Letters relating to William George Blaskett, 1916-1919 - Part 8

about.

With fondest love to all
at home.
From your ever loving
son,
Will
 

Shrewsbury.
11.1.1917.
Dear Mother/
I wonder what
you are doing now. I hope
the weather is better. Perhaps it
is too hot now. It is rather
wet here. I am leaving
for London today, worse luck.

Aunt Rose and the
girls have given me a glorious
time. She is very much like
you, dear, especially her voice.
How I wish you were here, but

there, it cant be helped. and
the war will soon be over
now.
What a glorious day
 

when I come home again.
Did I tell you Harold has
been here? They thought he
was a splendid boy, & so
he is. I think he enjoyed
himself. Hetty is very nice
indeed. Rosie has improved
wonderfully. Aunt Rose says
she is a splendid girl to
work. She certainly seems
to have plenty to do.
Gladys is as hard a case
as ever, just about a match
for Modge I think.
All three are very jolly.
Uncle Frank & I got on
splendidly together. He's
real good, very like Dad
 

in some things. I can
tell you it was a treat to
stay with Emmie & Aunt Rose.
Of course, it wasn't like
coming home, but very nearly.
Aunt Rose said, "If only Nell
& Uncle Will & Charlie were
here as well, what a good
time we would have."
Ernie Cleak is back
in England. Poor chap, he's

had malaria. I hope they
wont send him out again
Emmie is just the same
good natured old dear.
 

and the kids are a credit
to her. Young Willie is the
image of Charlie, at his age, &
promises to be as hard a case.
Charlie must be a real Ward
I think.
I'm thankful to say, dear,
that with the exception of
a cold I'm very fit.
Hard work apparently
agrees with me, though
between ourselves, I don't
agree with hard work. Still,
there's no need to tell you
that, is there?
I had my photos taken
for you, & Aunt Rose will
 

5
send them on. I hope
they will be good. Am
leaving Mrs Fotheringham's
address with Aunt Rose, so
she can send them one.
I have been having
a pretty good time just
these last few months, so
mustn't grumble.
It might interest you
to know that the night
I got wounded, we had
about 900 casualties
out of the battalion of
1100. We were very
 

unlucky; got into a
very advanced position,
(about 50 yards from
Pozieres Windmill) and

were shelled from 8 at
night till about 8 next
morning without a stop; then
they started again at
midday, & about 4 o'clock

I stopped a piece.
I was bending over a
man bandaging his leg,
and the doctor at No 4,
reckoned if I had been
standing upright, I should
 

probably have been
hit in the ribs and been
killed, so I have something
to be thankful for.
The battalion was
personally congratulated
by Sir Douglas Haig.
Now, dear mother o' mine,
I must close with fondest
love from your loving son
Will
Still no news of poor old
Bill. Isnt it terrible?

I'm afraid there's not much
 

hope now.
Aunt Rose and all send
their love.
On second thoughts, I
will get Aunt Rose to send
the photos to you & you can
give Mr & Mrs Fotheringham
& Mrs Thomas one. By
the bye, Hetty is Mrs Thomas
W
 

48" Bn A I F
France 19-1-17
Dearest Mother/
As you will see by the
heading, my short leave is over, worse luck.
I had a very enjoyable time indeed, thanks
to Em, and Aunt Rose. By a strange
coincidence Ernie Cleak came home the
night before I left. Naturally we yarned
nearly all night. He is looking very
well, in spite of his rough experiences
He weighs over a stone more than I do;
Poor old Will Cleak could hardly speak,
he was so pleased and as for Ernie, he
nearly wept. I think I did too, when
I had to come back to France. It
is not so bad now I am back with
the battalion, but the morning I left
Shrewsbury, I was near to tears.
Everyone treated me splendidly
and I was loaded up with things when
I returned. Unfortunately, I caught a
bad cold during the first few days, and
was ^not feeling too well, most of the time.