No 4564 Pte J.W. Brotherhood

Signalling Section

3/5 Leicesters

Bulwell

Notts

Jan 20^th 016

Dear Rev Walters,

            I have just been wondering what the future holds in store for us as a nation & also individually, because I think it is possible for one to form a just conclusion.  There are days ahead of us, but what kind of days will they be?  Days of Peace & Happiness, or days of darkness & despair?

            It seems to me to be fare presumption to suppose that victory will eradicate all evils, or even bring a new-soul to England.

            What I think is this: the soul of England will be richer clothed, it may be in garments of blood but also in garments of an imperishable nature.  She will be clothed with honour, & shielded by Freedom.

            Nations rarely seek honour to the sacrifice of wealth, or sacrifice blood to bring freedom to others.  The sacrifice of life & blood is far richer than the sacrifice of wealth.  Wealth perishes.  Honour ever lives, it knows no death.

            But what England has done is a true test of what she is able to do; & what England is able to do will reveal the elements of what Her “Soul” consists of.

The “Old Book” has a double application when it says ‘No man liveth unto himself”. There is always a 2^nd considerate & sympathy.

I think life is hard & cruel where there is no victory to cheer, or defeat to rally us.

The standard of one’s life should never be judged by the peace one enjoys, but rather by the foes conquered, & the victories won.

And that is how England will be judged in future days, the England of tomorrow will not be the England of today; every victory makes her stronger; every sacrifice stimulates Her to greater endeavours.  We do not shed blood for nought!  We harbour not the lust of greed, but the love of righteousness; & by Her sacrifice England has an Heritage in every land.  Therefore England‘s soul grows stronger; richer in power; & more resolute.

England has not a new soul, but greater ideals; the old soul has had a revelation, & revelation brings experience, & experience, generally speaking brings power.

Therefore will the days that are to come bear comparison with the days that are past?  Will they bring a new & greater dread, or will a new world burst before our eyes, & world of beauty & grandeur?

I think the spirit that is now developing will bring a limitless power & freedom to the sons who have fought & worked, & to the daughters who have loved & wept.  No true son of England is afraid of the future days.  We wait for it as we wait for the Morning Sun to rise & drive away darkness.

To the future we say “All Hail” We welcome thee as the new-born day; to the past we say “Farewell”.

There are scenes in these days that make us shudder; but the future shall give light to our eyes, & joy to our souls, & there shall be sung songs of exaltation such as the world has never known or heard before.

Sir, the day is breaking.  And we would re-echo “Break Divine Light.”

What a light it will be.  Soul-filling enraptorum.  Europe’s “Sentinel” re-echoes the question of the ages – “Watchman, what of the night?  Behold the morning cometh.”  There is a rift in the Lute.  There is breaking on our ears the music of a distant song.  Not a song to quicken the steps of the defeated, but a song of Victory & of Hope, a song that shall give step to the mareking hosts, who, having delivered freedom from bondage, now return home to peace & happiness.  The future days, in my opinion, will bring to us a greater spiritual experience.

There are men in the trenches, who have witnessed scenes of horror.  They have watched, nay, taken part in the struggle between life & death, Hell & Heaven.  What will their experience be?

Methinks that the soul-struggle is terribly great when one fights for humanity.

Life to such men will have a deeper meaning.  A new seriousness, will enter in into them, & they will regard life as a sacred possession & home as if it were heaven.  The cry is going forth today – what will the churches do with the returning millions as they gather home from the Battlefield?  But a greater question to my mind is – what will returning soldiers do with the church?

To the church that accepts the new experience of her followers there will come a blessed ministry, not from the pulpit alone, but from the Pen.  The whole church will be inspired & invigorated.  But what of the church that ignores the cry of her followers, & who refuse to accept those visions which have been given?  What of such a church?  She will be shunned.  Hated.  Despised.

The church that accepts the new-found Doctrine of Humanity is the church of the future, not that the “Old Doctrine will be despised, nay, they will be loved more & more, but we shall read the Human in the Divine, & realise that every man is worth saving.

Our heroes will not shun the ministry of church, but will rather seek to enrich it.  Visions always enrich, and life without vision is like Heaven without God.

The church will embrace her returning sons, & Her returning sons will offer of their best to the “Great Cause” that has tended & cared for them, & offered such a welcome within Her borders.  The church will adapt herself to the new conditions as She hears of the new experiences of Her followers, & after having heard such experiences She will break away from Her former self & embrace a Freedom Divine.  The Old trammels of Bigotry will be cast off, & an evangelation of the masses will be the result.  Just one other thought.  The future days will reveal a united humanity.  What I mean is – A man will value a man.

