Date of Letter:
1915/09/10
Summary:
In which Gordon Munro relays to Ethel Munro miscellaneous information regarding trench skirmishes i.e. occurrences where shells luckily do not go off, the risk of blood poisoning from shrapnel; the names of opposing German forces; etc. Also, includes description of local landmarks and the significance of badges being sent by Gordon to Ethel for safekeeping.
Transcription:
Belgium sep 10/15
Dear Bill, -
There is a fellow going on pass to England & he is going to post these badges for me, we cant send souvenirs through the Army P.O. as they are too heavy. We are in Reserve again & are fine & dandy, we had big dugouts this trip & nothing much to do, but wait, wait, wait! for something to happen. I got a nice long letter from Uncle Harry last night & one from Mother & Father & Pork the night before so I'm doing fine. Did Pork get that letter I sent him through Scout's company?
The Germans are still bombarding our trenches & we theirs, but the infantry attacks havent started yet. I wish if they are coming they would hurry, not that I enjoy them but its nice to get them over. Our trench is in front of an old farm with nothing in it, which the Germans shell every now & again with out any effect. I notice the last month or so that a great many of the German shells never burst which may be on account of poorer ammunition or lack of cotton. "Scotty" was out one day & a big shell hit right on top of him & never burst which was just as well for Scotty. of course there are lots & lots that do go off & in the box are a few small chuncks of shrapnel the biggest one of these hit the fellow I bunk with, (Brown) on the head & nearly knocked him down the other chuncks fell along side of us. They are very dirty & would easily start blood-poison. In a few days we go back to huts for an 8 day rest & then _ _! ?
The town I sent you those handkerchiefs from is a nice Belgium town called Bailleul. it is miles from where we are but well worth walking to. The Germans held it last fall but lost it again as they did all the country around here. Our trench is an old German one which we - the British - captured & fixed up. There is one farm which we hold nicknamed "stinks farm" so called on account of the number of dead Germans that lay there while the British were capturing it. then there is "Gas" trench, "dead cow lane", mud lane, etc. Tell father if he wants to know where we are to look for xxxxx we are just opposite of that. the Germans hold it but I guess we will have it one of these days, XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX XXXXXX XXX XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX Tell Father I wouldn't mention any of these names only I know he can keep it to himself although I guess every one knows where we are. The Germans often Holler at us & we at them, always uncomplimentary things & then that starts a young fight, this is not allowed now. The Germans who oppose us have been, 5th Bavarians, some Saxons & Prussian Guards, when the Saxons were there it was fine & quiet, but the others were bears. Snyder is near Armentieres about 5 miles away, the British hold it.
Well Bill I guess you will want to know what all these badges are for. well I'll explain them one by one. you are to keep them all till I come back & then we'll see what to do with them. The one of the Buffs, I got from a fellow that was blown to pieces with a bomb, the Buffs are right alongside us, the brass one with the brass flame is the City of London Fuseliers, the coins are scarce Belgian ones. 25, 10, & 5 centimes 10 ces. to a penny. the other one is 50 ces. there is the Army Service Corps. then some that explain themselves. the one of the deer is the Gordon, the horse is the Kings Own. the one of the bugle is the Oxford & Berks Light Infantry. Canadian Field Artillery, territorial buttons & others you will know. I collected them all around here from different fellows. I can get lots more for the asking but they are too heavy to carry, now Bill be sure & hang on to them for me. I must try & get a German helmet there are lots of German Rifles but you cant keep them. Well Bill I guess I had better close for now, hope you get this O.K. & be sure & let me know
love to all
Gordon
Here it is Oct 17/15 & I still have this parcel but it goes today. I put in a Belgian Franc too, it is worth about 20 cents. also 10 centimes worth about 1 cent
let me know when you get them
Gordon
Dear Bill, -
There is a fellow going on pass to England & he is going to post these badges for me, we cant send souvenirs through the Army P.O. as they are too heavy. We are in Reserve again & are fine & dandy, we had big dugouts this trip & nothing much to do, but wait, wait, wait! for something to happen. I got a nice long letter from Uncle Harry last night & one from Mother & Father & Pork the night before so I'm doing fine. Did Pork get that letter I sent him through Scout's company?
