The Letter

[ypres1418]

Kim,

thank you for that, it puts into perspective the POWs and their plight as it continues for them, mother not dealing with bad news is very dear to me at the moment!

Love all the entries so far,

best wishes to all,

Mandy

[Gunboat]

Cracking stuff everone.

[squirrel]

The bar gets higher every month -well done everybody.

[salesie]

As an aside, and perhaps helpful for those currently creating "letters" to post in this thread, there is the consideration that other-rank letters home were actually censored. Also, not only censors took an interest - the men's letters were also read for other reasons:

A study of the morale of the BEF in 1917, carried out by British Military Intelligence and based on soldiers letters home, concluded that the morale of the army as a whole was sound but that the second army, which was bearing the brunt of the fighting at the time, had a somewhat lower morale than armies in quieter sectors. In the second army the men's letters where evenly balanced between favourable and unfavourable, whereas in the other armies the vast majority of letters were favourable - drawing the rather obvious conclusion that morale would move, either up or down, when an individual army's state of action altered. Intelligence also noted in their report that war-weariness was widespread amongst the men but that there was also a high degree of determination to see the job through to victory.

Those letters home, it seems, were of importance to others, not just sender and intended recipient.

Cheers-salesie.

[salesie]

Somewhere in France

30th June 1916

My dearest Molly

If my instructions for delivery of this letter have been followed then you will be aware by now that I will never return to you, and, consequently, this is my last opportunity to speak directly to you. I hope that you never have to read it, Molly, but necessity means I must write to you in such a way.

I have never needed to write such a letter in the past and, strangely, I’m finding the experience rather comforting. As I put pen to paper for perhaps the last time, it is as if all my responsibilities and worries have left me. I have feelings of sublime bliss as I speak to you now; the very same emotions I experienced on that misty, drizzly morning in April when you said “I do”, and when you wrote to me last week with the joyous news that you were carrying our child. My only regret being we couldn’t marry in church, that I couldn’t give you a wedding for all the world to see – but it’s only a small regret, Molly, for me that tiny register office in Dublin seemed for all the world like Westminster Abbey with you at my side.

However, it saddens me when I think that I will never see our child – but, again, it is only small sorrow, I now have even more reason to fight out here; to keep you and the little one safe and sound. What kind of husband and father would I be if not willing lay down my life in defence of hearth, home and family? So you see, Molly, I take great comfort in truly knowing what I’m fighting for.

I know this letter will cause you great pain, and that is yet another regret, but I find it impossible to leave you all alone without speaking to you for one last time. I have so much to say but so little time in which to say it; I’ve managed to grab a few moments alone as I prepare my men for the big push which starts tomorrow morning, just a few hours from now.

It seems strange to call them my men, Molly. The fifty citizen-soldiers of No 2 platoon, C Coy, 12th (Sheffield City) Battalion of the York and Lancaster Regiment are my responsibility now - for good or bad. I’ve only been with them for three short weeks, only just long enough to remember all of their names, but they look to me as a son looks to his father. And they’re just the same as we were back in 1914 – when we loped along the roads of Belgium to fife and drum, the proud regulars of the 2nd King’s Own Yorkshire Light Infantry; so eager to get to grips with the Hun and teach him a lesson. My lads are the same now – eager to get into the fray and give our not so illustrious enemy a damn good thrashing, to teach him a thing or two.

A private back then, now an officer; 1914 seems a lifetime away, Molly – only two years away in time but a different world in many ways. And now I’m here, in the midst of my new world, but all thought of teaching anyone anything long since gone. And as I sit in this dugout looking out at the rapidly darkening summer sky, with the odd star beginning to blink its light, I think of you and our unborn child. But also of the many soldiers in the past who have experienced such thoughts on the eve of battle whist staring at the heavens – and it seems to me that I’m in good company; indeed the very best there is.

