Correspondence between Field Marshal Lord William Birdwood and Lady Janetta Birdwood, 1916 and 1918 - Part 5

Conflict:
First World War, 1914–18
Subject:
  • Documents and letters
Status:
Awaiting approval
Accession number:
RCDIG0000051
Difficulty:
4

Page 1 / 10

Men af Aes o &I have wither Ca thech fotre e Be bewar to senll mem. 3.n.. Aucthan e hodint to sevl them if biess mnoe. Thurstry who will like ted Robeck it regos ed the t teme hat e just mifsed te Says & ter Card ten were. L.In.E 3ec buf Wim. A & gave he a most looking Mceedigto wel mesnfi cent S uet heard of At. from & 5tK not Lad Sevie to prdia hm wer tereet. Quot be Culdlit 4 Hell pratos st S s memy so him 1to that a D Wirl Gisiby 5 but hat after st see to to. 5ln Everton. on wit look. mny
Pound at Hol 19g on Jarmany 8th Come 10to the 11ghter Aaade, Por the gure has long been 11t Afick 1n to the Ighter Nande. and never wand goue Klt. Tave walted here an hour or pore, ot The nexs that your march 1s a o’er, The 30a runs high, but what dare 1. 1ts better to be sick than blown oky highs 30 Jump Into the Iighter Mande, The al lotted time 1s 2l0m) Cone Into the IIghter ugude 7n off on the launch alone, 7n off on the Lqunch al- one. 2 264t2En CGhntae CE8 3ahed e Meree.
330 Rh, 3377]] Caie. 30 Jon1t - S.3] Oy owen darling little one. I was so glad to get coi letter of 10th 8th know that you had got my letter about the first evac nation Qonn al right- yon hill sd have got one about the second here. I dm ss glond too that dear old Lord K & Bith came to see hon for I knon fom really rushed they are with rord Evering howr of the day, & I think it was most awfully good of them. I am soning Lord to Calked though about my coming hone He told me if I wanted a rest that I was to wite to him when he would arrange. I had hoped if nothing was doing to hore bea able to pop home qiite quiete oithant a wond to cow complete sar prise! But for the formation of thes Arw I think I night have bee able to marage it - & if this I still hope I may be able to do . should not come off. ai atprecent awaitiong to see if Anstalia agrees - if te does I stant have a finge share moment - & even then & dount kow y Sll ever be able to get through eveniygthing ins time- for thee will be an aptalling lot to de done- more than lince which I had to do with the formationo hut little lamb, as I am this Corps here last near. sme . fest Cons to fet home. Bse. thest I donit Kak 000
oon all Nll. just rusp aforng if it is posille, Nt. 3ns that my propession comes before yon all because tat isut it at all. I feel I have atsolitely no ambition now. Any I mal have had has bee wore than satisficed by winning the confidence of all these fine men in the field. Bnt I do fed that onle Can have no thoughts now but the Lafety of the courtry which is still in such great peail, while defeat wined he too awful toconten plate. Ats we have ever lived for wiuld to gone & Inpland & eveyone in it woued he siompley trampled to pireces. Nots that we are going to cose for a minite. But if there is any little thing ore can do to ensire Mccess I feel are fimtly has to see it through, hup this rearganisation is sanationed I am baw chuup to beliwe that I must he here to cam it through. If all requine an evermons amont of work. A great deal of imper sation Npessiral ingerence to camy it through as to same colent it must. enervach on bested interests. I I beliene can deal with such matters belter tran anyone clid here for they somehow seem to trust me. I was really quite when going round the runks anold tunched renterd op ton are coming beck Anzac Ner Feclander said Sir & will comlned us right through, & when to ue now. S uuk God. Thast to te Buty. aid was. hecr.
Iive alligpt. Bon Hellons they are all mad keen on getting over to Ranco where as a matter of faat I expect me the enormous. willgs, but they hone of them seem to realind there. Carmelties we are bound to have in our fighting I fancy me. With the repuitation they have made as fighters. are sire to be given some real light jobs to cany through & I can never dismiss from my mund the thousands who mhay he hilled. ho we will realige more than now howr this makes we do all the litle I can to help them now - for good agarinatel training now is what is going to hay & save lives later on Even dear oeld K. does at always think of sucp things. He his hever had to train troops & I doubt of he cerlises all it he had no. i dea ofth Means - also where he samgon possifility of this big scheme - if it dves at come off him hows son little one. Bd shall still hope to be able to in any Case I quite think we will all come over to France & i so I do not autrcihate any difficulty in gthing home thenr - & more thaw once. but it is o coure seem to have too early to make sucl plane nowr. been seeving numfarless men in hospital sirvce I arrived here. There seame no end to them, which is deprensing Mhahons are host awfelly gord & it.M. 114
