LETTERS

From 'Letters to a Soldier', 1915 to 1919 ...
Those of May to December 1916

Editor's note: British have commenced the offensive. The,Battle of the Somme began on the lst July 1916. This involved the British army on a much larger scale than previously, and there were soon large numbers of casualties.

Beechwood Mossley, July 1/16

Dear Cecil,

Your weekly parcel was posted yesterday, containing plum cake, syrup, cream, potted meat, health salt, home made toffee, cigarettes, cigars and shirt. Elsie and Adeline Booth intend spending about a week at Blackpool, commencing next Friday and as Alec has got his holidays allotted at the same time, mother and I will probably go too, taking Mike with us; we shall have to ask a neighbour to see to Tommy. If Alec gets his papers on the dot, (as we say) he may have to break off his holiday and join the colors at once which will be rather hard lines, but we hope there will be sufficient notice given him to tide over the holiday. But do not let this arrangement interfere with your movements; if you have any possible chance of getting leave do not on any account miss it or have it postponed but wire from France or London and we will be back home by the time you arrive. The change is perhaps necessary for health ’s sake, but we are not looking forward to such pleasure from the trip. People in England are generally very hopeful about the war, a distinct feeling now prevails that the Allies have now got quite the upper hand.

Your letter to Elsie (24th inst duly recd. We fear you are being very hard worked but hope you keep fit.

Father

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Sunny Bank; 12 Banks St, Blackpool
July 8/1 6

Dear Cecil,

The weekly parcel sent off yesterday contained Madiera cake, biscuits, gingersnaps, pineapple, cream, health-salt, sardines, pastilles, caramels, cigars, cigarettes, socks. We were pleased to receive your letter of June 30th stating that you were quite well. We trust you will continue so; we are very anxious of course now that the British have commenced the offensive. It will be a great relief when the Germans find out they are beaten and admit it. As mentioned in my last letter we are staying at the above address for about ten days. If you should get leave home in the meantime wire to above address, but letters can go on to the home address as Auntie Jane will re-direct them here. The weather is very mixed; we had a wet day yesterday and very cold . Today there has been plenty of sunshine, but it is still cold and windy. Alec will stay with us all the time if his papers don ’t come. Elsie and Adeline are staying at another address as they booked their rooms before we decided to come. Charlie Yates is also here for the weekend. We are here for health more than pleasure. Real pleasure cannot be had and is off the programme at present. May you continue fortunate.

Love from all, Father

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Sunny Bank I 2 Banks St, Blackpool
July I 5/1 6

Parcel sent out yesterday containg plum cake, seed cake, tinned pears, cream, chocolates, toffee, mint rock, health salts, cigars and cigarettes.
Dear Cecil,
We were glad to receive your letter to Elsie dated 6th inst and also your FPC of the 5th. Mother wrote you a few days ago in reply to the letter. The news from the front continues to be good but these are very anxious times for parents whilst the push is on. Am sorry to tell you that Eric Goddard is reported killed. You will no doubt see a reference to it in the “Reporter" when you get it, but our newsagent was late in sending it on last week and may be the same this week. We intend returning home on Monday. The short change here will have done us all some good I daresay, but the weather has been too rough and cold for July; we have however been favored with sea-breezes nearly all the time. Elsie, Alec and their friends have spent their time very nicely,·- at the pictures and other entertainments and playing tennis etc. Mother and I had a nice motor drive to Lytham on Thursday, the weather being delighdul; we have also had numerous tram rides - Cleveleys, St. Annes, Circular Tour, etc. Mke is very fond of the sands and chases the gulls. Saw Arthur Bromley here today. He has been down in health but is improving.

Love from all. Father

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Beechwood Mossley, July 22/16

Dear Cecil,

We duly received your letter of the 13th inst and your FPC of the 19lh and are glad to know you are quite safe and well. The last week or two have been a time of some anxiety for Mossley people as a number of local casualties have come through, but considering the magnitude of the operations I think Mossley fared pretty well, tho ’ the West Ridings and “Pals" were fairly in it.

We hope your Regt has not been sent into the thick of it, but have heard you have got South ofArras; if you are holding some of the positions captured from the Germans it may be comparatively safe for you. Shall be glad to hear from you, the letters are very anxiously looked for. There was no chance for Alec in the Army except infantry. We were told that cavalry and artillery men were being used as infantry, so we all thought it would be best for Alec to join the Navy and he has done so today and joined as a sea-man in the RNVR to be called on for service in the Royal Navy. They told him he might not be called up for three months or more. He will be trained at Devonport. When he asked them what chances of promotion there would be they said they hoped the war would be over before he saw active service. After what you have told Alec I think he prefers the sea to the trenches.

Yesterday we sent of your weekly pcl containing plum cake, Eccles cakes, chunks and cream, caramels, pastilles, health salt, cigars, cigarettes and socks which we hope you will get in due course. I have got an anti-vermin belt for you which Mr Heriot the chemist says is a very good thing. I told him that you had not asked for one and I didn ’t know you were in need of one, but you could either use it as a preservative or give it to some-one requiring it.

