ROBERT MILLINGTON KNOWLES(1893 - 1950)

LETTERS FROM THE WESTERN FRONT

(January 1915 - April 1917)

LETTERS FROM YPRES(16 MARCH – 28 JULY 1915)

Credit: Brigadier Mike Thorne and the Royal Norfolk Regimental Museum for these transcribed letters and footnotes.

Telegram

Walton Suffolkdated 10 SP 14

9 – 37

To: Knowles Taverham Norwich

Get your kit and join third Battalion at Felixstowe at once

Adjutant Third Norfolks

2 Ivy VillasLower StreetWaltonSuffolk

Jan 1915My Dear Mother,

Thanks very much for the partridges and pheasant. The former arrived when I was in hospital so I gave them to the patients. It is an awful pity arrangements about coming over have been upset. However it will be very nice seeing you next week.

I went over a Torpedo Boat Destroyer last week which was very interesting. I also saw the submarine ‘E9’ starting out on the trip in which she bagged the German destroyer.1

These submarines, of which ‘E9’ was one, were suddenly ordered out at moment’s notice on Sat. morning. I nearly wired to you to tell you to expect some news from the North Sea.

Had a very nice letter from Cecil Winder.2 He says that as I am on active service and may be going abroad I had better make a Will! Cheery for me, what?!

Have developed a wonderful cold and am on trenches tonight.

Sir Kenneth Kemp is down here as an officer (Major I think).3

Just off to see Aileen. What a life!

Your loving son

Robert.

1 The claim to have “seen the submarine E9 starting out on the trip in which she bagged the German destroyer” does not seem to be born out by the facts. The submarine, under the command of Commander Max Horton is reported in the London Illustrated News of 18th August 1915 as having torpedoed the German battleship “Pommiers” on 2nd July in the Baltic. The report then goes on to say “Commander Horton also sank the German light cruiser ‘Hela’ off Heligoland on 14th September 1914 and, on 6th October 1914, the destroyer S116”?. No mention of a January 1915 success.

2 Cecil Winder is the family solicitor

3 Sir Kenneth Kemp Bart is shown in the Regimental History as Lieutenant Colonel – Commandant of the 3rd

Battalion (Special Reserve) The Norfolk Regiment between 15th October 1904 and 27th August 1910. He obviously re-enlisted on the outbreak of war as he is also shown as having command of the battalion for a period up to July 1917.? 1 London Illustrated News, 18th August 1915, p204/205. 2 F.Loraine Petre, The History of the Norfolk Regiment, 1685 – 1918,Vol 11, (Jarrold and Sons, Empire Press, n.d.), p118 and 337.

Felistowe March 16 1915 8.30am

Dear Mrs Knowles,

Your son left us just now with all our good wishes & in excellent spirits. I am very sorry to miss him as he has done his work extremely well and I am sure will be a credit to our battalion.

Yours sincerely,

Kenneth Kemp

Picture of GEARED TURBINE ‘NORMANNIA’

ON ACTIVE SERVICE

To Mrs Knowles Taverham Hall (Postmarked 18 March) Norwich

We are having a topping crossing. We got on board at 12 o’c this morning. Hope you got home from Felixstowe safely. The man who bought my Douglas ‘Mo’ bike is on board. Oh Lor! She’s beginning to roll.

Cheer oh RMK

Rouen Tuesday

My Dear Mother,

Just a line to say that Custance & self are off tonight to join the regiment. We leave at 5pm. By the time you get this we shall probably be under fire! Decent, what? We always have to be at the trains half-an-hour before we start, but that’s nothing new to me as you know!! In great haste.

Your loving son,

Robert

March 1915

Monday

Dear Old Girl,

Am so glad Gique is going so strong.

Last night I went to where our other companies are. They are on a hill that is even higher than Fritz’s, and the view from there is simply wonderful. You look down on Fritz and can see all behind the lines.

There is a large German flag up – Awful ‘lip’ isn’t it? Away on the right you can see the Somme and the marshes and about a mile away across there you can see the French lines(1). At the present moment I am occupying the extreme right trench of the British Line – then come the marshes and then the trench…

I have just done some rather successful sniping at a German working party.

We are going to be relieved on the night of the 9 – 10 th, and then rest for 9 days. It is sad parting with the A-D, but if I get through this show there’ll be ‘some’ car!

That is a wonderful rumour of Danny’s about the German General! I should think the rumour that we were going to India in the winter started from the same source!!

I hope Harry has luck in the Dardanelles. (2)

My servant is going on leave in about a week and I will send some photos of this place with him.

Many thanks for the peppermints. Yes, I prefer them to creme-de-menths.

Heard from Hope yesterday. He is awfully fed up with life. He is attached to the 10th Suffolks, where there are 300 men and 210 officers!

The wild – duck here would make Whitwells’ heart rejoice. (3)

Geoff is a lucky beggar getting 3 months leave.

It is very hot, and I am just going to have a bathe.

Thine ever,

Dick,

1. The reference to the Somme is obviously wrong and it may be that Robert was looking at a canal that runs southwards from Ypres. (More research needed).

2. Harry Orlebar – cousin (See family tree in the Appendix). 3. Whitwell is plainly a gamekeeper associated with Taverham Hall and its shooting rights.

1st Bn Norfolk Regt.B.E.F.France.

Saturday March 27th 1915.

My Dear Danny,

Many thanks for your letter and photo. As you see from the address I’m ‘out there’ at last. Our Battalion is at Ypres and I am writing this in a farm house 500 yds. from the firing line. Our company is in reserve today, so we are having a fairly peaceful time. Some bullets keep hitting the house and occasionally an odd shell or two lands in the field just outside. We go up into the ‘fire trenches’ tonight. They are in the middle of a wood which is torn and split all to bits by the shells. Ypres is practically a heap of ruins all the country round here is absolutely destroyed. Some of the shell holes are simply enormous – you could bury four or five horse in them easily! There are also three unexploded shells outside the window. It is extraordinary what a number of German shells are ‘duds’. The shells make a most extraordinary whining noise as they go overhead, and the bullets are just like huge wasps. This farm is also the dressing station and there are some horrible noises coming from the next room.

It is an awfully pretty sight to see the aeroplanes being shelled.

I don’t know when I have laughed so much as I did on our journey out. Three of us came out together and as our French was hardly what it might be we have some very funny experiences!

I hope you are fit, or as the Tommies invariably start their letters – “I hope this finds you as it leaves me at present”. We have to censor their letters and some of them are awfully funny. We censor our own which is rather nice. Well so long. No more news.

Yours ever,

Kid.

1sr Bn. Norfolk Rgt.B.E.F.France.

Monday morning

Dear Old Girl,

This is a further continuation of my experiences.. We left ‘Wipers’ at 6.45pm last night and arrived here (the ‘Support Dugouts’) at 8.0pm. We are in a wood 200yds from the German trenches and about 100yds behind our own ‘fire’ trenches. The dugouts are very funny little places – you crawl in on all fours and there is just room for two and a brazier. The bullets are whistling over our heads the whole time but nobody takes any notice of them. Capt. Lousada (1) was standing outside his dugout soon after we arrived when a bullet grazed the top of his head. If he had been an inch taller it would have ‘outed’ him properly!

At 10pm I started off in charge of a party to take ammunition up to the varous ‘fire’ trenches.

There is always much more activity at night than in the day time. They plonk off hard at each other all night. I arrived back from carting ammunition at 1.30am. It was rather a quaint experience. There are miles of communication trenches running through the wood. It was a perfect moonlight night and the woods looked simply topping. Add to that the ‘ping’ of countless bullets and an occasional ‘boom’ as a bomb goes off, and you might get a very faint notion of what it is like. We all turned out at 4.45am and ‘stood to arms’ for an hour as dawn is the most likely time for an attack. The woods are really a wonderful sight. There is not single tree with a top on, and most of them are broken or down by shell fire. The bullets make a tremendous noise as they hit the trees. There are hundreds of little wooden crosses all over the wood. The trenches that we now occupy were occupied by the French about three months ago. They usually buried their dead in the parapet of the trenches or in the trench itself and as they were never more than 6 inches deep you can imagine the result!!

Last night I was talking to Whitington(2) in his trench while my men were unpacking the ammunition. Says he to me:- ‘I shouldn’t stand there too long if I were you, Dick’. Says I to him:- ‘Why not?’ He:- ‘Because you’re standing on a Frenchman. He fell out of the parapet this morning!’

It is a priceless morning, frosty and not a cloud in the sky. Have been keeping myself warm by digging. There is a German aeroplane flying over us at a tremendous height. I expect we shall be shelled soon! We are up here till Wednesday night, so will continue this at intervals. Just going to have breakfast.

11.30am Am spending a very pleasant morning basking on a sand-bag. Our aeroplanes are very active. Four of them are being shelled just above us. The Belgium shells are howling over us and making a glorious roar as they land on the Germans. An old Tank(3) put in an appearance just now but ran like a stag when our aeroplanes appeared on the scene!

Thursday morning Nothing much has happened since I last wrote. Last night after dinner I was sent out to find out if a certain ridge near our position was under fire. When I finally arrived there, having crawled most of the way on my tummy, I found that it was under fire – very much so in fact! I came back quicker than I went!

We don’t do badly as regards food here. Our dinner last night consisted of Turtle Soup, Tinned lobster, chicken and ham, tinned apricots, biscuits, chocolate, coffee and fruit.(4) This was not a special meal but quite typical of them all!

Wednesday morning Many thanks for you letter which was brought up to me last night and for which I was very grateful. I think mothers’ and your effort in the sweep were priceless! Had only 2 and a half hours sleep last night, as it was my turn again to take the ammunition and stores to the various fire trenches. It was really rather funny as the fatigue party I was in charge of were the last draft from Felixstowe and it was their first time under fire. The Deutchers were extra active last night and our fellows didn’t love it a bit! It certainly must have been rather trying having a combination of night work and ‘fire-baptism’ at the same time. Night fighting has rather a fine effect. The rifles spit fire for all they are worth and the whole place is constantly lit up by the ‘star’ light that both sides send up. It is quite like a big firework show. We are relieved about 10.0’c tonight and then march till about 3am to Ouderdum (not sure if that’s the right spelling) when we rest for 5 days.

Do you know that the Neuve Chapell affair, instead of being a wonderful victory as the papers make out, was really an awful failure?(5) If everything had gone right we ought to have captured Lille, but one division was 3 hours late, with the above result! I believe that there is going to be some heavy fighting about Lille in about 10 days, but could not swear to it. By the way, we always Censor our own letters so that is how we get the names of places and scraps of news through. Please remember me to all the Yeomanry and say that I hope they’ll have a pleasant time in the Dardanelles!(6)

Am very glad you sent a contribution to the dog’s hut in memorium of Billy. Am feeling rather warmer today as I’ve got a good layer of dirt on me not having washed for over four days!

Wednesday evening We are just going to be relieved, so will close. Five day’s rest will be very acceptable!!

Goodbye, old girl, Good luck

Thine ever,

Dick

1. Captain William Powlett Lousada – Served in the Boer War and re-enlisted from the Reserve of Officers in October 1914. Awarded Military Cross during 1915.

2. Lieutenant George Wentworth Withington – Enlisted 1st October 1914; wounded Hill 60 (Ypres) 20th

April1915. 3. “Old Tank” seems likely to be an early design German aircraft for which the Norfolks had a nickname. 4. Obviously part of a Fortnum and Mason box of provisions for the Officers Mess – See Appendix for

background on Fortnum and Mason Boxes and Parcels. 5. See Introduction. 6. The Norfolk Yeomanry did not set sail for Gallipoli until 25th September, arriving off Suvla Bay on 10 th

October.

Friday April 2nd 1915

My dear Mother,

Many thanks for your letter and the photo.

The letter is very interesting but I am afraid I haven’t the vaguest notion who the good people in it are! Also very many thanks for the books which are very acceptable. Nothing has come from Fortnum & Mason.

All the transport, or at any rate all the light transport, is drawn by mules out here. You ought to have some fun when the mules turn up at Taverham.

Our Adjutant(1) was killed by a stray bullet as he was leaving the trenches on Wednesday night. He was an awfully nice fellow. Robert Patteson(2) is Adjutant now.

The weather is simply priceless – just like summer. I believe we go back to trenches on Monday evening. We ought to have some sport if we go back to the same trenches as they are going to blow up a hill(3) that is at present held by the Germans. Four of us have borrowed some bikes and are off to Popperhinge for the afternoon.

Your loving son,

Robert.

1.Captain William Cecil Kennedy Megaw – Killed Hill 60, 31st March 1915 – buried in the Ramparts Cemetery, Ypres; memorial placque in St Georges Church, Ypres. 2. Lieutenant/Temporary Captain Robert Wace Patteson – Joined 1st Norfolks in Belfast in February 1914; Military Cross in 1915; Adjutant during Somme battles 1916; died aged 31 in 1926 when commanding 5 th Norfolks (Territorials).3. Hill 60.

Saturday April 3rd 1915

My dear Mother,

The parcel from Fortnum & Mason has turned up, for which many thanks.

The Bishop of London(1) came here this morning and gave us a very good address. I hope you will have a nice Easter.

The three books you sent are a great blessing. Everyone wanted to borrow them at once!

No news at all.

Robert

1. The Bishop of London in April 1915 was a Dr Winnington-Ingram. He visited the front for two weeks over the Easter period.

Easter Sunday(4 April 1915)

Dear Old Girl,

Many thanks for your topping letter. There is not much news out here.

The ammunition question is VERY serious.(1) Bryan’s(2) brother came over to see him yesterday. He is in the R.H.A. and said that his battery and several others were only allowed to fire two rounds per gun per day! He had seen one of our latest 15 inch guns fired. He said it was a most wonderful beast, but they can’t use it at present as they have only got 3 rounds left!

We went to a concert in a barn last night. It was one of the best I have ever been to. The Tommies dressed up and did various little sketches that they had made up themselves and were really top – hole.

We go back into trenches tomorrow night for twelve days. We don’t actually stay in the trenches for 12 days on end. 4 days is the longest stretch at one time, but half the Battalion is in while the other half rest at Wipers. Well, good luck.

Thine ever,

Dick.

1. The vastly increased use of artillery on the battlefield was illustrated at Neuve Chapelle in early March when more shells were fired in thirty-five minutes than had been used during the whole of the Boer War. It would take at least another year before the problems of both quality and quantity of artillery ammunition began to be put right by Lloyd George as Minister for Munitions.

2. Lieutenant William B Bryans – Wounded on 18th April 1915 at Hill 60; was to serve with the RFC from 21st

April 1916. (RFC service requires a double check).

Monday April 5th 1915

My dear Mother,

I am sending you a bit of shell which exploded about 20yds from our dug-out last time we were in trenches. Thought it might interest you. It is the head of the shell, which was apparently a ‘3 inch’ one. So you can imagine what the ’16 inch’ ones are like!

I was awfully amused to hear about the Yeomanry having a bust – up among themselves.

We go back into Reserve at Ypres tonight and so into the trenches tomorrow (Tuesday) evening. It is pouring with rain and the ground is a sea of mud.

Another parcel has come from Fortnum & Mason, for which very many thanks.

No more news

I hope all goes well at home.

Your loving son,

Robert.

Friday April 9th 1915

My dear Mother,

Thanks very much for your letter. I have received the two parcels of books. It was very nice reading about the old places in the ‘Secret Service Submarine’.(1)

We are still resting and are billeted in a pub (which is very convenient!) in a little village 6 miles behind the firing line. (I’m afraid I can’t tell you what village it is as I can’t pronounce the name, much less spell it!!)(2) Edwards’ message was very nice. The things from F & M are very nice and most acceptable.

I hope you will get your dog alright. If you can’t get the one you want I hope you will soon get another.

We go into trenches tomorrow for 8 days so you probably won’t get another for some time.

There is absolutely no news here. Please excuse the writing but I’m lying on my back trying to get comfortable!

Your loving son,

Robert.

1. Secret Service Submarine (More research needed). 2. The 1st Norfolks War diary indicates that the village was Zevecoten.

April 12th 1915

My Dear Mother,

I was awfully glad to get your letter which turned up yesterday afternoon, and am glad you liked the shell. I think it is a very good idea to have it made into a paper weight.

I expect it seems very quiet without the Yeomanry now. Yes, we do see some horrid sights out here, but you soon get used to them! We came up here on Saturday night. We are in the fire trenches at present but go back into the support dug-outs tonight when the support come up to the fire trenches. There is only about 500yds between the two, but it makes all the difference, as the support dug-outs are in the wood and the trenches just in front.

Please tell Cissie I am writing her a long disjointed letter like I did last time I was up here. Captains Snepp(1) and Stone(2) who you referred to in your letter are with us. I have told Cissie a little exploit of the latter in her letter. Many thanks for the pants and boots. I really only wanted one pair as we’ve got no room for luggage out here(!) but the extra two pairs will be useful.

Young Hope isn’t out yet, I heard from him the other day. He was very envious of my being out here but he hasn’t got much to envy, by Jove!

Everything is very quiet today. Spent the morning in burying four men who had fallen or been blown out of the parapet.

I will try and get this letter off by an Orderly if one is going into ‘Wipers’.

I hope everything goes well at home.

Your loving son

Robert.

1. Captain Ernest Neville Snepp – Served with the Norfolk Regiment in the Boer War 1901/2; North Nigeria 1906; Mentioned in Despatches May 1917 and May 1918; commanded 8th Norfolks in late 1917, and was badly wounded at that time.

2. Captain Percy Vere Powys Stone – Served with the Norfolk Regiment in the Boer War 1902:North Nigeria 1906; commanded 1st Norfolks 1916 through the Somme battles; 17 Brigade 1917-1918; DSO, Mentioned in Despatches seven times, CMG; Retired March 1920: Died October 1959.

1st Bn Norfolk Regt.B E F France

Wednesday April 14th 1915

My dear Danny

I hope life goes well with you. Please excuse if you can’t read this, but I’m writing at 3.15am in a tiny dug out, and am in a most extra ordinarily uncomfortable position. However it’s the best I can get so here goes – We are two miles in front of Ypres (commonly known as ‘Wipers’) and about 40 yds from the Germans. Two of us are in this dug-out and we take duty every 3 hours. We came into trenches last Saturday and stay here till next Sunday night. Then we go back to Ouderdom, a little place about 5 miles behind the firing line and rest there for a week. Then 8 days more of it, etc. It is rather quaint being under fire for the first time, but one soon gets used to it. The bullets make a row like a huge wasp, and the shells make a most weird noise, a kind of shriek and moan mixed up. It is very pleasant when you hear them going over from your own guns, but is is rotten when they’re coming towards you! There is a hill in front of us which we have mined and are going to blow up in two days, so we ought to have some excitement! There is the very devil going on outdoors, but that happens every night. Things are more or less peacefull in the day, but at night they raise Cain!

Got a bullet through my ‘British Warm’(1) last night, but it didn’t cut my tunic underneath. We had awful sport on Sunday night – our trenches are on the edge of a wood and the Deutcher trenches are on the edge of another wood facing us. Well their wood got on fire, so we promptly turned our machine guns on to them and also gave them ‘rapid’ for half an hour. They must have had a warm time (in both senses of the word!) Yesterday afternoon they shelled a trench about 100yds on our right front. It was the most wonderful, though unpleasant experience.

They started with 5inch shells and then got onto ‘Jack Johnsons’.(2) The whole trench seemed to go up in the air in a great black cloud and a sheet of flame whichever one of the latter burst. There was such a row going on that you ‘couldn’t here your think!’ Was sent out the other night to find out if a certain ridge was under fire. When I got there, having crawled most of the way on my tummy, I found I was so, very much fact, and I came home quicker than I went!You see some simply horrid sights out here, but soon just get use to them.

