Arthur James Sloan RFA

[jimmy]

Hello,

A wonderful site and forum, very worthy of any means of support.

I am posting a few letters from the war, most were written by Arthur J Sloan, who also had a twin brother Andrew H Sloan.

Arthur had joined much earlier (1914), had been sent to France in the Spring of 1915, and was there till the winter of 1916. When Andrew finally got in (after numerous tries) Andrew was sent straight to the Somme and was killed on the 1st day of July. Arthur had somehow survived 18 months on the front, before succumbing to it's effects, but he would return and in the end he would also fall.

As in many cases, as in this one, the "old gang" from home would fall. I've include several letters from members of the gang.

It's nice to have a feeling of the men of that time, what a generation to lose!

Hospital

Barfordhill

Warwick

Dec 22 1916

My Dearest Margaret,

I daresay you will be quite as surprised & pleased as I am to see that I have landed back into the old country after all. I would have written you before this Margaret, but up till now I have not been able to procure paper or pencil, so you will need to excuse me once more for missing a week, however darling there will be no excuse for a while now and I hope you won’t be disappointed again, at least it won’t be my fault if you are. Now dear I have a terrible lot to tell you so you will excuse the usual scrawl as it will take my hand all it’s time to keep up with my brain, excuse me, what’s left of it.

At the time when I left my battery, we were in the Somme and our horse line were just beside Albert, a town, I dare say you will have seen mentioned in the papers. I was going to tell you about the guns, but I think it would be better not to, and so run no risks. Anyway we were in an awful plight. You will never be able to imagine what like it is, the mud is beyond speaking about, we were absolutely over the knees & in some places it was right over the waist, I was never so glad to get away from anyplace as I was there, it was awful. Well I had been feeling pretty rotten for about a week, and one night I was absolutely “up the pole”, so the medical chap took my temperature and I was 103, so I was ordered off to “dock” (hospital). I was taken to the Field Ambulance, I was there a night and the next morning I was taken to what is known as the Casualty Clearing Station, that is situated at the Railhead, and is the first stage of stationary hospitals, the others nearer the line are mobile, well I was there a night, and when I got in I got a glass of hot milk, Oh! Darling, if you only knew how I appreciated that glass of milk. My stretcher was placed on two trestles, and it made it more like a bed, how I enjoyed lying there, under a decent roof, it was a big marquee, and with clean clothes, and a nurse who couldn’t do enough for me. It made me wonder sweetheart, the reason for all this bloodshed & suffering, what does it all mean? I could not sleep darling, but I thought a lot my mind wandered to higher thinks, I don’t know how I got it, but these words came to my mind, “I was hungry & ye fed me; I was naked and ye clothed me. Darling we may not be everything we might be, when we are at the job itself & seeing one another knocked out, but when there is peace & quietness, there is or rather seems to creep into me thoughts of God and his goodness to me these last two years. I don’t know when I “enjoyed” a night as I did in that dark tent, and outside the snow was lying and a hard frost. I thought of you darling and wondered if you had got a letter from me for your last one said you had had none for over three weeks, I have had nothing from you yet, so I am a wee bit anxious for I felt your were in such a state and I do hope you have got some by now. You have no idea Margaret how pleasing it is to a chap here, to think that there’s is a dear little girl, although’ far away, who has so much in common with him. How I long just to get one glimpse of you dearest. Well I was taken away from that “heaven” for it was that to me, the next morning, and put into the Hospital Train. It was a lovely train, English built, and the beds were arranged along the sides in tiers of three, thirty in all each carriage. That was the first sample of a spring bed, I had been on a stretcher all the time before that. Well we traveled all that night & next day and arrived in Rouen the next evening. We got lovely food & so daintily served, the nurses & sisters can’t do enough for the boys. When we landed we were taken to the hospital in Motor Ambulances and I recognized all the old places of Rouen, where I spent three months last winter. The hospital itself was a treat, when I got in, I was bathed & put into a bed & fancy clean white sheets, I was frightened I would wake up & find myself back in the mud again. However it was OK and I spent a fortnight there and got on splendidly, and the day before I left, I was allowed up for a couple hours in the afternoon. You can be sure it was a very pleasant surprise to me Margaret when the doctor marked me for England. When I got up, I thought there was no chance of “Blighty”, but as I learned later, I would have came over sooner, only my temperature was too high for the journey.

Well on the 14th Dec. we left Rouen and were taken to the Hospital Ship. She was the “Western Australia”, and had rather a peculiar history. She was captured by the Japs. from the Russian in Japs-Russian war, and later was sold to the Austrians .After this war was started the Australian Govt. captured her from them and later handed her over to us as a hospital ship. The H S’s are done up beautifully the hull is white & the funnel Yellow, and a great big Red cross painted on the side. We sailed the next morning at daybreak. It is a lovely sail down the Seine to Havre; it reminded me of a trip down the Clyde. The scenery was very fine, and as I had a port hole at the head of my bunk, I could see everything, from my bed. We had a fine crossing; the sea was very calm for this time of year and arrived off the Isle of Wight about 10 PM. There was a very thick fog then, so we anchored & lay there for the night, the fog cleared the next day about 10 AM & we sailed up the Solent and got into Southampton about 12 noon. It was rather funny going on and off the boat, the stretcher was hoisted up the hold, and it seemed so funny going up to the top deck. We were then put on the train & had the great satisfaction of knowing that we were in “Blighty” once more. I wondered where I would land, but did not know where we were bound for, till well on and we ultimately stopped at Birmingham, and were taken to the 1st Southern General Hospital. It’s a huge place, it did not however come up to my expectations, and I was quite glad when I was sent to this one, I will tell you about it in a minute or two.