I know you hate this war, Molly, but how can I? If not for this war then we would never have met. If not sent to Ireland for my officer training then I would never have felt the deep satisfaction of being with you, Molly – of knowing that whatever happens to me then I’ve experienced the supreme pleasure of being loved by you. The six short months we had together were the very best days of my life – and I can’t put into words my delight in knowing that my seed will carry on through you.

But, Molly, what I really want to say is that you must not let this affect the rest of your life. I go to my death in no doubt as to the righteousness of our cause, and of my undying love for you – but I will not rest in peace if my passing will ruin your life forever. Life is for living, Molly, and I expect you to live it to the full – never forget me, but please don’t allow my memory to stop you from living a full and vigorous life; don’t allow that to happen for my sake, Molly. Let my memory spur you and our child on to greater and better things in the better world that we’re all fighting for, and I will not have died in vain.

I declare my supreme love for you and our child to the end.

George

© John Sales 2009

[Guest]

It says so much, well described Salesie.

Cheers

Kim

[CGM]

Continuing on from last month (The Estaminet). Here is a link for anyone who hasn't seen it, as it may be a bit confusing otherwise.

click here

THE LETTER

(To the Editor of a well known London newspaper)

THE LADY HERMIONE CHARITABLE FUND FOR THE RELIEF OF ORPHANED REFUGEE CHILDREN IN FRANCE

PATRONS

The Right Honourable Viscount Bruceford

His Grace the Lord Archbishop of Candlemartin

Mrs Fanshawe-Fortesque

12th December 1918

My dear Jonty,

Are you surprised to receive a letter from me? I think you must be because you know Annabel and I are in France, working as volunteers for Hermione. We're based in Victor-Pierre's Chateau (you know him - Le Marquis de Cabanis). He's not here though; he's riding out the aftermath of this terrible war in his London residence.

Well, I promise you it will become clear, in time, why I'm writing, but please bear with me as I have quite a long story to tell!

I'll start about two weeks ago, when a little girl we judged to be no more than 9 or 10 years old was brought in. She'd been found curled up in a hay barn and was very feverish. She was all alone and for several days she was semi-conscious and frequently delirious so we were unable to elicit any information from her. Such a poor little thing. She'd obviously had a bad time and it all surfaced in distressing nightmares. The nurses here (who, by the way are the kindest, most hard-working girls you could wish for!) volunteered to take it in turns to sleep on the floor in her room so they would be right there when she woke.

Whenever she was delirious we would hear her talking and although most of what she said was too indistinct to be understood we became sure she sometimes said sisters, sometimes George and sometimes Monsieur Dubois.

Well now! Three days ago Annabel came running into the laundry where I was helping out and insisted I come straight away - a miracle had happened. She wouldn't tell me what it was; she insisted it had to be seen. When I saw for myself I was inclined to agree!

And what was this miracle? Well, the previous day the local priest arrived on our doorstep with two little girls who'd knocked on his door to beg a drink of water. The nurses gave them a warm bath and new clothes and then had the clever idea to take them to see our mystery girl and immediatly it was obvious she was their sister. We discovered our patient's name is Michelle.

The two little girls were accompanied by a man and it transpired he is the Monsieur Dubois Michelle had mentioned in her delirium, although his name isn't George. He is such a pathetic creature; thin and ragged and he shakes a lot. He isn't well, his eyes have a yellowish tinge to them and he hasn't shaved for many weeks. He looks a most alarming creature, but he obviously dotes on the little girls and is obsessively protective of them.

Although he is a very low class of person his loyalty can't be commended enough; he really has impressed me. When anyone approaches the little girls he immediately moves in front of them in a fiercely protective way and they hide behind him. In fact, when they first arrived, he would growl at anyone who approached but then we took him to see Michelle and when he saw how well we are caring for her he allowed himself to trust us.

