Robert Ernest Vernede - Novelist/Poet

[stiletto_33853]

27th January, 1916.

There is not much news. We are doing stupid things like Battalion Drill and so forth. Yesterday I marched the men eight miles to a bath and back - their first since they started from the rest village. They also got their first clean shirt. To-day we had a feint alarm at 4.30a.m., and tumbled out in the dark for one and a half hours in fighting order. Now 6p.m., have just had my hair cut and here I am writing.

We expect to go into the trenches the beginning of next week, but don't count on it. No digging parties this week. How is Frdk. ? I haven't heard from him.

Andy

[stiletto_33853]

29th January, 1916.

I like the handkerdhiefs you send. Washing is fitful. Sometimes my servant does it, and sometimes a neighbouring farmeress. The results are very shady - but it's useful for handkerchiefs and such. My towels get blacker and blacker under his laundering.

I saw a letter in the Times the other day advocating that the sandbags should be coloured instead of white. It would be very difficult to find one that wasn't the colour of the Flanders mud once it has been disembarked. O f course in summer it would take longer.

You wanted to know about the rest camps, which I thought I had described. Well, it consists of a large field or series of fields (there being no hedges) churned into mud - no grass - board walks 18 in. wide through it and huts and tents in rows. We have a hut, and the men huts or tents, according to their luck.

A broad ditch runs at the bottom of the field and out of that water water (and a good deal of water for our tea, I fancy, and the mens tea) is fetched.Rats run in every direction at night, and some people chase them through the slime with electric torches and sticks. The huts are as at Shurland, only smaller, and mostly with mansard roofs, so that you can only stand upright in themiddle. Voila! I am sitting by myself in ours at present and have been most of the afternoon, T. having gone up to see the new trenches and the others having an afternoon off.

Sunday. T. came back last night and said the trenches are not so bad as they might be. We shall be there off and on for a fortnight, so you will get rather shorter letters.

I had a hot bath yesterday in I.'s bath, and just as I was getting in, a gas alert or alarm sounded and all the gas helmets had to be inspected, and as I was the only officer at home, so to speak, I had to bustle through the bath and do them.

The water inspection is like our experience at the paper mill when the military visited us. Strict orders that the men drink only the water supplied. Practice, to drink out of any shell hole they see. The water supplied isn't enough. Of course it is nearly always turned into tea, which, with inoculation, I suppose, prevents the consequences that might be expected.

I read an amusing account in the paper of Friday of a visit by seven influential recruiters of the firing line. The spokesman described how they came under shell-fire and fled to dug-outs, where they waited hours. But they found the dug-outs dry and airy and nearly all carpeted. T. suggests that they must have been taken to Boulogne or somewhere, and the shell fire was a bomb party practising bombs. I don't know whether that sort of nonsense is udeful or not; after all there is something to be said for the truth on most occasions.

My servant is doing rather better, but he is an old humbug. Told me he was no longer young - getting on for 40!.

Andy

[stiletto_33853]

Sunday, 30th January, 1916.

C Coy. is stopping back after all for a day or two more.

Andy

[marina]

Loved the Times letter abpout coloured sandbags - good to know the trivia was still rampant then!

And the recruiters visit to the carpeted dugouts - spin doctors! nothing changes!

Marina

[stiletto_33853]

Rest Camp, 1st February, 1916.

I am so sorry about Frdk. It will be a great blow to him, I know, not because of the climbing or anything of that sort, but because he'll hate not to be able to rush about on other people's behalf, and will, of course, not be able to see himself in the heroically wounded light.

I don't think it's going to be any good my telling you I'm likely to be in the trenches soon or otherwise: at present I'm still here with the Coy. and may go up for a day for some time to come. So you'd better just think I'm in the best possible place. We're across the road from the old camp - in what was the Hd. Quarters - a much finer hut, and I have a bed - sacking hung over boards - which I must say I like much less than the floor as it sags in the middle, which the floor doesn't. No doubt it's less draughty, and it has started to freeze and be cold at nights, I dare say the bed is on the whole an improvement.

Andy

[marina]

Hobson's Choice!

Marina

[liverpool annie]

Hobson's Choice!

