1862 J James

1/5 Leicester Regt

Transport Sec

Dear Mr,

            Just a few lines to say I got your letter, and was very pleased with it, i am going on nicely up to now, i had a letter from Miss Hunt, but i am sending a letter, we are having some rain, but never mind, we can stand it, we are having to keep our eyes open they are shelling in the next field to us, i hope we are going to win, but they are a bit hot some times, all the send there best love to you, and all there Friends, I think this is all this time, i will write again in a other week,

From  A Soldier Friend at the Front.

In envelope addressed to Rev T.W. Walters, Vicar of Whitwick, Leicester Rd, Whitwick, Leicestershire.  England.

Letter postmarked FIELD POST OFFICE T 46  26 JY 15

PASSED BY CENSOR 405 in triangular cachet in red.

1862 Driver Joseph James

1/5 Leicester Regt

Transport

Dear Sir,

            Just a few lines to say I am going on quite well at present, and I hope this will find you the same, i have seen a lot of the boys from Whitwick, that is in the first Leicesters and they are going on alright, we do not hear as no Church Belles our hear, it is so quiet, but we have the band to keep us alive, that is some-thing.  I read in the paper were there had been a lot of rain in Leicestershire, I expect it as stops the hay making, I don’t think it will be long befor i come and see you they have started leave, we are alright till those Jack Johnson’s came round us, then we have to fli I think this is all this time, so if you like to write back, get my address from my sister Vicarage Farm House.

With Best Love.

From Joseph James.

In green envelope addressed to The Rev T.W. Walters, Vicarage House, Leicester Rd, Whitwick, Leicestershire.  England.

Letter postmarked FIELD POST OFFICE T 45.  16 JY 15.

On YMCA headed notepaper.

No 20141 B Company 10^th Leicester Regt

Deerbolt Camp

Barnard Castle

 5 July 15

Dear Sir,

            I have now been away from home over a week and thought I should like to write a line or two to you.  I have had a rough time of it my arm has pained me through vaccination, but I hope soon to be alright again.

Our camp is situated in a very nice part quite near the ruins of Barnard Castle, the town is a very quiet old place, being only a small market town.  The life here is very different to home life, one has to mix with all kinds of fellows, but I am alright, we get plenty of good food, and exercise, and apart from this vaccination I am keeping well.

I shall be glad to have a letter from you anytime, as I often think of home and it is nice to receive news.

With kind regards

I remain

Yours truly

Pte A. Fellows

There is no envelope with this letter.

Dear Sir,

            Just a few lines hoping you got my last letter I sent about a fortnight.  I received the Book safe as you sent & thank you very much for it.  I write a line or two hoping you in the best of health as it leaves me at present.  What sort of Wheather are you having over their very Warm I suppose.  We are having some lovely weather at present.  We have not had a drop of rain as a Week or so it as been Warm three or four days the rest it as **** cold.  We can’t Grumble at the Weather out hear.  We have a Church Service twice a week they are very good services as Well.  I went to the Y.M.C.A.  We had a Church Service on Sunday.  I should like to hear the Whitwick Church Bells ring once more their in non out hear like them.  I hope We shall all meet again those from Whitwick once more  all been Well & Good.  I hope the War will soon be over and I may have a safe Return home. I must close my letter with love from myself to all.

I remain your friend

Sincerely J.J.

This is the way how to put my address

1862.  5^th Leics D^r. J. James Transport Section.  Lincs & Leics Brigade, Britt Expd Force.

In envelope addressed to Rev T.W. Walters, Vicarage House, Leicester Rd, Whitwick, Leicestershire.  England.

Letter postmarked FIELD POST OFFICE 138  2 JU 15

PASSED BY CENSOR 405 in triangular cachet in red.

