Index to Arthur's WW1 letters home from the Western Front in 1915
February 1915
April 1915
May 1915
June 1915
July 1915
August 1915
October 1915
November 1915
December 1915
- Arthur doesn't like being saluted "by every Tommy", on parade in front of the King and Queen at Buckingham Palace ...
- Waiting to embark, receives his allowance of 10/- a day but also having to spend lots of his own money ...
- Arthur arrives in France, has to hunt for his chauffeur "a very decent & smart little man", U Boats cause a problem in the Channel ...
- Arthur sees General Joffre, talks about damage at Senlis and Creil, hears the guns at Soissons, doesn't enjoy drinking Champagne ...
- Car washing, snow, driving with no lights, a car crash, helping the wounded, exhaustion ...
- Arthur worries about being shot, carries soldiers who have frozen feet, talks about the ruination of the French villages …
- The young women of the town not behaving as they should, German prisoner says that they have already taken Paris & Warsaw ...
- Arthur tells of a German air raid, chats to a nice American girl ...
- Arthur gets some new boots, doesn't like bombing, has to collect 4 officer casualties ...
- Arthur finds a German bomb and attempts to post it home ...
April 1915
- Arthur gets to use his French language skills, the Headmaster of Eton makes an unpopular speech...
- News from East Africa, some summer clothes from home required ...
- Bad weather in the Vosges, good news from Russia perhaps ...
- New commandant, troops landed at Dardanelles ...
May 1915
- Summer clothes arrive, another accident for the convoy, Arthur has afternoon tea and enjoys band practice ...
- Italy joins the war, more air raids and a lucky escape for Arthur, Lord Charles Beresford visits, news of a train crash in England ...
- A close shave for Arthur, the story of the man and his dog, a unique visit to the front line trenches, Arthur is mistaken for a spy ...
June 1915
- Arthur receives a letter from his future wife, also talks of the Lusitania ...
- Complaints about the post, the Man and his dog are killed, Arthur visits a wounded friend ...
- Thinks of moving to Australia after the war, depressed at the continuance of the war, introduced to Lord Charles Beresford ...
- Arthur is very busy, artillery like a continual thunderstorm, German prisoners, society chit chat, depressed over his work ...
- Counter attack by the "Bosche", money changes hands, worries about his mother's German maid ...
- Family money troubles, complaining about the Government's lack of preparation for the war ...
July 1915
- Arthur talks of investments in Mexico and Argentina, criticises the Government, criticises his sister and brother in law in particular ...
- Talks of his future in laws opening a hospital, prepares logs for winter fuel ...
- Talk of Vatican and politics, society talk, Arthur's friend in Switzerland helps trace missing soldiers, more German prisoners arrive ...
- Arthur is very busy, watches a battle, lack of progress in Flanders ...
- Arthur's nerves are under strain, lack of sleep, German air raid and casualties, one of the section is killed in action, looking forward to some leave ...
- Battle of The Linge, funeral of comrade, bad news from Warsaw ...
August 1915
- A friend is interned in Germany, Joffre not pleased, Vatican problems ...
- Arthur is back from a short spell of leave, visits his in law's hospital, more new boots ...
- Arthur trying to trace missing friends, turns down becoming an officer, requests a keepsake from home ...
- Arthur not mentioned in the paper, indulges in some sightseeing ...
October 1915
- Arthur's friend marries £5,000 a year, Balkans in a mess, income tax too high ...
- Moved to another village, sadness at loss of friends, not looking forward to winter ...
- Back at base, Balkan's and Dardanelles a mess, Hamilton praises Australian and New Zealand troops, Zeppelins over London ...
November 1915
- Arthur is ill, wants to get away to recover ...
- Arthur on sick leave, Kitcheners new role ...
- Still waiting for his travel pass, convoy on the move again, Commandant to leave ...
- In Paris, in hospital, told to take a break, contract finishes 1st December anyway ...
December 1915
- On leave in London, manages to get a first class ticket to Dublin, loses a friend ...