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Letter to Ruth Turner [Ruth was in Ireland with her family]

An affectionate letter looking forward to their meeting on Wednesday which filled him with delight.

Letter to Ruth Mallory, written from Pen y Pass on Tuesday

He had been nailing boots (not his) for an hour and a half. Ursula arrived yesterday afternoon and was happy. She found them all playing cards around a fire in the Shack. Hugh had left that morning and had enjoyed himself. The clouds were clearing and they were planning on climbing to the Parson’s Nose. Ruth’s letter had betrayed her anxiety and it was a mild affair and he was very strong.

Letter to Ruth Mallory written from 14 Royal Terrace, Weymouth

His weekends would be free and there was plenty of good country for her – he liked the looks of the east side of Dorchester.

There were 14 in the house all feeding together and 100 in the drawing room. He was sharing his bedroom with another man who looked a quiet, gentle sort. The folk at the Barracks looked very nice especially Clarke who knew Ralph Brooke [his brother in law]. Usual questions this time from a Colonel assuming he was a child of 17. There was a group of Irish from Dublin University who would probably be amusing.

Was glad he would have to search for rooms for her at the weekend as there was nothing else to do. Then there would be lectures, lectures, lectures and for fresh air gun drill.

He would write as soon as he had seen some places nearby - he liked the sound of Todpuddle, Tincleton and Little Bredy.

Letter to Ruth Mallory written from Rouen, France

He was on the way. He couldn’t say much as he didn’t know where to go to get the letter censored. Would know tomorrow where they were going to be posted. He had done some sight seeing that day. St Marelon was the most beautiful church and the most perfect architecturally he had ever seen.

The party was splitting up and tomorrow he would be on his own but he was happy as he hadn’t liked the waiting. It was sad he hadn’t received a letter from her before starting and now he would have to wait at least another two days.

Hoped she wasn’t feeling anxious. He would tell her all there was to feel anxious about and hopes it won’t be very much.

Letter to Ruth Mallory written from 'A dilapidated old town in France'

He had received no letters from her and he wanted to hear from her very much. He seemed to have lived ever so long in observation and emotion since they parted and he had hardly told her anything of what he had thought and experienced in the last 10 days. He wanted to describe to her how he was living.

He was living in a cottage in the middle of a straight street which could have been described as a slum except for green trees looking over a garden wall. Running water at one end of the street with meadows, trees and farmsteads. At the other end was a half ruined church. They occupied 10 or 12 houses in a section of the street. His bedroom was on the ground floor at one end with the Officer’s Mess at the other end. These rooms had elegant furniture in them.

The Officers in this mess were very decent lot of fellows. [Lieutenant] Bell was very studious that evening sitting up at the table, while he sat in an arm chair, translating the famous passage in Pascal’s Pensees. He sees practically no one else so its lucky he likes the man. He had now met three men who started in the Gunners at the age of 14 or 15 and taken Commissions during the war and all were quiet observing men with a marked refinement of feeling and living in harmony with life. All three were competent and easy going. Bell hadn’t any of the hard driving manner associated with school masters, Prussians and ordinary soldiers. He didn’t shout or swear or drill the men but they knew keenly what to do. They would be gently but firmly admonished if they didn’t.

He was learning from this example but hadn’t too much to do so far. He was in command of No. 4 gun detachment under Bell’s supervision. He had inspected gas helmets that day and would see the guard tonight. Had spent the time finding how everything worked and where it was. Had spent some time in an observation post. Nothing to be seen of the Germans. He had played the game of shell dodging on the way to the observation post. You could hear them coming and had time to get out of the way. Danger was of a battery being spotted by an aeroplane.

He would describe the garden in his next letter and asks her to send seedlings if she think they would survive. Asks her to send plum cake if its not too heavy.

Letter to Ruth Mallory written from the Officers' Mess, Red Slum, France

Still hadn’t received a letter from her. Wants to know what she is doing and thinking. What had she decided about letting Violet go to munitions? Thinks she wouldn’t decide anything about that before her next period.

If the Germans were going to be so short of food next year it would be pointless for him to fight through another winter. The French had been expecting and hoping the war would end that summer or autumn.

