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Category Archives: H M S Gloucester

29 December 1915 – Paul to Gertrude

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

29.xii.15

 

Dear Mother – I’m hustled beyond everything – all this being appointed away etc etc – and I am ever so busy finishing up on board here – I have’nt had a moment to write to anyone – I’m feeling fearfully guilty – but it can’t be helped.

I do thank you all for your lovely Christmas presents – really they were too ripping – will you tell the girls how much I liked them – & say I hope to see them either Saturday or Sunday – because I shall stop on my way down to [censored?] where I told you.

But things are uncertain yet – & I’ve heaps to do – yet.

I had a lovely Christmas – ever so cheery we were –

I have’nt got time for any more – I’ll explain everything when I see you-

best love – your ever loving son

Paul

 
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Posted by on 29 December, '15 in H M S Gloucester

 

24 December 1915 – Paul to Gertrude

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

24.12.15

 

Dear Mother- Thank you most awfully for the cigarette case – it really is lovely and will be ever so useful.

We are fairly busy up here – what with one thing & another – ½ the fellows being on leave – but still it’s quite allright – but a most filthy place – one mass of mud everywhere – I am staying on board to-morrow and Sunday – because the married officers wanted to spend Christmas ashore – but I have arranged a Christmas lunch party – so shall be quite happy- I wonder if Mr Drew was down on Wednesday – or whether he got that wine – sickening he being appointed away – I shall miss him dreadfully

I’m writing with the Dudmans’ present – a stylo – really quite useful – but I hate writing with them.

Well I hope you will all have a happy Christmas & I only wish I could be home with you-

With ever so much love to you all

Your ever loving son

Paul

 
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Posted by on 24 December, '15 in H M S Gloucester

 

3 December 1915 – Paul to Gertrude

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

3.xii.15

 

Dear Mother

Thank you for your letter – and the parcel of clothes arrived to-day – for which also ever so many thanks. I’ll look after them all right.

I couldn’t write before – because we’ve been at sea since last Sunday & I’ve got a perfect mass of work to do in consequence – don’t know when I shall get settled down again – so you must excuse a short letter-

Filthy weather we had at sea – except the last day – & then it cleared up a bit – but it was bitterly cold all the time.

Poor old Topher. I had a letter from him too – he doesn’t seem very happy at present. I’ve sent him a parcel of cigarettes – tobacco etc from Dunhills – & several papers.

Dick appears to be having plenty of leave- I hope he is at home when I blow along –

Bee Dudman has written to say she wanted to send me some more food of sorts- They are kind are’nt they-.

I suppose there’s a certain amount of Christmas hustle already at home.

The things I want for Christmas are so fearfully expensive – i.e. a good luminous wristwatch & a blue Burberry – with a lining – My watch is always going wrong, & I had a Blue Burberry – but it was too big & I sold it to another fellow & bought an oilskin coat – souwester & trousers with the money – of which ½ is yours really – but a Burberry is so useful ashore – specially in this kind of weather-

I must stop now – ever so much love to you all – Hope to see you soon-

Your ever loving son

Paulie

 
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Posted by on 3 December, '15 in H M S Gloucester

 

27 November 1915 – Paul to Gertrude

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

27.xi.15

 

Dear Mother –

Are there any oldish shirts of mine in my sea-chest – or are there any of any description lying about at home that the boys will not need again – because I am getting up a concert etc onboard & we have no properties – I imagine there must be an old suit or two at home somewhere – dinner jacket – or dress coats – anything like that would be useful-

Will you send them fairly soon. Have we any other properties at home – wigs?

So sorry to trouble you – Here are some stamps for postage –

Still jolly cold up here – I’m just off to play hockey-

Very best love to you all

Your ever loving son

Paul

 
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Posted by on 27 November, '15 in H M S Gloucester

 

23 November 1915 – Paul to Gertrude

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

23.xi.15

 

Dear Mother,

V. many thanks for your letter and also for the shirts which arrived safely – I am glad you have had a rake round in my chest – I told you about those brass cylinders ages ago. I had heaps more but I don’t know where they are now.

Rather nice Dick being home – is he still in hopes of going abroad? I had a p.c. from Topher too – has he written to you yet?

As a matter of fact our Captain wanted a dog – so I told him about Susan’s puppies – but he’s just told me he thinks he’d like an older animal – it’s rather hard to bring them up properly on board – so he’s getting another one.

We’ve had heaps of frost up here lately – but to-day is quite warm again really – & everything ashore is all slushy – I’ve just been playing football.

Poor old Specs – I do feel sorry for him – I wonder whether he will ever get through the medical.

Ben seems to be flying high with her Aerodrome job-! Rather difficult to start with I should think.

Well I must stop now-

very best love to you all

Your ever loving son

Paul

 
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Posted by on 23 November, '15 in H M S Gloucester

 

15 November 1915 – Paul to Gertrude

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

15.xi.15

 

Dear Mother.

V. many thanks for your letter – early this week. I generally don’t get it till Tuesday. What a ripping time you all must have had for the week-end – Ted & Nell there! An ordeal for Nell to go through, I should say – I am glad you like her. Ted sent me a letter & told me about it – & I sent a hurried wire & wrote – but I have’nt heard from him since. There’s no doubt about it – the soldiers get all the luck these days.

Coldish up here these days – snowing & it’s been freezing for 2 or 3 days now. Will you send me along a shirt or two out of my chest – a couple of warm looking ones.

Yes – there is a chance I believe of some leave soon – but only a day or two at the most – & it will be very sudden – because I can’t tell you when I’m coming-

My rotten old ankle keeps swelling up. I played footer the other day & of course started it again – but it never hurts really – except when it actually gets touched-

Do you want any homes for Susan’s puppies? I am thinking I should rather like one.

