No 27521

St Andrews Hospital

Penrith

Cumberland

Oct 17^th 16

Dear Father

Many thanks for your letter, note paper, also newspaper just received.

I am glad to say I am getting on fine.  We had a grand time last Friday went for a motor drive to the Matron’s house at Ulleswater saw the lake; the scenery was grand I shall have to tell you about it when I see you.  We had the best of everything to eat two servants to wait on us swank I can tell you & after tea we had a whist drive I got third prize.  There was also another whist drive in the ward on Saturday so you see we manage to enjoy ourselves alright.

I had a letter from my friend in France he has got the things that belong to me & he said he would endeavour to send them on I gave him your address in case I had left here so you will know if a parcel comes.  It is very difficult to send parcels especially views so he may not be able to do it.  You might let me know the cost of postage if it does come.

I am afraid I look too well to stay here much longer, although some of the men are being sent to convalescent homes for a month or six weeks.  I shall be very pleased to come home & see you one gets rather tired of doing nothing every day; but I mean to keep convalescent as long as possible you can see it is a policy to do so.  the food is jolly good & plenty of it.

I am glad you enjoyed yourself at Southend.

What sort of weather are you getting it is very wet here.

I have not very much news to tell you this time so I think I must finish now.

I hope you are all well

With much love

From your devoted

Son

P.S. Have you heard from Ciss yet.  I should like to see her when I come home.

11.10.16

Dear Mar & Pa

I received Gladys letter OK a few days ago.  Gladys seems to be having a good time of it.  You must excuse me for not writing lately as I haven’t been in the same place five mins together anyhow I am writing this in a spot John Alleman occupied not so long ago so I suppose there’s some hopes of staying hereabouts for a while.  The weather has been awful lately.  I developed a nasty cold about a week ago.  Glad to say I’m practically OK again except that my teeth have been troubling me a bit.  Today has been lovely & a lovely moon shines over the valley it is almost like day.  Hope we get a spell of this weather and then we shall be able to get a move on.  Well I don’t think there’s anything further to say.  Hoping you are all well.  A few cakes won’t be amiss in this spot along with that Trench Powder.  If it isn’t too much trouble as I am miles from anywhere.  The only things here are bits of trees & myriads of shell holes.  Remember me to all enquiring friends.  Will drop you pcs if unable to find time to write.

Yours with love Bergy

A drop of cough mixture from Turners underbank would do me good these cold nights.

Pte. A. Smith

No 27521

St Andrews Hospital

Penrith

Cumberland

Oct 6^th 16

Dear Father

Many thanks for your letter, & paper.  I was very pleased to hear from you

& to know that you are well.

It must have been a grand sight to see that airship in flames. I had a letter from Ethel she said that you were asleep at the time.  They seem very sharp in the north of London to bring down two I guess they will think twice before they come over that way again.

I am pleased to say I am much better in fact feeling alright although still in bed am getting rather tired of it but still I am not doing any grumbling it is a treat to be in good old England instead of on the other side of the water.

I expect you received that postcard I don’t know exactly what it said but it is nothing only an official idea that everybody has to send.

I had a letter from Ciss this morning & was very surprised to hear that she was leaving Farnham. I expect you know that Charlie has left again I should think she would be better off without him.

Well I think I have come to the end of the news at present there is not very much to tell you.

I hope you will have a good time at Southend remember me to Mr & Mrs Jones I received their letter & will answer it very soon.

I guess you will be pleased to hear that Albert is exempt from the army.

I hope you are all well

With much love

From your devoted

Son

Pte. A. Smith

No 27521

St Andrews Hospital

Penrith

Cumberland

Oct 4^th 16

My Dear Affie,

Your letter contained such good news I had to answer it at once.

Fancy dear old Albert getting an exemption ‘By Jove’ it is just fine I can quite understand how you both felt I bet when you heard him coming up stairs you were anxious to know & yet afraid to ask; but you know how glad I am it is all settled it is a great trouble off your minds.

