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
Saturday, July 23, 2016
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
Thursday, July 21, 2016
6 October 1916 France
Dear Folks,
A brief note is all I can write just now as I am still on the broad of my back. I am a patient in #18 General Hospital just now awaiting transfer to England which will come when the Dr. thinks I am well enough to travel.
The wound is in my right abdomen and a piece of shrapnel penetrated my liver.
Was carrying a wounded German when I got hit. Was fixed up immediately and sent to CCS and was operated upon the same night i.e. September 28th.
Passed through Billy Redburn's dressing station on my way down. He said he would drop you a note. That is why I didn't write sooner. Also wrote to Bill in London & told him to cable you. You have no doubt rec'd it long before now.. It is not serious and no need to worry. Expect to be sent on in a day or two.
Lovingly,
Harold Skilling
P.S. There is a man in same ward from Lucknow. His name is Habick. Was in the hotel business in Lucknow.
A brief note is all I can write just now as I am still on the broad of my back. I am a patient in #18 General Hospital just now awaiting transfer to England which will come when the Dr. thinks I am well enough to travel.
The wound is in my right abdomen and a piece of shrapnel penetrated my liver.
Was carrying a wounded German when I got hit. Was fixed up immediately and sent to CCS and was operated upon the same night i.e. September 28th.
Passed through Billy Redburn's dressing station on my way down. He said he would drop you a note. That is why I didn't write sooner. Also wrote to Bill in London & told him to cable you. You have no doubt rec'd it long before now.. It is not serious and no need to worry. Expect to be sent on in a day or two.
Lovingly,
Harold Skilling
P.S. There is a man in same ward from Lucknow. His name is Habick. Was in the hotel business in Lucknow.
Wednesday, July 20, 2016
20 September 1916 France
** Blacked out by censors
Dear Folks,
This is Wed. afternoon and I have just a few minutes to write during a lull in the business. I have been working in a dressing station exclusively for slightly wounded and we have been so busy that we have not had time for anything else but work & sleep since last Friday. I guess you will have seen the reports of the Canadian's work in the papers. They have been very successful in their attacks and especially the 2nd Division. We have had 100 stretcher-bearers up in the "scrap" clearing wounded during our Division's turn in the trenches. Our boys were very **........................and .............................................................................................................. one shell and all of my section and my pals. They were all killed instantly except two who died soon after. One patient they were carrying was not hurt at all.
The artillery fire was terrific and they were caught in a barrage. The next day one other fellow was killed and 4 wounded. The fellow who was killed the next day was waiting for a commission and his papers came for him the day after he had "shuffled off".
The casualties in the infantry were heavy but we are not finished yet and we are going to get some of our own back that we lost at Ypres.
Prisoners are common and are put to work helping to clear wounded or any other job that comes to hand. They surrender freely when it comes to a showdown but fight and snipe when they think they won't be caught.
About 25 men were left in charge of the dressing station when the bearers were sent on the advanced work. With just that many men we handled, fed & treated as many as 800 in hospital and dressed and sent on an additional 500 making 1300 that passed through our hands in 24 hours. Fortunately, they were all only slightly wounded and shell-shocked.
Rec'd your letter of Sept 4 yesterday. So Vern is going to the city eh! Has Norma a school yet? Saw Billy Redburn yesterday. He came through alright.
Must ring off. Will write more fully later on.
Lovingly,
Harold Skilling
Dear Folks,
This is Wed. afternoon and I have just a few minutes to write during a lull in the business. I have been working in a dressing station exclusively for slightly wounded and we have been so busy that we have not had time for anything else but work & sleep since last Friday. I guess you will have seen the reports of the Canadian's work in the papers. They have been very successful in their attacks and especially the 2nd Division. We have had 100 stretcher-bearers up in the "scrap" clearing wounded during our Division's turn in the trenches. Our boys were very **........................and .............................................................................................................. one shell and all of my section and my pals. They were all killed instantly except two who died soon after. One patient they were carrying was not hurt at all.
The artillery fire was terrific and they were caught in a barrage. The next day one other fellow was killed and 4 wounded. The fellow who was killed the next day was waiting for a commission and his papers came for him the day after he had "shuffled off".
The casualties in the infantry were heavy but we are not finished yet and we are going to get some of our own back that we lost at Ypres.
Prisoners are common and are put to work helping to clear wounded or any other job that comes to hand. They surrender freely when it comes to a showdown but fight and snipe when they think they won't be caught.
