Harry has been home, but is now back in Italy. He writes to Jack.
Oct 1st/ 1918
32507/ 9th York & Lancs
C Company
L.G.S.
I.E.F.
Dear Jack
Just a line to let you know I have arrived safe back in Italy it is not very nice to be after being at home but I shall have to make the best of it. I was very pleased to find them all well at home and Willie looking so well. The weather is still very hot, and we do our marching at night. I hope you got home safe after your holiday. We are on rest at present in Italian barracks but I don't know how long for. Write back soon as possible as it will be a long time before I get a letter.
Remember me to Agnes.
With best Love to you both.
Harry
With the sort of comment from Harry that we are used to by now. "I shall have to make the best of it"
Back from Leave. Letter to Jack 1st Oct 1918
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15 comments:
"I shall have to make the best of it" I wonder what he would have thought if somebody told him 90 years on he could inspire others. Amazing blog sir, I love every minute of it and continue to hope for Harry's safe return.
Heyy :)
thought id leave a comment, since im doing my english GCSE and im writing about the war.
This is such a great idea, and a real help to me, i enjoy reading about harry, i feel so involved in his life.
I may just have to let you know what grade i get in my corsework now, since this site has been my biggest research point
thank you, and keep posting :)
xxx
Armistice on that front on Novemebr the 4th, after Austro-Huingarian collapse at battle of Vittorio (OCtober 24th)
374 British casualties - that's killed AND wounded.
How big was the British force in Italy at that time - how many men?
Harry sounds a bit down to be back to the guns etc. It must have been strange to come back from leave. To anyone interested in this era I strongly recommend the WW I series by Anne Perry.
~S
The problem with foresight: holding my breath, and praying Harry makes it safely through the next forty days.....
The cease fire was 11. november 1918. So today (2. okt 1918) there are 40 days remaining of the war.
Will Harry survive...
Hello Harry:
I'm sure you enjoyed your leave. I'm now somewhere at sea between Halifax and Liverpool heading Over There to join the great adventure. Expect to land in about a week. Drop by and read a bit if you have the chance.
Regards,
Sam
I always feel humbled when I read the latest from Harry..
In an age when most people are complaining about the price of petrol and why they arent getting a pay rise this year, its hard to imagine the sacrifices Harry's generation made.
I also feel its worth sparing a thought for our troops today, fighting what are becoming increasingly forgotten wars - something that I am sure the labour government are relieved about!
I'm holding my breath now as the end of the war is in sight and I'm hoping Harry makes it home to the family.
I agree with the comment before about I wonder what Harry would think if he knew what an inspiration he is so many decades on?
NO - ON THE AUSTRIAN/ITALIAN Front, the (local) Armistice was 4th November.
The Entire war stopped on the 11th, but there would not have been time for Harry's regiment to pack up, and go over to Belgium in the intervening 7 days.For more information see:
here
and
here
It's been 10 days...I hope Harry is ok....
Hope Harry will be fine...
14 days...
From the other pages - referring to Harry's trip home on leave ...
The postcard shows Ilkeston GNR station.
But from London, he would most likely have come from St. Pancras on the Midland Railway, to the other Ilkeston station, in the Erewash Valley - probably changing at Trent.
There is also reference to the cross-channel shipping routes.
The principal emabrkation port was DOVER, with some coming via Folkestone. Dover Marine Station had been opened, just as war started, and was requisitioned entirely for military use. The SECR didn't get it back until after the war was over.
Ther was also the huge military port at Richborough, with a train-ferry, but this was not used for personnel.
Some wounded were landed at Queenborough/Sheppey, but normal troop-tranist was Dover only, with Folkestone for special purposes.
CORRECTION!
After 19/12/1915 when there was a bad landsliup cutting the Dover-Folkestone railway line....
Most TROOP trians went to and from Folkestone, and most of the Ambulance trains went to and from Dover.
A lot more information on this, which affected all troops, unless they wer on "the Staff" (and had special trains) can be found in an out-of-print book.
ISBN: 0 85361 2781
"The South-Eastern & Chatham Railway in the Great War.
Harry would have experienced all of this, including the free travel warrants, and the free food made available at the two London Termini used (Charing X & Victoria)
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