In her turn Michelle is remarkably protective of him. I've seen so many small examples of how she is really the leader of this little group, despite her young age. How she has suddenly had to grow up! It seems they were forced to leave their village about five months ago. I just can't imagine what those five, homeless months must have been like; and then she became separated from the others in the terrible storm we had last week. It comes as no surprise that she succumbed to a fever.

Now Jonty, this is where you come in!

I can see to her physical welfare and that is already improving. She safely passed the crisis in her fever two nights ago and we have every hope she'll continue to improve and, in the fullness of time, make a complete recovery. Poor little thing, she is seriously underweight and we intend to scour the countryside around here for the most nourishing milk and other nutritional foodstuffs to hasten her recovery. Finding beef for beef tea will be our most difficult task, I fear.

I am concerned about her mental welfare, though. Although she is no longer separated from her sisters and M. Dubois finding "George" still fills her mind. She is consumed with a need to see him again. I gather from M. Dubois he was a British Tommy and he saved the four of them from death but I don't understand how it happened. M. Dubois talks so vaguely when I question him and her two little sisters are only 6 and 7 years of age and therefore far too young to have any clear recollection of the events of that time. I really feel that meeting up with George, and being able to thank him properly for whatever he did for them, is the only way she will be able to put the terrible past behind her.

So, please Jonty, will you take on this task? Track down George for me? You, with all the resources of the newspaper, surely can perform this miracle. I know you have very little to go on but I am desperately seeking this George who was last seen at Lantier Estaminet one night in July this year. We are just beginning to see small contingents of our troops moving through here on their way home (hurrah!) and we're asking all of them if they were at Lantier, but it really is like looking for a needle in a haystack.

When you reply please write to me here at the Chateau. I intend to remain here for as long as we have refugee children needing us. I feel this is going to be my life's work. Will it ever be finished? I sincerely hope the Marquis never wants his Chateau back. I think I'll spend time rehearsing a pretty speech to convince him he'll do far better living elsewhere. You might think I'm speaking in jest here - but I certainly am not!

Jonty dear, I've made it my business to do my very best for this little group. Somehow, of all the brave refugee children I've met in the last few months this little girl has moved me the most. We now know she is actually 11 years old but because she's so thin we under estimated her age. By contrast her two sisters are just a little underweight and we all feel that Michelle has been making sure her younger sisters have the best of the scarce food available, at her own expense. I feel truly humble as I think of her.

Now a message from Michelle herself:

Dear Sir,

Mademoiselle Charlotte is writing this for me because I only speak French.

I am writing to your English newspaper to ask you to put in an advertisement. I hope it will find George for me. George is a British Tommy who was a very good friend to us. I don't know anything about him, not even his last name.

I used to live with Maman, Papa and my two sisters in the Estaminet in Lentier but it was shelled and everyone else was killed. My sisters and I were the only ones left. We hid in the kitchen because we just didn't know what else to do. Then George and some other soldiers came. George made M. Dubois wake up and take us away from Lentier. We didn't want to go but George knew we had to and he made us.

Sir, George saved our lives that night. I want to thank him for saving us. We never thanked him then because we didn't know what was happening. George saved M. Dubois too, so we all want to thank him.

