An interesting short letter about the effect of the Russian Revelation on the British soldiers sent from the front

[arantxa]

they knew what was coming  who ever this chap was he sounds bright he ends it with the huns have started shelling so please excuse me ending letter 

[arantxa]

i think it was from Victor Albert Ireland

 

[Interested]

A very erudite soldier, easily readable handwriting too.

Thanks for posting.

[charlie962]

1 hour ago, arantxa said:

Victor Albert Ireland

There was such a man from Tooting. A service record survives showing he did three months as a Lieut RE in France 1917 but seems to have been discharged with Neurasthenia and then re-enlists as soldier in the Pembroke Yeomanry 1918. Civil job was Railway Accountant. Could this be the author? Except I get the impression that by Nov 1917, the date of the letter, he was in UK.

Needs further investigation.

Edited 21 February , 2022 by charlie962

[arantxa]

Yes I thought it was an educated well written letter to

[charlie962]

I think the letter is addressed to William R Salter and his wife Cecilia (nee Ireland) who were married 1914. I suspect Cecilia was sister of Victor. I will check census if someone else hasn't already got there.

[IPT]

The recipient was probably the William R Salter that married Cecilia M Ireland in Kingston, in 1914, (hence Will & Ciss).

Victor Albert Ireland had a younger sister called Cecilia Maud Ireland.

 

 

 

I keep being gazumped today.

[charlie962]

The two, Victor and Cecilia, are on the 1911 Census for Lower Tooting. Father and son both railway clerks.

[charlie962]

7 minutes ago, IPT said:

keep being gazumped today

Perhaps you would like to make sense of that unusual service record. A Lt, RE, in 1917 discharged, re-enlists Aug 1918 as ordinary soldier. Shell shock victim, perhaps?

Charlie

[IPT]

He didn't go to France, with the R.E., until 25/8/1917.  That may have meant that the letter was written shortly before he was discharged, hence his mention of nerve trouble.

[charlie962]

There is a 'private tree' on ancestry who might be worth contacting.

In 1939 register Victor and his wife Annie were living in Wandsworth. He was still a Railway Clerk and also ARP Warden. I think he died 1946.

2 minutes ago, IPT said:

He didn't go to France, with the R.E., until 25/8/1917.  That may have meant that the letter was written shortly before he was discharged, hence his mention of nerve trouble.

Excellent.

[arantxa]

I’m glad at least he lived through the war but he obviously died young