We leave them as I am daily expecting adhers about forming myy nent Army. Trene is to be mariied on 9th. I am apard yon may only just hay aot my later by then asking yor to send her a welding present, so it but I know yoill send it as soon as yon can. They had caiit be in time. Roped to get the mairied daughter out for the wedding, but this order proliiting ladies coming here at all has stopped it and McIahion says that in any case he would not have allowed it now that there are so many submaniies about betwreen here & Malta. Both these wuld hapely to ge liikle one if we had decided yon should come out for even if for were allowed it is not a bit too sate at present some os ttrankfoe to near of evering s hip arriving safely. Von mustert morry about Lord K. saying I was them. I certainly was very thuch so at me time at Anzac but that passed off & I feel I am now getting homilly bat at the M Mahers. It is so hard to escape lunch. I see an accout in a paper of your being presented with a boomerang at the Anzac nuffet. S exfect son write & told me about it in one of the mailes that was torpedoed. You will Shope have got my letter about our evacuation of Helles long before now. It certainly is much to be thankful for &it is nice of Monro to have said I was to be eredited. As a matter of black he was iit there at all & always held a rother position. It was only very representationt Lord K which made him pust huim in command of the Darclanelles and Salonika Armiss - but as a mather of fact he shipped on a ship & speaived his ankle badby while Lord K. was at Mudros & was never able to leave his ship again till he went to Egypt 10 days beforo I evere uated Helles. He only spent one day attogethe visiting all theee places on the peninsula. As a marther of fact though the real is dune to the Corps commanders and them Statss who had to work eredi. 1006
3p out their Weal details & Shadiit very much to do thougha coungeI had the responsibilits and anxiety. Hovever Ihope Ill never have sud another thing to camyout. Monro who is a dear good fellow must have been fearfully sick at being tied by the leg as he was still chuckle to think of the disqust of the Turks at funding we had got away from Helles with no loss, I fancy they lost so heavily the day before when they attacked us that it put them of comig on again so sove after - Tell me what Lord K. thought of Chers I do hope he appeared to advantage & wasnt ghy! Wancy, Jurdith woirld Iam sure have been very much all thers. Did the Hatth have lots to say! where he is older is in his monements which have become so much heavier- didn’t yon think so. Pon Wylly doss seem to have had a real bad time of it with those two smashes to his gace, but I hope he is right again now & if I can get him to mery new Army I lf certaily try. you do seem to have had a real full house at Kunas at Thurtby & I daresay yon werent somy fon had spenit most of the time in London. What a pity & uis take it seems not to send pilie to school & I wonder Noth aosnit do it on her over jiust tell Rebin she finds &he has had to doss. He sirely couldht & fieet if he realised how necessay it was, but I fancy &he would want a long time at a good sehong to get her right! As a very sall child I quite saw how easily out of hand & he would get I dout quite knw what Col. Smith that would be when yon met at Morston Gardens, but rethere think he must he a capital fellow wiho commanded one of uit Battalions & whon I am semry to say I hear is not likely to retumn to us at all. S ughud ho Reso . Do Con knw it ned. 1000
in seff tomen to Acchanan ifth the 9th Hisors on is he stichin to the 11th. I hpe so. Did gon hear that Meg Price had transpened Much x Welst Gnards, which I am sue will please he very nen dow is MMrs. Chifp's. I saw him last at Mudros, but I foncy he mught in Eouight now though where I am not sure. Fhey should be richer Van ever as all shipping is now paging Enormonsly. I have just had a letter from M. Hppusen, what a queer ereateme she is. a bit Mads. Now very nice hady Robinson allorcoys sems to be to gown Iave sure Winth liked being at t road & tairs ford mas. Iam rather amadeat tha Frogi's present of Horer & Rigil to Chris, whet did he say to it .! Hond Ishould have loved to take preith to the pantounnines & in sure you all enjoyed it thoughly, Look out for the Anzac Magezine which hill be putlished at home nest mouth or march & for which I have Wutter an intooduction. yon might send me 3 or 4. copies to send to people- some of our ships I kow will like them. All tal Vines Cards Yon had sens out have suriited all right hil my ower litkle one. ov ae much appseciated. Excuse a more them i sually. badly wither serawl, but as a matter of fact I wite from bed as I suddenl found I had a temperation of 102" last night so am sitting tight for a day oiss. All my love to com tmm a tlane. over. 006
5 Aux 19 Fidey. Mey oun daiting. Sire 2ld far rather Nancy should remain on at to so quitc contentundl terepeld. I I hepe e will. shaphily, Ky reavous are. I feel that the Have. Reple & all the Australians would he really fieldp. quite purt if de left there. I am sure they loot prond upor her as one of themselves by how, are very e to she is there, while any of the men here who Know about it also oppreciae it, and I am then would like to think she Swe thet hone of had gone - and that too to another Lospital. They wired hot uudeshand the ditference in to class of work se could do there & different what she howr dves - and while I am head he to thene of to nik. B. Augts 1
apposing the hentoo. there shelping our men. pursing didnt suit her af for any reacor & he didnt get on with Mt.D. &he would have to lean to Karofield - And is she couldnt return. strain. I really heavy. to stand the Chough shon he Also I dont much came. hursiong. sort of obligation in the matter & mide. moe o less as a favan for Naney to go there take& Wnt &. of they couldnt Stretch. at pirt. That was an end to it - and Think of he going now & dout came to Shoemukl Chuching what se is doing Dean last is as true how as tiek ou not Corhhon bpe of Litre fan 4f

