Letter to Miss Dillon 13 June 1919

Intelligence Corps,
G.H.Q.,
Constantinople
13.6.19

My dearest Lillie,
Many thanks for your letter of the 21st May I have already written to Anna and also sent a cable. I think she ought to be awfully happy. Of course you must come to India with me. I hope to be there by Xmas and if you are not allowed to come with me you could follow after in a couple of months. I am sending you a letter by hand today with Captain Bates an awfully nice fellow whom I knew in York a couple of years ago and whom I met here yesterday. He is with the Dardenelles Commission on the Admiralty Yacht “Triade”, I dined with him on his ship on the Bosphorus last night just opposite the Sultan’s Palace and had a glorious evening. It was a perfect Eastern night and we stood on deck for hours drinking in the beautiful night and then I returned in a motor launch to my billet. He is dining with me to-night at the Club. He will call to see you if he has any time in London on his way back to York and I hope you will see a lot of him as he is such a nice fellow. I have had great luck to-day about Roumania and G.H.Q. will send me on if Roumania will send someone here to relieve me. I am tremendously bucked as I might be off in a few days.
I also met Coke Harvey here, a youth whom I asked to come to that dance at Grosvenor Hall and who could not turn up owing to the ‘flu.

Will write more later.
Best love to you & Anna
from Willie

with cover to Miss de C. Dillon, M.T. RASC, No 1 Reserve Depot Grove Park, Lee, London S.E. 12 postmarked ARMY POST OFFICE Y 16 JU 19. Passed by Censor 179 signed W. Dillon Lieut.

Letter to Miss Dillon 13 June 1919

Intelligence Corps,
G.H.Q.,
Constantinople
13.6.19

My dearest Lillie,
Many thanks for your letter of the 21st May I have already written to Anna and also sent a cable. I think she ought to be awfully happy. Of course you must come to India with me. I hope to be there by Xmas and if you are not allowed to come with me you could follow after in a couple of months. I am sending you a letter by hand today with Captain Bates an awfully nice fellow whom I knew in York a couple of years ago and whom I met here yesterday. He is with the Dardenelles Commission on the Admiralty Yacht “Triade”, I dined with him on his ship on the Bosphorus last night just opposite the Sultan’s Palace and had a glorious evening. It was a perfect Eastern night and we stood on deck for hours drinking in the beautiful night and then I returned in a motor launch to my billet. He is dining with me to-night at the Club. He will call to see you if he has any time in London on his way back to York and I hope you will see a lot of him as he is such a nice fellow. I have had great luck to-day about Roumania and G.H.Q. will send me on if Roumania will send someone here to relieve me. I am tremendously bucked as I might be off in a few days.
I also met Coke Harvey here, a youth whom I asked to come to that dance at Grosvenor Hall and who could not turn up owing to the ‘flu.

Will write more later.
Best love to you & Anna
from Willie

with cover to Miss de C. Dillon, M.T. RASC, No 1 Reserve Depot Grove Park, Lee, London S.E. 12 postmarked ARMY POST OFFICE Y 16 JU 19. Passed by Censor 179 signed W. Dillon Lieut.

War Diary of AA Laporte Payne 9 June 1919

EXTRACTED FROM.

Brigade Diary, Personal Diary, Operation Orders, Note Books, Memoranda
Correspondence
—————–

June 9th 1919.
BRIGADE SPORTS.
76th Army Brigade R.F.A.

Whit Monday
Programme. 11, a.m. to 7 p.m.

Flat Races, Tug-of-war, Long jump, 440 yds, 120 yds hurdles.
High Jump, Relay race.
Officers’ jump
V.C. Race, Alarm Race, N.C.O.’s jumping, Lloyd Lindsay Race,
Led Horse jumping, Wrestling on horseback, Band Race.

(I acted as judge of mounted events.)

June 12 1919
We have moved and I have been away on business for one or two days. Our time is spent in a round of parades, inspections, training and sports.

Our sports which we have just held were a great success. Our battery was second on points. It was a lovely day. We had a band and large tents in which lunch tea and supper were served.

Yesterday we were inspected by the G.O.C. Division and the C.R.A. The former is an excellent fellow and was most agreeable. He seemed satisfied, and all he wanted me to do was to whitewash the kitchen. I turned the whole population of the village under the Burgomaster to clean up the streets of the place in the early morning, so I am not exactly popular.

