egbert Posted 30 November , 2005 Author Share Posted 30 November , 2005 thanx Gunner for your kind words and for writing your first post here in this story Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gunner Bailey Posted 30 November , 2005 Share Posted 30 November , 2005 Thanks to Kate, Gunboat and Egbert for your replies. Yes over time I'm sure I'll be able to share my grandfather's stories on the forum. One was a RE Sapper, who was in the 21st Div. From 1915 right through to the occupation of Germany in 1919. The other was in the RFA from 1916 to 1919. Between the two of them they were at all the main areas of battle from Loos to the Marne in 1918. It was a miracle they both survived. Sorry Egbert, will not highjack your wonderful thread with my stuff. Gunner Bailey Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
truthergw Posted 30 November , 2005 Share Posted 30 November , 2005 Well here is for the 2 of you the 1923 equivalent for 5 Goldmark = Thank you very much. I am going to retire with my half. That is one of the things I had in mind when I asked. As a boy, in my stamp album I had German stamps overprinted with a value of millions of marks. They were so common that they were not at all valuable. The gold coin though would keep its value would it not? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
egbert Posted 30 November , 2005 Author Share Posted 30 November , 2005 Exactly the gold coin was connected to the gold price and never depreciated Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
egbert Posted 30 November , 2005 Author Share Posted 30 November , 2005 Can you imagine how important cigars and cigarettes were for Granddad in 1914? (To be cont'd) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marina Posted 30 November , 2005 Share Posted 30 November , 2005 bit new looking for the trunk, Egbert! Hope you're not cheating! Marina Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roxy Posted 30 November , 2005 Share Posted 30 November , 2005 Egbert, What was your granddad doing with Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey? Roxy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marina Posted 30 November , 2005 Share Posted 30 November , 2005 And havana cigars, Roxy... Marina Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
egbert Posted 30 November , 2005 Author Share Posted 30 November , 2005 Well yes I am cheating with the picture, I just want to lure you into the cigar thing. Granddad and his comrades were desperate for smoke! Here is an excerpt of fieldletters from 1914 sent back home, as well as letters to him hinting to the question of the questions: were are the cigars? The logistic situation for the troops was not favorable; I guess one of the great joys in wartime then was SMOKE: cigarettes.doc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marina Posted 30 November , 2005 Share Posted 30 November , 2005 "Only Champagne here..." LOLOLOL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
susanhemmings Posted 1 December , 2005 Share Posted 1 December , 2005 (edited) Egbert, I seem to remember seeing in one of your pictures of Grandfather that he was doing just that (enjoying a smoke) when recovering in the hospital. If I remember correctly (and I might not!) he was sitting on the right of the picture with another two chaps ? All the soldiers seem to enjoy a good smoke. Who could blame them? Keep going egbert. Await the next installment. Kind regards, Susan. Ps Welcome to Gunner Bailey too. Ooops - not so clever on the memory tonight - found it. Page 13 of your thread. He is sitting with three fellow soldiers. But, he IS enjoying his cigar...... Edited 1 December , 2005 by susanhemmings Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spike10764 Posted 1 December , 2005 Share Posted 1 December , 2005 I wonder what the ardent smokers of yesteryear would have thought of todays attitude to smoking ( ie lock them in small dark rooms without electricity ) Smoking was one of lifes' true pleasures for your grandfather and many other men in the Great War. These excerpts presumably from his letters illustrate that better than anything. Now I'm waiting for your item that inspired this egbert, (is this trunk like Dr Who's tardis, bigger than it looks ) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gunboat Posted 1 December , 2005 Share Posted 1 December , 2005 I wonder what the ardent smokers of yesteryear would have thought of todays attitude to smoking ( ie lock them in small dark rooms without electricity ) A few hours in the small dark dugouts without electricity would have todays non-smokers reaching for the woodbines...me included! Egbert did the German army have the equivalent of the Mary Tins issued in 1914 to British troops as Christmas presents? ( I have asked this question and I bet he will produce one from his magic trunk ) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