Michelle age 11

Antoinette age 7

Suzanne age 6

Monsieur Philippe Dubois

P.S. There was a young soldier with George. I don't know his name but he was very kind to my sisters and when we had to leave, but didn't want to go, he pulled a loose button off his soldier's jacket and gave it to me. He put it in my hand and folded my fingers round it and then he hugged us all goodbye. I'd like George to tell me his name so I can thank him too. I still have his button. I will always keep it.

~~~

Well Jonty, I really must bring my letter to a close now. I apologize if you think it's too rambling and long, but you know me, I could talk the hind leg off a donkey! So, I'm signing off full of hope that you will be able to do this little thing for me and if you incur any expense please speak to dearest Papa. You know he will do anything I ask of him.

Your ever loving cousin

Charlotte.

--~~~--

[salesie]

Top class stuff, CGM, a great angle on this month's theme - very well written, and what a relief to know those children sent off into the night last month are safe and well. This piece sums-up precisely what I like about your work; you always leave me wanting to know more, leave me wanting to read more about your characters and their lives.

Every month you've produced a page-turner; Annie's story is still growing into something that may just end up being a bit special.

Cheers-salesie.

[CGM]

Thank you salesie. Sadly we know George is already dead as Annie told her g-grandson this a couple of months back. Still, I have some ideas.....

[salesie]

Thank you salesie. Sadly we know George is already dead as Annie told her g-grandson this a couple of months back. Still, I have some ideas.....

Your ideas have been spot-on so far, CGM - but don't forget, you're only at the draft stage and nothing is fixed - it may be at odds with the draft so far, but if a character cries out for resurrection, or his demise be moved in time, or visa-versa, then so be it. Let the characters have their say. You may have "invented" them, but you've also given them a "life", a will of their own, and thus, in many ways, relegated yourself to simply being the medium through which your characters express themselves.

Cheers-salesie.

[CGM]

There is a little bit of tweaking or re-writing which would help some of my previous pieces fit more neatly into the timeline I've found myself creating. Editing them for that reason wouldn't alter the essence of the stories so I might go back and look at them.

CGM

[squirrel]

Remembered I had this in a display cabinet - painted it it over 30 years ago.......................

[Michael Johnson]

There is a little bit of tweaking or re-writing which would help some of my previous pieces fit more neatly into the timeline I've found myself creating.

I found that creating the John and Marie Blog gave me a perfect opportunity to make such amendments. First and foremost was the closing to "The Ones Left Behind" where it is clear that John and Marie do marry. That worked fine for the MGWAT entry, but spoiled the flow of the story.

[CGM]

Hello squirrel,

I'm sorry but I can't see very much of your picture because it's so small. Is it just me? I've tried enlarging it but just get pixels. I think he's French (?) but I may be wrong....

[squirrel]

French infantry drummer 1914 writing a letter on his drum - I'll see if I can get a better picture. Had to reduce this one several times to get it to attach.....................

[Landsturm]

Likely inspired by the work of Georges Scott?

[CGM]

Hello Lands, I have PM'd you.

[squirrel]

lands,

that looks like the one. Produced by Man'O War Models years ago - I painted mine in the 1970's. Still can't do anything more with the photograph though.

[CGM]

So another month has come to an end!

Mike and ackimov, it's always a bit special, hearing real voices. Thank you for them!

Alex - I always look forward to your pieces, and as I always find myself doing, I've spent a lot of time looking (and marveling) at the fine details and learning from them.

Earl, everyone else has said exactly my thoughts. A superb interpretation.

Ozzie, thank you for reminding us of the POWs; they should never be forgotten. I found it a very thought provoking letter.

I'm sorry you can't get your picture any bigger squirrel.

I'm off on my holiday now, so I won't be around for a couple of weeks. Any guesses as to how I'll be passing the time on the plane?

[Earl of Berkhamsted]

"Any guesses as to how I'll be passing the time on the plane?"

Air reconnaissance?

[squirrel]

Thanks mto the Earl of Berkhampstead for resizing the picture, here is the model "Ma Cher Maman".

Hope it is not too late for inclusion.

[Timb]

On 08/06/2009 at 12:48, Gheluvelt said:

Hi all,

I hope this is of interest (and hope it qualifies !). It is a copy of a letter my Grandfather wrote home in 1914, just after Polygon Wood, and prior to Gheluvelt. It made it into a publication by Lysaght's Steelworks - Letters from the Front, written by employees.

Regards,

Mike

 

Could you tell me more about the  Lysaght's Steelworks - Letters from the Front, written by employees?

 

My wife is running a Lottery Funded project researching the men on the Lysaght's Orb Works memorial and also the impact of their service on the men that returned to the works. Letters from men of the works would be a great resource for the project if you could help her to track down the publication.

 

Thanks

Tim