Things had been fairly lively the last two days. Yesterday was wet so they had done no shooting but there was plenty going on and they took care to keep out of the way of the whizbangs. That morning he was awoken early by a tremendous dim – neighbouring anti-aircraft batteries pounding away. It was a bright morning and there was plenty of aircraft about so they took care to slink around out of sight in the shadows. They were shooting both morning and afternoon that day. The system was first one and then the other is on duty for a week. Next week he would take command of the guns.

The men had planted a variety of vegetables in the garden and there was plenty of space for flowers and they would do quite well for fruit.

He had to write a letter to Arthur Benson as he had seen that his sister had recently died and another letter to Mother.

Asks her to send the proofs of the photos.

Letter to Ruth Mallory written from France

They had chopped down the pear tree, white cherry tree and black cherry tree which filled him with the burning sense of sin, shame and horror.

Had been out with the working party last night and had carried six successive sandbags full of bricks on his back for half a mile of rough walking. The authorities were pressing them to hurry but they couldn't build very fast with one whole brick to every twenty fragments. The heat had been unbearably oppressive and he had welcomed the thunderstorm but he had skidded in the rain on the motorbike and broken the glass in his watch. Asks her to send any kind of cover for it.

They had cut the trees down to make room for two new gun positions. Asks her to thank Mother for the excellent pencil.

Letter to Ruth Mallory written 'On the road'

Describes their move south, temporarily to a hot point of the line. Reassures her and asks her to be brave. It was a great adventure and a rich experience and she would love him more for it when they meet again.

Letter to Ruth Mallory written from France

Describes their new position on a chalk hillside with woods behind and the struggle they had to get the guns up the valley into position using teams of horses and with the help of a company of Infantry. Problem was ammunition they were given 900 rounds and had used 600 already. Object of the move was to support an Infantry attack. Describes his dug out and that he suspected a rat. Asks her to send ‘Liverpool Virus’ in large quantities. Weather was fine at the moment but there were some unhealthy spots which they would have to inhabit if it rained. Reassures her. Gives his new address as 40th Siege Battery, 15th H.A.G. IV Corps Heavy Artillery, B.E.F.

Letter to Ruth Mallory written from France

They had a busy three days but things were settling down. Describes his duties of setting the men to work and checking on them. He was in charge of the guns for the first week, and had to see to ammunition. Asks her to send ‘Liverpool Virus’ as soon as possible to deal with the rats. The wild strawberries were delicious. Describes some of his companions - didn’t like two young subs but did like Lithgow, Bell and the Captain of the other half battery. Next week he would be doing O.P. work [observation post]. Cakes and soup tablets were most welcome.

Letter to Ruth Mallory written from France

Describes hardships of digging in the rain and getting wet without prospect of drying out. Difficulty getting supplies like pit props, timber, iron nails, sandbags and wire netting as the demand was greater than supply. Had searched for bread and potatoes but here was no bread as bakers couldn’t get flour and mills couldn’t get corn. Had ration bread but it was difficult to eat. Had got 3 kilos of potatoes, French beans and a bottle of red wine. Describes difficulties of feeding men when you arrive in a new place. Had eaten well in Mess on haggis and plum pudding thanks to Captain Lithgow. Describes the cook who caused the worst of their discomforts. Hoped another half battery would arrive soon with their cook. Asks her to send more tea.

Comments on her letters. Likes to think of her seeing friends in London.

Letter to Ruth Mallory written from France

Had been on duty all night. Describes the sound and sight of the guns firing on the German lines.

Feared the spiritual side of life did not have a good chance out there – not the intellectual or aesthetic part and the chance to read Clutton-Brock’s book had a revivifying effect.

Letter to Ruth Mallory written from France

Full Transcript

Dearest Ruth,

I’m sitting in a café at a village on a main road which acts as our advanced base whither I have been sent on an errand to the Field Cashier. I can get this posted here, and have a few moments.

This also is part a foraging expedition and the driver luckily knew of a farmhouse where many things are sold – quite a number of farms hereabouts have become provision shops but the usual difficulty is that they have no provisions. Today we have been very lucky and I have somewhat prepared for goodness knows what future. I too am afraid that correspondence is going to be difficult but I think I may get letters from you at intervals of 3 or 4 days on the average. You see our lorries have to bring us provisions and ammunition at frequent intervals and the ordinary way is for the ration lorry to bring the mails. Of course I can’t guess what may happen. I don’t suppose we shall be in Berlin in a fortnight but its clear that life will be a very different affair for us if the Army continues digging in shallowed trenches and so on!