truthergw Posted 1 December , 2005 Share Posted 1 December , 2005 I wonder what the ardent smokers of yesteryear would have thought of todays attitude to smoking ( ie lock them in small dark rooms without electricity ) Smoking was one of lifes' true pleasures for your grandfather and many other men in the Great War. These excerpts presumably from his letters illustrate that better than anything. Now I'm waiting for your item that inspired this egbert, (is this trunk like Dr Who's tardis, bigger than it looks ) If they had been told that smoking would kill many many people and ruin the health of many more, then I think they would have banned it. Sitting in a trench, the long term effects of a habit which gave short term pleasure would not have been deemed important. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spike10764 Posted 1 December , 2005 Share Posted 1 December , 2005 (edited) If they had been told that smoking would kill many many people and ruin the health of many more, then I think they would have banned it. Sitting in a trench, the long term effects of a habit which gave short term pleasure would not have been deemed important. If I had to go through what they did, then I think I'd start smoking myself... I mean sitting in a trench being bombarded, life really would seem too short.... Edited 1 December , 2005 by spike10764 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
egbert Posted 1 December , 2005 Author Share Posted 1 December , 2005 This is Granddads cigar case; a bit warped by the shockwave? of the shell splinter. Grandmother has sewed his initials “G.S.” and a flower ornament inside! A nice personal gift for the trenches: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
truthergw Posted 1 December , 2005 Share Posted 1 December , 2005 This is Granddads cigar case; a bit warped by the shockwave? of the shell splinter. Grandmother has sewed his initials “G.S.” and a flower ornament inside! A nice personal gift for the trenches: A double pleasure for your Grandfather. A fine cigar and to hold such a token of love in his hand at the same time. Surely the war receded for a short time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
egbert Posted 1 December , 2005 Author Share Posted 1 December , 2005 Do you recognize the cigars? No there were no cuban fighters in the trenches! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ian turner Posted 1 December , 2005 Share Posted 1 December , 2005 Egbert, No doubt you placed those cigars in the holder to maintain an ''authentic'' tobacco aroma? Now, taking this latest revelation from Grandad's trunk, and adding it to the German photo album seen elsewhere (resplendant with bottles of wine), I am begining to get another angle on the whole German war machine - it seems they had a life-style to fight for! Ian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marina Posted 1 December , 2005 Share Posted 1 December , 2005 If they had been told that smoking would kill many many people and ruin the health of many more, then I think they would have banned it. Sitting in a trench, the long term effects of a habit which gave short term pleasure would not have been deemed important. I read a book some time ago abou the histoyr of smoking - in that period, smoking was actually recommended by doctorslung troubles because it cleared them! I doubt if long term thinking would have been much on their minds anyway. Marina Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
egbert Posted 1 December , 2005 Author Share Posted 1 December , 2005 Ian, i can assure you = in all German accounts and so many field letters, the soldiers talk of drinking a lot of alcohol. And i tell you - I would do the same! The only joy was: letters/parcels from home, smoke and booze! what do you think was in their canteen? Water? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ian turner Posted 1 December , 2005 Share Posted 1 December , 2005 Egbert, You know, people do that even today, with just the 'stress of modern life' to worry about! I wonder how we'd cope with such combat stress in this day and age? Keep up the good work with Grandad's trunk. I am enjoying every day. Ian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ozzie Posted 2 December , 2005 Share Posted 2 December , 2005 Egbert, You know, people do that even today, with just the 'stress of modern life' to worry about! I wonder how we'd cope with such combat stress in this day and age? Keep up the good work with Grandad's trunk. I am enjoying every day. Ian We would probably be drunks as monkeys whenever possible. I hope this is a never ending trunk, like in a fairy tale, because I never want it to end. It is too good. Cheers Kim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sgt_Hazell_Great_Grandson Posted 2 December , 2005 Share Posted 2 December , 2005 I doubt if long term thinking would have been much on their minds anyway. Marina So true, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spike10764 Posted 2 December , 2005 Share Posted 2 December , 2005 Ian, i can assure you = in all German accounts and so many field letters, the soldiers talk of drinking a lot of alcohol. And i tell you - I would do the same! The only joy was: letters/parcels from home, smoke and booze! what do think was in their canteen? Water? Is there a hipflask next ? Seriously, the cigar case is lovely, it must have brought forth thoughts of home every time he opened it to light one up. There was a belief that smoking was good for the lungs in the first half of the 20th Century. My Grandmother (born 1915) smoked 40 HIGH tar cigs a day(Senior Service/ Woodbines/ Players No6) in her prime. She lived to 83(1998) still smoking, couldn't sleep for more than 2/3 hours without needing a fag and basically put me off ever starting. Having Parkinsons Disease, it was one of her few pleasures..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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