Newcastle on Tyne

Dear Sir

            Just a line to keep my promise trusting that it will find you quite well as I am sorry to say that I am attending hospital at present.  It is a fine big place here and I do not know how many thousands of Soldiers are here in and around Newcastle.  I like the work all right but we have to march so far to where we keep the horses backwards & forwards to our meals as we have them at a restaurant they are talking of shifting us to Notts I hope they will and then I could get to Whitwick very often Dear Sir I hope that I shall be able to send you my photo next time will write you more next time as I am going to Hospital.  Please to give my best Respects to your beloved Wife and family and accept the same yourself.

I am Dear Sir

Yours respectfully

A Sparks

Private A. Sparks

111627

55 Squadron

A.S.C.

Handyside Buildings

Percy Street

Newcastle-on-Tyne.

There is no envelope with this letter.

Orderly Room

11^th

(July 15)

Rev^d T.W. Walters

Rev^d Sir,

            Thank you very much indeed for your nice letter of the 6^th received about 3 o’clock today.

            Yes I think I have seen enough out her to fill a little book, but I am afraid it would be a very queer one.

            I have now passed my first test of trench life, of course I was not in the Fire Line, altho I spent some time in it during the early hours of two mornings.  The Sergt Major and myself had a little dug-out just behind, in which we did our office work, and also slept.

We had a very warm time and I was not sorry to get out.  The last morning in, a shell fell a very few yards from me, happily in a bog and so buried itself much more than if it had dropped on hard ground, but I was nicely covered with mud.

They are awful things, and we had a good number burst all round us.

I must thank you very much for your prayers, they are very helpful and also encouraging, constantly my thought are with you at the Sunday Services and week night meetings, and I can picture everyone, and also when I hear of the different members joining the Country’s call, I can see the empty spaces.

How I long to be at Sunday Service again.  It is very awkward for me to get to our service and there again it is not advisable to hold a large service and so they are held in small groups.

I heard from Lt. A.T. Sharpe and also my father what a nice Memorial Service you had the other week.

I read all Sidney Burton’s letters in the paper, I had met him once at Whitwick.

I think it would be nice to have a Tablet in church for Ernest Tugby, and I should like to suggest that should any more members have the misfortune to be killed, that they have one also.

I heard from home that you have had two very good thunderstorms.

You must be mistaken in the member of the choir you saw at Hugglescote Church.  I have no brother, only one sister.

We have many varieties of weather, some days hot, others cold and showers, but it is always very cold at night.

I get very little rest, there is such a large amount of work – always to be done.

I am afraid this lot will be a very long time before it ends by the look of things out here.

Must now close because I have several letters etc waiting to be attended to.

Kindly remember me to all our members and accept my very best wishes for yourself and family

Yrs obediently

Albert Will.

In a green envelope addressed to Rev^d T.W. Walters, The Vicarage, Whitwick, Nr Leicester, Angleterre

Letter postmarked FIELD POST OFFICE 138 11 JY 15.

There is no censor mark on this letter.

1915

5^th July 1915.  Inspection of the Battalion by Brigadier-General Cowper, G.O.C. Poona Divisional Area.

15^th July 1915.  Lieut. E.P. Hardy and the Machine Gun Section proceeded to Satara.

16^th July 1915.  One officer and 26 other ranks proceeded from Kirkee to Bombay as escort to ammunition train.

19^th July 1915.  One officer and 26 other ranks proceeded from Kirkee to Bombay as escort to ammunition train.

31^st July 1915.  “A” and “C” Companies, under the command of Captain J.E.C. Graham, returned to Headquarters.  The Detachment suffered very severely from malaria fever whilst stationed at Kirkee.

BRIGADE ORDERS.

BY BRIGADIER-GENERAL TREVOR TERNAN, C.M.G., D.S.O.,

COMMANDING 102^nd (TYNESIDE SCOTTISH) BRIGADE.

HEADQUARTERS, ALNWICK,

31^st JULY, 1915.

