Half of an Officer's last letter before the Big Push. Can you please help me to decipher it?

[high wood]

I have had this (half) letter for many years and I believe that I have worked out the name of the officer who sent it home to his mother. I am currently trying to work out exactly what it says and would appreciate your help. I have done a rough transcription but clearly, it is not complete.

 

1)

Copy of Percy’s Letter.                                                                          B.E.F. June 28^th/16.

Dearest Mother,

Many thanks for the goods (?). 2 letters which arrived today and --- of which I've have just had me a -----.

When you get this letter I --------- have got through or failed to get through – a real big scrap

2)

faked, for without any pretence of bravery, I would  like ------  one I expect far sooner have a real fight than stop behind and watch other people doing it, especially as we shall  probably be getting just as an unpleasant a time The shells fall as the people who are doing the attack

Its strange to think that in….

3)

I have never been given much to analysing neg feelings but my chief thoughts now are. I pray that I may be able to do my job, whatever happens I shall not fail my men.

I want to go on Living? …………………… and lastly, I have had an extraordinary happy life also getting? …………….. so far. Surrey? Meade, Marlboro, the varsity, beaton,? Marlboro again, I have enjoyed.

4)

Had thought to me as I know it was to him that father did never come down to Marlboro whilst I was there, he would have loved it.

Don’t think I am feeling morbid in writing like this or that I am are going to be killed. I only thought that in case I go under I should like to say one or two things, of which I’ve often thought but didn’t talk ……

[George Rayner]

2 hours ago, high wood said:

me a -----.

the alert-perhaps

[pierssc]

My suggestions in italics

 

1)

Copy of Percy’s Letter.                                                                          B.E.F. June 28^th/16.

Dearest Mother,

Many thanks for the [goods and Jellies] [?gooseberries?] which arrived today and some of which we have just had us a taste/bit/bite/bait.

When you get this letter I shall probably have got through or failed to get through – a real big scrap

[one more line indistinct because paper curled]

2)

 

[indistinct line] and tools to help strengthen the line taken faked, for without any pretence of bravery, I would  like any  one I expect far sooner have a real fight than stop behind and watch other people doing it, especially as we shall  probably be getting just as an unpleasant a time The shells fall  fm shell fire as the people who are doing the attack

Its strange to think that in less [paper damaged][1 further line lost]

3)

I have never been given much to analysing neg my feelings but my chief thoughts now are. I pray that I may be able to do my job, whatever happens I & shall not fail my men.

I want to go on Living exceedingly and lastly, I have had an extraordinarily happy life also getting? altogether so far. Surrey? Meade, Marlboro, the varsity, beaton,? Marlboro again, I have enjoyed.....

4)

Had  sad thought to me, as I know it was to him, that father did never come down to Marlboro whilst I was there, he would have loved it.

Don’t think I am feeling morbid in writing like this or that I am are going to be killed. I only thought that in case I go under I should like to say one or two things, of which I’ve often thought but didn’t talk ……

Edited 9 October , 2021 by pierssc
Added words in bold top p.2

[high wood]

Pierssc,

many thanks for your suggestions, the hand writing is difficult to decipher but I think that you have a better eye than me. What you have added definitely makes more sense.

As, I wrote earlier, I think that I have worked out who the letter writer was. There are four distinct clues within the letter.

1) His name was Percy.

2) The date that the letter was written is just two days before the original date set for the 1916 Somme campaign.

3) The copy of the letter has a black edge indicating that the family are in mourning.

4) (The crucial clue.) He was a pupil at Marlborough College before attending university.

The Marlborough College website has a very good roll of honour with both photographs and biographies and there appears to be only one man who seems to fit the bill.

2nd Lieutenant Percy Temple Bent. King's Own Scottish Borderers. Killed in action 1st July 1916.

https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/768293/percy-temple-bent/

I am of course willing to be proved wrong if anyone can suggest another more suitable candidate.

 

[pierssc]

It is difficult to work out these things especially when the letter may have been copied hurriedly and in the emotion of a recent loss.

