The Letter

[TimCatherall]

Cracking stuff again this month. Gheluvelt - my sister in laws Grandfather was in the Worcesters - sadly KIA in 1917. Don't think he served early war though. My parent slive in malvern so I've been to the Worcs museum.

Hope I haven't stretched the theme too far this month - I was working on a desptach rider (they deliver 'letters') so I thought I would finish him off and post him up. Pencil drawing scanned and coloured in photoshop.

[Gheluvelt]

Nice work Tim - the colouring has brought him to life.

Well done,

Mike

[Guest]

Excellent entries. The bar goes up yet again.

Cheers

Kim

[alex falbo]

Hi lads. The topic couldn't be more timely as I have just taken these photos and aged them in photoshop. This is a project I've been working on diligently since the end of term. I had this officer in the works and upon acquiring some parts, I finished him. I plan to post this on the model forums but thought to give it a go here.

An officer of Manchesters writing to his wife in 1917. He's enclosed a portrait that he had taken just before the Arras Offensive.

And here's the portrait.

I hope you enjoy the Great War in 1/6.

[Gunboat]

Stunning Alex!

[squirrel]

Smashing job Alex - how do you do the barbed wire?

[alex falbo]

Thanks lads. I am humbled.

I made the wire with a very thin gauge wire. I take two pieces and wrap them together. Then I take another piece and wrap them vertically over the main wire about 5 times and cut to make the barbs.

[squirrel]

Thanks Alex, I guessed that would be the method -no short cuts to getting the detail right.

[Guest]

Great stuff, Alx, love the details!

Cheers

Kim

[TimCatherall]

Alex - I really love this stuff - great detail. What model forums do you post on?

[ackimzey]

......here's my contribution, it's a series of excerpts from Grover Carter's diary which include the words "letters, mail"......to me it illustrates just how important any correspondance was to him and all the others serving as well.

Ann

March 22, 1918 – Up at 8 a.m. Cold water shower. Still waiting for orders. Letter to Mother, Louise [Pell, his sweetheart] and Dulcie [no last name available].

March 31, 1918 – Very windy but sun shining. No work all day. Damn tired of this life. A good case of the “Memphis Blues”. Have had no mail for over 3 weeks & I want to see Mother & Louise so very much. A very unhappy Easter Sunday. Wrote 5 letters.

April 3, 1918 – Rained all night and still at it this a.m. Orders to return to my unit today. Very pleased, however is more safe here. Very cold, damp & gloomy. Letters from Ross [brother], Louise, Howard Houston & Mena Scott of Ann Arbor. Reached my unit about 5:30 p.m. Had letters from Mother & Louise. Nice Armstrong Hut to share with Lt. Hughes, R.A.M.C., a new comer.

April 7, 1918 – Detailed to parade men to church. Left 9:30 a.m. and marched to Steenwerck. Back about 10:15. No mail, nothing doing rest of day.

April 22, 1918 – Sick parade in a.m. Went with Padre Davies to Proven to E. F. [Expeditionary Forces] canteen. Very heavily shelled at night with shrapnel. No mail since Friday.

April 23, 1918 – Road around to all the batteries. Roads were being shelled. 3 bombs were dropped very near us at D. battery wagon lines. Yes, we left. Very anxious for mail from home, Louise & Dulcie

April 27, 1918 – Little doing all day. Made a round to wagon lines & batteries. Fairly quiet on out front. Letters from Dulcie.

April 30, 1918 – Usual work. Fairly quiet day. No mail for several days.

May 1, 1918 – Very cold all day. We gave the Bosche heavy shelling between 3:30 a.m. & 5:30 a.m. No pushes by the Bosche. Had several shells near out house. Letter from home dated Apr. 7th.

May 2, 1918 – While on round to batteries was shelled with shrapnel. Took cover in trench. Fairly quiet rest of day. Letter from Dulcie & lot of smoking tobacco from Edgar.

May 4, 1918 – No attack. Nothing unusual all day except that I had several letters from home which were more that a mo[nth] old.

May 21, 1918 – Nothing unusual. Air raid during night (2). Slept thru both. Letters from home and Dulcie.

May 22, 1918 – Parade at 9:30. Read rest of morn. Went out for a ride thru the woods with the Col. in p.m. A wonderful night with a big moon which makes me think of home, Mother & Louise & Dulcie.

