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Saturday, December 27, 2014

Christmas in France, 1914


Letter #12 December 27th, 1914 written by Charley to his Mom and Dad and his younger sister.
 
December 27, 1914   France
Just received your very nice P.C. today.  Was very glad to hear that VV would be home for Christmas and when you write be sure to tell me how she made out in her Exams.  The nurses had the Hospital all decorated up with evergreens at night they gave a concert all of which help very much to cheer up the patients as there were a lot that were not well enough to go home for Christmas.  As yet we have not had any wounded Canadians you see we were here a long while before the Canadians left Salisbury Plains.

          Had a letter from Laws and Ina today.  They seem to be all in good health and Ina said that she had got Ireland reinstated around the house she sure is some girl I like to hear from her as I know just what kind of a time she has had around there with Annie.

          Things around here are just about the same the allies are still progressing little by little. And some of these days you will hear about the progress the Kawks are making and by the time Kitchener's army gets here there will be something doing.

          In all your letters you keep asking me if I am in France.  We were the first of all the Canadians to land on the Continent  (_censored_______________).

          Had a letter from Ross saying he had joined the second contingent and hoped to meet me in Berlin. He said he had joined three weeks previous but had not told his mother and was not going to tell they were leaving as he did not want to prolong the agony.

          The weather here has been very rainy the last few days but the people in this vicinity say that it gets fine again about the middle of February

                   Well Mother there is absolutely no news that I can tell more than you see in the papers.  Hoping this finds you and Father in good health and business brisk the coming new year.  Remember me to VV when you write her.

Chas.
 

The Christmas of 1914 must have been an extremely difficult time for the families of those serving and certainly for those on active duty.
Young men, brand new soldiers, enduring the trenches, the cold, the wet; and not really seeing the sense in it all.  Men from all over the world enduring the shock and horror of losing friends and comrades in unimaginable scenarios.  Most of them signed up believing they`d be home by Christmas.
It would have been just as difficult for those serving outside the trenches; the Nursing Sisters, the surgeons, the ambulance drivers, the postal workers, the medical dispensers, the dental assistants. 

I sit at my computer today in the peace and quiet of my blessed life and I am thankful and humbled. Thankful that I live in a corner of the world where I am free to live the way I choose.  Thankful that I am not hungry or frightened or cold.  And I am humbled as I reflect on the millions upon millions of lives lost and turned upside down by that first 'Great War'.  

The 'Christmas Truce' of 1914 is well known. It`s getting a great deal of press this year on the centenary of the First World War, with a good bit of sweetening and sanitizing.   For some men in the trenches, the Christmas Truce was a brief ceasefire while both sides buried the dead who had fallen in no mans land.  Wherever it occurred, with or without the singing of carols and exchange of small gifts, it was most certainly a moment of sanity and civility just before the gates of hell were flung wide open.



The`Christmas Truce` and easing of tensions was not looked upon kindly by everyone.
  • "December 1914 II Corps HQ [General Sir Horace Smith-Dorrien] To all Division Commanders:… friendly intercourse with the enemy, unofficial armistices, however tempting and amusing they may be, are absolutely prohibited”)
  • From German newspapers: “ War is no sport, and we are sorry to say that those who made these overtures did not clearly understand the gravity of the situation.”
  • And from Britain an Army Order issued on December 29 1914 "Forbids for the future similar fraternization, and any rapprochement with the enemy in the trenches. All acts contrary to this order will be punished in high treason."  Essex County Telegraph, Jan 12 1915"

From the WW1 journals of Private Herr Lange of the German army, “The difficulty began after the 26th, when the order to fire was given, for the men struck. `We can’t - they are good fellows, and we can’t.’  Finally the officers turned on the men with, `Fire, or we do - and not at the enemy!’ Not a shot had come from the other side, but at last they fired, and an answering fire came back, but not a man fell.  We spent that day and the next, wasting ammunition in trying to shoot the stars down from the sky."
And from Captain C. I. Stockwell, Royal Welsh Fusiliers
“December 26th. There was a hard frost. At 8.30 I fired three shots in the air and put up a flag with “Merry Christmas” on it and I climbed on the parapet. The German captain put up a sheet with “Thank You” on it, appeared on the parapet. We both bowed and saluted and got down into our respective trenches, and he fired two shots into the air, and the War was on again.”

