Letter #82, September 28th, 1918 to Holland Manitoba

Envelope postmarked

September 28, 1918

To Holland Manitoba

Dear Mother & Dad

Just received your letter, the first for three weeks so here goes to answer it at once. So, Hessie is married, well I am pleased to hear it.  She is getting on in age now and had she not taken that chance probably she never would have been married, it’s a certainty she would have been out of luck had she waited for yours truly. 

The girl from Buxton has been going around singing for the wounded lately.  Gee, she had a beautiful voice, and a darn nice girl but Mother I am not own of those marrying kind and sometimes I think I am not doing what is right by accepting their hospitality.  I know darn well they are under the impression that I intend on doing something.  However, we shall see later. 

Tell VV if she wants to drop a line to a nice girl in England, she can enclose a line or two in a letter to me and I shall forward it on to her.  I am so sorry to hear that Dad is ill.  Never mind I think he will feel better after all the hard work is done and he can rest for a while. 

How does the kid like her new school?  When she encloses a letter to my friend tell her to start it as “Dear Mabel”.  

We had a wonderful game of Ball yesterday.  By Jove, it was a good game.  Of course, we won.  Say Mother for Goodness sake let the Richmond crowd fight their own battles. Aunt Rach would be the first to criticize you if you were to side in with either of them.  Poor old Bud.  God help me if I ever get married and they start henpecking me.  I’ll beat it.

Well, Mother, there is nothing I can tell you of any occasion.  Only tell VV if she does enclose a letter to Mabel, she is never to mention it to a soul because I don’t want that Portage outfit to know a darn thing about me.  Remember me to Dad and VV I’ll close with love

Chas

Letter #81 September 25th, 1918

September 25, 1918

Dear Mother,

          It’s a long while Mother since I last had any word from you, but I suppose you are busy now that it is harvest time.  It has been miserable weather here for the last few days nothing but rain all the time. Still, I have nothing to quibble about, my hut here is nice and as comfortable as one can expect on active service.

          Have you heard anything of the Richmond outfit joining up?  It’s a darn shame Mother that those fellows get off, if it was me, I should be ashamed to look a soldier in the face. Still, I suppose if the war lasts much longer they will have to come.  You know Mother the people of England seem to think that it won't be long before it is finished.  Just imagine I am going on my fifth year of soldiering.  Well, there is one thing comforting to know that is our little family have done their share.  But you know that Richmond crowd kind of makes me sore when I stop to think of the boys out here.

          How has Dad been feeling lately, I got a letter from VV not long ago, enclosed was a snapshot of herself, well I sent the photo over to England and in a few days had a reply saying that they never thought I had a Gladys Cooper for a sister.  Some compliment to VV “Eh What” Gladys Cooper is considered one of England’s foremost beauties.

          I expect to go on leave shortly, and as before expect to spend it in Buxton.  Gee Mother but those people are good to me.  A big majority of our boys are taking home English wives.  In future, the Canadian girls won't be so stuck up.  There will surely be some surprised people when the fellows get back.  It is hard to tell who is married and who isn’t nowadays.  Like an English woman once said to me “How many wives did you fellows leave in Canada” I told her we didn’t leave any more than we could handle and one or two extra never did anyone any harm.

          We went down to the District Sports a few days ago and were lucky enough to win the championship of all the forestry Corps in this part of France in Baseball.  Oh yes, we have got a good team here. 

          Say Mother you don’t know what outfit Albert Lloyd is in do you.  How does VV like her new school?  It being so near home will help to break the monotony for her.  Gee, she writes a funny letter, nothing but kids and pigs in them.

          Well, Mother, you know its hard to write a letter from this side so please don’t think its brief.  Tell Dad I hope he is feeling well and tell VV she don’t waste much paper on her brother.  I’ll close mother for this time.

Love

Chas

Just for fun, here is a 1910's photo of Gladys Cooper (on the left below) - Dame Gladys Constance Cooper (1888-1971) was an English actress whose career spanned seven decades on stage, in films and on television. The photograph of VV  (on the right) is the only one I have from her younger years.

Letter #80, August 8th, 1918

August 8^th, 1918

Sgt CR Bailey

#34260

Dear Mother

          Just imagine Mother, three more days and I will have completed four years Army Life.  Hardly seems possible to have had four years of it and goodness knows how much longer.  Oh well I have no complaints to make, life with a Forestry Company is heaven to what some of the fellows have got to go through.

