F. Smith letter 16 August 1917.

Aug 16^th 17

Dear Father

I will now endeavour to answer your welcome letter also the enclosed 10/- note thank you very much it is very kind of you indeed.

Well here goes for a little bit of news in general.  I had a parcel from Albert to-day, also a card to say he was safe after the air raid; did they visit your way this time?

I see you are on your lonesome at present but no doubt you manage to pass the time away by running round the houses & having a chat with some of your old friends.

We have been having a rough time lately went in the line last Friday & came out on Tuesday it was a very rough shop & the weather being so wet made it much worse.  We are a little way back at present & don’t expect to go in again I believe we are going right back for a good rest very soon.

I mean to have a good time too.  Your money will come in fine then.  I am always glad to have a parcel but it is rather fortunate you have not sent one lately as we have been on the move so much.  I hope we shall be settled down in a few days again & I have it a bit easier it has been all work cleaning up &c have not had any leisure time.

You ought to see me now clothes all torn where I caught them on the barbed wire & am feeling very hitchy-koo am looking forward to a bath & a clean change.

Please tell Mrs. Warman & Lilian I have not forgotten their letter I hope they are well.

I think you must excuse more news now as I have so many letters to answer.

Hoping you merry & bright & keeping in the best of health.

Au revoir

With much love

Your devoted

Son

P.S. Did Clara receive the two cards I sent the children about three weeks ago or longer.

F. Springett letter 15 August 1917.

FOR GOD, FOR KING & FOR COUNTRY

Y.M.C.A.

H.M. FORCES ON ACTIVE SERVICE

August 15^th 1917

Same address

Wednesday evening

My Dear Brother Sid,

Just a few lines in answer to your welcome letter of yesterday, so pleased to hear you were quite well as I am still in the pink.  Glad you got back alright, I suppose you are quite settled down by now.

Fancy 33 in a carriage it is a bit too bad, I had a first class all the way from Paddock Wood, they can’t pull soldiers about as they like.  Ha Ha.

I am quite settled down to the usual work again now, we have been trench-digging this last day or two.  I dodged it all yesterday afternoon, but of course you have to be a bit slippery.  Ha Ha.

Glad you have got plenty of work.

Yes you were quite a smoker during the holiday, a cigarette is alright in the army. There is nothing better.

No there don’t seem any truth about us going across yet of course you know we should never go out as a Training Reserve, always a Regiment. I am still in the sixth Brigade, only a different Battn.  There are four Battns to a Brigade.

Yes, if I were at home I would practice all day on that weight.

It was fine sport I enjoyed it very much.

I was in part of that air raid on Sunday. I saw five of them, the guns drove them off.

The guns are a bit too hot I think, for them round this way.

It makes a bit of sport when they come, but of course it is jolly bad when they kill people.

Well, Sid I had a jolly nice parcel from home today, the contents were jolly good.

No Sid I am very well off at present thank you very much, and shall be for a week or two I hope.

I went down to the Palace at Harwich on Saturday it was jolly good. ”Some fine girls on the stage”.  Ha Ha.

Well, Sid I haven’t any more news at present, so I will close hoping this letter finds you quite well.

With Best Love

From Your

Affec Brother

Frank W

Write soon.

With cover to Mr S.K. Springett, 29 Bath Road Dartford Kent

Postmarked HARWICH 9.45 AM 16 AU 17

Special Order 20 Division 14 August 1917.

SPECIAL ORDER

After an enforced absence of some 4 months, I find myself again with the Division which I have already had the honour of commanding for over a year.

At the present time I consider myself particularly fortunate to be once more with the troops I know and trust so well.

There is no doubt in my mind that the hard work which all ranks have put in during the past 3 weeks – more often than not under heavy fire – will be crowned in a few days with as memorable a success as we achieved at GUILLEMONT last Autumn.  No praise can be too great for what the Artillery, Engineers, Machine-Gun Corps, and Pioneers have accomplished since the Division came to Belgium; and the same applies to the work of the Signal, Supply and Medical Services.

The gallant forcing of the STEENBEEK by the 59^th Infantry Brigade today, in the teeth of severe opposition, has paved the way for the forthcoming attack by the 60^th and 61^st Infantry Brigades.

The spirit and determination that has been shown by everyone will, I am sure, in a very short time be rewarded, and the fame of the Division still further enhanced, by the capture of LANGEMARCK.

I feel I am amongst old friends once more.

1. Douglas Smith Major General,

Commanding 20^th Division

14^th August 1917

A.A. Laporte Payne letter to Muriel 12 August 1917

B.E.F.              August 12^th 1917

Darling,

Time has never flown so fast. It is awful isn’t it?  Life will be over before we can properly enjoy it.  I have the capacity I think for thoroughly enjoying the ‘Good Things’ of life – although you might not think so – camp life, noise, mud, rain and the other concomitants of war are all very well but they get a bit wearisome and boring at times – although I must be fair and say that I have never been so well and more eager to enjoy things than I am at present.