I wrote home a gave them my address and got a letter just before I left & what do you think it told me, well, that Daisy Gillefine was a nurse in that very same place, I didn’t know how I was going to see her, but about half an hour before I left, she came up to see me, she had had a letter from home telling her I was there. I can tell you dearie I was pleased to see her; she’s a girl I have always had a great respect for. She did look sweet in her grab too; the ones in my ward were _? _ use at all. I had only time to see her for about five minutes, but it was so nice seeing one of the old crowd, I would have liked to have been in her ward. Bet we’d have had a high old time. She was delightful to see me to; as it was the first time she had seen a known face too. They don’t have an easy time by any means and have a very hard time of it, 8 AM to *PM on the day shift & the reverse on the nightshift & no such thing as leave. Some people think the nurses have a great time of it, but in these big hospitals, they have a very hard time of it indeed.

Well so much for Birmingham, I arrived here last night; we came by train and were met at the station by private carriages, nothing less, and driven to the house. It is about three miles from Warwick and as the ground was covered with snow, and the countryside beautiful, it was a good drive as I have had. It is one of the places that we often read about dear, and very seldom see, the real old English country village. The hospital is a gentleman’s house & is entirely a voluntary affair. There are 26 patients and we have a grand time. The grounds are beautiful, and the “grub” exquisite and as much as one can want for. I am an “up” patient now Margaret & am allowed out on fine weather, so it makes all the difference from lying in bed. I was very lucky indeed getting to a place like this. I will tell you all about how we pass the time in my next letter.

Now dearest I hope I have not bored you with this long yarn, but I thought you would like hear all about it. I am just wearying now to get a letter from you dear & I will be a happy and pleased as punch.

How are you getting along yourself, dear girl, I do hope you are well and have got word from me alright by this time. How’s little Gavin getting along, and your mother, I hope they are all well. I think I asked you in my last letter to address my letters home, if I didn’t, this will serve the purpose seeing I am shifting about so much.

Well I must stop now, it’s just bed time 8PM I am getting along A1 & hope soon to be home, on my furlough. Now don’t worry about me darling, I’ll soon be alright, and am just waiting on a dear letter from you, my own dear sweetheart.

With all my love

Arthur

Arthur James Sloan

2nd Lieutenant

RFA

"C" Bty. 315 Bde. (255th/1915-16)

Died- 8-30-1918 Age 25

Have no service number

Buried Bucquoy Rd Cemetery, Ficheux

Andrew Hamilton Sloan

Private

Highland Light Inf.

16th Bn.

Died- 7-1-1916 Age 23

Service # 26357

Buried Thiepval Memorial

[gord97138]

Jimmy:

Welcome to the forum!

Thanks so much for sharing your letter from Arthur-it gave a very personal

feeling of the times, and how they felt about home!

I got a little more insight into how the wounded were cared for.

gordon

[jimmy]

Thanks Gordon,

I will include one more, Margaret's brother, she must of, as so many women did, feel a great loss in seeing their beloved ones fall in this war. 1st her oldest brother, 2nd her boyfriends twin brother, then the great blow of them all, Arthur (along with a good deal of "the old gang").

Gauin (Guy) Shearer Graydon

Bombardier

RFA

4th Lowland Bde.

Age 21

Died 9-8-1915

#498

Buried Helles Memorial

Thanks once more,

Jimmy

[jimmy]

I'll include a letter written by Andrew Hamilton Sloan, May 16th 1915,

Dear Margaret

I must begin by thanking you for your long and very nice letter which I have taken such a time to answer.

Well in the first place there has been very many changes since I wrote last, I think I will start by telling you of my visit to Bedford. I got word from Arthur saying that they were leaving the following Sunday and asked if there would be any chance of seeing me before they went off: So I packed up and left for Bedford on the Thursday, I had a very nice journy down: there were a great many people in the train on the same enrand as myself. Well when I got to Kempstone ( two miles walk from Bedford) about 8 AM on Friday morning. I found Arthur still in his bunk, he had been on duty till 2 AM the previous night. I saw very little of him that day as he did not get free that day as he did not get free till 9 PM. So I spent that evening with Johnnie Strang, perhaps you will remember him, a nephew of Miss Strang. On the Sat. Arthur got off about 5 PM, so the heavenly twins doddled off to Bedford and had a georgeous feed and then went to the theatre, in fact had a "blooming" good night, and got back to the billet about midnight, rather tired. On the Sunday I took these photos, the only day the boys have much chance of getting together, the old proverb applys here, "The better the day the better the deed". I think they are not bad at all. You will see that even although away from home they have a "wash" now and again, the one with the crowd is the boys in Arthur's billet and the landlady and her little daughter, it's a pity she is laughing so much but the boys were to blame: as for the other photo, well it's getting hung up in the Royal Academy in London.

Well I have wandered from my subject of Bedford. On the Monday there was not much sign of the "Chaps" leaving I cleared off on the Monday morning. I suppose you will know that Arthur is away now, he left on the following Sunday and crossed over to France on the Tuesday. We got a card from him just saying they had landed and about the weather, etc. We got another card last Tuesday saying they had a journey of two days in cattle trucks, 40 in each and they were very comfortable, he said they were now in a hayloft in a farm a few miles from the firing line and heard the guns night and day. That is all the news except a field card.

