Dear folks,
Well, Christmas is over for another year. Hope the war will be over and that we will all be home before next Christmas. I had a better time here than I had in France last year. Every soldier in Hastings was provided for at some place yesterday. All the soldier's clubs etc. undertook to entertain so many and the people of the town were very hospitable in taking individual soldiers into their homes. At the mess room, a big feed was put on with a concert afterwards. I was at a social in the Presbyterian Church and had a good time. The people here though, haven't got any idea of what a real tea-meeting is like. They did their best, however.
We had a holiday all day and could go anywhere we liked. In the afternoon, Doug, Joycey (another old 5th boy) and I went to an orchestra concert on the pier ...... it was pretty good. We just got out of there in time to come down here for our eats. It would have made it more like Xmas had have come through. I haven't got any yet but it is all on account of the Xmas rush. I suppose most of it went to France and it is hard to have anything returned from there at Xmas. I never should have told you to keep on sending it there. Just while I think of it, you might tell Miss Fairbairn to sent the news to C.A.M.C. Depot, Dibgate Camp,Shorncliffe. I'll be there before long
Well, there isn't much news to tell about my doings here for I'm not doing anything but I'm getting tired of my job. We can't go away from our houses until after 4;30 unless we are on a fatigue party and there are lots of those.
I'll finish telling you about my leave although you will no doubt have had it all from Bill before you get this. while we were in Edinburgh, we looked up the directory and found a Mrs. A. Skilling so we decided that we would take a run out and see who they were.
We found the address after a little trouble and had to ring 2 or 3 times before we could get them to answer the door. They live in an apartment house and anyone who rings generally goes right on up the stairs. At last, they came down and so we told her that we had seen their name in the directory and just thought we would look them up as it was such an uncommon name. she was very nice and invited us upstairs. After we had sat down. she proceeded to give us the history of the Skillings as far as she knew.
Her husband was an Andrew Skilling , a Captain of a coasting steamer and died of enteric fever (Typhoid Fever) that he contracted at Calais. She was left with two children, a girl, and a boy. The son is called Andrew and is at present in France (19) and her daughter (17) is at home going to school. She is quite a singer and could play the piano too if she had some good instruction. She is training for a teacher.
Mrs. Skilling's mother lives in the same flat with them. I can't remember her name. They seem in fairly comfortable circumstances and live in a respectable place. She told us a lot about her husband's brothers and father and grandfathers, but it was such a conglomeration of names etc. that I couldn't begin to write it out. Probably Bill will attempt to tell you. I can remember that she had her husband's people traced back to a Jew who went from London to Jamaica and married a Negress. He was very wealthy and what concerned Mrs. Skilling most was that some lawyer went through the estate for them and then disappeared.
They gave us an invitation to come back and see them anytime we were in Edinburgh. I would like to go back there again in the summer time. The fall is certainly not the right time of the year to go up to that country.
We left Edinburgh for Yorkshire next afternoon but I think I told you about that before.
Your letter written to France (#18 Gen. Hosp.) has not arrived yet. It would no doubt be forwarded by them to the Canadian Records Office and they would send it to CCAC. The month I was away on leave was the cause of the big ball up in my mail. I am sure there is mail at the CCAC post office for me that I can't get. There are thousands of parcels there unclaimed. They don't seem to make much effort to find out where they belong. I don't think it is worthwhile sending any more as long as I am in Eng. for they will only be an expense for nothing because I'll likely ..... some of them anyway. And tell Rose not to bother with the papers as they have to be handled so many times too. This is the end of my paper so I'll have to ring off.
Lovingly,
Harold
Showing posts with label Bill Skilling. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Bill Skilling. Show all posts
Monday, August 8, 2016
Friday, August 5, 2016
18 Dec. 1916 C.C.A.C.Hastings, England
Dear Folks,
It seems a long time since I wrote a letter home, but when I was on leave, it just seemed impossible to get a letter written to anyone. It was rather a remarkable coincidence that Bill's leave and mine should each be exactly 4 weeks and end within a day of each other. It certainly made it much more pleasant.
We stayed at Mitford's most of the time we were in London and they seemed glad to have us and made us feel very much at home. We just came and went as we liked. We had Millie and Edith out several times to hear two Grand Operas, Faust, and Aida. Also, Edith came down to Bramshott with us to see the 160th (Bruce Battalion).
During our stay in London, we got around to most of the principal things that neither of us had seen. We got to two afternoon sessions of the House of Parliament. The first time we missed the Question Hour which was what we particularly wanted so we came earlier next day and heard Mr. Asquith, Sir E. Carson, Mr. Tennant etc. We did not hear Lloyd George. Mr. Asqith can keep the House guessing. He shut up nearly every one of his questioners without giving them the least bit of information.
I think we spent most of our first week trying to buy a few Christmas presents for the people at home. It is a worse job here than at home because it is so hard to get suitable things that could be sent by mail easily.
We finally ended up in Robinsons & Cleavers, the big linen house, and found the best things there. We sent a draft to Mother. Thought she could make better use of it when away from home than a few articles of linen.
After about 10 -12 days of tearing around London, we decided to go on up to Scotland and drop off at those people in Yorkshire that you know, Mr. Balmer (or Bulmer). On inquiring, we found that we could not travel on the line going through their town on our up journey but could come back that way. We notified them , and also the Munros as to when we would likely come.
We left for Glasgow Friday midnight and arrived Greenock 10 am Sat. Mrs. Munro was at the station to meet us and we went right over to the house. That was the day Bill was gazetted. He cabled as soon as he found out.
I should judge Munros to be typical Scotch working people - except that they don't booze. They live in a 3 story building on the top floor and are crowded. They all seem very happy though and were glad to have us visit them. Their hospitality is very superfluous and they wouldn't let us eat at the same table as themselves or the kids but stuck us off in our own rooms and fed us there, with the door closed. They made us feel kind of uncomfortable by doing things like that all the time. They bought things to give us to eat which I don't think they could well afford.
They have a dandy ...right family and they all seem to be doing as much as they can to help in the upkeep of the house. The eldest boy , about 18, is a boilermaker's apprentice and earns 30 shillings a week for 72 hours work. They work overtime 3 nights a week. He doesn't look strong enough to stand it and when he comes in at night he looks "all in". The eldest daughter is a dandy singer; she is about 14 and has a good voice. she sings in one of the city school choirs. Mae would like to get hold of her.
We had them all singing one night and the youngest, Molly, about the same age as Gracie, said she could sing. We said "let's have it then". That made her shy so she said she knew one " in me ain hymn book". We said " well, sing that one". She squirmed around a bit and then said " oh, but I must have my hymn book wi' me".
There isn't much to see around Greenock , especially at this time of year as it is so foggy all the time. They only have about 7 hours of daylight on clear days, but on misty days , it is never really light. We rented a Kodak to take up with us but we couldn't get enough light to take more than 3 or 4 snaps. We saw nearly all the friends of the family during our stay but there were so many and such flimsy relationships that I couldn't begin to tell you who they were.
Mrs. Skilling, Mrs. Munro's mother, came over to see us a couple of evenings. She is 65 but looks older. Just the same, she gets up every morning at 5:30 am, gets her own breakfast, and takes a car at 6:30 am for Port Glasgow where she works at a hemp mill. she doesn't seem to mind. she is a Catholic and seems quite satisfied that our ancestors came from Germany. It doesn't make her like the Germans any more however. Frank Skilling ( her son) was away to sea, so they thought, so we didn't meet him.
We decided that we would go on to Glasgow Wed. pm and spend the rest of the day and all day Thursday there, and go on to Edinburgh after dark. When we got up on Wed. am, we found that neither Mrs. Munro nor Charlie had gone to work; they said they slept in but if they did, I think it must have been on purpose. The rest would not hurt them if they could afford to lose the time. We got away on the 2 pm train. Mrs. Munro and Charlie came to the station to see us off.
I had an idea that Glasgow was something like Greenock but it didn't take long for me to change my mind. it is a dandy city and we had a dandy day there. We went to see an exhibition of war relics at night and went through a large art gallery in the same building. We had tea under the wing of the monoplane in which Warneford V.C. brought down the first Zeppelin.
Next morning we looked through the City Hall. It is a gran' place and also the University and the civic art gallery. It has a lot of the masterpieces of the London galleries which have been removed from London for fear of being destroyed during some of the raids. We intended going out for a car ride along the docks but left it too late. We went but the darkness prevented our seeing anything.
We caught a train for Edinburgh just about 6:30 pm and got in there at about 9 pm. We looked up a hotel and then tried to find an eating house. There didn't seem to be one open so we wandered back to the station and got there just in time to be too late for the dining room. Nothing was left but the free buffet for soldiers. We went in but they wouldn't serve Bill because he was an officer. We managed to get them to give us something in behind the scenes but only after talking quite a while.
Edinburgh was enveloped in a mist all the time we were there and we couldn't get a view of the city at all We (took) the bus one day out to see the Forth Bridge but could only see one span of it. The fog hid all the rest. We had a good look at some of the interesting places though, Edinburgh Castle and part of the old town.
We left on Sat. pm for Yorkshire and after a very exasperating journey got into West Rounton about 11:30 pm. We missed connections at Darlington on a/cc of being delayed by an accident on the line. The last train stopping at our nearest station to West Rounton had gone so we had to hire a trap to take us out, about 9 miles. Fortunately, the people were not in bed and gave us a hearty welcome. They are Mr. and Mrs. Hazeltine. We stayed there until Tuesday afternoon and then came on to London.
Their place is quite near Middlesboro and if I had had your letter telling about Mr. Yeo's people I would have had a chance to go over. It has not arrived yet but I think some of my mail is down at the CCAC Depot here and I might get it yet. Send all mail to 609 Finchley Road, Hampstead, London c/o Mrs. Mitford. I'll likely be changing my address quite a bit during the next few weeks so I can always send there for it. I'm afraid I'll lose most of my Xmas parcels especially those that go to France.
There is not going to be any Xmas leave from CCAC at all as all railway facilities are being reserved for soldiers on leave from France. The Presbyterian church here is going to entertain 150 soldiers on Xmas day in the church and I'm going to try and get an invitation. It is going to be a sort of tea meeting or as nearly one as they can get in this country.
Well, I'm getting run out of news for this time so will ring off. We are in dandy billets here and have nothing to do but wait for a board. I'll write more often now that I have come back off leave.
Lovingly,
Harold
It seems a long time since I wrote a letter home, but when I was on leave, it just seemed impossible to get a letter written to anyone. It was rather a remarkable coincidence that Bill's leave and mine should each be exactly 4 weeks and end within a day of each other. It certainly made it much more pleasant.
We stayed at Mitford's most of the time we were in London and they seemed glad to have us and made us feel very much at home. We just came and went as we liked. We had Millie and Edith out several times to hear two Grand Operas, Faust, and Aida. Also, Edith came down to Bramshott with us to see the 160th (Bruce Battalion).
During our stay in London, we got around to most of the principal things that neither of us had seen. We got to two afternoon sessions of the House of Parliament. The first time we missed the Question Hour which was what we particularly wanted so we came earlier next day and heard Mr. Asquith, Sir E. Carson, Mr. Tennant etc. We did not hear Lloyd George. Mr. Asqith can keep the House guessing. He shut up nearly every one of his questioners without giving them the least bit of information.
I think we spent most of our first week trying to buy a few Christmas presents for the people at home. It is a worse job here than at home because it is so hard to get suitable things that could be sent by mail easily.
We finally ended up in Robinsons & Cleavers, the big linen house, and found the best things there. We sent a draft to Mother. Thought she could make better use of it when away from home than a few articles of linen.
After about 10 -12 days of tearing around London, we decided to go on up to Scotland and drop off at those people in Yorkshire that you know, Mr. Balmer (or Bulmer). On inquiring, we found that we could not travel on the line going through their town on our up journey but could come back that way. We notified them , and also the Munros as to when we would likely come.
We left for Glasgow Friday midnight and arrived Greenock 10 am Sat. Mrs. Munro was at the station to meet us and we went right over to the house. That was the day Bill was gazetted. He cabled as soon as he found out.