(Here`s a diagram and a photograph of a WW1 trench)
http://ieper.wikispaces.com/file/view/Cross_section_of_Trench_Anne_McCullum.jpg/170043207/800x384/Cross_section_of_Trench_Anne_McCullum.jpg

http://awriterofhistory.files.wordpress.com/2012/05/screen-shot-2012-05-10-at-6-10-48-pm.png

Away From The Trenches

The following is a young woman's description of Christmas 1914 at the hospital where Charley worked. It's an excerpt from Chapter 18 of  " Doing Our Bit : Memories of War Service By a Canadian Nursing Sister" written by Mabel B. Clint (1934)
Doing Our Bit : Memories of War Service By a Canadian Nursing Sister 
Christmas 1914

Our first December 25th. was spent at Le Touquet. We had sent as many patients as possible across the Channel, and the remainder were not too numerous to entertain. On Christmas Eve we gathered in the central hall, and sang carols from the staircase, where they could be heard by the bed-patients, while all who could be up were gathered in wheel chairs and benches on the floor below. This was a surprise feature, and pleased the men as a reminder of the Eve at home. On Christmas morning there was an early celebration of Holy Communion, to which many came. The patients each received a Canadian Red Cross present from our stores, and were regaled with a good dinner. Instead of the meal on a tray, a long table was set up in each ward and the men enjoyed most of all the community repast. The Colonel visited every ward, all being gaily decorated and wished his charges a merry Christmas. The cards sent from the King and Queen to each man were distributed, and Princess Mary's gift box.
The British Grocers' Federation contributed individual tins of toffee, decorated with the Flag and portrait of the King, inscribed "To our fighting heroes," while another Firm sent gifts bearing the legend: "Good luck to our 'Contemptible little army'". So that even the "All-Highest" had part in the merriment of the occasion. Special cakes had been ordered by the sisters from Paris-Plage, and were elaborately decorated, and much admired as well as otherwise enjoyed by our soldier guests. A gramophone had arrived from England, and during the afternoon English residents at Le Touquet paid a visit with a present of tobacco, always welcome, and gave a concert in the evening. The day was fine and bright, and cheered the spirits of those who were spending their first Christmas at war. Canadian nurses in Boulogne were invited to dinner at our Mess, and the officers and sisters dined together, with toasts to Canada.

Another Nursing Sister, Miss Alfreeda Attrill describes these past few weeks at Charley's hospital.  Her letter was published in the Winnipeg  Evening Tribune ~ January 9th 1915
Miss Attrill writes:  
No 2 Stationary Hospital, 1st Canadian Expeditionary Force Via Boulogne France  Formerly Golf Club
Our hospital is now in running order. It was formerly a Gold Club hotel at Le Touquet. The wards are named after the provinces of Canada.  There are four floors, three wards on each floor, excepting the basement, which has but one ward, New Brunswick, not yet opened, and dental surgery dispensary and stores departments. 
Our patients arrived about mid night the third of December. For a week I was not attached to any particular ward, doing general relieving, day or night and taking stock of linen, etc.  When the second convoy of sick and wounded soldiers arrived I was assigned in charge of forty six beds.  The majority of the cases in this ward just now are medical. I am glad to say that all are doing very well. Each day there is an improvement.  Some were sent home to England last week All are looking forward in anticipation of Christmas in the hospital.  They say it seems like unto heaven after the long weeks of four months in th trenches and so home-like.  The soldiers are such good patients, never a grumble or a groan, even from the most ill and suffering.  Always a smile from “Tommy” when an inquiry is made as to his wants or comforts. One of our patients was fortunate enough to have his father come over from England to visit him.  You never saw such a delighted boy and pleased father who was overjoyed to find his son doing so nicely and to see the first Canadian hospital establishment in France.  Miss Hudson is sister in charge of the Prince Edward Island ward.
Many Frost bitten.
A great number of the surgical cases have frost bitten feet. The medical ones are such as would develop from exposure over fatigue and infection..  Our location is very beautiful.  It is not far from the sea.  When daylight noises have ceased we can hear the roar of the ocean and often at night the boom of the guns. The contour of the country is rolling with clumps of pines sand dunes bare and wet sloughs all intersected with well-built turnpikes or high roads. There are two villages quite near to which the nursing sister sometimes walk or ride horseback.  We have good, well cooked food, our sleeping quarters are comfortable and we enjoy the work.
Alfreeda J Attrill
Nursing sisters CAMC 


From the Toronto Mail and Empire.  Jan 2015
A letter written by Captain Reginald Pentecost, a chief physician who, with other members of the No. 2 Stationary Hospital of the First Canadian Expeditionary Force, is stationed in Le Touquet northern France.


