Category: Canada

Artifact 1940-11-15-a – Letter to Mrs. Elton Newman

Letter to Mrs. Elton Newman – November 15, 1940

TRANSCRIPTION OF ARTIFACT CONTENT

Aldershot England
November 15/40

Dear Franc:-

Here it is after lights out & I’m sitting up alone writing to you. I have already written to Onn. & Eva & I couldn’t go to bed without writing you. After the four nice letters I received from you this morn.

At last our mail came in & I got 14 letters How’s that for getting mail eh? I got your 4, 3 from Onn. 1 from Marg. and Charlie,1 from Wilbur and Gladys, 1 from Josephine Wride in Kingsville 1 from Dot Sweetman, 1 from Mildred Spence, 1 from Chip, & 1 from Pearl. & I was really tickled too. Just imagine going 2 weeks without any mail

I’m sure glad to know your feeling better Sis. I was anxious to hear from you since you had your tonsils out. I hope our mail is never held up again like this.

I haven’t received any parcels yet from the Canada Bread. I think Elmer must be crazy or something. The cheque you received Sept. 11 was for the month of August & the one you received Sept 30 was for September. God there’s an air raid on & the big guns are cracking away at a plane. It was nice & moonlite last night & the damn d big guns firing & bombs falling kept everyone awake. I suppose it’ll be the same to-nite. I just heard a terrible sound & I ran to the door but there was no flash in the sky. I still don’t know what it was. Those damned big aircraft guns ring in your ear while your sitting inside as loud as five shotguns all at once. They are 6 & 8 inch guns.

I’ll bet you had a good pheasant dinner eh? Onn’s dad got three in one day too. I’m glad to hear that Eula has a girl this time Also Lloyd Griffin’s

And as many letters as I have written her. I can’t imagine what is wrong I sure was glad to hear from Marg & Charlie. Marg says she has a pet goat that Mr. Hope gave her. She’s going to send me a picture of it.

I will say hello to Clarence for you he is in the truck drivers now. Johny & Bob are on their seven days leave. I think they went to Ireland So is Cpl. (Marsh) Healy. I know he went to Ireland. I see Jimmie Bulmer nearly every day & Bill Hiseman too. I am in supposed to be in 12 platoon. But I just haven’t been there since we arrived in England I am attached to Battalion Head Quarters for the duties & rations & I’m on police duty. So I don’t do any drilling at all. Just escort the detention men (prisoners) to work or wherever they go. I am trry trying to get transferred to B.H. 2. So I’ll be sure to be on police all the time. This is really a good job. There goes them guns again They really go to your ear drums if anything does.

I’m not on that ship that you sent the picture of. That is another ship that sailed in our convoy tho’

I sorry Marjorie fell off her bic. & hurt herself. Well tell her thanks for the letter anyhow. I haven’t received an the 1000 cigs you sent Nor the parcel with the razor blades & don’t think I get tired of reading your letters I really enjoy all the letters I get. I wish them cigs would soon come tho’ I have a lock on my box in Johnnie & Bob keep these cigs in my box & they left some in it So they have them when they came back off leave. Well I hope mine get here before they get back So I can pay them back cuz’ I’m smoking their cigs. I just hate to have to start smoking English Cigarettes.

My hands are starting to chap again. But it’s a wonder they didn’t start long ago in this climate. I think I’ll have to see the M. O. in the morning & see if he has anything good for them.

I well remember last halloween when I came down dressed in Dots’ clothes & I went over to Orrence Laramie’s party. Gee I haven’t heard from Orrence for so long. Onnellee says he said Chatham training with the rest of the boys. Don’t worry about those cigs & that other parcel They’ll eventually get here. It takes longer for parcels. especially cigs

I guess I told you about Pat Burling. But I didn’t know that Hugh had both his legs off. Neither did anyone else in the regiment. Gee Franc. Who ever told you that.

Poor Pat. He was sick in bed Franc & there were a couple more in the room. But they weren’t paying any attention to him. Well I guess he got out of bed. However the rest of the boys heard the rifle go off & they looked around just as he was falling He had a bullet hole just be between the eyes only ½ inch higher & when the bullet came out the back of his head. It made a big hole. They held a court of Inquiry & said it was suicide. I have plenty of socks. But I still need my sweater I told you to send. We don’t get many apples over here in what we do get don’t seem the same. Jimmie Tweedale has some sent from Essex So if you want to send some it will be all right.

Well here it is 11.30 So I’d better get these lights out. If the orderly officer comes around here. He’d raise old hell. So I will close for now & go to bed. Good nite dear sister & all.

