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
Monday, July 4, 2016
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
8 July 1916 Flanders (or possibly now in France)
Dear Folks,
This is Saturday night and I have just come off duty at the hospital and am going to spend the evening writing letters. I have had two letters from home this week and one from Mae although it was an old one;it must have been delayed somewhere.
I was sorry that you had not fully recovered, mother, but you will no doubt be on your feet again before this. Why don't you take the summer off for you must surely need a good rest. Is Norma going to take that position in Toronto? So Vern is making lots of money selling tea. That is a good job for him this summer and if he works at it steadily he ought to make a good bit by the end of the summer.
Was I telling you in my last letter that I had seen Jack McMeecham? I went down to his camp last Sunday and had a chat with him. He was all through the fighting at Ypres and never had a scratch but had some narrow shaves. He wears kilts and looks pretty good in them. He had a letter from Orville a few days before and let me read it.
The weather here has been rather rainy this last week but, on the whole, it has not been too bad. We have a D.R.S. here and it accommodates about 150 or so patients and, in a pinch, it can be almost doubled. Just now, however, we only keep about 100 on hand, and so in case of a rush, we can accommodate a lot more if necessary. There are no wounded, just sick, and they require considerable attention. All cases of sprains, influenza come to us and we are busy from 7 am to 7 pm attending to them. the hospital is a tent hospital and has several wards, each a large marquee that can hold 20 stretchers easily. One man has charge of each tent. I like the work only the hours of duty are long, 12 hours, and it is hard to get a relief. I would much rather be at the advanced dressing station for we can have a good deal more freedom there (that is so far as Fritz will let us). Our NCOs do not bother us up there but back here they fairly dog the life out of us.
There is a special hospital here that "B" section runs. It is a hospital where all cases of "Self-inflicted" wounds are taken and they are kept there pending an inquiry or if necessary a court-martial and then if guilty through carelessness or of deliberately wounding themselves, they receive a sentence varying as the evidence shows up the circumstances. There are about 60 patients there now and as soon as their sentences expire, they are shipped over to England if they are still required to be in hospital.
The country is just great these days and the first chance I get, I am going to get a day off and take a long walk through the hills here. The highest point in France (in this part) is only a few minutes walk from here and a splendid view of all the country can be had from that point. If a fellow only had a wheel or a horse, he could get over some ground in a short time for the roads are great here and a person could surely enjoy a few afternoons out riding or walking.
Well, I want to write two or three letters tonight so I'll sign off and get at the others before it gets too dark.
Lovingly,
Harold
This is Saturday night and I have just come off duty at the hospital and am going to spend the evening writing letters. I have had two letters from home this week and one from Mae although it was an old one;it must have been delayed somewhere.
I was sorry that you had not fully recovered, mother, but you will no doubt be on your feet again before this. Why don't you take the summer off for you must surely need a good rest. Is Norma going to take that position in Toronto? So Vern is making lots of money selling tea. That is a good job for him this summer and if he works at it steadily he ought to make a good bit by the end of the summer.
Was I telling you in my last letter that I had seen Jack McMeecham? I went down to his camp last Sunday and had a chat with him. He was all through the fighting at Ypres and never had a scratch but had some narrow shaves. He wears kilts and looks pretty good in them. He had a letter from Orville a few days before and let me read it.
The weather here has been rather rainy this last week but, on the whole, it has not been too bad. We have a D.R.S. here and it accommodates about 150 or so patients and, in a pinch, it can be almost doubled. Just now, however, we only keep about 100 on hand, and so in case of a rush, we can accommodate a lot more if necessary. There are no wounded, just sick, and they require considerable attention. All cases of sprains, influenza come to us and we are busy from 7 am to 7 pm attending to them. the hospital is a tent hospital and has several wards, each a large marquee that can hold 20 stretchers easily. One man has charge of each tent. I like the work only the hours of duty are long, 12 hours, and it is hard to get a relief. I would much rather be at the advanced dressing station for we can have a good deal more freedom there (that is so far as Fritz will let us). Our NCOs do not bother us up there but back here they fairly dog the life out of us.
There is a special hospital here that "B" section runs. It is a hospital where all cases of "Self-inflicted" wounds are taken and they are kept there pending an inquiry or if necessary a court-martial and then if guilty through carelessness or of deliberately wounding themselves, they receive a sentence varying as the evidence shows up the circumstances. There are about 60 patients there now and as soon as their sentences expire, they are shipped over to England if they are still required to be in hospital.
