Category: Canadian Second Infantry Division

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 1940-11-09-a – Letter to Mrs. Elton Newman

Letter to Mrs. Elton Newman – November 9, 1940

TRANSCRIPTION OF ARTIFACT CONTENT

Aldershot England
November 9/40

Dear Franc:-

Well we’ve been well over a week without any mail from Can.

But then I’m going to write to you anyway. I haven’t had a letter from you since you got your tonsils out.

The last letter I have was from Onn. When she was staying with you after you came back from the hospital (having your tonsils out). Well I hope some mail soon comes in anyhow. I wrote Aunt Lil. A couple nites ago & to La Verne last nite. I And I don’t know whats the matter with me, but it seems like I write to Onn, every nite. I guess I must be love sick. Since I’ve read some of your letters what you say about her. Well I guess it makes me feel more towards her. Well I guess she’s worth having for a girl friend. The way she writes to me & the things she says. Well —I won’t say no more. I’ll have to write her another letter to-nite.

Gee I wished some of your mail would come so I’d know how you are feeling. You can’t imagine how much I’ve thought of you this past week &wondering how you are.

Has Elton had any more word about getting into Fords. You said that Murray told you, he might get in this winter. I hope he gets in anyhow!

Well Franc. I can’t think of much to say until I hear from you again & it’s about supper time. Altho we just had some coffee & cake about an hour ago. I wished you could see our little police office here. We are quite proud of it. Be sure & write me as often as you have time Franc. I go to a show about one nite a week & the rest of my spare time I just write letters. So you know how anxious I am to receive letters. Well I’ll close for to nite

Your Loving brother
Harry

*** End of Transcription ***

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Artifact 1940-11-08 – Letter to Miss La Verne Woods

“…I can’t say much to-nite. But I do wish I were back home.”

Letter to Miss La Verne Woods – November 8, 1940

Transcription of Artifact Content

Aldershot England
November 8/40

Dear La Verne:-

Here it is almost bedtime & I just got off police duty. The Corporal of the police are here alone in our cozy little office & he’s making us a cup of good old Chase & Sanborns coffee. I just felt that I couldn’t put your letter off any longer. So decided I’d scratch a few lines before going to bed.

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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 1940-09-20 – Letter to Mrs. Elton Newman

“The boys that don’t smoke pipes use the same kind of tobacco & roll the butts into another cigarette. There is very little tobacco wasted over here.”

Letter to Mrs. Elton Newman – September 20, 1940

Transcription of Artifact Content

Aldershot, Eng.
Sept. 20/40

Dear Franc:-

I just finished writing to Mr. Allen’s & I thought I’d drop you a line or two before I shaved & had dinner.

The whole regt. Has gone out on a scheme. They left at eight A.M. So I stayed in bed until ten. I don’t go on duty until 1.30 So I thought I’d better write some letters.

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Artifact 40-08-23-b – Letter to Mrs. Elton Newman

“I just wish you could spend one week here. You would be scared skinny.”

Letter to Mrs. Elton Newman – August 23, 1940

Transcription of Artifact Content

Aldershot, Eng.
Aug. 23/40

Dear Sis:-

Well I’ve finally got down to writing your letter. I’ll have to write bits at a time between work. I was going to write sooner, but I guess I didn’t take the time, while I was on my leave. I want to answer La Vernes letter too.

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Artifact 1940-08-23 – Letter to Miss La Verne Woods

“It isn’t so bad over here if my relatives & friends were here & if tobacco’s & razor blades & other necessities wer’nt so high in price.”

Letter to Miss La Verne Woods – August 23, 1940

Transcription of Artifact Content

Aldershot, Eng.
Aug. 23/40

Dear La Verne:-

Was I ever glad to get your letter the other day. I got a bunch of them all at once. And yours was a little more welcome than either Franc’s or Peggy’s I think. Of course I guess I hear from them ofterner is why. But I’m glad to hear from them too as I can sure read a lot of letters over here.

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