familyletters.co.uk

C/o Cox & Co

Karachi.

May 12.

My dear Mother

Many thanks for your letter. (April 19). I expect to hear next mail the gold watch has arrived. I expect that wretched book is in my despatch box which is locked & I have the key!

It is bad luck on Topher his leave was stopped. I hope the girls and all got home for that wkend.

I got the Cordwalles Chronicle alright. Most interesting & I also got a letter from Paul. Thank him when you write.

Jane also wrote saying she had seen Evelyn.

We are getting wounded in now & expect some from Kut soon.

Best love to all, sorry it’s so short a letter but I’ve left it so late

Yr loving son

Richard.

Siege of Kut al Amara

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

May 12/16

Dear Mother

As I told you before I think we got another mail yesterday, making 2 again this week. Are’nt they erratic. Yes, Nell said my letters were very late that week & she did’nt get them till Monday. I heard from her yesterday of course & she was delighted at the prospect of going to stay at Delaford, but how awfully short. But of course that can’t be helped as she works at the old hospital 3 times a week. I’m longing to hear how she got on, from both you and her. I hope she was nice and behaved herself! I wish I could have been there.

Quite a large week end party you must have had; what awful bad luck on Topher not being able to get home. I do think it’s rotten, especially as it was all a scare apparently, as as far as one can see there has been no pressing urgency on the British Front to warrant the stopping of all leave. Poor boy, I do hope he gets his leave soonish as he must be wanting some badly.

Fearful rain yesterday, but I think it did a lot of good, though perhaps it’s too late now to do any real permanent good. Anyhow it’s made the place gorgeously cool and clean, as we have had a lot of dust storms lately which simply coat the place in dust and are very unpleasant. Last night, just at dinner time there was a tremendous thunderstorm with brilliant lightning & very heavy rain; a wonderful sight the lightning, it seemed to be all colours, blue, purple & mauve. But it did clear the air anyhow and this morning (I am writing this at 6.30 a.m. before parade) it is simply gorgeous, cold, clean, & clear. The weather before the rain made one feel horribly sick, but it’s much better now.

I am sorry about old Lewis’ son. Yes Rather I remember the old man well, at anyrate by name, & I’ve often heard of the flying son, both in France & at Delaford. I know he had done awfully well out there and it does seem a shame he should have been killed. He’s been right through the war so far, has’nt he. Was’nt his daughter-in-law a friend of Spider’s? I remember meeting her there, & I think you said she had been to call on you the other day; rather a nice person I thought; anyhow she had heard of the Garhwalis I know, because her brother is in the 2/Leicesters who were brigaded with us in France.

The new arrangement upstairs sounds an improvement. In any case the view out over the lawn is much nicer than the other I think, and anyhow a change is always attractive. What about that old ceiling in the front room d’you think? Is it quite safe, though I don’t suppose it matters much if it does come down now. Yes, do go on sending the pink papers, we don’t get them & they are much appreciated. They have one or two very good war articles too. If you ever buy a “Saturday review” or a “Spectator” I should’nt mind that; one gets rather out of things here. The weekly times now rolls up direct; I could’nt get on without that.

Asquith has indeed stultified himself before the nation : it absolutely beats me how government hangs on; it’s only the loyalty of the people that prevents them getting up and having the whole lot out of it for a set of incompetent muddle-headed curs; I suppose the public realise this is a very critical time of the war, & not the time to swap horses while crossing the stream. How Germany must laugh at us, & what a show we are making before the allies who are putting every man into the field with not the slightest hesitation. What a terrible show that Irish business was; why can’t they hang that beast Casement straight off for high treason; surely a trial in the case of a man like that is a mere farce & quite unnecessary. He’s a self-proved traitor, caught absolutely red handed, & should be shot or hanged without ceremony. If he’s let off with a sentence of penal servitude I fancy the public will have something to say to it.

Later.

Gorgeous & fresh on parade this morning & there is a lovely clear view of the Snows today, a thing we have’nt seen since we’ve been back as it’s been too hazy.

I got a Cordwalles Chronicle yesterday, I must say old Vowles has got it up awfully well, & exactly the same as the old numbers. I must write and thank him as I think it’s awful good of him to take all that trouble with old boys.