Robertson inspects us this week end. The battery was photographed the other day, but the prints are not very good.

Dinner parties are the order of the evening now. The Colonel is in bed with a bad leg caused by a fall at jumping.

The Left half of the Battery beat the Right at cricket this afternoon.

Letter to Mrs Springett 27 May 1919

MEMORANDUM

From Regtl Paymaster Preston II
Loyal North Lancs Regt.
To Mrs Springett
Tabors Cottages.
Date 27-5-19

……………………………………………………………………………………….

30403 Springett

Please note that the army book, of allowances forms, issued in respect of the above soldier, have been forwarded to Horsmonden Post Office to day, made payable from 6/5/19

REGIMENTAL PAYMASTER PRESTON

Letter to Miss Dillon 24 May 1919

E.F.C.
OFFICERS REST HOUSE
AND MESS
Troop Train in Italy
24th May 1919

My dearest Lillie,
To-morrow we shall arrive at Taranto after nearly a week in the train. I have got quite used to it and am not a bit tired. There may not be any delay at Taranto, so I am writing this in the train. We have had a few very interesting halts on the way for instance at Turin where we had a few hours and yesterday at Falnza where there is a rest camp. We arrived there in time for lunch. It was a lovely place with bungalows, and a band played the well known fox trots and things on the veranda during lunch. They also played “The First Love is the Last Love”. Do you remember hearing it at the Alhambra last year? The evenings are wonderful when the fire flys come out. I have never seen such multitudes of them. The whole place sparkles with them. The sunsets have been gorgeous too. We have been along the Adriatic from Rimini which we reached last night.
Breakfast at Castelmare Adriatico this morning but no time for bathing. Rationing in the train, and these are supplemented by things we buy en route. The Italian women and children come and meet the trains at the remote stations and barter eggs and wine for bully beef and cheese &c. It is great fun really and you would laugh to see the sights.
There was a thunderstorm last night but otherwise the weather has been perfect.
Taranto
25th May 1919
Arrived here this afternoon, and am to embark on the transport for Constantinople to-morrow morning. It takes four days to get there. So I shall be travelling for a fortnight when I arrive there.
Best love to you & Anna
from Willie

Letter re arrears of separation allowance 20 May 1919

MEMORANDUM

From Regimental Paymaster Winchester

To Mrs. Springett

Date 20.5.1919

……………………………………………………………………………………….

Re the Late

A/205166 Rfn Springett KRRC.

Herewith please find enclosed money order for the sum of 16/9. This is the arrears of separation allowance due to you in respect of the af soldier as from 6.5.19 to 26.5.19.

Please

Kindly return Ring Paper as soon as money order is cashed please.

REGIMENTAL PAYMASTER

WINCHESTER

MEMORANDUM

From Regimental Paymaster Winchester
To Mrs. Springett
Date 20.5.1919

……………………………………………………………………………………….

Re the Late
A/205166 Rfn Springett KRRC.

Herewith please find enclosed money order for the sum of 16/9. This is the arrears of separation allowance due to you in respect of the af soldier as from 6.5.19 to 26.5.19.
Please
Kindly return Ring Paper as soon as money order is cashed please.

REGIMENTAL PAYMASTER
WINCHESTER

Gerald Benham’s notes from diaries

1916
28 April Moved to Camp at Mistley.
6 “ Took over Holly House from Mrs Duffin.
7 “ Lois arrived to look over Holly House.
18 “ Met and dined with Dawes family at Mount Ephraim.
20 “ Lois Brian & Nurse arrived at Holly House.
Note. Several entries on good tennis matches at the Hemmings. Who were they!

1917
26 April Moved from Boughton by rail to Camp at Little Clacton. Maz went to
Dolly Dawes family saw us off. Arrived Thorpe 8.21 pm. Camp 8.35
pm.
29 “ To tea with Grannie.
1918

2 April On leave at Colchester until Saturday 6th April when I left by 8.43 train
for Liverpool St & stayed night at Great Eastern Hotel.
7 “ Reported at 1.15 pm at ALDERSHOT for Senior Officers Course.
12 “ Left by 3.20 pm from Aldershot on week end leave & returned by
evening of the 14th (Sunday)