These trenches were occupied by the French about 3 months ago. They have a habit of burying their dead in the parapet and every day 5 or 6 either fall or are blown out of the parapet, so you can imagine the result!(3) Must stop a minute as am just off to see everything’s ship shape in our sector.

March 28th (4)Have just discovered this in my waistcoat pocket, where I must have put it and then forgotten all about it. On reading through it I see I said that we were going to be relieved on the following Sunday. As a matter of fact, we weren’t relieved for 26 days as all our troops were being used and there was no one left to relieve us. R.M.K.

1. Popular officer’s overcoat featuring in Fortnum and Mason catalogue.2. “Jack Johnson” – Nickname for German 150mm heavy artillery shell that was black in colour. Linked to

Jack Johnson, black Heavy Weight Champion of the World 1908 – 1915.3. The French practice of burying their dead in this haphazard and unpleasant way is fully confirmed in

German letters from the Ypres front of this time.1

4. Using the battalion War Diary and knowing that Robert was away from the battalion in 7 Field Ambulance between 2nd and 24th may this date is almost certainly 28th May and not 28th March.

1 Jack Sheldon, The German Army on the Western Front 1915, ( Pen and Sword, 2012), pp 110/111.

Thursday April 1915

My dear Mother

I expect the contents of this letter will come as a surprise to you. I’m ‘going sick’ today. Don’t worry – I’ve never felt better in my life – but I’ve had slight lung trouble for the last week or two and our Doctor says I’d better ‘go sick’. I am going down country tonight and the doctor says its quite on the cards I shall get home. Not too bad, What?!

Of course I don’t know my address yet, but will let you know as soon as possible, so don’t be surprised to get a wire from me.

Cheeroh!

Your loving son

Robert

7th Field Ambulance B.E.F.

Saturday 15th April 1915

My Dear Mother,

Many thanks for your letter. Unfortunately there are no nurses here, or Cissie’s prediction might have been correct!

No, there was none of the heroic stunt about the shell incident that you suggest! In fact I didn’t go sick for four days after it happened, and I remember everything about it – I saw a thunderous flash and thousands and thousands of stars, felt myself flying gracefully through the air, where I came into contact with several sand-bags that were doing likewise. When I came down I looked round for the bits, but couldn’t see any, so proceeded to carefully feel myself all over to make sure I was all there, meanwhile murmuring exactly what I thought about German shells! Having ascertained that I was still all there I got up and carried on as usual. However after four days, during which I had a continual headache, and was also violently sick when I least expected it, I thought it was time I had a rest, so here I am. C’est tout! (some French, what?).

I hope they are going to have conscription in England.(1) It looks very like it by todays’ paper.

Please stop these wild rumours that are apparently flying around Taverham (apparently started by Linnie! That I’ve been wounded. I haven’t!)

I hear they gassed the Norfolks the other day, but no damage done.

Have you taken steps about having old Blake interned? There is not much time to lose! The papers afford us much amusement when they talk about ‘Our Heroes in France’ etc. I’ve yet to meet the Heroes they talk about! If they could see us running like stags and taking cover when we hear a shell coming they’d alter their tone a bit! The only time we don’t run is when there are so many shells flying about that if you run from one you run into another. Then you disguise yourself as a rabbit or a sandbag and make yourself as scarce as possible, trusting to luck one doesn’t land on you! And if you do see a Deutcher and fling a bomb at him its pure malice – nothing heroic. Just going to have dinner and Bubbly.

So long

Your loving son

RobertThurs. I’ve just found this letter which I never posted!

1. Conscription was not to come in until January 1916.

Saturday April 18th 1915 (1)

My Dear Mother,

We’ll, we’ve Done it! It has been a great show and I dare say you’ve seen a small paragraph about it in the papers. I will try and give you a detailed description of it as soon as I can. You will probably think the following is exaggerated, but I am trying to put down exactly what happened, and can guarantee that it is not.

At 6.30pm on Sat. we moved up from our dugout and manned the support trenches (80yds behind the firing line). Everyone was asking one another ‘will the mines go off?’ At 7 o’c exactly, a huge column of white smoke rose up into the air from the hill and everyone evacuated. ‘Thank God’ - Five seconds later a still larger column of flame and black smoke shot up – another 5 secs and a third, this time greenish-black, did likewise. The third column was still ascending when with one mighty roar our guns (about 80 of them) crashed out behind us. The Germans were awfully smart – they had their guns firing in less than a quarter-of-a minute, although they were taken completely by surprise – and then hell was let loose! (Sorry, but its the only expression that fits at all). The whole earth seemed to rock and sway. Trees were flying like twigs. We crouched in the bottom of our trench and listened and the roar of our guns was the best music I have ever heard. I’m not trying to be poetical but it really was music, which thrilled us more than anything possible. I sat in a puddle at the bottom of our trench and wriggled with joy. Our guns kept up “rapid” on the German trenches till 8 o’c. Then their work was done and the hill had been taken, with the loss of one man killed and two wounded! I cannot imagine how anyone could possibly have lived through such a hail of bullets as we sent.

Things were more or less quiet ‘till 9.30pm when the Germans started again. A night battle almost defies description. The whole night seems torn with blinding flashes as the shells burst, and the ground trembles and shakes continually. The Germans put a tremendous lot of their big shells into a ruined village just behind our lines. I suppose they though that we had our supports there, but there was not a soul in the village. It was good to see them waste their ammunition on it! Well, this continued on and off all night while we squatted in our trench in 6 inches of water. Dawn revealed a wonderful sight – for the great mound of earth that had been the hill was a single ring of men kneeling and firing, while behind them, working like ants, were more of our men throwing up papapets as hard as they could. We left our trench at 6.30am and returned to dug-outs. The K.O.S.B.’s and the West Kents led the attack, but though they had such few losses on the actual taking of the hill, they suffered terribly from the German artillery during the night. We have only got the lower slopes of what remains of the hill, and the rest is going to be attacked tonight. The Norfolks suffered a certain amount during the night, but that was only to be expected. A piece of shell hit me in the chest, but it was quite spent and no damage was done.

Many thanks for the plover’s eggs. They were simply Topping. I must stop now as I’m absolutely dead-beat.

Your loving sonRobert.

1. Robert’s stay in 7 Field Ambulance was plainly a short 48 hours at most.

Sunday night April 18th 1915

Dear Old Girl,

You will no doubt see my letter to Mother describing the attack on ‘Hill 60’. You told me to send along descriptions and sensations, so the following is a description of this evenings’ work and subsequent events. We left our dug-outs at 5.15pm and came into the firing line. Just before we left Billy Bryans ‘stopped a shrapnel’ with his head. He is not very bad and was able to walk down to the dressing station. As he is ‘Hors de Combat’ I’ve got a double section of trench to look after, and shall not be able to sleep all the time we are up here (probably 24hrs) as there is no one to relieve me. I had better explain the situation first – The hill is about a quarter of a mile in front of our trenches, and the parapets we threw up last night after we had blown it up are about half-way up the slopes. At 6 p.m. we opened ‘rapid’ with the rifles and then the guns started. They covered the top of the hill with shells of every sort and size. One man leaped out from behind their parapet and rushed up. Just as they reached the crest a perfect hail of shrapnel burst over them – They wavered, and then turned down again! And then happened one of the finest things of the war – An officer leapt up on the German parapet and waved his men on. He stood there rallying his men in spite of awful fire. First a few men turned, then more, till they were all swarming up again. And then a shrapnel burst just over him and he went down. But he had saved the situation and our men were now swarming over the parapet. You could see the bayonets flashing as they straffed on the parapet and then the Germans broke. As they turned, our machine guns opened on them and absolutely annihilated them. It was now dark, and the whole hill was lit up by the bursting shells. Gradually things quietened down and are more or less normal now. Am writing this at 12.30am, and must march off for a bit as I’ve got to go and superintend the building up of our parapet where it has been blown in.

If only we can hold the hill in the morning when the Deutchers counter-attack we shall have them on toast. The hill enfilades their whole line, and they will have to retire when we get our machine guns mounted there. The last three days have been the very devil. The night before last we were up all night expecting the Germans to attack, last night we were doing our own, and the same tonight. Am absolutely worn-out, but have got to hang on somehow for another 24 hrs, probably 48, and possibly more. The whole air is soaked with the fumes of the shells, ‘Melanite’(1) I think it is, which makes your eyes smart and run and practically blinds you. Several of the men have told me that last night from 7pm (when we blew the hill up) till 8. o’c it was worse than Mons,(2) as although there were fewer guns they were firing faster and on an infinitely smaller front. The German trenches in front of us were absolutely levelled during last night. Captain Lousada said that he has never seen anything like the show was. Apparently they think that we are going to have a rough time in the morning as they are sending me up hundreds and hundreds of sand-bags! Was sitting besides a brazier this evening drinking some soup, when a sergeant came up and asked me to look at a wounded man. I had just moved when the whole brazier blew up! Apparently it had been placed on a clip of cartridges and they had exploded when they got red-hot.

My fellows worked like blazes when were doing the covering fire to the attack. They were simply great. Heaven only knows when I shall be able to get these letters off, as we are absolutely cut off from Wipers owing to the constant stream of bullets and shells which overshoot their mark and land on the Wipers road. I expect you will see a small paragraphy in the papers something like this:- ‘We have blown up and taken a hill near Ypres,’ Well, this account is what a little paragraph like that means! Will continue this tomorrow and tell you if we still hold the hill. Am fed-up with the shells!!!

Monday afternoon Nothing’s happened! Everyone was expecting a counter-attack at dawn, but the Deutchers remained absolutely quiet. No one can make it out. All they did was to put a few shells on to the top of the hill, where our people had strongly entrenched themselves. I think that we must have wiped their support out, and so what is left of them are unable to do anything. There is no doubt that it has been a jolly good move on our part, and everyone is awfully bucked about it. The Deutchers blew another hole in our parapet this morning but that is all. The hill is strewn with dead: German and English. I believe our casualties in the assault were 500-700, but nothing definite is known yet.

It is awfully good of you to write to me like you do, I know it must be an awful sweat for you.

Cheero!

Thine son

Dick.

Tuesday afternoon Still in the fire trenches. We are relieved tonight by the other two companies and go back into the wood. Heaven only knows when we are going to be relieved altogether and go back to rest. We see no prospect of it at present. The K.O.Y.L.I’s and West Kents bore the brunt of the attack on the hill on Sunday night. I believe the former lost 14 and the latter 17 officers. We got a telegram of congratulation from the General last night. The Bedfords are holding the hill at present. The Deutchers gave us a very warm half-hour last night about 6 o’c. They blew three large holes in my pet parapet, and we had to work like niggers all night to get them repaired. At present they are bombing us. (A most unpleasant pastime!). They have just dropped two 16inch shells into poor old Wipers. When we took the hill on Sunday night they captured a German Officer and 10 men (all that was left after the explosion). The officer put his hands up and as one of our fellows went up to him to take his revolver from him, he (the German officer) emptied it into him. They are the limit! They haven’t any more sense of honour than one of my lice!!

Was very interested about the ‘Wayfarer’.

Hope everything goes well at home.

Thine ever

Dick.

1. Melanite – Robert has got the wrong idea, as Melanite would have no scent, and would not have been used in the manufacture of munitions.

2. The 1st Norfolks were heavily engaged in the retreat from Mons in August 1914. 3. Sailing dinghy.

Sunday April 24th 1915

My dear Mother,

We’re still here and no sign of relief? We’ve been having a pretty hot time lately. The Germans shelled us for an hour the other evening. It was pretty awful while it lasted. To add to my troubles one of my men went mad in the middle! There is a big fight going on up North.(1) I see the papers are bucking about this hill touch of ours.

Have many interesting things I could tell you, but am writing this in a great hurry as there is someone going back with letters. Wipers has been having a terrible time lately. The Germans have been pointing their 17 inch shells and it has been bruising for 3 days. All the men who have been out from the beginning say that the last week has been worse than Mons. I had written you a letter but have lost it, so have only time for this hasty scrawl. Two parcels turned up from F and M today so we had a great feast for lunch.

Must stop now.

Your loving son

Robert

P.S. Many thanks for the books which were most acceptable. Please thank Cissie very much for the sweets and say I will write tomorrow.

1. This was the German attack on the Allied salient to the north east of Ypres. It was the first major use of gas in the war. The attack started on the 22nd April and continued until early May. It led to an Allied withdrawal towards Ypres varying in depth from five hundred metres to three kilometres. While their advance brought the Germans into comfortable artillery range of Ypres, to that places great disadvantage, it did not lead to any serious break through. This was because they did not have sufficient available reserves to allow them to make best use of such a terrible weapon. It was also something of a propaganda disaster for the Germans – enhancing their negative image in the eyes of the rest of the world.1 This battle led to 75,000 Allied casualties, with 35,000 for the Germans, and was called the Second Battle of Ypres by the British.

Received April 30th

Monday

Dear Old Girl,

1 Ibid, pp 80 – 113.

Thanks most awfully for the sweets. They were simply topping and I made myself feel very sick by eating too many at once! I see the papers have been telling you about Hill 60. It has been pretty lively around here later. We repelled the Deutchers counter-attacks and they must have lost an awful lot. They levelled 40 yards of my parapet the other evening, & we had an awful job getting it up again at night as they had a “Wiz-Banger”(1) & two machine guns trained on the breach, and as soon as we got a few sand bags in place they put a shell into it & the working party. However we got it up by dawn. The other night the Germans recaptured the French trenches north of Wipers by using this beastly asphyxiating gas in their shells. They made a big advance and got within a mile of Wipers when they came up against the Canadians who held them till reinforcements came up. All our troops have been rushed up there, and that is why we haven’t been relieved. There is a big battle going on up there at present, but I think we are pushing them back gradually.

We have all been served out with cloths, which we are to soak in water and put across our mouths and noses when they use this beastly gas. There are several things I will tell you when things get settled down a bit, but I can’t now in case this should get into German hands. On Saturday afternoon we got a messages from headquarters that the Deutchers were probably going to attack all along our line that night, that we had no supports, that that we had to hold the line at all costs. Nice cheery message, what?! I spent all that afternoon putting detonators into hand grenades, and distributing extra ammunition, etc. And after all that the blighters never came!

It is wonderful how one gets used to the “sights” out here. I certainly felt a bit ill the other night when I was bandaging a man who had been hit in the head by a piece of shell and my hand slipped inside!

Am writing this in the dug outs in the wood, but we go back to trenches tonight. It was awful bad luck you going sick in town.

Had a wonderful dream yesterday afternoon – I dreamt I was playing golf round the old links at Hellesdon, then a shell woke me up!

Please thank Linnie for her letters and tell her I will write her as soon as I can, but we have only spare seconds for doing so at present.

I think it is awfully funny about D’Arcy marrying Julia Flynn.(2)

Please thank mother for her offer of a lantern, but say that it would be no use. We have had seven officers wounded since we came up here, but none of them were really serious. There is one battery of ours that has been busy up here and doesn’t know the ranges yet, with the result that it keeps dropping shells into our trenches, which is most unpleasant. Poor old Captain Johnson was thrown out of his dug out by one of our shells. He has gone sick!! Robert Patteson is in great form. He is adjutant. It was rather bad luck on the yeomanry being torpedoed. Haven’t had my clothes off for 14 days. Expect I shall have to cut them off when I do!Well, cheers!

Thine ever,

Dick.

By the way, a “wiz-bang” is a gun with a tremendous muzzle velocity. It is so named because you simply hear “Wiz” and then “bang”, almost as one sound, It’s not the long moan that the ordinary shell makes before it explodes.

1. Wiz – Banger (Research needed). 2. D’arcy Strangeways’s marriage to Robert’s elder sister Honor came to an end in 1914 with divorce, and

she remarried in 1915. There is no evidence that D’arcy married anyone else and so Julia Flynn remains a

mystery.

3. The Norfolk Yeomanry had not yet set sail for the Dardanelles, and this could be Robert picking up a

rumour.

Postmark date May 1 15

Rouen (1)Tuesday

My dear Mother,

Just a line to say that Custance and Self are off tonight to join the Regiment. We leave at 5pm. By the time you get this we shall probably be under fire! Decent, What!

We always have to be at the trains half-an-hour before they start, but thats nothing new to me as you know!! In great haste.

Your loving son

Robert.

1. Given the Rouen heading it is possible that Robert had some local leave.

1st Bn. Norfolk Regt.B.E.F.

Thursday

Dear Old Girl,

I hope you’re very fit and flourishing. Am back again 40 yds from the Deutchers. We are in the same old trenches – they seem quite like home now! Am no longer by myself now, as another lad has turned up from Felixstowe and shares the dug-out with me which is much nice. On the way up from Mont Noir to the Regiment I stopped a night and a day with our transport.

As there was nothing else to do I borrowed a horse and went for a long ride with our Transport Officer. I got on fairly well but I am still awfully stiff and sore!. At one time we were going all – out across a field when to my horrow I saw a great chasm about 40 yrds wide in front. I shoved down both feet hard but of course it had no effect and we went dashing on! Then I tried to swing her round to full lock but her steering was awfully stiff and nothing happened. The next thing I knew was that the beast bounded into the air, at least thirty feet I should think, and then I nearly had my jaw broken as I hit my chin on the beasts’ head. It is a terrible feeling being on a moving thing when you know that it hasn’t got any brakes!

About 2 am this morning I was just dozing in the dug out when a very excited sentry put his head in and exclaimed:- ‘There’s hundreds of Germans moving about outside. Sir!’ We were out of that dug out like greased lightening but discovered that the ‘hundreds of Germans’ was simply a patrol of about dozen who were crawling about in ‘No Mans Land’. I don’t think any of them go home.

If you want to take the A – D out don’t worry about her not being insured!

We ought to be relieved tomorrow evening, but I don’t expect for a moment we shall be.

Our guns have just started peppering the Deutcher trenches, which means we shall get it ten times as bad in a few minutes_______!!!

Cheero! Have over-eaten and am going to sleep.

Thine ever,

Dick

Thursday1 May 1915

My dear Mother,

How’s life? I hope it flourishes. We are back again in the wood for 48 hours. I don’t expect we shall be relieved for at least another week. However things are pretty quiet round here at present, but as you know there is very heavy fighting going on up north. The Germans are digging themselves in and putting out wire, so it looks as if they had had enough for the present. Am glad Capt. Marshall’s wound in not serious. Am very glad the old A-D is back again. What wouldn’t I give to be driving it again!

Yours & Cissie’s letters of 26th have just this minute turned up. It has been awfully hot out here for the last 4 or 5 days. I have come into the dug out to try and get cool!

Absolutely no news.

Your loving son,

Robert

Sunday May 2nd 1915My dear Mother,

Thanks so much for the respirator. It was awfully thoughtful of you to send it. The Germans tried their gas stunt on us last night about 6.0’clock. Unfortunately for them the wind changed

and blew it back on them! Unfortunately, it also blew it on to the ‘Dorsets’, who are on ‘Go’ They lost 200 men and 6 officers due to it. 60 of them had died by 8.0’clock this morning, but I have not heard if any more have since. I believe the heavy loss was due to their not having had their respirators served out to them. There were two kind of fumes. They started by suddenly exploding a series of small mines simultaneously in front of their trenches (I think that these ‘mines’ may have been bombs which they threw).(1) These gave off thick yellow fumes. At the same time we saw thick white fumes pouring out of gas pipes that had been pushed through their parapet. I pity any German prisoners who may be taken in future! I believe our men would pull them from together and what’s more I don’t blame them!