Must end up now

Best love to all

yr loving son

Ted

Donald Swain Lewis

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

http://www.theygavetheirtoday.com/guildford-war-memorial-ww1-a-l.html

(Sir) Roger Casement

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

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-25017936

Painting by Lavery

http://www.npg.org.uk/whatson/display/20031/1916-the-trial-of-roger-casement.php

May 11/16

Dear Mother

Very many thanks for your letter which I got 2 days ago. How erratic the mails are these days to be sure, as after going a fortnight without one we get 2 again this week, another being due today. I suppose the boats get held up at Marseilles or Malta or somewhere, & then the next week’s mail nearly catches the other one up.

I had some nice long letters from Nell, who seems very fit & is working hard at the Gloucester VAD hospital 3 days a week; a very good thing too I think, & I’m most awfully glad she’s doing it. I wonder if she’ll be able to get up to Guildford for a spell. I think Bunchie was the other person to whom I wanted you to send a photograph. I must send you the money for the other ½ doz I asked you to get last week. I hope to hear today that Topher managed to get his leave all right, though I should think it was rather hard to get just now. He deserves a whack of leave if any one does.

Thank goodness we had some rain yesterday, badly needed but really too late to do any good. But it has washed the place down well, and made it nice & cool; it was very oppressive before & made one feel awful slack. I had a nice longer letter from Ben last mail, asking for Zoo tickets; rather funny, because the mail after she wrote she must have got some, because I sent some off to her a long time ago. She said the East called her a lot these days & seemed to be getting on well in her job of adding by machinery!

Yes it’s a sad place now in Lansdowne, a shadow of its former cheery self. So many gaps, & so many new faces, which one almost resents, they almost seem to be trespassing. The sadness is tempered somewhat by pride in having given so many of our best & bravest from so small a community, for indeed a heavy toll has been taken of our tiny population. Things are settling down more or less now, & I’ve not quite so much work, still I’m always pretty doggo by the end of the day.

Do go on sending pink papers, because we don’t get them in the mess, & they are much appreciated.

Yes do send old Nance a photograph, all the same I’m sure she’s had one since Sandhurst days. How ripping of old Vowles to send you a Cordwalles Chronicle; I shall love to get one, & I hope it turns up today. You might offer him our back numbers on loan, as he said he had no records of Cordwalles, & wanted to compile some, and I think it’s almost a public duty to supply them if we can. I have a vague remembrance of promising to send them.

No, so far – tap wood!- I think we’ve been lucky, only the Sussex mails lost. I hope you are getting mine regularly. Poor Willie’s gramophone records. Yes was’nt that Wittenberg camp awful? I’m glad to see they’ve rewarded those splendid doctors. The Boche is only piling on the agony for himself after the war now, & I don’t think even the most conscientious objector (what about specs these days of compulsion?) could stand by & watch much more of that sort of thing.

Best love to all

yr loving son

Ted

Very fit & well

If “Nance” is Nancy Swan who got engaged to Paul early in 1917, then she would have been about 21 at the time of Ted’s letter and about eight when Ted was at the Royal Military College in Sandhurst in 1903. She came from a military family with a long-term friendship with the Berrymans so it could be Nancy Swan, it could be another Nance, or “Sandhurst days” could refer to when the family lived in Camberley, we just don’t know.

Gloucester VAD

http://www.angelfire.com/az/garethknight/redcross/glosva.html

Wittenberg camp

http://1914-1918.invisionzone.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=58458

C/o Cox & Co

Karachi.

May 5.

Dear Mother.

The mails seem all upset, as there’s been none in since I wrote you last. We expect one next week sometime then, I suppose we’ll get 2 at once or something silly. Nothing doing much here.

Tell Jim I’ve met Seymour, his Bognor friend of many years ago. He’s in the 2/9 Gurkas. How or why I don’t know. He’s pretty ugly is’nt he & wears glasses. I dunno’ what he’s doing down here either. Has Ben ever sent me Ted’s camera. I asked ages ago for it & have put off buying one as I expect it every mail.

The Boots have come.

Well Best love to all. Nothing exciting doing.

Yr loving son

Richard.

I’m getting so good at tennis.

C/o Cox & Co

Karachi.

April 28.

My dear Mother.

I’ve had 3 letters from you one after the other, mails all funny I suppose. The first one came from Alex, you had written on Feb 17^th. The others, one just before you got my Bombay letter, & one just after which you sent direct to Karachi.

