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First World War Letters Home September 1918A very busy time, two moves in three days, his division have had 13 months at the front line, quarters in a ruined château, dysentery a big problem, a medal is in the offing perhaps ...September 11th 1918
My Dear Mother … Been awfully busy, two moves in 3 days, you have little idea what it means. I had to do both on my own, our C.O. being in Paris & only arrived back here Monday evg. When second move was over. We moved Sunday & was busy all day getting off the cars & stuff & of course all time had to keep the service of cars at advanced posts going. Luckily men got better & had only 2 sick, both back on their cars now. We got settled Sunday evg. in a wrecked village & considering things, got fairly well sheltered. Then Monday morng. we got ??? to move again to here, as another regt. was coming in to our village. Up to now we have always had a large “camion” to carry spare kit & that belonging to men on leave, kitchen stove & all the things, but these 2 moves we had to do without, our camion being sent back for safety. We had 2 cars wrecked & our repair lorry damaged, so they thought it best to send it & camion further back. We hear today we are really to be relieved tomorrow some time & go back at last en repos, our division have had a lot of losses & are pretty well done for the moment. 13 months in front trenches winding up by this late attack & big advance. Our men too are tired out & our cars on their last legs & badly in need of repair. Night before last 4 cars broke down & had to be towed & next morng. two! We have patched them up & hope to get them along & only have 2 or 3 to actually tow. Last night I had to evacuate another man, pretty bad & my special friend Spence whom I sent to Paris last week has been ordered home & complete rest; he is, I fear, very ill, but should pull round. He had dysentery like nearly all the others here, but could not get right. I had looked forward to going home on leave with him next month, as his leave was due Oct 8th & mine 16th & he was to wait for me. I hope he will be well enough to come out in Nov. with me again. |
Men have really been splendid & helped me a lot through a black week, I call it black, as so many men were ill & cars breaking down, an awful worry to keep service going, then on top of it 2 moves in 3 days so different to 12 months in one spot like in Champagne, & two spells of 7 months without a move. I don’t know where we shall be sent to, I hope a quiet spot & well back from this desolation & wreckage. We are here in a ruined Chateau, no doors or windows & not much roof. Night before last it poured & came through roof & half drowned some of our fellows sleeping on stretchers on first floor. C.O. & I have what was library I fancy, good room & ceiling complete, so lucky. Large bits of ceiling fell in after rain. It is so sad to see these nice houses & grounds, presumably they were nice, now utter desolation & wreckage! We moved first on Sunday to a village a few miles off & on Monday to here. Our C.O. returned from Paris Monday evg. just as we were getting settled here. I think this section must almost be a record for continuous service on front with no “repos”, 13 months working front lines & practically whole time under easy shell fire & continuous bombing all this summer. I hear it is to be recognised & the section given its second Croix de Guerre. We got the first in the Vosges in 1915 & only two volunteers left in it of that time, myself & one other … I see portrait in Sketch this week of Ruth, also of Claire King, Sketch of Sep.4th if you want to get it. Also par. about Dick Acton, he is apparently selling Aldenham, rather sad. I suppose he gets not a cent of the £2000 a yr. from Bavaria. Poor Annie’s money I suppose came to an end too. It is curious about these villages, one sees notices painted up on walls or in houses in English, French & German, as they have been occupied by all three in time. Of course, German prevails now. Every well & pump numbered & very methodical in everything. I sent Alison a German letter in which she was interested & translated, hundreds of them we found in some of the villages. None just here, I wish I had picked up more of them to send her, as she reads German pretty well … Best love Yr affect son Arthur |
Moving back behind the lines, hoping to get to a decent town or village, concerned about travel arrangements for his leave ...
September 14th 1918
My Dear Mother
Yrs. of 6th came yesterday. We are on our way back. Moved here yest. aft.noon, 10k from where we were. Still in ruined village, it was just behind the lines, a mile from German trenches, we often went through it on our way to posts, it was continually bombarded. So strange now, all quiet & far from the front. Much knocked about. A lovely view from edge of it before dropping down into valley, looks right over Oise Valley & Noyon in distance.
We hear we are going back to a place some 40k north of Paris. Expect to go on tomorrow. Division goes in Camions. It got up to Hindenburg line & did very well, had very hard time & deserve a spell & reforming, for they have had heavy losses. Hope we get to a decent clean small town or village. Shan’t be sorry to get away from all this desolation.
Should I in uniform have trouble in getting over to Ireland & back, must I have permit. If one is liable to be held up for 2 days at Holyhead or somewhere, it is no use trying. I thought, if I did go over for few days, Alison might come too, but apparently no use her attempting it; it is such a business. Will you be over in England by 1st Nov., what are your Winter plans. Thanks for Evie’s enclosed letter. Seems a primitive place where they are, but cheap & change of air …
Americans seem to be doing well now, if only they can get to Metz which is, no doubt,what they are after. This moving keeps one pretty busy. Weather fine, but cool & getting a bit autumnal for homes with no doors or windows & holes in them every where.
Best love
Yr affect. son
Arthur
My Dear Mother
Yrs. of 6th came yesterday. We are on our way back. Moved here yest. aft.noon, 10k from where we were. Still in ruined village, it was just behind the lines, a mile from German trenches, we often went through it on our way to posts, it was continually bombarded. So strange now, all quiet & far from the front. Much knocked about. A lovely view from edge of it before dropping down into valley, looks right over Oise Valley & Noyon in distance.
We hear we are going back to a place some 40k north of Paris. Expect to go on tomorrow. Division goes in Camions. It got up to Hindenburg line & did very well, had very hard time & deserve a spell & reforming, for they have had heavy losses. Hope we get to a decent clean small town or village. Shan’t be sorry to get away from all this desolation.
Should I in uniform have trouble in getting over to Ireland & back, must I have permit. If one is liable to be held up for 2 days at Holyhead or somewhere, it is no use trying. I thought, if I did go over for few days, Alison might come too, but apparently no use her attempting it; it is such a business. Will you be over in England by 1st Nov., what are your Winter plans. Thanks for Evie’s enclosed letter. Seems a primitive place where they are, but cheap & change of air …
Americans seem to be doing well now, if only they can get to Metz which is, no doubt,what they are after. This moving keeps one pretty busy. Weather fine, but cool & getting a bit autumnal for homes with no doors or windows & holes in them every where.
Best love
Yr affect. son
Arthur
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