         Well Mother things in general are going along OK it has been rather nasty weather for the past week or so but after three months of perfect weather we more or less must expect a change.  Has VV left for Sask yet, someway I hardly think she will like it out there.  You know how I liked it and I believe it will strike her about the same.  It’s too lonesome, not enough young people.

Say Mother will you send me Ireland's address.  I should like to drop him a line or two, just to hear how all the boys are going on.  I am enclosing the photograph of the kiddies, so you can send it to them and say it has been over to France.  Just for fun Mother, say that part of the family reached France if it was only the kiddies photo.  But really Mother it is a nice looking little boy and I would have liked very much to keep the picture.

          What has Richmond gone back to Dawson for?  Is it that he had to finish his law examinations there?  I was under the impression he was through, and VV was saying that Karl has gone in for dentistry or was it chemistry.  Well if he had to put in the long hours I had to put in the drug line, he won't stay with pharmacy very long.  I am awfully sorry to hear Dad is getting so poor in health, but perhaps by the time you receive this he will be feeling well again. 

          Tell VV that Miss Whitesides; her old supervisor in Brandon College has taken over a ladies college in Ontario.

          Well Mother I seldom go anywhere so you can tell how hard letter writing is, absolutely no news of any interest.  Remember me to Dad and VV and write soon.  Mother I must close with fondest love.

Chas

NOTE "The Battle of Amiens, also known as the Third Battle of Picardy, was the opening phase of the Allied offensive which began on 8 August 1918, later known as the Hundred Days Offensive, that ultimately led to the end of the First World War."

This is not Charley's Corp but a good example of what he would have been doing. "Bush scene, Canadian Forestry Corps, Gerardmer [France] February, 1919"  Canadian Forestry Corp 

Letter #79 July 4th, 1918

July 4^th 1918

37 Can For Corps

Can Exped Forces

France

Dear Mother

          As you see I am still with the 37^th CFC I have been under the weather for the past few days but I am quite alright again.  It was nothing serious, just simply a touch of La Grippe just enough to make a fellow feel miserable.  Have had several letters from VV the other day and I think one from every kid in her school.  I don’t know if they're cousins of mine or just simply some of VV’s class.  There was one from a Howie and I was wondering if it was one of the Howie’s from that family at High Bluff. 

Yes mother you are of the same opinion as myself.  When are they going to get some of that Richmond crowd over here? The cold footed apron string bunch, if it wasn’t for such kind as those people, Canada would never have had to have conscription.

          Has VV decided to go to Sask for certain yet.  If she does I hope she gets a good place, but believe me she will find it a great deal different than around Portage.  The people are alright out there, but there are so very few of them, that I am afraid she would get awfully lonesome.  You were asking me about what I would like you to send me in your parcels.  Mother I appreciate a parcel but really I don’t need them.  A few smokes is worth more than a ton of cake etc.  You see Mother I have been in the Army so long now that I have long since grown accustomed to Army rations.

          So far nobody has left this unit on leave since the push took place in March, so I guess leave for me is a thing of the past for some time to come.  Things in general are just as usual around here.  The first of July we had a field day running and racing and a Ball game.  It all helps to break the monotony of the everyday army life.

          How has dad been feeling lately.  VV was saying he had got awfully thin lately.  I hope he feels well even if he is losing weight.  Well Mother remember me to Dad and VV and write when you can

Love

Chas

Letter #78, March 26, 1918

(postmark) March 26, 1918

37 Can Forest Comp

Can Exped Force

France

Sgt Bailey CR

#34260

Dear Mother,

Well Mother I received the first letter from you yesterday that I have got since coming back to France.  It was not a very big surprise to hear that you had moved, but I hope by now you are all settled again, as for myself, well Mother the longer I stay here, and the better acquainted I get with the men and officers the more I like this unit.  A person can only guess the nature of the work a unit of this kind carry on by the name of it.  To Canadians and people that come from timbered countries this kind of work is most interesting and I think I can quite safely say that I like it here far better than being in one of those hospitals in England. 

          Is Dad thinking of taking another Hotel or is he going to the farm for this year.  There must be big money in farming these days according to prices of food stuff.  I had a letter from VV but she is very reserved with news, she didn’t say if she intended to take another school stay at home or anything about herself at all. 