I remain

Love & Kisses

Harry

*** End of Transcription ***

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Artifact 1940-11-14-a – Letter to Mrs. Elton Newman

Letter to Mrs. Elton Newman – November 14, 1940

TRANSCRIPTION OF ARTIFACT CONTENT

Aldershot Eng
November 14/40

Dear Franc:-

Well I haven’t written you for a couple of days now. I still haven’t received any mail from you. But the mail man brought in 28 bags of mail to-nite So I expect a couple letters from you to-morrow. When he gets it sorted out. That seems like a lot of mail (28 bags) But then we haven’t had mail for 2 weeks & there is over a thousand men.

Two of the police have gone on 9 days leave this morning. Jimmie Tweedale & Burdett. Burdett is the one I went with on my five days leave. Its making a lot of extra work for the rest of us. Altho’ we only have five prisoners now. I hope we don’t get any more either.

I wrote to Onn. last nite & was going to write her again to-nite. But I’ll wait until to-morrow & I’ll get a letter from her (I hope) & then I can answer it. I’ll answer yours too. If I don’t have to work too late.

We have had a grand day to-day. The sun shone all day long. I washed my pants to my oldest Battle dress uniform, yesterday & so I hung it out in the sun to-day & it dried real good. I’ll have to find time to press them to-morrow. It will likely rain to heat the old devil to-morrow cuz’ this is the first day we’ve had without rain for I don’t know how long

Well I have just made some coffee & I told Glen to come over to the office & have some. I don’t know wether he’ll be here or not. I will write more when I get your letter & will close for to-nite

As Ever

Lovingly

Harry

P.S.

I hope you can read it

*** End of Transcription ***

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

Letter to Mrs. Elton Newman – November 11, 1940

TRANSCRIPTION OF ARTIFACT CONTENT

Aldershot England
November 11/40

Dear Franc:-

Well here is another rainy nite.  It has rained all day long. & it’s so darn’d miserable to-nite.  Well it isn’t ever funny.

I started to write you last night. But got discusted over not receiving any mail.  So I burned it. & I still haven’t received any.

We really had a grand time to-day.  They wanted three truck loads of wood.  Well I took the detention men out to load it.  Well what fun. It was a long drive out there & we got the trucks loaded. & I drove one of these English trucks (Bedford) with a right hand drive, part way out. On the way back we stopped at a tea room & tooke the prisoners in for tea along with the truck drivers. Well you can imagine about about ten soldiers walking in a small tea room, laughing & joking. Well a young lady come in & didn’t seem very anxious to wait on us. So I pulled my 45 (revolver) from the holster & laid it on the table & said. We want service. & the poor girl nearly had a fit. Until all the boys started laughing. But it’s a good thing we have fun like that once in a while. Or we’d go nuts.

But I still think we’ll go nuts if we don’t soon get some mail.

Well I’m passing up Peg’s letter to-nite & I’m only writing to you. I’ll write you her again to morrow nite. Gosh you should see this table. There is every thing from pop bottles to sausage sandwiches all over it. Dirty cups & spoons & everything else.

Well Franc. I can’t say much until I receive a letter from you. I know you won’t enjoy this letter. But then I guess I’m not in much of a mood for writing. So will close now.

Lovingly
Harry

P.S.

When are you going
to send my pictures

*** End of Transcription ***

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Artifact 1940-11-05 – Letter to Mrs. Elton Newman

“But a Gerry just flew over & he was real low.”

Letter to Mrs. Elton Newman – November 5, 1940

Transcription of Artifact Content

Aldershot England
November 5/40

Dear Sis & all:-

Here it is 10 O’clock & I should be going to bed. but Tweedale is going to write a short letter. So I thought I might as well too.

Its raining like heck again to-nite as usual. But the Gerries haven’t been bothering us these last few days. I wrote Peg. to-nite too. I haven’t the attitude for writing after what I went thro’ last week. Gee! I felt tough

I have worked nearly every nite this last couple days. Our cpl. of the police has been on a bender & the rest have of us have to make up his time He came in tight last night. & then he got up this morn. & he uses me like his boy. Well about ten A.M. He says Harry. See that the prisoners get the work done in the kitchen & Orderly room Won’t You? & I said. Yes Jim & away he went & Jim Tweedale & I are expecting him in. is the reason we’re staying up a little later. I get along swell with Jimmie Tweedale & also the rest of the police. They all seem to like me & are doing they their utmost to make me a permanent police

Franc. what was the matter with Louie Clifford. I’m glad you told Peg. to tell me that she had gone. Gee we really miss Pat Burling too Franc.

No one can imagine how well Pat was liked in this Regiment. I would love to hear some of the rumors that would be drifting around Essex about his death.