A good number of the church boys have been home on leave lately, I think Guy was about first, well I must say I never saw him looking better or more cheery. I did not see a great deal of him, but I am sure he enjoyed his short stay. I forgot Laurie was home at the same time, and he & Guy were able to have a run round together.

I had a night with Laurie, he is as per usual which I don't think I need to explain to you. He expected to be going away very soon. Bill Dalghish is at the front now, he went away about a week ago, in fact it won't be long now till they are all away. Elph Forrest's lot are now in England having their finishing touches. I suppose you will know that Guy Black was wounded, he got his little toe shot off by a sniper. I was up at Stobhill Hospital seeing him "twice times", he is just as big a rascal as ever,if not worse, he is now at a convalescent home at Dumfries and thinks he will be home soon.

I think I have very nearly exhausted my news, likewise the ink in this would be fountain pen that I am using. AHS is as usual, in the best of health and having as good a time as possible, still in the choir, and is quite paly with our H. I have been spending a lot of time lately with photos, I have a lot to send to Bedford, the people are all so kind to the boys when they were there. Well Maggie I hope your patience isn't exhausted and that you will excuse my usual scribbling. Mother wants to be reminded to you all and hopes you are all in the best of health, remember me to all as well, especially yourself and write soon, in fact sooner than I have taken or there will be a "row". How's the doggie keeping? does it bite?

Kind regards Etc? Etc?

Andrew

Sadly, Elphinstone Forrest would join the others.

Elphinstone Forrest

Private

Highland Light Inf.

17th Bn.

Age 23

Died: 4-22-1916

#15278

Buried: Aveluy Communal Cemetery Extension

[jimmy]

I'll include a letter by Guy Graydon, written May 1915. The poor lads had no ideal.

1/4 Low. F.A. Howitzer Brigade, Tillicoultry

Dear Margaret,

I got your fine long letter yesterday and was very pleased to get it too. I am sorry about not writing but time goes by so quickly that a week is up before I know where I am. You will get a letter soon I expect. I wrote to father so he will let you read it I expect I am glad to hear all is well at home. You all seem to be having a mighty good time. Of course every thing is spoiled by this old war and even the best of pleasures are stale just now. We are still going on in the old way. The weather is very funny, we have fine sunshine and then snow showers coming apparently from nowhere, then it is bright again and so on. I never saw weather like it before,. however it is much better than rain. There is a talk of us going to camp at Gleneagles in Perthshire, but I don't know if that is authenic. It would be all right there, April is just early enough to go camping. It would not bother as much for we are well hardened into it now. I was weighing myself the other day and I am eleven stones 10 lbs, so what do you think of that for me and I am 5ft 10 1/2" in height and brown as a berry and in best of health. We had a medical examination also a dental exam, and I was perfectly fit and one of the 3 men who did not require to get teeth drawn. I am enjoying myself a.i. and sticking in to get a promotion. We are at strengh, so I will have to wait till somebody gets reduced or something like that. Next Monday is the Spring holiday and Mary Harris is coming up to see the twins and me, so that won't be so bad. I spent my last leave there and had quite a nice time, but the Mount is terribly dull. Did I mention that John Bowie was killed in the trenches. Poor Bessie is about heart broken. Poor little girl she can hardly believe that it is true. Well somebody has to pay the price of war.

Margaret, would you believe I will be 21 in another month. Owing to circumstances I cannot see my way to give a coming of age festival, so I will celebrate the occasion by having a bottle of lemonade in the canteen. Just imagine me, giving the toast to myself. Just have a wee party in honour of the occasion and I will be there in thought. Tell John that he might write just a wee note to say he is still alive and kicking. I am beginning to think that he is a silent member of the family. I like to get plently of news and I must say your letters are splendid for that. Wee Jamie must be developing into a wee swank. I would dearly like to see him. I miss him more than anybody for he was a good wee chum. This old war has put the lid on everything for the time being, but it won't last long now. We are going to Gleneagles for a months training with the Division and then the Lowland Division Territorial Force is going to knock out the enemy. We are expecting to go to the Dardnelles so I will get plenty of Turkish delight "perhaps".

The Germans are getting an awful beating and thier hymns of hate and paper blokades wont help them now. I don't mind telling you that we are perfectly sure that we are going to beat them within six months, so look for fireworks soon. Our guns have all been overhauled and ammunition all tested, so things look cheery. We have about 2,000 rounds for Kaiser Bill, so we intend to drop them on his toes. Well Margaret, I have been blethering here long enough and my stock of chin-way is about finished. Tell them all I was asking after them and to hurry up and get started on that new bungolow for I will be there to see about the decoration of it soon,

Your loving brother

Guy.

[jimmy]

Another fallen member of the "gang".

George Farquhar Henderson

Pvt

Cameronians (Scottish Rifles)

"D" Coy. 5th Bn

Age 22

Died 2-17-1916

#7722

Buried: Cambrin Church Yard Extenstion

[jimmy]

Add another of the "old gang".

Laurence Dalglish

Lance Corporal

Cameronians (Scottish Rifles)

7th Btn.

