.

Poor Ted is very much fed they’ve been kept so long waiting, & are in a very dirty camp. They are longing to get off, he tells me he’s very fit tho’ & looks so well everyone remarks. In Lansdowne he looks dreadfull, so white & pasty.

I really must thank you most awfully for the gorgeous box of things I just got before I came away, they are all too ripping & so much what I wanted. Please tell the girls how much I loved their little contributions, all so dainty & all but they’ll all be useful at home & NO waste; I shall want no overclothes, bar a rough skirt, the dress is sweet & fits beautifully & the little ninon coat I can’t get over at all, I’m dotty on all the things.

You have been ripping sending me all the things I’ve wanted out here, everyone has spoilt me, the family I mean. Ted & Dick I can never thank enough; they vow they can never thank me enough for coming, but that’s rot, I’ve loved it. I’m so longing to see you all again, & I’d so hate to be so far away with Ted in the show.

It seems as if I was sort of rushing home but I find there’s not more than a month before my original time of sailing in November, I’d add more if I’d time. I must try & collect a few presents at Port Said!! I’m living on Ted’s pay at present!! Dick wired did I want money, so I wired back No I’ve got heaps!! So he wired back if you are so rich I’ll be on the borrow.

Rather sickening for Alix, she was out here for another year but she wants to get back before Nobbie Clarke or her brother get to France. She will come to Delaford soon. I feel sorry for her, she & Nobbie were only engaged a week before he went, & being only 22 & 23 they take it rather hardly.

Your loving

Ben

Heaps of love to everyone.

 
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Posted by on 15 September, '14 in 39th Garhwal Rifles, 7th Division, Alix Mankelow, Archie Mankelow, Dick Berryman, George, Guildford, H M S Gloucester, Karachi, Lahoal, Lahore, Lansdowne, Malta, Mr Fox, Nobbie Clarke, P&O, Paul Berryman, Sind, The Dilwara, Willie

 

7 September 1914 – Richard to Gertrude

07 Sep

Lahoal P.O.

Sept 7th 1914.

My dear Mother.

Very many thanks for your letter. I was glad to hear how things were going on at home. When you wrote I fancy things were worse than they are now. People are recovering a bit I expect and things are settling down. Dreadful though the whole thing is. We, as I told you hear nothing, we don’t even know the names of any killed or wounded, and although we get telegrams every day they don’t say much. The Germans at present seem to be doing too well. It’s all very fine our retiring, however well it may be done, it’s retiring all the same & it means the Germans are advancing.

Ben will tell you she has decided to go back if she can on a trooper. She’s wise. She may lose the P & O ticket, but the expenses in the end will be less & she will get back much quicker as a P & O is sure to stop in all sorts of odd parts.

We expect another mail in a couple of days. It generally arrives here on a Tuesday but if any does come it won’t get here till Thursday. It seems dreadful all these people rushing off to get married, I suppose they think of the pension.

Still very quiet here. All sorts of men in the regiment get odd orders, but it’s all very muddling.

Please thank Dreda & Jane for their letters. How funny Jane meeting Lena Cook that was, I had never seen Nora but I’m sorry she can’t dress, as she was said to be so pretty.

I wonder when the man whose work I am doing will get back! I shan’t mind if he does’nt come at all.

Best love to all

Yr loving son

Richard

 
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Posted by on 7 September, '14 in Bane, Benedicta Berryman, Dreda Berryman, Lahoal, Lena Cook

 

1 September – Richard to Gertrude

01 Sep

Lahoal.

Sept 1st.

My dear Mother

No mail from you last week. No one got any letters from England, however we expect it today, a week late. There should be today’s as well, but I suppose we shan’t get that. So far we’ve really heard nothing about what England is like, whether there is very much excitement or what. I saw in yesterday’s paper shots had been fired at a train at Crowhurst so I suppose there is a good deal of that sort of thing going on. Everyone must be very depressed as there must be so many killed & wounded amongst people one knows or knows of. Paul has been having some fun I see, his ship had a shot at a German battleship. Ted’s gone I suppose by now, but apparently no one knows where, Ben I think is wise, she says she is coming back on a trooper with other dependants, I dunno’ when she will sail even if she gets a ticket on it, but it’s the best way & much the cheapest in the end. I shall be sorry not to see her, but she will save a lot of money & trouble.

Very little going on here, people are not much excited as there is really nothing to be excited over, we get very little news & can’t believe half of it.

All I can say is I wish I was at home.

Excuse the writing in the first part but I am writing in the train, when we stop at the station it’s all right you see.

Well best love to all.

Your loving son

Richard

 
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Posted by on 1 September, '14 in Benedicta Berryman, Crowhurst, Lahoal, Ted Berryman

 

24 August 1914 – Richard to Gertrude

24 Aug

August 24th.

My dear Mother.

Very many thanks for your letter. Even in yours (July 31) you did not say much about the war, and of course no one out here really knows what people at home think or do nowadays.