A priceless thing happened when we were having tea yesterday. There was suddenly a colossal explosion apparently in the trench on our left. We rushed out expecting to find that it had been mined. However it turned out that our howitzer shells had landed in the Deuchers trench and had apparently exploded a lot of ammunition and bombs! It blew about 30yrds of their parapet down and heaven only know how many it must have killed.

There is a big battle just started again up North. Have just received yours and Cissie’s letters for which many thanks.

We could have been relieved last week but we refused! We thought that if we had been we should have only gone back for two or three days, and then got shoved on that precious hill, which is still an extraordinarily unhealthy spot. If we have been relieved we should have been where the Dorsets were last night, so I think we were wise.

Was very amused at Gus meeting old Tinkle (Bell, the tutor at the Hall). He is an insignificant little brat, but means well. Am very glad the soldiers have been stopped playing the fool in our woods. I think it’s the limit!

I met old Roger Caldbeck at Felixstowe about four days before I left. He is a major in the Bedfords.

The relieving companies from the dug-outs in the wood have just arrived, so must close.

Your loving son

1. These are probably not mines but the smaller of the German Poison Gas cylinders.

Thursday May 1915

c/o 7th Field Ambulance Officers Rest Station Mont Noir B E F

My Dear Mother,

Don’t be alarmed at the above address. I’ve been sent down here for two causes. One is slight concussion, caused by being sent flying by a shell, and the other is slight throat trouble. I came in here on Thursday night. Didn’t write yesterday as I was so awfully comfy in bed that I couldn’t be bothered!! It is simply glorious being in a real bed again. The ‘rest station’ is a topping chateaux on the top of a very high hill, and in the middle of palatial gardens. Am sure I shall be in no hurry to leave it!

I believe the Battalion were relieved on Tuesday night. There are two other fellows in this ward with me who are both ‘gas’ cases’ (they are both Dorsets). No news, I hope all flourishes at Taverham.

Your loving son

Robert.

c/o 7th Field Ambulance Officers Rest Station

Mont Noir B E F France

SaturdayMay 8th 1915

My dear Mother,

I hope all goes well with you. Am having a most glorious rest here! How I can ever have objected to being sent to bed I can’t imagine!

The Germans, by using their gases, captured Hill 60 and a line of trenches on this side of it on Wed morning. The trenches were the ones immediately on the left of those we were holding. I don’t know if the Regiment had been relieved then or not. This morning we heard that we had been using gas ten times as powerful as the Germans, that we had captured the hill and formed trenches behind it. I hope its true. We also heard that the Dorsets now consist of 170 men and 7 officers(!) and that the Norfolks have also been in it and been chewed up.(1) I hope it is not true; if it is I wish I had been with them when they got it.

Have not received any letters since I came here as they haven’t been forewarded, so I ought to get a good bunch when they do turn up.

I suppose England is simply perfect now. Belgium is looking beautiful, all the bright green and bright yellow from a sort of mustard seed that is grown in huge quantities.

We are about 16 kilometres from the firing line, but the house was shaken all last night by a terrific cannonade that was going on. We don’t know what it was.

I subsist here on milk, eggs and aspirins (chiefly the latter)!

Please give my love to Cissie and tell her I would write, but there is no news.

Your loving son

Robert

1. The 1st Norfolk,s War Diary for 5th May records “At 8.30 am our trenches were gassed for the 1st time and the gas came down from Hill 60, opposite 37 (trench), and opposite 35, the men in the latter suffering considerably owing to the very close distance at which the gas was emitted from the cylinders. Our casualties were 75. The Germans did not attack”. The entry for 6 th May records - “ Relieved by Middlesex and returned to G camp, OUDERDOM. The regiment had been in the trenches for a continuous period of 26 days”1.

May 13 1915

No 7 Field AmbulanceMont Noir

1 1st Battalion The Norfolk Regiment , War Diary, 5th May 1916.

B E F France

Wednesday

My Dear Mother,

I hope everything is well at home. I haven’t heard for ages. Have you got your dog yet? What are you going to call him? Am having a glorious time here – we sleep and eat all day. I forgot to tell you in my last letter that the Germans shelled the dressing station solidly for two hours while I was there waiting for the ambulance, and when the ambulances did come they shelled them for 5 miles. The driver of the ambulances behind the one I was in got hit in the head, with the result that it finished up in the ditch.

If you get a certain amount of this gas of theirs it makes you Drunk! Unfortunately for the Germans the Canadians had had just the right amount and got properly ‘fighting –drunk’ They surrounded two regiments in a wood – they took two prisoners!!

I think everyone out here has gone mad – Everyone is getting to the stage where no quarter will be asked or given.

The other day some French native troops captured a German with the gas apparatus on his back. They unstrapped the tube, put it down his throat and turned the tap on!

I see the ‘Daily Mail’ has got hysterical and started drivelling again. You ought to hear some of the things said out here about the press! The amount of rot they talk is wonderful.

My Bank Manager wrote and told me the other day that I had a certain amount in the bank. I suppose he thought he was being funny! Thanks for the pictures from Daily Mirror. They are quite good. No more news.

Your loving son

Robert.

No 7 Field Ambulance B.E.F.

May 18th 1915

My Dear Mother,

I was awfully sorry to hear about Nick Palmes being killed. No, I’m afraid there’s no chance of leave at present. There is no news at all here. It will be a bit of all right if Italy comes in, what? All the ambulances here are Austins.

The Deutchers have taken it in the neck properly during the last week.

They’ve been some casualty list lately, what? But of course that’s bound to happen as long as we keep attacking.

Glad Danny is in a good Regiment.(1)

The picture of the attack on 60 that you sent me was very good, and quite like the real thing.

Will you please send me Danny’s address.

I wonder when the Zeppelins will smash up London. I believe they will!(2) But I wouldn’t like to bet on the chance of their getting back.

Am glad this gas stunt has put up security. Why won’t they let us use it?

There was a cat in one of the trenches that got shot through the shoulder. The Middlesex bound it up and it is now quite well and still there.

Your loving son

Robert.

1. Danny’s regiment was 17th Indian Cavalry (Guides).

2. The first Zeppelin raid on London took place on the 31st May 1915. Seven people were killed during a twenty minutes bombing run by Zeppelin LZ38 from Stoke Newington to Stepney. 1

No 7 Field Ambulance B.E.F.

Friday May 1915

My Dear Mother,

I hope all flourishes with you. There is absolutely no news here. Went into Bailleul this afternoon and had a glorious bath. I sent my servant(1) into Ouderdom yesterday and he came back with an awfully cheery rumour and said he had overheard the general saying that there was going to be a big move soon, but that it would mean sacrificing two Brigades – the 13 th

and the 15th. The Norfolks are in the 13th!!!(2) However I don’t believe him for a moment. No general would talk about such a thing in public. If I thought there was any truth in it I wouldn’t 1 Ian Castle, London 1914 – 1917: The Zeppelin Menace, (Osprey Publishing, 2008), pp 20/21.

have told you! My throat is quite alright again and the concussion is practically so, but I intend hanging on here as long as possible!

Just received Cissies’s letter which says Danny has joined the Guides cavalry. I bet he’s awfully bucked, although he’s a silly ass not to stick to a soft job when he’s got one. If only he knew what trouble he was seeking he wouldn’t do it!

If old Blake writes to me I think I shall go off my head! He little knows what a dangerous thing he is doing – it wouldn’t take much to do it!! There is an unexploded Jack Johnson in our trench – I shall send it him if he writes to me!! Can’t you get him locked up? I’m sure he’s not safe! Shouldn’t be a bit surprised if he was an ‘Alien Enemy’. He certainly looks like one!

I hope you get your dawg soon. It would be such a nice companion for you.

Had an awfully funny letter from Linnie. She said she had told several people I was wounded(!) and that she would like to kill the Kaiser and all belonging to him. I really think you will have to lock her up as well as old Blake. Do you remember the day when I was going to the Hendersons and he nearly drove me mad? I’m sure if I come home from this show not in my right mind he will be the first victim!

Can’t you write to the police about him, or do something?!

Well, Cheerio!

Your loving son,

Robert

1. “Servant” will have been a soldier servant or batman from Robert’s platoon who would have accompanied Robert to 7th Field Ambulance.

2. The 1st Norfolks were actually in 15 Brigade.

Saturday May 21 1915

My Dear Mother,

I expect I shall be returning to the Regiment on Monday or Tuesday, so will you please address all future letters here. There was a terrific bombardment going on from the direction of Armentiers last night, but so far nobody knows what the result was.

I see the Daily Mail has been flying at Kitchener. England must be in a funny state at present. Have written to Miss What’s – her – name to thank her for the honey. No news at all.

Your loving son

Robert.

1st Bn Norfolk Regt. B E F

Tuesday 26th May 1915

My dear Mother,

Am back with the Regiment again. ‘C’ Company are in the wood for two days. It is frightfully hot here. A lad called Borton (1) who was a great friend of mine at Felixstowe has just joined,

which is rather nice. Am glad Italy has declared war. I suppose she’ll be wiped out in about two weeks! But every little helps.

I hope all goes well at home. Too hot to write more.

Your loving son

Robert

1. Lieutenant Charles Victor Borton – 1st Norfolks from May 1915 to 29th July 1916; accidentally wounded in September 1915 during grenade throwing training; Transferred to RFC in February 1917.

1st Bn Norfolk Regt. B.E.F. France.

Thursday May 28th 1915.

My dear Danny,

Many thanks for your letter. Was awfully glad to hear you’ve got a commission, and in some Regiment apparently. I hope for your sake that you won’t have any trench-mortars or ‘Jack

Johnsons’ round your way. I suppose mother told you that I’ve been down at an Officers Rest Station for about three weeks, due to getting slightly concussed by a whizz-banger, is verily an invention of the devil – it’s a field gun with terrific muzzle velocity. It gets its name from the fact that you never hear its shell like you hear an ordinary shell; all you hear is just a ‘whizz’ and then a ‘bang’ almost as one sound. I had a topping time down there. It was ripping to be in a real bed again.

This morning about 2 am. I was just dozing in the dug-out when a very excited Tommy put his head in and exclaimed;- ‘There’s hundreds of Germans running about outside, Sir!’ I thought we were for it then, but the ‘hundreds of Germans’ turned out to be a patrol of about a dozen who were doing some stunt of their own in No Man’s Land! I don’t think any of them got back to their trenches1

I’m fed-up with shell-fire and high explosives. It gets very wearying having men blown to bits all around you all and every day.

Dorothy tells me that she has sent you some of my letters to her, so you will have read some of my experiences. I’ve had quite enough excitement to last me for a long time, and could go home to the peaceful life with some contentment.

I hear the soldiers of Norwich have absolutely ruined the Taverham shooting. It’s a beastly shame, isn’t it? The only comfort is to think that the woods aren’t like those out here. The one we are in absolutely defies description.

The Deutchers gassed us the other night, but the wind turned and blew it back on them! We ought to be relieved tonight, but the C.O. has just been round to tell us that we shall probably be up here for another month at least. Cheering, what?! I would make you laugh to see your little brother sitting in the sun on a sand bag with his shirt off catching lice. It’s quite an art!

Well, so long. Let me know how you’re getting on some time.

Yours ever

Kid.

Sunday May 30th 1915

My dear Mother,

Many thanks for your letters. We’re back again in the trenches, having had two days in dug-outs in the wood. Two Liverpool Terrier Officers are sharing the dug-out with me. They are very nice fellows. One has only been out a fortnight and is still enjoying himself! We both assure him that it will soon wear off!! I quite withdraw anything I ever said or thought about Terriers before the war.

A padre came up onto the wood this morning and gave us a service. It was the weirdest I have ever been to; the bullets were ‘zipping’ and humming just over us, to say nothing of the German guns which just about then had a sudden fit of extra energy.

Our fellows spotted some Germans in Khaki in their trenches this morning. It probably means that they are going to send out some patrols to have a look at our parapet; it also might mean an attack. They have dressed some of their fellows in Khaki before when they have attacked, and then if they reach our trenches these Khaki blighters come along too and then of course they don’t know ‘tother from which’. If they try either of the above I think they’ll get it pretty hot.

Don’t be surprised if there are several little things worth reading in the papers during the next 3 weeks or possibly sooner. They’ve just this moment started scrapping away on the left.

The only good I can see of interring old Blake at Taverham would be that he would make a good target for me to practice my revolver on!

One of our men who use to live in that house on the way to the ford came and talked to me. He asked if Whitwell was still with us.

Yes it was jolly good work on your part when you ran over the dog. By the way, is there any more news of yours? If ever I have another dog I think I shall call him ‘whizz-bang’!

They’ve started scapping here now, so must stop.

Later Nothing doing – merely ‘wind-ups’ on Fritz’s part. He’s very jumpy tonight! They threw stones and Bully beef tins into the Deautches trenches this morning! No more news.

Your loving son

Robert.

June 1 st June 1st 1915 (Tuesday)(We’ve just had a violent discussion as to the date. Time 12.30 am)

Dear Old Girl,

Many thanks for your letters. You are a Brick to write so often: I know it must be an awful bore for you to do it.

If you’ve got time will you please run down to the Golf club(1) and ask Donald for 30 (or as many as he had got) old golf balls. Will you please send these out to me together with my

Mashie I want to keep up my golf and intend practicing Mashie shots into the Deuchers trenches! If you tell Donald whom and for what purpose they are for he will probably let you have them quite cheap! I should like them as soon as possible. (Am quite serious about the above , and am not ragging) Will you please ask mother if she will send me out two pairs of thin, short pants and also two pairs of thin vests. (One pair can be fumigated while I wear the other and so help to keep the livestock down!) Will you ask her to also send me a small air pillow – my servant has put his bayonet through mine, which has not improved it!!

Fritz has been fairly quiet for the last four days, but we all think he is using reversed ammunition, as whenever a man is hit he is always in a terrible mess. Was awfully amused at B’s effort with the man who was run over. I bet we could show her a few things out here that she couldn’t come within 100yds of, much less bandage!

The Germans shelled us from behind today. We saw a Zeppelin going along the crest (or in tha direction) this evening – I suppose she was on her way to England!

This evening, just before supper, the Liverpool Officer who is sharing this dug out with me suddenly exclaimed;- ‘I can smell it!’ I pulled my pipe out of my mouth and sniffed hard. ‘Can you?’ I asked. ‘Yes, strongly!’ he replied. I immediately started getting my respirator out. On seeing this he said:- ‘Oh! I didn’t mean ‘Gas’, I meant the Soup!’ The soup referred to was some excellent Turtle Soup which Fortnum and Mason has sent out to me and which was being prepared for our supper!!!

We are using something against the Germans which I devoutly hope and pray they will never use against us! Can’t describe it more in a letter, but it’s good work, what?

We expect these trenches to go sky-high any day. Now the ground is dug old Fritz is probably mining for all he’s worth! (But we’ve got our antidote). Am most extraordinarily uncomfortable, so please excuse the writing.

It is good that ‘Busy’ Hope has been sat on.

Was most awfully sorry to hear about Nick Palmes, but, by jove!, he did the right thing, according to your letter.

‘Wipers’ was a most wonderful sight last night. The whole town was one mass of flames, and it was really worth seeing. It was a jolly good thing there was no wind blowing last night, as Fritz set fire to one wood twice, but they were soon able to put it out.

I can quite imagine you talking politics! I shan’t forget the dose I had of it in a hurry! Reading over one of your old letters I see you say ‘….dinner waits…’. Oh! For that dinner now!! Isn’t it funny how one never really appreciates a thing till one can’t get it? But I honestly believe that we enjoy our bit of bread and eatables (I wouldn’t like to guess what it was!) in our little mud home as much as any dinner that we’ve ever had. Only sometimes we think of really good food and a soft bed, but that’s only in our most pessimistic moments.

Am afraid you’ll be bored stiff with all this rot, but I’ve got to keep awake somehow, so am putting down my thoughts!

Went sniping with a lad called Borton this afternoon. We had to crawl through a lettuce field, so we decided to disguise ourselves as lettuces! We stuck lettuces in our caps, etc. but we laughed so much that couldn’t hold my rifle steady, so I’m afraid we didn’t do much good. Can’t you imagine me disguised as a lettuce?!! As he remarked:- ‘You look ‘s’nice!’

It is now 2.15am and Fritz has just started his ‘Morning hate’ on the next trench. Every morning about 2.15am and every evening about 8.30pm he bombs the Trench on our right. We have got so used to it that we call it the ‘Morning’ or ‘Evening’ Hates. Poor old Fritz! He Does try so hard!!

Unfortunately at 2.20am we ‘stand-to-arms’ till it is quite light, so must stop for the present, but finish later.

3.45pm – Slept like a good ‘un all the morning. I believe we are going South when we are relieved. Guess we shall probably have to take Lille or something equally cheery!!

Have just heard that Robert Patteson has gone home, as his father is dead. I’m most awfully sorry.

Cheero!

Thine ever

Dick

1. The Golf Club will almost certainly have been the Royal Norwich Golf Club at Hellesdon.

Thursday1915

My Dear Mother,

I hope you’re awfully fit. Suppose you’ve got your beastie now. Hope he’s a success.

We were ‘gassed’ this morning. We went into a barn with our helmets on and a cylinder of gas was turned on. It has absolutely no effect on us, thanks to the helmets.

Its most awfully hot. Had a bathe before breakfast, and spent the whole afternoon at it.

Post is going.

Your loving son

Robert.

(in pencil rec’d?) June 10 1915

Tuesday

Dear Old Girl,

I hope very much that your toothache is gone.

We ragged the life out of old Fritz the other night. We suddenly sent up two red rockets. Fritz, thinking that it was a signal for an attack, got frightfully excited, and promptly started rapid

fire, which he kept up for the rest of the night! The amount of ammunition he wasted must have been colossal. It was really very funny.

Today, being very bored with doing nothing, we decided to start a policy of ‘frightfulness’. We started very early this morning by loosing off our ‘trench howitzers’. They are beautiful little chaps and are quite new, and do an awful lot of damage. We got the range first shot and put shell after shell into his trenches. Tiring of this we went on to trench mortars and rifle-grenades. After beakfast the heavy artillery opened and did beautiful shooting, putting big Goblets one after the other in his happy home.

I was walking down our trench at the time when one of the men exclaimed ‘Quick Sir, quick, come and look at this! That last one blew five of the beggars into the air!’ At the present moment we’ve got a ‘wiz-banger’ going and the trench-howitzers are going on again after tea. I’ve never known Frtiz keep so quiet as he is doing at present!!

There is a rumour that we are going to be relieved on Thursday, but I don’t put too much faith in these rumours.

Very many thanks for the creme-de-menths that have just this moment arrived. Will you pls thank Mother very much for the parcel from F & M that has just come.

It is so hot you can hardly breathe here and there is a thunderstorm going on.

Have eaten too many creme-de-menths and think I’m going to be sick!

Thine ever

Dick

June 16th 1915

Dear old girl,

Many thanks for your letter. Was sorry to hear that you were all worried because I hadn’t written. Dash it all! It was only about a thee day’s interval! And there’s absolutely no news here.

As a matter of fact last night was fairly strenuous. We did an attack on our left (ie. N.E. of Wipers). We were doing ‘rapid’ most of the night, in order to worry Fritz and to keep him occupied on our front while the attack was proceeding. The attack carried three trenches alright, and then we repulsed a German counter-attack. For the last two hours there has been a terrific bombardment going on in that direction, it must be another counter-attack. I only hope it goes alright for us. You are sure to have seen an account of this in the papers before you get this. It will only be a smallish thing in the papers –

nothing like the ‘Hill’ show. Luckily we only got the outside of it, but that ‘outside’ included enough high-explosives to last me for a very long time!