"A Mutual Truce
Many remarkable stories have been told us by the latest train-load of wounded soldiers of how Christmas Day in the trenches was spent.  In some regions there was a mutual truce declared between our men and the Germans, and during this they each got out of their trenches and shook hands and exchanged greeting and presents.  In one place where our engineers were building a pontoon bridge the Germans sent a note saying that they would agree not to fire if the English stop building the bridge for a few hours, although they had several Maxim guns trained on the spot.  At the end of the time they left a note pinned to a board saying, “We are leaving and another regiment is taking our places, so you are no longer safe”  And in a quarter of an hour, sure enough the same place was literally orn to pieces by gun fire.  This seems extraordinary does it not, when you consider how bitterly they fight under ordinary circumstances?  These are but a few of the incidents which tend to relieve a little of the horrible side of modern warfare.
On Christmas Day we had very few cases in the hospital, but those who remained, about 150 in number, had, I think, one of the jolliest Christmases they have ever experienced.  They all took an interest in decorating the hospital, and as we are near a pine forest there was plenty of green to set off the red bunting and flags which were given to us by various people and societies in England. Some of the soldiers had real artistic ability and could  draw very well, so we had many sketches and rough drawings made of cotton and paper, and stuck on the blankets and bunting.  Two of them were mottoes reading, “Success to our Canadian Comrades” and “Best Wishes of the Royal Warwick’s to Col. Shillington and Officers.  Each man had a red stocking tied to the foot of his bed by the nurses, which were filled with small toys, candies, nuts and some useful presents at the bottom.  It was very amusing when each man awoke in the morning and saw his stocking.  One would awaken another in the next bed and say: Jack wake up. Look at the blooming things I got” and then they would pull out a small horn and blow it.  In the afternoon we had a concert at which many of the prominent London entertainers, who came over to entertain the wounded, sang, while many men took part and recited different pieces by Kipling or sang rollicking songs as only the British Tommy can.  One of the men composed and recited a poem on the occasion."
  

 ----------------------------------------------------------------------

Sources:
Thanks to M.K Tod  (www.awriterofhistory.com)
and Gary Bachman's notes in the comment section to this article

http://www.socialjusticesolutions.org/2013/12/25/what-the-christmas-truce-can-teach-us-99-years-later

Thursday, December 18, 2014

Letter #11 December 18th, 1914 From Charley in France to his family in Canada

Letter #11 December 18th, written by Charley (stationed at the #2 Stationary Hosptial in France) to his Mom and Dad and younger sister just before Christmas 1914


December 18 1914
France

Dear Mother
          Being so late in the month it is impossible to reach you by time to wish you a merry Christmas but I can hope you have a Bright and prosperous New Year.  Hess said in his letter yesterday that she had sent me a ring for a present.  Well I hope you did not do anything so foolish as they may never reach here.
          Say mother I would like to send you my picture now.  It is in the army regulation that every body has to grow a moustache and you should see mine.  It is good and thick but the infernal thing is almost red where it was first coming on. It was the funniest feeling thing I ever had and bothered me awful.
          Things in general around here are just about the same.  Every little while there are patients coming in and going out.  The weather is getting damper just now as it is in the middle of the rainy season.
          Has Viceroy got a skating rink and a hockey team I think I will start in to Hockey when I go back.  There is no games or anything in the line of sport here as all the young men are fighting as well as old men. 
          At present the allies are doing nothing but what you will know long before this reaches you.  Had a letter from Aunt Rachie and she tells me things are pretty slow in Portage if they are worse than they were last summer they must be awful.  It is reported here that Canada is sending 25000 more men over the first of the year.  If things keeping coming the way they have been I can’t see the war will last very much longer “ Let us hope not,” A person just reading the papers cant imagine the amount of lives that this war is costing.
          Well Mother do you remember me saying that some day I would see Paris and London I guess I was about right.  I only wish that you and Pa and VV were all to live here for the winter months as it has Victoria all beat to pieces.       
          All the operations that our officers have performed so far have been successful I guess that is doing well for a Hospital this size and especially a military one.
          We have fourteen of those big motor ambulances with us.  They were supplied by the British Red Cross Society “How is that”.
          Be sure and tell me how VV made out in her exams at Christmas.  I guess they will be pretty stiff as a general rule they are almost as hard as the midsummer ones.
          Well Mother it is terribly hard to write a letter of interest, as we never get anywhere now that we are stationed.
Remember me to Pa and VV when you write
Chas