Marina

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I have to be honest and say - it REALLY bothers me - for some reason beyond my ken - that Robert very rarely says anything to show that he knows she worries about him.....!! but the last letter had a tiny ray

I don't think it's going to be any good my telling you I'm likely to be in the trenches soon or otherwise: at present I'm still here with the Coy. and may go up for a day for some time to come. So you'd better just think I'm in the best possible place.

Call me a romantic but I just wish he would give her "something" .......!! I keep waiting ..... !!

Sorry I interupted again!

Annie

[stiletto_33853]

Annie,

Not an interuption, comments are always welcome. I see your point, who knows maybe Caroline edited the really personal stuff, know I sure as hell would do. After all, would you like all your emotions and luvy duvy stuff to be put in print for family, friends and strangers to read and make judgement on!!!!!

Andy

[stiletto_33853]

Annie,

To give you another example of an officers letters. This one comes from Edward Kay-Shuttleworth, The Rifle Brigade.

5th December, 1915.

"Darlingest"

Our wedding day. I have had had by far and away the happiest year of my life. Heaven's blessing be for ever on you and darling Pamela. How I loved seeing you both, and looking so lovely................

Andy

[liverpool annie]

Annie,

To give you another example of an officers letters. This one comes from Edward Kay-Shuttleworth, The Rifle Brigade.

5th December, 1915.

"Darlingest"

Our wedding day. I have had had by far and away the happiest year of my life. Heaven's blessing be for ever on you and darling Pamela. How I loved seeing you both, and looking so lovely................

Andy

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Without trying to hijack your thread - before I started reading about Robert - this diary was a favourite for me! short and funny and endearing ..... no stiff upper lip!

http://www.geocities.com/mrselwyn/

I just loved the honesty of it! Robert pains me because he is so stoic - I'm willing him to tell Caroline - "I miss the smell of your hair or the touch of your hand on my back " something ...!

but as you say she probably edited the letters - though I did ask you that before I think!!

Annie

[stiletto_33853]

27th Janaury, 1916. (To His Mother)

Many thanks for the magnificent parcel of biscuits and rocks and socks and all the other things. The whole mess rose en masse at the Edinburgh Rock and pigged it. It seems very much a thing to have now and then. But you mustn't send so much at a time. We simply can't eat it, and eat too much in the effort. So economise, my mother, and help your country and your son at the same time.

The scarf from Raymond and Meriel is really very useful; I mostly wear it round my waist in the evenings.

Andy

[stiletto_33853]

The Raymond and Meriel are Raymond and Meriel Vernede, son and daughter of his brother Arthur, of the I.C.S.

Andy

[stiletto_33853]

3rd February,1916. Rest Camp

Just a line before we go up to the trenches. Only three days at a time. I will try and write each day but don't count on it. Not always easy to write and not always easy to send if you do.

Andy

[marina]

he does say several times throughout the letters about her worrying. She's not to worry because... Or he's out of the trenches so no need to worry.

There is a feeling of their closeness in these letters - he shares his thoughts, up and down, in a way that many would not. Their opness is palpable. And like Andy, I feel sure she's edited the prersonal bits. I would have too, I think. Too close and private, and and of no use to anyone else. Whereas the rest of the letters provide a real insight into the soldier's life at that time - which is why she published them. I think to there is a very real feeling that she wished to honour Robert and his thinking and ability,and allo the men he served with, so well described in the letters - not necessarily their relationship, if you see what I mean.

Marina

[liverpool annie]

he does say several times throughout the letters about her worrying. She's not to worry because... Or he's out of the trenches so no need to worry.

There is a feeling of their closeness in these letters - he shares his thoughts, up and down, in a way that many would not.  Their opness is palpable.  And like Andy, I feel sure she's edited the prersonal bits.  I would have too, I think.  Too close and private, and and of no use to anyone else.  Whereas the rest of the letters provide a real insight into the soldier's life at that time - which is why she published them. I think to there is a very real feeling that she wished to honour Robert and his thinking and ability,and allo the men he served with, so well described in the letters  - not necessarily their relationship, if you see what I mean.

Marina

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Hi Marina!

I do love the way he shares everything that is happening to him - it gives a very special insight into his psyche - and the way he deals with people places and things !!