Age 25

Died: 7-3-1915

#1624

Buried: Pink Farm Cemetery, Helles

[jimmy]

Mediterranean

June 11, 1915

My dear Margaret,

As you will notice by the address we are well on our way for the Dardanelles and I must say we have had a splendid voyage. We left Devonport last Thursday, escorded by two destroyers the "Loyal" and "Lucifer". We were only a few hours out when they started to fire at what appeared like a fishing boat, but what it seems, was a submarine. However, we got no defenite news and I can safely say they made short work of it. we were at sea for three days again before we sighted land. In that time we only saw three ships altoghter, but there was plently to amuse us. We saw schools of beautiful dolphins and occasionally a shark or a whale. Just before we sighted Spain and the north coast of Africa, a little bird met the ship and came the whole way to Gilbraltar with us. The weather has been glories for eight days and very very warm. At Gilbraltar we only waited an hour and of course we were not allowed off ship., but I must say Gil. is the most wonderful place I ever saw. Guns and wire are every where. We have been nearly four days out from Gilbraltar and every day it has got hotter, we go about without our boots or shoes and our feet are all brown as our faces. But I am sorry to say we have lost 12 horses since the voyage started, they get sick and disheartened and don't eat their food, and they have to be shot, we throw them overboard and I can tell you the sharks have a good feed. We put one over yesterday morning and it was hardly in the water till a shark was at it. Yesterday we were stopped by two Italian destroyers, but we were allowed to go again. Our escort from Gilbraltar is an auxiliary cruiser and it is a very swank boat. When it saw the two destroyers come up it turned about and swung out her guns and just tooked like a cat protecting it's kitten, but luckily she did not need to do any fighting. We exchanged signals with her day and night and I have been on the bridge with the captain of our ship, reading and sending, we signal with electric lamps at night. We expect to reach Malta today some time today and there we will take in fresh meat and water. We are sailing in pretty dangerous waters for at night we sail without lights and often we zig-zag about in our course. I can't say for sure where we are going to land,but I think we will finally reach the Gallipoli Peninsula. It has beena great voyage and one I am not likely to forget, we got a great send off when we passed out of Devonport, thousands of people on the shore giving us best wishes and good cheers. I did feel a little queer at leaving old Britain, but I soon got over that. I suppose by the time you get this Joey's wedding will be coming near, well I do hope you will have a good time and I'm sure the maid of honour will not be the least charming there. Tell Joey I can't send him a present just now, but if I can get anything when I land I will send him it on. Tell mother not to worry about me for I'm as right as rain and in the pink of health. This mail will be collected and sent home from Malta and I don't know when you will get this. Try and write as often as you can for it is a bit cheery to hear from home. It's a fry car from Malta to where you are now, but don't worry I won't forget you. Tell wee Jamie I'll put a put a bit for him and will bring him something from Constanople when we get there. This ship we are on just now was the first ship to land troops in the Peninsula, so that spells good. Well Margaret I will stop but I am writing a diary of this vouyage and will send a copy when I land. Give my love to all and tell them to write to me at:

4th Battery, 6th Brigade RFA

52 Lowland Division

BEF

Your ever loving brother

Guy

[jimmy]

I include the eulogy spoken on behalf of Guy Graydon, by Rev Ogg

My dear friends, of Guy Graydon what shall I say? He was known to all of us; as a boy in our Sunday School, as a great helper in the Bible Class of which he was secretary, while he was also in the choir. He was cheerful, companionable and beloved by all who knew him.

There is a certain pathos in his death which does not belong to any of the other deaths we have recorded. His father and mother have gone to a far-off land where they have been anxiously waiting for the completion of this terrible war and longing for the time when their family circle would be complete.

To think of Guy Gradon, so lovable and so bright, being taken from our midst is indeed hard, but we will not think of him lost or prematurely taken from us, for let us remember that God has another place for young lives than this world.

I am sure I may write Guy Gradon's father and mother in the far-off land and tell them how very much we feel for them in their great loss, and how earnestly we hope that God will lead them to see that their boy is not lost but in God's presence where his life of unselffishness and sacrifice is being fulfiled, and we offer to all his friends- and especially her whose life was linked so tenderly with his - our great sympathy, and pray that God will comfort them and bless them and give them the consolation which we would fain give but cannot.

[jimmy]

France

9-20-1915

My Dearest Margaret,

I received your dear, but also sad letter yesterday, with the news of Guys death. Darling I am so pleased you are taking it so bravely, and oh! keep it up for your dear mothers sake. I am sure it must be a terrible shock to her. Yes dearest, you are far better out there, than if you had been at home. It would not have helped matters at all, and you are saved the task of breaking the news to the rest of your family, if you had been separated.

Mother was telling me that there was a memorial service for Guy, she said it was very impressive & Mr Ogg was very good indeed. Mother usually keeps away from services of that kind,but she said she felt she must go, when it was for one like Guy.

Don't you worry about me, dearie, I'm alright and although I have a number of rather risky jobs to do, I always take care to do nothing foolhardy. It's not a paying job, to run unnecessary risks, and too look at the future I have to look forward to. You will think me a bit calous & selfish bring up this at this time, but Darling when I say that, I just want you to know that you are never out of my thoughts, my one hope of the future is you dear.