I think it would perhaps be a good plan to write to me every other day for the present. Will you try and tell me as much as you can about the people about you who seem to be very numerous just now. I am glad you should have the feeling towards baby that makes you want to have her to yourself all the time – but you won’t let her come too much in the way of other sides of life will you my dear? We’ve talked of that – still I think from your last letter that you seem to be almost too absorbed in Clare at the moment. Your letters vary very much (I expect mine do too) – sometimes more thoughtful than others so that I sometimes feel that your mind has control and sometimes the feelings have it all their own way. I do hope you haven’t many despairing moments.
I expect you keep pretty cheerful and interested too, that’s the main thing.

This must end. I have to fly.
All my love, your George.

Letter to Ruth Mallory written from France during the Battle of the Somme, 'July 10 1916'

Comments on where she is in the garden when she is writing to him and describes where he is writing from at the end of his night duty shift. Asks her to send a pound of butter as an experiment to see if it arrives fresh. Thanks her for the cake. He could get chocolate so not to bother sending that. Asks her to try and get 5 stone of new potatoes sent to them as getting vegetables, especially potatoes was difficult.

Yesterday and so far today had been peaceful and sunny.

Comments on the Holt and that he should try and write to some friends in the hope of getting good letters back. Asks what happened to the parts of his letters she copies out and thinks that others besides the family would like to see them. Would write to David. Mr Allen had written to say he might be coming our as a Chaplain.

Describes in detail where he lives (the offices and his dug out) and includes a sketch of the location of the map room. Tents were used but only in the cover of trees.

Letter to Ruth Mallory written from France during the Battle of the Somme, 'July 1916'

Full Transcript

My dearest Ruth,

This is merely a note in advance chiefly to say that if you haven’t already bought the potatoes it will be better after all not to send them. We have discovered a way of getting them here.

I have just had breakfast after firing for 3 hours. We are very busy and I feel rather tired – chiefly I expect because these field guns make such an offensive noise. I believe our operations are going as well as expected – it’s a hard life in which one has to be reasonable. Will you send along parcels of the Times 4 or 5 at a time. It so often happens that for some days I see nothing but the Daily Mail and the Harmsworth popular press disgusts me in its present stage of rampant jingoism over ‘the great push’ than at any previous period of the war. The government is very largely to blame for that e.g. for the official photos. A picture of one of our guns as it stands in the emplacement with its girdles on appeared in the Daily Mail of July 5. This is evidently the advertising centre. O God! O Montreal!

The car is to start now. So au revoir till I talk to you again later on.
Your loving George.

Letter to Ruth Mallory written from France during the Battle of the Somme, 'July 29'

Describes the death of two young men in the battery who were killed as they all returned together from the trenches.

Letter to Ruth Mallory written from France during the Battle of the Somme, 'Aug 4'

Describes night on duty especially the noise which he hates.

Back in the battery for 3 days now. Describes his duties. Glen was returning to them soon but Quinn had died of his wounds.
They were on rations but he had contrived to get chocolate and biscuits for the men. Hoped the chocolate cake would arrive that day. Asked her to try and send 'cold spring fruit saline' which he had just tried and thought delicious. Thinks men would put up with a lot if only they were well fed.

Letter to Ruth Mallory written from France during the Battle of the Somme, 'Aug 7 1916'

Had been with Bell all day and had written to Trafford, Arthur Benson, Geoffrey Young and Graves.

Hadn’t been back to the front line again mainly because of changing arrangements. They were expecting a new officer and Glen back again.

Thanks her for sending thick socks which he would save for winter. Ingrown toenail was hurting him.

Mentions leave but it was still too distant. Were having lovely weather. Assumed she was still at Westbrook.

Was quite pleased with his dug out. Asks her to write on thinner paper because her letters made a bulky package and he wouldn’t want to leave them behind when he returned to England.

Had enjoyed writing to Geoffrey about the Alps. Amazed by the desire he had for that side of life again. You would think he would like something less keen after the war but he didn’t feel like that at all. There was a great life out there and they must bring it off. He felt fit and healthy thanks to the war.