579 – District Court-Martial –

            The District Court-Martial directed to assemble in Brigade Order No. 550 of 25^th July, 1915, of which Major E.K. Purnell. 23^rd (S.) Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers (4^th Tyneside Scottish), was President, is hereby dissolved.

580 – District Court-Martial –

            The detail of Officers as mentioned below will assemble at the Court-Martial Room, The Havens, North Demesne, Alnwick, on  the 3^rd August, 1915, at 10 a.m., for the purpose of trying by a District Court-Martial the accused persons named in the margin [and such other person or persons as may be brought before them] :-

PRESIDENT

Major A.G. Niven, 21^st (S.) Battalion, Northumberland Fusiliers (2^nd Tyneside Scottish.)

MEMBERS

A Captain, 20^th (S.) Battalion, Northumberland Fusiliers (1^st Tyneside Scottish.)

A Captain, 21^st (S.) Battalion, Northumberland Fusiliers (2^nd Tyneside Scottish.)

The accused will be warned, and all witnesses duly required to attend.

The proceedings will be forwarded to the G.O.C., 102^nd (Tyneside Scottish) Brigade, “Alnbank,” Alnwick.

The Officers Commanding 20^th, 21^st, 22^nd, and 23^rd (S.) Battalion, Northumberland Fusiliers (1^st, 2^nd, 3^rd, and 4^th Tyneside Scottish.) will each detail three Officers to attend for instructional purposes.

In the margin.  No. 21/609 Private. W. Wright, 21^st (S.) Battalion, Northd. Fus. (2^nd Tyneside Scottish); No./ 22/518 Pte. W. Brown 22^nd (S) Bn. Northd Fus (3^rd Tyneside Scottish);  No. 22/1568 Pte. A. Smith, 22^nd (S.) Btn. Northd. Fus. (3^rd Tyneside Scottish) .

581 – Recruiting Meetings – Details of –

            In addition to the Recruiting Meeting detailed in Brigade Order No. 576 of 30^th July, 1915, the following meetings will also be held.

Pipe Bands will be detailed to attend these meetings.

Officers Commanding Units to which the Bands so detailed belong will send an Officer and two Recruiting Sergeants to accompany the Band.

Place                 Date.  Time of Meeting.                           Band.

Rothbury .                August 1^st     7-30 p.m. 20^th (S.) Bn. Northumberland Fusiliers (1^st Tyneside Scottish).

Morpeth.                    August 4^th    7-30 p.m. 23^rd (S.) Bn. Northumberland Fusiliers (4^th Tyneside Scottish).

582 – Musketry Scoring Books –

            With reference to Brigade Order No. 573 of 29^th inst., it is found that by obtaining these scoring books by the thousand a very considerable reduction in price is obtainable.  Officers Commanding Units will be good enough to report to Brigade Headquarters the number of copies required, when an order to cover the whole will be given to Messrs McQueen and Co.  The price per 1,000 is £5, carriage paid to nearest station.  They should be sold at 1¼d. each and the difference in price credited to the Regimental Institute Funds.

583 – Battalion Mess in Camp –

            In view of the approaching move of the Battalions to Musketry Camps at Hornsea and Whitburn, Officers Commanding Units will take steps to ensure that the correct procedure as regards the serving of meals in Camp, as laid down in circular issued with Army Book 48 A to all Units yesterday, is carried out.

The Brigade Commander wishes Commanding Officers to give their personal attention to this question.