May 23, 1918 – Rained all day & very cold. Stayed around mess most of day. Had letters from Mother, Hugh [brother] & Clara Mai [niece]. Want to hear from my sweetheart so much.

June 3, 1918 – Went around to all batteries which was about a 4 mi. walk. To wagon lines in p.m. Was a h--- of a bombardment about 2 a.m. which waked me. Letters from Hugh, Hays Glover & Dulcie.

June 4, 1918 – Stayed about H.Q. all day. Nothing to do. Went over to see Lt. Mc Natt of 122 Bde., R.F.A. [Royal Field Artillery] Still no mail from Louise.

June 5, 1918 – Another day of no events.

June 6, 1918 – Had a few 5.9’s nearby thru a.m. No mail today or yesterday. Have wished to be at home for last two days.

June 7, 1918 – Nothing exciting all day. Had letters from Louise & Dulcie.

June 10, 1918 – Off to see A.D.M.S. at 9 a.m. Arrived at his office about 10:30 a.m. and found him out. Came back & had lunch with Capt. Trigg of A Battery wagon lines. No mail & am rather blue.

June 12-17, 1918 – Same old place, in vile dugouts about 25 ft. underground. Usual day’s work. Letters from Hattie [sister], Ross [brother, dentist] & J.P. [Parvin, brother] this week. None from Mother or Louise.

June 18, 1918 – Usual day’s work. In p.m. went to see a U.S.M. [Marine] officer. Very nice fellow. Had letters from Mrs. C. P. Smith. Rained at night.

June 19, 1918 – Rained like hell all morning. Went about 6 mi. to see A.D.M.S., got wet to the skin. Letters from Dulcie & Mildred Toland. Can’t hear from Mother or Louise. Very nasty and muddy all day.

June 20, 1918 – We did a raid on our front this a.m. Results not heard. Made rounds to batteries. Cloudy & damp. Anything but cheerful weather. Would like to have a line from Mother & Louise.

June 24, 1918 – Went to batteries in a.m. Several sick. Many cases of influenza. In p.m. to wagon lines. Also many cases of influenza there. Very busy day. Letters from Parvin & State [sister]

June 26, 1918 – Another day with much work and little play. Letters from Mrs. Dixon & Mother.

July 2, 1918 – Very little to do. Had letters from home but none from Louise.

July 4, 1918 – “Un grande et glorious jour” Had a very nice dinner. Lieut. McNatt of 123 Bge. a guest. We drank to Woodrow, U.S. Army & Gen. Pershing. Hope to be home for next celebration. Letters from State & Mrs. Capell.

July 5, 1918 – Very quiet day, very little work. Letters from Mother, Hugh & Dulcie. Very hot.

July 9, 1918 – “Wind verticle” Everybody expecting the big attack although nothing doing. Much preparation to hold. Letters from Hattie, Mai & Dulcie. 10 mo. Since I left home.

July 10, 1918 – Went to wagon lines in p.m. & it rained like hell. Got wet. Letter from Parvin. Bridge at night.

July 11, 1918 – Very windy morning. No Hun attack so far. Pretty cold. 1 mo. & 5 days since I had a letter from Louise. Yes, I am anxious. In p.m. had two letters from Louise and I was very happy.

July 17, 1918 – Hottest day of year. Very little walking to do, thank goodness. Letters from Hays Glover. Wrote to Miss Archer of Bapt. Hospt.

July 18, 1918 – Good news from South. Nothing unusual in these parts. No mail.

July 19, 1918 – Stayed in all day. No sick. Very dull day. Two letters from Dulcie, one from Hugh. Good news from South.

July 20, 1918 – Nothing of interest. Had letter from J.P. [Parvin]

July 27, 1918 – Nothing doing all day., Rained all day. Very muddy but it’s all in war. Letter from Chas. Bender, 115 F.A. [Field Artillery?] Glad to hear from an old pal.

July 29, 1918 – Not very much doing all day. Wrote several letters.

July 30, 1918 – Sick parade in a.m. Inoculated 16 men. Went to Toutencourt & had a good shower bath. Letter from Hugh.

Aug. 3, 1918 – Shot typhoid bugs for about an hour in a.m. Also paraded sick. Rained all day, very slippery. No mail.

