Comfort and Conscription. Letter #36 March 1st, 1916

March 1^st, 1916 

21 Cranbury Place

Southampton

Dear Mother

          This is about the eighth letter I have started to write in the last couple of weeks and before I have posted them I have changed my address but I think this will be permanent till the end of the war.

          I am here with the Base Medical Depot there are just seven of us and we are all billeted throughout the city and are allowed to eat at wherever we stay.  So you see it is quite all right.  It is by far the best job I have had since joining the Army.

          Conscription comes into effect on March 2^nd and believe me there are sure a lot of the shirkers doing their best to get means to be exempt but very few manage.   
  

Very sorry to hear of Pa’s misfortune but I guess by the time this gets to you that he will be all okay again.  V-V is sure some Scholar when it comes to French. They must have had a great time when the sleigh upset by the way she described it.  I think that she rather enjoyed.

All Canadians on their way to the front have to leave from here and I have a chance of seeing a quite a lot of the boys I know.  There was a Winnipeg Regiment went out of here the other night and it sure was a good outfit.

          We are the only Canadians that are stationed here and naturally they use us very good.  Well Mother I am going home for dinner now.  So you will hear from me a little more regular now as I am here for awhile.  Remembrance to Dad and V-V.  With love from

Chas

Charlie seems to have at least one guardian angel watching over him during these war years. His first letter from England in October 1914 shares this moment: "The Canadian soldiers are getting a great welcome here. When we were waiting for our trains at Plymouth, there were thousands there cheering us. One old lady came over and talked to me. When I left she threw her arms around me, kissed me and said “ God Bless you my little man.”

He must feel God Blessed right now with his position in Southampton; living in comfortable, clean quarters, regular meals, real food; when he could as easily have been sent back to France or straight to a casualty clearing station. 

There are scant few letters from these first months of 1916 and I wouldn't fault Charley for enjoying himself a little.  After two years of service in France he will have seen a lot of boys at hospital wounded and broken and far, far too many dead.

His address at 21 Cranbury can be found on Google maps although of course the scene is one hundred years on.  His digs were about 8 blocks from the Itchen river.  

I learned that in the mid 1900's the Cranbury Place area was designated a Conservation Area. 

The document explains that "the area contains, within a relatively small area, several groups of distinctive buildings of special architectural or historic interest.  The abundance of trees in Cranbury Place makes a positive contribution to the Conservation Area. The inherent character of Cranbury Place Conservation Area lies in its simple but dignified Georgian style terraces."


Noted in The Hampshire Independent on 20 February 1852, when the property and its’ contents were being auctioned off, a neigbouring residence, No.14 Cranbury Place was described as an excellent and commanding residence with a good garden, front and back kitchen, scullery, larder, butler’s pantry, breakfast parlour, dining and drawing rooms, four good bedrooms and the usual domestic offices. The house was highly furnished with enriched cornices, marble chimney pieces in all the principal rooms and all the necessary fixtures. 

Charley would be quite comfortable for the time being. And coming from his point of view, rightfully indignant of 'the shirkers' in their midst.

Charley has a new posting. February 1916 Letter #35

Feb 1^st, 1916

C.A.M.C. Depot

Sandgate, Kent, England

Dear Mother

I have got some job now.  I am Sanitary Police, can you imagine me as a policeman.  You see all the men in houses through out the town and go around every morning to see if all these houses are in a Sanitary Condition and if they are not I am supposed to arrest them.  Gee I couldn’t arrest a man if he was a murderer.

Things are as usual.  Very nice weather etc. As I was telling you in my last letter that I expect to get a job as dispenser in one of these hospitals shortly.  I went to the Sgt Major and explained that I was an experienced man in that line and he told me that as soon as he heard of a vacancy in that capacity he would send me.

          I suppose V-V is still going to school in Holland.  I went to the paymaster here and told him that I wanted the allowance of 20 a month to go to my sister who was depending on me but when he looked up papers he told me he was afraid he could do nothing.  However I am going to try again just as soon as I get with another Paymaster.

Another of the old boys from No 2 arrived here this morning.  He is in pretty bad shape.  This morning when I was making my rounds, I met a battalion on a route march some of them yelled out “Hello Chuck” but I couldn’t get a look at them but it would likely be some of the Dauphin boys who would call me Chuck, because over here all I get is C.R.

          Well Mother, I have to go to work as it is just about two.  Remember me to Dad and V-V and tell Dad I will write him a letter in a day or so.

          

Lovingly

Chas

The Sanitary Police are responsible for--

1. The preparation and care of latrines and urinals, including the filling in of the same and marking of old sites.
2. The systematic collection, removal, and disposal of refuse by burning or other method.
3. The construction of ablution places and the disposal of waste water.
4. The sanitation of cooking places, horse and mule lines and slaughtering places, in the area occupied by the unit.
The Regimental Sanitary Police are detailed from the strength of the unit, and are vested with the authority of military police for the better performance of their duties. They are under the Regimental Quartermaster for their employment, but the Medical Officer will direct their efforts from the sanitary point of view.

Medical Services in the field - Sanitation and Hygiene)
Sandgate postcard

Been a while ... Letter #34 Early January 1916

Early January 1916

Medical Depot

Sandgate, Kent, England

Dear Mother

          You must forgive me for not writing previously for I have been so terribly busy we got here all okay and have returned to duty.  The trip was fine the only thing that was wrong was the last couple of days we were not allowed to take off our clothes as there were submarines around and when the alarm came half the fellows near went mad, but I took my time and came out alright - some got their legs crushed in the rush.

          Well Mother how are the horses now and did you have that dance you were talking about having .  I am all choked up with the grippe just now.  But I guess I will be alright in a day or so.  I met a bunch of the old boys from France and we were sure glad to see each other.  I wrote to Major Staples in Winnipeg and I might get off all right when he comes over here.

          I guess I could get a commission under him but it is in the Infantry and you know how much I like the Infantry.  However time will tell.  

Is V-V still going to the school in Holland.

I met Ruby and Ernie in Montreal and when I left them at the depot poor Ruby nearly cried, well Mother do you ever hear from the new Mrs Ireland and how they are getting on.

Well Mother I am going to lunch now.  So remembrance to V-V and Dad and write soon

Lovingly

Chas

An update January 1916

Charley volunteered in August 1914 as a Private with the Canadian Expeditionary Forces.

He arrived in France in November of 1914 and was among the first of the Canadians to land in France.  Upon arrival he commenced his work as Medical Dispenser at the #2 Stationary Hospital at Le Touquet.

As of January 1916, Charley has served for 17 months.  He has just turned 23.
I know I do not have every letter he wrote home (he mentions writing at least twice a week).

I have a total of 88 letters spanning the years 1914 to 1919. These were lovingly saved by his sister (and my grandma) Vida Valerie. 
When Charley wrote to his mother, she would then forward the letters on to VV at college. 
It's a wonder that any still exist. 
The 1916 calendar below tells us what day it was 100 years ago, and on what days Charley wrote these letters home. I've marked them on the calendar.

And so the story goes ...
I'm guessing on the date of this first January letter as there's no envelope attached and no date stamp. And so, I'll split the difference and post it this afternoon.