Andy is probably GGRRRRRing at me - saying "Women"!!! but that's not what I mean.....! I appreciate the other example he gave was a little extreme - but I imagine her waiting for his letters - waiting until she is entirely alone - maybe climbing into bed before savouring the act of opening the envelope and reading...!! I'm trying to read between the lines - I suppose!!

OK I'm done now Andy !!

Annie

[stiletto_33853]

Hi Annie,

No, I can't say Grrrrrrr or women. I get the impression of a very close relationship here, although not stated in the words that Caroline has printed.

I have many letters books, actual letters and memorial books in my library/collection and they all vary dramatically in style and content with regard to their relationships. The other example was just such variation.

The content of Robert's letters gives you such an insight into the daily lives of what some of these soldiers faced and Robert's style of trying to describe what he is experiencing I find candid and makes me think a little more of the life he led. The way he relates such things as the effect of gas on foliage is something I have never seen described before and I find refreshing and thought provoking.

Andy

[marina]

Hi, Annie,

Of course, also to be taken into consideration is the fact that he is a writer. He may well have used parts of the letters to record his thoughts and observations for future use in a novel or poem. He complains more than once in his letters about having no peace to write and nothing drives a writer nuttier than having lots of things he wishes to record but no chance to do it. Caroline would have understood that, and so published for him when he could not use the material he had accumulated. As for the bits she read when she went ot bed...well, not for public consumption! As a writer's wife, she would know the difference between the personal and the business end.

Marina

Marina

[stiletto_33853]

4th Febraury, 1916. Trenches

I don't know if this will get off to-day. I came up with the rear last night, and the blighters shelled the road as we went, one about 100yds. behind, another in front and off to the left and right - cannon if front of them, in fact - but not bad. And all the old hands are ready with stories of how they came along with shrapnel bursting over their heads in the old days. The nuisance was not knowing whether the next is going to be in front or behind.

Several other Regiments got off the road and stopped, but the R.B.'s marched on - not, I may say, without my consulting my sergeant, as I fancy I should have stopped myself, and taken shelter, though it's the wrong thing to do unless the shelling is very heavy. The trouble is to know what is heavy and what isn't. However, we arrived quite safely, and I have the satisfaction of knowing that this is about the worst trench that even some of the sergeant's have been in. More for it's general unpleasantness than for anything else. You can easily step in over your thigh boots in mud; I'm writing in a dug-out in which you can't sit upright and through which there is a trickle of water; the stench in parts is too appalling for words, and we have been having shells right over our heads, luckily doing no damage, for the last four hours, starting at breakfast. If you move by day you have to go double. Anyone who finds it "ripping" is very much to be envied, if he exists, but I doubt it. T. suggested the people you mentioned must be with one of the armies that have never been in the trenches. And you must remember that gunners probably don't see one shell to a thousand that they fire.

However, we've had no casualties as yet, and I dare say shan't. To tell you of the advantage of this trench - one gets much more sleep, as one simply can't move about much; and my feet are warm with a pair of thick soles in the gum boots and three pair of thick socks.

The view from here is rather quaint. On our right front is a wood with every tree struck by lightning, as it were, and the ground below blackened too. This afternoon has turned fine, after rain all night, and I have been watching the snipers sniping while our guns have begun to pound their trenches in retaliation, and you see volumes of smoke and a German trench fly into the air with a crash. I just say it strikes me as omly less horrible than the English ones doing so; but it always bucks the men to see our guns getting to work, and they will stand any amount of pounding themselves for the sake of it.

Andy

[stiletto_33853]

5th February, 1916. Trenches

All is well, except that I've rather gone of my feed in this filthy place. It's largely due to the smell and the dirt of the food. Our dug-out really is a floor of mire which absorbs anything dropped in it, and is composed, I should say, largely of other people's rotting socks and bread crumbs! And one wanders about over the knee in quagmire, never knowing when you're going deeper. Fearful row, guns going all the time. We've had no casualties except two men shot by snipers, one killed - the first in C Coy. since I joined - which is extraordinarily good. And this man T. had warned to keep his head down only five minutes before. One calls it carelessness, but the fact is, after you've stooped till your back aches, it's almost beyond human nature not to straighten up occasionally.

