1st November 1915 letter to Doris Smith: Trenches falling down and Bosch shelling systematically, praying waders will arrive

"Dearest one,

Quel temps! The trenches are all falling down and the Bosch are systematically shelling us which aids the general downfall. I have got the M Guns for a week, and for the minute I am out but shall go into the hollow. I have written and sent a cheque for the waders. I pray they come, my Goldings have collapsed completely under the wet work. We hear today that Romania is on the point of coming in against us, whom I presume will be shortly followed by Greece. Being with the M G section I am not with the Batln and I am rather glad it is a change. Tell Ashley I have been dining and lunch. with Parry who is in the same Coy [company] in the 11th Btln [Battalion] as Gilbey. The latter raves about Ashley and has apparently never forgotten your charming voice down the telephone. I told him I could understand his taste since you always sound as if you have double pneumonia, at least down the phone. Brotherly love! I am keeping extraordinarily fit inspite of the endless mushy wetwork. Much love, 

Cameron"                                 







Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Cameron Forster Brown and his letters from the trenches

Image
Cameron Forster Brown (1893-1916) was my grandmother's brother. The two of them were very close. At the outbreak of WW1, he enlisted in the Cambridgeshire Regiment, obtaining a commission in November 1914 in the 12th Battalion Rifle Brigade .  Portrait of James Cameron Forster Brown in uniform The 12th battalion was part of 20th Light Division, which on 22 August 1916, relieved 24th Division on the Somme near Delville Wood, after an unsuccessful attack on Guillemont. 20th Division found itself under heavy German attack in horrific conditions as described in The History of the Rifle Brigade in the War of 1914-1918:  " On the night 25/26th, when the Division side-stepped five hundred yards to the right, the Tenth Battalion came into a sector of trenches of a horror that can hardly be imagined. Not merely was the front line impossible to be held: it could only be approached by men of the most iron fortitude. The position was dangerously exposed to fire from the village; but that
Read more

6th October 1915 letter to Ashley Smith requesting Waders and "They're over the top already!"

Image
This letter in blue pencil states, " If you want to know where I am get the Graphic of Oct 2nd. There's a birds Eye view of the British front. Right in the middle there's a line like this. We are about the H in the first British. Pleased to hear about the Lancia. Yes, waders and the waterproof overalls to go under the boots. Try Anderson & Anderson, Oxford St, I think. Size for waders you can find from two prs of old boots of mine Doris has. My Goldings are rapidly going. We had an awful alarm. We had come out of the trenches the night before at 4:00 o'clock am. There was an enormous explosion followed by a bombardment. We were called up, the adjutant rushed in and said, 'they're over the top already,' imagine our state! Yours ever, Cameron " I've ordered a copy of The Graphic for October 2nd 1915 and will update when it arrives.
Read more

Saturday 26th August 1916

Image
A letter from W.B. Turnbull dated Monday 28th August 1916 described what had happened on the Saturday 26th August. " Mr. Forster Brown was badly wounded on Saturday evening and I am sorry to say that he died soon after we arrived at Hospital, and I wish to send you the deepest sympathy of all the men of the 12th Battalion who have known Mr. Forster Brown so long and I am sure we have lost an officer who was deeply respected in the Batln. as he was so fearless and brave. Mr. Maltby was also wounded by the same shell and I am sorry to say he died a little later. " Lieut. Col. H.L. Riley wrote,  " Personally I have lost one of my best officers and one whom I can never replace. He had only taken over command of the company a short time and had proved himself quite invaluable. A chance shell fell right into the mess and killed or wounded all the officers of the Company and the Adjutant. I saw him just after, but he was quite unconscious and did not suffer any pain. He was alw
Read more