LETTERS

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

Beechwood Mossley, M ’chr
Aug 4/I 6

Dear Cecil,

As requested in your letter to Elsie just to hand I enclose you a £1 treasury note which I think you will receive alright as I will register the letter. We are of course glad that your injuries are not serious but have all been hoping you would be sent to England but if not we sincerely trust you will be given a long rest in the seaside camp. Do your best to get leave before going back in the line. Charlie Shaw as I told you in a previous letter is in England with a wound in the chin or jaw. His father says he will tell him to write you.

We have kept writing you and sending papers to your various addresses all of which may reach you sometime. As far as I can make out you are two parcels short, but most of the contents are not perishable and may reach you safely. If you lost anything of importance in the fight write and we will replace it. Today we are posting a few papers. Nash’s magazine was sent a few days ago. We are not resuming the weekly parcel despatch until we hear from you. Love from all and continued good fortune.

Your af Father

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Beechwood Mossley, M ’chr, Aug 11/I6

Dear Cecil

We have not heard from you further since the letter mother replied to on Wednesday, but we expect you will have received last week’s remittance and a host of papers, magazines and letters sent previously at various times. Last night we sent of your weekly parcel containing - plum cake, box of biscuits, home-made toffy, health salt, cigars and cigarettes. We were sorry for the delay to the letters and parcels caused thro' your removals but we hope things are again in working order.

I called at the Bank yesterday to see about a letter they had sent on to your home address and which was sent on to you in France. I went to explain that you were not getting the letters thro’ at present and that they might be without a reply for some time but Mr Hammersley said no reply was required it was only a friendly letter sent on by him. Taylor, Barlow and Carruthers were all enquiring about you. Taylor said you sent him a very nice letter in June which he showed to Mr Hammersley who was very pleased with it. Barlow introduced me to a Mr Needham whose son Harold was in your Co. He is wounded and back at Littleboro’ - I intend seeing him tomorrow.

Father

Editor's note: The Bank.
Cecil worked at the District Bank, probably in Oldham, and these people are his work colleagues. The District Bank merged with the National Westminster in 1970. He may also have been at the District Bank in Mossley, which is now the Pennine Health Centre.

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From Peter Shaw, Beechwood Mossley, .M/c
Aug I 6/I 6

Dear Cecil,

Your letter of the 8th inst with cheque for £5 came to hand yesterday. You need not have troubled about remitting this as we are very glad to send you out anything you are in want of. As requested we enclose herewith a £I Treasury note and we have bought you the “Auto-Stop Safety Razor" which we will send with the parcel tomorrow or Friday.

I managed to get this at the wholesale price - 14/9 - a good reduction. We are veiy pleased that you are now getting our letters etc and we are thankful that you are probably in a nice berth for some time. If you make yourself indispensible you may be kept there and it is a great relief to us to know you are having considerate treatment after such a hard rough time. You have done your “bit" if you are never sent up again. Mother hopes you are there for the "duration". Mr Needham took our address and said he would tell Harold to call and see us when well enough, but I am trying to get over to see him at the Hospital today. I did not go on Saturday as I intended. Love from all.

Tell us if you have lost your "shield".

Father

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From P Shaw, Beechwood Mossley, M/c
Aug 18/16

Dear Cecil,

By this post we are sending your weekly parcel. It contains plum cake, gingerbread, pastilles, cigars, cigarettes and the Auto-stop safety razor. We could not have the parcel registered so it will have to take its chance. We hope it will reach you safely. You will also find in the parcel a number of newspapers etc and two envelopes for your photos. On Wednesday went to Bramley, near Littleboro’ to see Harold Needham at the Hospital there but found he was out when I got there. It seems he is now going out daily; his people often fetch him in the car and he spends most of his afternoons and evenings at home. We may be hearing from him before he goes out again. We hear Charlie Shaw’s wound is progressing nicely. I called at Westmacotts (chemists) the other day and enquired about "Dick" but they had heard nothing of him since he went out. He is half brother to the Chemist and the Doctor and there does not seem to be much writing between them. Marion writes to tell us some of her letters are reaching you.

Love from all - Father

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From P Shaw, Beechwood Mossley, M/c
Aug 26/16

Dear Cecil,

Yesterday we sent off your weekly parcel containing plum cake, biscuits, brandy-snaps, home-made toffee, cigars and cigarettes. Your last letter (dated 17th inst reached us on Wednesday last, mother writing in reply the same day or the day following. Since then there is not much news. I have just seen Jas Carruthers and he says he wrote you about a week ago. Arnold he says is still "kicking" and has asked for your address, as he wanted to write to you. Buchannon should have gone out last week but for some reason is still in England. He suspects going out anytime now. I forgot to ask about Braithwaite. Have heard nothing further about Harold Needham. Charlie Shaw (so Sidney tells me) is improving too fast. He goes home at the weekend from Whalley. We are very glad you have ended in such nice quarters and hope you will be kept there. It is only right that these staff appointments (if yours is one) should be given to men who have been more or less injured. We feel very thankful for your marvellous escapes. Did you get Aunt Jane’s and Mrs Bull’s parcels both sent a few weeks since. If so please write them.

Love from all, Father

Editor's note:
Mrs Bull was a cousin of Peter. Her maiden name was Martha Hannah Mellor. She had lived in Mossley and worked at the Post Office before marrying. Mr Bull was a hosier and gentleman’s outfitter and ran his business from the Post Office in Market Place Oldham, with Mrs Bull as Postmistress.

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

27th May - 24th June 1st July- 29th July 4th August - 26th August 3rd September - 23rd September 1st October - 28th October 3rd November - 25th November 2nd December - 30th December

Letters to a Soldier, Introduction