Robert Burns has well said – “A man’s a man for a that”.  No matter how men may differ, the soul is ever the same.  The one interest of men will be, how they can best serve God, King & Country, & especially each other.

A man will value his neighbour, not merely as a neighbour, but as a valuable unit of his country, & of the District in which he lives.  A deeper unity will enthral the human race.  Not a unity that will bind, but a unity that will give liberty to thought & freedom to speech; yea, the poor shall meet with the rich, & the rich with the poor, & each class will recognise that neither are dispensable, but that both are valuable units in the life of the nation, & that both are needed to carry on our National Programme.  United we stand.  Divided we fall.  And should we fall, our loss would be greater than our gains, & we should be plunged into the very jaws of Death.

But Sir, We have sought & found liberty.  Our men have bled & died for freedom.  The Empire has given of its best, & we through that sacrifice have gained liberty.

Shall we lose what we have gained?  Or shall we cement those bonds which so closely bind us together?

Thank God for the vision of a brighter future.  There are wonders untold is store for us, & the one just conclusion we arrive at is – that a new England is rising up, & a generation of patriots is taking the place of pessimists.

Edge of page torn off. ***** ***** con***.  We **** to live.  And who but those that come after us will better appreciate the sacrifice that has been made?

There is a great deal more I should like to have written, but what I have written is what I believe.  Sir you may differ from me in many things I have said, & if that be so I should like to hear what your views are, as they would help me very much.

But upon one thing we are agreed.  We win.

Please accept my best wishes, & I do pray that your ministry will be very effectual.

            I remain

                        Your very sincerely

                        PTE J.W. Brotherhood.

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

Letter postmarked Bulwell Nottingham 21 JA 16.

Jan 18^th

1916

Dear Sir,

            I am just sending you a line to say that I am quite well & I hope that you are the same & I am also writing to you to ask if you would kindly remember me to all the Bellringers & I hope that they are all quite well & I shall be very pleased to receive a line from you just to hear you & all at Whitwick are getting on.  I was very sorry to learn that Lily had gone away from home but I hope that she will on all right & I am also pleased to tell you that promoted to Corp^l & am glad to say that I am going on well & I often think about when I was at Whitwick when I used to come to Church & I also hope  that I shall not be long before I come again to see you & all & all at Whitwick & I have also sent you my address so you may send to me which is now Corpl Adams B Sqn Lei Yeo B.E.F. & now I think that I have told you all this time hoping to hear from you soon

I remain

Yours truly

W Adams

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

Letter not postmarked

Pte C Priest 10080 A Compy 6 Leicestershire Regt British Expeditionary force.

Dear Sir,

            Just a few lines to you to ask if you would call round our house Mrs Priest and see if you can do anythink for her as she olly get 27/Shillings a week and she cant live on it and I wish you could see what you can do for her by getting here a little more as there is 5 Childing and they take a lot of keeping as I am been out to the war 11 months and I cant get home and she is the olly one who as wrote and I ant had a letter from know one in the Village and she cant live as thinks are now and I hope you will do your best for her and I should like you to write me a letter for I should bee pleased to here from you and we have had a lot of rain here and I hope you are having some nice weather there so I think that is all this time from yours truly Mr C Priest lives at No 9 South St Whitwick and I hope you will please write back to me.

In green envelope addressed to Mr. Walters, The Vicarage, Whitwick, Leicestershire.  England.

Letter postmarked FIELD POST OFFICE 111.  15 JA 16.

Fred Wilson

Dear Sir

            Just a line to tell you that I am going to France on Tuesday next.  I am very sorry I have not wrote of late as I have been in Training very hard, but you know the old saying that it is better late than never, I am going to join the Hood Batt in the Base Camp hoping to find all the old boys out there.  Give my kind regards to all at Whitwick, I wish you to go and see Mrs Amos Allen 32 Silver Street, how is the Men’s Class going on I wish to be remembered to all of them, I hope this letter finds you all in the best of health, as I am A.1 befor I leave for France, I have been to Church every Sunday only when I have been on duty, that kept me away,  I will now close with all best wishes from one of the old boys.

I am yours ever

L.S. Alfred John Wilson P.T.I.

I will write again as soon as I get the chance in France (So Good Day Sir.)

There is no envelope with this letter.

No 4564 A Coy 3 Plat 3/5 Leicesters                                                     Wesleyan Chapel

Main St.