A slight puzzle though.  The writer refers to "father" using the past tense - it "was" a regret to Father that he didn't come down to Marlborough while he was there.  I assumed that this meant Father was dead.  According to the CWGC, Percy Temple Bent was the son of Captain Percy Salisbury Bent, MC.  Googling him quickly reveals that he too had been at Malborough but that he died in East Africa as late as 1951 https://www.europeansineastafrica.co.uk/_site/custom/database/default.asp?a=viewIndividual&pid=2&person=19320  .  It perhaps explains why Father would have loved seeing Marlborough in his son's time, and why he didn't (he may have been abroad), but the use of "was" is curious. - though it may simply have meant that Father regretted it, but had "moved on" and didn't worry about it now.

Percy Junior seems to have been born in Yokohama, Japan, and is mentioned in this old thread by @Keith_history_buff :

 

 

 

 

 

[Keith_history_buff]

Percy Temple Bent's service record can be consulted at Kew. 

On the 1911 Census, he appears at Marlborough College. In early 1914 he was living in Yokohama, his place of birth. He travelled to China to enlist in the ranks of the South Wales Borderers. The big question I would be asking is whether his parents were still living and working in Yokohama at this time, as clearly this would have an impact on the ability of Bent's father to casually pay a visit to Marlborough College.

[Keith_history_buff]

There was nothing on his service file to suggest that he attended university. Is it being theorised that as a consequence of the word "varsity" appearing in the letter that he attended a university?

That I could tell, he attended Marlborough College, returned to Yokohama where he worked ('Clerk HGC' recorded on attestation), and enlisted at the age of 19, service number 11168.  

[corisande]

Marlborough College have an In Memoriam write up with photo

[Keith_history_buff]

Quote

'On the outbreak of war he was in the East and enlisted in Tientsin, China, in the South Wales Borderers.'

Not quite right. On the outbreak of war, he had been serving for several months in the 2nd Battalion, South Wales Borderers, whose men were stationed in Tientsin and at Peking. There were some administrative hurdles in allowing Bent to enlist at a time when the trooping season was coming to an end.
 

 

[Colin W Taylor]

High Wood,

 

The line 'Marlboro, Varsity, ... Marlborough again'. Would that not imply he might have been a teacher there having returned after university? Also, it doesn't necessarily follow that he was killed on 1 July 1916.  I've a copy of the rolls and will check when I get home later as I think it included masters.

 

Regards

 

Colin

[high wood]

Thank you all for your helpful and interesting replies to my query.  I am not 100% sure that I have definitely identified the writer of the original letter, only that Percy Temple Bent is the most likely candidate identified so far.

As the letter is a copy of the writer's original letter, the handwriting will not identify the writer, even if we had a sample of his handwriting.  There seems to have been a natural desire for the wealthy families of a fallen officer to commemorate his life in the form of a printed booklet. These usually consist of a brief biography and a selection of letters home from the front. It would seem that the last letter home may have been copied as a form of commemoration to pass to relatives, so that they could read it without the risk of losing the original letter.

I have a couple of privately printed memorials to fallen officers in my collection, they are very scarce due to being printed in such small numbers. It is possible, but unlikely, that the family produced a similar booklet for Percy that contains a copy of the original letter. If that booklet existed and could be located it would prove one way or another whether Percy Temple Bent wrote the letter. As this is such an unlikely event, I doubt that we will never know the answer.

[Keith_history_buff]

2 minutes ago, high wood said:

if we had a sample of his handwriting.

You could go to Kew, and compare the letter with the handwriting on his service file. His attestation from Spring 1914, and his officer application in 1915 would be written in his own hand.

[pierssc]

1 hour ago, Keith_history_buff said:

You could go to Kew, and compare the letter with the handwriting on his service file. His attestation from Spring 1914, and his officer application in 1915 would be written in his own hand.

Yes, but the surviving letter is a copy of the original, so it wouldn't help as it isn't in his hand.

[Keith_history_buff]

I guess the identity of who copied his letter will remain a mystery.

[Colin W Taylor]

Can I make a suggestion for 'Percy':

Percival Beckwith Wace, son of Herbert Wace, Ceylon, born May 3 1883, to Marlborough School Sep 1897 to 1903, Trinity College Oxford 1905-6, MA, Assistant Master Marlborough 1909-1916, 5th R Berks 1914, Capt 1916, Despatches, KiA Ovillers 3 July 1916. 

https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/818120/percival-beckwith-wace/

Not sure the 'Beaton' / 'Buxton'? between Varsity and Marlborough. Could be a school he taught at previously? His letter sounds more 'youthful' than a 33-year-old but the details fit.

