Date: October 6th, 1914
Address: No.1 Company No.3 Platoon, 14th Batt. Durham Light Infantry, Halton Park Camp, Bucks.
From: Private T.Gray
To: George Gray
Dear George
The above is our new address. We came here on Saturday and are now under canvas. This Park is Rothschild's Estate and is 4 or 5 miles from Aylesbury. There are 2 or 3 camps on this estate. At our camp are 9th and 10th King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry and the 14th and 15th Durham Light infantry, so that you see there are a great many soldiers in this district. The nearest town is Wendover 2 1/2 miles away.
The 4 of us are getting on champion. Jim is orderly for Capt. Wilson, and I am temporarily attached to the Field Hospital. We had a great rush of sickness yesterday morning (Mon) and 18 were sent to hospital, the others recovered sufficiently to go back to the tents. We have sent 5 to the hospital this morning and 2 more ready. We had a sick parade this morning 300 patients, nearly all bad colds, rheumatism, sore feet, etc, no bad cases. The ailment of a lot of them is "Sick of Army". There were only 2 doctors and 2 ambulance men attached to the camp and when the rush came on yesterday, 5 privates from the regiments who had beem ambulance men were sent to act as hospital orderlies. That makes 7 of us now and 2 doctors. We fitted up a field Hospital last night and have stretchers, etc. The epidemic of sickness has stopped now. I did not write sooner as I knew we were coming to camp and so I waited until I got new address.
Got your letter alright. Write again and let us know how you are getting on. I wrote home last night. Am writing this at Hospital. Bob has been on sanitory duty 2 days but has chucked it.
I remain
Your affectionate bro
Tom
Thursday, 31 January 2013
Tuesday, 22 January 2013
Are We Downhearted?
Date: October 5th, 1914?
Address: Halton Park Camp, Bucks.
From: Tom
To: Father, Lily, Brothers and Sisters
Dear Father, Lily, Brothers and Sisters
We just received yours and Mat's letters this morning. Are we downhearted - No - No - No - We are all A.1. Jack was poorly on Thursday morning but was allright by dinner time. My throat is allright and has taken no harm so far. We are roughing it now but I expect we will have a rougher time before we get things settled. There are 15 of us in a tent and we have to keep all eyes and ears open to get our share of meals but we have always got plenty.
We are now supplied with kit bags, uniform, a shirt, a pair of pants. 2 prs of socks, 2 towels, soap, razor, lather brush and overcoat, knife, fork and spoon, 3 blankets, waterproof sheet, plate and basin, and have some more things to get yet.
We had 4/- pay last week and 3/- this week. I haven't got mine yet as I was on duty at the hospital, but I'll get it. (have got it)
At this camp the following regiments are encamped 9th and 10th King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry, the Winchester Rifle Brigade and the 14th and 15th Durham Light infantry. The 14th D.L.I. is going to be the best of the whole lot.
A battalion consists of approximately 1100 men, so you see there are 5000 of us. About 3/4 mile there is a very large camp of 10,000 men, Northumberland Fusiliers (2 batts) King's Royal Rifles Lincoln Regiment, West Yorks, Green Howards. At that camp there are the 62nd and 63rd Infantry Brigade, our camp is the 64th Brigade in the British Army.
Our battalion is divided into 4 Companies, each in charge of a captain; each company is divided into 4 platoons, each in charge of a lieutenant with a sergeant, corporal and lance-corporal. So that there are 16 platoons in a battallion, ours is the 3rd. Our officers are Lieutenant Edwards & Capt. Wilson, both young men and decent fellows. A platoon is divided into 4 squads. In our platoon there are about 70 men.
The routine of camp life is as follows: Reveille at 5.30 AM - coffee at 6 AM. 7 to 8 Parade drills (Swedish) and doubling, marching. 8 to 9 Breakfast (cocoa or tea - bread & bacon). 9 to 12.30 Parade & drills. 12.30 to 2 - 2.30 Dinner (potatoes, meat,carrots, turnips). 2.30 to 4.30 Parade & drills. 5 or 5.30 Tea (tea or coffee, bread, jam or cheese). That is our last meal but we generally have some bread left for supper. 9 PM First Post (time to come in to camp). 9.30 PM Last Post (time is up). 9.45 Lights Out. 9.45 to 5.30 Snoring, Sleeping & Dreaming.