Bulwell

Notts

Jan 5^th 016.

Dear Rev Walters,

            I most heartily wish you & yours a “Happy New Year”.  To me, it is a hard & difficult wish, especially in view of present circumstances; yet I think that we can venture in safety to wish each other, Joy, Happiness, & Peace in the midst of conflict.

Therefore being confident of Victory I ask you to accept my sincere wish.  On Xmas Day our Commanding Officer came to see us at dinner, & during his short speech one sentence he said struck one very much, in fact, my heart throbbed & my eyes filled with tears:- He said – “Men, I wish you & your comrades at the Front the Best of Luck during the coming year.”

What a splendid wish – “The Best of Luck”.  but one never knows the element of “Luck” in Battle, but there is one thing we know & realise – that we are here to do our duty whatever our lot may be.

There is always a glorious uncertainty in battle.

The irony of Fate is ever present (or seems to be present) in human life.  Many people seem to live by hoping for the best; but I do not hope for anything, save that I may do my duty, & should my bones mingle with those already slain in battle, then England would be the richer because of my sacrifice.

Mark you, I want to come back to see you all again, but I am just expressing my own views, because I realise more than ever that my Country’s honour is greater than my own ‘Little Self’.  To gain honour & Freedom, some must fall & those who fall in such a conflict are Eternally honoured.

“Who shall live if England dies”.

But, Sir, England shall still live.  Her men are still brave & her daughters good.  No foe can crush us if we all are resolved to conquer.

What a Price Victory is; 120,000 of England’s gallant sons laying slain on the Battle-fields of France, Flanders & the East.

I am tempted to ask the question – Is Victory worth such a price?  Is not the sacrifice too great?  No!  it took Heaven’s Sacrifice to find Redemption, & it will need the blood of heroes to redeem humanity from oppression, injustice & vice.

No, the Price is not too great!  We shall never gain Freedom by “Simple Peace Party’s” touring the Earth, & exhorting men to lay down their arms & kiss their enemies.

I know There are Fathers, & Mothers, & Sweethearts who say with broken hearts “The Sacrifice is too great”.  In bitter anguish they weep & say – the agony of parting is unbearable – yet out of the agony one can hear the cry – “I have given my son, not that I may weep.  Though weep I must, but that humanity may reap the benefit of his sacrifice & that my home & people may be preserved from the torture & agony that has befallen the Homes & the Daughters of Serbia & Belgium.

The Price too great. Nay!  The agony of the human heart wears away in the course of time, but the agony of oppression is eternal when freedom has fled & when all the joys of life are crushed.  It is then that we hear the “Broken Hearts” say “I wished I was dead”.  I know full well that the World is scarred with wounds, but those wounds shall be healed tomorrow when the World shall rise with the flame of freedom flashing through its sky.

Honour is lost when the Humility of life gives way to ignorance – when men say – It is wrong to fight.  As Cromwell said, so we do – “Trust in God & keep out powder dry”.

We fight as the Scottish Covenanters fought, “With the Bible in one hand & the sword in the other.  Not the sword of revenge, but of Justice.  We fight to live.  If we fight not we die.  But what about our wounded men.  I have heard them say “I don’t want to go back to the Front again, but of one thing I am proud – “I have done my duty, & my wounds bear their own evidence”.

Shall we do our duty?  Shall we uphold the Dignity of our Beloved England?  It is for us to gain honour, & succour the weak, & relieve the oppressed, & see that all nations live.

Our duty we will do, because after all – no one perishes who dies in the cause of Freedom.

Freedom ever lives, & her beauty is Eternally enshrined with the spilt blood of her defenders.

People of England, all your valleys call you

Height in the rising sun, the Lark sings clear.

Will you dream on, let shameful slumber thrall you?

Will you disown your native land so dear?

Shall it die unheard.

That sweet pleading word?

Arise O England, for thy day is here.

Thank God, our slumber is over.  With grim determination we face the foe & seek to shatter her.

England is not wanting in heroes.  We all lay ourselves at Her feet, & offer all we have that she may conquer & give to the World a new glory

By what I can see despondency is giving place to optimism, & the whole of our race is rejoicing in what it is able to do.

People of England.  You are wanted

Forth then , ye heroes, patriots & lovers

Comrades of danger, poverty & scorn!

Mighty in Faith of Freedom your Great Mother

Giants refreshed in Joys new – rising morn!

Come & swell the song

Silent now so long

England is risen! – and the day is here.