The country is just great these days and the first chance I get, I am going to get a day off and take a long walk through the hills here. The highest point in France (in this part) is only a few minutes walk from here and a splendid view of all the country can be had from that point. If a fellow only had a wheel or a horse, he could get over some ground in a short time for the roads are great here and a person could surely enjoy a few afternoons out riding or walking.
Well, I want to write two or three letters tonight so I'll sign off and get at the others before it gets too dark.
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
18 June 1916 Flanders
Dear folks,
This is Sunday morning just before dinner and I must try to get this started at least for we never know what time we can call our own and when a letter is started is seems easier to go back to it.
I am up the pike now at the Advanced D. S. and it is fairly quiet just now but there is plenty of work reinforcing our dugouts with sandbags and covering them up with green sods to make them inconspicuous. Then at night there is guards to do, a 3-hour stretch every other night and we take a day each in the cook house. There are 3 stations to run: the A.D.S. and two regimental aid posts. Most of the work is done at night as we are almost under the nose of Fritz observation balloons and anything that escapes him is pretty well concealed. They turn the artillery on pretty well everything that looks suspicious and no battery dare fire when an enemy balloon is up especially is the day is anyway bright. Of course, our balloons show the same little courtesies to Fritz. As a result of this strict observation, there is comparatively little to do in the daytime and as there is very little night these days everything is crammed into the few hours of darkness.
We have the new daylight saving time in force over here now and so save another hour of daylight. It came into force about a week ago.
I suppose the papers over there are all crammed full of the accounts of the latest fighting around Ypres. it was about the worst that the Canadians have been through and the casualties were very high with a larger percentage than usual killed. I was on guard night before last and saw one of the fiercest bombardments that has taken place for a few days. It only lasted for about an hour before dawn. I was on the 1 to 4 am shift and it started at 2:03 and lasted to about 3. it was on a front of about 1/2 a mile and the sky was lit up continuously with great livid flashes. The roar of the high exploding shells bursting is enough to strike terror into the most iron-nerved man that ever lived. The cases of shell shock are becoming more frequent and the bombardments are becoming more severe.
There were some German prisoners through town the other day and they say that we don't know what a bombardment is. The place to see the effects of a severe shelling is to get on their side of the line. They were taken prisoner in the midst of heavy bombardment and that is how they know what shellfire is on our side of the line.
The prisoners were all taken and given a shower bath in the divisional bath house and got a clean change of clothes.
Well, there is a fatigue being called to fill sand bags and I'll have to ring off and post this on the ration waggon.
I was glad of Mae's success in Massey Hall. I got the papers from Rose but the one of May 24th with the account of the competition was missing. All the other days were there. Hope Norma succeeds in her exams. Tell her to write & tell me all about them etc.
Lovingly,
Harold
This is Sunday morning just before dinner and I must try to get this started at least for we never know what time we can call our own and when a letter is started is seems easier to go back to it.
I am up the pike now at the Advanced D. S. and it is fairly quiet just now but there is plenty of work reinforcing our dugouts with sandbags and covering them up with green sods to make them inconspicuous. Then at night there is guards to do, a 3-hour stretch every other night and we take a day each in the cook house. There are 3 stations to run: the A.D.S. and two regimental aid posts. Most of the work is done at night as we are almost under the nose of Fritz observation balloons and anything that escapes him is pretty well concealed. They turn the artillery on pretty well everything that looks suspicious and no battery dare fire when an enemy balloon is up especially is the day is anyway bright. Of course, our balloons show the same little courtesies to Fritz. As a result of this strict observation, there is comparatively little to do in the daytime and as there is very little night these days everything is crammed into the few hours of darkness.
We have the new daylight saving time in force over here now and so save another hour of daylight. It came into force about a week ago.
I suppose the papers over there are all crammed full of the accounts of the latest fighting around Ypres. it was about the worst that the Canadians have been through and the casualties were very high with a larger percentage than usual killed. I was on guard night before last and saw one of the fiercest bombardments that has taken place for a few days. It only lasted for about an hour before dawn. I was on the 1 to 4 am shift and it started at 2:03 and lasted to about 3. it was on a front of about 1/2 a mile and the sky was lit up continuously with great livid flashes. The roar of the high exploding shells bursting is enough to strike terror into the most iron-nerved man that ever lived. The cases of shell shock are becoming more frequent and the bombardments are becoming more severe.
