Somewhere in France

Sunday Feb 1918

My Dear Brother Sid,

Just a few lines in answer to your welcome letter received yesterday.  So pleased to hear that you were quite well as it leaves me fairly well.

I’ve got a rotten cold, but it will soon get better I expect. I shall never forget that Saturday when you came down to Margate we did have a time together “didn’t we?”

So your girl is writing to me “eh well Sid” I thought she were a nice girl, about the best I’ve seen you with. Ha Ha.

I have joined my battn now so I have my proper address now write this address always

205166 Rfln F.W. Springett

D Company 13^th Platoon

16^th K.R.Rs

British E Force

France

I was transferred with my mate to the same platoon. So everything is alright, we even sleep together in our own barn.  Ha Ha.

My hair is growing alright Sid, of course it isn’t long enough to brush yet.

I could tell a decent tale of where I have been but of course I will leave it till I come home.

The weather as been rather wet this last week and of course it is a bit sticky now.

Yes Sid, if you can spare those mittens I should be pleased with them, they are better than gloves.

Do not send any cigarettes I can get them much cheaper than you can buy them.

What about that photo you promised me if you have one handy just send it along.

You must excuse this writing but I am in an awful hurry as I am writing to everybody today. I had seven letters yesterday, and a parcel from home.

Well Goodbye Sid I do hope you will still remain in the works, just remember me to the “girl”.

With the best of luck

I remain

Your Loving Brother

Frank

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

Postmarked Field Post Office 5X 12 FE 18. Passed by Censor ??57 W.H. McLean

Feb 14th 18

My Dear Father

I thought I would send you a few lines to know how you are getting on.
Did you receive my letter, I shall be glad to hear from you although of course it is not sufficient time to receive a reply, but it seems a long time when one is waiting. It seems ages since I was at home have settled down again now & looking forward to the next leave it won’t be for sometime yet worse luck.
We are miles away from the front that we were on so long & you may guess I am not sorry. We are in a village not many inhabitants living here, most of them have gone away; my chums & I have been for several walks the villages are all the same so there is not much chance of buying much we discovered one shop where you can get fried eggs & chips not so bad eh! You can get vin blanc but it is more like drinking vinegar cider is better.
The country is grand very hilly, with woods, streams, & waterfalls.
What sort of weather have you been getting it has been almost like summer here but to-day has been wet.
Have you seen Ciss lately? I had a letter from Affie, they are quite well completing their moving I think.
Well there is not very much news to tell you so must stop now. Shall be pleased to hear from you soon.
Hoping you are in the best of health & merry & bright. Glad to say I am A1.
With much love from
Your devoted
Son

Dear Dad,

I just remembered that it is your birthday on the 19th, so I am adding a few lines to wish you many happy returns of the day. I should like to be at home to spend it with you but never mind I hope we shall soon be able to celebrate the end of the war we will make things buzz then.
Just going to have dinner; have had a morning up on the hills practicing going into action with guns mounted on the mules it was fine sport.
Well au revoir with very best wishes from Alf

P.S. Have not received any letters yet; but I see they take about 5 days to reach us here so I expect I shall get some to-morrow.

Letter to Rev. R.M. Laporte Payne 13 Feb 1918

Headed BRITISH RED CROSS and ORDER OF St JOHN notepaper

Private A. Deall M/322688 M.T. A.S.C.

No 21 General Hospital

Alexandria

Egypt

Feb 13^th 1918.

Rev W. Laporte Payne,

Dear Sir,

To revisit at this date to Christmas Greetings sounds like a far cry, and yet I am going to make the attempt, having lacked an earlier opportunity.

Your unexpected, and therefore, all the more welcome letter and Card reached me in Jaffa early last month, and the sentiments conveyed by both touched me very much indeed.  The special reference to the Holy City was most apt, as your hope regarding it was an accomplished fact, and the British flag of freedom was already flying over Jerusalem before your letter reached me.  I have been denied by circumstances from visiting the City, and am very disappointed that my chance now seems remote, although one never knows where duty, or again circumstances may take one.  I can only claim to have been within 30 miles of the place.  Still I have seen many places and sights I never expected to behold before I enlisted, despite my limitations, and I shall not easily forget them.

At Jaffa I unfortunately contracted a severe cold, coupled with which was a recurrence of an old trouble, as a consequence of which, within a week of the receipt of your letter, I was sent “down the line” to a Base Hospital, where I am now.  I am back at my point of starting, and shall have to begin all over again.  I wonder where I shall be next time!

I thank you most sincerely for your thoughts of me, and for the inclusion of my name in your prayers on behalf of the Troops on January 6. I appreciated both all the more because I don’t happen to be a member of your Church, though in spirit and purpose we are all one.  Long ago I entrusted to Him all my cares and anxiety for the future, and I have been able in consequence to “carry on” with a light heart and inspired faith.  Your message and thoughts for us all on January 6 cheered me greatly, and I passed on your message to several of my comrades with mutual pleasure.  God grant that your hopes for a real and lasting Peace may be realised during 1918, but it must be satisfactory to the Allies to the lest degree.