Aug. 5, 1918 – Very disappointed. Had orders to go into action tonight & it’s tomorrow. Rest all up. Doesn’t make very much difference tho. Had 5 letters from states.

Aug. 6, 1918 – Came to new positions about 4 p.m. Rained all day. Living in under Heaudeville [Hedauville] – Warloy road. Letter from Mildred Toland. Very nice.

Aug. 10, 1918 – 11 mo. from home. Another day with nothing of interest. We are pushing the old Hun to beat hell. Looks like things will come to an end this year. No mail.

Aug. 11, 1918 – Nothing doing all day. Feeling somewhat fed up. No mail.

Aug. 12, 1918 – Another lazy day. Letters from Lt. McNerney of Columbus, Ohio. He is in London having been gassed on May 25. Letter from Dulcie.

Aug. 13, 1918 – Letters from Hugh & Mrs. Dixon telling me Parvin had sailed. Expecting to hear from him any day. Rec. [request?] for special leave when I do.

Aug. 14, 1918 – Nothing doing, rainy all day. Letter from Louise & Dulcie. No news from J.P. [Parvin]

Aug. 15, 1918 – No sick parade, stayed in most all day. Letters from J.P. of July 15. Also one from Mrs. Dixon. Col. Williams of 122 bde. to dinner.

Aug. 17, 1918 – Orders for march washed out. All sorry. Letters from Mother & Miss Myrtle Archer. Front quiet.

Aug. 18, 1918 – Fairly busy day. Four letters from states. More cheery. No word from Parvin or Dulcie. Col. McClellan gone on leave. Maj. Mattheson acting C.O.

Aug. 25, 1918 – Up at 4 a.m. On move at 5:15 a.m. Crossed Aveluy Causeway & went into action east of La Boisselle. Slept in a very good Hun dugout. Our fellows still advancing. Lots of prisoners & few casualties. Letter from J.P. telling me he’s over. Also Louise & Tress Dorria.

Aug. 30, 1918 – Slight progress. Good news from n[orth] & south. Big things expected tomorrow. Letter from Mother. Very chilly.

Sept. 4, 1918 – Went to batteries in a.m. with Maj. M. Saw several dead, Bosche, also Eng. Stay in, in p.m. Had H.Q. moved forward but only shell hole accommodation. Stayed behind Letter from State. All well at home.

Sept. 5, 1918 – Sick parade for W.L.’s in a.m. Nothing doing rest of day. Wanting leave very bad. Appling today for France if I hear from J.P. or Eng. if I don’t. No mail. Damn fed up.

Sept. 7, 1918 – Went to all W.L.’s in a.m. Moved in p.m. to some trenches behind Fins. Letters from Aunt Bessie, Lois and Dulcie. Applied for leave.

Sept. 11, 1918 – Another rainy day & high winds. Nothing doing all day. Letter from Dulcie.

Sept. 12, 1918 – Stayed in all a.m. To wagon lines in p.m. for sick parade. Damn fed up with war. Letters from J. Hugh, J.P., Louise, Mrs. Dixon & Tress. Dorris.

Sept. 21, 1918 – Nothing doing all day. Air raids at night. No mail. Fed up.

Sept. 22, 1918 – To batteries in a.m. Letters from J.P. who is now in Paris. Rained like hell at night. Very cold.

Oct. 12, 1918 – Pip-squeak [type of shell] 15 yds. away before breakfast, wounding 3 men. Two died later. Very rough time. Rain & cold. No mail.

Oct. 13, 1918 – Still in same position but not for many days. Shells close by in p.m. News good from n[orth]. The beginning of the end. Armistice refused. Bon! No mail.

Oct. 14, 1918 – Nice sunny day & warm. To guns in a.m. & wagon lines in p.m. News good. Not to be here long.

.....Sadly Oct. 14th is the last entry as on Oct. 16th Grover died after being hit by shrapnel while dressing wounds in the field.....

[alex falbo]

Thaks for sharing his story.

Some sensational work this month. Tim, I post here. Unfortunately you have to be a member in order to see the British forum.

And another

This is the British 1/6 forum

here

Thanks again for all your kind words and hoping to see more before the month is out. Its a superb topic.

[salesie]

What’s in a Letter? (not for polling)

The letter-box clatters; a rallying call,

Down the hallway; feet in a rush,

And fingers shuffle the latest pack,

Whilst frantic eyes scan for familiar scrawl.

