Letters From the Trenches: A Soldier of the Great War by Bill Lamin Page B
Authors: Bill Lamin
Ads: Link
massacre
would not compare it with the recent action at Messines?
Harry’s reference to ‘scotch’ men in the battalion also has its origins in the Somme battle. After such heavy casualties, replacements were urgently needed. Some severely
depleted battalions were disbanded and their troops moved to other units to make up their strength. As part of that exercise, fifty-seven men of the King’s Own Scottish Borderers joined the
battalion; it may be that, quite sensibly, they were kept together in C Company.
As usual, Harry’s letter to Kate spares her some of the more alarming details that he had told Jack:
June 11th /1917
Dear Kate
I was very pleased to receive your packet everything came in very useful. I was very pleased to hear you are going on all right did you receive my letter. We have had
some very rough times up here lately especially the last time we were in the trenches you see we had to go over the top. its a rotten time waiting for the order. we had to go over at three in
the morning. the bombardment was awful [I was] lucky to get out but I’m very pleased to say I am alright and hope to remain so. There was a parcel waiting for me from Ethel and
Annie when I came out, it was nice to have some cake and tea. we never had anything but water for about a week, biscuits and bully a bit of Jam but never mind I got over it. I am very pleased
Connie is going to school I do hope she gets on alright – I think they all keep well at home. The weather here is very hot I wish it was a bit cooler. Do not be long before you write. My
address is 32507 [his regimental number] ninth York and Lancs Batt C Company L. G. [Lewis gun] section B.E.F. France. There is nobody in my company from our way not that I know of
you see a mix them up now there is a lot of scotch men with us you can hardly tell what they say. I have been a with the Lewis gunners the last month but I don’t know for how long. It was
only three of us came back out of our section after the last fight. I think this is all just now, I will write again soon and tell you more.
With love from
Harry
The YMCA provided facilities for troops, including writing paper, in its establishments behind the British lines.
‘Only three came back out of our section.’ A Lewis-gun section would have had nine members at full strength. Harry was a lucky man.
Altogether, the German death toll in the Messines Ridge battle was 25,000, the Allies’ 17,000. This time, at least, Harry wasn’t among the casualties. The battle was also a very rare
example in that war of a successful major assault in which the defenders suffered higher casualties than the attackers, Much of the credit for that belongs to Plumer, who had begun his military
career as an officer of the York and Lancaster Regiment; his infantry training, in a war in which so many senior British commanders were cavalrymen, gave him considerable understanding of the
ordinary foot soldier. The troops under his command appreciated his meticulous planning and his concern for their welfare, especially in seeking to minimize casualties among them, and nicknamed him
‘Daddy’ or ‘Old Plum’; at his funeral in 1932 some 30,000 of his former soldiers stood in the rain to honour him.
As a contrast, to end the chapter we have a letter from Jack the clergyman in Hull, to Kate, the midwife in Leeds, written on the day of the Battle of Messines, but naturally oblivious to the
carnage in Flanders. This is the only letter that has turned up to complete the loop of correspondents.
20 Ryde St, Hull, 7th June 1917
Dear Kate
Just a line to let you know that I’ve heard from Harry this morning. He would very much like to hear from you. His address is
Pte H. Lamin
32507
9th Batt
York & Lancashire [ sic ] Regiment
C Company
12th Platoon
B.E.F. France
He is in very good health I am thankful to say.
I hope you will get on all right with your exam. Have you seen the question papers of former years and
would not compare it with the recent action at Messines?
Harry’s reference to ‘scotch’ men in the battalion also has its origins in the Somme battle. After such heavy casualties, replacements were urgently needed. Some severely
depleted battalions were disbanded and their troops moved to other units to make up their strength. As part of that exercise, fifty-seven men of the King’s Own Scottish Borderers joined the
battalion; it may be that, quite sensibly, they were kept together in C Company.
As usual, Harry’s letter to Kate spares her some of the more alarming details that he had told Jack:
June 11th /1917
Dear Kate
I was very pleased to receive your packet everything came in very useful. I was very pleased to hear you are going on all right did you receive my letter. We have had
some very rough times up here lately especially the last time we were in the trenches you see we had to go over the top. its a rotten time waiting for the order. we had to go over at three in
the morning. the bombardment was awful [I was] lucky to get out but I’m very pleased to say I am alright and hope to remain so. There was a parcel waiting for me from Ethel and
Annie when I came out, it was nice to have some cake and tea. we never had anything but water for about a week, biscuits and bully a bit of Jam but never mind I got over it. I am very pleased
Connie is going to school I do hope she gets on alright – I think they all keep well at home. The weather here is very hot I wish it was a bit cooler. Do not be long before you write. My
address is 32507 [his regimental number] ninth York and Lancs Batt C Company L. G. [Lewis gun] section B.E.F. France. There is nobody in my company from our way not that I know of
you see a mix them up now there is a lot of scotch men with us you can hardly tell what they say. I have been a with the Lewis gunners the last month but I don’t know for how long. It was
only three of us came back out of our section after the last fight. I think this is all just now, I will write again soon and tell you more.
With love from
Harry
The YMCA provided facilities for troops, including writing paper, in its establishments behind the British lines.
‘Only three came back out of our section.’ A Lewis-gun section would have had nine members at full strength. Harry was a lucky man.
Altogether, the German death toll in the Messines Ridge battle was 25,000, the Allies’ 17,000. This time, at least, Harry wasn’t among the casualties. The battle was also a very rare
example in that war of a successful major assault in which the defenders suffered higher casualties than the attackers, Much of the credit for that belongs to Plumer, who had begun his military
career as an officer of the York and Lancaster Regiment; his infantry training, in a war in which so many senior British commanders were cavalrymen, gave him considerable understanding of the
ordinary foot soldier. The troops under his command appreciated his meticulous planning and his concern for their welfare, especially in seeking to minimize casualties among them, and nicknamed him
‘Daddy’ or ‘Old Plum’; at his funeral in 1932 some 30,000 of his former soldiers stood in the rain to honour him.
As a contrast, to end the chapter we have a letter from Jack the clergyman in Hull, to Kate, the midwife in Leeds, written on the day of the Battle of Messines, but naturally oblivious to the
carnage in Flanders. This is the only letter that has turned up to complete the loop of correspondents.
20 Ryde St, Hull, 7th June 1917
Dear Kate
Just a line to let you know that I’ve heard from Harry this morning. He would very much like to hear from you. His address is
Pte H. Lamin
32507
9th Batt
York & Lancashire [ sic ] Regiment
C Company
12th Platoon
B.E.F. France
He is in very good health I am thankful to say.
I hope you will get on all right with your exam. Have you seen the question papers of former years and
Similar Books