I should judge Munros to be typical Scotch working people - except that they don't booze. They live in a 3 story building on the top floor and are crowded. They all seem very happy though and were glad to have us visit them. Their hospitality is very superfluous and they wouldn't let us eat at the same table as themselves or the kids but stuck us off in our own rooms and fed us there, with the door closed. They made us feel kind of uncomfortable by doing things like that all the time. They bought things to give us to eat which I don't think they could well afford.
They have a dandy ...right family and they all seem to be doing as much as they can to help in the upkeep of the house. The eldest boy , about 18, is a boilermaker's apprentice and earns 30 shillings a week for 72 hours work. They work overtime 3 nights a week. He doesn't look strong enough to stand it and when he comes in at night he looks "all in". The eldest daughter is a dandy singer; she is about 14 and has a good voice. she sings in one of the city school choirs. Mae would like to get hold of her.
We had them all singing one night and the youngest, Molly, about the same age as Gracie, said she could sing. We said "let's have it then". That made her shy so she said she knew one " in me ain hymn book". We said " well, sing that one". She squirmed around a bit and then said " oh, but I must have my hymn book wi' me".
There isn't much to see around Greenock , especially at this time of year as it is so foggy all the time. They only have about 7 hours of daylight on clear days, but on misty days , it is never really light. We rented a Kodak to take up with us but we couldn't get enough light to take more than 3 or 4 snaps. We saw nearly all the friends of the family during our stay but there were so many and such flimsy relationships that I couldn't begin to tell you who they were.
Mrs. Skilling, Mrs. Munro's mother, came over to see us a couple of evenings. She is 65 but looks older. Just the same, she gets up every morning at 5:30 am, gets her own breakfast, and takes a car at 6:30 am for Port Glasgow where she works at a hemp mill. she doesn't seem to mind. she is a Catholic and seems quite satisfied that our ancestors came from Germany. It doesn't make her like the Germans any more however. Frank Skilling ( her son) was away to sea, so they thought, so we didn't meet him.
We decided that we would go on to Glasgow Wed. pm and spend the rest of the day and all day Thursday there, and go on to Edinburgh after dark. When we got up on Wed. am, we found that neither Mrs. Munro nor Charlie had gone to work; they said they slept in but if they did, I think it must have been on purpose. The rest would not hurt them if they could afford to lose the time. We got away on the 2 pm train. Mrs. Munro and Charlie came to the station to see us off.
I had an idea that Glasgow was something like Greenock but it didn't take long for me to change my mind. it is a dandy city and we had a dandy day there. We went to see an exhibition of war relics at night and went through a large art gallery in the same building. We had tea under the wing of the monoplane in which Warneford V.C. brought down the first Zeppelin.
Next morning we looked through the City Hall. It is a gran' place and also the University and the civic art gallery. It has a lot of the masterpieces of the London galleries which have been removed from London for fear of being destroyed during some of the raids. We intended going out for a car ride along the docks but left it too late. We went but the darkness prevented our seeing anything.
We caught a train for Edinburgh just about 6:30 pm and got in there at about 9 pm. We looked up a hotel and then tried to find an eating house. There didn't seem to be one open so we wandered back to the station and got there just in time to be too late for the dining room. Nothing was left but the free buffet for soldiers. We went in but they wouldn't serve Bill because he was an officer. We managed to get them to give us something in behind the scenes but only after talking quite a while.
Edinburgh was enveloped in a mist all the time we were there and we couldn't get a view of the city at all We (took) the bus one day out to see the Forth Bridge but could only see one span of it. The fog hid all the rest. We had a good look at some of the interesting places though, Edinburgh Castle and part of the old town.
We left on Sat. pm for Yorkshire and after a very exasperating journey got into West Rounton about 11:30 pm. We missed connections at Darlington on a/cc of being delayed by an accident on the line. The last train stopping at our nearest station to West Rounton had gone so we had to hire a trap to take us out, about 9 miles. Fortunately, the people were not in bed and gave us a hearty welcome. They are Mr. and Mrs. Hazeltine. We stayed there until Tuesday afternoon and then came on to London.
Their place is quite near Middlesboro and if I had had your letter telling about Mr. Yeo's people I would have had a chance to go over. It has not arrived yet but I think some of my mail is down at the CCAC Depot here and I might get it yet. Send all mail to 609 Finchley Road, Hampstead, London c/o Mrs. Mitford. I'll likely be changing my address quite a bit during the next few weeks so I can always send there for it. I'm afraid I'll lose most of my Xmas parcels especially those that go to France.
There is not going to be any Xmas leave from CCAC at all as all railway facilities are being reserved for soldiers on leave from France. The Presbyterian church here is going to entertain 150 soldiers on Xmas day in the church and I'm going to try and get an invitation. It is going to be a sort of tea meeting or as nearly one as they can get in this country.
Well, I'm getting run out of news for this time so will ring off. We are in dandy billets here and have nothing to do but wait for a board. I'll write more often now that I have come back off leave.
Lovingly,
Harold
Wednesday, August 3, 2016
28 Nov.1916 609 Finchley Rd, London, England
Dear Mother:-
Have been having a whale of a time since coming here and it seems harder to get started at a letter here than it is in France.
Things just worked out fine for Bill and me to have our leave together. I got here just 1 day after he did, and will possibly be away longer than he will. I suppose you knew that I had gotten 4 weeks convalescent leave.
Since coming here I have been running around with Bill & between us, we have done all the Xmas shopping. We have everything sent off but yours. Since you are away visiting, we thought you would rather have a small "draught" than anything else we could send from here so I am enclosing a draft for $10.00 from Bill and me.
We expect to go up to Scotland for a week or so sometime this week. Bill is expecting to be gazetted anytime and will be on leave until he is posted to a Battalion. I am off until Dec. 16 so we are going to have practically all the time together.
We have been very lucky as regards weather. It is just like October at home, clear and frosty at nights. It is generally very wet at this time of year in England. Do my letters go out to you regularly? I always send them to Father at Teeswater so that they will go the rounds as usual.
Well, I think I told most of the news in my regular letters so I'll ring off as I am in a hurry. Give my love to Merren and Gert and hope you all have a very Merry Christmas.
Your loving son,
Harold
Note from Bill Skilling to his mother below:
Dear Mother, it seems harder even to write while on leave than when we're working. It's no use trying to tell all we're doing till we're back to our unit again, then the full account will come. In the meantime, short notes will have to do. We're staying at Millie's & having a great time. All thru my course. Best of love to you and all. Merry Christmas. Hope the junk got there ok. Your loving son, Bill
Have been having a whale of a time since coming here and it seems harder to get started at a letter here than it is in France.
Things just worked out fine for Bill and me to have our leave together. I got here just 1 day after he did, and will possibly be away longer than he will. I suppose you knew that I had gotten 4 weeks convalescent leave.
Since coming here I have been running around with Bill & between us, we have done all the Xmas shopping. We have everything sent off but yours. Since you are away visiting, we thought you would rather have a small "draught" than anything else we could send from here so I am enclosing a draft for $10.00 from Bill and me.
We expect to go up to Scotland for a week or so sometime this week. Bill is expecting to be gazetted anytime and will be on leave until he is posted to a Battalion. I am off until Dec. 16 so we are going to have practically all the time together.
We have been very lucky as regards weather. It is just like October at home, clear and frosty at nights. It is generally very wet at this time of year in England. Do my letters go out to you regularly? I always send them to Father at Teeswater so that they will go the rounds as usual.
Well, I think I told most of the news in my regular letters so I'll ring off as I am in a hurry. Give my love to Merren and Gert and hope you all have a very Merry Christmas.
Your loving son,
Harold
Note from Bill Skilling to his mother below:
Dear Mother, it seems harder even to write while on leave than when we're working. It's no use trying to tell all we're doing till we're back to our unit again, then the full account will come. In the meantime, short notes will have to do. We're staying at Millie's & having a great time. All thru my course. Best of love to you and all. Merry Christmas. Hope the junk got there ok. Your loving son, Bill
13 Nov. 1916 CCAC Shoreham (Near Brighton)
Dear folks,
This is Monday and I have been travelling all day from Shorncliffe. We had to change trains 3 times and finally arrived here at about 4 pm. Everyone has a different version as to our disposal here but I guess I'll see tomorrow.
I was sent for from Armstrong College last Thursday to be transferred to a Canadian hospital. We left Newcastle on Friday and arrived Shorncliffe at about 1 am Sat. night (via London). We stayed there over Sunday and this morning we were sent to CCAC (where I am now). I'll have to sleep on boards again tonight. It will seem different than a bed but I'll have to get used to it sooner or later again.
There is so much red tape and herding to go thru' here that we are all thoroughly disgusted. We can't get any satisfaction out of anyone. I am going to make a good bid to get away by Wed. on furlough for I understand medical corps men are only sent away on Wed. so that if I don't get away this week, it will be another before I go. By that time Bill will have put in a week of his and in all probability her will not get more than 7 or 10 days.
I'll likely have to spend all day tomorrow answering roll calls etc. and waiting my turn to go before a Med. Board to be passed upon. After I've been boarded, I'll go to another camp & await leave there. In the meantime I'll have physical drill or whatever I am passed as fir for.
After my furlough I return here and do more physical drill until I am thoroughly fit and then I report to my depot (med. training depot) at Dibgate camp Shorncliffe. From there I may be sent out on a draft to France at any time or detailed on any medical corps work.
Sunday (yesterday) I was walking in Folkstone and ran across Harry Lewis and
Chas. Stewart. I also saw my CO Col. G.D.Farmer. He seemed glad to see me and broached the subject of my commission. He rec'd my application and said her would recommend me but that I would have to be paraded before a General. Possibly I'll follow it up from my Depot when I get back there.
I guess you will be wondering how I feel more than all this other stuff. I am just about alright again but I think if we get much more of this trotting around on starvation rations, I'll have a relapse. For the last week nearly I've had to depend on charity and free soldier's buffets for my meals. I can't get any money and we have been o the move so much that I have no address long enough to have any sent from Bill. I think we can draw some money now though as long as we are here. I got mother and Maude's parcels ok but the strawberries of mother's were all soaked into the shirt & sox. A good wash will fix them though. Maude's arrived in good condition. Both had to go to France. I didn't expect them at all. Don't send very much to me at Christmas and mail it to Med. Corps Training Depot, Dibgate Camp, Shorncliffe, Eng.
Well I must ring off and get into bed as I'm pretty tired tonight. I'll write as soon as anything is done with me & let you know all about things.
Lovingly,
Harold
This is Monday and I have been travelling all day from Shorncliffe. We had to change trains 3 times and finally arrived here at about 4 pm. Everyone has a different version as to our disposal here but I guess I'll see tomorrow.
I was sent for from Armstrong College last Thursday to be transferred to a Canadian hospital. We left Newcastle on Friday and arrived Shorncliffe at about 1 am Sat. night (via London). We stayed there over Sunday and this morning we were sent to CCAC (where I am now). I'll have to sleep on boards again tonight. It will seem different than a bed but I'll have to get used to it sooner or later again.
There is so much red tape and herding to go thru' here that we are all thoroughly disgusted. We can't get any satisfaction out of anyone. I am going to make a good bid to get away by Wed. on furlough for I understand medical corps men are only sent away on Wed. so that if I don't get away this week, it will be another before I go. By that time Bill will have put in a week of his and in all probability her will not get more than 7 or 10 days.
I'll likely have to spend all day tomorrow answering roll calls etc. and waiting my turn to go before a Med. Board to be passed upon. After I've been boarded, I'll go to another camp & await leave there. In the meantime I'll have physical drill or whatever I am passed as fir for.
After my furlough I return here and do more physical drill until I am thoroughly fit and then I report to my depot (med. training depot) at Dibgate camp Shorncliffe. From there I may be sent out on a draft to France at any time or detailed on any medical corps work.
Sunday (yesterday) I was walking in Folkstone and ran across Harry Lewis and
Chas. Stewart. I also saw my CO Col. G.D.Farmer. He seemed glad to see me and broached the subject of my commission. He rec'd my application and said her would recommend me but that I would have to be paraded before a General. Possibly I'll follow it up from my Depot when I get back there.