Regards

Colin

 

 

 

[corisande]

51 minutes ago, Colin W Taylor said:

Not sure the 'Beaton' / 'Buxton'? between Varsity and Marlborough. Could be a school he taught at previously?

 

QED

[corisande]

And this is him, from Marlborough archives

[corisande]

From the Bruton Mag 2019

The First World War saw 282 Old Brutonians serve, of which 55 were killed in action, or died of wounds or from disease or accident. A further 49 were wounded or gas-poisoned. Whilst we were travelling around Ypres or exploring the Somme, we took the time to visit the sites where these brave Brutonians had fought, and to visit the memorials where many of them are commemorated. It was especially poignant to find Percival Beckwith Wace’s name on the Thiepval Memorial. Wace arrived at King’s as an Assistant Master in 1906 and stayed for three years. In the War he served with the 5th Battalion, Royal Berkshire Regiment. An appreciation of Captain Wace written by an Old Brutonian, says the following: ‘While at Bruton, he gave himself heart and soul to anything he could do for the School’s benefit. To the School Hockey and Football his skill and experience were inestimable valuable. Not a born Cricketer, he made himself one by sheer force of character, and gathered a fresh crop of laurels; while in every branch of life he set an example of determination and sportsmanship beyond praise. It was a matter of course that one learnt that he had joined the Colours on the outbreak of War. He leaves behind him the memory of an English gentleman of whom England may be proud.’ Wace was reported missing on 3rd July, 1916 during the Battle of the Somme. It was truly poignant and moving for our pupils to hear his story, walk across the battlefields he fought in and to pause to remember him at the Thiepval Memorial.

[Colin W Taylor]

Corisande,

Awesome stuff, if it is him. I also found mention of him at Ovillers:

An order to retire was apparently given by an officer from another unit. One NCO thought that the order actually came from a German masquerading in British uniform.. 'Whoever it was,' wrote Lt Col Willan, 'was shot, it is believed, by Capt Wace with his revolver.'

From 'On the Somme - The Kitchener Battalions of the Royal Berkshire Regt 1916'.

CT

[corisande]

I would be extremely surprised if that was not him, with the sequence Marlborough, the Varsity, Bruton & Marlborough again

Of interest how did you light on him as a candidate?

[corisande]

His father died in 1906, which puts some of the remarks into context and his mother was therefore a widow when that letter was written

His probate shows he was relatively wealthy and his mother the executor

[Colin W Taylor]

Corisande,

Marlborough College Register 1843-1933 lists school masters throughout the period. There were two with a 'P' initial around between 1910 and 1914 and only one (Wace) had been a pupil at the school before. I can't find my copy of the Public Schools Yearbook from 1920 which lists all schools; that might have put me onto Bruton eventually (when I found it!) but I had Buxton in my head for some reason.

Thanks for confirming my 'stab' in the dark.  

CT

[high wood]

Absolutely brilliant, I must have been focusing too much on finding a Percy to the point that I missed a Percival. I think that all the points in the letter are covered by this man's biography. A big thank you to you all for helping solve this mystery, when I could barely decipher the hand writing.

[Kimberley John Lindsay]

Dear All,

Well done, Colin and corisande: good research to reveal the gallant Capt Wace!

This, especially regarding the aforegoing assumption of 2Lt Bent as the writer of the poignant letter... 

Kindest regards,

Kim.

[A Lancashire Fusilier by Proxy]

This thread is a fascinating piece of deductive work.

If it was Captain Wace who shot the man giving the order to retire, thought to be an impostor, you do hope that he had got it right, and that it was indeed an impostor, though, in the heat of battle, it would not be surprising if errors were made. If it turned out that it was an error (how would one ever know - records of casualties in nearby units?), it wouldn't take away from the courage of the young man who wanted to be one of those placing himself in the forefront of the danger, rather than hanging back and watching others do so. I can't agree with his supposition that "anyone would".

A couple of very minor comments on the transcription; I think it must indeed have been gooseberries in the parcel, presumably tinned ones, as I think the words " us a taste/bit/bite/bait" are actually "in a tart".

I think that the last words of the first page may be "moving up", and the first word of the next page may be "munition". I'm wondering whether he may have explained that he'd volunteered to help with this since he goes on to say he'd rather be doing than just watching.

Also, though it doesn't alter the sentiment, I think that the word "exceedingly" may actually be "enormously".

It's a shame that those two or three lines of the letter are missing.