584– Extracts from Northern Command Orders –

DISCHARGES –

            No discharges from the Regular Army or Territorial Force under King’s Regulations, Paragraph 392, iii (C.), or on medical grounds will, for the present, be carried out in the United Kingdom without War Office sanction.  Nominal Rolls of all men whose discharge is recommended by General Officers Commanding or Medical Officers will be submitted weekly to the War Office, on Wednesday, by General Officers Commanding Brigades or Garrisons, and Commanders acting in a similar capacity.  The Rolls should state the man’s number, name, Unit, date and place of attestation, age on enlistment, paragraph and sub-paragraph of King’s Regulations under which discharge is proposed, and brief particulars of the medical or other cause of discharge.  Rolls dealing with Medical Cases, which should only be those of men unfit for Home Service, will be kept separate from those dealing with other discharges, and will be accompanied by the reports of Medical Boards, A.F. B. 179, when these have been held, or by A.F. B. 204 in other cases.  In the case of Cavalry, Artillery and Infantry of the Regular Army, applications for discharge under sub-paragraph iii (C.), of paragraph 392, King’s Regulations, will only be put forward by Officers Commanding Depots and “Rejoining Units”, to which men whose discharge is thought desirable under this sub-paragraph, must be posted as directed in War Office letter 19/General Number/5267 (A.G. 1), dated 19^th June, 1915.  An exception to this course will, however, be permitted in the case of men of the New Armies, including the Fourth New Army, whose discharge is recommended under King’s Regulations, paragraph 392 iii. (C.), on the ground that they are medically unfit both for Foreign and Home Service.  Applications for the discharge of these men maybe put forward from the New Army Unit in which they are serving.  Officers in Charge of Records will bring to notice any discharges carried out in contravention of these orders.

Authority, War Office telegram, No. 4164 (A.G. 2 B.), dated 26^th July, 1915 (19/General Number/5431).

C.R.N.C. No. 66037 (A.I.).  Northern Command Order No.1401.

“LONDON GAZETTE” –

The following extract from the “London Gazette” of Tuesday, 27^th July, 1915, is published for information:-

Alexandra, Princess of Wales’s Own (Yorkshire Regiment)–

(Tees-side Pioneers). – The undermentioned to be temporary Second Lieutenants:-

Cecil Howard MacNay.  Dated 28^th June, 1915.

Charles Philip Miller.  Dated 3^rd July, 1915.

            Northern Command Order No.1408.

VEHICLES –

All vehicles in possession of Units will be marked in accordance with paragraph 445. and Appendix XX., Equipment Regulations, Part I., 1912.

C.R.N.C. No 74639 (O.S.) Northern Command Order 1409.

MEMORANDUM ON MESSING OF TROOPS AND AVOIDANCE OF WASTE –

            Attention is called to the above Memorandum which is issued with these Orders.

All future cases brought to notice of mismanagement in the case of Units that have had reasonable time to evolve a proper system of interior economy will be regarded as reflecting on the administrative abilities of the regimental authorities concerned.        

Authority, War Office letter 53/General Number/357 (C.I.Q.M.G.S.), dated 23^rd July, 1915.

C.R.N.C. No. 73605 (I.Q.S.).  Northern Command Order No.1410.

585 – Command Orders – Attention called to –

            The attention of Officers Commanding Units is called to Northern Command Orders 1411 and 1413 of 30^th July, 1915.

T.L.B. SOUTRY, Captain,

Brigade-Major, 102^nd (Tyneside Scottish) Brigade.

BRIGADE ORDERS.

BY BRIGADIER-GENERAL TREVOR TERNAN, C.M.G., D.S.O.,

COMMANDING 102^nd (TYNESIDE SCOTTISH) BRIGADE.

HEADQUARTERS, ALNWICK,

30^th JULY, 1915.

576 – Recruiting Meetings – Details of –

            Recruiting Meetings will be held as stated below.  Pipe Bands will be detailed to attend these meetings.  Captain H.B. Goater, Grouped Depot Companies, and 2 Recruiting Sergeants will accompany the Band.

Place                 Date.  Time of Meeting.                           Band.

Newton-by-the-Sea.  August 3^rd   7-30 p.m. 23^rd (S.) Bn. Northumberland Fusiliers (4^th Tyneside Scottish).

Alnwick.                     August 4^th    7-45 p.m. 22^nd (S.) Bn. Northumberland Fusiliers (3^rd Tyneside Scottish).