I guess you will be wondering how I feel more than all this other stuff. I am just about alright again but I think if we get much more of this trotting around on starvation rations, I'll have a relapse. For the last week nearly I've had to depend on charity and free soldier's buffets for my meals. I can't get any money and we have been o the move so much that I have no address long enough to have any sent from Bill. I think we can draw some money now though as long as we are here. I got mother and Maude's parcels ok but the strawberries of mother's were all soaked into the shirt & sox. A good wash will fix them though. Maude's arrived in good condition. Both had to go to France. I didn't expect them at all. Don't send very much to me at Christmas and mail it to Med. Corps Training Depot, Dibgate Camp, Shorncliffe, Eng.
Well I must ring off and get into bed as I'm pretty tired tonight. I'll write as soon as anything is done with me & let you know all about things.
Lovingly,
Harold
Wednesday, July 27, 2016
2 Nov. 1916 Holeyn Hall Wylam-on-Tyne
Dear folks,
I suppose you had quite an anxious time during the period between cables. You will likely have the note I sent from France and possibly some of my letters from England by this time. so there is no need for anxiety. I am just as fit now as ever I was and would ask to be marked out next time the doc. comes, if it wasn't for Bill's leave. As it is, I am going to request another week here. I think it will be granted when they know the reason. The Sister in charge seems very decent; I have explained to her.
Had a letter from Millie Mitford and ...ith Howson this morning. they gave me a very pressing invitation to stay at their place during my stay in London. I'll be glad to go there and to lose sight of soldiers and barracks for awhile.
I have been taking some nice long walks during the last few days. the weather has been just like Indian Summer - only not so nice. The country up around here is not nearly so pretty as it is in kent where 2nd Division trained last summer.
Friday Nov. 3rd
Was interrupted yesterday and did not get any more written. The weather is not so nice today so I am not going out but will try and get some more letters written. I have been having some good times with the Victrola during the last few days. It was away getting repaired so I didn't bother to look over the records. There must be about 200 or so and all big ones. I never listened to such good ones before. There are lots by Caruso, Melba, Scotti, Kubelic etc. All the grand operas etc. I could listen to them all day. The thing's never stopped going all day. I'm scared someone will be busting it or some of the records. Some of them cost 1 pound and some a guinea.
I was talking to the Commandant ( a woman) last evening and told her about wanting to stay another week. she said it would be alright if the Canadians did not have to be transferred to one of their own convalescent homes. she had had a communication asking how many Canadians were here that were fit to travel. there are only two. She expects some word from the RAMC doctor on Monday. If we are not marked out on Monday, everything will be "jake".
Tell Mae and the Toronto people not to send along a lot of stuff just yet anyway. I'll send for things I need after I see what I am issued in shape of kit. I'll be able to get nearly everything I need as I am in England now and won't require so much as I would in France. I am afraid most of the parcels that have been sent will go astray because likely everything will be sent to France. All my letters have been coming through ok. It keeps me pretty busy answering them.
There is nothing very eventful happening here and consequently not much news. Will let you know anything that turns up of importance.
Lovingly,
Harold
I suppose you had quite an anxious time during the period between cables. You will likely have the note I sent from France and possibly some of my letters from England by this time. so there is no need for anxiety. I am just as fit now as ever I was and would ask to be marked out next time the doc. comes, if it wasn't for Bill's leave. As it is, I am going to request another week here. I think it will be granted when they know the reason. The Sister in charge seems very decent; I have explained to her.
Had a letter from Millie Mitford and ...ith Howson this morning. they gave me a very pressing invitation to stay at their place during my stay in London. I'll be glad to go there and to lose sight of soldiers and barracks for awhile.
I have been taking some nice long walks during the last few days. the weather has been just like Indian Summer - only not so nice. The country up around here is not nearly so pretty as it is in kent where 2nd Division trained last summer.
Friday Nov. 3rd
Was interrupted yesterday and did not get any more written. The weather is not so nice today so I am not going out but will try and get some more letters written. I have been having some good times with the Victrola during the last few days. It was away getting repaired so I didn't bother to look over the records. There must be about 200 or so and all big ones. I never listened to such good ones before. There are lots by Caruso, Melba, Scotti, Kubelic etc. All the grand operas etc. I could listen to them all day. The thing's never stopped going all day. I'm scared someone will be busting it or some of the records. Some of them cost 1 pound and some a guinea.
I was talking to the Commandant ( a woman) last evening and told her about wanting to stay another week. she said it would be alright if the Canadians did not have to be transferred to one of their own convalescent homes. she had had a communication asking how many Canadians were here that were fit to travel. there are only two. She expects some word from the RAMC doctor on Monday. If we are not marked out on Monday, everything will be "jake".
Tell Mae and the Toronto people not to send along a lot of stuff just yet anyway. I'll send for things I need after I see what I am issued in shape of kit. I'll be able to get nearly everything I need as I am in England now and won't require so much as I would in France. I am afraid most of the parcels that have been sent will go astray because likely everything will be sent to France. All my letters have been coming through ok. It keeps me pretty busy answering them.
There is nothing very eventful happening here and consequently not much news. Will let you know anything that turns up of importance.
Lovingly,
Harold
Tuesday, July 26, 2016
28 October 1916 Holeyn Hall Wylam-on-Tyne
Dear folks:-
Well, I've put in a week at the Convalescent Home now and am getting along nicely. Have just come in from a walk down to the village 1 1/2 miles away. It makes me pretty tired to walk that far but I've not noticed my side get sore this time so I guess it is going to come along alright.
I got Mother's letter from Calgary and Father's from home on Oct. 1. I guess there was some flying around at our house for a few days getting everyone ready to get away. It was nice that you had company all the way. I'll bet you were loaded fit for a winter's campaign, and tried to carry it all.
Had a letter from E.R. (Etta Redburn) Oct. 5. She mentioned Father receiving the first cable from Bill. I thought that there was a quicker service than that with the official casualty list. I was hit on Sept. 28 and it had not appeared by Oct. 5.
Had a letter from some of my chums in the ambulance corps since coming here. They had quite a smash after I left. Two horse ambulances got smashed up. The horses were killed and also 1 man. The crews were all wounded. It is lucky that they were not full of wounded when they were hit for they can hold as many as 12-14 sitting cases each.
Bill is still at Lark Hill and it is beginning to look as if we are going to make our "leaves" coincide. Had a letter from him yesterday. He was in charge of the gun detachment that made a record. From the time of unlimbering the gun till reporting ready to fire & firing, it was only 35 seconds. I have sent a letter to my C.O. in France to see if he can recommend me for a Commission in the R. F. A. I'm not sure whether he will do it or not because as soon as I finish my leave, I'll be struck off the strength of the 5th Fd. Amb.(automatically). I'll see what he'll do and if he won't do it perhaps the C.O. of the base depot will.
There is not much to write about here. We get up at 7 am and all we have to do is eat our meals and lounge around till 8:30 pm when it is bedtime. The weather has not been very nice but when it is fine we all generally go out for a stroll. There are lots of books and magazines here so I spend most of my time indoors reading or writing letters.
That part of my old letter, Pa, that had to do with my assignment pay: That $15 is an amount equal to a month's assignment, which is kept out of the remaining $18 of the month when the first assignment was paid. That is for April 1915, $15 was paid to Orville, and $15 was kept to my credit at the pay office; I could draw the other $3 the next month ie I could draw the $18. they still keep the $15 of April 1915. I'll draw that "apres la guerre". (after the war, Pa)
I reported my throat here on two occasions and they only give me a gargle. The head Sister told me to report it to the throat specialist at 1st Northern General Hospital when I report back there for my uniform and pass. (I wear hospital blue now).
There is a concert here tonight. I think they put on something like that every Sat. night. We had some fine singers here last week.
Well, I think this is about all the news just now, so I'll ring off.
Lovingly,
Harold
Well, I've put in a week at the Convalescent Home now and am getting along nicely. Have just come in from a walk down to the village 1 1/2 miles away. It makes me pretty tired to walk that far but I've not noticed my side get sore this time so I guess it is going to come along alright.
I got Mother's letter from Calgary and Father's from home on Oct. 1. I guess there was some flying around at our house for a few days getting everyone ready to get away. It was nice that you had company all the way. I'll bet you were loaded fit for a winter's campaign, and tried to carry it all.
Had a letter from E.R. (Etta Redburn) Oct. 5. She mentioned Father receiving the first cable from Bill. I thought that there was a quicker service than that with the official casualty list. I was hit on Sept. 28 and it had not appeared by Oct. 5.
Had a letter from some of my chums in the ambulance corps since coming here. They had quite a smash after I left. Two horse ambulances got smashed up. The horses were killed and also 1 man. The crews were all wounded. It is lucky that they were not full of wounded when they were hit for they can hold as many as 12-14 sitting cases each.
Bill is still at Lark Hill and it is beginning to look as if we are going to make our "leaves" coincide. Had a letter from him yesterday. He was in charge of the gun detachment that made a record. From the time of unlimbering the gun till reporting ready to fire & firing, it was only 35 seconds. I have sent a letter to my C.O. in France to see if he can recommend me for a Commission in the R. F. A. I'm not sure whether he will do it or not because as soon as I finish my leave, I'll be struck off the strength of the 5th Fd. Amb.(automatically). I'll see what he'll do and if he won't do it perhaps the C.O. of the base depot will.
There is not much to write about here. We get up at 7 am and all we have to do is eat our meals and lounge around till 8:30 pm when it is bedtime. The weather has not been very nice but when it is fine we all generally go out for a stroll. There are lots of books and magazines here so I spend most of my time indoors reading or writing letters.
That part of my old letter, Pa, that had to do with my assignment pay: That $15 is an amount equal to a month's assignment, which is kept out of the remaining $18 of the month when the first assignment was paid. That is for April 1915, $15 was paid to Orville, and $15 was kept to my credit at the pay office; I could draw the other $3 the next month ie I could draw the $18. they still keep the $15 of April 1915. I'll draw that "apres la guerre". (after the war, Pa)
I reported my throat here on two occasions and they only give me a gargle. The head Sister told me to report it to the throat specialist at 1st Northern General Hospital when I report back there for my uniform and pass. (I wear hospital blue now).
There is a concert here tonight. I think they put on something like that every Sat. night. We had some fine singers here last week.
Well, I think this is about all the news just now, so I'll ring off.
Lovingly,
Harold
Saturday, July 23, 2016
19 October 1916 1st Northern General Hospital Newcastle-on-Tyne
Dear Mother and Gert:-
Well, things have been in a muddle at home, haven't they? I hadn't an inkling as to what was going on until Bill came up to see me on Saturday last. He brought up all the recent letters he had rec'd from everyone and read me all about the happenings.
I hadn't had any mail from anyone for about a month. So I was wondering what was going on at home. Today I was fairly overwhelmed with mail. It had all been sent on from France. I got 19 letters & cards and a regular armful of papers. I was most of the day at reading them and have only finished. It is now nearly 6 pm and, as we have our tea at 4:30 pm and supper at 7 pm, I can get a letter written to you before supper.
Well, I'll not go into details of how I got to 1st Northern General Hospital for by the time this reaches you, you will have rec'd my others and also the one Will (Bill) wrote when he was here.You would likely be en route for Calgary when Will sent the cables. I wrote a letter to Floss a few days ago telling most of my trip across. Probably she will have sent it on to you also.
Well, I have been getting along nicely and have been allowed up and about for three or four days. They are crowded for room here so any who possibly can go to Convalescent Homes are being sent. I go tomorrow. I'll likely be there for 2 or 3 weeks but I am going to try and make it spin out till Bill has finished his Gunnery course at Salisbury then we can have our leave together. He will be finished at Lark Hill by November 20th at the latest. I'll likely have to " swing the lead " a bit for I'm getting better far too quickly. That's the worst of being healthy. I have a small fragment of shrapnel still in me. It jags against my ribs when I twist or stretch but the doctor here says the x-ray people could not find anything definite. I was x-rayed in France and they found it but of course they could not do a second operation there. If it gives me much trouble, I'll report sick and see if I can't have it taken out.