As a Finchley resident I have often noticed and admired your zealous and interesting work for the Parish and the Church you love, not deeming it beneath you to come out into the open places of the district to reach the people and deliver your message. I have often listened to you.   I have had the pleasure of meeting Rev R. Mannering several times, and learned to appreciate his value in the work of the Church and the loss to your Parish his leaving it must be.  He was nobly inspired to relinquish home for Africa, and I earnestly hope every blessing and recognition will be his in his new sphere of work.

I have written a good deal more than I intended, but I’m going to let it go, even though I fear you will lay it down with pleasure. I am glad to be able to say (since I have mentioned it) that I am rid of my cold, and a slight operation for the other trouble will soon put things right.

Need I add how pleased I shall be to hear from you again if you have an opportunity of writing. News from Home and friendly good will expressed in letters loom very large in Tommy’s eyes, and when the Post-Orderly Corporal has to shake his head on hearing our enquiry “Any for me?” well then that’s when we begin to feel lonely, though there may be a thousand Tommies around us.

With kindest regards and best wishes, Believe me to be

Very sincerely yours

Alex^r Deall

FIELD SERVICE POST CARD

To Miss E. Pilgrim, 161 Abbey Rd., Barking SX Blighty.

I am quite well

I have received your letter dated 23/1/18

Letter follows at first opportunity

Signature only. Love Alf X

Date 5/2/18

Postmarked Field Post Office 3 10 FE 18

9/2/18

My dear old dad,

I owe you all letters I think.  I can’t remember writing you a personal letter since your letter dated 2^nd inst anyhow.

I am glad you have got the Scotch shoot all fixed up now.  You were inclined to be doubtful at one time of drawing one cover, & I am glad it has come off without a hitch.

So the trip is coming off at last.  The weather is certainly better for it.  I hope he comes round this way.  Tell him I think we can find him as good a dinner as he will get in most places in London now – & a bottle of ginger ale too!  I wish you could come with him dad.  You would love it & it would be splendid if you could come & see how I am fixed here.

I am much amused at your story of the half-pig.  Things will soon come to such a pass at home that one will have to go about with a solicitor always at one’s elbow.

I am glad to hear you are feeling first rate.  I hope you keep so.  I have been top-hole but am a bit off it today, so wasn’t sorry when a rugger match in which I was playing was scratched.  A couple of pills will put me right by tomorrow.

Nothing much has happened here. The Colonel has gone to the South of France for a fortnight – seedy.  3 others have gone to Paris for 6 days & the remainder of us are doing a bit of work here.  Not too strenuous, but something to keep us occupied.  I wish to goodness I could get down to some work which would be of use to me in my normal life.  When occasionally I air the grouse that I have lost 4 valuable years of my life, I am told that to show for them I have got a broader outlook on life – a wider knowledge of human nature & of dealing with men.  Perhaps I have, but that is not going to earn me a living wage by the time I am 26 or 27.  It worries me at times to know what the devil I am going to do.  However – enough of grousing.

With my best love

Your loving son

Geoff.

With cover addressed to A.W. Allen Esq., Duffield, Nr Derby. Stamped Field Post Office H.7 dated 10 Fe 18 also Passed by Censor No 3477. G. W Allen.

TABLE showing DANGEROUS and FATAL AREAS of GERMAN IRON WORKS.

Addendum to Report on

GERMAN IRON INDUSTRY AND THE WAR.

By Harold Abbot Titcomb.

The question has arisen as to the actual size of the objective should German Blast-Furnace Works be attacked by aircraft with very heavy bombs. The following figures are reliable and conservative for an average of all the Iron Works in western Germany (excluding the small and scattered works in Siegerland.)

In the Table, two areas have been calculated, viz.,

(1), DANGEROUS AREA, which includes the blast-furnaces, hot-blast stoves, and the plant closely connected with them and surrounding them.

(2), FATAL AREA, within the Dangerous Area, being the actual ground-space occupied by the Blowing Engines, Power-plant, Pumps and Gas-washers.

Thus the “Fatal Area” as calculated and shown in the Table, does not include a large amount of damageable machinery necessary to the operation of portions of the Iron Works, such as Blast-furnaces, Hot-blast stoves, Cold-blast air piping, the huge and complex Hot-gas pipe system, Charging devices, Cranes, Rolling-stock & tracking, Electric wire cables for power and light, Water cooling pipe system, Machine and repair shops, Laboratories, Casting-houses Etc.,  most or all of which lie within the “Dangerous Area” .

Any iron metallurgist or owner of an Iron Works will acknowledge, therefore, that the Fatal Area as shown in the Table is indeed very fatal.

———————————-

In the Table following, the average of 7 German Iron works show actual areas of

(1) Dangerous Area, —285M. Sq. = 311 yards sq., =20 acres

(2) Fatal Area ————95     do   =104         do     =2¼   do

These 7 Works, however, are somewhat larger than the average iron works in western Germany; hence, after some consideration, I have given the above figures of 14 acres and 1½ acres, and regard these as conservative.

