Letter on Y.M.C.A WITH THE BRITISH EXPEDITIONARY FORCE headed notepaper with cover to T. Smith, 24, Palmerstone Rd., Bowes Park, London N England.  Postmarked Army Post Office .S.24 ** MR 17.

No 27521

Pte. A.A. Smith

1^st Essex Regt.

15^th I.B.D.

A.P.O. (S24)

B.E.F. France

March 9^th 17

Dear Father

Thought I would write again in case you did not receive my previous letter as you would not know what part of the globe to write to.

Pleased to say I am quite well but shall be very glad when it turns warmer; have had several falls of snow since I have been here & the pipes are frozen at present so it is a bit of a job to get a wash.

Cannot stop to write more now. I shall be glad to hear from you.

Hoping you are all in the best of health.

With much love from

Your devoted

Son

A.A. Laporte Payne letter 8 March 1917.

B.E.F.

France.

March 8^th 1917

Darling,

Your letter came alright just as I wanted and thank you ever so much for it. The first part was just what I wanted.  It proved that you were still thinking of me and that you were well and enjoying life.  I will take things in order as they come in your letter – I am not going to act the schoolmaster though.

You seem to be having an amusing time with your visitors. What with Mrs. Tim’s baby (I regret to say I have forgotten her real name) and a walrus and his wife.  I am sure you were not glad to avoid driving the delightful old gentleman to Aldenham.  That in not like you.  I always thought that you were all kindness and would be only too glad to drive any old buffer to his school.  Think of the boring times you had to be polite to someone else and take him for drives.

I am so glad you found your gold chain. I should not like that evening to be responsible for the loss of anything.

The ‘enclosed’ did amuse me. I saw the card and thought that it would contain a photo of you – imagine my disapointment – how could you be so cruel.  I certainly don’t want it but I am not going to send it back because you made it.

I don’t want to hear anything about Humphrey but I suppose the few males that are left must be made the most of during the scarcity!! That’s unkind isn’t it, but it makes me furious to hear of any fellow being where I want to be and can’t.  How shall I shew you what I am really like & then you will know what to expect.  Tell him from me that nursing babies is about all he is fit for.  There!!!! – pray miss why were you ‘mad’ that night – what sort of madness was that?  You see how jealous I am getting! And most disagreeable too.

Poor old Bourne! He seems to be in a bad way.  I rather expect the accusor was or rather is a person who is often in that state himself.  It usually takes them that way.

If a man wants to marry his deceased wife’s sister why the blazes can’t he do it in a registry office or in a Hindu Temple or something.

I am glad you referred to Henley in that way – you evidently believe a bit in him.  Now to come to what I am thinking about.  What has been going wrong, darling?  You must give up ‘thinking’.  You write “I also wonder what it be would be like if we stopped loving each other”.  Now please what has put that into your head?  Is it possible for any one who has truly loved another person to cease caring?  I say no.  I can only think that it came into your thoughts because either you had doubts about yourself or doubts about me – or was it idle speculation? – at any rate it has given me furiously to think.

If you had doubts about yourself you will know be honest with yourself and therefore with me. In any case it would make no difference to my loving you whatever you did or did not do.  If my love were worth anything at all it should be quite content to love you whatever happened, and, Muriel, it is, however much I may want you to love me in return, but that is quite secondary and after all purely selfish isn’t it?  And of I ask you to be honest I too must be so – and up to the present I am and mean to be in the future.  I was not precipitate in my love making was I?  It was because, I think, I could love without asking anything in return but when I led you to give something in return it was only if you could and not because I expected it.  I took what the Gods gave me.

But there it is. Your words frightened me for the moment in case you should feel that I expected from you more than you could give.  But you can be assured about me.  I never profess to want what I really don’t.

Having got that off, I feel much better – you see what I mean don’t you, darling? All I want is that there shall be no misunderstanding.  I ask nothing but what you care to give.  And you can have always what you want from me.