Well Gert, how are you feeling these days? I'm sorry I neglected writing for so long. Since we started our long trek from Ypres to the Somme, I haven't had time for much of anything. They even objected to letting us eat our meals in peace and sometimes hauling us out of bed in the "wee small 'oors" was another favourite stunt they indulged in. We were worked to death when we got down to the real thing. When an action was underway, it was slave like mad, and when the Division was out we were all in and could sleep our heads off. The first trip in for the 2nd division the weather was fine except for the last two days. It takes just about 20 minutes of rain to make a morass out of the ground down there. A water-soaked ploughed field isn't a patch on the ground there. Carrying stretchers over that kind of ground is the most tiring thing you could imagine. Just to walk from our advanced post to where we slept ( about 2 miles) was enough to make me feel "all in".
Bill wants me to take out a commission and try for the R.F.A. I have not decided. I can't do much until I get discharged from hospital.
Write me at my old address until I let you know differently. Well, I have a batch of letters to answer so will ring off for now. Hope Gert is ok and yourself.
I'll soon be fit as ever again.
Lovingly,
Harold
Well, things have been in a muddle at home, haven't they? I hadn't an inkling as to what was going on until Bill came up to see me on Saturday last. He brought up all the recent letters he had rec'd from everyone and read me all about the happenings.
I hadn't had any mail from anyone for about a month. So I was wondering what was going on at home. Today I was fairly overwhelmed with mail. It had all been sent on from France. I got 19 letters & cards and a regular armful of papers. I was most of the day at reading them and have only finished. It is now nearly 6 pm and, as we have our tea at 4:30 pm and supper at 7 pm, I can get a letter written to you before supper.
Well, I'll not go into details of how I got to 1st Northern General Hospital for by the time this reaches you, you will have rec'd my others and also the one Will (Bill) wrote when he was here.You would likely be en route for Calgary when Will sent the cables. I wrote a letter to Floss a few days ago telling most of my trip across. Probably she will have sent it on to you also.
Well, I have been getting along nicely and have been allowed up and about for three or four days. They are crowded for room here so any who possibly can go to Convalescent Homes are being sent. I go tomorrow. I'll likely be there for 2 or 3 weeks but I am going to try and make it spin out till Bill has finished his Gunnery course at Salisbury then we can have our leave together. He will be finished at Lark Hill by November 20th at the latest. I'll likely have to " swing the lead " a bit for I'm getting better far too quickly. That's the worst of being healthy. I have a small fragment of shrapnel still in me. It jags against my ribs when I twist or stretch but the doctor here says the x-ray people could not find anything definite. I was x-rayed in France and they found it but of course they could not do a second operation there. If it gives me much trouble, I'll report sick and see if I can't have it taken out.
Well Gert, how are you feeling these days? I'm sorry I neglected writing for so long. Since we started our long trek from Ypres to the Somme, I haven't had time for much of anything. They even objected to letting us eat our meals in peace and sometimes hauling us out of bed in the "wee small 'oors" was another favourite stunt they indulged in. We were worked to death when we got down to the real thing. When an action was underway, it was slave like mad, and when the Division was out we were all in and could sleep our heads off. The first trip in for the 2nd division the weather was fine except for the last two days. It takes just about 20 minutes of rain to make a morass out of the ground down there. A water-soaked ploughed field isn't a patch on the ground there. Carrying stretchers over that kind of ground is the most tiring thing you could imagine. Just to walk from our advanced post to where we slept ( about 2 miles) was enough to make me feel "all in".
Bill wants me to take out a commission and try for the R.F.A. I have not decided. I can't do much until I get discharged from hospital.
Write me at my old address until I let you know differently. Well, I have a batch of letters to answer so will ring off for now. Hope Gert is ok and yourself.
I'll soon be fit as ever again.
Lovingly,
Harold
21 October 1916 Holeyn Hall V.A.D. Hospital Wylam-on-Tyne
**out of sequence
Holelyn Hall V.A.D. Hospital
Wylam-on-Tyne
Dear Father:-
Well, how are you making out batching it? I guess you will be away most of the time.
I have been getting along far too satisfactorily to suit me. I could only stick the hospital 10 days before I was considered well enough to be sent to Convalescent Home. I am not sorry to leave the hospital for it was not particularly nice there but of course was quite tolerable. this place seems much better. Most of the patients are up and sit down to the table to eat. a staff of voluntary aid nurses wait on us and do all they can to make things nice for us, The food and recreations are much superior to those at 1st Northern General Hospital. they have a much better chance to do it here for there are only 50 patients.
The "Hall" is a country house given over to the government for the use of convalescent soldiers. It is mainly supported by a man, Balliol Knott (known as James Knott), who lives close to this place. He is President of Prince Line of Steamships. He has donated several things to this place in memory of his 3 only sons who have all been killed in the war.
I am feeling better all the time and the only thing that is worrying me is how I am going to stick here long enough to enable Bill (Bill Skilling ) to finish his Gunnery course. He will be finished in about 4 weeks and then we can have our leave together. We each get 10 days or so at the end of my hospital term & he is at the end of his instruction course while he is waiting to be gazetted. If we manage to work it so that both our leaves will come at the same time, we will likely take a trip to Scotland. By the way, I had a letter from Charles Munroe (a cousin) and a small volume of Burns' Poems came to hand today. He wishes to be remembered to you.
Bill came up to visit me when i was in Newcastle hospital. He brought along all the letters he had rec'd recently. I had not heard from anyone for over a month and so I was glad to hear all the news. I hadn't heard that mother had gone to Calgary or that the kids had gone to Toronto. Are you considering the trip out west. There won't be so much to keep you now.
Bill wants me to apply for a Commission when I get fit again and try to get in the R.F. A. I think I'll give it a try anyway. The only thing I am fishy about is getting a recommendation from my old O.C. I would have no difficulty in obtaining that if I could be paraded before him personally but he might be inclined to quash it if I wrote him. He is so inconsistent that a person never knows how to take him. A lot depends on the humour he is in at the time.
I suppose you got the two cables Bill sent. He also wrote after he had seen me and sent word to Bert Mitford who was leaving for Toronto last Sunday. He will phone the folks at Toronto.
I only came here yesterday so will write and tell you all about this place when I find out more about it.
Your loving son,
Harold
Wednesday, July 20, 2016
12 September 1916 France
Dear folks,
Canadian mail came in last night and got 2 from you. It was the first big mail for nearly 3 weeks and it seemed longer than that since I had gotten a letter. Have been doing a lot of travelling and marching since I wrote last but we are nearly finished now and are ready to go up the line anytime. There is very little I can tell you about where we are etc. but you will see all about the Division movements in the papers.
So Norma has decided to go to Stratford Normal Scool. What is Vern going to do?
Say can you send some parcels along as soon as you like? Don't bother putting in much variety. Just a light cake is as good as anything. Get some of my money assignment money from Orville and use it to get things with and pay postage etc. Be sure and do that now.
Haven't heard from Bill for about 2 weeks. There will likely be a letter from him in a few days.
We have been in our present billets for nearly a week now but expect to move out soon. But we are not informed as to where we will be going. Evidently the way things are done here is to give each Division a certain amount of work to do and they can stay till they get it done or else get too badly cut up to do it.
There is no more time to write just now so I'll have to ring off. I'll let you know just as soon as I can how things are.
Lovingly,
Harold Skilling
Canadian mail came in last night and got 2 from you. It was the first big mail for nearly 3 weeks and it seemed longer than that since I had gotten a letter. Have been doing a lot of travelling and marching since I wrote last but we are nearly finished now and are ready to go up the line anytime. There is very little I can tell you about where we are etc. but you will see all about the Division movements in the papers.
So Norma has decided to go to Stratford Normal Scool. What is Vern going to do?
Say can you send some parcels along as soon as you like? Don't bother putting in much variety. Just a light cake is as good as anything. Get some of my money assignment money from Orville and use it to get things with and pay postage etc. Be sure and do that now.
Haven't heard from Bill for about 2 weeks. There will likely be a letter from him in a few days.
We have been in our present billets for nearly a week now but expect to move out soon. But we are not informed as to where we will be going. Evidently the way things are done here is to give each Division a certain amount of work to do and they can stay till they get it done or else get too badly cut up to do it.
There is no more time to write just now so I'll have to ring off. I'll let you know just as soon as I can how things are.
Lovingly,
Harold Skilling
Friday, July 15, 2016
20 August 1916 France
Dear Folks,
This is Sunday morning just before dinner. I have spent the morning cleaning up etc. for a rumoured inspection. There is no word of it coming off yet. My boots won't be any the worse for a good rub with Dubbin, however. There was no church parade today as our Chaplain has gone away to join another unit. I guess there is no preacher to take his place. Therefore church is "napoo".
Your letter with Rose's enclosed came to hand ok. I was sorry to learn of Orville's motor accident. It was lucky that it didn't turn out more seriously. He seems to have bad luck on his trips up home by motor. It would pay him to take the train.
There has been very little of interest since I wrote last time. We are out on a route march nearly every afternoon and our routine just now reminds one of what we went through in England at this time last year. It will soon be a year since we landed in France. We have been "moving in circles" as it were, ever since. We have been in nearly every town in this district, with scarcely a second visit to most of them. In that Trench Paper I sent home a few weeks ago, there is a good list of the principal places in this neighbourhood that we have been (i.e. Canadians). You want to keep it as a souvenir. I sent one to Floss and Gert as well as Toronto.
I had a letter from Bill day before yours came. He is in London now at the R.H.A., a cadet school. He likes it there. No doubt you will have heard from him before you get this so I'll not tell you what he says about it.
Say, when you write, tell me what Battalion Bruce is in. When his Battalion comes out, I may be able to see him. have not seen anyone from home for quite a while now. Hope your real hot spell has passed off before now. It has been rather showery for the last week here and a lot cooler.
There is so little to write about that I'll have to ring off. I am real well. Hope Orville is feeling better and everyone else too.
Lovingly,
Harold Skilling
This is Sunday morning just before dinner. I have spent the morning cleaning up etc. for a rumoured inspection. There is no word of it coming off yet. My boots won't be any the worse for a good rub with Dubbin, however. There was no church parade today as our Chaplain has gone away to join another unit. I guess there is no preacher to take his place. Therefore church is "napoo".
Your letter with Rose's enclosed came to hand ok. I was sorry to learn of Orville's motor accident. It was lucky that it didn't turn out more seriously. He seems to have bad luck on his trips up home by motor. It would pay him to take the train.
There has been very little of interest since I wrote last time. We are out on a route march nearly every afternoon and our routine just now reminds one of what we went through in England at this time last year. It will soon be a year since we landed in France. We have been "moving in circles" as it were, ever since. We have been in nearly every town in this district, with scarcely a second visit to most of them. In that Trench Paper I sent home a few weeks ago, there is a good list of the principal places in this neighbourhood that we have been (i.e. Canadians). You want to keep it as a souvenir. I sent one to Floss and Gert as well as Toronto.
I had a letter from Bill day before yours came. He is in London now at the R.H.A., a cadet school. He likes it there. No doubt you will have heard from him before you get this so I'll not tell you what he says about it.
Say, when you write, tell me what Battalion Bruce is in. When his Battalion comes out, I may be able to see him. have not seen anyone from home for quite a while now. Hope your real hot spell has passed off before now. It has been rather showery for the last week here and a lot cooler.
There is so little to write about that I'll have to ring off. I am real well. Hope Orville is feeling better and everyone else too.
Lovingly,
Harold Skilling
Saturday, July 9, 2016
15 or 16 August 1916 France
* Bolded text was blacked out by the censors
Dear folks,
This is Sat. night and I am up the line again writing this outside my dugout. There is a party of 50 up here from our unit making a big dugout to be used as a dressing station and to quarter the personnel of the medical units. We are working in 3 shifts of 8 hours each and mine is from midnight to 8 am. We have to extend a galley along a tunnel and it is a pretty tiresome job. There are several shafts bored in and some are not too bad to work in but the one where I am is pretty damp and there is a long narrow tunnel where we carry the earth out after we have shovelled it into sandbags, that has about an inch of water in it by morning after being cleaned out before we go on duty. We call it "Rheumatic Alley". The dugouts are good and deep and will be safe against shell fire if they are ever finished.