Hoping there will be good news for us all before long. I remain with love from all,

Your aff Father

Did you get Aunt Jane’s parcel sent about 3 weeks ago?

Editor's note : Cecil’s Battalion had been part of the 33rd Division, posted near Givenchy near the Belgian frontier. On the 11th July the whole Division was transferred to the Somme area. They went by train to near Amiens then up the Somme valley to Meulte. On the 19th July Cecil sent the Post Card referred to and later that day they were moved into occupied trenches near Bazentin-le-Petit.
ln the early morning of the 20th July they went "over the top" and attacked the German tranches in High Wood, which had already withheld two assaults in the previous fortnight. The Division also included Battalions of the lst Cameron Highlanders, the 5th Scottish Rifles and the 2nd Royal Welch Fusiliers. The attack soon became bogged down, with the units mixed up and tied down in the wood by artillery and machine gun fire. The troops withdrew at midnight.
Robert Graves of the Royal Welch Fusiliers took part in the attack and was also injured. An account is included in his book "Goodbye to All That".
Casualties among all units were high. Cecil’s Battalion of less than 1,000 men lost 22 officers and 375 men killed, wounded, or missing. Cecil was one of the early casualties

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Editor's note: As soon as he could Cecil wrote home;-

No I Canadian General Hospital
BEF; France
23rd July 16

My dear Mother,

First of all I want to impress it on you that there is no need for you to worry.

I arrived here yesterday morning in the early hours suffering from shell shock caused through being blown down by a 6 in shell in the recent heavy fighting.
We were in the middle of a big attack and I was with the machine gun, advancing when a shell fell slap on top of the gun. I think the others were all either killed 0r injured but am not sure about it as I was too dazed to remember much.

However I was brought down to the RAMC people by two of our fellows who had been slightly wounded but on our way down we were bowled over by another shell.

Again I was unscathed and don ’t remember anything except being dragged along by a Scotchman.
Eventually we got to the Aid Post and was packed off straight away to the Clearing Hospital in an ambulance van, There I got a bowl of hot soup and about a quarter of a loaf of bread my first meal for 36 hours. A rare feast too after having existed 0n bully beef and biscuits for 6 days.

After a night there I came down on the Red Cross train to their hospital which is away back on the coast. I expect I shall be quite alright before long but I’ve had a very nasty shaking and the doctor says all I need is a few weeks complete rest.

Please don ’t send me any parcels until I ask as we get plenty of good food and I don ’t feel in form for sweet stuffs etc.

The big fight is a terrible thing but the Germans have fairly got it this time.
They are putting up a brave show but I personally think they will have to let us break their lines.

My address is just as I have written it.

With best love to all
Your affectionate son
Cecil

To Mrs Shaw
Beechwood
Mossley
Nr Manchester

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Editor's note: Peter sent this letter to the Mossley Reporter which printed an edited version of it on 29“ July.

Beechwood, Mossley M/c July 29/I6

Dear Cecil,

We have nothing further from you since your letter announcing your arrival at the No 1 Canadian Hospital and are anxiously awaiting your next letter. We are hoping that you will be sent to England to recover, or, if you have an early convalescence, you will be granted leave home after being out nine months or nearly
so.

Do your very best to get this as we would all like so much to see you. Shell shock affects people in so many different ways that we cannot tell what your injuries are, but surely you will have ample time given you to make a full and complete recovery. We are very thankful that your life is spared, but we fear many of your friends are amongst the killed and wounded, but we mustn ’t talk about this further than to say that Charlie Shaw in your Company is in hospital at Whalley near Clitheroe, slightly wounded. S Warhurst and Midgley both wounded also your captain (Hollingsworth). Stockdale and Ashby poor fellows are both killed

But you will see these things in the papers we send you. I don ’t know whether you get the English papers in hospital but let us know if you want anything sending out. It seems strange not to be sending you a parcel as usual, but I am posting you on Nash ’s magazine. It is Mossley Wakes Saturday and the weather is beautiful, and as I write, the noise from the fairground is easily heard. Elsie, Alec and Marion and other friends have all gone to the Saddleworth Cricket Ground where a match between the Hockey girls and the wounded soldiers is being played. We are expecting them back to tea shortly. Oh! They are just returning, Alec and Marion are here but they have left Elsie behind as the match is not ?nished, but they say the girls are winning. I must close now or I shall miss the post.

With love from all of us.
Your Affte Father

My Dear Cec
Here I am at Beechwood. We have had a glorious afternoon, of course your Father has already told you where we have been, it was great to see the wounded soldiers how very happy they were. Well Cecil I must close now. I assure you it would have been far more enjoyable had you been there but never mind perhaps after a rest there you will get to Blighty.

Marion

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Medal Card Herbert Cecil Shaw, Private 20th Battalion Royal Fusiliers; 2nd Lieutenant South Lancashire Fusiliers

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Letters to a Soldier, Introduction