Not this day; no ink moulded by you,

Only print and script from those safe

At home, and out of harms way

But who nevertheless have work to do.

So back to torment formed of endless fear

Of hearing no clatter, no rattling of flap;

Just the Devil’s fist sounding, on our front door,

His joy at our plight - his gleeful sneer.

Not every day carries so dark a cloud;

Once, twice, sometimes thrice a month

The latest pack carries heavenly news;

You’re safe and well and doing us proud.

A few hours of peace then darkness again;

How many days since written? What’s done

On journey betwixt front and home?

How much longer before driven insane?

© John Sales 2009

[Earl of Berkhamsted]

"The Letter"
Mixed Media

[CGM]

Landsturm I just keep coming back to your picture, to sit on this side of the stream of mud and feel so cold and weary. The third figure could've been my best mate. A really evocative scene. Thank you.

CGM

[CGM]

Tim, your dispatch-rider is possibly my favourite of all your figures. No, actually he is my favourite. He is just so good, and his face, in particular is superb.

CGM

[ypres1418]

I am enjoying reading and looking at his months mgwat, all very good!

Keep um coming!!!!!!!

Mandy

[Guest]

Ann, thank you for showing the reliance the men had on news from loved ones.

Salesie, the angst that a piece of paper with a loved one's writing on it can cause.

EOB Bloody Brilliant.

Cheers

Kim

[marina]

EOB Bloody Brilliant.

Cheers

Kim

I'll second that.

Marina

[Landsturm]

Great entries everyone! And it seems that this month, our other illustrators have awaken as well

[ericthornton]

Earl,

Really taken by your illustration....simple but so effective....great stuff

lets see some more, thanks, ET

[salesie]

Earl, I very rarely comment on visual-art postings - having very little knowledge of, or feeling for, that particular art-form - but I have to say that your latest piece "The Letter" really caught my eye and fired my imagination. It seems to me to be exceptionally well done, particularly your use of light. Magnificent!

Cheers-salesie.

[Earl of Berkhamsted]

Many thanks for your very kind words.

I was trying to symbolise the letter being an isolated beacon of love, home-life and all that has been left behind.

Contrasted against this, the blighted war-torn landscape, a bereft ocean for the beacon to shine across – hopefully guiding Tommy over the emotional rocks and the storms to come.

Regards,

EoB.

[alex falbo]

I share that sentiment as that was the aim of my work. To put it in the words of a member of one of my model forums,

"you captured humanity in an inhumane environment."

One of your best so far Earl.

Piercing work Tim. His stare cuts right to the core. It comes as no surprise that such a topic should yield fantastic results.

MORE!

[Guest]

My Brother,

I am as safe and well, as can be expected being a POW. I count my blessings that I am not dead, as so many of my regiment are.

It is not easy, I must admit. They marched us back through their lines, and into a French village. There was an incident overnight, we heard the noise from camp, and as we were being taken to the train, we saw people lined up against a wall and shot. The youngest no more than twelve years of age, and the oldest, older than our grandfather.

Then they herded us into carriages, like cattle. The journey was cold and they did not stop for one to be able to do what the body needed to do, so the carriage was not a pleasant place to be.

They offloaded us at a small village, from whence we marched some fifty miles into Germany. The villagers came out and made what I suspect, were rude remarks about us. The men did not let their country down. They marched with heads held high, and a jaunty step.

Now we are in a camp, and we get fed turnips and carrot with a crust of bread, no meat, no other sustenance. On this, we work from seven in the morning, until four in the afternoon, seven days a week. We dig roads, and fall trees in the forests, and all manner of other jobs. Many are falling sick, and are too weak to work. Their rations are cut, not helping them to recover. Once in a while we get Red Cross parcels, but it seems that they are ratted before reaching us.

I often cannot sleep, as I see over and over a proud young regiment marching through London, then to see them blown to bits, wounded or dead or here as a POW, trying to survive.

Tom, please think carefully what you will tell Mother. We both know that she does not handle bad news well. Just tell her that I am doing splendidly considering that I am a POW, and that I do need some socks and mittens. That should keep her busy. I expect she will start a knitting bee with her friends.

Well, Tom, I hope that you have stayed in England. Your work is too important to risk you at the front.

War is not the glory that we were led to believe.

Your loving brother,

Charles.

Kim