About 25 men were left in charge of the dressing station when the bearers were sent on the advanced work. With just that many men we handled, fed & treated as many as 800 in hospital and dressed and sent on an additional 500 making 1300 that passed through our hands in 24 hours. Fortunately, they were all only slightly wounded and shell-shocked.
Rec'd your letter of Sept 4 yesterday. So Vern is going to the city eh! Has Norma a school yet? Saw Billy Redburn yesterday. He came through alright.
Must ring off. Will write more fully later on.
Lovingly,
Harold Skilling
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
Monday, July 18, 2016
3 Sept 1916 France
Dear folks,
Have not moved much since I wrote last but there is no telling when. Route marches etc. and Company drill has been the order of the week.
My section has been chosen to run the hospital and we have been accommodating about 20 patients every day. We have not nearly as much equipment as when running a dressing station. So we cannot give as good service. However we are not expected to give as much when under conditions like we are here.
We had two or three days of heavy rain and wind at the first of the week and our tarpaulins that we had as shelters blew down. The whole unit except duty and fatigue parties were away route marching even if it was storming. We got just about as wet as the others trying to keep the shelters from blowing away and putting them up again. it was pretty uncomfortable and cold but we got an extra blanket each so we had a fairly comfortable night.
There is great speculation as to where we are going. They told us one place but orders of that kind are always subject to change at a moment's notice. We are attached to the 5th Brigade at present but I am not sure whether or not it is permanent. In addressing letters just omit the Brigade #5 Fld. Amb. 2nd division will get me ok.
Have not had a letter form home since writing last time so have nothing to answer. There is very little news so I'll ring off. Am real well. Hope everyone is the same at home. What are Norma and Vern going to do?
Lovingly,
Harold Skilling
Have not moved much since I wrote last but there is no telling when. Route marches etc. and Company drill has been the order of the week.
My section has been chosen to run the hospital and we have been accommodating about 20 patients every day. We have not nearly as much equipment as when running a dressing station. So we cannot give as good service. However we are not expected to give as much when under conditions like we are here.
We had two or three days of heavy rain and wind at the first of the week and our tarpaulins that we had as shelters blew down. The whole unit except duty and fatigue parties were away route marching even if it was storming. We got just about as wet as the others trying to keep the shelters from blowing away and putting them up again. it was pretty uncomfortable and cold but we got an extra blanket each so we had a fairly comfortable night.
There is great speculation as to where we are going. They told us one place but orders of that kind are always subject to change at a moment's notice. We are attached to the 5th Brigade at present but I am not sure whether or not it is permanent. In addressing letters just omit the Brigade #5 Fld. Amb. 2nd division will get me ok.
Have not had a letter form home since writing last time so have nothing to answer. There is very little news so I'll ring off. Am real well. Hope everyone is the same at home. What are Norma and Vern going to do?
Lovingly,
Harold Skilling
19 September 1915 Behind the Lines in France
Dear Mother:-
Well, here I am in France at last and at present we are having a day's rest in a farm yard.
We are not allowed to tell very much and so do not expect very long letters. I will write as often as I can however, and let you know how I am. I suppose I (you?) got the cards I sent some time ago.
We have been constantly on the move these last few days and finished up yesterday with a 20 mile march to the farm where we are now. We had our first good sleep in a week last night when we were billeted in a barn loft. I had a peach of a sleep. We were in bed at 7:30 last night and I didn't wake till 7:15 this morning. It was the first time I slept without my clothes or had a blanket for nearly a week. Everyone was dog-tired and wringing wet into the bargain for it was fearfully hot. The rest last night just fixed us up fine and I feel as fresh as a daisy today. My feet are ok except the heel of my right foot. the shoe rubs it so be sure to send me and extra heavy pair of sox and put a double heel on them.
We had a church parade this morning and had our own chaplains speak. it was our first church service since coming to France. I don't know how long we will be here but I wish they would settle down for a day or two and let us get a mail. There was a few Eng. letters today but no Can. mail. There is one in France some place but it will likely be along soon. I haven't had any for about 2 weeks.
The weather ever since we came is fine and seems very settled.
I hope everyone at home is ok and tell them all to write. We haven't done anything to write about yet and any of our movements would be scratched out by the censor as we have to hand all our mail in unsealed. If you can get any paper about this size you might send a little as I have a small case to hold this size of sheet. If you can get a good small map of the Allied front in France, get Mae to send it. It is a good thing if we get lost.
Well, I guess I'll have to ring off as I have some washing to do if I can get any clean water.
Love to all,
Harold
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