Date of Letter:
1915/12/09
Summary:
In which Gordon Munro writes to Dandy, a family member, with news from the Belgium front i.e. trench skirmishes; joke about St. Peter and two Irish cronies; receipt of a parcel of a Plum Pudding; etc.
Transcription:
Belgium Dec 9/15
Dear Dandy
I think I owe you people about 10 letters but will try to answer them all in this one. Muriels was a real treat, that’s not saying I dont enjoy the others because I sure do, but somehow those young kids seem to say things in a way all their own. Tell her Ill be sure & take a shoot at the Kaiser for her or better still drop a bomb under him. have just got back from the trenches for a few days & it was a relief to get out. It rained most of the time & to make matters worse old Fritz persisted in shelling our part of the trench. we were at a corner of the line & they shot us up from three directions side, back, & front. Great big coal boxes too. We could see their guns flash away back & the sentry would holler coming “over” & then we’d kind of hug the water in the bottom of the trench you’d hear whr... away off then it increased to a roar & bang bang bang bang four at a time, good night÷ I almost wished old Hank Ford success in his peace enterprise. Well I survived the trip again anyway & the rest I suppose we’ll have to take as they come one thing which was very comforting was our artillery which replied with sixfold energy.
I must say Aunt Kate’s parcel of cake Pudding etc came in great, I got it in the trenches & as we did not feel much like cooking it went that much better I says to one guy “would you like a piece of Plum Pudding He just look’d at me as much as to say “You poor nut – theres no such thing in Belgium, when I pull’d it out of the box his face lit up like a full moon & he pronounced it the best he had ever eaten & so do I. Tell Aunt Kate I cant find the right words to thank her, there are’nt enough in the Dictionary anyway but if she could see me at a meal she’d feel more than gratified. We are sleeping in an old Barn just now. Nice Hay Etc in it Its the Best bed. I have had for centuries much too good to last. I understand we are to get a 2 or 3 weeks rest about xmas & expect to have a good time I may go on pass to England soon too, as I’ve been out here nearly 6 months now. I suppose Marian is some chauffer by now heres a Ford story I heard the other day which you can spring on her though I daresay it will be old out there .. Two old Irish Cronies were kill’d in an Explosion one found himself in Heaven & look’d round for his partner. St. Peter he said can you tell me where Pat Dougan” is I am sorry Mike but Pat is in Hell “I din’t have time to say good bye to him. I wonder if I could run down & & speak to him for a minute. St Pete allow’d his request. Pat show’d Mike all round the place. Parks & Boulevards ~ and have ye any autimobles ask’d Mike we have said Pat Come over & see the Garage. He led Mike to a large stone Building Mike look’d all over the Place & Exclaim’d But I thought Ye said automibles Pat: Sure these are all Fords” They sure do get-up some nasty ones on the Ford but I wish I had one. Theres not much else to say the Oakville boys are all well as far as I have heard. Wishing you all the Seasons Greetings
love to all
Gordon
Adress now is
Pte H.G. Munro 47904
Grenade Co.
15 Batt’n
48 H.O.C.
1st Can Div.
B.E.F.
France.
Dear Dandy
I think I owe you people about 10 letters but will try to answer them all in this one. Muriels was a real treat, that’s not saying I dont enjoy the others because I sure do, but somehow those young kids seem to say things in a way all their own. Tell her Ill be sure & take a shoot at the Kaiser for her or better still drop a bomb under him. have just got back from the trenches for a few days & it was a relief to get out. It rained most of the time & to make matters worse old Fritz persisted in shelling our part of the trench. we were at a corner of the line & they shot us up from three directions side, back, & front. Great big coal boxes too. We could see their guns flash away back & the sentry would holler coming “over” & then we’d kind of hug the water in the bottom of the trench you’d hear whr... away off then it increased to a roar & bang bang bang bang four at a time, good night÷ I almost wished old Hank Ford success in his peace enterprise. Well I survived the trip again anyway & the rest I suppose we’ll have to take as they come one thing which was very comforting was our artillery which replied with sixfold energy.
I must say Aunt Kate’s parcel of cake Pudding etc came in great, I got it in the trenches & as we did not feel much like cooking it went that much better I says to one guy “would you like a piece of Plum Pudding He just look’d at me as much as to say “You poor nut – theres no such thing in Belgium, when I pull’d it out of the box his face lit up like a full moon & he pronounced it the best he had ever eaten & so do I. Tell Aunt Kate I cant find the right words to thank her, there are’nt enough in the Dictionary anyway but if she could see me at a meal she’d feel more than gratified. We are sleeping in an old Barn just now. Nice Hay Etc in it Its the Best bed. I have had for centuries much too good to last. I understand we are to get a 2 or 3 weeks rest about xmas & expect to have a good time I may go on pass to England soon too, as I’ve been out here nearly 6 months now. I suppose Marian is some chauffer by now heres a Ford story I heard the other day which you can spring on her though I daresay it will be old out there .. Two old Irish Cronies were kill’d in an Explosion one found himself in Heaven & look’d round for his partner. St. Peter he said can you tell me where Pat Dougan” is I am sorry Mike but Pat is in Hell “I din’t have time to say good bye to him. I wonder if I could run down & & speak to him for a minute. St Pete allow’d his request. Pat show’d Mike all round the place. Parks & Boulevards ~ and have ye any autimobles ask’d Mike we have said Pat Come over & see the Garage. He led Mike to a large stone Building Mike look’d all over the Place & Exclaim’d But I thought Ye said automibles Pat: Sure these are all Fords” They sure do get-up some nasty ones on the Ford but I wish I had one. Theres not much else to say the Oakville boys are all well as far as I have heard. Wishing you all the Seasons Greetings
love to all
Gordon
Adress now is
Pte H.G. Munro 47904
Grenade Co.
15 Batt’n
48 H.O.C.
1st Can Div.
B.E.F.
France.
Object ID:
2017.22.73
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Gordon Munro Letters, Dec. 9, 1915
Gordon Munro Letters, Dec. 9, 1915
Gordon Munro Letters, Dec. 9, 1915
Gordon Munro Letters, Dec. 9, 1915
Gordon Munro Letters, Dec. 9, 1915
Gordon Munro Letters, Dec. 9, 1915