The enclosed is an exact copy of the letter that Fritz threw into our trench last week and that I believe I told either mother or you about. We keep up a regular sort of post with them every day. Yesterday one of our letters fell short by about 5 yards. All the Germans stood up well over their parapet, held their hands up and said: ‘Come on, throw it in, we won’t shoot.’ One of our men walked out, picked it up, gave it to them and then walked back. Then they said: ‘Keep your heads down for the rest of the day’. Funny, isn’t it?; there we were in the afternoon talking like that and in the evening we were plugging sudden – Death at each other for all we were worth. Its the same most days.

This afternoon our General (1) and the Prince of Orleans (2) came round our trenches. The Prince took my photo with one or two other lads. (say, won’t Linnie buck about this ?!!)

A few minutes ago a lad came into my dug-out to see me. He found me sitting on the floor with an empty ammunition box as a table to write this letter on, a candle stuck on the edge of it, and a tin mug containing a weak whisky and water. His first remark was:- ‘What price this with the old ‘Pic’ ?’ It nearly reduced me to tears!! (3)

Guess you would laugh if you could see me in my trench kit. My boots (the good old ski boots) are hanging out at the toes and are burst at the sides; my puttees are in ribbons, my bags are torn and covered with stains; my coat (when worn) is in a similar state. Hope to get a complete new kit when we get down to rest.

Am jolly glad you are joining a tennis club. Hope you will have many good and strenuous games.

Cheeroh!

Thine ever

Dick1. “Our General” was likely to have been Brigadier-General Northey, the commander of 15 Brigade. 2. Prince of Orleans – Prince Antonio Gastao of Orleans-Braganza MC was a Brazilian prince who served

with the British Army (Royal Canadian Dragoons). He was a great grandson of the last Bourbon King of France, Louis Philippe 1, and his mother was eldest daughter and heir of Emperor Pedro 11 of Brazil. Awarded the Military Cross while attached to the RFC as a pilot. Died as a result of a flying accident at Edmonton in London just after the end of the war and is buried at the Royal Chapel of Dreux in France.

3. “Pic” is almost certainly The Sunday Pictorial.

June 17th 1915.

My dear Mother,

Very many thanks for the air pillow which has just arrived. It makes all the difference in the world to my sleeps, which is the great thing out here.

Am writing this at 4.14 am. Three of us are on duty in this trench. We all stayed awake all night as we were expecting a show, and then at Dawn we tossed who should be on duty till 9.30 am. and of course I lost!!!

Have just written to Cissie, giving all the news. I try and make the letters alternate to you and Cissie giving any news that happens to be, but as you always read each and other letters it doesn’t make much odds.

Your loving son

Robert

June 28th 1915

My dear Mother,

Many thanks for your letters, also for two large parcels from F & M which have arrived.

We’ve been in trenches for over five weeks now.

We built a beautiful new dug-out the other day. Borton, who I think I’ve mentioned before, was very tired and said he’d go to sleep inside whilst I finished the roof. We were just putting the last few sand-bags on when one of the walls collapsed! I’ve never seen anyone come out of a dug-out faster in my life than did young Borton. He thought that at least a J.J. had hit it!

There’s just a chance that I may come home on 5 days leave some time next month. But don’t raise any hopes about it as leave may be stopped at any moment, and things are very vague generally.

I howled with laughter at you and Cissie hidng in my bedroom from Busy Hope. What awful ‘lip’ her going into Cissie’s room. I received a letter from Cissie yesterday written on May 9 th. The Army Post Office must be mad. That’s the second letter that I’ve had delayed through them.

Yes, you can be fairly certain that I’m awake when you wake up in the middle of the night. When actually in the firing line we stay awake all night and sleep most of the day. But when we are in the wood we sleep at night. Sorry I haven’t written before, but there’s been no news, and when I have been awake I’ve been too tired. The books that you sent me never turned up.

I’ve had a great brain-wave – when I come home I shall bring a large stock of hand grenades and put them in the car. Then if there is a car that is objectionable and won’t get out of the way when I want to pass I shall simply fling one at him. If that doesn’t shift him nothing will!

I suppose you’ve seen that Patteson has the Military Medal.(1)

We found a dog running about in our trench the other day.

Yesterday evening a mine blew up in the middle of ‘No-Man’s Land’. Nobody knows what it was, as it wasn’t one ours, and if Fritz thought he was blowing up our trench he had an extraordinarily bad-shot. We’ve had another thunderstorm and are flooded out.

We’ve got some priceless shells here. There is no comparison between them and the old ones. Good work, what?

I hope you and Cissie are both frightfully fit.

Your loving son

Robert

1. Patteson’s decoration was the Military Cross and not the Military medal.

Sunday June 1915

Dear old girl,

Many thanks for your letters and the Creme – de – Menthes.

We are going to have a really cheery night tonight. Fritz has been putting down our parapet most religiously all day and we’ve got the joy of going into trenches tonight from the wood and putting it up again. The company that we are relieving tell us that the whole line is down, and

that they have go machine guns and whiz – bangs trained all the way along!! Nice Sunday night occupation, What?

This time last year I was tuning the little Austin for Brooklands.(1)

If I remember right its just a year ago today that I ‘found’ a Police Trap on the way to Rye!(2) Oh it makes me wild to think how these blighters could run us down (and “in”) this time last year, when all was going well, just because we raised a bit of dust on the roads and owned a sporting car, and how, when all the ‘lads’, or at least all the lads worth knowing, are out here, having given up every bally thing that life was worth living for, they’re only too glad to accept our services!**

Having got that off my chest I feel much better. Absolutely no news here.

Thine ever

Dick

** There are some people who want there necks rung as well as Germans!

1. Autocar for 4th July 1914 reported on the Inter-Varsity Meeting on 30th June at Brooklands and recorded two wins for Mr R.M.Knowles in his Austin. The first of these races was a one-lap handicap race, with the winner’s time for the lap being 3 minutes and 11seconds – the equivalent of 50.96 mph. There were eight entries with the fastest time of 77.03 mph being achieved by an Isotta-Fraschini. The second race won by Robert Knowles in his Austin was one of three laps (about eight and a quarter miles), with only four competitors.1

2. The same issue and page of Autocar also reports with indignation on the “scandal” of a “Police Trapping Campaign near Southampton” aimed at catching and fining speeding motorists.

My dear Mother,

Very many thanks for the vest and pants.(1) They are simply ripping. No of course your letters don’t bore me – I simply love getting them.

There’s not much news here. We think we have spotted Fritz mining just underneath this old trench, so are expecting to go sky-high any moment! Nice cheery prespect, what?!! If I am reported as ‘missing’ in the near future don’t worry as you’ll know what’s happened!! Have just had a most excellent dinner consisting of salmon (sent by Linnie) and pudding and savoury sent by you through F & M. To finish off I had Cissie’s creme-de-menthe and a cigar. (The latter was loot from another fellows’ dug out whilst he was asleep!)1 Autocar, 4th July 1914, p 37.

Will you please thank Cissie very much for the Golf Balls. Unfortunately the Mashie hasn’t turned up so far.

It’s a quaint life out here – During the day things are usually quite quiet, just an occasional rifle shot or shell; but you never know from moment to another when the artillery is going to let off at you and then of course, you wish you hadn’t been born. During the night continual rifle fire is kept up. Our new trench-howitzers are priceless little chaps. Unfortunately the Germans dropped a bomb into my trench the other night, killing 4 and wounding 13. But our trench-howitzers have been playing the very deuce with their trenches. We keep putting bomb after bomb slap bang into their trenches.

There is a theory about Angels in Linnie’s letter that will probably interest you.

It makes me laugh to think of Danny with a Commission. I hope he doesn’t get sent to the Dardanelles. Judging by the Casualty lists its not a healthy place.

When I get back from this show I’m sure that one fine night I shall dig a communication trench across to the tennis court and then mine the greenhouse, or do something equally mad!!

Have ‘detailed’ somebody to let you know if I am scuppered or wounded, but Heaven only knows how they’re going to wire you from the trenches! The smell in these trenches is simply ‘orrid at present. There are several dead French, German, and English just over our parapet and the hot sun doesn’t improve them! The night before last we had a terrific thunderstorm which absolutely flooded us out, but it has cleared the air which is a great point.

My company Commander keeps most excellent whiskies and sodas, so am just off to see him – (on business of course!!)

Your loving son

Robert

1. This appears to link up with Robert’s letter of 1st June to his sister Dorothy (“Dear Old Girl”).

1st Bn. Norfolk Regt.B.E.F.France

June 30th 1915

My Dear Danny,

Many thanks for your letter which I have just received. Congrats. on getting a first on the range. You seem to be doing an awful lot of work. We’ve now been in trenches for 42 days and see no prospect of being relieved. Two companies are actually in the firing line for 48hrs while the other two are in reserve in the wood, about 300yrds behind. Fritz has been fairly active lately. Every morning he levels

our parapet with ‘whizz-bangs’ and every morning about tea time he shells the wood with high-explosive shrapnel. They bagged 21 men with a couple of shells last night.

Maybe you’ve seen in the papers that we took some trenches at Hooge (N.E. of Ypes). We were on the outer edge of that show, doing covering fire, etc. The true history of the show is as follows – Our artillery had plenty of shells and did jolly good shooting. In fact they blew every ruddy thing to glory. Then the infantry advanced, and took three rows of trenches with practically no casualties at all. But some precious staff man had forgotten to tell the artillery when to ‘lengthen out’ when the infantry advanced, with the result that we got simply shelled out of the captured trenches by our own artillery, had 7,000 casualties and had to fall back to the first line of captured trenches! Almost exactly the same as the Neuve Chappelle affair. Sickening, isn’t it?

In about a fortnight I hope to go on 5 days leave, which will be very nice. Exactly a year ago today I was just winning my second race at Brookland, in the Inter. ‘Varsity Race. Some difference now, what!

Old Lloyd George seems to be doing good work with the munitions. We’ve already got some new shells out, and there’s no comparison between them and the old ones. I think we do more shelling now than the Germans on the whole, but unfortunately most of the shells land in our own trenches! We’ve lot an awful lost of men like that, and now when the artillery are going to fire we always clear the trenches!! When they’ve finished we go back and start building up the parapet that they’ve knocked down!!

Of course we never wear swords out here.(1) We simply wear the ordinary Tommies’ equipment and pick up a rifle when there’s anything doing. We carry revolvers in case of emergency. Don’t be in any hurry to get out – High-explosive are not pleasant neighbours!

Best of luck.

Thine ever,

Kid.

1. Interestingly it was shortly before this, at the battle of Shaiba in Mesopotamia on 14 th April that swords were carried for the last time in battle by officers of the 2nd Norfolks. This was in their battalion’s attack on the Turkish defensive lines near Basra. As Colonel Peebles rose to lead the charge he waved his sword and shouted “Come on the 9th” a call that was answered in the same words by the men! Thanks to “improved artillery fire” they succeeded in routing the Turks from well-prepared trenches. A fitting Boys Own end to the use of swords other than for ceremonial!!

July 1st 1915

My dear Mother,

If all goes well, I shall arrive at Norwich probably by the 10pm train, on July 5 th or 6th, on 5 days leave. I will wire you from Rail-Head, so that you will know the day for certain before I arrive. I will also wire from Folkestone (if I’ve time) or Town, saying by what train I shall arrive at Norwich. Of course there is always the chance that leave may be stopped before that,

or the ordinary events of war may interfere but, providing all goes well – that’s’ the programme. It will be glorious to be at home again, but I’m not thinking anything about it till the time arrives, as it probably only gives me ‘nerves’! (I’ve got enough already!)

I hope all goes well at home. Another big parcel has just turned up from F & M’s, for which many thanks. They make all the difference in the world out here.

Fritz has been very active with his artillery lately. He shelled us fairly hard for most of the morning, which was most unpleasant! We go into the fire-trenches tonight, for which I am not sorry, as the wood can hardly be described as a ‘Health Resort’ when it is being shelled!!

Am just going to have my hair cut. The barbers shop consists of an ammuntition box and a fiery private with a large pair of horse clippers! However as there’s practically no hair to take off the top it ought to be over fairly soon!

Will you please arrange with Geoff Berners to have 16 A D home by July 5 th? Had a cheery letter from Danny yesterday. He seems very bucked at being an officer.

We think it is a priceless notion everyone in England buying respirators!

No news.

Your loving son

Robert.

Telegram

Handed in at :-Hazbroke 5th

To Knowles, Taverham Hall, Norwich.

Message: NORWICH SOME TIME TOMORROW ROBERT.

(on headed notepaper) Grand Hotel du Louvre

Et Terminus Boulogne-Sur-Mer

Wednesday E. Deligny, Prop.Telephone 1 – 43

My dear Mother,

We arrived here this morning very tired and very dirty. We found this old place and had a most wonderful bath. We then retired to bed! Had a very nice lunch in bed and got up at 3.00pm. (‘We’ includes a very cheery lad who came up in the same carriage from R. (1)) When we got up we bought some books and then found that there was absolutely nothing to do. We therefore hired an awful old tub and rowed round the harbour fouling many ships and being nearly run down by a French torpedo boat! We leave at 9.30 for the ‘Rail Head’. Am looking forward very much to seeing all the lads again.

I remember very well the last time I was here. It was when Cissie and I were coming back from Switzerland, and she was looking absolutely ‘IT’ and caused no small riot on the jetty when we were waiting for the boat.

This is one of the biggest hospital bases, and is absolutely packed with ambulances. There are many interesting things that we have seen over her but can’t write about because of the wretched censor.

I hope all goes well at home. Am feeling very fit and thoroughly enjoying life. No more news.

Your loving son

Robert.

1. “R” is probably Rouen.

Monday July 12th 1915

My Dear Mother,

We arrived safely at Boulogne last night. The crossing was quite good and we got some food at Boulogne. When we arrived everyone was up in trenches, as the relief was just taking place. I was talking to Patteson and our bomb officer who were in the Officers’ dug-out in the wood – Suddenly there was a rumble and the whole place shook. We rushed out and saw a great

column of earth, etc. up in the air. Patteson exclaimed :- Good Lord, there’s 36 (one of our trenches) and half the regiment gone up!’ I collected what men happened to be in the wood at the time and rushed up, as the German guns had started and we were certain an attack was coming off. However it turned out that the mine had gone off in front of 38 trench, and had not done much damage.

It was topping being at home.

The news have been awfully good when I was away. The French captured 3 rows of trenches on our left and then three German counter-attacks, done in mass-formation were wiped out by the artillery.

I hope the Belgique is going strong.

We are going to be relieved tomorrow night and go back for a rest.

I hope all is well at home.

Your loving son

Robert

July 14th 1915My dear Mother,

I hope you and all at home, including ‘Geekie’, are very fit and flourishing.

We are back resting at Reningelst quite near Mont Noir. We are here for about 8 or 10 days and then go right down South, somewhere near Arras I think. At any rate we shan’t be on the

‘Road to Calais’ then! I don’t think we left any too soon as the Germans were getting quite objectionable round us. Besides throwing a lot of high explosives about they exploded two mines in front of our trenches. Luckily they were short, but all the same they knocked down a lot of parapet and buried some men.

We had a topping march back last night, and it was priceless to hear the Tommies singing ‘Here we are, here we are again!’ and various similar ditties all the way.

Will you please tell Wilkinson to send my waterproof out at once. I left it behind when I was on leave.

The mashie has come, so we shall have some golf.

Your loving son

Robert

Friday

My Dear Mother,

Yes rather, I quite understand what you said in your first letter, so don’t you worry about that.

We are having a top-hole time resting here. I think we are here for about 6 more days. We then march for about three days and finish up somewhere near Arras. We are taking over some ground from the French and are going near, if not actually into the ‘Labyrinth’.(1) Nice cheery prospect what?!!! We hear all sorts of priceless rumours about it, some of which are _____ that in places we use the same parapet as the Germans, that there are 10,000 dead between us and them; and that when they’ve nothing better to do they throw liquid fire at you!

I suppose you know Jack Wilson (son of the Wilsons in Norwich with whom Cissie and I used to go and play tennis with) was badly hit through the head. He had only been out here two days, and was firing ‘5 rounds rapid’ over the parapet in day light – a most foolish thing to do. Magnay,(2) Borton(3) and myself rode over to Bailleul yesterday afternoon to see how he was getting on. He is doing well as he is out of danger and can talk now. His father had been out to see him. Am getting quite good on a gee nowadays!

Yes, those mines that you saw about in the papers were intended for our benefit. The first went off under, or very near the trench on our left where the Bedfords were. Luckily they misjudged the second one and it exploded just in front of us. It knocked a lot of parapet down and buried some men, but we got most of them out. We are all glad in a way that it happened for this reason – All our nerves were getting a bit on edge after 50 odd days of it, and we were afraid we should be no good if anything happened. Of course the moment the mines went up we expected an attack, and the moment we’d got something definite to think about we are all right, which was a great relief to us. I knocked one man down who was running away (caught him a real beauty on the point of the jaw!) threatened to shoot some more and had them back and beautifully in hand in no time.

They are forming a new Corps. Of which we are the back-bone (the others being the Terriers and K’s) and the General is coming to inspect us this afternoon. Am just going out to practice men in Presenting Arms, so must stop.

Your loving son

Robert.Don’t return Danny’s letter

1. The labyrinth in Arras was an extensive underground quarry complex on the eastern side of the city, used to supply the city with building stone from the Middle Ages through to the early 20 th century. In 1916 these

quarries were to be linked up by tunnels dug by Royal Engineer Tunnelling Companies and by the New Zealand Tunnelling Company. In all twenty kilometres of tunnels were dug. The quarries provided shelter from German shelling, and further tunnels undermining the German trenches were to be dug to allow mines to be blown during the 1917 Arras offensive.

2. Lieutenant John Christopher Magnay – 1st Norfolks from December 1914. 3. See 26th May letter.

July 18th 1915

My dear Mother,

How’s life? We are still resting here. We go for long route marches every day so as to get us fit for when we go South. The padre came and gave us a service this morning.

Bill Bryans has got to keep quiet for at least 3 more months.

It was jolly bad luck on Harry not being allowed to take his Commission in the Naval F.C.

I think it is a good thing that you’ve chucked the fishing syndicate, as we hardly ever used it.

I thought we had most evil things out here but thank heaven we don’t keep scorpions!

Your loving son

Robert

Thursday July 22nd ? 1915

My Dear Mother,

Last night we marched for about 10 miles, and finished up at a monastry, where we are now. We are probably going to remain here till the 29th, and then we en-train for the South. This is an awfully nice place. It is really a large farm. It is beautifully clean and airy. The old monks

are very quaint with their shaven heads. They have huge dairies here where the monks make butter and cheeses. It is great having real live milk again.

We arrived here about 4.30 am this morning. One of our lads Groves by name, was seeing his men into a barn. The only light in the barn was his electric torch which he was holding. He happened to look round and saw a grey cloaked and hooded figure standing at his elbow. It was an old monk who had come in quietly, but Groves thought he had seen a ghost, and nearly died of fright!

We had a great game of cricket yesterday afternoon.

I should have liked to have seen Gique after he had tried to eat the wasp!

It is a pity Harry’s Regiment(1) is so unsatisfactory.

Has England still got as much ‘Wind-up’ as when I was at home?

I hope all is well with you and all at Taverham.

