January 31st, 1917 Letter #53 'Rumours of being wounded'

January 31, 1917

Granville Can Host

Kent

England

Dear Mother

          Say when are you going to write by Gosh I have not had any word from you for a month of Sundays.  What do you know about me being wounded in the naval raid, my friend in Buxton heard from London that I had been wounded and admitted to Oxford Hospital and was in the surgical ward, they were telephoning all over the country trying to find out what happened to me and all the while I was here with absolutely nothing the matter. 

Had some Murad from Canada today and believe me they are sure going fine.  Say Mother I am back on regular pay once more and take it from me “never again will I take leave without permission” That was a lesson I never again will forget.  Just wait till I tell you of some of the experiences I had financing myself but I managed to get along all right and generally had a shilling or two.  Just eleven months and two weeks on twenty cents a day.  Not much is it?

Gee the weather here is simply grand Mother it would do you good just to live by the sea such glorious weather as this.  Tell that big sister of mine she will have to come again on her French as I lived in France for nearly a year and can read it very fair.

Say mother for goodness sake don’t get mixed up with any of the family affairs of the married nieces of yours let them fight out their quarrels themselves and for Buds Mother well she is not so bad after all.

Well Mother I am going to bed now.  Tell Dad I am going to write him tomorrow without fail.  Remember me to VV and Dad with love

Chas.

January 29, 1917 Letter #52 'In the Operating Room'

Postmark Jan 29th 1917

Granville Can Hosp
Kent
England

Dear Mother

I have not received a word from any of you since the latter part of November. I guess there will be all your back mail arrive some of these days as you see I have been on the move constantly since leaving Buxton.

I am in the Operating room here and believe me it sure is some experience. I like it fine. The last few days have not been just as pleasant as possible as I have been getting five teeth filled and you know how nice that is but the way I look at it is that I may just as well have my mouth fixed up at the government expense as to wait till after the war and have forty or fifty dollars to pay for a dentists bill.

Dental office, Granville Canadian Special Hospital, 
Ramsgate Kent (Flicker Photo)

Granville Cdn Hospital  ukoldpostcards www.delcampe.net

This place around here is simply fine it is a big summer resort and right on the sea front, the Hospital was a big hotel and would accommodate 300 guests so it is no small concern.

I came very nearly going back to France previous to coming here. I got absolutely fed up with that Shorncliff and had made up my mind to get out and just by luck they sent me here you know I am getting to be a regular rambler can’t settle down for any length of time in no one place. Well Mother there is absolutely nothing to say only be sure and put my number on any mail you send as there are other Bailys here remember me to Dad and VV an write soon as I may never get the mail that has not been forwarded.

Love Chas

 

Postscript from Nicola; Charley's biographer.  While Charley is working in a WW1 operating room in 1917, I had an operation early in 2017 at our excellent local hospital here in Williams Lake, BC Canada. Hence my delay with posting Charley's latest letters.  I am happy to report that my surgery was a success however the recovery has slowed me down a little.  Thanks for your patience with these latest posts.  I just know Charley would understand.