Letters from Robert James Henderson, January - June 1917 - Part 10

Conflict:
First World War, 1914–18
Subject:
  • Documents and letters
Status:
Finalised
Accession number:
AWM2016.30.4
Difficulty:

Page 1 / 10

(5) it going just we well dear in lunch < lite a into hame up shall have to dry will To you tell soon and Again write to back trip ay about everyone to line lets France. Bob
Perham Yowurns. 253. 17. Wleer My dear where at this place ✓ Am Monday waiting to be sent over arrived last the and belive we it is seas again the divil rain and snow as limit as cold your knees need up to the week all getting into feelings my you can imeagine bare floor the bed on hard wooden A between blankets no fires with a wooden hut between sheets months sleeping after over sixe quirters hospital and comfortable on soft beds dicent a not had have hotels etc etc I hips are both sleeps here yet and my will get dained sixe however expect one much We have nothing to it shortly used here except having to be on parade to do &2 to 4 but they 9t 72 day lach special instructors for everything so we heve To not know freeze jist hang arrund and shall be here may be 2 day. how long I Aun transports etc N or 4 weeks depends
hoping I shall not have to take a dreft I men across if not shall get 48 hours going back which will be better in. London the leave here is out- than nothing evenyove is hoping to question so that away as soon as possible. We are git the nearest 2 miles from Iiwoots about ne horse town it is a of a there last bit to the theatie show went course very Tack the beanstalt night dippy if go shall I think rotton long no where hole for in this streck ge except to to nothing have go to just however shall tight every day luck. A large draft left to trust to here yesterday about 22 officers among the 13th Brownin Wallack them Mas escheet we mne is down here with We have Mree together shall go back
who have been here men from all units for G.S. wounded sick etc all really to be sent back and waiting Alai their respective units. Am up foir ti month is still my faur pretty only feeling sore and of trouble a deal we giving uncomfortable very is which guins tte bleeding not does weather wet damps and this quite for get to expect matters improve with the France back in again when which interests work some get Battn and here no news absolutely There is me again plain think bleak cold a on strick time grand about the all told you have is trouble the London in I have hall and one here great too is continst the to all live lots terribly feels it fitt Bot
zAND HOTEL DU LOUVRE ET TERMINUS BOULOGNE-SUR-MER E.DELIGNY, PROP. VELEPNONE 1-43. 303.17. trem My drar the above address By back in an S you will see time temporary this France quite this leaveng here though Am for England again afternoon trip t across on had having duty Lift Perham Yowne (Tedworth) east Tuesday at 6.30 PrI with 6 men for our 90 a draft Etaples and France base in my return to M how Am to repor have Where Perham completion the again on Loudlen reach to ppe duty I time where tonight some Sunday night until shall stay great for been tup has The and me having stayed places such new awind seen
Etaples Boulogue Folkestone as walk a had just Have - its to Appears it Bonloyne Arrund not and a hole dirty be intuuesting it seems particulary funry being in France quite long spell t such after Again San Gack people English Amone where he 3 Etaples at Kirkwood to back to be send Waiting well very he is battalion his splended looks and Again myself good too not Am month still ny present at lot of trouble a giveng me go and su li have shall my return I on doctor the trouble firced this get must hend from Hare you up he is how wonder Mance no had have on getting for quite him from wiret shall drops time a long London in line when a You Boty to all lone again lots
3 30 THE ROYAL OVERSEAS OFFICERS CLUB. 0 AT THE R.A.C. PALL MALL. LONDON. S. W. 31 3. dear Mum My London in arewell Have have where Boulogue from safely draft a taking duty at Etaples in been base our to across the acives then back trip 22 knots good a Had doing boat nice a Calk thannel selle on each a distroyer wixed beg with life your for going about men enehals nurses board leave lot in in Lindon to corning etc Folkeston at arriving front the le to from on struight transferred Eng we in arrivell and train Borlegn through leaving night last 1. 30 P at
quiss afternoon at 4 -50 p27 in the you going Wrote bad not is that at pab the from lives few a tup the about you Boulogue telling your letter posted just had dewes walked think you who do when him meeting fancy Cecil Clifton in Louelon from returned jst had You he to on going was and leevve pleased very was regument his well To looking ham es see he to lop tip on the getting Aud with Saill he think Lient righth a remember yf Battn. Ccil was Sam ture last the which Exght ln 1el. el. Reber at Lnowy Clayton none. ago time some is in the charge is Meajor now a is who also a Etaples at Pev. depot 4t 6 the a consin Webeter is Adjutant namedl chap
5 THE ROYAL OVERSEAS OFFICERS CLUB. 8 AT THE R.A.C. (2) PALL MALL. LOwDON. S.W. I had the cricketer Welster Macky li waiting while them with dinner C Bouloyne l buck train my any time there be across git to expect to glad myself now shall be Am Yours. Perham from Awlry club until this at here staying have shall when Sunday night Course to Perham. back to get down right 9o should chap cannot expect a y now but couple li there it and his nut stunts work these on London in last Kill of days Werell Setty will he is me see to arming he is know night not do to day Pr 1.30 at

(8) 
Well my dear we are just going
into have a bite of lunch
so will have to dry up shall
write again soon and tell you
about my trip back to
France.  lots of love to everyone
Boby.

 

Perham Downs.
25. 3. 17.