Are you still enjoying the excellent society of Mrs Lowe and the air of Bagston Hill? Or have you wandered north in the company of your parents?  No post has come for me for the last three days – they have a spite against me in the Postal Service I think.

We have been sending a lot of our men away on leave – those who have had none since they came out – poor fellows – so I am up every morning to see they go away properly dressed with no dangerous souvenirs and other ‘lively’ things – oh! you don’t know the precautions & trouble taken to see that the dear people in England don’t come to any harm. I sent a short note to you by one of the men.  I hope you got it alright.

I have just paid the battery 3000 francs, and now it is tea time. After tea I am off up the line – it is delightful there now – you can’t see for smoke or hear for the noise.  I shall be back at midnight – I hope it does not rain – but I know I shall lose my temper.  I always do moving along the road with wagons – everything gets choked up and it is a great relief to let drive at some of these thick headed creatures – poor fellows I am usually sorry afterwards.  I have not had the heart to damn them for not cleaning the harness and vehicles lately – but there will have to be a day of reckoning – the harness is filthy and red with rust – there are four sheds full of it and we are very short handed.  I am expecting a visit from the General soon and he is a brute who expects everything to be like a parade in peace time – however I don’t suppose he will get nearer than our gate which has at least 2 foot of mud and he will certainly get his boots dirty if he comes in.

How are you keeping dearest? I hope well – you certainly seem to be having a very good time.  I am enjoying myself with the horses.  I have found a broken down cottage and in it I have my 2 horses (one the famous bay mare known throughout the Brigade as the hottest little devil of all) – the major’s two horses – one of which won the Aldershot jumping – 2 belonging to a sub who came from the R.H.A.  One a very good jumper –  and another belonging to another sub.  All these I ride in turn – as many as four a day sometimes and now they are all fit.  Their coats are looking fine and not a blemish on them.  So you see I have a good time in spite of all.  It is comical to see these horses tied up in the kitchen and best parlour of the cottage, but they look all the better for being under cover and free from the mud.

With all much love dearest and lots of kisses

Ever your

Arch.

A.A. Laporte Payne letter to Muriel 11 August 1917

B.E.F.
5 a.m. August 11th 1917.

Darlingest,

Just another note by a man going on leave to thank you for your letter of the 5th which has just arrived.

Have your people managed to get away yet or are you still with Mrs Lowe? I am so sorry they are being so delayed by the move – but the weather is not at all pleasant now and it probably will be much better later on.

I cannot think about leave yet. This weather has upset things so. It is an awful nuisance but it can’t be helped so it is no use worrying. You can imagine how much I want leave.

Why should you be dissatisfied with your letters lately, dearest? I am not at all. I ought to be with mine but I am a very selfish brute and as long as I hear from you to know that you are well and still thinking about me I don’t care a hang what happens.

I must close – the fellow is in a hurry – poor chap. He has not seen his people since Dec 1915.

With all my love & kisses
Ever your
Arch.

FOR GOD, FOR KING & FOR COUNTRY

Y.M.C.A.

H.M. FORCES ON ACTIVE SERVICE

August 10^th 1917

Ray Farm Camp

56153 Pte F.W. Springett

A Company

17^th Training Reserve

Ray Farm Camp

Parkeston

Essex

My Dear Brother Sid,

Just a few lines as promised hope they will find you in the best of health as I am in the pink.

You will see by the address that I have shifted into the 17^th Battn.  I have not moved very far from the other camp though, only about three miles.

This doesn’t seem a bad Battn all the Sergeants seen so nice, which of course makes things go all the better.  They are nearly all Kings Royal Rifles sergeants this time.  Of course we shan’t stay here very long the old Brigade is on the move shortly.

I arrived back safe about 10.30 it was a jolly good train so we had nothing to grumble about.

Well, Sid I enjoyed myself jolly fine at home, it is jolly hard lines coming back though.

I didn’t like the idea of coming back to it, but I suppose it’s got to be done.

Still I’m alright while I’m here there is plenty of enjoyment at this camp.

I hope you have still got plenty of work, of course we are never out of job.  Ha Ha.

Well Sid I haven’t got much news to tell you, everything is about the same as usual down this way.

Once again I must thank you for the kind treatment you gave me while I was home, and I hope to see you again soon.

Well Goodbye, Best Love

From Your

Affec Brother

Frank W

Write soon.

With Y.M.C.A. cover to Mr. S.K. Springett, 29 Bath Road, Dartford Kent.

Postmarked HARWICH. Date unreadable.