Jimmie & I sat with our ears wide open for a minute. There is no air raid on. But a Gerry just flew over & he was real low. We were sitting here looking at each other for a minute & Tweedale says. I don’t like that. We expected to hear some eggs come whistling thro’ the air. But he managed to get over us.

Well Sis. I think you’ll do good if you read this much & I have to get some dope on these sores before I go to bed

So I’ll say Good Night & God bless you all

Lovingly Yours          Harry

For the Kiddies.
XXXXXXXXXXXX

P.S.
Tell Elt. to write.

***   End of Transcription   ***

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Artifact 1940-11-01 – Letter to Mrs. Elton Newman

“Billie wrote a letter to me & put it in with Onn. He’s quite a boy Isn’t he?”

Letter to Mrs. Elton Newman – November 1, 1940

Transcription of Artifact Content

Aldershot England
November 1/40

Dear Sis:-

Well I received another letter from you this morn. Also two from Onn. I’m glad they come as often as they do & I hope you get all yours now. I am going to start numbering them on the back of the envelope the same as I have started with Onnellee’s & then you can tell if any are lost or not.

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Artifact 1940-10-27-c – Postcard to Mrs. Elton Newman

Letter to Mrs. Elton Newman – October 27, 1940

Transcription of Artifact Content

Oct. 27/40

Dear Franc:-

Here is one of the cards that are sent with the cigarettes. I told you I’d send the card back.

I have written a letter too. So in case you don’t get the letter. You may get this card. I’ll send the other one as soon as I work my way to it.

I am okay. have received the letter from you & the Kiddies & was sure glad to get it. Well I’ll close for now.      Lovingly Yours

Brother Harry

***   End of Transcription   ***

Information Note

Information – Harry William Manchester Reference to “Kiddies”

Harry William Manchester’s reference to “the Kiddies” is a reference to his nieces: Marjorie and Marion Newman.

 

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Artifact 1940-10-27 – Letter to Mrs. Elton Newman

“Gee that’s really news about Chuck & Inez getting married”

Letter to Mrs. Elton Newman – October 24, 1940

Transcription of Artifact Content

Aldershot, England
October 27/40

Dear Frank:-

Was very pleased to hear rom you & the kiddies yesterday morning. I also got letters from Onn. & Pearl’s sister Rita.

The girls sure do write a swell letter for their ages. When we get our mail. We (the Police) are all in the office. & so I litte let Jimmie Tweedale read Marjorie’s & Marion’s letters. He thought they were pretty good. & I did too.

Well Franc. I am fine & I guess I have a lot to be thankful for, for feeling as good as I do. Of course I’m still homesick.

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Artifact 1940-10-16 – Letter to Mrs. Elton Newman

“Boy Sat. nite in London the bombs were really falling.”

Letter to Mrs. Elton Newman – October 16, 1940

Transcription of Artifact Content

Aldershot, Eng.
October 16/40

Dear Franc:-

I haven’t heard from you for some time. Nor I haven’t written either. But here’s a small letter now. This is my eighth for this aft. & evening. & I’m all caught up on answering again. (Until I get some more letters)

I spent the Weed-end with Pearls’ cousin in London Her name is Eva Robson  26 yrs. old & works for a lawyer. And boy is she a good cook. I had a chicken dinner.

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Artifact 1940-10-11 – Letter to Miss La Verne Woods

“Well the liking of England is wearing off now.”

Letter to Miss La Verne Woods – October 11, 1940

Transcription of Artifact Content

Aldershot, Eng.
October 11/40

Dear Sister:-

I was so glad to hear from you this morn. I have been looking for a letter from you for so long. & I begin to think you had forgotten your little brother in England. I have written you about three times.

Well I’ll start answering some of your questions. It’s a good thing you ask me things. Or I wouldn’t know what to write.

Well the liking of England is wearing off now. “There is no place like home.” No mater what kind of a dump your home is. It is better than anyplace else.

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Artifact 1940-10-05 – Letter to Mrs. Elton Newman

“We are having quite a bit of bombing Franc. But London has been getting the worst of it.”

Letter to Mrs. Elton Newman – October 5, 1940

Transcription of Artifact Content

Aldershot, Eng.
October 5/40

Dear Franc:-

I have received two letters from you & two from Onn. also her cigs & I’m sure enjoying them.

One of yours was written Sept 11 which I received first & one Sept. 5 I got it the following day. I’m glad Elt. dropped a line too. Tell him to do it as often as he can.

I’m glad you liked the cards, Franc. I thought you would. They only cost me one shilling (24) – they were worth it. I had been telling Clarence that they were anxious to hear from him & he said he had written two or three letters.

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