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Meanwhile back in Canada life goes on ...

Monday, December 15, 2014

Letter #10 December 15th 1914, from No. 2 Stationary Hospital in Le Touquet, France

Letter #10 December 15th, 1914 from Charley to his Dad.  One of only two letters in the collection written to his Father.  From No. 2 Stationary Hospital in Le Touquet, France

Dec 15, 1914
France

 
Dear Dad
It is quite awhile since I have heard from you but if anything was wrong I guess mother would let me no.  Things are just about the same here as yet only a few Canadian troops are over and it is hard to say when the rest will be here.  There are 80 patients going out of the Hospital in a day or so, so you so wee are doing some good work anyways.
          For the last few days it has been raining nevertheless it is much better than snow.  Talking to the patients and they sure have some experiences but by letter I can not tell you them as it is forbidden.  They all seem to think that the war will be over some time this coming spring as the Germans are loosing with great loss.  

         In France the other day three women spies were caught giving news to the Germans.  Needless to mention what end they came to.  Nearly all business places are run by women here as all the men available are at the front.  The biggest part of France is under English military law run by military police.
          Yesterday we were issued with a lot of cigarettes and tobacco in each package was a post card with the senders name and address on it.  So it enables one to return the card to it’s sender thanking them for it.
          V-V will be back for her holidays before you get this and I hope she made out well in her exams.  I was very glad to hear she got first place in the monthly exams last month, as it is quite an honor to do that at College.
          Well Dad it makes it very hard to write an interesting letter as there are so many things I cannot tell you.  So I will get to work.  Hoping you and Mother are in good health and spirit.  Remember me to V-V when you write her and don’t forget to write yourself.
Affectionately
Chas
No 2 Stationary Hospital
First Can Exped Force
France






Tuesday, December 9, 2014

Letter #9 December 9th, 1914 from France (Le Touquet No 2 Stationary Hospital)

No. 2 Stationary Hospital in Le Touquet, France 1914

The Canadian unit named each of the hospital’s wards after Canadian provinces and the tents were named after major Canadian cities.

This is Letter # 9, December 9th 1914 From Charles Roy Bailey at the No 2 Stationary Hospital in France, to his Mother; Jennie Lloyd in Viceroy Saskatchewan.


Dec 9, 1914 France
Dear Mother

Received yours and VV’s letter today and I was very glad to get both. You were asking questions in them and some of them I cannot answer. The weather here is just like you have in Canada in September we go around in shirtsleeves and never even feel cold.

I had a letter today from Hess saying that she had cabled me to Salisbury Plains telling me that my letter had gone to the 10th Battalion and I did not even get the cable. You see we did not wait for the Canadians, as we were the first to leave for the front.

The Allies at present are making good progress. There was a Aero plane went over us today it was impossible to tell if it was English or not. However I think it was as it was flying very low. I heard from Ina the other day and by the way she wrote I thought that you must of thought I was dead. Well don’t fear. I am all right and just as safe as if I was home.

Was very glad to hear that Dad was feeling well, business was well. To see some of the businessmen of France it would make you laugh of course some of them are very clever but it seems as if nearly all the smaller businesses are carried on by elderly women, Hotels included. I hear that Bud is still going with Ina. What does Aunt Rachie say to that? I guess she still has no use for him, as he was too much of a sport to suit her. But I tell you Mother he is a better fellow and has a higher principal than some that she thinks OK. Say I have asked you to tell me something about the people in Viceroy. The young people, or are there any.

Well mother I will write often now that we have the hospital on running bases. This is the address that will find me quicker than any. Remembrance to Dad and VV when you write her

Bye Bye
Chas

No 2 Stationary Hospital,
First Can Exped Force
France