The Germans are still bombarding our trenches & we theirs, but the infantry attacks havent started yet. I wish if they are coming they would hurry, not that I enjoy them but its nice to get them over. Our trench is in front of an old farm with nothing in it, which the Germans shell every now & again with out any effect. I notice the last month or so that a great many of the German shells never burst which may be on account of poorer ammunition or lack of cotton. "Scotty" was out one day & a big shell hit right on top of him & never burst which was just as well for Scotty. of course there are lots & lots that do go off & in the box are a few small chuncks of shrapnel the biggest one of these hit the fellow I bunk with, (Brown) on the head & nearly knocked him down the other chuncks fell along side of us. They are very dirty & would easily start blood-poison. In a few days we go back to huts for an 8 day rest & then _ _! ?
The town I sent you those handkerchiefs from is a nice Belgium town called Bailleul. it is miles from where we are but well worth walking to. The Germans held it last fall but lost it again as they did all the country around here. Our trench is an old German one which we - the British - captured & fixed up. There is one farm which we hold nicknamed "stinks farm" so called on account of the number of dead Germans that lay there while the British were capturing it. then there is "Gas" trench, "dead cow lane", mud lane, etc. Tell father if he wants to know where we are to look for xxxxx we are just opposite of that. the Germans hold it but I guess we will have it one of these days, XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX XXXXXX XXX XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX Tell Father I wouldn't mention any of these names only I know he can keep it to himself although I guess every one knows where we are. The Germans often Holler at us & we at them, always uncomplimentary things & then that starts a young fight, this is not allowed now. The Germans who oppose us have been, 5th Bavarians, some Saxons & Prussian Guards, when the Saxons were there it was fine & quiet, but the others were bears. Snyder is near Armentieres about 5 miles away, the British hold it.
Well Bill I guess you will want to know what all these badges are for. well I'll explain them one by one. you are to keep them all till I come back & then we'll see what to do with them. The one of the Buffs, I got from a fellow that was blown to pieces with a bomb, the Buffs are right alongside us, the brass one with the brass flame is the City of London Fuseliers, the coins are scarce Belgian ones. 25, 10, & 5 centimes 10 ces. to a penny. the other one is 50 ces. there is the Army Service Corps. then some that explain themselves. the one of the deer is the Gordon, the horse is the Kings Own. the one of the bugle is the Oxford & Berks Light Infantry. Canadian Field Artillery, territorial buttons & others you will know. I collected them all around here from different fellows. I can get lots more for the asking but they are too heavy to carry, now Bill be sure & hang on to them for me. I must try & get a German helmet there are lots of German Rifles but you cant keep them. Well Bill I guess I had better close for now, hope you get this O.K. & be sure & let me know
love to all
Gordon
Here it is Oct 17/15 & I still have this parcel but it goes today. I put in a Belgian Franc too, it is worth about 20 cents. also 10 centimes worth about 1 cent
let me know when you get them
Gordon
Object ID:
2017.22.62
Click to Enlarge
Gordon Munro Letters, Sept. 8, 1915
Gordon Munro Letters, Sept. 8, 1915
Gordon Munro Letters, Sept. 8, 1915
Gordon Munro Letters, Sept. 8, 1915
Gordon Munro Letters, Sept. 8, 1915
Gordon Munro Letters, Sept. 8, 1915
Gordon Munro Letters, Sept. 8, 1915
Gordon Munro Letters, Sept. 10, 1915
Gordon Munro Letters, Sept. 8, 1915
Gordon Munro Letters, Sept. 8, 1915
Gordon Munro Letters, Sept. 8, 1915
Gordon Munro Letters, Sept. 8, 1915
Gordon Munro Letters, Sept. 8, 1915
Gordon Munro Letters, Sept. 8, 1915
Gordon Munro Letters, Sept. 8, 1915
Gordon Munro Letters, Sept. 10, 1915