Your lovig son

Robert

1. Harry’s regiment was the 1st/5th Bedfordshire Regiment. They were shortly to depart for Gallipoli, where Harry was to be wounded in action by a snipers bullet on 21st September.

Sunday

My Dear Mother,

As usual there is no news here. We are having a most priceless rest. All we do is to eat and sleep and play cricket. Needless to say I do not shine at the latter!

We’ve just heard that Reningelst was shelled yesterday. It made us laugh! I believe our destination when we leave here is Albert. As far as I know it is a fairly quiet part of the line.

Was practicing with the ‘War Baby’ this morning and succeeded in demolishing a cow which I had not noticed!

Have heard from Trevor Hope. He’s been very ill with Rheumatism, Fever and pneumonia. However he’s recovering now.

Our old monks make excellent beer.

By the way I forgot to let you know when I sent some of my winter things home. I hope you didn’t think I was dead and that they were sending my things home when they arrived!

I sleep on a stretcher every night here. They are awfully comfortable – quite like bed.

Cheeroh!

Your loving son

Robert.

Monday

My dear Mother,

Many thanks for your letter. I was very interested in Danny’s as I am at present reading ‘The Broken Road’(1).

As usual there’s no news here. Have been practicing bomb throwing all the morning. Its awfully good fun.

I think Danny’s crowd ought to come out here. It might improve their nerves!

Yes, we are all looking forward to going to our new destination. It will be interesting finding out things about the new trenches. The old place was getting rather monotonous. Its apt to, when you know all about your trench and know that at a certain time a certain place in it will be whizz-banged and at another time, another place will be trench – mortared, etc.

Just off to play cricket.

Your loving son

Robert.

1. “The Broken Road” (Research needed).

LETTERS FROM THE SOMME(30 July – Early October 1915)

July 30th 1915

Dear old girl,

Here we are in jolly old France. We arrived here about 10 o’c this morning. “Here is a little village about 8 miles from Amiens.”(1)

I believe we move out tomorrow night and go up towards the firing line a bit, and the night after go into trenches. We entrained yesterday at 6.30. We passed through Amiens early this morning. Do you remember that awful tea we got at the station there the first time we went to Switzerland? I thought of that as we passed.

According to all accounts the trenches that we are going to are very quiet.

I’m billeted with another lad in a cottage. It is a nice little place; beautifully clean, and – I’ve got a bed! It is an almost unheard of luxury out here, but there happened to be one here so we tossed for it and I won.

Our company sports were a great success. We laughed so much during the first four events that for the rest of the programme we couldn’t laugh any more!

The Bedfords are coming in here this afternoon, which is rather nice as I know a lot of them.

I hope Gique keeps fit.

Just going to have lunch and am then off to bed.

Cheer oh!

Thine ever

Dick

1. The Village was La Houssoye.

July 31st 1915

My dear Mother,

Am so glad all is well at home. Gique seems to boss the place very effectively!

We had a glorious bathe this morning. The staff sent up yards of instructions (written as unual so that nobody could possibly understand them) telling us where we could bathe and where we couldn’t. When we arrived at the place there was a beautiful big pond, but it was very deep all over. However I spotted a good looking little stream and there I sent all the non-swimmers. We enjoyed ourselves thoroughly for about an hour and were just moving off when a very excited staff captain rushed up to me and asked if I was in charge of these men. I told him I

was, whereupon he said ‘every one of the Norfolks have been bathing out of bounds!’ Apparently the stream had been reserved for the staff and my men (about 180 of them) had made the water thoroughly muddy for the rest of the day!

The country round here is very different from Belgium. It is quite like Salisbury Plain or the edge of the Yorkshire Moors – great rolling downs with not many trees, but a few woods here and there.

We move up nearer the firing line tomorrow.

Had a priceless sleep in my bed last night.

Am awfully glad you and Cissie like your work at the Supply Depot. It’s awfully useful work as you can’t have too many bandages out here.

I think there is every sign of another winter campaign.

Your loving son

Robert

P.S. From now onwards expect letters only when you see them. Don’t be alarmed if they don’t turn up as even if I had time to write the postal system is sure to be erratic in the new trenches.

Loose letter in envelope addressed to: Mrs Wilson, Taverham Hall, Norwich, England.

August 2nd 1915

Dear old girl,

We’re having a most priceless time. We are in a village called Dernancourt, about four miles behind the firing line. We marched up last night about 9 miles from La Houssoye, where we were before. It was a most perfect sight. I think you would have like to have seen the Regiment as we swing into the village with our band (consisting of four flutes and 3 biscuit tins and sticks, for drums) playing ‘I’m 21 today’ and ‘Are we downhearted…’ and all the Tommies singing.

We go up into trenches tonight. It seems to be a simply perfect part of the line as apparently there is hardly a shot fired. We are going to be here for a long time as the Chaplain was out this morning looking for a recreation room for the troops in the winter. We are billeted in a big Pub – Snice!

The Belgique’ soldiers wear dark blue overcoats. I suppose M. Gique thinks he is an officer, so he would be allowed a little gold braid!

I think it is a topping idea of yours to start a family of Griffons with him as the head.

I’ve never heard of such awful lip in my life as Geoff trying to borrow cars. Was awfully glad you didn’t let him. Please put a stop to it in future.

It was a topping effort on Arthurs’ part getting a Military Cross.

As we’re not near ‘Wipers’ now I can’t call on old Bessant. Even if we were you wouldn’t get me into that town for a thousand pounds unless I had to! There’s enough trouble in this ----- country without seeking it!!

I think grey with black discs and mudguards would be rather chic for the Rolls when I come back. Don’t you?

Had a priceless bathe this morning and am just off to have another.

Jim’s got ‘some soft job’, What?

Cheer oh

Thine ever

Dick.

Thursday (date received)3 Aug 1915

My dear Mother,

Our new trenches are simply ripping. At the present moment my company is in the Reserve Dug-outs, about 100yrds behind the firing line. These are real dug-outs, not built above ground like our old ones, but dug right into the side of a hill. There are any amount of them. We sleep two in a hut. They are beautifully fitted up with beds, tables, chairs, looking glasses, basins, etc. We have also a bathroom, writing room and dining room!

The actual trenches are beautiful. I’ve never seen such a maze as they are in my life. It took me over an hour and a half to find the firing line this morning! I got hopelessly lost and wandered about for miles and miles, finally finished off further back than I started! The country round here is all chalk and the trenches are of course out in this. The communication trenches are about 10 foot deep and are very

twisty and narrow – just as they should be. There are all kinds of little forts and ‘Redans’ in the most unexpected places. The dug-outs in the firing line are also very good, being fitting up with doors, windows, beds, etc. These also are dug very deep into the ground.

Fritz is about 300yds away from us. There is a perfect network of mines between the lines, but the French have always had the upper hand at that game, and as soon as Fritz starts mining they blow his saps in with counter-mines.

Last night there was about as much firing as we used to have in the daytime at Wipers. I haven’t heard a single shot today and only one or two shells. The trenches are covered with notices reading: ‘Hurray for England’, ‘Welcome Comrades!’ etc. There are also hundreds of sign posts, but as they are all in French they aren’t much use to me! It was awfully interesting seeing the French actually in their trenches. They are awfully smart and do things awfully well.(1) One of the officers had a ripping brown Spaniel, and we have got a little grey and white kitten.

Am glad the photos turned out so well. Will you please have one more of each printed for me as Borton would like a copy of each.

I should be awfully grateful for some more books.

I hope all flourishes at home.

Your loving son

Robert

1. The 1st Norfolks War Diary1 records that on 2nd August the battalion “marched up and relieved the 119th

French Regiment at FRICOURT near ALBERT”.

Aug 5th 1915

Dear old girl,

Am writing this in trenches. These are top – hole trenches – very little rifle fire and not nearly as much shelling as we used to get at Wipers. Old Fritz is doing his best to mine us (!) but as the French have easily got the upper hand at that game it’s not much to worry about. Fritz is about 60yds away from this bit of trench.

1 1st Battalion The Norfolk Regiment , War Diary, August 1915.

The country here is all rolling downs with practically no trees. If you get up on a bit of a rise you can trace the trenches and communication trenches of both sides winding away for miles, as the white chalk thrown up on each side of them shows up vividly against the dark green grass.

I’ve a great admiration for the French, and their artillery is simply wonderful.

We get the whole way from our Reserve Dug-outs to the firing line through deep ammunition trenches (1580 yards)

It’s just getting light and I can imagine you and Gique frousting away together.

So long.

Thine ever,

Dick.

Aug 7th 1915

My dear Mother,

How’s life? I hope it is treating you as well as it is me.

There’s no news here. The only excitement we’ve had at all was when a couple of bombs came in and laid out a few men. Otherwise everything has been perfectly quiet.

In my part of the trench we have to talk in whispers, as although we are 60yds from Fritz he can hear every word we say. The whole place underneath is absolutely hollow, there being so many mines, mine galleries, that the whole place is just like a large sounding box.

Last night I was out in charge of a working party. A working party of Dorsets had been ordered to meet my party and help us. When the Dorsets arrived I found that the officer in charge of it was man called Morley, who used to be at Ivyholme (1) with me and was a great friend of mine. Funny wasn’t it?

You can get a very good idea of this country imagining an often undulating country covered with dark green grass about a foot long. From the top of one of these undulations you can see vivid white streaks, running in every direction. This is the chalk thrown up out of the trenches and communication trenches. The trenches are so complicated that we always carry a map of these about with us!

Am returning the photos with a description of each on the back, in case you couldn’t make out what they were from the list I sent you.

Your loving son

Robert

1. Ivyholme House was the boarding house at Dulwich College in south London where both Robert and his

brother Danny had been housed when at the school.

(date rec’d?) August 14th 1915Saturday

My Dear Mother,

No thanks, I don’t think I want a steel waistcoat. It would be too heavy – every ounce you carry makes a difference at this game. But many thanks all the same. Thanks very much for the books which have arrived.

Sorry I haven’t written before, but the envelopes got wet the other night and they all stuck down. Our company is going to be relieved tonight for a couple days, and we are going into a little village about a couple of miles back.

One of our heavy batteries is playing the deuce with Fritz’s trenches at the present moment.

Being bored this afternoon I crawled out to a clump of trees and did some sniping from there – Had quite an amusing time.

I hope you enjoyed your visit to London. I suppose you’ve got new ‘dawg’ by now. I hope you like him and that he doesn’t kill Gique.

It’s nearly ‘bomb time’ so must go and get the men under cover.

Your loving son

Robert.

Sunday (in pencil – rec’d?)

Aug 16 1915

Dear Old girl,

Many thanks for your letters. We are resting in a little village about 2 miles behind the firing line. It shows how quiet this part of the line is – there are only about half-a-dozen ruined houses in the village.(1)

Just before leaving trenches last night we exploded a counter – mine. For the last ten days we have heard Fritz mining towards us. Each day he was a bit nearer. (We can hear him by means of ‘ground telephones’). Of course we started counter-mining, and it resolved itself into a race – Would Fritz get his mine finished first and blow us all to glory, or should we get our counter-mine finished first and blow his mine in? The French and our sappers worked as they’ve never worked before, with the result that we blew his mine in at 9pm last night. It’s rather weird having the Germans mining underneath you – ‘pick – pick – pick –‘ and each day a little nearer. It’s alright as long as you can hear them working, but if they should stop you know their mine is finished and that you may go sky-high any moment. A certain Scotch Regiment near us blew up 80yds of German trench yesterday morning.

This place is a great contrast to Ypres. There we were badly shelled and our artillery sat and looked on. Here we do all the shelling, and Frtiz hardly every replies, and when he does it is only with whiz-bangs, which are quite harmless in these trenches.

Am very glad Gique is so fit.

By the way, our exact position is about 2 miles South of Boiselle.(2) Would Gique like to give me another pipe? Unfortunately the one he gave me got broken the other night when I was crawling on my tummy in ‘No Mans Land’.

Our trench-howitzers have shut up Frit’s bombing very effectually.

Am just off into Albert.

Thine ever,

Dick

1. The quiet time that the battalion was having is confirmed by the War Diary entry for the period 2nd to 22nd

August that records the casualties for the three weeks in the line as only 6 killed and 11 wounded 1. Given that Robert is writing home during this period, and is obviously not in the line when this letter is written, the Norfolks were clearly able to rotate companies to allow rest periods.

2. Two miles “South of Boiselle” might put them in the small village of Becordel.

August 17th 1915

My Dear Mother,

1 Ibid, also August 1915.

We had quite a cheery two days rest.

We walked into Albert one afternoon. That’s the place where the Virgin and Child have been knocked so that she is suspended horizontally from the top of the church tower and is holding the child out over the town. If you remember, the picture papers were very excited about it when it happened. It is really rather an extraordinary thing.

While we were there we brought a melon for the Mess. It was a hot day and that melon was heavy – Borton and I dragged it half-way back and then came to the conclusion that melon was made to be eaten – it was! and the mess did without their melon.

Had a priceless bathe yesterday morning.

We have taken over the left of our line from one of the other Coys. It is an ideal spot. Fritz is 300yds away – too far for mining or bombing and there is no shelling. It beats me why ‘The Watch-Dogs’ in ‘Punch’ should have upset you. I’ve just read it and thought it was one of the funniest things I’ve ever come across.

Just off for my morning pub-crawl.

Your loving son

Robert

August 19th 1915

My Dear Mother,

I was awfully sorry to hear about young Wilson, Rotten luck.(1)

We are leaving these trenches on the 21st, and are taking over some about four miles further south – near Susanne, I believe. We hear that they are very nice – less complicated than these and even quieter, if possible.

Can’t remember if I wrote to you or Cissie last, so she musn’t mind if she’s missed a turn.

Was interested to hear about giving a home to the performance dog. I hope your beastie will be a success. Gique seems to going strong.

As usual, no news.

Your loving son

Robert.

1. This reference to Wilson links up with one of Robert’s earlier letters, from Ypres (Next after 14 th July – no date shown). The letter refers to “Jack Wilson (son of the Wilsons in Norwich with whom Cissie and I used to go and play tennis)”. This is 2nd Lieutenant L.G.Wilson who is recorded as dying in England on 12 th August of wounds received earlier in the trenches at Ypres1. He was wounded on 7th July 1915, having only arrived in the battalion on 2nd July2.

1 F.Loraine Petre,The History of the Norfolk Regiment 1685 - 1918 , Vol11, (Jarrold and Sons, Empire Press, n.d.), p413.2 1st Battalion The Norfolk Regiment, War Diary, July 1915.

Saturday

My dear Mother,

Cissie tells me that your beastie has arrived and is very nice. I think Chang Wa is a great name for him.

Sailly Laurette,(1) where we are billeted, is a ripping spot. It is one of the prettiest places I have ever seen. We spend our whole time bathing.

We go into trenches on the night of Sept 1st., and stay for 9 days. We then probably come back and rest for 9 days and so on. I believe this place is going to be our winter quarters, which will be rather nice.

Was awfully amused to hear that Kitty Speed is married.

I saw a copy of a letter old Bessant sent someone. He must have had the deuce of a time at Ypres.

Letter ends – not signed

1. In the River Somme, Sailly Laurette being a very attractive village on the north bank of the river.

Sept 1st 1915

My Dear Mother,

Many thanks for your letter which has just arrived. It was very good work, but it is a big wrench parting with her! I can never, never thank you enough for giving her to me, and the times I’ve had in her have been some of the happiest of my life. But , under the circs: I think it was the best to sell her. Don’t you?

Am sorry to hear that Harry is going to Dardanelles. This place is an absolute rest case compared with that I believe. (Don’t tell this to the Orleys in case they don’t know it!)

Yes rather, you are quite right. Chang Wa must be a great beastie from all accounts. I should love to see him.

No! We’re not on duty every night. When we’re in trenches we’re usually on duty most of the night, but when we’re resting we sleep all night like good’uns.

Please excuse the writing but at the present moment I’m lying flat on my back in a great big bed, which is not conductive to good writing!! It isn’t often we get a bed and when we do you can bet we don’t stray far from it!

We are at present in Suzanne, about 1 ¼ miles from Fritz. It is a ripping village, and we are billeted in a big chateau – the best place we’ve struck so far (1). We go into trenches tonight.

Last night as we were marching from Sailly Laurette to here we passed through Bray where the 8th Norfolks are billeted (2). They all lined the streets and yelled themselves hoarse as the 1st

passed through.

Just going to sleep.

Your loving son,

Robert.

1. Another beautiful village with an imposing Chateau which is still there today. 2. The 8th Norfolks were a Kitchener battalion, in the 18th Division. Up until now the Division had seen little

action and were being kept by General Haig for the 1916 Somme battles, when the Division was to achieve one of the few successes for the British on the 1st July, with the capture of Montauban. The 8 th

Norfolks played a major role on that day.

Sept 2nd 1915

Dear old girl,

Our new trenches are the most Wonderful things I’ve ever struck. They are not continuous trenches like we were in before, but each fire trench is a sort of little fort on its own.

The country here is very hilly and very marshy. In our lines is an enormous Mill (1), ruined of course. From this we get excellent bathing and fishing! There are also thousands of wild ducks on the Somme which drains through our lines. One of our fellows bagged one this morning. The trenches are like a great staircase, having steps every few yards. My own little bit is at the foot of a precipice and a listening – post at the top. Fritz has a listening – post from his trench and about 10yds from ours. The other night a Fritz was crawling about and fell over the precipice into the trench!

We’ve also got a big orchard which is very nice. This place is one of the prettiest I’ve ever seen. On our right is a large gap between us and the next Rgt. which is all marsh land. There is hardly a sound by day or night. The dug – outs here even beat those in our last trenches. They have each a bedroom with beds, wash – stands etc. The main room of each is furnished with huge mirrors, oil paintings, engravings, coat-racks, etc! In fact the whole place is most desirable!

Borton went on leave this morning, so you ought to get the photos soon. I’m afraid that lot won’t be much good, but I ought to get some good ones here. Am just going out to take some now.

I hope Gique still flourishes.

Thine ever,

Dick.

1. This ruined mill is at Fargny, and the ruins have now gone. However the millrace and the pool are still there and would obviously have provided a marvellous place for bathing and fishing.

Sept 4th 1915

My Dear Mother,

No I don’t expect I shall get leave till the end of November or December.

Am writing this at 4 am in the morning, as it is my turn for early duty. It poured with rain last night, and the trenches are pretty wet.

There are millions of large and fierce mosquitos here. The men are having the time of their lives, as they catch an awful lot of eels in the river and then stew them. I’m sure they’ll be awfully ill!

Was sorry to hear that Charles had been ill. I hope he is quite recovered. Many thanks for putting the £200 in my account.

Will you stop sending me things from Fortnum & Masons? Now that we have started going in and out trenches regularly every 9 days I don’t usually want all that.(1)

But very many thanks for all that you have sent me.

Your loving son,

Robert.

1. The weeks on end in the Ypres trenches without a break would have made the Fortnum’s parcels very welcome, but now, with the chance to be out of the line in a much shorter space of time, the prospect of varied food, including Fortnum’s provisions, at the Norfolk’s Officers Mess when in reserve on a quiet front, was a good one.

Sept. 7th

1915

My dear Mother,

My servant went on leave last night, & is going to post two rolls of film to Cissie. The first photo on Roll A is our transport at Sailly Laurette. The second is J. R. Holland,(1) our Transport Officer; the third is a Tommy up a telegraph post, and all the rest are views taken

from these trenches. In the same parcel are two little brushes, one for Chang Wa & one for Gique. I saw them when I went to Corbie (2) & thought they would be just right size for them.

I think the photo of Cissie & Gique is simply ripping. The latter is slightly long in the leg, isn’t he ?!!