There I have never tried so hard to express what I want to say – but I know it is a failure as such. You will, I know, read it in the spirit it is sent.  I don’t care a hang what other people do.  They can fall in and out of love as much as they like.  I have never loved before so I can’t say what it is like doing that sort of thing, but I don’t intend to do it.  I hope I know my own mind now.  But if I should become insane and not love you I will tell you because such a thing cannot last with insincerity.

What a blaze your short sentence has caused. Please forgive me all.

Now I must stop – all sorts of interuptions are driving me mad.

With all my love.

Always yours

Archie.

A.A. Laporte Payne letter 7 March 1917

B.E.F.

France.

March 7^th 1917

My own darling,

How could you call me Mr. Schoolmaster? I am nothing of the sort – especially to you.  You are almost as bad as I am in putting wrong interpretations on what I write.  I certainly did not mean to insinuate that you used the word ‘orthodox’ in the wrong way.  I meant something quite different.  But I won’t explain now in case I make a bigger mess of things than ever.  How could you sit by an open window writing.  It is bitterly cold here so I suppose you must have had warmer weather than we have had.  We are snowed up again and an east wind is blowing as hard as it can.

No I am not getting too many letters from you. Why will you misconstrue my wretched attempts at writing so!  You must make allowances for me.

Don’t I always send you the things you want? I wish I knew what they were and then I would always send them.  Do tell me the nicest way I ever began a letter.  I can’t remember.  I have used so many.

I have tried to get leave as I wanted to get home and see you so much but I have been put off; at any rate for the present. It is most annoying.  It seems ages and ages since I saw you last, and how I long to be able to have some time with you again.  Did I thank you for the chocolates?  I hope so.  they were much enjoyed.  You are a most thoughtful little darling and much too kind.

How are you keeping? Quite well I hope – and Mrs. Cross and everybody. Is your visitor (and her baby) still with you?

Things go on much the same out here. We are just as busy and less inclined to work owing to the cold.  I am writing this on my knees in front of a wood fire in a large draughty room in the chateau.  The servants are pasting up the windows and erecting a screen of canvas but the place is not much warmer.  The Colonel has a liver attack – caused by the east wind probably – so we all suffer.  However nothing matters as I have said before – only I qualify it now with ‘except you’ – which makes a tremendous difference.

I hope you are behaving yourself well in my absence, but I don’t suppose I should exercise much control even if I were there should I? I am very sorry to hear that you are unshockable.  It will only tempt me to do outrageous things to try and shock you.  But I believe I am growing better every day.  I shall soon wear a halo.  I am sure you will be very glad won’t you?

I shall have to stop writing soon as I have to go out. But please, darling, don’t call me Schoolmaster again.  Call me anything else you like but not that.  And if I misbehave like that again you must remember that I can’t help it and certainly don’t mean it.  All the same I don’t think you mind a bit what I say as you know quite well what I really think.

I am quite inconsistant in many things I say and do but you know that too.

I am expecting a post in this afternoon – and there is only one letter I really want I wonder if it will come. I want something to cheer me up.

Au revoir

All my love and many many kisses.

Ever yours

Archie.

Postcard

Soldiers’ Christian Association

March 6th 17
To T. Smith Esq., 24 Palmerstone Rd., Bowes Park, London N. England.
Postmarked Army Post Office S.24. 8 MR 17. Censor 229.

Dear Father,
Thought I would send you a few lines to let you know I am quite well. No doubt you received my letter, I am anxious to hear from you but I don’t expect you would get my letter before Monday so I cannot expect a reply yet. Will write again soon. It has been very cold here snowing yesterday morning, but one good thing we are getting near the fine weather now.
Au revoir
Alf

A.A. Laporte Payne letter 5 March 1917.

B.E.F.

France.

March 5^th 1917.

Darling,

The post is just going out by wagon so I am sending this hastily scribbled note to you to let you know I am still think of you and hoping for leave – and to send you my love.