There is a fair amount of work going on just now, and some very heavy shelling on the part of the Germans, but on the whole it is not what one might call lively. I got my photo taken a short time ago while in a large town,in which I spent a few hours, but I am not at all pleased with it. The satchel below my right hand is my smoke helmet. It is for use when the enemy uses the awful gas, but I am pleased to say Ihave not had to use it, and will be quite satisfied if it has never to be used. The chap Arthur Thomson, was in the same billet as me in Bedford, and we still very chumy.

I have not been having much news from home lately. Winnie is back at school, much against her will, but she seems to be settling down alright. Mother is keeping fairly well & wishes to kindly remembered to you all & sends her most sincere sympathy to you at this time. She was going to write to your mother, but I am not sure whether she has done so yet, or not. Otherwise things at home seem to be very quiet indeed, all entertainments seem to be stopped this winter. The church organisations are starting as usual & I expect there will be a busy work party this season.

I will now close dearest & get ready for guard, a pretty montonous job, out there, and rather cold too.

Now my darling, keep as bright as you can for your mothers sake & always remember I am continually thinking about my own dear sweetheart.

Goodbye just now darling

With all my love

Your own Arthur

[jimmy]

Cannot leave out Mary Harris, as a member of the "gang" she seems a bit more aware of things.

May 10th 1915

My Dear Margaret,

I just got your letter this morning, & I thought I'd answer it now. I haven't much news to give you, for I think I gave you all the news when I wrote to you last week.

Your letter was posted on the 23rd of April, & I think it has taken an exceptionally long while to come. I'm afraid this won't reach you in time to tell you about Arthurs birthday, but I expect that by now you will have remembered that it was on the 20th of May, for there were several others whose birthdays are on the same date.

I have just learned that Arthur has arrived in France, & I know you will be feeling very anxious, Margaret, try & keep up your heart dear, & don't worry more than you can help. I just wish I could be beside you, for I am not feeling very cheerful either. It is settled this time that all of the Lowland Division are going away on the 15th of this month. The twins are home with us just now for their four days leave, & Ma is too busy just now to worry, but I know that when the time comes for them to go off, she will feel it very much. I am expecting to go up to see Guy tomorrow, but I haven't had word from him yet as to which train I am to take, but I expect it will come tonight or in the morning. I just hope that they will all write regularly when they go to the front, for if they don't we shall all be in awful suspense. Margaret, if I could just see you for an hour so that we could cheer each other up, I'd feel ever so much better, but I can't so there's no use in complaining. Mrs Sloan is in a state about Arthur, but every mother is, whose sons are away or going away, & I am sure your mother must be worrying too. Never mind, won't we feel proud of them when they all come home again, & won't they show up those beastly shirkers? I am not going to think Margaret, that one of our dear boys won't come back safely to us again, & don't you be afraid either. I am awfully pleased to hear about Joe, & I am glad she is such a nice girl, for Joe is such a good sort that he ought to get someone worthy of him. You may rely on me to keep it a secret until I get your permission to tell it, & won't some folk be mad?

Bob Mauchlive was home on his last leave last week, & is looking very well, & anxious, (like all the rest of them) to get a "shot" at the Germans. Has this awful disaster to the Luisitania not make your blood boil? I can't think why so many countries can remain neutral with germans doing such awful deeds. I could see in the letter I got from you today that I have been repeating myself, for I told you again in my very last letter that Mary Brown was ill. However you will excuse this I know I am burning with curiousity to know what the great piece of news in which you have to tell me. You're a wee monkey for leaving it over.

Carrie has just come in & says she has forgotten to bring a letter which came for me from Guy, so it will likely be to tell me about going up tomorrow. Poor Guy, I know he does feel the awful loneliness of the place at times, but you have no idea how delighted he was about getting word to go off, he made me quite angry. No, neither of the Browns has joined, & everyone feels an awful contempt for them, especially for George. If he would'nt run after all the soldiers it would'nt be so bad, but whenever a soldier comes home on leave, "Our George" flies after him, & claims him as his friend. It is really sickening, & how he can sit so calmly in church, & hear the minister denouncing the shirkers, & praising up the young soldiers in our church beats me, but I don't think he knows what it is to feel ashamed.

Well I must close now as it is just about tea time. Will you come to the baths with me next Thursday? eh! Do you remember the last-time? Tea in the back shop etc. Remember me to everyone, & with much love to yourself.

I remain

Your Loving Friend

Mary

[jimmy]

http://www.bagpipes2000.com/nfp/mp3/Amazing_Grace.mp3

Found this bit written by Roger Gann of the Mount Florida Church, Cathcart, Scotland, Nov. 2002.

Some Notes for Armistice Sunday

Each year on Armistice Sunday we pause to remember

men and women who died fighting for our country in

conflicts from the past. During the Great War our minister

was Rev. William Ogg, and he was granted leave

to travel to France to visit the troops around May to

July 1918. When that war ended on 11th November

1918, in the session minutes throughout the following year, was expressed

a desire for some sort of memorial to those who had made the

‘supreme sacrifice’. Therefore, on Sunday 14th December 1919 a memorial

tablet was unveiled in the church (subsequently replaced after

World War 2). The following February, in the Marlborough Halls a

reception was held for the de-mobilised servicemen. At the same time

a more practical memorial was desired, and so on 28th May 1924 the

Memorial Hall was opened, at a cost of just over £4,000.