We are always pretty tired when we come off duty in the morning and pike it to bed just as soon as our breakfast is over. It is pretty hard to get a good sleep in the daytime for our bunks are in one of the tunnels that is still being worked and the men have to carry the sandbags along through the aisle between the rows of bunks so there is always more or less noise going on.
It is a good change to be up here after being so long at the D.R.S. but I don't think I would like this work all the time. it is the worst shift we are on too because it means an 8-hour shift without a break. All the other shifts have a meal at about half time but there is no such luck for us at 4 a.m.
I got your letter yesterday and was glad to know that everyone was well and having a good time during the holidays. It is too bad that Orville could not have stayed longer. Tell Mae I got her birthday parcel. It came on the right day alright and one from Bill on the next. Those strawberries sure were great. They had not leaked a bit. I was wishing it had have been a half gallon jar. We must be thankful for small mercies though. The maple butter and fudge was good too and all the other things came in handy too. Thanks ever so much.
I am having a fine time sitting here watching one side of an artillery duel. Fritz is trying to find one of our batteries but apparently can't do it for it for it still keeps sending a salvo for every one it gets. Shells from both batteries pass right over my head and occasionally a "weary willie" hums over labelled for some place away back behind the lines.
There is not much news to tell just now so I will ring off and get some more of the letters written. I want to write to Bill and Gert. Say, one of the letters enclosed in the letter you sent was one of my own. I guess you had intended sending it somewhere else and got it in the wrong envelope. There was nothing much in it anyway. It was dated May 28 I think.
Love to all,
Harold Skilling
Dear folks,
This is Sat. night and I am up the line again writing this outside my dugout. There is a party of 50 up here from our unit making a big dugout to be used as a dressing station and to quarter the personnel of the medical units. We are working in 3 shifts of 8 hours each and mine is from midnight to 8 am. We have to extend a galley along a tunnel and it is a pretty tiresome job. There are several shafts bored in and some are not too bad to work in but the one where I am is pretty damp and there is a long narrow tunnel where we carry the earth out after we have shovelled it into sandbags, that has about an inch of water in it by morning after being cleaned out before we go on duty. We call it "Rheumatic Alley". The dugouts are good and deep and will be safe against shell fire if they are ever finished.
We are always pretty tired when we come off duty in the morning and pike it to bed just as soon as our breakfast is over. It is pretty hard to get a good sleep in the daytime for our bunks are in one of the tunnels that is still being worked and the men have to carry the sandbags along through the aisle between the rows of bunks so there is always more or less noise going on.
It is a good change to be up here after being so long at the D.R.S. but I don't think I would like this work all the time. it is the worst shift we are on too because it means an 8-hour shift without a break. All the other shifts have a meal at about half time but there is no such luck for us at 4 a.m.
I got your letter yesterday and was glad to know that everyone was well and having a good time during the holidays. It is too bad that Orville could not have stayed longer. Tell Mae I got her birthday parcel. It came on the right day alright and one from Bill on the next. Those strawberries sure were great. They had not leaked a bit. I was wishing it had have been a half gallon jar. We must be thankful for small mercies though. The maple butter and fudge was good too and all the other things came in handy too. Thanks ever so much.
I am having a fine time sitting here watching one side of an artillery duel. Fritz is trying to find one of our batteries but apparently can't do it for it for it still keeps sending a salvo for every one it gets. Shells from both batteries pass right over my head and occasionally a "weary willie" hums over labelled for some place away back behind the lines.
There is not much news to tell just now so I will ring off and get some more of the letters written. I want to write to Bill and Gert. Say, one of the letters enclosed in the letter you sent was one of my own. I guess you had intended sending it somewhere else and got it in the wrong envelope. There was nothing much in it anyway. It was dated May 28 I think.
Love to all,
Harold Skilling
Monday, July 4, 2016
21 July 2016 France
Dear Mother,
Just a line to get this started . I have had no word from you this week yet but no doubt it will be here tomorrow as some Dan. mail came through today but not very much. I had a letter yesterday from Bill. He is billeted at Keble College Oxford and seems to think it is a pretty "Jake" place. he seems to think that they were turned down on this Canadian proposition and now he will go after Imperial Artillery hard (?). Possibly going to Sandhurst to complete his course.
I had a nice long letter from Orville. He says he is not quite so busy now and it is a good thing for he must surely need a rest after such a heavy spring and so much worry.
There has been nothing of note happen here since I wrote last except the events on the Somme. We have to depend on newspaper reports & the wireless bulletins for our news and do not get it any more fully that you do.
The weather has been ideal for aircraft observation and both sides have been taking advantage of it. this morning one of Fritz's came across here and of course our anti-aircraft shells were blazing away at him and he came right over our hospital. The fragments of the aircraft shells were buzzing all around and one piece of the fuse weighing about half a pound hit my tent and came through one section of the roof. As there was a double roof the second section stopped the piece. It was lucky for one of the patients was sitting directly under where it hit.
The only excitement we get now is football and our team played two games this week and won and lost. There is another one tomorrow.
What do the people in Canada think of the advance on the Somme? It looks good to us here and if it continues will no doubt make a very appreciable difference in the length of the war. There are 3 months of good weather yet and a terrible lot can be done in that time if we have the ammunition and the guns, which we undoubtedly have now ( and capturing a lot of "Heinies" every day in the bargain). Well, I'll not write any more at this until tomorrow and then I'll answer any letter that might come.
Saturday P.M.
Your letter came today and also one from Mae and I'll get right at them and get them answered so they will go in the next mail.
I don't know whether Mae intends me to forward her letter on from me to Bill or not. She may have taken carbon copies of it. If not it is better to send any letter like that to Bill first - as long as he is in Eng. Anyway, for them it will not have to be censored as it is going from here to him.
When is Orville coming up to Teeswater? You must be sure and go back with him. Has Father made up his mind about going out west yet? It will be winter again soon and he won't want to go then. What has Vern decided on? Well, say, there is not very much in your letter that requires answering and the news is absolutely "na poo" so I'll ring off and get this away.
Hope everyone is keeping in the best of health.
Lovingly,
Harold Skilling
Just a line to get this started . I have had no word from you this week yet but no doubt it will be here tomorrow as some Dan. mail came through today but not very much. I had a letter yesterday from Bill. He is billeted at Keble College Oxford and seems to think it is a pretty "Jake" place. he seems to think that they were turned down on this Canadian proposition and now he will go after Imperial Artillery hard (?). Possibly going to Sandhurst to complete his course.
I had a nice long letter from Orville. He says he is not quite so busy now and it is a good thing for he must surely need a rest after such a heavy spring and so much worry.
There has been nothing of note happen here since I wrote last except the events on the Somme. We have to depend on newspaper reports & the wireless bulletins for our news and do not get it any more fully that you do.
The weather has been ideal for aircraft observation and both sides have been taking advantage of it. this morning one of Fritz's came across here and of course our anti-aircraft shells were blazing away at him and he came right over our hospital. The fragments of the aircraft shells were buzzing all around and one piece of the fuse weighing about half a pound hit my tent and came through one section of the roof. As there was a double roof the second section stopped the piece. It was lucky for one of the patients was sitting directly under where it hit.
The only excitement we get now is football and our team played two games this week and won and lost. There is another one tomorrow.
What do the people in Canada think of the advance on the Somme? It looks good to us here and if it continues will no doubt make a very appreciable difference in the length of the war. There are 3 months of good weather yet and a terrible lot can be done in that time if we have the ammunition and the guns, which we undoubtedly have now ( and capturing a lot of "Heinies" every day in the bargain). Well, I'll not write any more at this until tomorrow and then I'll answer any letter that might come.
Saturday P.M.
Your letter came today and also one from Mae and I'll get right at them and get them answered so they will go in the next mail.
I don't know whether Mae intends me to forward her letter on from me to Bill or not. She may have taken carbon copies of it. If not it is better to send any letter like that to Bill first - as long as he is in Eng. Anyway, for them it will not have to be censored as it is going from here to him.
When is Orville coming up to Teeswater? You must be sure and go back with him. Has Father made up his mind about going out west yet? It will be winter again soon and he won't want to go then. What has Vern decided on? Well, say, there is not very much in your letter that requires answering and the news is absolutely "na poo" so I'll ring off and get this away.
Hope everyone is keeping in the best of health.
Lovingly,
Harold Skilling
Sunday, July 3, 2016
14 July 1916 France
Dear Folks,
This is Friday afternoon and I have a few minutes in which I can write. When things get running nicely there is more spare time for us and I can generally get a couple of hours spare time in the afternoons to go for a walk or write.
It has been rather damp and rainy most of the week but looks like clearing up today.
I was away on a long tramp day before yesterday and the country over here certainly can grow things. Everywhere you look hop poles are sticking up into the air and the vines are reaching the tips of the poles and they have hop patches stuck in every little hole you could find. They grow lots of beans out here too, and they are sown as thickly as field peas and grow about 3 feet high. they have been in blossom for about a week now and look fine.
There has not been anything doing of much importance on this front since we came back here and we do not handle any wounded. We are not in very close touch with the front line at present. We do not hear very much more about the big advance down south than we get in the papers. Of course, there are lots of rumours floating about, but it is not often that they are confirmed.
Do you remember me speaking about Gilmer in my letters? he was with us at Maple Copse and was wounded (slightly) up there. He left us shortly afterwards to take out a commission and we heard from him the other day saying that he was down in the fighting on the Somme and expected to go into action any day. His home is in Attwood (Ontario) and he is a 3rd year Med. student.
One other of our boys left for a commission to England and was only away two weeks, mostly a vacation to Scotland when he came back attached to a Battalion of the 2nd division. It was a surprise to him to get going away for he had no intimation of it as it had been worked from the other end. it is very difficult to get a commission in the Canadian Army now (that is from the ranks out here). In a letter from Bill the other day, he said he expected to get a commission in the Canadian Army after all. It will be a good deal nicer than being in the Imperial's (British Army) anyway.
I was glad Maude got up home to help during Norma's exams. How is Gracie? (cousin) I guess she would be having a whale of a time up in the country. So Aunt Em (Emma Ruxton Watson from Michigan ) is coming over in August. Aren't you going any place yourself, mother? You certainly need a rest and I'd try my best to get away someplace for a few weeks.
Has Vern decided to go into banking? I think a little while longer at school would be better until he knows himself what he wants to do.
I got Mae's letter too and I can make it out alright but I cannot answer it like that. Too big a chance. It is better to say anything right out. How were Norma's exams? Hope she made out alright.
Well, it is time for my afternoon medicines so I'll ring off and get this away. I had a parcel from Zion Church and one from some other patriotic League in Toronto from a Mrs. Carmichile I think. I have the address somewhere and wil write them. i have no trouble getting rid of sox etc. while I am in the hospital as there is always someone who is glad to get them. Hope everyone keeps well.
Lovingly,
Harold
This is Friday afternoon and I have a few minutes in which I can write. When things get running nicely there is more spare time for us and I can generally get a couple of hours spare time in the afternoons to go for a walk or write.
It has been rather damp and rainy most of the week but looks like clearing up today.
I was away on a long tramp day before yesterday and the country over here certainly can grow things. Everywhere you look hop poles are sticking up into the air and the vines are reaching the tips of the poles and they have hop patches stuck in every little hole you could find. They grow lots of beans out here too, and they are sown as thickly as field peas and grow about 3 feet high. they have been in blossom for about a week now and look fine.
There has not been anything doing of much importance on this front since we came back here and we do not handle any wounded. We are not in very close touch with the front line at present. We do not hear very much more about the big advance down south than we get in the papers. Of course, there are lots of rumours floating about, but it is not often that they are confirmed.
Do you remember me speaking about Gilmer in my letters? he was with us at Maple Copse and was wounded (slightly) up there. He left us shortly afterwards to take out a commission and we heard from him the other day saying that he was down in the fighting on the Somme and expected to go into action any day. His home is in Attwood (Ontario) and he is a 3rd year Med. student.