Now in regards to this leave for first contingent men, don’t be to anxious Mother, I know you would like to have us all together, once more, but after the three months is over its harder to come away again then ever and if the war is going to end soon, it would be better to stay with a good unit than go home and take a chance on getting with some outfit that you did not like. 

However there is plenty of time, and we can decide later, Mother don’t think I am neglecting my letters, as you know, in France we are only allowed to write a certain amount.  Remember me to Dad and VV and take this note as an apology for a letter Mother, to say I am quite fit and well.

Love Chas

Letter #77, March 18th, 1918

Estimated date of letter; March 18th, 1918

Dear Mother

I received three letters from you and two from VV today, no mail for a couple of months and then five in one day, is sure some change.  No doubt you were surprised to hear that I was back in France again, but really I got absolutely fed up with England, and even now I am glad I have made the change.

          You want to know if I do the same work as the Forestry men.  No my work is to supervise the sanitation of the camp and administrate medical aid to all those I think need it.  I have a hut to myself.  The front part is just a small drug store, or a dispensary on a miniature scale, it is partitioned in half.  The other part I use for my sleeping quarters and so on.  Every morning a chinaman from the Chinese Labour Co comes and cleans up for me.  The village we are in has no doctor so I am obliged to look after all of them as well as five hundred chinamen.  So you see Mother I have all I can manage. 

          You seem to think that Hessie Montgomery’s’ marriage would kind of hurt my feelings.  Well don’t be foolish Mother, you only know what you hear from other people, I know what I have learnt for myself.  Take it from me, that your son had a few brains left, when it comes to this marrying proposition.  And between you and I mother -------- scratched out -------.

Now don’t go telling the Richmond crowd all this because it only tends to make hard feelings.  And the less they know of my affairs, the better I like them.  Comprend.

Poor old Ireland. As I sit here by myself writing this letter I have to smile.  Oh well, it's none of my business I suppose I will do the same thing someday myself.    But VV makes me laugh when she says she would like to see her brother boss of his own house.  Just tell her I will be boss alright, or there will be no house.

          Well Mother is the farm any better, I do wish you and Dad could get at some little business where you could make a good living without all the worry and trouble.  Well Mother I must close Remember me to Dad and VV

Love Chas

The Chinese Labour Corps on the Western Front 1916-1918
Chinese Labour Corps labourers drawing rations at a forestry camp in Crecy Forest, 27 January 1918.  Date 27 January 1918 (First World War)

https://goo.gl/EULD5p

https://goo.gl/gxvL2a

Letter #76, March 15th 1918 From France

37 Company CFC

Ca Exped Force

France

Sgt. CRT Bailey #39260

(Estimated date of letter; March 15, 1918)

Dear Mother

          Seems ages since last I had a letter from any of you at home, of course I know Mother it is not your fault.  When a person moves around so much we should be grateful to the army methods of postal service that I get any at all.  Yes Mother I am still with the Canadian Forest Corps and like it just as well as ever.  And will be indeed sorry if I ever have to leave them before the end of the war. 

We are still doing the same kind of work as I described to you in my last letter.  My duties do not call for a great lot of dispensing, it consists more of medical aid work and I think I prefer it, after being used to so much dispensing in the hospitals.  The mess here is splendid, it is good plain food and plenty of it, quite a contrast to the mess in England, and the open air life makes a fellow eat so hearty.

I had a letter from my friends in England yesterday and by all accounts we are having much nicer weather here than in England in fact this spring in France has been most favourable I tell you Mother it’s a great difference to the spring of 1915. 

Mother I thought of you and wondered what you were doing on the 8^th.  No I did not forget that it was your Birthday, in fact I started a letter to you but could not find time to finish it. 

So mother if it’s not too late allow me to congratulate and hope that before you have another, we will all be together again.  You know dear, on active service we are only allowed to write a certain amount and I think I am beyond my limit now.  So remember me to Dad and VV and don’t worry about me as I am as safe as can be I will come to a close Mother with

Love

Chas

On the back of Charley's letter is his mom's simple note; Answered.  Jennie often sent Charley's letters on to his sister, V.V. and vice versa.  

Charley's Mom with her second husband; Marmaduke Thomas Lorenzo Lloyd.

Jane (Jennie) Howie

Born: March 8, 1872 in Portage la Prairie, Manitoba, Canada