Eglingham.                 August 5^th   7-45 p.m. 20^th (S.) Bn. Northumberland Fusiliers (1^st Tyneside Scottish).

Felton.                        August 6^th   7-45 p.m. 23^rd (S.) Bn. Northumberland Fusiliers (4^th Tyneside Scottish).

Shilbottle.                    August 7^th    7-45 p.m. 22^nd (S.) Bn. Northumberland Fusiliers (3^rd Tyneside Scottish).

577– Command Orders – Attention called to –

            The attention of Officers Commanding Units is called to Northern Command Orders 1395, 1398, and 1404 of 29^th July, 1915.

578 – Extracts from Divisional Orders –

PASSES –

            A large number of the troops proceeding on pass have the counterfoils of their passes which should have been left with their respective units.

            A large number of passes are not stamped with the Orderly Room Stamp.

In future all passes must be stamped by the Orderly Room and have their counterfoils detached before they are handed to the men.

            Divisional Order No.40. of July, 1915.

T.L.B. SOUTRY, Captain,

Brigade-Major, 102^nd (Tyneside Scottish) Brigade.

BRIGADE ORDERS.

BY BRIGADIER-GENERAL TREVOR TERNAN, C.M.G., D.S.O.,

COMMANDING 102^nd (TYNESIDE SCOTTISH) BRIGADE.

HEADQUARTERS, ALNWICK,

28^th JULY, 1915.

566 – District Court-Martial –

            The detail of Officers as mentioned below will assemble at the Court-Martial Room, the Haven, North Demesne, Alnwick, on Friday, 30^th July, 1915, at 10 a.m. for the purpose of trying by District Court-Martial the accused person named in the margin:-

PRESIDENT

Major P.B. Norris, 22^nd (S.) Battalion, Northumberland Fusiliers (3^rd Tyneside Scottish.)

MEMBERS

A Captain, 20^th (S.) Battalion, Northumberland Fusiliers (1^st Tyneside Scottish.)

A Captain, 21^st (S.) Battalion, Northumberland Fusiliers (2^nd Tyneside Scottish.)

The accused will be warned, and all witnesses duly required to attend.

The proceedings will be forwarded to the G.O.C., 102^nd (Tyneside Scottish) Brigade, “Alnbank” Alnwick.

The Officers Commanding 20^th, 21^st, 22^nd, and 23^rd (S.) Battalions, Northumberland Fusiliers (1^st, 2^nd, 3^rd, and 4^th Tyneside Scottish.) will each detail three officers to attend for instructional purposes.

In the margin.  No. 23/1522 Pte. W.H.A. Nicholson, 23^rd (S.) Btn, Northd. Fus. (4^th Tyneside Scottish).

567 – Divisional Cyclist Company –

            Officers Commanding Units will arrange that the Officer, Non-commissioned Officers and men selected for service with the Divisional Cyclist Company shall be amongst the first to fire their musketry course, in order that after the completion of their course they will be available to join the Divisional Cyclist Company at short notice.

568– Extracts from Northern Command Orders –

CLOTHING – SOLDIERS PENDING DISCHARGE –

            Reference to paragraph 7, of Army Order 94, of 1915, cases have occurred of men being sent, pending discharge, on furlough or to nursing institutions, and remaining in possession of their uniform clothing.

The Army Order above quoted applies equally to such cases, and that under no circumstances should such soldiers be permitted to remain in possession of uniform clothing.

Authority, War Office letter A.C.D./Northern/115 (Q.M.G. 7), dated 21^st July, 1915.

C.R.N.C. No. 73361 (O.S.).  Northern Command Order No.1381.

569 – Command Orders – Attention called to –

            The attention of Officers Commanding Units is called to Northern Command Order No. 1382 of 27^th July 1915.

T.L.B. SOUTRY, Captain,

Brigade-Major, 102^nd (Tyneside Scottish) Brigade.