familyletters.co.uk

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

Karachi.

Sept 1^st

Dear Mother.

Sorry for such a hurried note last week, but I thought I was off. There apparently has been some difficulty about transport & I am standing fast & hope to be off soon. I have orders to report at Marseilles & know no more. Anyhow, it may mean a lot of leave later on, & perhaps, if I do ever get to Marseilles (you never know till you’ve actually started) I can get across & see you all, spurs & everything complete. Poor Ben it is dreadful for her, I do hope she is better.

I am glad Topher is all right. Nuisance about my dress clothes. I’ll have to have them sent back now.

Harold has arrived & has been quite a success.

I am playing cricket today & must rush off.

I hear I may sail on the 13^th.

Best love to all

yr loving son

Richard.

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

25^th August

Dear Mother.

I meant to write on the mail boat today as I’ve had orders to go to Marseilles. It’s been put off (this morning) so now I dunno’ when I shall leave. I’ve cabled you to write to Marseilles. Must catch mail.

Yr loving son

Richard.

Richard’s insouciance is breath-taking. Having been safe in India (safe from war, if not disease) he sends his mother these few lines telling her he is going back to France where the Somme is in full swing. As an army doctor, he didn’t face the same level of risk as his combatant brothers but even so, it must have been dreadful news for her.

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