Dreams of Things That Were

The Wartime Correspondence of Harry William Manchester

Author: Editor One

  • Artifact 1940-12-01-b – Postcard to Mrs. Elton Newman

    Postcard to Mrs. Elton Newman – December 01, 1940

    *** TRANSCRIPTION OF ARTIFACT CONTENT ***

    1/12/40

    Dear Franc:-

    Received the thousand cigarettes. & was sure glad to get them Sure will enjoy them too. Am doing fine on this provost course. I will close

    Lovingly Harry

    *** End of Transcription ***

    Download – Artifact 1940-12-01-b – Postcard to Mrs. Elton Newman
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  • Artifact 1940-12-01-a – Letter to Mrs. L. Woods

    Letter to Mrs. L. Woods – December 01, 1940

    Editor’s Note

    Strikethrough – Redaction

    The series of “X” characters (e.g., “XXXXXXXXXXX”) appearing in the webpage presentation of this artifact indicate either: illegible markings in the original artifact; a deliberate strikethrough made by the author of the artifact; or deliberate redaction of the content by third parties, such as military or postal censors.

    *** TRANSCRIPTION OF ARTIFACT CONTENT ***

    Aldershot England
    Sun. December 1/40

    Dear La Verne:-

    I’ll always forgive you for anything dear. I realize that your are busy. I’m glad you wrote to Franc. Too. She XXXX writes to me & says she can’t imagine whats the matter cause you don’t write

    I’m glad to know that Jimmie is fine. & also the rest of the Woods family. I can XXXXXXXXXXXXX the house looks without Eleanor & Wilfred there.

    (more…)

  • Artifact 1940-11-26-a – Letter to Mrs. Elton Newman

    Letter to Mrs. Elton Newman – November 26, 1940

    *** TRANSCRIPTION OF ARTIFACT CONTENT ***

    Aldershot England
    November 26/40

    Dear Franc:-

    I haven’t heard from you for a quite a while now. Hope I soon hear from you again. I hope you are all well. & also XXX hope you get the parcel okay that I sent on Saturday.

    I am doing fine on the course & I think I’ll like it.

    (more…)

  • Artifact 1940-11-25-a – Photographs of Aldershot to Mrs. Elton Newman

    Photographs of Aldershot to Mrs. Elton Newman – November 25, 1940

    *** TRANSCRIPTION OF ARTIFACT CONTENT ***

    This artifact is a set of photographs and as such, no transcription is available.

    *** End of Transcription ***

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  • Artifact 1940-11-23-a – Letter to Mrs. Elton Newman

    Letter to Mrs. Elton Newman – November 23, 1940

    *** TRANSCRIPTION OF ARTIFACT CONTENT ***

    Aldershot England
    November 23/40

    Dear Franc:-

    I received your thousand cigs yesterday. But haven’t got the parcel you sent with the razor blades in. I guess the fish must be showing with them, at the bottom of the ocean. Well Thanks a lot for the cigs Franc.

    I sent a parcel to you Franc. Yesterday! There is three xmas boxes in it. One for “Peg.” One for Marj. & Marion. & one for pearl & her sister. If I send them separate Franc. It would cost me a lot of money & sending the three in one won’t cost me much more than one would.

    (more…)

  • Artifact 1940-11-21-c – Sergeants’ Christmas Mess Card

    Sergeant’s Christmas Mess Card – November 21, 1940

    *** TRANSCRIPTION OF ARTIFACT CONTENT ***

    Harry William Manchester’s annotation on the interior of the card:

    “Aldershot. England
    November 20/40″

    Transcription of the left side the card:

    “What if the best of our wages be
    An empty sleeve, stiff set knee.
    A crutch for the rest of life–who cares!
    So long as the one flag floats and dares.”

    “The Warrant Officers.
    Staff – Sergeants and
    Sergeants of
    “The Essex Scottish”
    Wish You the
    Compliments of the
    Season”

    “On “Active Service,
    “England”

    “At Home,
    January 1st
    2—5 p.m.

    Transcription of the right side the card:

    “Nowhere beat the heart more kindly
    Than beneath the tartan plaid”

    Ist Bn. THE ESSEX SCOTTISH REGT.