So many thanks for your letter, photo, and the box of chocolates. Your letter was what I wanted most and the photos  were a delightful surprise – how well you are looking!  They seem to bring you so much nearer to me.  Thay were just what I was wanting.  The chocolates are much too much appreciated by the Colonel and the Doctor for my liking.  They only arrived to day and already they are nearly finished alas!  Maude seems to have had a bad time.  I hope she is better now and able to accompany you to the Guildhall.  I hear Reg is coming out to France.  I wish he were not.  I am afraid it will make my people worry although a parson can look after himself if he likes but I don’t think Reg will be content with that sort of thing.

Can’t you get a job out here as a typist or something? I will sack one sergeant if you like and you can come to our office.  What a lot of work I should have to do them!  But I am afraid they will not allow them into the firing line – the lady clerks I mean.

I wish you would write nonsense as you call it for hours. I am quite content to read anything you write.  I am developing into such a very bad correspondent that I am quite ashamed of myself – and when I do write I send such feeble attempts at a letter that it is even worse.  Perhaps you know what it feels like to be told to write about such a vast subject that anything that is written looks silly.  It is like writing an essay on ‘Life’ or something like that.  It is quite impossible for a person like me.  Perhaps someday when I send myself by post I shall make a better attempt to explain in person all what I want to say now and can’t.

Part of my work here is making out leave warrants for officers and other ranks to get home and I suppose if I made bold I could get leave too – now what do you think of me? You will say no doubt that I don’t want to get home or something like that.  But I should not have told you if that were really the case should I?

I don’t like asking the Col just at present as there is a lot to be done and he might possibly say no and then I could not ask again for some time.  That is the selfish reason – and the other reason is that there are several who want to get away for special reasons, relations dying and other such horrors – and I can’t say that I am in want of leave for that reason I am glad to say.  But if I get half a chance I shall put my name forward for leave.  I wonder how I shall be received in Finchley!

We are snowed up again. Isn’t it awful!  The ground will never dry up if it goes on like this.  Nothing can be done in this weather and it is wretched for the fellows in the front line.

We are living in a large empty chateau – it is very cold – the fires don’t warm the place a bit. The Col does not like it at all.  He is a most amusing fellow as he gets so angry about things that can’t be helped.  He is a typical regular soldier.

I hope you are keeping well. No colds or measles.  Wouldn’t it be nice for me if you got ill just as I was coming home!  I should return I think.

I must close now as the post is just going. With all my love & kisses

Ever yours

Archie.

No 27521

Pte. A.A. Smith

1^st Essex Regt.

15^th I.B.D.

A.P.O. (S24)

B.E.F. France

2/3/17

Dear Father

I expect we shall be settled here for a little time; so I shall be pleased to hear from you but do not send any parcels yet.

We had a good crossing & I expect we shall feel more settled when we get used to it again.  Sleeping 14 in a tent so it is a bit of a squash but it helps to keep us warm.

Well there is very little news I can tell you.

Pleased to say I am quite well & hope you are all in the best of health.

With much love

From your

Devoted

Son

Letter to Rev. R.M. Laporte Payne 2 March 1917

Embossed address and black edged.

Moss Bank,

Nether Street

North Finchley, N.

March 2^nd 1917

Dear Mr Laporte Payne,

My husband thanks you for your kind letter, and we should be very grateful for you to remember our dear boy in your service on Sunday afternoon, his name **** Douglas French 2^nd/Lieutenant 6^th City of London Rifles, and he was killed in action on Sept 15^th 1916 at High Road, Fleurs.  His last message written in his diary on the night of the battle was as follows.

Sept 14^th 1916.

“I am going into action tomorrow and in the event of not returning I would like all my family to know that I go as a soldier and with no sentiments except for breaking the bosche, therefore if they want to see me look at the beauties of England and weep not for me while she is free.  I have no enemies and forgive and ask the same from any I do not know.  If May Edna and Alistair carry on and help Father and Mother, God bless you all.  B. Douglas French.

I should very much like to go to the service, but it will have to depend on the Drs if they will let me go out, as I have not been out yet. Mr F the Gr and the house hold will go.