Often I have thought about the particular men whose names are engraved

upon our War Memorial and think of the terrible sacrifice that

they gave for us, the next generations. I never knew them, and I have

never experienced warfare, but I value what they did and mourn the

loss to the congregation of that time. Who knows what each of them

may have contributed to our church had they lived. Behind each name

there lies a story, and a family. Some day I hope to know more about

them, but for now I give brief details of three of them, and list the

names of all, as they appear on our memorial. I would be interested to

hear from anyone if they have any knowledge of any of the people

listed or any family connection with them.

Roger Gann.

To The Glory of God

IN MEMORIUM

1914 - 1918

Andrew R. Adam

John Barclay

Guy Black

Walter H. Black

Phil. L. Carter

James W. Clark

Alec Cowden

James Cowie

John Cowie

Laurence Dalglish

Eric Fairlie

Elphinstone Forrest

Guy Graydon

R. Milton Hamilton

William Henderson

James Hunter

Alexander Langmuir

Alexander L. Mackie

William Mackie

Bertram Mathieson

James P. Mitchell

Louis D. Morrison

Archibald C. Oliver

John Ormiston

James Ramsay

Hugh Robb

Norman Roy

Peter Roy

James Sinclair

Andrew H. Sloan

Arthur J. Sloan

John T. Strang

John Taylor

John A. Taylor

Charles Watt

Below is from the Mount Florida United Free Church Record, Oct. 1914

[jimmy]

Short letter from Andrew H Sloan, a few days before his death.

June 26th 1916

Dear Margaret,

I received your fine long letter of 24th May, two days ago, along with the photo. The photo is spiffing & it was very good of you sending it to me. I'm sorry mine did not turn out, but if I get a chance anytime soon I'll be sure to mind you.

At present we're out having a "rest" I suppose you will have heard what like a rest is before now. Anyway it's often jolly hard work. For instance last Sunday we were wakened at 2.30 AM & got word to go & do a little bit job, but it's all in the days work. You were remembering that my note was so short. Well Maggie I'm sorry I can't help that & you will need to excuse me, as we can't say anything as to what we do out here. But I can tell you that we're out & staying in a village , we have quite a good time & make the best of everything. We do quite a lot for ourselves, including the making of porridge & cooking of various articles, in fact we're getting quite expert cooks.

The weather is quite decent at present that always means a lot, as there is nothing more uncomfortable as living an open life & having it wet. I suppose you will know by now that Arthur is back up the line once more, but he's still got quite a good job & he seems to like it alright. Well Maggie I hope to hear from you soon again, its fine to receive such fine long letters as you send, so I'm sure you will oblige.

Remember me to all at home & best love to yourself

Andrew

[ypres]

Jimmy,

I have just found your posting,

I have read all that you put up on it and it felt wonderful to be given an insight to how they were all feeling.

Many,many thanks for sharing with us your papers,

I hope you find the medals you are looking for.

All the best,

Mandy.

[brownag]

Jimmy

Thanks for these posts. I used to live in Mount Florida (Clincart Road) but I didn't realise there was a Memorial Hall. Where is it?

Thanks

Adam

[jimmy]

Adam

I gather it's located within the grounds of the Mount Florida Church, Cathcart, Scotland.

I live in Florida, but across the ocean.

One might image that I was surprised of the fact that a Memorial existed, on the behalf of the young men mentioned within the letters above, and of all the souls listed upon the Memorial.

For some reason, reading the few letters, they put me in those places that they describe?

Jimmy

[jimmy]

Short letter from Arthur J Sloan

July 21 1916

Darling

Please excuse me for being so long in writing, but we are having a terrible time of it just now, I haven't had time to write at all, but am doing this at a roadside halt. I suppose you will have read of the great push on just now.

I am very sorry to tell you Margaret, that Andrew is missing, I can't realize it yet, but I have had so little time to think lately. Perhaps it has been better too.

I got your dear long letter of 20th June alright and very many thanks darling, and so strange you should say so much about Andrew, and that you are waiting on a letter from him. Well dearest, we must just hope for the best, but even if he is a prisoner, life wouldn't be worth living with the Germans, in this weather.

Please excuse this short note, dear Margaret, and I will try & write again as soon as possible. This will be the last Green envelope, they are stopped now.

Goodbye just now darling, try not to worry too much about me.

With all my love

Your own Arthur

[jimmy]

Sunday 29th July 1916

My Dearest Margaret

I received your most welcome letter of 6th yesterday & darling I was so pleased to receive it. I have been a wee bit in the blue, since we got word about Andrew. I told you in my last letter that we got word that he is missing, well darling, we have not got any more word yet, and I am rather afraid to vent my opinion about him, but we must just hope & pray that he may turn up yet. I think that "missing" is about the worst news we could get, it is so vague & unsatisfactory. Well darling I hope you excused my short note last week, but I thought you would prefer it to nothing at all. You ask what I intend doing this Fair Marget, well it's practically past now, and I have spent most of it in a dirty dark rotten dug out, either that or sleeping in the open, and I much prefer the latter, dug outs are rotten things, although they have a certain amount of security. About my latest affection, well dearie, I had to leave it behind owing to the "emergences of the campaign". It was a little beauty and I was quite sorry to leave it, however it couldn't be helped. Well dear I must stop now as I can't see it, getting too dark and I will try & finish tomorrow.