One other of our boys left for a commission to England and was only away two weeks, mostly a vacation to Scotland when he came back attached to a Battalion of the 2nd division. It was a surprise to him to get going away for he had no intimation of it as it had been worked from the other end. it is very difficult to get a commission in the Canadian Army now (that is from the ranks out here). In a letter from Bill the other day, he said he expected to get a commission in the Canadian Army after all. It will be a good deal nicer than being in the Imperial's (British Army) anyway.
I was glad Maude got up home to help during Norma's exams. How is Gracie? (cousin) I guess she would be having a whale of a time up in the country. So Aunt Em (Emma Ruxton Watson from Michigan ) is coming over in August. Aren't you going any place yourself, mother? You certainly need a rest and I'd try my best to get away someplace for a few weeks.
Has Vern decided to go into banking? I think a little while longer at school would be better until he knows himself what he wants to do.
I got Mae's letter too and I can make it out alright but I cannot answer it like that. Too big a chance. It is better to say anything right out. How were Norma's exams? Hope she made out alright.
Well, it is time for my afternoon medicines so I'll ring off and get this away. I had a parcel from Zion Church and one from some other patriotic League in Toronto from a Mrs. Carmichile I think. I have the address somewhere and wil write them. i have no trouble getting rid of sox etc. while I am in the hospital as there is always someone who is glad to get them. Hope everyone keeps well.
Lovingly,
Harold
Saturday, July 2, 2016
30 June 1916 Flanders
Dear Folks,
This is Friday and our section is running the main dressing station and are having it fairly easy just now. We expect to move to the D.?S. in about a week or perhaps less and in the ordinary run of events we will be there for a long while. But here's hoping that there will be an onward move before the end of another month.
We have two or three detachments up at several advanced posts and they seem to be having a fairly lively time, as during the last week there has been intermittent bombarding nearly every night and they are nearly always as bad just behind the line as in the trenches. One of our boys was wounded day before yesterday. A machine gun bullet grazed his scalp and it was a mighty close shave for him. He was one of our reinforcements.
We handle wounded here but do not keep them any length of time. Some we do not touch but send them right on to C.C.S. where they can be properly looked after and receive a permanent dressing or where an operation can be performed. Most of the wounded cases come in at night and as I am on the day trick (?) I do not see so many of them but we have our hands full in the morning with the sick parades. I have to look after the dispensing and am able to do most of it.without calling Compounder who is a qualified druggist.
I saw something the other day that is a very rare sight. There were two Taubes cruising over our lines and 3 of our planes gave chase and after several bursts of machine gun fire between them, one of ours put on speed and came up between the two Taubes. They began to blaze away at each other and all of a sudden our plane turned right over and began to fall. It was up about 3-4000 feet when it was hit.and after flopping down through the air the pilot regained control of his machine just before it reached the ground and managed to land right side up. We heard afterwards that neither the pilot nor the observer was killed but it is almost a miracle that they escaped.
I guess you will not be having Mae home for very long this summer. Are you going any place, Mother? Tell Norma to write and tell me about her exams. I was very sorry to learn that you were sick Mother. I believe you are working too hard and are worn out. Don't you think you should go away for a good rest now that you have got rid of the cow? You should not be so tied down.
I haven't heard from Bill since I wrote before but am looking for a letter any day now. Say, you all want to be careful when so much typhoid fever is around. Why don't they inoculate the people of the town? All we soldiers get it and typhoid is the most rare of all diseases of that nature and we are in a position to become infected with the disease if anyone is.
What sort of a time are you going to have tomorrow? Are they celebrating in any of the towns around home? There is no difference in the days out here. Same routine for seven days in the week regardless of the occasion. the only thing we have to relieve the monotony is a little bit of extra work.
Say, can you tell me what Bruce Neilson's (a cousin) Battalion is? They might be out here some of these times and I might possibly see him. One of the boys saw Jack McMeechan who used to work for Orville. He is in the 42nd, a kilty regiment. He was asking for me. He was through the Ypres battle and was o.k. after that although his Battalion got a terrible cutting up.
Well, the supper gong has gone so I'll ring off for now . Hoping this letter finds everyone well again.
Lovingly,
Harold
This is Friday and our section is running the main dressing station and are having it fairly easy just now. We expect to move to the D.?S. in about a week or perhaps less and in the ordinary run of events we will be there for a long while. But here's hoping that there will be an onward move before the end of another month.
We have two or three detachments up at several advanced posts and they seem to be having a fairly lively time, as during the last week there has been intermittent bombarding nearly every night and they are nearly always as bad just behind the line as in the trenches. One of our boys was wounded day before yesterday. A machine gun bullet grazed his scalp and it was a mighty close shave for him. He was one of our reinforcements.
We handle wounded here but do not keep them any length of time. Some we do not touch but send them right on to C.C.S. where they can be properly looked after and receive a permanent dressing or where an operation can be performed. Most of the wounded cases come in at night and as I am on the day trick (?) I do not see so many of them but we have our hands full in the morning with the sick parades. I have to look after the dispensing and am able to do most of it.without calling Compounder who is a qualified druggist.
I saw something the other day that is a very rare sight. There were two Taubes cruising over our lines and 3 of our planes gave chase and after several bursts of machine gun fire between them, one of ours put on speed and came up between the two Taubes. They began to blaze away at each other and all of a sudden our plane turned right over and began to fall. It was up about 3-4000 feet when it was hit.and after flopping down through the air the pilot regained control of his machine just before it reached the ground and managed to land right side up. We heard afterwards that neither the pilot nor the observer was killed but it is almost a miracle that they escaped.
I guess you will not be having Mae home for very long this summer. Are you going any place, Mother? Tell Norma to write and tell me about her exams. I was very sorry to learn that you were sick Mother. I believe you are working too hard and are worn out. Don't you think you should go away for a good rest now that you have got rid of the cow? You should not be so tied down.
I haven't heard from Bill since I wrote before but am looking for a letter any day now. Say, you all want to be careful when so much typhoid fever is around. Why don't they inoculate the people of the town? All we soldiers get it and typhoid is the most rare of all diseases of that nature and we are in a position to become infected with the disease if anyone is.
What sort of a time are you going to have tomorrow? Are they celebrating in any of the towns around home? There is no difference in the days out here. Same routine for seven days in the week regardless of the occasion. the only thing we have to relieve the monotony is a little bit of extra work.
Say, can you tell me what Bruce Neilson's (a cousin) Battalion is? They might be out here some of these times and I might possibly see him. One of the boys saw Jack McMeechan who used to work for Orville. He is in the 42nd, a kilty regiment. He was asking for me. He was through the Ypres battle and was o.k. after that although his Battalion got a terrible cutting up.
Well, the supper gong has gone so I'll ring off for now . Hoping this letter finds everyone well again.
Lovingly,
Harold
Friday, July 1, 2016
25 June 1916 Flanders
Dear Folks,
This is Sunday evening and I am back at the headquarters. We were sent back from the A.D.S. last Friday which made it a week exactly since we had gone up. None of us wanted to come back as all the boys are far more contented up there than back at headquarters. However we all have to take our turn and we will get ours again soon no doubt.Just got word a few minutes ago that one of our ambulance drivers had been hit. He was on his way to one of our A.D.S.s and got a nice cushy wound in the shoulder.
We had a pretty quiet time up the pike but a week ago today we had a little excitement. Fritz seems to favour Sunday to do his strafing and the last Sunday he sure lived up to his regular form. he lashed up over a hundred heavies into the town close by our dressing station and we were very fortunate in getting off as luckily as we did for a whole Battalion was billeted in the town and only 2 or 3 were killed and about half a dozen wounded. i helped carry one of the seriously wounded down to the surgery but he died shortly after reaching there. There were about 40 or 50 men eating their supper in a house when a shell burst right in the place. Most of the casualties occurred here. I can hardly see how any of them came out alive.
There has been no Canadian mail in for a long time and I have no letter to answer this week yet. I have had one from Bill (Skilling) though and he is haveing a pretty fair time. He was becoming anxious about me as three of my letters had gone astray and it was about 5 weeks since he had heard from me. After the heavy fighting at Ypres, he thought i must have cashed in.
It seems funny up around our A.D.S. to see all the gardens growing behind the wrecked houses. The civilians have all been ordered out and only come back occasionally to look after their gardens etc. Once in a while a .... roots a few potatoes but they have to take a chance on that. Some of the fields around the fighting are plugged full of duds (that is what shells are called that do not explode on striking the ground but just bury themselves). sometimes just a slight jar will detonate them and they are not disturbed at all as too many lives were lost at the beginning of the war by trying to dig them up. There will be some of these Belgians blown up after the war when they begin ploughing those fields.
The weather here is just typical June weather and is great for fighting. Apparently, the Russians are having similar weather for they are showing up the Austrian and German armies over on that (Eastern) front. Opinion over here seems to that the next month or two will see the climax of the war. We ought to make a good showing for we are about as well prepared as we can expect to be and are able to give Fritz as much or a little more than we get from him.
Well, I'll write again when I get your letter to answer. I am real well and hope everyone at home is the same. Hope Norma makes our o.k. in her exams and also Orville in his case with the lawyer.
Lovingly,
Harold
This is Sunday evening and I am back at the headquarters. We were sent back from the A.D.S. last Friday which made it a week exactly since we had gone up. None of us wanted to come back as all the boys are far more contented up there than back at headquarters. However we all have to take our turn and we will get ours again soon no doubt.Just got word a few minutes ago that one of our ambulance drivers had been hit. He was on his way to one of our A.D.S.s and got a nice cushy wound in the shoulder.
We had a pretty quiet time up the pike but a week ago today we had a little excitement. Fritz seems to favour Sunday to do his strafing and the last Sunday he sure lived up to his regular form. he lashed up over a hundred heavies into the town close by our dressing station and we were very fortunate in getting off as luckily as we did for a whole Battalion was billeted in the town and only 2 or 3 were killed and about half a dozen wounded. i helped carry one of the seriously wounded down to the surgery but he died shortly after reaching there. There were about 40 or 50 men eating their supper in a house when a shell burst right in the place. Most of the casualties occurred here. I can hardly see how any of them came out alive.
There has been no Canadian mail in for a long time and I have no letter to answer this week yet. I have had one from Bill (Skilling) though and he is haveing a pretty fair time. He was becoming anxious about me as three of my letters had gone astray and it was about 5 weeks since he had heard from me. After the heavy fighting at Ypres, he thought i must have cashed in.
It seems funny up around our A.D.S. to see all the gardens growing behind the wrecked houses. The civilians have all been ordered out and only come back occasionally to look after their gardens etc. Once in a while a .... roots a few potatoes but they have to take a chance on that. Some of the fields around the fighting are plugged full of duds (that is what shells are called that do not explode on striking the ground but just bury themselves). sometimes just a slight jar will detonate them and they are not disturbed at all as too many lives were lost at the beginning of the war by trying to dig them up. There will be some of these Belgians blown up after the war when they begin ploughing those fields.
The weather here is just typical June weather and is great for fighting. Apparently, the Russians are having similar weather for they are showing up the Austrian and German armies over on that (Eastern) front. Opinion over here seems to that the next month or two will see the climax of the war. We ought to make a good showing for we are about as well prepared as we can expect to be and are able to give Fritz as much or a little more than we get from him.
Well, I'll write again when I get your letter to answer. I am real well and hope everyone at home is the same. Hope Norma makes our o.k. in her exams and also Orville in his case with the lawyer.
Lovingly,
Harold
Sunday, October 20, 2013
9 May 1916 Flanders
Dear Mother, Father and the Rest:
Your letters of Apr. 8 and 16 came ok. The one I had not rec’d last week was sent to the 5th Engineers by mistake and came a day or so after I had written.
I was glad to learn that Orville had won his case alright. If he had lost it would have meant a lot to him. It will relieve his mind of a lot of worry now. I guess he will need all his time to get and look after help for it will likely be more scarce than ever this summer. The problem of getting the crops harvested in the west this summer is going to be pretty serious.