I remain Sir, yours Sincerely

Pte J.W. Brotherhood.

To Rev Walters

There is no envelope with this letter.

To Capt Scovell,

Hove,

Brighton.

Dear GJS

Very glad indeed to get your letter and to hear that you are recovering.  I heard from Miss Pearce to the effect that you were Hors de Combat, but I hope that by now you are quite well.  Your letter of the 10^th December only reached me to-day, Jan 16.

I am glad to hear you are pushing along at York.  I had heard it before from many sources that the Northern Command was the best trained command of any at home.  This is not surprising when one remembers the General at its head and his staff lieutenants at his elbow.  It is strange your mentioning that you have a splendid institution in the shape of an N.C.O.s School with the best regular N.C.O.s as instructors.  I say it is strange because I am at present the commandant of a similar institution here in the 3^rd Army.  I shall have next course 150 Captains and 150 Coy Sgt Majors 1 from each battalion in the 3^rd Army.  We train them all the points to which you refer and in addition we teach the officers the traditions of the old British officer class and what it means to belong to the British Army of to-day.  I have the most extraordinary able staff of officers, gathered from all the regular battalions in the Army.  Everything is run on lines which I am sure would gladden your heart if you could see the School.  We have a corps of Drums here which keeps up the martial spirit and incidentally raises the tails above the head.  We finish up our work every day with the March-Past to the tune of “The British Grenadiers”, the school March-Past and also ****** March-Past of The Royal Irish Fusiliers (not the 87^th!! Let the General see how I have been *******).

I have Heskith Prichard, the Novelist and also the Sniping expert here running the 3^rd Army Snipping School.  I teach the students everything which it is possible to teach in the short period of 4 weeks.  Lectures on Moral, Leadership, Esprit de Corps, etc.  These are delivered by me.  Other lectures are given by some of the best men in the British Expeditionary Force out here, irrespective of Army.

Sir Douglas Haig is not altogether in favour of Army Schools as he prefers the Divisional Schools.  I told him, however, when he came to pay me a visit, that Divisional Schools are impossible for the New Armies and especially the Territorial Divisions: they have no instructors who could teach and without good instructors these schools lose all their value.

Your story about Madame Caillaux is excellent and I have added it to my list of “Bonnes Histoires”.

I am due for leave now.  I have not, however, taken it because I have felt that there is no reason for my going on leave.  I would, however, gladly come and spend a week or say four or five days with you in Northern Command.  If by so doing I could be of any service to you in the way of lecturing etc. you can let me know.  I will come although I loathe the sea.

I am absolutely up to my eyes in work and cannot write any more.  My best to the General and Lady Wilner and good luck to you.  I *** *** general’s letter. I will answer.  I am taking the whole of the A Sergeants of the III Army next course (161) & the C.O.s in batches of 20 for a week at a time to see the system & to get the spirit.  My lectures can be obtained from Gale & Polden.  I have now altered views; they are possible on the lines now being attempted.  I am helping them all I know on frid

 Week.  They are delivered on active service.

Yours ever

RGK

Lieut Col.,

Commandant,

3^rd Army Infantry School of Instruction

16.1.16.

I am sending you a copy of Trench Orders and Wolseley’s Maxims, also a copy of the Syllabus of our work here which may be of interest to you.

O Room

3^rd Jany 16

Rev^d T.W. Walters.

Rev^d Sir,

            Just a few lines to let you know I am still well.

            We had a very nice but quiet Xmas under the circumstances.

We are still resting and awaiting orders.

Will you please pay Miss Roulston the money which is in the money club, due to me, I think it is somewhere about £1.

I trust you had a good time at Xmas and that the New Year will bring all early peace & reunion.

With kind regards to Mrs Walters & yourself.

            Yrs obediently

AW Hanson

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

Letter postmarked FIELD POST OFFICE 138.  4 JA 16.

The postcard is a photograph of Scrubbing fatigue of Royal Fusiliers taken by J.M. Flatan, 88 Ley St. Ilford.

Thanks for your letters I shall reply shortly.  In this I look much happier than I felt.  Hope you are both well.

Best wishes,

Alan

Addressed to Mr & Mrs H. R King, Munmore, Zion Road, Rathgar, Dublin.

Top of postmark unreadable.  Bottom ESSEX and dated 21 JA 16.

On a postit note attached is written Alan Howard King 3^rd from left scrubbing table.

Gerald Benham’s notes from diaries

1 Jan to Duty on staff at Tendring. Back at Gt Clacton on 28th Jan.
28th Jan 1916