Last Monday we had a regular stream of sick patients from the lines to hospital, mostly due to getting cold in bowels due to sudden change from comfortable warm beds in Aylesbury to the rough damp colder beds in camp. Since then we have had more waterproof sheets given out, we each have 3 blankets. I with some other privates have been assisting at the field hospital this week and that is the reason I have not been with my mates. We collect all patients at the field hospital and during the day we send them to the following hospitals Ayelesbury County Hosp. Tring Hosp. and Leighton Buzzard Hosp. The sickness is down to normal now and I have just returned to my own tent for my own parades. Jim sleeps in a tent with the Officers' Orderlies close to the Officers so that they can be handy to call them up and mug for them.The Horden news is interesting and is what we want. We write to George every week and he answers the letters. Had a letter from J.Wilkinson and he is sending his brother's address to you. Send photos to the following Easington (Aunts) Moorsly 2, Millars 1, R.Richardson 1, Watsons 1, Windy Nook. Mrs.Gorman (5 Victoria St, Hetton) G.Humble, Jarrow, J.Wilkinson. One of us will write to Easington on Monday. I wrote on Saturday night.
Give George one of the large photos. I did not finish the letter until the parcel arrived, we have got it allright. We will send our clothes back this week when we go down to Aylesbury. We will send the parcels to the station and at the same time will send you a postcard so that Frank can go for them.
Tom
Address: Halton Park Camp, Bucks.
From: Tom
To: Father, Lily, Brothers and Sisters
Dear Father, Lily, Brothers and Sisters
We just received yours and Mat's letters this morning. Are we downhearted - No - No - No - We are all A.1. Jack was poorly on Thursday morning but was allright by dinner time. My throat is allright and has taken no harm so far. We are roughing it now but I expect we will have a rougher time before we get things settled. There are 15 of us in a tent and we have to keep all eyes and ears open to get our share of meals but we have always got plenty.
We are now supplied with kit bags, uniform, a shirt, a pair of pants. 2 prs of socks, 2 towels, soap, razor, lather brush and overcoat, knife, fork and spoon, 3 blankets, waterproof sheet, plate and basin, and have some more things to get yet.
We had 4/- pay last week and 3/- this week. I haven't got mine yet as I was on duty at the hospital, but I'll get it. (have got it)
At this camp the following regiments are encamped 9th and 10th King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry, the Winchester Rifle Brigade and the 14th and 15th Durham Light infantry. The 14th D.L.I. is going to be the best of the whole lot.
A battalion consists of approximately 1100 men, so you see there are 5000 of us. About 3/4 mile there is a very large camp of 10,000 men, Northumberland Fusiliers (2 batts) King's Royal Rifles Lincoln Regiment, West Yorks, Green Howards. At that camp there are the 62nd and 63rd Infantry Brigade, our camp is the 64th Brigade in the British Army.
Our battalion is divided into 4 Companies, each in charge of a captain; each company is divided into 4 platoons, each in charge of a lieutenant with a sergeant, corporal and lance-corporal. So that there are 16 platoons in a battallion, ours is the 3rd. Our officers are Lieutenant Edwards & Capt. Wilson, both young men and decent fellows. A platoon is divided into 4 squads. In our platoon there are about 70 men.
The routine of camp life is as follows: Reveille at 5.30 AM - coffee at 6 AM. 7 to 8 Parade drills (Swedish) and doubling, marching. 8 to 9 Breakfast (cocoa or tea - bread & bacon). 9 to 12.30 Parade & drills. 12.30 to 2 - 2.30 Dinner (potatoes, meat,carrots, turnips). 2.30 to 4.30 Parade & drills. 5 or 5.30 Tea (tea or coffee, bread, jam or cheese). That is our last meal but we generally have some bread left for supper. 9 PM First Post (time to come in to camp). 9.30 PM Last Post (time is up). 9.45 Lights Out. 9.45 to 5.30 Snoring, Sleeping & Dreaming.