Have been working nights in the hospital for a week now, but it is not very hard and as things have been rather quiet we have not had much work to do. Our section is taking over the hospital tomorrow and I go on the Surgery. Have most of the dressing to do etc. We were to have taken over on Sunday but we all got innoculated and have been under the weather ever since. This dose was a very heavy one and we are excused duty for at least 24 hours. Temperatures go up and it gives us a bad headache and also a mighty sore chest (that is where they inject the serum). It is a good deal better than running the risk of contracting typhoid. It is surprising the small number of typhoid cases out here and also all the other diseases. We have to deal mostly with cases of influenza, trench fever, minor injuries such as sprained ankles etc. Occasionally we get a few cases of measles, mumps and once in a while a case of meningitis. These are rare however.
Had a letter from Bill the other day. He has been transferred to Shorncliffe Camp and will be going through the same tactics as I went over last summer. Just as he was going up to his first exam he was quarantined on a/cc of one fellow in his hut catching the measles. They are certainly strict about any of those contagious diseases and any suspects are isolated immediately.
The weather over here has been great up until yesterday when (it) turned cold and today it has been raining all day. Everyone in the tent has been in bed all day for on a wet day with no where to go, and when there are 10 men in a tent, the only way to get any peace or comfort, is for everyone to crawl into his blankets. We all felt good and ready to do that today for the innoculation made us all pretty miserable.
This is Wed. and I am writing this in the surgery and must get it finished now.
Word came in this morning that Jack Lumsden, a Vic boy and friend of Bill’s, had been killed last night. His body was brought in shortly after and is going to be buried tonight. A shell struck the YMCA he was running and he had a fragment strike him on the forehead. He must have been killed instantly. He was still on our strength although attached to the YMCA and he was one of the most popular boys in the unit.
Have had a very busy day in surgery. Been on the dead jump since 7 o’clock this morning and it is nearly supper time now. There are two of us on the job and we try and let each other go for an afternoon or part of it every other day.
Saw Billy Redburn the other day, he was down here with a convoy and came over to our camp to see me for a few minutes. They have moved down here since though and no doubt I will be able to see him often. Stanley Johnston of Gorrie looked me up the other day too. He had been next camp to ours, up where we were before we moved and I didn’t know he was there. Both boys are looking well.
Have only a short time to write and must not let this letter go any longer. So will make “a noise like a door and close”.
Love to all,
Harold
Tuesday, September 24, 2013
2 May 1916 France
Dear Mother, Father and the Rest:
This is Tuesday afternoon and I have a few minutes to write before supper time so will get a letter started anyway. There was a Canadian mail today but none from home. It will likely be along tomorrow. Got one from Mae however. I am doing night duty in one of the tent wards so that is how I can write during the afternoon. I can generally get a few winks sleep at night and do not need to sleep all day. I have a bad attack of spring fever I think, for I am just so lazy that I haven’t enough energy to do anything.
The weather here is simply great and has been just like Canadian May weather for over one week. The fields are getting green and the roads are all dried up. It sure is a treat after so much mud and rain and we can stand lots of this kind.
Have had a pretty easy time since coming here and have been to a band concert nearly every evening and one night a concert party from England that is touring the front giving concerts came to the YMCA marquee and gave us a dandy concert. I believe I sent the programme to Ettie. They had a violinist who was great and played a selection of the best pieces. I have been very fortunate in being able to go to so many concerts lately. I try to go every chance I get.
Had to stop there and now I am on duty and have a full ward but nobody very sick, mostly sprained knees and ankles and some mild cases of trench fever. I had one very sick fellow last night and had another man to help me out as it was necessary to sit up with him all night, so we took 2 hour shifts. His temperature was 105 degrees and we had to keep cold cloths to his head etc. He put in a bad night but by 7 this morning we had his temperature down to 103 degrees. He was sent on today to a hospital further back.
Did I tell you I had seen Clare Brink? Saw him the other day as he was passing the hospital and went over to his quarters with him and had a chat. He is looking fine.
We were awakened the other night about 1 am by the gas alarm and had to get up and dress but were not called out. The gas alarm is a screeching siren and can be heard for miles. It sounds It sounds something like a steamboat whistle and when it sounds in the middle of the night it has such a weird spooky sound that you expect something dreadful is going to happen. We have had two alerts this last week but in neither case did they amount to much as our artillery stopped all the infantry advances and with our gas helmets, we are not troubled with gas even if it should come in this far.
There has been no word yet about a transfer and I’m beginning to think that Gen. Logies’ order has been squashed, the bringing men back from the front. I understand that the Bruce Battalion (160th) is up to strength now. They did the trick in short time alright. Where are they going to train?
I have not had any word from Bill since a day or so after he landed so do not know what he is doing.
What is the opinion of the people over there about the rebellion in Dublin? They were soon squelched however but I guess a lot of damage was done to property etc.
There has not been a great deal of fighting on our front in the last 2 weeks but previous to that, there was some pretty stiff scrapping as I suppose you would see by the paper a/ccs. Some of the Battalions lost so heavily in officers that several privates were promoted to Lieuts. on the field. It looked odd to see a couple of stars stuck up on an ordinary service tunic.
So you have gotten rid of the cow. That was a pretty good price to land for her wasn’t it? It will mean a lot of work cut out and you won’t be tied down so much now. You will all have more time to knit etc. ha!ha! Teeswater is surely going some pace when there are so many festivals and concerts. The new hall is being put to good use.
I must stop now and get my patients tucked up for the night. I’ll write again when I get your letter. Hope this finds everyone in best of health.
Lovingly,
Harold Skilling
This is Tuesday afternoon and I have a few minutes to write before supper time so will get a letter started anyway. There was a Canadian mail today but none from home. It will likely be along tomorrow. Got one from Mae however. I am doing night duty in one of the tent wards so that is how I can write during the afternoon. I can generally get a few winks sleep at night and do not need to sleep all day. I have a bad attack of spring fever I think, for I am just so lazy that I haven’t enough energy to do anything.
The weather here is simply great and has been just like Canadian May weather for over one week. The fields are getting green and the roads are all dried up. It sure is a treat after so much mud and rain and we can stand lots of this kind.
Have had a pretty easy time since coming here and have been to a band concert nearly every evening and one night a concert party from England that is touring the front giving concerts came to the YMCA marquee and gave us a dandy concert. I believe I sent the programme to Ettie. They had a violinist who was great and played a selection of the best pieces. I have been very fortunate in being able to go to so many concerts lately. I try to go every chance I get.
Had to stop there and now I am on duty and have a full ward but nobody very sick, mostly sprained knees and ankles and some mild cases of trench fever. I had one very sick fellow last night and had another man to help me out as it was necessary to sit up with him all night, so we took 2 hour shifts. His temperature was 105 degrees and we had to keep cold cloths to his head etc. He put in a bad night but by 7 this morning we had his temperature down to 103 degrees. He was sent on today to a hospital further back.
Did I tell you I had seen Clare Brink? Saw him the other day as he was passing the hospital and went over to his quarters with him and had a chat. He is looking fine.
We were awakened the other night about 1 am by the gas alarm and had to get up and dress but were not called out. The gas alarm is a screeching siren and can be heard for miles. It sounds It sounds something like a steamboat whistle and when it sounds in the middle of the night it has such a weird spooky sound that you expect something dreadful is going to happen. We have had two alerts this last week but in neither case did they amount to much as our artillery stopped all the infantry advances and with our gas helmets, we are not troubled with gas even if it should come in this far.
There has been no word yet about a transfer and I’m beginning to think that Gen. Logies’ order has been squashed, the bringing men back from the front. I understand that the Bruce Battalion (160th) is up to strength now. They did the trick in short time alright. Where are they going to train?
I have not had any word from Bill since a day or so after he landed so do not know what he is doing.
What is the opinion of the people over there about the rebellion in Dublin? They were soon squelched however but I guess a lot of damage was done to property etc.
There has not been a great deal of fighting on our front in the last 2 weeks but previous to that, there was some pretty stiff scrapping as I suppose you would see by the paper a/ccs. Some of the Battalions lost so heavily in officers that several privates were promoted to Lieuts. on the field. It looked odd to see a couple of stars stuck up on an ordinary service tunic.
So you have gotten rid of the cow. That was a pretty good price to land for her wasn’t it? It will mean a lot of work cut out and you won’t be tied down so much now. You will all have more time to knit etc. ha!ha! Teeswater is surely going some pace when there are so many festivals and concerts. The new hall is being put to good use.
I must stop now and get my patients tucked up for the night. I’ll write again when I get your letter. Hope this finds everyone in best of health.
Lovingly,
Harold Skilling
Saturday, September 21, 2013
11 April 1916 Flanders
This letter from Harold has been damaged and the bottoms of 2 pages are missing.
Dear Father, Mother and the rest,
Your letters, papers and parcels have all come to hand in good time. Also a letter from Bill who reached London O.K. He reported having a dandy trip across and they did it in 9 days.
We are having an easy time this week as our section is supposed to be attached to one of the new Fd. Ambulances that have just come out for instructional purposes. We are not doing anything in reality and have a chance to write letters and come into town and go to the movies. I got Norma’s parcel a day or two ago along with a few bundles of papers and …….
…….orgy for nearly everyone in our hut seemed to get a parcel. I got one from Bill posted in Toronto and one of the boys had just come back and was loaded down with things. Norma’s cake was fine and so were the caramels and maple sugar. The jam-jams in the other parcel were good too and soon disappeared once the boys got a taste of them.
No one knows what we are going to do when we shift from here. There is a possibility of several things but we do not know anything for certain. All leave has been cancelled and those on leave in Eng. have been ordered back. That puts me further back than ever. I am thinking I’ll be lucky to get away on my leave by next Easter.
i have not heard anything from Col. Weir yet. I suppose there is a lot of red tape attached to it and that it will take a long time ………
……boys have gone back to take out Commissions all in the Imperial Army. There is also some word of some more of the Meds. who are with us going back. Their names have been taken (3rd year men).
Sorry to learn that Geo. was sick again, Mae. How is he coming along now? How is the Prohibition Campaign coming? Heard rumor yesterday that the Legislature had passed the bill. Have not seen any mention of it in the Eng. papers.
Well have you been getting any warmer weather over there yet? This week has been pretty cold here but the leaves are beginning to come out on the trees and the Belgians are getting their……..
……. seem to be about the most important crops over here. What has Father decided to do about going west? Was Will down very long? I saw Norma’s piece of poetry on the Bruce Battalion in the news that came yesterday. It was pretty good. I don’t know whether I mentioned getting Vern’s letter or not. It came to hand some time ago.Is the term at school being made any shorter thru’ the lack of farm help? How is the school going Vern?
Well, must ring off as my stock of news is about depleted and I want to get some more letters written while I have a table to write on. I don’t very often get a chance to have a table. Hope everyone is well. Love to all.
Yours lovingly,
Harold
Dear Father, Mother and the rest,
Your letters, papers and parcels have all come to hand in good time. Also a letter from Bill who reached London O.K. He reported having a dandy trip across and they did it in 9 days.
We are having an easy time this week as our section is supposed to be attached to one of the new Fd. Ambulances that have just come out for instructional purposes. We are not doing anything in reality and have a chance to write letters and come into town and go to the movies. I got Norma’s parcel a day or two ago along with a few bundles of papers and …….
…….orgy for nearly everyone in our hut seemed to get a parcel. I got one from Bill posted in Toronto and one of the boys had just come back and was loaded down with things. Norma’s cake was fine and so were the caramels and maple sugar. The jam-jams in the other parcel were good too and soon disappeared once the boys got a taste of them.
No one knows what we are going to do when we shift from here. There is a possibility of several things but we do not know anything for certain. All leave has been cancelled and those on leave in Eng. have been ordered back. That puts me further back than ever. I am thinking I’ll be lucky to get away on my leave by next Easter.
i have not heard anything from Col. Weir yet. I suppose there is a lot of red tape attached to it and that it will take a long time ………
……boys have gone back to take out Commissions all in the Imperial Army. There is also some word of some more of the Meds. who are with us going back. Their names have been taken (3rd year men).