We don’t know what regiments have gone on that Expeditionary force & of course there must be tons of people we know.

We get absolutely no news here nowadays, every bit of news is always about Germany’s losses and we cannot imagine that they are always getting beaten. Ben will be coming down to me shortly. She will tell you she is just staying up there a bit longer. Ted does seem glad to have had her with him, & so nice he says for someone of the family to see him off. I suppose he is frightfully pleased at going & Paul too at the idea of getting some fighting, so, far from being sorry they are both enveigled (sic) I am rather pleased.

Those people have at last sent that cup then, I am glad you think it a nice one. I hope Ben’s fur will not cost too much to make up.

You seem to have had a nice motor drive in the Holdens’ car. Fancy pickling 425 walnuts, whatever can you do with them all, I think you had better give them to Kitchener for the troops! I love ’em with cold beef or mutton but you never get such luxuries out here except in the cold weather, you see meat goes bad so soon.

I suppose I shall have to go & meet Ben somewhere, but whether we shall go to Shillong as arranged I don’t know. “Nous verrons”.

People here imagine there may be all sorts of excitements amongst the natives & so on, but it’s only the light headed fools & I don’t suppose there is a quieter place in the face of the earth at the present moment.

Must stop. Best love to all

Your loving son

Richard

 
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Posted by on 24 August, '14 in Benedicta Berryman, India Expeditionary Force, Lahoal, Shillong, Ted Berryman, The Holdens

 

19 August 1914 – Benedicta to Gertrude

19 Aug

Lansdowne U.P.

Aug 19th your Birthday

Dear Mother. Thank you ever so much for your letter, I must try and get a letter off to you today, & will you please tell Dreda & Jane that I may not be able to catch the mail this week but they shall hear next; I’ve so little time for writing, there are such heaps of things to do and see to.

Here is all bussell & fuss as the two regiments leave tomorrow & the 2/39th on Friday; they’ve been all ready for some days & very anxious to get off. Alix & I have been awfully busy making & mending, but the little they are allowed to take is awfull I consider, only 60lbs personal kit & the lord knows when they’ll get back.

I’ve got all Ted’s things packed up in tin-lined cases, I wanted to get it done before he left; I’d so hate doing it after. I simply won’t realize that he is going off to war, they all seem to think in time & if it lasts they see some fighting. I am so glad that one of the family is here to see him off. I rather expect our letters will be the first you’ll hear of their going, or the officers on leave who’ve of course been recalled & are to join at the destination (no-one knows where that is), so you may hear through that.

They are to be at Bombay early next week. In the 2 division there will be about 50 regiments & that means about 30 transports. I suppose they’ll use any old ship they can get. We’ve heard very little news, and it seems it’s scarce even in England. In the next few days we shall know more after this big battle, I hope & pray the worst will be well over by the time any of their people there, & then they’ll have had the excitement of going & all & be more or less safe. I suppose such heaps of people we know and hear of are in the expeditionary force & have gone.

I’ve just heard from Dick, I don’t suppose we shall go to Shillong now unless the Pugras are on because it will cost a lot of money so I shall go straight to him as soon as ever it’s cool enough. Anyway I shall go in a month’s time as I can stand a little of the heat & won’t sooner be with him, but we shall fix that all up & I haven’t had time to hear from him since my letter telling him for certain Ted was going. Dick seems very fit again & cheery.

Thanks very much for saying you’ve sent my parcel, it will arrive some time I suppose & I shall be sure to love all the things. Shillong if it is off and all the things I wanted won’t be of very much use if I am buried with Dick at Lahoal, but I shall have them for when I do get home. I’m hoping it won’t be very much later on than November, as most people will be going home then, I mean the wives & families left here.

How expensive for Dreda’s furs really, it doesn’t seem worth getting them out here because in the summer sales you can get a set for £5. I do hope my leopard skins won’t be so much. Thanks so much for seeing about it. I shan’t get my fur coat now, as Fred Lumb has been recalled from his shoot.

Please when you get this address me c/o King Hamilton & Co. Calcutta, letters & everything, as I shall have left here & I’ll keep them up to my movements.

I heard from Paul from Alexandria, it must have been a day or two before they dashed to Malta. I’m dreading a naval battle with the Austrian Fleet.

I must end up now. I’ve got to go through all the accounts & learn something of this rotten money & business matters. Ted is very flourishing, it’s awfully worrying him going but he is dreadfully lucky to get this chance & being Adj: has a responsible position. I’ll be able to write more next week on my hand then. I’m very fit.

Heaps of love

Your loving Ben.

 
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Posted by on 19 August, '14 in 39th Garhwal Rifles, Alix Mankelow, Bombay, Captain Fred Lumb, Dick Berryman, Dreda Berryman, Jane Berryman, King Hamilton of Calcutta, Lahoal, Paul Berryman, Shillong, Ted Berryman

 

18 August 1914 – Richard to Gertrude

18 Aug

Lahoal

August 18th.