Sunday

9-8-17

Dear F & M

I was very much disappointed last week when I did not receive any letter from you on my birthday but I suppose you were on your way home and did not have time to write.  Have you received that parcel yet, if so when my watch has been repaired send it on to the battalion and address your letters there now for I shall be back by this time next week.  Will you also send a bottle of aspirin tablets at least 100 for I have had a lot of tooth ache lately.  Has Gladys come back yet she seems to have had a very good time at Kibworth.  Well I have no more news at present don’t forget to write again it’s a fortnight now since I heard from you.

Dearest love

George

A.A. Laporte Payne letter to Muriel 9 August 1917

B.E.F.

4.45 am August 9^th 1917

Darling,

Just a line by one of the men who is going on leave to let you know we are alright out here and that I am still thinking of you. I have found in a drenched coat a letter which I wrote to you and forgot to give to the post orderly – but I hope you will get this earlier than one by the usual method.

Your cake was delicious eating – I had some for tea last night.

Let me know if you get this properly stamped – if not the fellow I give it to, will be sorry for himself when he returns.

There is no news I can tell you – forgive this very short note.

With all my love & kisses

Ever your

Arch.

A.A. Laporte Payne letter to Muriel 5 Aug 1917

B.E.F.

August 5^th 1917

Dearest,

So you have left your farm work at last and are now enjoying a well earned rest. I expect you are glad it is over; it must have been rather trying at times.  Thank you so much for your two long letters – one from Eardiston & one from Bagston Hill, and also for the lovely cake which arrived at the same time.  It is delicious and came as a welcome relief from rations.  As I don’t know whether you are going north to Wales and as Mrs Cross told my people it was very unlikely that they would be able to get away, I am sending this letter to Benchfield.

I am very glad to hear that you are having such a good time with Mrs Lowe. I hope she looked after you properly.  Thank you very much for ‘old Jo’s letter which is very amusing.  It is a nuisance for you that Mrs Cross has had to move just at this time but I hope it will turn out alright and you will get your holiday together.  How are they keeping?  Please give my love to Mrs Cross and also to Mrs Lowe and the big boy and thank her for her kind message.

Are you not going to the sea this summer? It is lovely at the sea sometimes under certain circumstances. Just now it is not at all pleasant.  We have been quite flooded out.  We knew when the flood was subsiding when we see the horse’s ears semaphoring above the water – so we had no need of a dove!  It was great fun rescuing floating wagons and bridges with drag ropes.  You know the geography of this delightful country so you can imagine the result of a 60 hour storm.  I have a subaltern with me – a delightful fellow – a Scotchman – and he makes me howl with laughter at his antics and grousings.  The sight he presented when he arrived at my tent the other night after wading knee deep in water and forgetting about the ditch half way was most comical.  His great wish now is to ride into a town some way away where there are some English nurses – he says that if he does not get a sight of an English girl soon he will languish and die.

The new subalterns we are getting to replace casualties are perfectly awful. They seem to be worse than useless, and don’t know which end of the gun shoots out of.

My mare is looking very well and is thoroughly enjoying life. I have a new groom now.  The Colonel wanted my last so I had to give him up.  This fellow is very good and keeps my large quantity of saddlery very clean and nice.  Nothing looks nicer than a well groomed horse and polished leather.  Don’t you think so?

What do you think of the news in the papers. It is a great pity that the weather has interfered again.

Noon has just gone so I must go to the stables.

With all my love dearest

Ever your

Arch.

War Diary of AA Laporte Payne

EXTRACTED FROM.

Brigade Diary, Personal Diary, Operation Orders, Note Books, Memoranda

Correspondence

—————–

4^th August 1917

R.P.  August 4, 1917.

The weather is truly fearful.  We are swamped out.  We know that the floods are subsiding when we can see the tips of the horses’ ears sticking above the water.  We have no need of a dove.  Our bridge over the dyke, by which we enter the field where we live, floated away yesterday, and we had great but wet fun rescuing it.  One of the ammunition wagons completely disappeared in a bog.  I do not think I have ever experienced such a lengthy period of steady rain, certainly not in August.  Thank Jupiter it is clearing up now, so we are alright except for the MUD.

However the flood gave us a certain amount of amusement, but we could well do without it.

The new officers to replace casualties seem to be no earthly use.  I do believe they do not know which end of the gun shoots out of.  I should have thought that at this stage of the war men better trained could have been sent out.  It makes it very hard for the old stagers who have to spoon feed them without being relieved of any of their duties.

The Boche infantry is nothing like what they used to be.  The enemy seem to rely on their 5.9, in. gun and machine guns manned to the latter by picked men in strong posts.  Tanks should be our answer to the latter, and good counter-battery work to the former.  These difficulties have got to be surmounted somehow.

At last we are obtaining a fair allotment of leave for the men, I am glad to say.  The majority of them have had no leave since they have been in France.