Sorry to learn that Geo. was sick again, Mae. How is he coming along now? How is the Prohibition Campaign coming? Heard rumor yesterday that the Legislature had passed the bill. Have not seen any mention of it in the Eng. papers.
Well have you been getting any warmer weather over there yet? This week has been pretty cold here but the leaves are beginning to come out on the trees and the Belgians are getting their……..
……. seem to be about the most important crops over here. What has Father decided to do about going west? Was Will down very long? I saw Norma’s piece of poetry on the Bruce Battalion in the news that came yesterday. It was pretty good. I don’t know whether I mentioned getting Vern’s letter or not. It came to hand some time ago.Is the term at school being made any shorter thru’ the lack of farm help? How is the school going Vern?
Well, must ring off as my stock of news is about depleted and I want to get some more letters written while I have a table to write on. I don’t very often get a chance to have a table. Hope everyone is well. Love to all.
Yours lovingly,
Harold
Friday, September 20, 2013
9 April 1916 Somewhere in Belgium
Dear Mother, Father and the Rest:
Rec’d Mother’s letter of Mar. 11 with Norma’s enclosed and was glad to get them and to know that everyone was O.K. This week has not been very eventful but for some of the other ambulances, it has been pretty busy. Our turn will come soon enough and by the rumors floating around, it will not be very long. At present I am in charge of a few cases of measles (that did not develop). They are sort of isolated but are not sick. I expect they will be discharged in a day or so and I’ll be given an outside job then I guess.
There has not been any word received here yet that I am aware of about going back. I am not very enthusiastic about going back to join the 160th, but I am not going to decide until I see what the offer from Col. Weir says. The chance of getting back to Canada is very enticing but the thoughts of going back and doing the same old grind of training with a bunch of raw recruits (you see I am a veteran now. ha!ha!) does not appeal to me very strongly, especially if it’s only to be a Sergeant!
I have not had any word from Bill yet. But I expect he is in England. It will be 3 weeks from tomorrow since he was due to leave Toronto and it should not take longer than 2 and a half weeks to make the trip.
How is the proposed trip West for Father coming on? I guess Will Guinn would want to take him back. He would just be in time to see Bill before he left for Toronto.
I had to stop at the end of page 2 as it was time to feed the patients. I have a few minutes to write before the night man comes on duty.
Did I ever acknowledge the papers you sent about the Ottawa fire and also the Sunday Worlds from Toronto and the Onwards? I got everything that was sent I believe. It was nice of Miss Sharpe to send me those things. I wrote her a short note thanking her.
Norma is blossoming out to be some poet. That one on the Bruce Battalion in the News, was it the one she composed? You were asking about those shirts. Well I got them alright but I have not tried them on. You can send some underwear (light if you like ) knee drawers and short sleeved shirts. I can get them washed alright and it gets pretty hot over here in summer time. It is pretty hot some of these nights, but it not from the weather but from the artillery fire. It makes you shiver instead of sweating. Some nights we can hardly get any sleep for the din and it fairly shakes the huts where we have our quarters. One of our battalions got a pretty bad cutting up the other night. We were ordered to stand to and 3 of our ambulances were ordered out to help carry the wounded. We had an inspection of iron rations, gas helmets etc. and were ordered to stay in our huts and sleep with all our clothes on. The artillery was making so much noise that it was almost impossible to sleep but we gradually dosed off. When we awoke in the morning things had quieted down.
It is beginning to look as if the French had the Germans pretty nearly stopped at Verdun.
Opinion is pretty well divided here as to when the war is going to be over. It seems to be more generally thought however that it will not last the summer. The statements of prisoners seem to be pretty well divided as to the conditions in Germany. Some say there are not great shortages of food and that they are all “fed up” with the war, while others say they are sure to win. A month or two ought to see something decisive happen.
Things look like prohibition in Ontario this summer alright. We have some hot arguments over here sometimes but there is enough of its effects apparent, from even Belgian beer, to make a temperance man out of almost anyone. The chief reason why the field pay is held to 30 Francs a month is just because most of it would go to the “estaminets”. Some of the infantry men claim that the rum issue is the only thing worth living for. We do not have it issued to us, but when we do work like we were doing at the A.O.S. last week, it is sometimes given to any who want it. I worked just as hard as any of them up there, and I got along just as well as any on a bite or two of bully beef. At the most critical times some of the fellows will trot over to the estaminet and get “boozed up” and on a pay night it is a corker. In a couple of days the same crowd are trying to bum a penny or two pence to get a drink. Same crowd every time.
Well I must ring off and get this posted and let the night orderly take over. Hoping everyone is well at home.
I am your loving son and brother,
Harold
Rec’d Mother’s letter of Mar. 11 with Norma’s enclosed and was glad to get them and to know that everyone was O.K. This week has not been very eventful but for some of the other ambulances, it has been pretty busy. Our turn will come soon enough and by the rumors floating around, it will not be very long. At present I am in charge of a few cases of measles (that did not develop). They are sort of isolated but are not sick. I expect they will be discharged in a day or so and I’ll be given an outside job then I guess.
There has not been any word received here yet that I am aware of about going back. I am not very enthusiastic about going back to join the 160th, but I am not going to decide until I see what the offer from Col. Weir says. The chance of getting back to Canada is very enticing but the thoughts of going back and doing the same old grind of training with a bunch of raw recruits (you see I am a veteran now. ha!ha!) does not appeal to me very strongly, especially if it’s only to be a Sergeant!
I have not had any word from Bill yet. But I expect he is in England. It will be 3 weeks from tomorrow since he was due to leave Toronto and it should not take longer than 2 and a half weeks to make the trip.
How is the proposed trip West for Father coming on? I guess Will Guinn would want to take him back. He would just be in time to see Bill before he left for Toronto.
I had to stop at the end of page 2 as it was time to feed the patients. I have a few minutes to write before the night man comes on duty.
Did I ever acknowledge the papers you sent about the Ottawa fire and also the Sunday Worlds from Toronto and the Onwards? I got everything that was sent I believe. It was nice of Miss Sharpe to send me those things. I wrote her a short note thanking her.
Norma is blossoming out to be some poet. That one on the Bruce Battalion in the News, was it the one she composed? You were asking about those shirts. Well I got them alright but I have not tried them on. You can send some underwear (light if you like ) knee drawers and short sleeved shirts. I can get them washed alright and it gets pretty hot over here in summer time. It is pretty hot some of these nights, but it not from the weather but from the artillery fire. It makes you shiver instead of sweating. Some nights we can hardly get any sleep for the din and it fairly shakes the huts where we have our quarters. One of our battalions got a pretty bad cutting up the other night. We were ordered to stand to and 3 of our ambulances were ordered out to help carry the wounded. We had an inspection of iron rations, gas helmets etc. and were ordered to stay in our huts and sleep with all our clothes on. The artillery was making so much noise that it was almost impossible to sleep but we gradually dosed off. When we awoke in the morning things had quieted down.
It is beginning to look as if the French had the Germans pretty nearly stopped at Verdun.
Opinion is pretty well divided here as to when the war is going to be over. It seems to be more generally thought however that it will not last the summer. The statements of prisoners seem to be pretty well divided as to the conditions in Germany. Some say there are not great shortages of food and that they are all “fed up” with the war, while others say they are sure to win. A month or two ought to see something decisive happen.
Things look like prohibition in Ontario this summer alright. We have some hot arguments over here sometimes but there is enough of its effects apparent, from even Belgian beer, to make a temperance man out of almost anyone. The chief reason why the field pay is held to 30 Francs a month is just because most of it would go to the “estaminets”. Some of the infantry men claim that the rum issue is the only thing worth living for. We do not have it issued to us, but when we do work like we were doing at the A.O.S. last week, it is sometimes given to any who want it. I worked just as hard as any of them up there, and I got along just as well as any on a bite or two of bully beef. At the most critical times some of the fellows will trot over to the estaminet and get “boozed up” and on a pay night it is a corker. In a couple of days the same crowd are trying to bum a penny or two pence to get a drink. Same crowd every time.
Well I must ring off and get this posted and let the night orderly take over. Hoping everyone is well at home.
I am your loving son and brother,
Harold
Tuesday, June 11, 2013
18 February 1916 Somewhere in France
Dear Mother, Father and the rest,
I received your welcome letter of January 29 yesterday and was pleased to learn that everyone was okay. It surely is a funny winter for Ontario to be having. No snow and very mild weather like you reported in January. We have only had one snow flurry and it was all gone off the ground in less than half a day. It is raining more this month than the last and when we get past this, we have the rainy part of the season gone and no one will be sorry. I do not think it has been as bad this year as last, at any rate not as bad as I had imagined the winter weather would be out here. It is no doubt quite bad enough in the trenches. There has been quite a bit of scraping up a little north-east of us and a couple of our battalions were ordered up there as a reserve. They had only come back to rest too, after being in the trenches for five months and the trenches that the Canadians hold our about the worst on the British front. You see the country around here is so low that it is easily flooded and in the rainy weather it is quite a contract to drain it effectively.
Well I was quite surprised to learn that Bill had taken the Commission bug so suddenly. It will no doubt go through. I should have thought he would have waited until he got over here or at least have tried to get into some Canadian unit. I think he would like that much better than the Imperial Army. There are about a dozen of our boys going up tomorrow to parade before the Colonel for Commission. I don't know how they are going to get on, but if they are all successful in getting them, it will make quite a hole in our unit. I believe there are quite a few Canadian boys going after Commissions in the Imperial Army but I think they are sort of given the preference too.
If Bill gets it okay he will be over here pretty soon. How long does he think it will be before he gets away. He will be attached to some of the Derby recruits I suppose unless he would get the chance of getting on a reserve unit that sends out reinforcements. He will be getting to England at the best time of year for training at any rate. I had a short letter from Mrs. Jeff's yesterday. She invited me to stay there if I am going to be in London on my leave and also Bill has an invitation as well. I am not sure that I'll stay in London when I go but I would like to stay for a few days. We get seven clear days in England and if I go to Scotland I will not have much time to stay in London. However all this is mere speculation for my number on the leave list is 191 and they are only at number five now. You can judge when I'll get mine from that. It is more than I can do if you can. They will no doubt increase the number going very shortly and as all the senior NCOs and officers who do not take numbers get away, there will be a quicker run on the numbers of Privates.
Well I was quite surprised to learn that Bill had taken the Commission bug so suddenly. It will no doubt go through. I should have thought he would have waited until he got over here or at least have tried to get into some Canadian unit. I think he would like that much better than the Imperial Army. There are about a dozen of our boys going up tomorrow to parade before the Colonel for Commission. I don't know how they are going to get on, but if they are all successful in getting them, it will make quite a hole in our unit. I believe there are quite a few Canadian boys going after Commissions in the Imperial Army but I think they are sort of given the preference too.
If Bill gets it okay he will be over here pretty soon. How long does he think it will be before he gets away. He will be attached to some of the Derby recruits I suppose unless he would get the chance of getting on a reserve unit that sends out reinforcements. He will be getting to England at the best time of year for training at any rate. I had a short letter from Mrs. Jeff's yesterday. She invited me to stay there if I am going to be in London on my leave and also Bill has an invitation as well. I am not sure that I'll stay in London when I go but I would like to stay for a few days. We get seven clear days in England and if I go to Scotland I will not have much time to stay in London. However all this is mere speculation for my number on the leave list is 191 and they are only at number five now. You can judge when I'll get mine from that. It is more than I can do if you can. They will no doubt increase the number going very shortly and as all the senior NCOs and officers who do not take numbers get away, there will be a quicker run on the numbers of Privates.
I'll write to Bill as soon as I can and ask him when he is expects to be in England. He will no doubt be writing me himself in the near future and telling me all his plans.
There seems to be more going on over there than there is here, for we hardly find enough interesting news to fill a letter and if it was not for the letters we have to answer, we would not be able to write anything. It is lights out now and so I'll be I'll have to ring off and get to bed. I'll finish this in the morning if I get time.
Yours lovingly,
Harold.
Yours lovingly,
Harold.
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