Tag: Air Raid

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 1940-11-07 – Letter to Mrs. Elton Newman

“He & I just upset a whole bottle of ink.”

Letter to Mrs. Elton Newman – November 7, 1940

Transcription of Artifact Content

Aldershot England
November 7/40

Dear Sister:-

Well I was expecting Eva & her brother down to-day. But they didn’t show up. So I guess I’ll go to the show after supper.

I wrote to Onnellee last nite But I want to drop another line to-nite. If I have time. Also Aunt Lil. I haven’t heard from her yet.

Gee. I haven’t had any Canadien mail in a week. I expected some to-day. But it didn’t come

A bunch of Canadiens arrived the other day from Iceland. & are they a happy bunch. Bob Oakley that used to fork from for Les. Ash & Wane Tully. was amongst them. He had a bunch of pictures he took in Iceland. & what a desolate looking place. Not a tree in sight.

He gave me some Money he brought from there & I’m going to try & wrap it up & send it in this letter.

Gee Franc. I wish some mail would arrive from you & Onnellee You know I wasn’t going to write her last night But I went to the show& I couldn’t get her off my mind. So I had to write her before I went to bed.

There is an air raid on now & I soon have to go to supper. Gee I can’t understand why they fly over us & drop their eggs & none has come near us. Lucky Aren’t we? Well I’ll write some more after supper.

Well I’ve finished & what a louzy supper. I wish I could have supper with you some nighe.

They are starting to give the seven days leaves out now. & I expect to go in a couple weeks. Tweedale & Wilf. the guy I went on my last leave with. Are going together first this time & then I go next. If we go to Scotland. We get 2 days extra to toe travel on. So that’ll make me nine days all told

Well Franc. my (xxxx) lips I mean the sores on my lips are just about dried. And I feel much better. I cleeen cleaned my teeth to day for the first My lips were so sore before that I couldn’t stand to clean them.

Weel Franc. There isn’t much more to say. So I guess I’d better close for now. So I’ll say

Good Night

Your Loving Brother

     Harry

P.S.

This crazy Tweedale would drive the
best of men     nuts

He & I just upset a whole bottle of ink.

***   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 1940-10-26 – Letter to Mrs. Elton Newman

“I suppose by the time you receive this letter. You’ll have heard about Pat Burling”

Artifact 1940-10-26 – Letter to Mrs. Elton Newman

Transcription of Artifact Content

Aldershot, Eng.
October 26/40

Dear Frances:-

Just a few lines to tell you, that I received your cigs to-day. They are the ones that Gladys. & you sent together. I want to write to her too & thank her as well as you.

Glen just got some too & he has just paid me back some that lent him.

I suppose by the time you receive this letter. You’ll have heard about Pat Burling Poor Pat. It’s just to bad about him. I think I’m going to be a pallbearer for his funeral. It just happened this Morn. & half of the guys are frightened to sleep in this room now. I have half a notion to go & sleep in another room myself. Well the boys all feel so bad cuzz’ everybody in this room liked Pat. a lot.

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Artifact 1940-09-13 – Letter to Mrs. Elton Newman

“We had an air raid first thing this morn. to start the day off. It seemed so funny yesterday We didn’t have on raid all day long.”

Letter to Mrs. Elton Newman – September 13, 1940

Transcription of Artifact Content

Aldershot, Eng.
Friday Sept. 13/40

Dear Franc:-

Was so glad to know that you received my first letter okay. I have been thinking that you should soon get one from me. I hope Onn. got one too for her birthday. I got a letter from her a couple days ago & she said then that would be the best present she could get. She hadn’t received any from up until that time yet.

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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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