I believe I told Cissie that we were relieved on the night of the 9 – 10 th. It is the night of the 10th – 11th that we came out.

No, Fritz doesn’t shell us here regularly night & morning like he used to at Ypres. In face he’s only shifted us once since we’ve been here & that was to try & find our machine guns which had been annoying him considerably. Guess who shall get it in the neck today through my saying that !! he sent an aerial torpedo at us last night, but that’s been the only thing of interest.

I was awfully amused at the Bests’ puppies’ efforts with your coat & bag.

It was rather bad luck on Jim falling off his horse, but it made me laugh to think that anything had happened to the precious Staff! (3)

Why do you have all these beastly black men over so often? Don’t.

The French are letting Fritz have it in the distance.

Your loving son

Robert

1. Captain James Richard Holland – Joined 1st Norfolks in 1910; wounded 14th September 1914; Transport Officer at Ypres and on the Somme 1915.

2. Corbie is a bit further to the west down the Somme from Sailly Laurette. It was to be the place where many Norfolk Regiment casualties from the 1916 Somme battles were to be taken to the Casualty

Clearing Station (5CCS) set up there. These casualties were from the 1st, 8th and 9th Battalions. 3. Step brother Jim was a staff officer at General Plumer’s 2nd Army Headquarters, at the northern end of the

British line, and responsible for operations around Ypres and in Flanders

Sept 11th 1915Saturday

My Dear Mother,

We’re down at Morlancourt, resting. We left trenches about 12 o’c last night, and marched till 6 o’c this morning.

Sunday

Borton lost the address to send the photos to, so had them done himself. I have written on the back of each what they are. Hope all goes well at home. Just going to have lunch.

Your loving son,

Robert

Thursday

about 17th Sept ’15.

My dear Mother,

I hope you are awfully fit, and that all goes well at home.

We arrived in our new trenches about 2 a.m. this morning. They are not as good as our last ones, but that would be impossible, as they were absolutely perfect. However these might be much worse and seem very quiet. Apparently Fritz had been using the high land with the 10 th

Essex (the people we relieved) but I don’t think he’ll try it on more than once with us! As far as we know we are up here for 8 days and then go down for 8 days rest.

It must have been very interesting seeing the damage done to Dereham by the Zeppelins.

Am awfully glad my photos have enlarged well. Tony B and I rode into Corbie the day before yesterday. We stay there for dinner and lost our way coming back. You would have howled with mirth if you had seen Tony up a sign post trying to read the way with the help of wet matches!

I hope the shoot on the 4th will be success.

Your loving son,

Robert

Tuesday Sept 22nd (?) 1915

My dear Mother,

We got no post or papers again yesterday. This I believe is due to ‘The Big Push’ (as it is commonly called in England) being on at present moment.(1) Of course all the railway traffic is disorganised. There is a terrific bombardment going on our left. It is about 15 miles away, but is so intense that the ground here keeps vibrating. Heaven only knows what it must be like close to. This has been going on for the last three days.

We had an awful rag the night before last. As I mentioned in a previous letter we’ve thoroughly frightened Fritz and he’s given up his bullying tactics.

Well everything was perfectly quiet and we were having dinner (about 8 pm) ‘What’s to be done?’ asked somebody. ‘Let’s bull-bate’ Fritz I suggested and the others all agreed at once. Having finished dinner we rang up the artillery and asked them to open fire at a certain spot if they heard any bombs going off. We then collected some rifle-grenades from one of our bomb stores, which we proceeded to fire into Fritz’s trench. We then moved a little way down the trench and had a bet of 5 francs who could fire 5 round the fastest. I won, thanks to my Bisley(2) training. Fritz was beginning to get awfully annoyed by now, and sent over a couple of trench-mortar bombs. The echo of them had hardly died when ‘Whizz – Bang!’ One of our 18 pounders landed slap on Fritz’s parapet, followed immediately by five more. The artillery was playing up well. Within half a minute we heard a low moan, very high up and far away, but gradually getting nearer. ‘The heavies!’ we exclaimed and jumped up on the parapet just in time to see one of our 6inch howitzers explode slap in Fritz’s trench, blowing everything around it to glory. It was followed at short intervals by half a dozen more. This was great, as we hadn’t asked the Heavies to fire, as we thought they wouldn’t bother about a little thing like a trench mortar. Apparently the 18 pounders had rung them up and found out that they were bored and had some shells to spare, with the above result. We tried to bail old Fritz again later on, but he wasn’t having any. I bet he’ll think twice before he fires his old trench-mortar again!!

You ought to have much interesting reading in the paper soon.

I hope Chang is going strong.

I’m most awfully sorry to hear that your leg is bad. I do hope it will get better soon.

Cheero!

Your loving son

Robert

1. This seems to have been part of the preliminary artillery activity by the Allies ahead of their September offensive in Artois and both north and south of Arras. By this time the Kitchener Divisions reinforcement of the British had just been completed, with the attack going in early on the 25th September. The British effort was concentrated to the north of Arras and was called by them the Battle of Loos. The French attacked to the south of Arras and also, in their main effort, yet further south in Champagne. The 9 th Norfolks, a Kitchener (Service) battalion, having only arrived in France on the 1st September 1915, saw their first action during this battle. They were committed to an attack on German defences at quarries at Hulluch, almost as soon as arriving at the front. Against well-prepared defences they suffered over two hundred casualties, with the attack failing at its outset1. The long and painful learning curve of the enlarged and still volunteer British Army had started in earnest.

2. Bisley, in Surrey, is where the Army Rifle Association Ranges are situated. As Robert was a member of the Dulwich College ShootingVIII it is most likely that he would have competed there at some point.

1 F.Loraine Petre, The History of the Norfolk Regiment 1685 – 1918, (Jarrold and Sons, Empire Press, n.d.), pp250/251.

1st Bn. Norfolk Regt.

Sept 24th 1915.

My dear Mother,

I was awfully glad to hear from Cissie that your leg is better. I hope it continues to make rapid progress. I think the photos of the dogs are top hole.

Chang Wa looks a ripping little beggar, and I’ve never seen anything look so fed-up as he does in one of the photos! Do you beat him?!!

We’re not going to be relieved tonight, as the Regiment who ought to have relieved us have departed elsewhere.

It rained last night and the trenches are in an awful mess.

We’ve heard no more about the ‘Push’ and the bombardments I told you about may have only been a sort of preliminary counter. But there’s something in the air I think.

Later Our batteries are knocking spots off Fritz.

In great haste.

Your loving son,

Robert.

Sept 25th 1915

Dear old girl,

Cheer up! This is the best time we’ve had since we’ve been out here. We got the news of the beginning of the Advance tonight. We knew that something was up, as there have been very

heavy bombardments on both flanks for some time, but till this evening we didn’t know anything officially (at least, as regards what progress we had made. We knew that the big show was starting).

This afternoon our own artillery ‘opened’ on Frtiz’s trenches. Tony, a lad called Swift, and myself crawled out to an observation post and watched the whole proceedings. It was the most priceless thing I’ve even seen. Fritz had a redoubt just on our right. Our artillery made that their special mark, and simply wiped it out. In the middle of the show Tony remarked:- ‘I’m enjoying this more than any show in Town, What?!’ And Swift and I both agreed. And all Fritz did was to reply with 6 tiny whiz-bangs!! Then the official news about our advance came round and we all got up on the parapet and hollowed and yelled and flung everything we’d got at him (in the way of explosives).

Poor old Fritz thought we were going to attack and sent up many red lights (there signal of distress when they want their artillery to ‘open’ to back them up) but not a sound came from their guns, for the simple reason that our artillery had ‘piled’ them all up!

At the present moment our artillery is blowing all Fritz’s wire away, so that if the flanks advance enough we simply toddle through here. Old Fritz doesn’t know if he is on his head or his heels, and we can hardly keep in our trenches – we’re all dying for the order to advance.

We got a message from the commander-in-Chief this afternoon saying that ‘he hoped all Officers, N.C.O’s and men would do their best and bring the present operations to a successful conclusion’.

The artillery is increasing, and to put it shortly they’re simply knocking hell out of Fritz. Must stop to go and watch them. Will finish this tomorrow.

SundayWe’ve just received the news that the French cavalry have broken through at Champagne(1). Topping, what? The Fritz’s in front of us were very jumpy all last night, and kept sending up their red lights, but their artillery is lying in small pieces all over the countryside, so they appealed to them in vain! It’s been pouring with rain for the last two days and we’re wet through and plastered in mud, and as Gaby used to say – ‘We don’t care!’.

Many thanks for the peppermints which have just arrived. They’re top-hole.

Thine ever,

Dick

1. A premature celebration! The attack by the French in Champagne was their main effort and was aimed at achieving a substantial breakthrough before winter set in. The attack went in, in concert with the attacks further to the north, on 25th September after three days preparatory artillery fire. However, a combination of German defensive resilience and determination, over a period of two weeks desperate close quarter combat, was to overcome the French use of gas, their numerical advantage – in some cases 6 to 1 – and

their overwhelming initial advantage in artillery. This was to prove a massive blow to French national and military confidence and morale1.

(in pencil)Sept 25 1915 (1)

Sunday

Dear old girl,

Many thanks for your letter. We had no mail or letters yesterday, so I suppose the boat has stopped running again. We’ve heard rumours of a big battle in the North Sea(2), but nothing official yet.

1 Jack Sheldon, The German Army on the Western Front 1915, (Pen and Sword, 2012), Chapter 7, The Autumn Battle in Champagne, pp246 – 287.

We are keeping these trenches very quiet. When we first came in Frtiz tried to bully us like he had done the to the people we relieved. We weren’t having any, and gave it him in the neck properly. We flung everything we’d got at him, from 6inch ‘How’s’ down to ‘Jam-tins’. I thinks he’s badly frightened!!

We are being relieved about the 24th. Am awfully glad the photos enlarged well. I hope the others came out alright.

I suppose you’re in Kirk now. Personally I’m basking on a sandbag about 40yds from Fritz. No, I’m not a fire – eater! But it an awfully pleasant break to the monotony to go and snipe the wily Fritz occasionally. Besides, it keeps my eye in!

There is a full page drawing of the inside of one of our dugouts in our last trenches coming out in the ‘Illustrated London News. You ought to get it – It was done by one of our subs who is an artist by profession and its really quite good (3).

Did you see that priceless drawing in the Bystander by Capt Bairnsfather(4) called – ‘There goes our blinkin’ parapet again!’? In spite of it being so funny it’s exactly like the real thing and even down to the expressions of the men.

People back from leave tell us that England is more depressed than ever. It must be terrible being like that. I honestly believe that France is the only cheerful spot at present..

We had a ‘Munition Deputation’ round our trenches yesterday. We also caught a spy dressed as a Brigadier. He was walking around the trenches and made the fatal mistake of asking where the guns were. The next thing he knew he was looking down the barrel of a rifle! When last seen in a dug out with three grinning Tommies and fixed bayonets outside.

Just going to have lunch and then to sleep.

I hope Gique flourishes.

Thine ever

Dick

1. This date looks suspect and was probably inserted well after the war. It’s unlikely that two “Dear Old Girl” letters were written on the same day.

2. This appears to have been just rumour – no major naval actions seem to have taken place in the North Sea around this time.

3. Lieutenant Adrian Bernard Klein - 1st Norfolks 17th June 1915; wounded 29th September 1915, at which point he seems to have left the battalion; Order of St Stanislas 3 rd Class January 1918; MBE (Military) January 1919; Brother of Denise Robins, prolific Mills and Boon author between 1927 and 1985. Russian antecedents. Artist, exhibited in Leicester Art Gallery, London Salon and New English Art Club between 1914 and 1918. Fellow Royal Photographic Society. See also next letter dated 1st October.

My dear MotherOct 1st 1915

I hope your leg is getting on well. We’ve had no mail for the last two days and have just heard that there is to be none today. Its an awful nuisance; I suppose all the traffic behind the lines is disorganised owing to the ‘show’.

Things are very quiet here at present. There’s just a chance we may be going to have a show, but no one knows for certain. It all depends on how things go in other parts of the line.

The night before last one of our Captains, Longfield(1) by name, and a lad call Burlton(2) crawled out and lay on Fritz’s parapet. They hadn’t been there long when a Fritz party came wandering down the trench. They let him get within a yard of them and they gave him one each from their revolvers. Not a bad effort, was it? Unfortunately Longfield was killed yesterday morning – shot through the heart. Another of our officers was hit last night – Klein (He’s the artist who’s drawings are coming out in the ‘Illustrated London News’). He was out on patrol in ‘No Man’s Land’ and by some mistake our own men fired on him(3) – Rotten luck, wasn’t it?

Fritz is getting a pretty rough time of it on the whole, what? The Fritz’s in front of us are obviously very nervous, and are very jumpy, they spent a rather restless night last night.

I was awfully amused with Danny’s account of his first show. He sent me a long account of it.

I hope the shoot goes off well. Please remember me to all the guns, and tell them that potting Fritz’s is quite good sport. When you do get one its much more pleasant than bringing down the highest pheasant that ever flew!

There is a little village in front of us called Mametz. The Germans occupy it and we have awful fun potting at them when they go into the orchards to pick apples. This morning they loosed a lot of pigeons from their front line trench.

The weather has improved now, but is still quite cold.

Leave has been stopped for the last three weeks, so of course everyone will be late in proportion in getting theirs…

We blew up Fritz’s trench in two places last night, which annoyed him somewhat.

I hope Chang prospers.

Cheeroh!

Your loving son

Robert

1. Captain John Percival Longfield – Retired from regular army service with Norfolk Regiment in 1912, aged 27; rejoined from RARO in 1914; killed in action on 30th September 1915.

2. Lieutenant George Philip Burleton – 2nd Lieutenant 1st Norfolks October 1914; served with battalion at Ypres and on the Somme 1915; MC October 1915; killed in action Arras, 5th June 1916.

3. From the 1st Norfolk’s War Diary for September, and from the Regimental History1, it appears that Longfield’s death and Klein’s wound may have both been due to artillery fire – either hostile or friendly.

Wednesday7th Oct 15

My dear Mother

I’m most awfully glad to hear that you’re better. Nothing doing here. I went into Bray the day before yesterday and had a hot bath. We are being relieved tonight and shall probably rest for

1 F.Loraine Petre, The History of the Norfolk Regiment 1685 – 1918, Vol 11, (Jarrold ans Sons, Empire Press, n.d.), p18.

6 or 7 days. We blew up Fritz’s trench last night and are going to do it again in another place tonight.

I hope the shoot went off well. Am too slack to write more. As a matter of fact there is absolutely nothing else to say.

Your loving son,

Robert.

Telegram

War Office London

Handed in at 3.27pmReceived here at 4.29pm

To. Mrs Knowles. Taverham Hall. Norwich

Lieut R. M. Knowles, Norfolk Regt.Admitted 2 Red Cross Hospital. Rouen. 9th inst. Case not then diagnosed, further report will be wired on receipt.

Secretary. War Office.

1. The date is obviously 9th November 1915. Robert’s Service Record does not indicate a wound and so it looks as if this period in the Rouen Red Cross Hospital was probably due to sickness.

No 2 Red Cross Hospital Rouen

Wednesday

My dear Mother,

I hope all prospers at home.

I am having a top-hole time here. I expect I shall start for England on Friday or Saturday. It will be topping being home again.

There are an awfully good crowd of fellows here.

Absolutely no news.

Your loving son,

Robert.

LETTERS FROM THE ROYAL FLYING CORPS

(MAY 1916 – 25 APRIL 1917)

Letter seriously damaged.

July 28th

My Dear Mother,

I hope all goes well at home.

We are having our Company Sports this afternoon. They ought to be very funny.

Rode over to Steenwoorde yesterday.

You musn’t worry if you don’t hear from me for perhaps two or three days in future, as we go South tomorrow and I expect we shall be pretty busy.

No news. Your loving son.

Robert

Royal Flying Cross

(Fragmented Letter)FORT ROWNER,(1)GOSPORT.

Monday

Dear Mother,

When I got back this (afternoon) I found that I (had been) posted to 60 Squadron. However there were 13 other Observers posted to it as well, and as a Squadron usually only takes (7) was not certain that (I) should be going out. Hence my rather vague wire

Since wiring I have been to see the C.O. (and) he tells me that I am (to be in) ‘B’ Flight & that I shall be going out with them. Good enough, what I expect I shall get is two or three days leave at the end of the week. 60 Squadron is going to France next Monday.

It was topping being at home last week.

I have sold my motor-bike. I hope Chang’s temper is what it should be !!

Your loving son,

Robert

1. Fort Rowner was one of five forts built between 1853 and 1863 to defend Portsmouth’s inner harbour. Sited in the bay at Gosport, Fort Rowner was used in WW1 as a barracks, with the nearby Fort Grange becoming the site for an early RFC and then RAF airfield.

2. The figure (7)1 seems likely here as that was the established figure for Observers in each squadron up until June 1916, but that number was raised to 18 at that point.

Per Ardua AD ASTRAFORT ROWNER1 Wing Commander C.J.Jefford, The Rise of the Observer, in Observers and Navigators and Other Non-Pilot Aircrew in the RFC,RNAS and RAF, Airlife, n.d., p45.

GOSPORTMonday May 1916

My dear Mother,

It was top-hole being home again last week.

We are going out on Thursday. The other squadrons stationed here are going to give us a dinner and concert on Wed. night. It ought to be good fun.

My train last night was half-an-hour late, and it was most awfully hot.

Smith said that Tony Borton(1) (who is now with the R.F.C) went to dine with the Norfolks the other night and the landlady lodged a complaint with the Division!!

Arrived here safely for breakfast this morning. No news.

Your loving son,

Robert

1. See letter dated 26th May 1915.

Telegram

Lee on the SolentHanded in at 11.35Received here at 1.59pm

To Knowles, Taverham, Norwich.

- Going France Thursday. Everything OK. Robert

60 Sqdn.

Wednesday May 12 1916

My Dear Mother,

Many thanks for your letter and telegram.

I hope you will have a good time in Town.

There’s no news here. We start early tomorrow morning.

My address will be - 60 sqnR.F.CB.E.F.France.

Cheer oh!

Your loving son

Robert

Grand Hotel D’Angleterre

6 7 and 8 Cours Boielden Rouen

Tel 53

Sunday May 16 1916

My dear Mother,

I hope all flourishes at home.

As you know we left Gosport early on Thursday morning. We arrived at Southampton at 8.15 am and were told we must not leave the docks and that the transport wasn’t going till the evening! To fill in the time we went over the ‘Aquitania’ which was in dock. She is a most marvellous creation. In the evening our old Transport moved into the middle of the Solent, where she remained till the next night. In the morning 12 of us borrowed one of the boats and rowed up to another transport and challenged them to a race. It was top hole fun. We arrived at Haven in the morning and went into the town to have lunch. We changed boats in the afternoon and came up here by river. It was most priceless scenery all the way up.

Most of us are staying at this hotel and shall probably be going on by road tomorrow or the day after.

No news. We’re having a top-hole time.

Your loving son

Robert

Sunday

Dear old girl,

How goes it? I hope the Wowkelons(1) concussion is better!

Am just going off on my first patrol in about an hour.

Daylight saving came in here the other day, so that makes the second hours’ sleep I’ve been done out of this year. It’s a bit thick, isn’t it?!

Tolhurst(2) is quite near here, and came over to see me yesterday. He was in great form. It will be awfully interesting flying over my old trenches(3).

No news.

Thine ever,

Dick

1. Nickname for dogs presumably. 2. Tolhurst (Research needed). 3. As 60 Squadron were based at Boisdinghen, between St Omer and Boulogne, the trenches would have

been those around Hill 60 at Ypres.

