familyletters.co.uk

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

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

Tuesday. 9^th 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.

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

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

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

Tuesday. 26^th

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

H.M.S. Gloucester

Oct. 19^th

Dear Mother-   Thank you muchly for your letter- I say how dreadful about that air raid – and I am thankful that none of you are hurt or have suffered in any way – I should just say there was some excitement in Guildford – It must have been a great shock to everyone – I had no idea, till I got your letter that they had been anywhere near you, and of course I rather got a bit of a shock when I read your letter. They seem to have been over most of the Southern part of England-

I have been meaning to pack up some socks to send you – but I have had very little time to do anything just lately.

We had our sports last week, the finals – I managed to win the 100 yds & 2^nd in ½ mile & obstacle race – but I was disqualified in the latter – because I did one of the obstacles wrong – not a bad day though on the whole & I think the men enjoyed it

Oh – do let me know if you have had to pay anything for my chest – they said it would be about 15/- so if you will let me know I will send you the money-

It’s getting jolly cold up our way now – more cold winds than anything else. I have’nt actually started my winter clothing yet though.

Yes – Jane seems to be enjoying herself immensely – I heard from her only a few days ago.

We have just got rather a good hockey ground fairly close here – it is a cricket ground really – so it’s very good. & they are letting us have it for nothing too.

Well I am glad you are all safe and well –

With ever so much love to you all

ever your loving son

Paul