Dec 1st 1917
Dear Jack
I have just received a small packet from you and was very pleased with it. It was a good job it was something that would keep as it was the dated Nov 8th. I have also received a letter Nov 14th. The lady you are marrying I can remember quite well. Well I hope you are married by now. I can remember two lady teachers Miss James and a Miss Meredith who were at East Oxford. We have had some good marches this last fortnight which I should have enjoyed better had we not quite so much to carry. The weather has been just right for marching the roads are very level out here you can see all the big hills or mountains in the distance with snow on them the scenery would be grand in summer time. I am pleased they are going on all right and home and that you are keeping well. glad to hear about Kate. I think it is very good of them to buy you a present worth about £10 it should be a good one. We are getting on better for food now but very short of bread. Don’t forget to put Italy instead of France I hope you have a Merry xmas and a Happy new year. I’m going to try to get a card to send you for Christmas. Write back as soon as you can and don’t forget.
Yours Harry
13 comments:
A real shame a blog of this nature is full of google adverts - very insulting.
The owner is spending his time, his computer getting this blog updated. Not to mention his family history. If you dont like the adverts, simple dont click on it.
Harry-
I have a question: In war, killing is not murder, but when you kill someone you are not at war with, it is a crime. It's either kill or be killed. What are your feelings about this?
A reply to melody haven:
Siegfried Sassoon, a world war one poet, with a very dark, cynical and sad viewpoint on war, received a medal for bravery, killing four German men in a machine gun nest single handedly. If I remember correctly, he said: 'It was not bravery, I had no choice. Either I lived, and they died, or they lived and I died'. The sanctity of human life should be held up at all times, but perhaps only those like Harry can really understand what goes on when at war. In my own opinion, it was still a useless waste of human life. Think how our world might be if it had not happened. But it happened, and may happen again.
What a superb blog, a friend pointed me at it.
I will certainly be looking for updates here.
Thank You
I have read this blog with great interest. My grandfather was also at Paschendale, he survived.
I will definitely come back as I need to know what happens.
How different our world is from those soldiers that faught in the 1914-18 world war; or is it?
We have more troops away in far off countries than ever before and, although communications are far better and life prospect infinity, one wonders what today's equivalent of Harry will seem like in another three generations?
Thank God that we survive because of others sacrifices! Those of us who have never experienced war cannot and will never be able to appreciate the horrors of it!
Thank you for posting this blogg.
Will we as a race ever learn that war solves nothing, it only creates thousands of lost lives and many more scared for ever.
Yet, in a way we have the 21st century's Harrys serving in Iraq and Afghanistan; families still facing the dreaded call signifying the loss of a loved on fighting for his Queen & country. One wonders how future generations will view war with the benefit of videos etc?
Friends have told me that if you have never experienced war it is impossible to understand it; I thank God that I have no "understanding" of their suffering.
Would somebody please explain the meaning of *coy* as referred to frequently in the letters
Justin,
Coy is an abbreviation and refers to "company."
Thanks for this. Always been interested in WW1 and the conditions and experiences the troops endured. This is a fantastic blog and I shall be returning to see what develops.
Cheers
Matt
Jack is fighting for us all if it was not for him and the boys in world war two things mat have been different i call these wars the meaningful wars. The one that is being waged now is a meaningless war my son is fighting for what we don't know?
A great blogg, very different, just like a story.
Best regards from Iceland
Jóhann
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