-------------------------
Last Monday we had a regular stream of sick patients from the lines to hospital, mostly due to getting cold in bowels due to sudden change from comfortable warm beds in Aylesbury to the rough damp colder beds in camp. Since then we have had more waterproof sheets given out, we each have 3 blankets. I with some other privates have been assisting at the field hospital this week and that is the reason I have not been with my mates. We collect all patients at the field hospital and during the day we send them to the following hospitals Ayelesbury County Hosp. Tring Hosp. and Leighton Buzzard Hosp. The sickness is down to normal now and I have just returned to my own tent for my own parades. Jim sleeps in a tent with the Officers' Orderlies close to the Officers so that they can be handy to call them up and mug for them.The Horden news is interesting and is what we want. We write to George every week and he answers the letters. Had a letter from J.Wilkinson and he is sending his brother's address to you. Send photos to the following Easington (Aunts) Moorsly 2, Millars 1, R.Richardson 1, Watsons 1, Windy Nook. Mrs.Gorman (5 Victoria St, Hetton) G.Humble, Jarrow, J.Wilkinson. One of us will write to Easington on Monday. I wrote on Saturday night.
Give George one of the large photos. I did not finish the letter until the parcel arrived, we have got it allright. We will send our clothes back this week when we go down to Aylesbury. We will send the parcels to the station and at the same time will send you a postcard so that Frank can go for them.
Tom
Sunday, 13 January 2013
Look After My Bicycle
Date: September 29th, 1914
Address: 55 Stoke Road, Aylesbury, Bucks.
From: Tom
To: George
Dear George
We received your letter last week. I guess you had a lively time of it with that epileptic patient. It will give you a chance to get some experience in First Aid Treatment, which comes in useful at any time. You seem to have fallen into a good nest at Shields, stick to it like glue until you can get promotion and something better. We have champion diggings here, but we are going away to camp later on in the week, at a place about 4 miles from here. In my last letter I stated that we were in the 9th D.L.I.; that statement was wrong. At the parade on Saturday afternoon we were finally arranged. We four are now in the No 4 Section, No 3 Platoon, No 1 Company, 14th Battalion of the Durham Light Infantry. We have not got our regimental numbers, but the above particulars will be sufficient to find us at any time if you know where the regiment is stationed; but do not address letters like the above if you know where we are billetted as we are now. We have no uniforms yet, just arm badges. We are having fine weather here. We had a Church Parade on Sunday morning and were at chapel again in the evening. We are going to a soldiers' concert tonight in the Wellington Schoolroom. You can have the use of my bicycle while I am away from home, provided you keep it in running order. It would be advisable to send as much money home as possible out of your wages as we can't send much and there is a lot of them at home. Write immediately before we leave Aylesbury. Will let you know when we leave and new address.
Yours Faithfully
Tom
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Tuesday, 1 January 2013
Joining Up
Date: September 21st, 1914
Address: c/o Mrs.Sherman, 55 Stoke Road, Aylesbury, Bucks
From: Tom
To: George
Dear George
I will tell you how we have been getting on. We spent Saturday night and Sunday at Windy Nook and then went to Todds Nook Schools at Newcastle. We put up there for the night, 800 of us. We were called at 4 am and told to get ready to go away. We had breakfast at 5 am: a lump of loaf of bread 4" thick and 2 pieces of boiled bacon each 6" x 4" x 3/4" thick, washed down with tea out of an empty beer bottle. We then paraded in the street and made up into companies to march to the station.
We left Newcastle at 7 am and arrived at Aylesbury at 3 pm, so that we were on the train 8 hours. Aylesbury is a fine country town of 12,000 people who work at rivet-making , prinitng works, and Swiss Milk works. It is in Buckhinghamshire and is 38 miles from London. We are all billetted here at the houses of the people; at some houses there are 2 men, at others 3 or 4 or more in some cases. The 4 of us are at the same house and have got splendid diggings. The landlady has a son in the R.F.A. fighting at the front. We can hardly understand their talk and they cannot understand us; however we manage all right.
