25 November 1917
Dear Jack
I hope you are getting on alright as I am in good health at present except bad feet after a lot of marching. My address is the same as usual, except you must put Italy instead of France. When you write I should be glad if you would send an envelope and paper. I have had no white bread lately we have been on Italian rashing (Rations?) would be glad if you could send me a parcel I have not had any for weeks. Let me know how you are getting on. I think Mr. Thomas’s son is in the same division as we are. if so he has come to Italy too. I shall be glad to get home again to see you all. Willie is getting on well and gets a big boy they are all in good health and dad is about the same. I think he is a marvellous fellow. We have seen some fine scenery on our travels. We were 4 or 5 days in the train it is alright down south of France and very pretty. Write as soon as possible
with best love
Harry
4 comments:
Thankyou for re-creating the drama of this time. The understated way in which Harry writes is very moving. My husband has family from the area where Harry was born and I can just hear the accent in his words! Synchronising the dates is a great idea. Last Wednesday when we had that bitter north wind and driving rain I thought about Harry and his friends in France.
I can't wait for the next installment.
I've just come across your blog, haven't got the time to read it properly yet, but I certainly will. I'm a 50 year old Belgian woman and when I come in the area where these fights took place I still think of all the broken lives. When I think of the thousands and thousands of young lives destroyed and families shattered I still get tears in my eyes. These young soldiers were sent to a foreign country to fight in horrendous and desperate conditions, it is so ... I just don't have the words to express the feelings.
When Harry says that dad is about the same, is he referring to his own father or to himself (Willie's dad)? And is he referring to his father or to Willie with the "fellow" comment? Trying to be sure I understand Harry...
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