men at Anzac &I have written a short introduction
for it.  Be sure to send me 3 or 4
copies of it, as I want to send them to men to men
like de Robeck & Thursby who will I know
like them.
Lieut Skene has just rejoined me &given me
latest news of you!  He says he just missed
you at the Anzac buffet, but heard you were
looking exceedingly well &gave one a most
magnificent [[?"swop"?]] for you!!  He heard of an
Australian who after seeing you had said "He
knew Genl B wood &liked him very much &
he was a good friend of his, yet he couldn't
well forgive him for going & marrying
quite a lovely girl like you"!!!!
That after seeing you at the buffet! - Goodbye
my own little one &all my love,  Ever your very loving old Will.

 

Found at Halles on January 9th.

 

Come into the lighter Maude,
For the fuze has long been lit;
Quick into the lighter Maude,

And never mind your kit, 

I've waited here an hour or more,

The ^good news that your march is o o'er,

The sea runs high, but what care I,

Its better to be sick than blown sky high: 

So jump into the lighter Maude,

The allotted time is flown;

Come into the lighter Maude,

I'm off on the launch alone,

I'm off on the launch al-one.

 

Lorenzo.
 

DONATED RECORDS LIST 
3376 3rd Series (19)
 

 

[* You could
send Irene's
present
by King's
Messenger
perhaps*]
 

3 DRL.  3376   (15)
Cairo.
3rd June 16-
 

My own darling little one _

I was so glad to get your letter on 10th &to 

know that you had got my letter about the first evacuation

all right - you will still now have got one about the second I

hope _ I am so glad too that dear old Lord K & Fitz came

to see you, for I know how really rushed they are with work
every hour of the day, &I think it was  most awfully good

of them.  I am sorry Lord K. talked though about my coming home.

He told me if I wanted a rest that I was to write to him

when he would arrange &I had hoped if nothing was doing to

have been able to pop home quite quietly without a word
to your complete surprise!!  But for the formation of this Army
I think I might have been able to manage it _ &if this
should not come off I still hope I may be able to do _ I
am at present awaiting to see if Australia agrees _ if she
does I shan't have a single spare moment _ &even then I
don't know if I'll even be able to get through everything in
time _ for there will be an appalling lot to be done _ more
than twice which I had to do with the formation of
this Corps here last year.  It isn't little lamb, as I am
sure you know that I don't just long to get home &see
 

 

you all &I'll just rush along if it is possible _ it isn't 
that my profession comes before you all, because that isn't it 
at all _ I feel I have absolutely no ambition now _ any I may 
have had has been more than satisfied by winning the confidence 
of all these fine men in the field _ But I do feel that onc
can have no thoughts now but the safety of the Country which is
still in such great peril, while defeat would be too awful 
to contemplate.   All we have ever lived for would be gone &England &

everyone in it would be simply trampled to pieces _ Not that 
we are going to lose for a minute _ But if there is any little thing 
one can do to ensure success I feel one simply has to see 
it through, &if this reorganisation is sanctioned I am vain 
enough to believe that I must be here to carry it through _ It 
will require an enormous amount of work - a great deal of impro-visation

&personal influence to carry it through as to some
extent it must encroach on vested interests _ I believe I 
can deal with such matters better than anyone else 
here, for they somehow seem to trust me _ I was really quite 
touched yesterday when going round the ranks an old 
Anzac, New Zealander said "I hope you are coming back 
to us now Sir &will command us right through" _ &after I 
said I was,  he so fervently said "Thank God _ That'll do

 

 