So Topher has gone to France, I have written him a letter & sent him some papers.

I never know who these weird people are of whom you talk – whoever’s John Thompson – I’m sure I’ve never heard of him before.

Well I must go to bed. I must start a 2nd blanket I think.

ever so much love to you all-

Your ever loving son

Paul

 
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Posted by on 15 November, '15 in H M S Gloucester

 

9 November 1915 – Paul to Gertrude

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

 

Tuesday. 9th Nov.

 

Dear Mother – Thank you very much for your letter – Topher wrote me a line and said he was going – so I sent him a telegram & a box of cigarettes – Sorry to hear Dreda has a cold – but I hope it is better by now.

I say how dreadful about that huge fire at Cabel Reeks – as a matter of fact I saw an account of it in the Daily Mail or some other paper.

Thank you muchly for the two Surrey Advertisers – I suppose you must have addressed one to me, instead of one of the other boys.

Susan’s done well! What are you going to do with them all-

I had a lovely photograph of each of Ted & Jane sent to me to-day – awfully good I think they are. Ted looks so fat-

We’ve got a bit of a gale blowing up here to-day – raining like anything too-

Yes. Dreda sent me Willie’s address – & I got my sox to-day – please thank Ben most awfully for doing them. Also Nancy has sent me some of that lovely butter they have at the Lodge.

I must say Jim does seem to move about – he never seems to be in one place for more than about a week-

Afraid this is a very short letter but there is no news really-

I am awfully well & fit-

With ever so much love to you all

from ever your loving son

Paul


If this is the same Susan that Richard washed with Lux in the summer, then she was presumably a dog who survived the motor accident in June and had litter of puppies in the autumn of 1915.

 

 
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Posted by on 9 November, '15 in H M S Gloucester

 

1 November 1915 – Paul to Gertrude

H.M.S. Gloucester

All Saints Day

 

 

Dear Mother

V. many thanks for your letter- So my chest does sound rather huge – how you ever got it down those back stairs I don’t know.

My ankle is quite all right again – as far as I can see – I have played hockey once or twice since, and no ill effects. I use one of those anklet things.

Nothing doing at all our way, as usual – It’s getting quite chilly these days & so fearfully damp, and colds seem to be fairly easy to catch.

Yes allright I’ll send Dreda a contribution to Topher’s gramaphone. I suppose he must be nearly having his final leave before he goes out. I heard from him the other day.

I’ve just had my cabin done up & a thorough painting – it had’nt been done for ages. Very sort of pale blue enamel now it is – remarkable lack of pictures though.

How dreary Guildford sounds now – being so black. I suppose that is all on account of that Zepp raid. I do hope you won’t have another one.

Does anyone know Willie’s address now? I want to write to him – but cannot get an address out of anyone-

Rather a dull letter I’m afraid.

With ever so much love to you all-

Your ever loving son

Paul

 
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Posted by on 1 November, '15 in H M S Gloucester

 

28 October 1915 – Paul to Gertrude

H.M.S. Gloucester

 

28.x.15

Dear Mother – I’m sure I quite forgot to put that 10/- in the other day – silly of me.

A simply filthy day – raining & blowing hard-

Please thank Ben for her letter – If you want some pictures for the lumber room – or rather the dining room – my sea chest is fairly full is’nt it – why not use them.

Did you see Digby had a son the other day?

With ever so much love from your loving son

Paul

 
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Posted by on 28 October, '15 in H M S Gloucester

 

26 October 1915 – Paul to Gertrude

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

Tuesday. 26th

 

Dear Mother –

Thank you for your letter – & I’m glad the sox & chest have arrived safely. I enclose the 10/- – Ever so many thanks for paying the other 5/-, what’s the gear like inside – I expect I shall want some of those plain clothes shirts soon – I believe there are some quite good coloured flannel ones in there, are’nt there?

The lumber room sounds awfully cosy as a dining room- & ought to be quite warm with the kitchen so close – excellent idea it sounds-

What does that mean, Jim being transferred to a Reserve Battalion? Will he go out any sooner. I heard from Topher yesterday – he told me he expected to go out very shortly now.

Yes- they gave me £2 for my wins in the sports – & to buy my own prize – but I haven’t as yet bought anything.

It’s getting pretty parkey up our way – but I have’nt really begun to wear anything winter as yet – one wants a great coat ashore though. I don’t know whether you remember that big blue Reefer coat of Jim’s, that he gave me; do you? Well anyhow I’ve had naval buttons and shoulder straps put on it & it makes a ripping new great coat – which is a thing I wanted badly.

I say how ripping of Dreda to get some money for Topher’s gramaphone. I wish I had known – because I would have sent her some – why did’nt she ask me?

I was sent a most beautiful white knitted sweater yesterday by a friend of mine – gorgeous it is – all hand knitted-

We have a hockey ground now – which is very nice – but I’ve got a very slightly groggy ankle at present & the doctor says I’d better rest it for a week – but a funny sort of new lump appeared & only hurt when you touched it – I’ve felt it there for weeks & weeks but I thought it was a hack, from football or something – but when it wouldn’t go away – I showed it to him & he was bluffed and didn’t know what it was – but said it might be something – an abscyss forming in a tendon gone – anyhow I’ve had it well Iodined & occasionally wrapped up & sounds funny does’nt it – I’ve got the cold alright – but I’m glad to say the hard lump is going away & does’nt hurt ½ as much – (I’ve just felt it again & feel it still there – that’s why I changed the tense).

It’s nothing to worry about – for one thing I’ve never told you before – simply because I forgot that anything’s wrong at all. I ran all through the sports with it.

Well goodnight Mother – I hope you are all well.

With much love to you all.

from your ever loving son

Paul

 
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Posted by on 26 October, '15 in H M S Gloucester