My dear Mother.

Very many thanks for your letter. It seems so funny that although you write on July 24th yet you say nothing about any war. It must have come as suddenly to you as to us of course.

I suppose everyone you know is fussed, and of course you are too. Paul in the Mediterranean and now you will hear Ted is off under sealed orders? Ben of course will be all right as I shall get her down here about the middle of next month, only I am afraid she will be a bit dull in the meantime. I wish I was at home as we get such scrappy news here & nothing seems confirmed. On the other hand you are much nearer. How terrible all the slaughter must be, and how dreadful the north sea being all full of mines, goodness knows when it will be safe to go on board ship again. I cannot understand why those people have not sent the bowl, they knew all about it & said they would send it.

I wonder, Holmwood looking tiny to you. Of course I know it would be to me. I am glad the place looked nice. I wonder if Mrs Goodyear ever let go of your hand. What must Violet Maturin be like & where’s Sybil. I can’t imagine the Lloyds either.

I suppose by now you are back from Selsey. I hope the change did you good, only this war must have worried you all a bit. Things go on very much the same here. Extra recruits are joining the volunteer force, why I am not sure as the Germans can never get here. That little lantern sounds very tricky, Jane tells me of it in her letter too. That’s a nice photograph of her. What huge notes! Yes I can see them quite plainly without my eyeglass. I still religiously practice, but I don’t get on very fast.

Well I must stop. Don’t worry about us, I am sure this is the quietest spot on the earth at the present time.

Best love to all. Yr loving son

Richard.

 
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Posted by on 18 August, '14 in Benedicta Berryman, Holmwood, Jane Berryman, Lahoal, Mrs Goodyear, Paul Berryman, Ted Berryman, The Lloyds, The Volunteer Force, Violet Maturin

 

11 August 1914 – Richard to Gertrude

11 Aug

Lahoal.
August 11th.

My dear Mother.

Very many thanks for your letter. The song arrived safely & many thanks too. I forget if I told you I had had a fever. Funny it was’nt malaria what one generally gets, but a different kind, not so bad really. I have been really very lucky not having had malaria yet, everyone seems to get it. Am writing in the train so it’s a bit shaky when we are moving. I suppose you are at Selsey now, unless the war has interfered with everyone’s arrangements. We get a lot of good news, but we never hear any of the English or French losses. I hope it is soon over, and if the Germans are getting beaten as they seem to be I should think they will soon give in.

Fancy pickling 400 walnuts, you will use a fair amount of vinegar I should fancy. That was’nt Leonard Pullman after all then. I thought you’d remember the Parsy boy, Ben said you were rather friends with Mrs Parsy. One of the sisters is being married out here. I wonder how Holmwood looked, have you arranged to leave the estate to the eldest son. Remember how we used to argue about it. It’s been raining here now for about 16 days on end to make up for a drought we had in July, & June. Wish I had some gooseberries!

Wonder how Paul is getting on in the Mediterranean, he surely must be in a scrap somewhere, he will be pleased I expect. I wish I was at home, it must be so exciting & we who are abroad will never realize what it was all like. I have’nt heard from Topher for a long time, he said he was going to write & tell me where to send some shirts to. No one I suppose talks anything else but war. The last we heard was that 19 German ships had been sunk or captured in the North Sea. Fancy hearing all the firing, it must be very awe inspiring. I am afraid Ted may not get his leave now, but nous verrons.

Well I must stop
Best love to all yr loving son

Richard

 
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Posted by on 11 August, '14 in Benedicta Berryman, H M S Gloucester, Holmwood, Lahoal, Leonard Pullman, Mrs Parsy, Paul Berryman, Selsey, Ted Berryman, Topher Berryman

 

4 August 1914 – Richard to Gertrude

04 Aug
RCPB 1st letter 4

Richard’s first letter of the war

LAHOAL. P.O.
Assam.

August 4th

My dear Mother.

Very many thanks for your letter. Really this wretched war is frightfully upsetting, & we being so far away know so little. Yesterday we did hear Germany were fighting Russia, goodness knows how long it will be now before England is let in. P’raps we’ll hear more news today. I wish I was at home. Everything of course will be upset. No tea is being shipped & it’s all accumulating here. How’s Ben going to get home? No one will have any money! But p’raps it will all be over quickly & settled up, anyhow I hope so.

Well best love to all.

I had a touch of fever last week, but am quite fit now.

Your loving son

Richard

At the start of the war Richard, the eldest son, was a doctor working for a tea company in Assam in the far north eastern corner of India.

There is more information about each of the brothers on their pages; see the menu at the top of the site (if you are reading on a Mac or PC) or at the side of the site (if you are using a mobile device).

 
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Posted by on 4 August, '14 in Assam, Benedicta Berryman, Lahoal

 
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