My dear Mum.
Am at this place where I
arrived last Monday waiting to be sent overseas
again and believe me it is the
limit as cold as the devil rain and snow
all the week mud up to your knees
you can imagine my feelings getting into
a hard wooden bed on the bare floor of
a wooden hut with no fires between blankets
after over six months sleeping between sheets
on soft beds and comfortable quarters hospital
hotels etc etc I have not had a decent
sleep here yet and both my hips are
darned sore however expect one will get
used to it shortly We have nothing much
to do here except having to be on parade
each day 9 to 12 & 2 to 4 but they
have special instructors for everything so we
just hang around and freeze Do not know
how long I shall be here may be 2 days
or 4 weeks depends on transports etc Am

 

hoping I shall not have to take a draft
of men across if not shall get 48 hours
in London going back which will be better
than nothing leave here is out of the
question so that everyone is hoping to
get away as soon as possible. We are
about 2 miles from Tidworth the nearest
bit of a town it is a one horse
show went to the theatre there last
night Jack the beanstalk of course very
rotten think I shall go dippy if
stuck in this hole for long no where
to go nothing to do except get
tight every day. however shall just have
to trust to luck. A large draft left
here yesterday about 22 officers among
them Doss Wallack of the 13th Browning
is down here with me expect we
shall go back together We have officers

 

from all units here men who have been
wounded sick etc all ready for G.S.
again and waiting to be sent back
to join up their respective units.  Am
feeling only pretty fair my mouth is still
giving me a deal of trouble sore and
bleeding gums etc which is very uncomfortable
this damp and wet weather does not
improve matters expect to get quite fit
again when back in France with the
Battn and get some work which interests
me again There is absolutely no news here
stuck in a cold bleak plain think I
have told you all about the grand time
I have had in London the trouble is
the contrast is too great here and one
felt feels it terribly lots of love to all
Boby

 

GRAND HOTEL DU LOUVRE
ET TERMINUS
BOULOGNE-SUR-MER
E. DELIGNY, PROP.
TELEPHONE 1-43.
30. 3. 17.

My dear Mum.
By the above address
you will see I am back in
France quite temporary this time
though am leaving here this
afternoon for England again
having had a trip across on
duty. Left Perham Downs (Tidworth)
last Tuesday at 6.30 PM with
a draft of 90 men for our
base in France Etaples and 
am now on my return to
Perham where I have to report
again on the completion of
duty.  Hope to reach London
tonight some time where I
shall stay until Sunday night
The trip has been great for
me having stayed in and
seen around new places such

 

as Folkestone Boulogne Etaples
etc. Have just had a walk
around Boulogne it appears to
be a dirty hole and not
particularly interesting it seems
quite funny being in France
again after such a long spell
among English people Saw Jack
Kirkwood at Etaples where he is
waiting to be sent back to
his battalion he is very well
again and looks splendid
Am not too good myself
at present my mouth still
giving me a lot of trouble
shall have to go and see
the doctor on my return I
must get this trouble fixed
up Have you heard from
Nana wonder how he is
getting on have had no
word from him for quite
a long time shall drop
you a line when in London
again lots of love to all  Boby.

 

c/o "OVERFRONT
LONDON."
REGENT 5000.
THE ROYAL OVERSEAS OFFICERS CLUB,
AT THE R.A.C.
PALL MALL,
LONDON, S.W.
31. 3. 17
My dear Mum
Have arrived in London
safely from Boulogne where I have
been on duty taking a draft of
men across to our base at Etaples
Had a good trip back across the
channel a nice boat doing 22 knots
with a destroyer on each side talk
about going for your life big mixed
lot on board nurses generals men
etc coming to London on leave
from the front arriving at Folkestone
we transferred straight on to a
through train and arrived in London
at 7.30 PM last night leaving Boulogne

 

at 4.50 PM in the afternoon guess
that is not bad going Wrote you
a few lines from the pub at
Boulogne telling you about the trip
across had just posted your letter
when who do you think walked
in Cecil Clifton fancy meeting him
he had just returned from London
leave and was going on to join
his regiment was very pleased
to see him looking so well
and getting on tip top he is
a Lieut think he said with the
3rd Battn. if I remember rightly
the last time I saw Cecil was
at Tel-el-Kebir in Egypt which
is some time ago now.  Snowy Clayton
who is now a Major is in car charge
of the 4th Div. depot at Etaples also a
chap named Webster is Adjutant a cousin of.

 

c/o "OVERFRONT
LONDON."
REGENT 5000.
THE ROYAL OVERSEAS OFFICERS CLUB,
AT THE R.A.C.
PALL MALL,
LONDON, S.W.
(2).
Darky Webster the cricketer. I had
dinner with them while waiting for
my train back to Boulogne I
expect to be across there any time
myself now shall be glad to get
away from Perham Downs.  Am
staying here at this club until
Sunday night when I shall have
to get back to Perham.  of course
expect I should go right down
there now but if a chap cannot
work his nut and get a couple
of days in London on these stunts
well he is silly Wired Kell last
night he is aiming to see me
at 1-30 PM to-day do not know

 

what we will do but shall being
leading the quiet life here this time
as a matter of fact funds will not
allow otherwise  Was up at the
Carlyle Club last night after dinner
here met some of the boys and
had a yarn and a few drinks
but came back to bed early
being very tired having done a
terrible lot of travelling in the
last few days with a fair
amount of worry on the trip
over and very little sleep
It is snowing in London at present
seems late in the year for it
but will thaw shortly then everything
will be wet and slushy however one
can always get some comfort here so
the weather does not matter much  Have
had no mail for weeks but do not expect
it with all this tearing about. lots of love to all
Boby

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Jacqueline KennedyJacqueline Kennedy
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