May I ask if you ever have your memorial services printed, if so I would like to order some.

I had no idea you had a son out there, and please tell Mrs Payne how I feel for you both the anxiety is so great, I know what a mother’s heart feels, and I will daily pray that your sons will come safely back to their loving parents, and that you will have your **** for your measuring mark for the good of mankind. Your kindness and sympathy to us in our time of sorrow we will never forget, if your lips are silent our hearts are full and grateful.

Yours sincerely

Dolly H. French.

WAR DIARY of AA Laporte Payne 1 March 1917

Extracted from

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

Correspondence

—————–

R.P. March 1, 1917.

We are having another move. The day before yesterday I was working in the office doing Adjutant’s work from 9 a.m. to 3 a.m. the next morning without a break.

I see that there is an account of our raid in the “Times” of 28^th February.  It was quite a good raid, and I spent many hours working our part of the scheme out for the batteries.

We are now billeted in a huge empty house, but it is dry at any rate. I do not suppose we shall be long here.

Ref: Boyeffels 36.b S.E.2. 1/10,000 Hazebrouck 5.a. 1/100,000

9^TH Canadian Artillery Brigade Operation Order No 52

By

Lieut. Col. H.G. Carscallen Comdg.

26.2.17

1. The 9^th Canadian Artillery Brigade will march from present wagon lines to old rest billets at Amettes on the morning of the 27^th inst.

1. The starting point will be road junction in Hersin, Q.5.b.8.0. The head of the column will pass the starting point at 0.00 a.m.

1. Order of March:-

Brigade Hdqrs.

33^rd Battery

36^th Battery

32^nd Battery

45^th Battery

1. Route:- Hersin – Barlin – Houdain – Divion – Ferfay.

1. On arriving at Amettes batteries will move independently to their wagon lines.

1. Advanced parties of one officer and one N.C.O. and One horseholder from each battery will proceed in advance to arrange billets.

1. The pace of the march is to be slow with frequent halts. Detachments (drivers & gunners) are to walk the greater part of the way.

1. The unexpended portion of the days rations and forage and one days rations and forage will be carried.

1. The batteries will march with full echelons – 75% shrapnel 25% H.E.

Lieut. Col

Comdg 9^th Brigade C.F.A.

9^th Canadian Artillery Brigade  Operation Order No 51

By

Lieut. Col. H.G. Carscallen Comdg

19.2.17

1. Under instructions from Canadian Corps the 9^th Brigade C.F.A. has been placed at the disposal of the 1^st C.D.A. to take part in a minor operation.
2. The Brigade will march at 7.30 a.m. tomorrow, the 20^th instant to the 1^st C.D.A. area.

1. Route:- Amettes-

1. Cauchy-a-la-Tour
2. Divion-Houdain
3. Barlin
5. The order of march will be,

Brigade Headqtrs.

32^nd Battery

33^rd Battery

45^th Battery

36^th Battery

Starting point as given verbally.

4. Wagon lines Barlin will be selected by 1^st C.D.A.

5. Advanced parties consisting of one officer, one N.C.O. and horseholder per battery, and one officer from Bde Hdqrs Barlin will report at 10.00 a.m. on the 20^th inst at Hdqrs 1^st C.D.A. and will be shown the wagon lines. These parties will meet the Brigade at Barlin and guide the units to their wagon lines.

6. The batteries will march with full echelon, Ammunition to complete establishment will be issued by the D.A.C. as the brigade passes through Calonne Ricquart.

1. The batteries will march with the unexpended portion of the days rations and one days rations.

1. The 1^st C.D.A. have been asked to arrange for the issue of forage on the 21^st inst in the 1^st C.D.A. area.

1. Lines and billets at present occupied must be left in an absolutely clean condition.

1. Before moving into action Battery Commanders will ensure that all ranks have gas helmets, steel helmets, indentify discs, field dressings.

Lieut.

for O.C. 9^th Brigade C.F.A.