I went out with a wiring party in front of the trenches last night for about an hour and a half. T. went himself with the men - he's very nice in that way, so I could not offer to go too. It sounds m,ore exciting than it is. I mostly got mixed up with the wire in the dark, while one of the corporals did all the work; and we weren't fired on, except by stray bullets, and put quite a fair amount. The old hands don't mind a bit but the boys don't like it. We come out tomorrow.

Better close before the mud out of my hair or neck falls on this. Haven't washed since coming in. Nor has anybody.

Andy

[stiletto_33853]

Sunday, 6th ?, February, 1916.

I am very well and fit but I suppose I have just what it can be like. We have been heavily shelled for about two hours, and one sat there with intervals of seconds, it seemed, not knowing where the next would come. The Boches have just left off for the day, I hope, as, though the casualties were not heavy, it was enough for eveybody's nerves. Several men are suffering from shock - shivering and quaking and having to be carried off on stretchers. I'm sitting beside a bad case now - he can't even move. The marvel is that he came out alive - he was one of four in a dug-out, and was pulled out uninjured, the rest being killed. I don't want to meet any one who's had a ripping time out here.

By the way, this man has my scarf Raymond and Meriel gave me. I wish you'd send me another like it - thick wool, loosely knitted, about a foot wide and three yards long - the longer the better. T. is splendid under this sort of thing. I wasn't as bad as I expected. I was in our dug-out to begin with the two Buff officers and got a stone pretty hard on my tin hat, after which I proposed we should move out, which we did, and the dug-out was knocked in a little later. Sat behind the parapet with the Buffs trying to find a safe place, but there wasn't any available. Found a man horribly injured in the face, with the C.S.M. who had just escaped. Tried to give him morphia, but couldn't manage it, so went for stretcher-bearers, who attended to him.

Boches have just begun shelling again - confound them - after a half hour's interval. Will send this off if we get out safely. We move in about three hours - none to soon.

Monday. Arrived here safe and sound in support trenches about 3.30a.m. after the most unpleasant day - very nearly - that I've had. I still think it's right that war should be damnable, but I wish everybody could have an idea of how beastly it can be.

The boches shelled us twice yesterday after I wrote, but only for a little, I'm glad to say, as everybody had had enough, I think, and several of the oldest hands said it was the worst shelling theu had ever been through. Our casualties were remarkably small considering that wherever you crouched two or three shells seem to spilt over your head every second. We had only five killed and about a dozen injured. T. sat most of the time with a wounded man across his knees, and the man said he knew it would be alright when the captain came along: which I thought was rather nice. One of our best sergeants was killed - a very nice man who was rather a friend of mine, though not in my platoon. I think the men are wonderful and awfully good to one another.

The C.S.M. was knocked senseless by the same shell that injured the man I mentioned, and when he came to, dragged him into the dug-out, to which I traced them by a pool of blood. Even the chef, when I went out for stretcher-bearers, dashed out and leapt an open part of the trench where it had been crumped in to go and help, which I'm afraid will render me weak-minded towards his cookery in future; the shells flying as hard as ever. It's an extraordinary sensation - every portion of the trenches seemed to have shells exploding over them and you were nearly deafened by the near ones. I really was in a great state of funk, but I'm not sure that it's avoidable. The least sensitive of the men, I fancy, are strung up to the last pitch, and I doubt even T. was as cool as he looked, though looking it is all the battle under the circumstances.

C. was our only other officer there and he was very cool, and pulled the living man out of the smashed dug-out, which was a terrible sight. I would like all praisers of war to be under that sort of fire for a day, and if any remained, they would have less to say for it. The Buff youths were young and quite cheery, though they would ask me where to go, which I wasn't at all competent to tell them, and had to make them try several places without finding any that was really of use.