    Battalion H.Q.
    R.S.M. W.E. Potts (W.O..)
    R.Q.S.M. R. F. Sheppard. M.C. (W.O.II)
    S./Sgt. G. W. Bryce
    Sgt. R. J. Adams.
    Pipe-Sgt. J. Copland
    Sgt. G, Jaques

    H.Q. Company
    C.S.M. A. D. Waddell (W.O.II)
    C.Q.M.S. R. H. Horstead
    Sgt. A. Arthur
    Sgt. J. C. Biggs
    Sgt. J. F. Garswood
    Sgt. N. Gordon
    Sgt. A. F. W. Hamilton
    Sgt. W. H. Logan
    Sgt. J. S. M. MacLellan
    Sgt. G. B. Selby
    Sgt. C. M. Shore
    Sgt. J. H. Vallance

    ” A ” Company
    C.S.M. J. Crabb (W.O.II)
    C.Q.M.S. F. Munroe
    Sgt. G. G. Hamilton
    Sgt. .J. Helferman
    Sgt. J. E. McWhirter
    Sgt. N. Taylor
    Sgrt. J. E. Watson

    ” B ” Company
    C.S.M. W. J. Humpries (W.O.II)
    C.W.M.S. G. V. Lewis
    Sgt. R. Beck, M.M.
    Sgt. S. L. Fowler
    Sgrt. S. E. Walker
    Sgt. E. C. D. Washer

    ” C ” Company
    C.S.M. W. J. Lescombe (W.O.II)
    .Q.M.S. W. R. Bryden
    Sgt. B. H. Barrett
    Sgt. L. J. Courtin
    Sgt. J. W. A. Leopold
    Sgt. M. Y. Snook
    Sgt. C. Stapleton

    ” D ” Company
    C.S. M. J. Simpson (W,O.II)
    C.Q.M.S. G. W. Whitehead
    Sgt. R. H. Jaques
    Sgt. P. T. Logan
    Sgt. F. G. Smith
    Sgt. F. G. A. Walsh
    Sgt. A. J. Ellwood

    Ist Reinf. Company
    C.Q.M.S. K. H. Marshall, M.M.
    Sgt. J. H. Magans
    Sgt. J. W. Hamilton
    Sgt. R. Hoyes
    Sgt. R. C. Tomkins

    On Command
    C.S.M. A. B. Capnerhurst, D.C.M. (W.O.II)
    C.S.M. D. E. Henderson (W.O.II)
    C.Q.M.S. W. P. Browne
    Sgt. E. J. Wilson
    Sgt. H. MacLaren
    Sgt. J. Bowers
    Sgt. J. Henderson

    Attached
    Arm./S./Sgt. C. Wilson, R.C.O.C.
    Sgt. N. Allan, R.C.O.C.
    Sgt. L. Carroll, R.C.O.C.

    *** End of Transcription ***

    Download – Artifact 1940-11-21-c – Sergeants’ Christmas Mess Card
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  • Artifact 1940-11-21-b – Letter to Mrs. Elton Newman

    Letter to Mrs. Elton Newman – November 21, 1940

    *** TRANSCRIPTION OF ARTIFACT CONTENT ***

    Aldershot England
    November 21/40

    Dear Franc:-

    Just a few lines before climbing into bed to nite. I just got back from seeing Eva home on the train. She came down this aft. to see me. I was going to take the aft. off anyway & do that shopping that I’ve been going to do for several days. I was out getting some equipment right after dinner & the cpl. met me & said. There’s someone to see you, Harry & he said take the aft. off if you want to. So I looked over & Low & behold, it was Eva. I guess I’ll do my shopping to-morrow aft. If every thing goes right & the sgt. wants me to get a little more practice at riding & he says when Burdette & Tweedale get back (Sat. morn.) we’ll make them work Sun. & he & I’ll go riding in the country.

    (more…)

  • Artifact 1940-11-21-a – Christmas Card to Mrs. Elton Newman

    Christmas Card to Mrs. Elton Newman – November 21, 1940

    *** TRANSCRIPTION OF ARTIFACT CONTENT ***

    Loads of Love

    Brother Harry

    *** End of Transcription ***

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  • Artifact 1940-11-20-a – Postcard to Mrs. Elton Newman

    Artifact 1940-11-20-a – Postcard to Mrs. Elton Newman

    *** TRANSCRIPTION OF ARTIFACT CONTENT ***

    Nov. 20/40

    Dear Franc:-

    Just a card I got downtown. Will write you again to-morrow nite. Hope everyone is well I will close

    With Loads of Love

    Brother Harry

    *** End of Transcription ***

    Download – Artifact 1940-11-20-a – Postcard to Mrs. Elton Newman
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  • Artifact 1940-11-19-a – Letter to Mrs. Elton Newman

    Artifact 1940-11-19-a – Letter to Mrs. Elton Newman, sent from Aldershot, England, United Kingdom

    *** TRANSCRIPTION OF ARTIFACT CONTENT ***

    Aldershot England
    November 19/40

    Dear Franc:-

    Well, how is everyone over there. I still have this rotten cold. & every time I cough, I get pains across my stomach. I went into the M.O. to-nite & he said it was from my cold & it would leave with the cold. But the cold isn’t leaving. It’s getting worse

    I told you about me going. On the provost course. So yesterday. They sent me over to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police headquarters for an interview. They asked me if I would volunteer into the provost corps, if I passed the course & I said “yes”. So I don’t know what’ll happen They’ll probably call me when they need me.

    (more…)

Dreams of Things That Were

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