Index to Arthur's Primary Source WW1 Letters Home 1917

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Primary Source WW1 Letters 1917

Cold weather, worried about men freezing in trenches, utter desolation of the front, new years eve with the rats, may have to move again ...
Glad to be moving, flats in London hard to get, happy in his little wooden hut ...
Glad to be away from the front, complains about the price of fuel, has a hot water bottle in bed, maybe the war will end in October, fed up with the weather ...
Bitterly cold, Arthur is feeling his age, very basic quarters, gives his chauffeur some socks, glad he turned down the job of Commandant ...

Money talk, still freezing cold, volunteers falling ill, Arthur is caught in a gas attack without his mask, borrows the Commandants bed ...
Coldest winter since 1870, 7 or 8 men short due to illness, 2nd anniversary of leaving London, complaining about those in easy war jobs, able to keep warm in dugouts, still enjoying his tea and cake ...
Spring has arrived, shellfire rattling windows, gas alarm, very short of volunteers ...
Arthur likes Lloyd George's speech, a missing parcel of tea and biscuits, new arrests in Ireland ...

Arthur's brother recovering from dysentery, a German spy in the Vatican ...
Arthur is pleased about the Russian Revolution, feels sorry for the children, thinking of taking some leave in April ...

Back in London, shopping, making wedding plans and wants a nice quiet wedding ...
Advises Mother to invest in War Loans, wife to be doesn't photograph too well ...

Back at the front line, two men die in his car, thinks the war might go on to the end of next year at least ...
Mothers money invested in War Loan, social gossip ...

Arthur has bank overdraft worries, investment income problems ...
Arthur's nephew wants to learn to fly, remote chance of war ending this year, waiting for a row in Ireland ...

Arthur is not happy with his quarters, talk of wedding presents, worries about the war lasting another year or two perhaps ...
Arthur's intended is flat hunting in London, section soon to be moved, soon to be on leave ...
Arthur talks of not returning after his next leave ...
Sad news, a big casualty list, Pope trying to arrange peace, nice quarters in a farm house ...
Nephew to join Royal Flying Corps, good news from Italy ...
Arthur hears of progress by French and Italians, possible settlement in Ireland ...
Arthur disappointed not to be going to Verdun ...

An example of envelope from Arthur to Mother, also redirected and censored.