Tuesday

Dear Marget

It's two days since I wrote the first part of my letter, I didn't get the chance to touch it yesterday at all & it is now Tuesday evening & about half an hour before dark. I got a letter from home yesterday & one today, but they have no further news of Andrew yet. Mother seems to be taking it rather badly. I do feel sorry for her. In yesterdays letter she was telling me that Charlie Watt is reported "Wounded & Missing" the old Kirk is getting a hit & no mistake. Well I must stop now dearie I didn't get the whole half hour to my letter & it is just dark. I have written this on a bale of hay & I wish you saw me; face chest arms dark brown I'm more like a cooly. Well I'll stop now sweetheart & not leave it any longer or I'll never get it away.

Well goodbye just now sweetheart, and with all my love & kisses.

Your own loving

Arthur

[jimmy]

France

28th August 1916

Dearest Margaret,

I feel almost ashamed to start & write to you now, after missing so long, but darling all that I can say just now, in excuse, is that I am lucky to be alive & well, and able to write to you now. My excuse must just wait & enlarge the story after all this horrible war is over.

I don't know exactly what letter it was that I answered last, but just now I have four of your dear, dear letters dated 13th & 20th & 30th July and 3rd Aug. I received the last mentioned yesterday & it was the first that you addressed to me here, so dearie, I think you will have a slight idea as to how your letters stand.

Well before I start answer them, I will give you my new address, in case I forget later, it is now "D" Battery, 255th Brigade, RFA, B.E.F. It will be about a month before I will get your first one with that address, but I think the others will arrive ok. By the way your last letter was opened by the censor, but the other three were not, however that's nothing.

Well sweetheart, fancy Mary going to pay you a visit after the war, well, to tell you the truth Marget, I am wishing the war over & Mary's visit too, so that I can get all the news, it seems very greedy, but it's a fact. No, I think too it's a wee bit to soon to make arrangements for this winter, but I too hope with all my heart that by the next we will all be back to our homes & settled down to decent life once more. There's one dearie you'll never again hear me being "fed up", if I am spared to get back to my fireside & enjoy a nice evening with lady Nicotine & my feet on the mantle piece & a paper. Oh! it's great to think of it.

Yes dearie as you say, it's beginning of the end, and it's that, that makes me think of the time when we all may be home once more.

About your proposal darling of me paying you a visit after it's over, well sweetheart it would be just heavenly, in fact it's that, to think of such a thing but, well dearie I am very sorry we can say definite yet. If things had been as they were before, I would have jumped at the invitation, but since we have heard about poor Andrew, there is now saying what may happen now, it's so indefinite about the poor boy, it wouldn't be so bad if we knew whether he is really alive or not. I was sorry to tell you about him dearie, for I know you liked him dearest, for I know you liked him very much too, but we must just hope & pray that he may be alive, even although it may be a prisoner. I wouldn't mind that so much, but if he has been seriously wounded, they won't have very much consideration for the poor boy, you see he was a "Jack".

So, you didn't exactly fancy my little "house", well I expected same, if I had been told three years ago, that such would be my home? I wouldn't have believed it, anyway it has made that I will be very very easily pleased when I do get back to "civy" life once more, about "exacting" darling, well, from my present impressions or rather knowledge, that , with all it's kindred brethren will never never enter our home. Oh! I wish we were in it.

You were saying that you 'had a very nice letter from "Andrew", and you were going to write to him the following day. Well Marget, I am afraid he will never get you letter, how he would have loved to get it, but it, has not to be so. I can't realize what has happened to him, poor boy.

Well Dearest I don't think I have any more just now, I can't give you any news just now at all & have just to answer your letters. So you will need to excuse me, won't you dearie; if I am not able to write much again as is quite possible, I will at best try & send a PC.

I hope you are well dear girl & quite happy.

With fondest love

Your own loving

Arthur

[KateJ]

Jimmy, want an amazing set of letters, thanks for posting them.

Kate

[jimmy]

France

3rd Sept. 1916

Dearest Margaret,

I received your very very welcome letter of 10th Aug.just about half an hour after I wrote my last letter. I felt inclined to go & ask the postman to give me my letter back & I would answer it then, but on second thoughts I didn't & it's a good thing too, you see I answered three or four letters last week & if I had done this one too I would have had none to answer this week. I expect your next one will arrive tomorrow or the next day, but I won't as it might take longer & as like as not I would put off till it was too late for this weeks mail.

Well darling I can hardly put into words, what a comfort your dear letter was to me. The letter itself was so sweet, & when I thought it was my own dear little girl that wrote it, I seemed just to think that you were just speaking your sympathy to me yourself. I have read it time after time, and Oh! darling I can only say thank you so much.

I am sorry to say Marget that we have no further word of the poor boy. Father has written to quite a member of the ones who were in the charge with him, & who are now in various hospitals, but they have all much the same tale to tell. He seems to have been one of the last survivors of his lot & the man who seems to have seen him last states that when he was wounded & crawling back he passed Andrew, who was rolling up some bombs. He says that Andrew was alright then & gave him a nod & shout in passing. So, whether he got knocked over or taken prisoner after that we must just wait & pray for the best. The only thing is, if he is a prisoner & badly wounded he won't get the attention that would have been given him if he had been under British doctors. Altho' I don't even yet realize it Margaret dear, I have had more time to think about it this last week & I sometimes try to think what like it would be after the war & we all got back to things again, if we had to do without Andrew, but there's no use talking like this just now darling, we must just wait & whatever it is to be, will, I suppose, be for some good purpose, altho' it may not seem so to us at present.