We are in No 3 Company, 9th Battallion, Durham Light Infantry. We parade for drill and marches at 6.30 am until 8 am and then have an hour off for breakfast from 9 am until 12.30 pm and then dinner and then from 2 pm until 4.30 pm when we are done for the day. I am writing this letter in the Town Hall which is open for soldiers and set out with tables full of magazines, papers and writing materials. There is a concert at 8 o'clock for us. The place is full now. Today it has been hot and we have had our jackets off drilling. We expect to have our uniforms by the weekend and then we will be swanky. This morning the men whose boots were thin or split were taken to the shops for new ones. Four shops were emptied of all the suitable boots. The army boots will be here in a day or two.
The army regulations require the landlady to provide us with 3 meals a day with a certain weight of food each time. We get 5 meals and no limit so we are well off. There are 700 of us at Aylesbury, we left 100 or more at Chittington a few miles back.
I remain
Your loving brother
Tom
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Notes:
Todds Nook School was on Arthurs Hill in the west end of Newcastle. There is a photo here: http://www.friendsreunited.co.uk/todds-nook-secondary/Memory/feac1543-9e33-495c-9417-f68c529a50c9#_
"Swiss Milk": the Anglo-Swiss Condensed Milk Company was formed in 1866 and began importing condensed milk through a London agent. Popularity for their tinned milk quickly grew and they acquired their first condenser in Aylesbury in 1875. http://www.nestle.co.uk/aboutus/Pages/nestle-history.aspx
Address: c/o Mrs.Sherman, 55 Stoke Road, Aylesbury, Bucks
From: Tom
To: George
Dear George
I will tell you how we have been getting on. We spent Saturday night and Sunday at Windy Nook and then went to Todds Nook Schools at Newcastle. We put up there for the night, 800 of us. We were called at 4 am and told to get ready to go away. We had breakfast at 5 am: a lump of loaf of bread 4" thick and 2 pieces of boiled bacon each 6" x 4" x 3/4" thick, washed down with tea out of an empty beer bottle. We then paraded in the street and made up into companies to march to the station.
We left Newcastle at 7 am and arrived at Aylesbury at 3 pm, so that we were on the train 8 hours. Aylesbury is a fine country town of 12,000 people who work at rivet-making , prinitng works, and Swiss Milk works. It is in Buckhinghamshire and is 38 miles from London. We are all billetted here at the houses of the people; at some houses there are 2 men, at others 3 or 4 or more in some cases. The 4 of us are at the same house and have got splendid diggings. The landlady has a son in the R.F.A. fighting at the front. We can hardly understand their talk and they cannot understand us; however we manage all right.
We are in No 3 Company, 9th Battallion, Durham Light Infantry. We parade for drill and marches at 6.30 am until 8 am and then have an hour off for breakfast from 9 am until 12.30 pm and then dinner and then from 2 pm until 4.30 pm when we are done for the day. I am writing this letter in the Town Hall which is open for soldiers and set out with tables full of magazines, papers and writing materials. There is a concert at 8 o'clock for us. The place is full now. Today it has been hot and we have had our jackets off drilling. We expect to have our uniforms by the weekend and then we will be swanky. This morning the men whose boots were thin or split were taken to the shops for new ones. Four shops were emptied of all the suitable boots. The army boots will be here in a day or two.
The army regulations require the landlady to provide us with 3 meals a day with a certain weight of food each time. We get 5 meals and no limit so we are well off. There are 700 of us at Aylesbury, we left 100 or more at Chittington a few miles back.
I remain
Your loving brother
Tom
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Notes:
Todds Nook School was on Arthurs Hill in the west end of Newcastle. There is a photo here: http://www.friendsreunited.co.uk/todds-nook-secondary/Memory/feac1543-9e33-495c-9417-f68c529a50c9#_
"Swiss Milk": the Anglo-Swiss Condensed Milk Company was formed in 1866 and began importing condensed milk through a London agent. Popularity for their tinned milk quickly grew and they acquired their first condenser in Aylesbury in 1875. http://www.nestle.co.uk/aboutus/Pages/nestle-history.aspx
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)