Thursday June 6 1916

My dear Mother,

Many thanks for your letter which I received this morning.

No we haven’t been out on reconnaissance yet. We are still near St Omer, but go down south near Amiens in a day or two(1), when we shall have our own aerodrome and really get to work. I believe I’ve told you my Pilots’ name – Browing-Paterson. He’s an awfully nice chap.

60 is a Top-hole Squadron.

We had a great game of Rugger this afternoon against the Lancashire Fusiliers, who are resting near here. We were three men short, and lost by one point. I’m so stiff and sore that I can hardly move!

Am just going off to dine with the Lancashire’s

Cheerio!

Your loving son,

Robert.

1. The airfield “near Amiens” would have been Vert Galland near Doullens.

Saturday 6 June 1916.

My Dear Mother,

Yesterday Browning-Paterson and I flew over to St. Omer to get some spare parts. We did a bad landing and crashed the under – carriage, which was very convenient, as it couldn’t be repaired till the evening, and so we had all day there!

Last night there was a terrific bombardment going on in the direction of Ypres – Rumour has it that old Fritz is attacking there.

This morning I had to teach one of our side-care drivers how to drive a side-car. It was quite funny driving on the ‘wrong’ side of the road, and was quite exciting in Omer traffic!

Please thank Cissie for her letter, and tell her that I have signed the documents and sent them on to old Winder.

Am having all sorts of ‘gadgets’ put on my machine. It ought to be very comfy when I’ve finished with it. Will you please ask Linnie to send out my cigarette case. Please tell her that I have got her the ring that she wanted, and will send it along as soon as possible.

I hope you are very fit. Please starve Chang for three days – I’m sure he needs it!

Your loving son,

Robert.

P.S. Was very interested in Danny’s letter.

June 10th 1916

My Dear Mother,

The night before last we lent our ‘bus to one Keddie by name, who is spare pilot, as he hasn’t got a machine of his own. He is a very bad pilot, and we were certain he’d crash it. Well he

DID! and with such effect that it has been scrapped. So at present ‘B-P’ and myself are without a machine.

In the afternoon before it was crashed ‘B-P’ and I flew over to Boulogne and four or five miles out into the Channel, where I practiced firing my machine gun. We could see Dover Harbour and right up to the mouth of the Thames. It is extraordinary how small the Chanel looks from the air. Last night we borrowed a machine and went for a joy-ride for an hour.

One of our flights is going to have ‘bullets’ (single seaters)(1), so that four observers will probably have to go to another Squadron. They may need the four heaviest, in which case I shall be one of them!

I hope Whitwell passed the Tribunal alright(2). Got up at 5.30am this morning to fire a wretched machine gun, and am writing this at 7.45am.

What a Life!

Your loving son,

Robert.

1. “Bullets” were single-seat Morane scout aircraft, with an 80 horse power engine. Not liked by the RFC, being inefficient at a height due to short wings and a heavy engine. Described as “having the gliding angle of a brick” when gliding without any engine power.1

2. This will have been a tribunal sitting in Norwich to deal with applications for exemptions from conscription. Given Whitwell’s gamekeeper status he would have been very lucky to succeed. The Minutes of the

Tribunal’s Meetings do not record individual names, purely appellant serial numbers, given the large

numbers of applications by both individuals and by organisations. Thus his name does not appear in the relevant minute.

MondayJune 12th 1916

My dear Mother,

1 Group-Captain A.J.L.Scott, Sixty Squadron RAF: A History of the Squadron 1916 – 1919,( Greenhill Books, 1990), pp 6/7.

I hope all goes well with you all at home. I bet Danny’s awfully braced with life being in the Army. I was very amused about your telegram to him. Am so sorry to hear about Cissie’s toothache. I hope it will soon be better.

Will you please send me three thin khaki shirts and collars. (light colour).

It would give Cissie something to do to go down to Norwich and choose them (!), as she knows the shade I like. It is frightfully hot here and the insects are awful!

Yes! Rather! I always look forward to Fortnum and Masons parcels. I should also be very grateful for some more of the little books you used to send me.

Fritz will get the shock of his life one of these fine days. We’ve got some beautiful little surprises for him!

Have written to the bank to tell them to store my money.

Heard from Billy Bryans yesterday. He’s convalescent now, but may have to have an operation as he’s still got a piece of shell in his head.

Your loving son,

Robert.

1. See letters dated 18th April and 18th July 1915 for other references to Billy Bryans.

addressed to: Mrs Wilson – Taverham Hallredirected to: Felix Hotel, Felixstowe.

Wednesday June 1916

Dear Old Girl,

I was awfully glad to get your letter today. Jim came over here yesterday and brought an old General with him. Have been going a good deal of flying lately, but have not been over the line’s from here. However I have passed my preliminary tests, and am going on the next trip. This is a top hole Squadron, and I like it better every day I am with it.

I hope you and the others have a nice time at Felixstowe. Remember me to ‘Rosie’ (the barmaid) if you see her!

The enclosed was taken by the official photographer of ‘60’. I may add that he had dragged me for a game of ‘Vingt – et –‘ to have it taken. Hence the scowl!!

Am just going to ‘take the air’ so must stop.

Thine ever,

Dick.

Thursday June 15 1916

Dear old girl,

Very many thanks for the priceless ‘baccy’ pouch you have sent me. It is really quite the nicest I have ever seen.

Some officers of the 19th Hussars came over to dine yesterday and we had a great evening. Newton(1) and I went to fetch them in a tender in the afternoon. They were stationed about 20 miles from here, so we had quite a nice joy-ride.

This afternoon we went in to St Omer to take back a piano that we had hired. Newton played it all the way going there, and we caused great excitement in St Omer as people couldn’t make out where the music was coming from!

We are going South to our new Aerodrome tomorrow. All the Hussars are going by road, and I am going to ride a Motor bike down.

Our ‘Parasols’(2) (the machines our flight had) have all been handed in as unserviceable, and our flight is going to have Morane bi-planes. Nothing has yet been settled about the heavy observers going to another squadron, but I expect they will.

This wet weather has brought on my gout again! It is very severe!!

Please thank the Wowkenon very much for his ripping present.

Thine ever

Dick.

1. Lieutenant H.J.Newton, another of 60 Squadron’s Observers. 2. 60 Squadron, which was formed on 1st May 1916 at Gosport, was equipped with the aircraft for its three

flights once it arrived in France at St Omer. These were French Moranes of three kinds. “A” Flight had Morane “bullets”, “B” Flight had the more effective 110 horsepower Morane two-seater biplane and “C” Flight had the older Morane “parasol” – a two-seater monoplane.1

June 18 1916 Saturday

My dear Mother,

1 Ibid, pp5/6.

We’ve arrived at our new aerodrome safely. I had a great run down here – on the motor-bike yesterday. I left half-an-hour after everybody else and arrived here nearly an hour before them!

It is certain now that the heavy observers are going to another squadron, but to whom and when we don’t know.

We are about 14 miles behind the lines. (Behind the lines that I was in when I left last October). The guns are at it on and off, all day, and we can hear them distinctly.

No. 22 Sqdn is quite near hear and yesterday I met one of their Observers who was with me at Thetford and Gosport. If I have any luck I might go there when I leave 60. We had a farm house and slept in a big barn. The carpenters have made half-a-dozen little cubicles in the latter, each holding two people, and we are awfully comfortable.

Some of our machines are doing their first patrol this afternoon, but we haven’t go our new ‘bus yet, so there’s nothing doing as far as we are concerned. There was a German machine knocking round here at lunch time yesterday. Went into the local town this morning to get stuff for the mess. While I was there, 10 English machines passed over on a raid. They looked topping.

The only drawback to this aerodrome is that it’s miles from anywhere. Perhaps you don’t think that’s a drawback, What?!

I hope all flourishes at home. Please remember me to Misses Lambert and Winder if they are still there.

How’s Chang? Our Mascot’s name is ‘Carpenter’ – because ‘he does little odd jobs all over the house!!’

Your loving son,

Robert

1. Vert Galland, near Doullens.

No 20 Sqdn. R.F.C.(1) B.E.F. France.

My dear Mother,

As you see, I’ve left 60, the five heaviest observers having to go.

The is some Squadron. The machines are Super – F.E.’s, with a 240H.P. Rolls Engine.

When I arrived I found two great friends of mine here. One was with me at Thetford and the other at Gosport. We are about three miles from where Jim is, and I shall try and go over and see him.

The C.O. here is Major Malcolm, who was C.O. at Norwich for some time.

Post just going.

Your loving son,

Robert

1. 20 Squadron was designated as a “Fighter-reconnaissance” squadron and was equipped with F.E2d two-seater biplanes by the time that Robert Knowles arrived with them. They were based at Clairmarais in Belgium (The exact location of Clairmarais requires confirmation).

Saturday

My dear Mother,

I hope you are having a good time at Felixstowe.

Old Fritz is taking it in the neck, isn’t he?

Although we are 20 odd miles behind the lines our guns are making the whole place shake.Good enough sky!

This morning we sent out a patrol of 5 machines. Unfortunately I couldn’t go on it as I was Orderly Officer. They wandered about behind the German lines seeking trouble for an hour and a half.

During that hour-and-a-half they crashed three Fokkers and drove four more down, badly damaged. Not too bad, What!

Last night we escorted about 30 machines on a bombing raid.

It’s frightfully hot here.

Many thanks for your letter and the bill which have just arrived.

Your loving son,

Robert.

Saturdayabout June 27, 1916

My dear Mother,

I have just received your letter telling me about poor old Danny(1).

I am most terribly sorry about it, and shall miss him very much. There is one comfort – that is that I am certain that he would not have wished any other death.

You must feel it terribly, I am most awfully sorry for you. However he and Dada are probably hunting together now.

I went over to see Jim this afternoon, and only got your letter when I got back. The first I head about old Danny was when Jim told me. Jim seems very fit and lives in most palatial quarters.

No news here.

Cheer up mother dear, and remember that Danny’s done his bit and is now resting on his laurels.

Your loving son,

Robert.

1. Danny is buried in Tanga European Cemetery (Double check needed) in what in those days was the colony of Tanganyika, with Germany attempting to capture the colony from the British.

Tuesday

My dear Mother,

I’m sorry to hear you’ve been half-starved! I hope you’ll have better luck with your new cook.

There hasn’t been much flying here for the last two days, as the clouds have been low and it’s been raining most of the time.

Tats Baines’ Squadron has been doing very good work. The general sent round yesterday to say that they had brought Immelman down, and that some of their machines were attacked by six Fokkers, four of the latter being brought down.

Last night some Pierrots came here and gave us a concert. They were awfully good.

There are wonderful machines of ours. It’s topping feeling a 250h.p. engine behind you.

Am writing to Mr. Betts today to know if he has sold the Rolls, and to know why it hasn’t returned yet.

Will you please send me some books? We have plenty of time for reading!

Am glad you are taking to type-writing again. I shan’t forget how I laughed at the last type-written letter I received from you when I was in trenches!!

I hope Chang’s temper is improving.

Your loving son,

Robert.

1. Immelman was one of the most famous early German air aces of WW1, with a growing number of combat successes before he was shot down by 25 Squadron RFC. He was given a hero’s state funeral in Dresden.

July 8th 1916

My dear Mother,

The clouds here have been too low for any serious flying lately.

This morning I went up to shoot at a pond which is in the middle of the aerodrome. In the afternoon I went up for a test in ‘Wireless in Co-operation with Artillery’ which I passed alright. This evening we went for a fog – ride to Dunkirk.

Just before lunch today one of our machines crashed about half a mile from the aerodrome. When it hit the ground it turned clean over and caught fire. The observer was laid out, but came to in time to drag the pilot out of the wreckage before he was burnt. The latter is pretty badly smashed up, but we hope he will live.

I hope all prospers at home. Chang should not be allowed to get too fat! When I get back that dogs’ life won’t be worth living!! I’m certain he’s leading a life of too much luxury, but can you tell him from me that when I get back it will stop!

Your loving son,

Robert.

July 9th Sunday 1916

Dear old girl,

Went on patrol this morning. We left the Aerodrome at 7.40am. arriving back at 10.20am. Its rather a boring job. We wandered up and down behind our lines at 10,000 ft. There were four Boshes behind their lines, but the blighters wouldn’t come over, and as we were on patrol we couldn’t cross the lines.

Got a long letter from old Winder yesterday, about being one of Danny’s executors. He didn’t say a word about any money being due to me. I suppose he’d pinched it!

I wonder if the Rolls has turned up yet. I had a very vivid dream yesterday afternoon that I was driving her.

LaterA telephone message has just come through to say that Major Malcolm (our C.O.) and his observer, Chancellor, have been killed(1). They went to St. Omer after lunch to fetch a new machine, and side-stepped just after they left the aerodrome there. It’s rotten luck. We shall never get another C.O. like Malcolm and Chancellor was an awfully good chap.

I also heard last night that Major Waldron, O.C. 60 Sqn(2), has been killed, but this is not absolutely official.

Many thanks for your letters which came this afternoon. You & Wowkelon mustn’t think I’m a fire-eater. I’m very far from it!

Please tell mother that I should be very grateful for Punch every week.

Thine ever,

Dick

1. (Research needed into Major G.J.Malcolm and his Observer, Chancellor). 2. Major Francis Fitzgerald Waldron – Gained his pilots certificate in 1912; transferred from 19 th Hussars to

Royal Flying Corps in 1913: first commanding officer for 60 Squadron RFC on formation in May 1916. He was the first pilot of his Squadron to be killed in action, on 3rd July 1916. As a result of Waldron’s death Headquarters RFC issued an order prohibiting Squadron commanders from flying operational patrols over enemy territory.1

July 11th 1915

1 Western Front Association, Stand To, September 2012, p3.

My dear Mother,

Many thanks for the books, which have just turned up.

This afternoon the whole Squadron went in to St Omer to attend the funeral of Major Malcolm and Chancellor.

Yesterday we started off on a reconnaissance, but there were huge banks of clouds from 3,000 to 10,000, so we had to give it up after an hour. Today the clouds are very low, so there is practically no flying.

Cissie tells me that the new cook is great success. Good work.

My flight Commander is a fellow called Maxwell(1), who I knew very well at Thetford in 25 Sqn. He is a top-hole chap.

I’m certain Chang is being spoilt now you’ve returned home. Twist his tail from me!

Your loving son

Robert.

1. (Research needed for Maxwell).

July 12th 1916

Dear old girl,

Please excuse the paper but I’m writing this in our old ‘bus. We ought to be on patrol, but it is a dud and our machine has just been re-rigged, so we are on a joy-ride testing it. I’m afraid the writing is very bad, but there’s a 50 mph wind blowing and it’s very “bumpy”.

I dreamt last night that I had a great big boar hound, and that he ate Wonkeson in one mouthful! We could see Wonkeson down his throat but couldn’t get him out, so we took into Norwich in the Rolls and Stanley got him out with a fishing rod!!

We’re just going into the clouds and the “bumps” are worse than ever.

I wonder if the Rolls has turned up yet. She ought to be back any time now.

Cheerio!

Thine ever,

Dick.

PS. When we landed Hartney(1) told me that we had been doing well over 130mph flying down wind!

1. Lieutenant Harold Hartney was a talented Canadian pilot who finished the war as a Lieutenant Colonel commanding the 1st Pursuit Group of the United States Air Service – the most celebrated American Air Combat Group in WW1.

Friday ? 1916

My dear Mother,

We started off on a Recon: this morning, but a lot of clouds came up and we had to come back.

Our new C.O. has arrived Major Mansfield(1) by name. He seems a top-hole chap.

One of our subalterns had a fight with a Staff Captain, and the first sight that greeted the new C.O. was the above mentioned sub wandering about with his arm in a sling, a black eye and thick ear! However the Captain was entirely laid out, which is good work.

Some of our fellow went up near the trenches yesterday. The men resting told them that all the men in trenches were mad over this Squadron, and called them ‘The Fighting Five’ (We always go over five at time on Reconaissance)(2).

I hope you are all keeping fit. No news.

Your loving son

Robert

1. (Research into Mansfield needed). 2. The F.E.2d aircraft design with a rear mounted “pusher” propeller made them vulnerable to attack from the

rear. As a result tactics were devised to overcome this by flying in a formation that allowed the rear of the aircraft to be covered by aircraft flying behind. This tactic was proved on 1st July 1916 when five 20 Squadron F.E.2ds took on twenty German Fokkers over the Somme. Four Fokkers were shot down, and another was forced down out of control, without loss to 20 Squadron.1

1 Flight Lieutenant N.J.Roberson, The History of No 20 Squadron Royal Flying Corps – Royal Air Force 1916 – 1919. ( Published by Author, 1987), p14.

Wednesday

My dear Mother,

I hope all prospers at home. The clouds have been too low for any serious flying for the lats tow days, so there’s no news. Jim has written to know if I would like a permanent Commission after the War!! I don’t think!!!!

Apparently he doesn’t know me as well as some people.

Just going off on a practice Recon.

Your loving son,

Robert

One machine has been repaired. It looks like one of those spotted dogs, as it is simply covered all over with patches.

MondayMy Dear Mother,

We had a top-hole time last night on our first patrol. We left the Aerodrome at 5.40pm, in company with another machine. The first place in the line that we came to was Arras, which we passed over at 10,000ft. We then turned and followed the line down to Albert. We passed many British machines, but saw the Huns. We turned at Albert, and came back to Arras. About half-way back I saw a machine flying at about our height and coming from the German

direction. I pointed it out to B.P., and yelled ‘What is it?’ He replied ‘Don’t know. Hun. I think’. I accordingly un-strapped myself, knelt on my set and trained my old gun on him. When we were about 200yds apart the other machine turned, and I saw the red, white and blue on his rudder. We waved to him and he waved back, and we went on in company for a bit. The other machine that had started with us was a little below and in front of us. ‘Archie’ got inquisitive about now and started trying his luck on the other ‘bus. He got fed-up after a bit, and turned his attention to us. It is awfully funny being Archied. Little white puffs suddenly appear from nowhere, and it is awfully hard to realise that they are shells, and meant for your benefit. None came near us, as we were very high and travelling at 100m.p.h. We wandered up and down the line for our allotted time, and then came home, arriving back at 7.35pm.

It was most awfully interesting seeing all the German Lines, and it was awfully interesting flying over our old trenches. It surprised me very much that when we saw this machine coming at us that we thought was a German I didn’t feel a bit excited. I suppose there wasn’t time to be, but I remember thinking that it was very much like training your gun on a running rabbit.

Yesterday there was a big air-fight about 10 miles from here. Eleven of our machines attacked 12 Germans. One German was brought down, and another was brought down about 2 miles from here later in the day.

There are all sorts of interesting things I would like to tell you, but can’t, because of this jolly old Censor. If only you knew then you would turn cartwheels for joy!

I wonder how Harry likes his flying.

It is raining at present, so there is low flying.

It gave me intense joy when we turned our nose for home last night to think of those poor beggars in trenches, going out on wiring-parties, etc, while we were going home to a good feed and a read bed.

Your loving son,

Robert.

FridayDear old girl,

By jove, we’ve had a day of it today! At 5.15am five machines left to stay as long as they could over the German lines and ‘straff’ any German machines that dare to leave the ground. I went up at 5.30am with a fellow called Dowling on patrol. (Hartney is temporarily laid up with flu). Dowling is an awful nice chap and a good pilot, but has only been with us a short time and doesn’t know the country.