I certainly expect to get to dear old Southend & see you all soon I believe after convalescence one is entitled to ten days at home.  When I wrote to you before I thought perhaps this was like the hospitals in France only keep you for a few days but it is very different here they will not let you go until you are quite better we receive every comfort & attention.  I am not yet allowed to have meat, cake, or fruit yet but I have plenty of good fish, eggs & milk puddings very much nicer to what one gets in France.

How is Ansell?  I expect about the same.  It is a bit rough when you get a boy that falls in the cigarettes I thought you were going to say that he used to sneak them they do get up to some tricks.

I had a letter from Father yesterday he said he was coming to see you this week I know he will be pleased to hear all the good news.  I believe the weather has been very wet here lately although I have not seen it but that does not count very much with you now.

I was surprised to hear that you have a man after all this time but he must be a great help to you both I am very pleased that he suits you.  Talking about him swearing it reminds me of the old chap Gibbs we had at Glasshouse St when he was annoyed he used to say ‘Toots Toots’ of course that might have meant something very bad in Scotch as he was a Scotchman.

I am glad Joy is quite well.  I expect she knows plenty of songs now.  I can’t send her any more silk cards.  I should think that is a good name for her I know she used to like to help her Mother.

I am going to have a try for Home Service or the RA.M.C. as soon as I am better.

Well I think I have told you everything this time.

I hope you are all well & that there is plenty more good luck in store for you.

With much love & kisses

From your devoted

Brother

France

Oct 1^st 1916

My Dear Nell,

A few lines to let you know I am quite well. I received your welcome letter yesterday.

Pleased to know my letter got through alright. Was not sure weather you would get it or not.  I expect you will see a few of the Fus in Egypt soon.  There were a good few wounded & are in hospital in England.

Bartrup got his discharge from Army being under age.  He was 17 ½.  I think he was jolly lucky as he has missed the extra “hit” which we have been in.

I expect it was a bit of a sight to see the Zepps on fire. We don’t get such a luxury here.  In fact we never see a Zepp at all.  We see an aeroplane being shelled now & again but I have not seen one brought down yet.  The only thing we have seen like it was when our aeroplanes set 5 enemy observation balloons on fire.

Next line of text Blue Pencilled. We don’t know how long we shall be there but there are rumours that when we come out we shift back further from the line & leave starts.

Can you send me Bert’s address again. I have lost it & want to write to him.

No more “news” now.  Please remember me to your Mother & Father.  With fondest love & Kisses from

Your loving

Alf

xxxxxx

With Envelope to

Miss E. Pilgrim,

161 Abbey Rd

Barking

S.X.

England.

Stamped Field Post Office. B 5 OC 16. Noted “Edge Hill”

Censor 2276 Signed G.L. Benjamin

On Active Service With the British Expeditionary Force YMCA headed notepaper

1.10.16

Dear M & P

Glad to receive your letter and hear you have been having a change I hope it has done you all good.  So Miss Sewell has turned out rather mysterious.  Well I do hope something comes of the Hallam affair.  In any case I hope you don’t suffer.  Well I met Jim Hopkinson a few days ago and had several walks with him he wished to be remembered to you all.  You can tell his people that he is merry & bright.  I eventually gave him my bed which I was sorry to leave.  We are now training again there is a fine chateau here but cannot say it is the best of places we have struck.  Still the weather is great for the time of the year and some of the boys are bivouacking out amidst the trees.  There is very little more to say beyond I am in the pink here.  We run a football team and I even donned our colours on the other day wearing the thistle.  I looked like a Scotch International weight thrower.  I wouldn’t mind having some vermin powder sent out as it comes in very useful at times.  How’s Geo going on?  Had a letter some time ago suppose I shall soon have a new auntie at my time of life too don’t think I could work special leave on that score although it certainly deserves it.  Well Cheerho for present

Gussie

Give them my best.