H.A.T.

Salisbury House, London E.C.

Feb. 8. 1918.

To go with Copy No 5 Main Report.

Location of original Titcomb reports 8 February 1918.

TITCOMB’S REPORT.

THERE ARE EIGHT COPIES OF THIS REPORT, disposed as follows:-

Date                         Date

sent                           Ack.

No 1. to H.A.T. London

“  2.   “  H.C. Hoover, Washington; & to Sec. of State

& U.S. Gov’t.                                                          28/12/17               24/1/18

“  3.   “  Major Harold Fowler, Signal Corps,

Aviation Section, U.S. Army, Paris                        18/1/18            verbally

same day.

“  4.   “  American Committee’s Copy London

“ Sir Wm. Weir 4 PM May 22/18                             25/5/18           at interview H.A.T. & F.W.L present

“ 5.    “ Lord Desborough. (returned)  To Col.                     17/1/18    Ack & returned.

Joseph C. Morrow,   U.S.A. 35, Eaton

Place London, Mch. 19/18, and handed by             19/3/18

him to Gen. Livingston,

Sec. Air Ministry, London.

“ 6.   “ The Iron & Steel Institute,

28 Victoria St, London.  G.C. Lloyd

Secretary.  About May 15, borrowed

by War Office Intelligence Dept.                            18/1/18

“ 7 .  “ Captain Warre & Major —–, of the

War Office Intelligence Department,

(M.I. 6.B.), Strand House, Kingsway London          12/2/18         (at their request)

“ 8.   “ Sent Mch 15/18 to Colonel Gordon                          15/3/18

(VC?), Bridge of Earn, Scotland.

(returned soon afterwards). Care

Ralph Peacock Esq. Returned; now

with H.A.T. at Warehead (?)

LANCHESTER’S MEMORANDA.

One Copy to F.W. Lanchester, 41, Bedford Square, W.C. London.

“         “  H.A. Titcomb, 27, Pembroke Gardens, Kensington London.

“         “  H.C. Hoover, Washington. Following Report No 2.             21/2/18

“         “  Major Harold Fowler, U.S. Army,                                         21/2/18

(American Aviation Headquarters)                                      Sent (to) the

(45. Ave. Montaign, Paris)                                                   Embassy

Following Report No. 3.                                                      London.

“         “  Colonel Joseph C. Morrow, U.S.A.                                       19/3/18

Aviation Officer, 35 Eaton Place

London (Mch 19, 1918) Personally

handed with Report No 5 same date by

Col Morrow, soon after to Gen. Livingston,

Sec British Air Ministry.

“         “  Sir William Weir, Chief of Air Ministry,                                22/3/18

Hotel Cecil, (together with copy No 4 of my main             at interview

Report)                                                                                 H.A.T. and

With Report No 4 same date.                                               F.W.L.

F.W. Lanchester Present.                                                     present.

“         “  A.E. Berriman, Mch 21/18                                                     21/3/18 (Registered signed)

Memo.

1. full copy No. 4. American Engineer copy.

Loaned to Sir Wm. Weir, May 22^nd with Lanchester.

signed Harold A. Titcomb.

Copy No. 5 went to Gen. Livingston (Sec Air Ministry)

Y.M.C.A

H.M. FORCES ON ACTIVE SERVICE

Feb 5^th 18

My Dear Father

Here we are again back with the M.G.C. arrived yesterday afternoon you can bet it is a bit rough starting again but I expect I shall soon settle down.

Well how are you keeping merry & bright I hope.  I was thinking of you on Sunday & I expect you were wondering how far I had got on my journey.  It was very good of Peter & Charlie to come to the station with me I think it was the best way I caught the train easily, & had a good trip across the Channel.

I had a real good holiday could not have enjoyed myself better & I must thank you very much for all that you did for me especially for the trip to the Oxford it was grand & also for the money you gave me I have enough to carry on for a month or two now.  I have not spent anything since I have been back, Ciss packed me up with plenty of cakes & you can bet I just enjoyed the pie.  When did you go home from there?  They do everything that is possible to give you a good time it was impossible to do any more for me than they did I am sure they thought of everything.

You will be glad to hear I found the boys out for a rest, been out about a week we are not far from where I left them but we are going much further back in a day or two for about six weeks; it sounds too good to be true but I am looking forward to a good time.  They are sending some of the attached men back to their Battalions the Essex have not gone & I hope we shall not have to.

We are sleeping in huts on wire beds the feathers are very hard am not quite used to them yet.

Cannot think of any more news to tell you I shall be looking forward to hearing from you soon.

I hope you are still in the best of health; take care of yourself.  Glad to say I am A1.

Cheerio.  With much love from

From your devoted

Son

P.S. The razor goes fine much quicker than the old sort.  I think I shall have a run down the village to-night there are two cinema shows here not so bad eh!  What sort of weather are you having it is grand here almost like summer.