We had just got to our patrol station at 11,000 ft when a great bank of fog came up, and I got absolutely lost. We dived down to 300ft, so that I could see the ground, but when I did I hadn’t the vaguest idea where we were. We had a heated argument as to which way we should go, but I got my way, and after one hour I spotted a land-mark which I knew and so we got home, landing about 8.30am. The five ‘straffing’ machines should have been home by then; but there was no sight of them. About 9am a ‘phone message came through to say one of the five had landed alright on this side of the lines.

Half-an-hour later another message came through to say that one of the others had landed but crashed in so doing, the occupants being slightly injured – just enough to get them to hospital.

Eleven o’clock came and not news of the missing machines. We were sitting in the mess playing the gramophone, when someone remarked. ‘By the way the 7.30 Patrol hasn’t turned up yet’ Thinking about the 3 missing machines we’d clean forgotten them. It was now 5 machines missing!, and things looked very bad. Soon after we got messages saying one machine had landed about 80 miles away having lost its way in the fog, and another had hit a tree in the fog on landing, both occupants being killed. After lunch news came through saying one of the two ‘7.30’ machines had landed at Rouen! He also got lost but finished up there. Then a message came through to say a F.E. had landed just inside the German lines – so we supposed this was the other ‘7.30 machine. We have just received a message from the latter saying he had landed at Dieppe! The sports-man who landed at Rouen had a forced landing on the way back and turned over, but he’s alright, although the machine is done in.

Everyone here is now frightfully bucked, in spite of the one fatal crash. It might have been much worse, as we imagined in the middle of the morning when five machines were missing.

Cheerio!

Thine ever,

Dick

1. (The return timing of 5.30am on the original needs to be checked. If accurately transcribed then a note is needed on the lines: “1. This timing has to be incorrect as an hour, at least, has elapsed since the 5.30am take off!”).

My dear Mother,Monday

Am just back from a reconnaissance over Lille. We left here at 6.15am., and crossed the lines at Wipers. ‘Archie’ was in great form this morning, and gave it us pretty hot. I was standing up looking over the tail for Fokkers when I suddenly received an awful whack on the shoulder which sent me sprawling on the floor. It was a bit of Archie. It stuck in my thick leather coat

and didn’t go through. Over Lille a couple of German bi-planes wandered up to investigate, but they had wind up and didn’t come within fighting distance. When we got down we found our old ‘bus simply riddled with holes. She will have to be practically re-built.

My pilot is a fellow called Hartney. He’s a Canadian, and one of the very best chaps I’ve ever met. I don’t like Canadians as a rule, but he’s a most priceless fellow.

Yesterday I went up on patrol with a new pilot, by name Henshaw. He’s a very nice chap, but had only driven at F.F. for an hour, and had never seen one of ours before! He’s not been out here before, so I promptly took him over the lines!

It was awfully funny the way he shoved her nose down and beetled for home as soon as the first Archies began to burst!!

That machine that landed in Lille was on its way to this Squadron. Sickening isn’t it?

I wonder if you are still at Felixstowe, and if so I hope you are having a good time.

Things are beginning to happen here – What? I’ve never seen such a lie as the German Communique which says ‘we have lost no machines, neither have any of our pilots or observers been wounded’!! This Squadron alone accounted for 7 the other morning. I think it’s a very good sign when they start that sort of thing.

I hope you and Cissie are keeping very fit.

Your loving son

Robert.

July 19th 1916

My Dear Mother,

I am awfully grateful about the large pictures of you and Dada that are being left to us.

Last night we got our reconnaissance to Roulers done. We wandered about behind the German lines taking photographs for quite a long time. ‘Archie’, as usual got very excited, but we didn’t catch anything this time. One of the other machines was hit in the radiator, but managed to get back and land alright in our lines. We passed over my old trenches, and they are just the same as when I left them. On the way back we came down very low and circled round Rheninghelst where Hartney’s little lot are. This is the place where we had such a top-hole rest this time last year.

This morning we started out on a patrol, but the clouds were very low, and we chucked it after an hour.

We have just started Badminton here. It is a most strenuous game, and awfully good fun. We are also making a wonderful sort of bicycle to carry eight, which we call the ‘velocipede’. It will have four wheels and is worked by levers, rather like a rowing boat. It will be some vehicle when it’s finished!

It is a ripping letter about Danny that Cissie has sent on to me.

Your loving son,

Robert.

P.S. An orderly has just brought me your letter, which had got into the mens’ letters by mistake. You can be quite sure that I shall not take any unnecessary risks. I consider that Hartney is one of the best pilots in the R.F.C. and what is more he doesn’t ‘stunt’. Perhaps this isn’t exactly a safe job, but it’s easily the safest fighting job. So you needn’t worry on that score. I couldn’t stick a job in the Army that wasn’t a fighting one. The sole reason that I haven’t paid Mann & Eggertons’ bill is that I haven’t go a cheque book, but I have written for one, and you won’t hear from them again unless it’s the receipt!

July 22nd 1916

My Dear Mother,

Last night we had top-hole fun. We went out on a ‘Patrol’. (i.e. we sat over Hunland and dared anyone to tackle us). We only saw two Huns, and they ran like stags when we turned our

noses towards them! Archie, as usual, got awfully worried, but our machine was the highest, 14,000ft. and not many came very near us. This morning we were on early patrol, but the clouds were too thick, and we came back after ¾ hour. It was a priceless sight seeing the sun rise from the air.

It looks like being a dud day, so I think I shall go and see Jim.

I hope you’re keeping Chang in order. He’ll have the time of his life when I come back!

Your loving son,

Robert.

July 31 1916 FRIDAY

Dear old Girl,

How’s life? I hope everything prospers. As I told Mother yesterday this is no ordinary Squadron. It is the only Squadron out here that is allowed to paint its machines any colour it likes, this being a privelidge granted because of the good work that it has done. When an observer joins, no matter what flying he has done, he hast to go through everything just as if he had never seen an aeroplane before, and it is not allowed to go over the lines till five days after he has joined. I have got to know nearly all the fellows here, and they seem a top-hole crowd.

We are about 20miles behind the lines. (Hence the proximity of the staff!!). The guns have been rumbling away all day, and we can hear them quite clearly.

Yesterday one of our machines and another from another Squadron attacked two German machines. The other British machine was shot down and crashed, but ours shot down one of the Germans and drove the other one off.

Am writing to Jim today to tell him to come over to see me.

I hope the Wowkelon is very fit.

Thine ever

Dick

_________

Have had no letters for five days, owing to no post arriving for the last three days. I was with 60 and to changing Squadrons since.

Dec. 16th 1916

My dear Mother,

We have had two topping scraps this morning. Three of us were over the Bosch lines at about 12,000’ doing a Recon: Two of us were going along more or less side-by-side when a little Bosh scout machine suddenly dived at us. We did a sudden swerve and the Bosch shot past us about 50yds away. I emptied half a drum of my machine gun into him and he suddenly nose-dived vertically down. He went down so fast that we lost him, so don’t know if he crashed or not. We stayed and messed about over this side for some time and were on our way home about 5 miles this side of the line when we saw two Bosh machines about 4,000’ below us. Awful cheek their being over this side, wasn’t it! Francis, who was my pilot today shoved our nose down as hard as he could and we shot down after them. When we were about 150yds from one of them, a big two seater, we opened fire and we could see his observer standing up and firing at us. Then he ‘stopped one’, and disappeared leaving his gun hanging over the side. We continued firing and diving at him till we were about 30’ away, when we swerved away and left him to the mercies of another machine. Unfortunately we also lost him so never learnt his ultimate fate, but he was certainly very sick(1).

Cissie tells me that you have sent me a woolly waistcoat, for which many thanks. It will be awfully useful. I hope Chang is flourishing. Old man Barker has written to me!

Please give my love to Cissie, and tell her I’m afraid I owe her a letter, but I always forget which of you two I wrote to last.

Your loving son,

Robert.

1. The Royal Flying Corps War Diary for 1916 records for 16 th December that, on the Second Army Front (where 20 Squadron were deployed) there were “six indecisive combats”1. Presumably those that Robert reports here were two out of those six.

Feb 3rd 1917.

My Dear Mother,

1 Royal Flying Corps, WarDiary1916, entry for December 16th, p 819.

We had some fun this morning. James is still seedy so I went up on a Patrol with a fellow called Gordon-Davis. The other machine that ought to have come with us on the job crashed getting off the aerodrome, so we went off by ourselves. Just as we got to this side we saw two Huns on this side, so we beetled off after them. We got very close to one of them and I gave him a drum from my front gun – I could see the ‘Tracers’ going right into him, and he suddenly went down in a spin with his propellor stopped. I couldn’t follow him right down to the ground as these other Huns suddenly appeared and we had to get rid of them, but he must have crashed.

We scrapped with these three Huns for a bit and then they cleared off. About five minutes later we saw six Huns messing about this side, so we chased off after them. We got right into the middle of them and split them up and got one of them isolated. We dived after him and I got two drums into him. Just before I finished my second drum, smoke started pouring out of his engine and he went down absolutely vertically, so that was number two gone west! We then spotted another Hun over this side by himself and hared off after him. We’d got him absolutely cold when my beastly gun jammed – I tried my back gun but that was frozen stiff. Rotton luck, wasn’t it? However we kept manouvering round him and he got awful wind – up and cleared off home. Even though we didn’t get him two isn’t such a bad bag for one machine by itself in an hour. The major was very pleased with life when we came home and told him about it(1).

I hope all flourishes at home. Olive(2) seems to have had quite a good time at Woolverstone.

No news here.

Your loving son,

Robert.

1. This was the action for which Robert and his pilot, Gordon-Davis, were both awarded the Military Cross. The RFC War Diary reports “Captain C. Gordon-Davis/Captain R.M.Knowles (20 Sqn) – engaged seven hostile aircraft during a patrol near WERVICQ. One German machine was driven down out of control”1. See also the next letter.

2. See Family Tree and details in Appendix – Robert’s future wife.

1 Royal Flying Corps, War Diary 1917, entry for 3rd February, p39.

Sat 1917 (Probably 4 or 5 February)

My Dear Mother,

The Major has just informed me that I have been given the Military Cross for scrapping those Huns the other day. Some luck, what !! As a matter of fact it was all due to the pilot, Gordon-Davis, who manoeuvred the machine pricelessly and I’d got nothing to do but shoot.

We were up this morning to take some photos. There were 24 degrees of frost on the ground when we left, so you can guess that it was some cold at 12,000 ft.

We’ve only just got back to base and the Major wants me and G-D to go into St Omer to dine with him, so must stop.

Your loving son,

Robert

Feb 7th. 1917

My Dear Mother,

I hope everything is alright at home – I haven’t heard for a long time.

Jim asked me to go to lunch with him the other day and sent one of the H.Q. cars for me. Old Plumer was there and General Rawlinson and several other Generals(1). They were all very nice and bucked away about our scraps with the Huns. General Chichester gave me his car to come home in. Swish! I must have looked very funny there as my face was all bandaged up as the result of frost-bite – my goggles froze over just before we tackled those Huns so I had to take them off, with the above result.

‘F.E.’ has got pneumonia, and I expect him to expire shortly.

Poor old Stead has died of his wounds. (He was the Pilot I told you about who was badly wounded but brought his observer safely back to our lines). He was one of the very best and is a great loss to the Squadron.

Have got a Russian flying officer staying with us for two days. He talks very good English and is very interesting. I only wish I could tell you in a letter some of the things that he has told us about the Russian Army, but the beastly old Censor is in the way. However things are going to be ‘tres bon’(2).

Please give my love to Cissie.

I hope the dogs flourish.

Your loving son,

Robert.

1. Generals Plumer and Rawlinson were the commanders of 2nd and 4th Armies respectively and were obviously having a meeting at Plumer’s 2nd Army Headquarters, where Robert’s step brother Jim was a staff officer.

Telegram

Dated: 28 Ap. 17

War Office London

GH MS handed in received12.25 1.50

To: Knowles, Taverham Hall Norwich

Regret to inform you that Capt. R.M. Knowles RFC 20th Squadron wounded April 24

Further news sent when received.

Secretary War Office

Post Office Telegraphs

B.E.F. 24th Office date stamped 24 Ap 17

To: Mrs Knowles, Taverham Hall Norwich.

Beautiful Cushy one don’t worry

Robert Knowles

Post Office Telegraphs

France 24 Office stamp 24 Ap 17

To: Knowles, Taverham Hall Norwich

Have seen Robert wound’s. Quite certain should be well in three weeks.

J. Knowles

No 10 C.C.S. BEF.

25.4.17

My dear Mother,

Sister is writing this for me as my arm is in a sling – don’t worry as I have got a most priceless cushy wound – just one bullet through the right forearm - & a scratch on the head – the old Hun set us on fire at 10,000 feet – but Robertson my pall, brought her down rippingly and we finished up in a duck pond. Jim came over to see me yesterday. Please give my love to Olive - tell her that I hope to write her details shortly.

Cheerio,

Your loving son

Robert

loose letter

Wednesday

Dear old girl,

I was awfully amused at your letter about how that man had taken the lodge gates away. Am writing this at No. 10 Stationary Hospital(1), St. Omer.

However please continue to address my letters to No. 20 Sqn, as I don’t expect I shall be here for a week at the outside.

My only fear is that I may not get back to No 20, as when anyone is sent to hospital you can never tell where you will go when you come out.

Old Hartney and another good fellow from 20 are here, and we are having quite a good time. We can see an Aerodrome from here, and it makes us laugh to see our ‘buses getting up and going over the lines!

Thine ever

Dick.

1. 10 Casualty Clearing Station (10 CCS).

HQ 2nd Army BEF

9th Feb 17

My dear Baba(1),

I wonder if Robert has told you about the great fight he had last week with German aeroplanes for which he has been awarded the Military Cross. He was put on a line patrol when he and his pilot saw a German machine which they immediately attacked and shot down. They then saw two more Boche machines and gave chase being in time pursued by four German Scout machines. As soon as they saw they were being pursued they turned and attacked their pursuers, broke up their formation and brought one down; the other made off as fast as they could. They then turned towards home and to on their way met another Boche machine which they attacked but unfortunately Roberts gun jammed just when he had a sitting shot and his spare gun was frozen stiff and wouldn’t work. He came over here next day and told us about it; it was a very fine performance. Unfortunately he had to take off his mask as it got frosted over so he got slightly frost bitten but then he was out flying again Friday so I suppose he is now quite all right. It is frightfully cold here and I suppose it is much the same with you. I hope both you and Dolly are keeping quite fit. Please remember me to Linnie, I expect she will be wild with excitement.

With love,

Yours [always?]

Jim

1. This is the first of three letters from James Knowles (Jim) to his stepmother, Catherine, that provide interesting background to the end of Robert’s war. The RFC War Diary for 1917 records another action on 5 th April involving Robert and another officer – Captain Mahoney-Jones. “Two Halberstadts were driven down out of control by a patrol of 20 Squadron. Capt MAHONEY-JONES and Capt KNOWLES, who, with others, engaged these machines, believe that both were destroyed”1. Also see Appendix for a “Combats in the Air” Report of this action.

1 Ibid, entry for 5th April, p117.

HQ 2nd Army BEF

24th April 17

My dear Baba,

I hope you got my wire which I sent you, saying I had seen Robert and that he is only slightly wounded. I heard this morning that he had been wounded and, as soon as I could find out where he was, went and visited him. I found him in bed of course and apparently not very much the worse. He had one or two very slight scalp wounds, caused by splinters from the radiator of his machine; he has flesh wound in his right forearm, which he did not even notice until some time after he had landed, and his right foot was slightly scorched; he thinks he will be all right again in about three weeks time. It appears that his machine was one of five fighting machine which were escorting five reconnaissance machines in a long reconnaissance. As soon as they crossed the line, they were attacked by a number of German Scouts which he estimated between 12 and 18, who concentrated their efforts against the British escorting machines, who had a hard fight, while the other machine went on with their reconnaissance. Three British machines were brought down and at least three German machines. One British machine landed behind the German line and the other four of which Roberts was one, landed on our side. Robert was about five miles over the line when his machine caught fire, so of course his pilot made for home, while Robert kept the fire down with his extinguisher. They landed about 1500 yards on our side and luckily neither of them were hurt in landing, though Robert was thrown out into a ditch. He seems to have kept the fire off himself and his pilot very successfully as it does not seem to have done either of them any harm, although their machine was, of course, very badly damaged. He expects to remain where he is for about three days and then to be sent down to Boulogne. It is not possible to say yet whether he will be sent to England, but I hope very much that he will and that he will be allowed, as soon as he is better, to go through the necessary course in order to get his pilot certificate. If so he should be at home out of harms way for the next three to four months. I suspect I shall be seeing him again before he goes so I shall be able to tell you how he goes on. I don’t think he will be able to write himself at present as his right hand and arm are bound up.

With love,

Yours [?]

Jim

HQ2nd Army BEF

24th April 17

My dear Baba,

I hope you got my wire which I sent you, saying I had seen Robert and that is only slightly wounded. I heard this morning that he had been wounded and, as soon as I could find out where he was, went and visited him. I found him in bed of course and apparently not very much the worse. He had one or two very slight scalp wounds, caused by splinters from the radiator of his machine; he has a flesh wound in his right forearm, which he did not even notice until some time after he had landed, and his right foot was slightly scorched; he thinks he will be all right again in about three weeks time. It appears that his machine was one of five fighting machines which were escorting five reconnaissance machines in a long reconnaissance. As soon as they crossed the line, they were attacked by a number of German scouts he estimated at between 12 and 18, who concentrated their efforts against the British escorting machines who had a hard fight, while the other machines went on with their reconnaissance. Three British machines were brought down and at least three German machines. One British machine landed behind the German lines and the other four, of which Robert’s was one, landed on our side. Robert was about five miles over the line when his machine caught fire. So, of course his pilot made for home, while Robert kept the fire down with his extinguisher. They landed about 1500 yards on our side and luckily neither of them was hurt in landing, though Robert was thrown out into a ditch. He seems to have kept the fire off himself and his pilot very successfully as it does not seem to have done either of them any harm, although the machine was, of course, very badly damaged.

He expects to remain where he is for about three days and then be sent down to Boulogne. It is not possible to say yet whether he will be sent to England, but I hope very much that he will, and that he will be allowed, as soon as he is better, to go through the necessary course in order to get his pilot certificate. If so he should be home out of harms way for the next three to four months. I suspect that I shall be seeing him again before he goes so I shall be able to tell you how he goes on. I do not think he will be able to write himself at present as his right hand and arm are bound up.

With love,

Jim.

HQ 2nd Army BEF

25th April 17

My Dear Baba,

I have been to see Robert again this afternoon and I am pleased to say he is getting on very well. He had his wounds, all of which are quite alright, thoroughly dressed this morning and when I saw him he was smoking a pipe and was feeling quite comfortable. The doctor thinks he might be all right in a fortnight. He seems to have kept his head and done very well. He kept the fire off his pilot with his extinguisher until he was exhausted, and then for the last he seemed before landing, he stamped it down, which accounts for his foot being a bit scorched. Luckily they landed in a ditch full of water, which was soft falling. His pilot was pinned down but Robert was able to pull him out without much trouble. Then they sat down for a few minutes, till some men came up from a battery, which was two or three hundred yards away. They were able to walk. From there they went by ambulance to the dressing station where they were patched up and send to No 10 Casualty Clearing Station where they are now. Robert expects to be evacuated to Boulogne the day after tomorrow and I hope he will be sent to England from there. In any case you need not be all anxious about him as he is doing splendidly.

Hoping you and Twinkle are quite fit.

Yours affectionately,

Jim.