There were some German prisoners through town the other day and they say that we don't know what a bombardment is. The place to see the effects of a severe shelling is to get on their side of the line. They were taken prisoner in the midst of heavy bombardment and that is how they know what shellfire is on our side of the line.
The prisoners were all taken and given a shower bath in the divisional bath house and got a clean change of clothes.
Well, there is a fatigue being called to fill sand bags and I'll have to ring off and post this on the ration waggon.
I was glad of Mae's success in Massey Hall. I got the papers from Rose but the one of May 24th with the account of the competition was missing. All the other days were there. Hope Norma succeeds in her exams. Tell her to write & tell me all about them etc.
Lovingly,
Harold
15 May 1916 Flanders
Dear Father, Mother & the Rest-
Rec'd your letter of Apr. 23 o.k. and also the parcel of Apr. 13. The cake was getting pretty old but all the other things were in good shape. I am afraid if the weather is going to be warm it will not do to send things like cakes or fruit because they will only be spoiled by the time they arrive.
I was glad to know that you had the girls home for Easter. It would be much pleasanter. Has Mae decided about going out West? Last letter I had from her she was thinking seriously of it. Did Father's land deal drop(?) through? You haven't mentioned it lately.
I am still at work in the hospital and am kept fairly busy. Some days are slack however and we can get a few minutes to write letters. I had a letter from Aunt Aggie last week and one from Chas. Munroe and Millie Mitford. Both of the latter want me to go and visit them when I am on leave home. It is as far away as ever and I am trying to see if I can't change numbers with someone who is leaving the unit. I must write Belle Ruxton some of these days. I had a letter from her a long time ago and I don't think I answered it.
Billy Redburn and I were over to spend the evening with Clair Brink on Saturday. He has a nice hut to himself but is kept pretty busy during the daytime. We had a nice evening chat together.
I have been getting the Globes that Rose sends right along and also got the parcel from the Patriotic League. I acknowledged it to Mrs. Gillis. Say, don't put my name in the paper any more than you can help. Miss Fairbairn gets all mixed up in her statements and she is apt to get somebody in to trouble sometime.
This has been a very commonplace week and there has not been anything out of the way happen. We never know though when things will start.
When do the school exams come off. I saw by the news that only students who were going to work on the farms were to be excused from exams. Is Vern going to do that? I guess Norma will be going to Normal next fall. That won't leave very many at home. I hope Mae repeats her success of last spring and carries off the prizes at the choir competition. I guess she will write and tell me all about it.
There's absolutely no news to tell so I'll ring off and get this away on the first mail that's going.
Lovingly,
Harold Skilling
Rec'd your letter of Apr. 23 o.k. and also the parcel of Apr. 13. The cake was getting pretty old but all the other things were in good shape. I am afraid if the weather is going to be warm it will not do to send things like cakes or fruit because they will only be spoiled by the time they arrive.
I was glad to know that you had the girls home for Easter. It would be much pleasanter. Has Mae decided about going out West? Last letter I had from her she was thinking seriously of it. Did Father's land deal drop(?) through? You haven't mentioned it lately.
I am still at work in the hospital and am kept fairly busy. Some days are slack however and we can get a few minutes to write letters. I had a letter from Aunt Aggie last week and one from Chas. Munroe and Millie Mitford. Both of the latter want me to go and visit them when I am on leave home. It is as far away as ever and I am trying to see if I can't change numbers with someone who is leaving the unit. I must write Belle Ruxton some of these days. I had a letter from her a long time ago and I don't think I answered it.
Billy Redburn and I were over to spend the evening with Clair Brink on Saturday. He has a nice hut to himself but is kept pretty busy during the daytime. We had a nice evening chat together.
I have been getting the Globes that Rose sends right along and also got the parcel from the Patriotic League. I acknowledged it to Mrs. Gillis. Say, don't put my name in the paper any more than you can help. Miss Fairbairn gets all mixed up in her statements and she is apt to get somebody in to trouble sometime.
This has been a very commonplace week and there has not been anything out of the way happen. We never know though when things will start.
When do the school exams come off. I saw by the news that only students who were going to work on the farms were to be excused from exams. Is Vern going to do that? I guess Norma will be going to Normal next fall. That won't leave very many at home. I hope Mae repeats her success of last spring and carries off the prizes at the choir competition. I guess she will write and tell me all about it.
There's absolutely no news to tell so I'll ring off and get this away on the first mail that's going.
Lovingly,
Harold Skilling
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)