'THE GREAT WAR', 'THE
WAR TO END WAR', 'WORLD WAR 1'
'What passing-bells for these who die as cattle?
- Only the monstrous anger of the guns.'
from
'Anthem for Doomed Youth' by Wilfred Owen
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THE
BATTLE OF THE SOMME
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JULY TO NOVEMBER 1916
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LETTERS From 'Letters to a Soldier',
1915 to 1919 ... From P Shaw, Beechwood Mossley, M ’chr Dear Cecil, Your letter to Alec came to hand today. We are very glad to hear you are better and that you are in a good Hospital, but we most sincerely hope you will not be sent into the trenches again until you are thoroughly recovered. Don’t fail to tell the nurse and Doctor everything; you must have an eye to your future health after the war so that after the shell-shock and trench fever nothing in the shape of permanent injury is allowed to remain. You will no doubt see the importance of this and make every effort in this direction. As requested I send you another £1 note (registered) which I hope will reach you safely. You did not say whether you wish us to keep on with the weekly parcels. We take it that you are supplied with everything necessary whilst in Hospital, but we will send you tomorrow a parcel containing a few delicacies, viz, Box Pal’s biscuits, Bottle calves foot jelly, muscatels and parkin. Also a woollen body belt which will be of service to you when you leave the Hospital. Marion and her sisters were here on Sunday and we sent Alec over to Oldham with a birthday present on Tuesday - a nice cake stand. Glad Garnet has found you. Father ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ From P Shaw, Beechwood Mossley, M ’chr Dear Cecil, Yesterday we recd your letter dated 1st inst and today yours of the 6th inst came to hand. We are glad to hear you are improving but let me again press on you the importance of getting thoroughly cured before showing any readiness to commence duties again. The pains in the back and the fact that you have been put on a milk diet point, perhaps, to a little kidney trouble, and your future health will be best safeguarded by careful attention now. I hope the body belt sent the other week will be very serviceable. We were also glad your first remittance had arrived and no doubt ere this you will have got the second one; if so, you are in "funds". Mr Walsh is now over on two months sick leave. He is looking pretty well but a little worn and weary. Marion has asked Elsie and Alec to tea on Sunday, so they intend going. Tomorrow we will send your weekly parcel which will include cigars and cigarettes, jellies, cake, biscuits and health salt. Love from all, Your af Father ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ From P Shaw, Beechwood Mossley, M ’chr Dear Cecil, Yours of the 14th came to hand today. We are glad to hear you are slowly improving, and trust you will be kept at the Hospital some time yet, and afterwards to a Convalescent Depot until you are right in every way. C Shaw is still in Hospital (after trench fever), so it seems sometimes, afer this complaint, a man is unfit for a long period. The weather is just now very severe here. We are having strong gales with some frost and snow; we have been wondering whether it is the same there. In today’s parcel we are sending plum cake, box biscuits, dates, cigars and cigarettes, mittens and socks. Let us know in your next letter you would like a woollen scarf, pair leather wool-lined gloves, woollen vest, wool sleeping helmet or anything else in the way of winter comforts. Mother wrote you on Wednesday in reply to your letter of the 9th. Look out for another parcel from Aunt Jane in a day or two. Mr Bradbury had a marvellous escape when knocked down with the tram. He is improving nicely. Love from all Father ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ From P Shaw, Beechwood Mossley, M ’chr Dear Cecil, We are in receipt of your letter advising us that you left the Hospital on the 17th and have been sent back to the No 5 Con Depot, but attached to another Co (Q). We are all hoping here that you will get sent back to your old job, that is, in the office. After your trying experiences from shell-shock and trench fever, you will, I should think, be kept on light duty until you have made a complete recovery, if it takes months to do it. From recent casualty lists I see the PS boys have been in more fighting. George Lawton, brother to James Lawton, SoC [?Not sure of this word] Mossley, is back in England (from France) wounded in both arms- don ’t know particulars. As a magistrate I have been engaged during the week helping to “swear in " members of the Volunteer Training Corps at the Drill Hall. I think there will be altogether over 400 recruits in this district. As regards your parcels we hope that you have got all that have been sent. If not you should write to No 2 Stationary Hospital for them to be sent on. None have been returned here of late. Aunt Jane sent one on to the Hospital before you notified us of the change, so there will be delay in getting this no doubt. In our weekly parcel of yesterday we sent out the following - plum cake, box Pal’s biscuits, dates, muscatels, mint humbugs, apples, cigars and cigarettes which we hope will reach you in good time. Please say in your next letter if we are to send on any of the things enumerated in our letter of the 18th inst. I mention this because, owing to your removal the letter may have been delayed or lost. The things mentioned were woollen scarf, pair leather wool-lined gloves, woollen vest, wool sleeping helmet, or anything else in the way of winter comforts. We like to know when you get the parcels, not so much on account of their value, but because of the inconvenience to yourself when they don’t reach you. Mrs Campbell writes to be remembered to you. She is leaving the manse and is taking a house on Stockport Road where Frank Shaw used to live. Charlie Shaw of Carr Hill Road is home on leave. He may have secured this owing to his father’s death and to the trench fever. Private George Wade of Shaw Hall, G'field (Royal Fusiliers) is reported missing. You would perhaps know him. Love from all. Your aff Father ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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