At the end of it - about 5 o'clock - T., C. and I ate cake without tea and waited for the Regiment that was due to relieve us. The latter arrived about two or three hours after time - a thing that can be singularly annoying under those circumstances, as the Boches began shelling again after we should have been well away, and I thought it was all going to recommence for another for another three hours. Luckily it didn't and I got off with my party about 11.30p.m. for a five mile walk in thigh gum-boots and all our packs and things. I don't know when I have been more hot and exhausted. Rather over half-way we came to the place where we hand in the gum-boots - an enormous dark building where they gave us hot soup (it tasted of tea and oxo mixed - in muddy cups) grateful and comforting nevertheless. During the last half of the way we passed a man who'd gone lame from another platoon and I dropped behind to give him directions, but couldn't find him in the dark, so went on by myself. Rather eerie in the dark in unknown country with the sound of the guns in the distance.

I was very glad to get in at 3.30a.m. and find hot tea and a bed. Have washed this morning - first time for five days!.

Outside there is the most peaceful scene I have seen for weeks - green fields and unstuck trees, though the brutes put a few shells over here even, yesterday.

I couldn't get this off yesterday as there was no posting during the shells, but it will go this after-noon.

I feel rather doubtful as to whether I should tell you quite the unpleasantest side like this; but I think that it's rather good that nowadays, when women have so much influence, they should not be fooled with the rosy side of things only. I don't think I've exxaggerated and I don't think I'm using my imagination. At any rate I'm willing to bet that not one of the men but would have given a good deal to be out of it.

Andy

[liverpool annie]

Sunday, 6th ?, February, 1916.

I feel rather doubtful as to whether I should tell you quite the unpleasantest side like this; but I think that it's rather good that nowadays, when women have so much influence, they should not be fooled with the rosy side of things only. I don't think I've exxaggerated and I don't think I'm using my imagination. At any rate I'm willing to bet that not one of the men but would have given a good deal to be out of it.

Andy

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

After reading this paragraph - I was reminded of this - there were obviously some women who thought differently! Good job Robert didn't know about this ..........!!

Feminine encouragement... A Margaret Fielding has a letter published in the local press, expressing delight at recent female interest in men wearing khaki. She exhorts the locals to:

quote:

enlist still further the influence of young women and girls of St Helens n the cause of King & Country, by asking them to withhold their favours from those who have declined to assist their country in its hour of greatest need...[the] class of collared cads and cuffed cowards.

[Reporter 11.8.14]

Unfortunately, she doesn't elaborate upon her personal contribution to boosting recruitment.

I'm tremendously moved by Robert's narrative - my heart goes out to the CSM and the chef! the thought of them being "knocked about " and yet still be able to think of others - how incredible that they did what they needed to do - in spite of their own situations

Poor Caroline - she must have been worried sick!

Annie

[stiletto_33853]

Hi Annie,

This is one of the reasons that I find Robert's letters so appealing. In some cases his descriptions bring the event alive, to a degree, and makes you think of things that a lot of the letters I have, and have read do not.

Andy

[liverpool annie]

Hi Annie,

This is one of the reasons that I find Robert's letters so appealing. In some cases his descriptions bring the event alive, to a degree, and makes you think of things that a lot of the letters I have, and have read do not.

Andy

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

One thing that struck me was - he was sitting next to a shell shocked man and yet he was writing!

Now I know for sure that he is scared! - that he is writing to get over the shock to himself - this is his therapy - he has to get out what is happening to him - and he has to do it in the most truthful way he can - but he's still holding back - because of Caroline ..... That such a description could be written there and then - with the roar of the continuing battle still about Robert's ears -

not in the tranquillity of an emotion remembered many years afterwards !! makes you wonder ...

Annie

[stiletto_33853]

Wednesday, 8th or 9th February, 1916.

Couldn't get you a letter yesterday as I slept most of the time after a fatigue party up to 2.30a.m. and then had to hustle to another at 4.30p.m. Got back at 2.30a.m. this morning. Really rather boring - dripping wet - covered with mud - shelled at intervals, and so on. Will write more soon.

Andy

[marina]

I wonder what he'd say to the men who claim to have had a 'ripping time' in the trenches? Shows the differences in personality I suppose. Mnay men never told what it was really like. Robert did, tremendously vividly.

That was a good article, Annie - I've heard about the giving of 'white feathers' and so on to men deemed to be shirking - even men who had been wounded or were in essential reserved operations. Caroline was obviously of a different temper.

Marina