You might tell the Aquascutum people that my coat has arrived. Goodness knows where the boots are. If they left on March 8 for Alex they should be rolling up here soonish I should fancy. I never ran across Mr Harrison, we were’nt in Alex long enough. So Jim sold his mo-bike, I had’nt realised that.

You know I have the pills by now, but thank goodness June keeps very fit (tap wood) & awfully popular both with men & ladies. Everyone begs me to leave her with them if I go. Popular at all?

I am so glad Jim has his 2nd star, I must drop him a line. I think I’ll see if I cannot get my third now. I ought to easily.

I wonder if you’ve had Topher home lately, I hope so, & I hope he had plenty of money to have a good time. Wonder what Paul’s task is. Yes, you had told me Ruth was thinking of going to Guy’s.

Your weather does sound awful. Fancy us, never rains at all here, & you can arrange tennis & any old thing ages ahead knowing it will be all right.

How interesting that Cordwalles Chronicle must be. Send ’em 10/- for me. Did you ever send the head those old ones of yours to look at. Nice of ’em to mention our visit.

I do remember Read in B.A. How funny his marrying Joy Dolphin. I expect I’ll be hearing from Winnie soon. She owes me a letter.

The Bystander & L. Mail turn up alright & many thanks. Did you see in the London M, “Things we want to know”. Why does the sub on leave like spending his holiday at Bournemouth? I know! Ted says your mail to him was evidently lost in the Sussex, but mine were alright. Crowds of people had none. Luckily I sent your letter to me to Ted, so he got some news. We correspond quite frequently nowadays.

Many thanks for your Easter card, not so very late.

How funny old Kellie being so annoyed with me. Most amusing. I hope you told them that you all used to laugh just as much at me.

I dine out a good deal nowadays, as I suppose I am getting to know people. I hate it really as you never see anyone new. Last night we played rather an amusing game of cards, “Manners”. I expect the girls know it. When you ask for a card you say Please & if you get it you have to say “Thank you darling”. Of course you always forget & back you have to give it. Awful tommy rot really.

We are only just going to get patients in now. As a matter of fact the hospitals are only just ready, it’s been a business getting everything ship-shape.

Must write to Ben.

Best love to all

Your loving son

Richard.

Cordwalles School

http://www.stpirans.co.uk/stpirans/school-history/4

Probable derivation of “Manners”

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mao_%28card_game%29

2^nd BATT. 39^th GARHWAL RIFLES

LANSDOWNE

U.P.

April 27^th 1916

Dear Mother

Very many thanks for 3 letters from you. Rather curious this week, we got 2 mails, 2 days running, I don’t quite know how it happened, but it was very nice especially as we had gone for a fortnight without mails owing to the “Sussex” show.

How cold & miserable it seems to have been lately at home, Nell says just the same down her way in Gloster. I got 9 letters from her in the 2 days! I also got all the Pink papers all correct & the weekly Times, thanks very much. Yes, are’nt the French magnificent at Verdun, and all the time our so-called Ministers are squabbling about conscription. Disgraceful is’nt it & they deserve to be hung. What must our allies think, who are putting all their strength into the war, and we are still debating whether we are to or not.

So glad Jim has got his second star, it will buck him up & it’s certainly time he got it. Any chance of his getting out to France soon? And old Topher coming home on leave is ripping of course, it’s quite time he did as he must have been having a rotten time. How ripping of old Stopford to have a talk with him, & you seem to have had quite an F.F with Mrs Stopford. Dick sent me on your letter last week, as I did’nt get any-

We are still very busy up here, & it’s rather hot & stuffy as we’ve had practically no rain lately. Pardon this horribly official looking paper but I am writing in office. Funny you saying Bud Fox is so like me; was he like me before ever? I don’t remember it.

I’m afraid I’ve been far too pushed again this week to write many letters, I really must get down to it on Sunday & try & polish some off. I heard from Kathleen Thompson yesterday, such a nice letter.

Will you please send one of my photographs – a Goldalming one, whichever you think best, side face perhaps – to Louie Fielding; you’d better order six, & send one to her & give one to Ruth as I believe I promised her one, & please send me the other 4.

No more for the present. I do hope these Zepps keep quiet for a bit.

Best love to all

yr loving son

Ted

FF was family slang, probably for Face to Face

Second star – http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lieutenant_%28British_Army_and_Royal_Marines%29