Thanks so much dear for, wanting me to get the full benefit of a short rest, but it was just what I wanted, even a few lines to you dear one & pour out my thoughts, for they were sore & there is no one that I could write to, as I can to you. Mother would be very pleased indeed if you were to write to her, she is always asking for you & was so pleased, especially in that last affair, when she had one of your letters to send on to me, so don't be at all afraid dearie.

No I cannot play chess Margaret, although I understand it is a very interesting game. I was going to learn it last winter, we never made a start, and then the burst up in December knocked the whole show on the head.

Well dearest, I have not anything of news, we are having quite a decent time just now, not too busy & on the whole quite quite good for active service. The weather is not of the best, but I have a good billet & have made myself a bed with canvas for a mattress, so I am quite comfortable. I would just like to spend the winter here.

Well I must stop now, my lights should have been out ten minutes ago, if I'm much longer there will be a row, so goodbye just now darling. Thanks again so much for your dear letters.

With all my love

Your own loving

Arthur

[marina]

Jimmy - do you know what became of Margaret after the War?

Marina

[sandyford]

Jimmy

Thank you very much for posting these letters and photograph. I don't know how I didn't see them sooner.

They give such a lot of detail and are so evocative of the people and times. It is almost unbearable to read them, knowing of the fate of these men.

Are the writers related to you?

Kate

[jimmy]

Marina & Kate,

The letters to Margaret are very touching, it must have been a terrible blow when she got word that her "Your Own Arthur" had taken a final hit, I cannot imagine the sorrow she must have felt, Margaret must have cried for very long time.

Margaret's father had decided to start a new life, so in 1909 he left and sailed for America. He decided to start this new life in Jacksonville, Florida and over the years moved the entire family over from Mount Florida, Glasgow, Scotland. Margaret and her mother were the last to leave (1914) and this would be the last time Margaret would ever see Arthur. I can only imagine "what if" Arthur would have survived, would he have followed Margaret.

Margaret had brothers, one had served in the B.E.F. (Guy) and one in the C.E.F. (John).

Margaret would eventually marry in 1926 and live a full life.

Thanks for the kind words

Jimmy

[jimmy]

France

16th Sept. 1916

My Darling Margaret,

I am starting this letter two days in advance for two reasons, and the first is that I missed last week & the next I had your dear letter of 17th lying to answer & then today I got your lovely long letter of 25th Aug. along with the photos.

Well first of all I'll try & offer you my humble apologies Marget for missing last week, I can't, as usual, go into details, but can only say I hadn't time, but I will try & do my best to write a cheery letter & make up for my sins, although to tell you the truth dearie I have neither the inclination nor opportunity to write letters in this miserable hole.

I am at present in a sort of shed affair open at both ends & outside it is coming down in torrents & blowing a hurricane, so you can easily imagine what kind of a draft is blowing this. I can hardly in fact hold my pencil decently, my poor fingers, but your dear letter with the photos has so cheered me up & I feel so happy that I can't settled, bar I start & write to you.

Well darling I will answer your letters in turn. How strange in your first few lines you mention about the great heat you are having, isn't it a pity we can't give each other a little piece of our own weather and so square off things a bit.

That seems to have been some day you had at the Beach, and you have told me all about it, so beautiful, it seems more like reading a story or a something that we read about & very seldom experience. You did make my teeth water when I read about it, but when I saw the beautiful photos, well enough said. Really Marget dear, they were pretty & I like them very very much. The one you got specially taken is sopping, you don't seem to me, to be a bit older looking, of course one can't judge very well with you in that grab, but all the same dearie I must say, I like it very much. How beautiful the sand and the sea look it must be lovely with such long stretches & so smooth. So you have learned to drive a motor car, my word, what will it be next, I'll tell you. You want to learn to ride & I'll bet you'd enjoy it best of all, there's absolutely nothing like it. There's just one thing I would like to have & that's a good gallop along the sands, for a few miles, with no one to disturb you,just let the horse go. Oh it's champion.

I am glad you had a nice long letter from Mary, yes I am sure you will both be delighted to look forward to her visit to you & I hope, too, it will brace her up & put a lb or two more weight into her, she could do with it.

Yes it was sad about Charlie Watt & Doddie Barber. The old Mount is getting a pretty hard hit & no doubt. Well dearest I am sorry to say that I have no further news to give you about Andrew. It is now over two & half months since he went missing & you know dear that's a long while to have no definite news. Although I should not say it, I feel very doubtful if we will have anymore definite news at all. But we must just try & wait a little longer in the hope that something of some sort may turn up.

You ask darling if anything untoward should happen, how you would get to know, well I have already made arrangements just in case. I have told Mary, I don't quite like to mention it to mother, but I do not for a moment doubt that she would write to you, for she is continually writing about you & asking how you are getting on. I forgot to tell her that your letters were coming direct now and she was in a great state about them & wondered what was wrong.

Now Margaret dear, I don't know if I have any news to give you just now. I am still getting along ok. We are now into the cold weather rather quick this year, and are still sleeping out. the first cold night, you should just lie down in the garden patch the way you are, with a coat over you, it's a fine sensation. I am sure you would enjoy it. However we don't grumble when it's dry, that the bit that makes one real fed up to waken up in the morning soaked. Anyway it will soon be better, for they say the first ten years of the war are always the worst. Well dearest I must stop now, I have to write home yet & it's nearly dark. I hope you are all well & you sweetheart in the pink.

With all my love

Your own

Arthur