2)

me all right" _ Poor fellows they are all mad keen on 
getting over to France where as a matter of fact I expect we 
will go, but they none of them seem to realize the enormous 
casualties we are bound to have in our fighting there.
With the reputation they have made as fighters, I fancy we 
are sure to be given some real tight jobs to carry through 
&I can never dismiss from my mind, the thousands who may be 
killed _ No one will realize more than you how this is makes me 
do all the little I can to  help them now _ for good organization 
& training now, is what is going to pay &save lives later on - 
Even dear old K. doesn't always think of such things.   He 
has never had to train troops &I doubt if he realises all it 
means _ also when he saw you, he had no idea of the 
possibility of this big scheme - if it doesn't come off I 
shall still hope to be able to run home soon little one. But 
in any case I quite think we will all come over to 
France &if so I do not anticipate any difficulty in 
getting home then _ &more than once _ But it is of course 
too early to make such plans now.   I seem to have 
been seeing memberless men in hospital since I arrived 
here _ there seems no end to them, which is depressing.
The McMahons are most awfully good &will not let 
 

 

me leave them as I am daily expecting orders about forming my new 
Army.  Irene is to be married on 9th.   I am afraid you may only just have 
got my letter by then asking you to send her a wedding present, so it 
can't be in time, but I know you will send it as soon as you can.   They had

hoped to get their married daughter out for the wedding, but this order

prohibiting ladies coming here at all has stopped it, and McMahon says 
that in any case he would not have allowed it now that there are 
so many submarines about between here & Malta.   Both these would 
apply to you little one if we had decided you should come out, for 
even if you were allowed it is not a bit too safe at present, &one 
is thankful to hear of every ship arriving safely.   You mustn't worry 
about Lord K. saying I was thin.   I certainly was very much so at one time 
at Anzac, but that passed off &I feel I am now getting roundly fat 
at the McMahons _ it is so hard to escape lunch!   I see an account 
in a paper of your being presented with a boomerang at the Anzac 
buffet?  I expect you write &told me about it, in one of the mails that
was torpedoed _ You will I hope have got my letter about our evacuation
of Helles long before now _ It certainly is much to be thankful for &it is nice
of Monro to have said I was to be credited _ As a matter of fact he wasn't
there at all &always held a rotten position.  It was only my representation to
Lord K which made him put him in command of the Dardanelles and
Salonika Armies _ but as a matter of fact he slipped on a ship &sprained
his ankle badly while Lord K. was at Mudros &was never able to
leave his ship again till he went to Egypt 10 days before I evacuated
Helles _ He only spent one day altogether visiting all three
places on the peninsula.   As a matter of fact though the real 
credit is due to the Corps Commanders and their Staffs who had to work 
 

 

3) out their local details &I hadn't very much to do, though of course I
had the responsibility and anxiety.  However I hope I'll never have such
another thing to carry out.  Monro who is a dear good fellow must
have been fearfully sick at being tied by the leg as he was.  I 
still chuckle to think of the disgust of the Turks at finding we
had got away from Helles with no loss.  I fancy they lost so heavily
the day before when they attacked us, that it put them off coming
on again so soon after _ Tell me what Lord K. thought of Chris:  I
do hope he appeared to advantage &wasn't shy?  Nancy &Judith would
I am sure have been very much all there!  Did the latter have lots to
say?  Where he is older is in his movements which have become so much
heavier - didn't you think so?  Poor Wylly does seem to have had a
real bad time of it with those two smashes to his face, but I hope
he is right again now &if I can get him to my new Army I'll certainly
try.  You do seem to have had a real full house at Xmas at Thurlby &
I daresay you weren't sorry you had spent most of the time in London.
What a pity &mistake it seems not to send Julie to school &I wonder
Kath doesn't do it on her own &just tell Robin she finds she has
had to do so.  He surely couldn't object if he realised how necessary
it was _ but I fancy she would want a long time at a good school
to get her right!  As a very small child I quite saw how easily
out of hand she would get.  I don't quite know what Col. Smith
that would be whom you met at Marston Gardens, but rather
think he must be a capital fellow who commanded one of my
Battalions &whom I am sorry to say, I hear is not likely to return
to us at all.  I'm glad you saw Edith.  Do you know if Reggie
 

 

is still trying to exchange into the 4th Hussars or is he sticking 
to the 11th?  I hope so.  Did you hear that Major Price has transferred
to the Iris Welsh Guards, which I'm sure will please her very [[?]] much! 
How is Mr Cliff? I saw him last at Mudros, but I fancy he must be
in Egypt now, though where I am not sure.  They should be richer
than ever as all shipping is now paying enormously _ I have just
had a letter from Mrs Atkinson _ what a queer creature she is !  A bit
mad?  How very nice Lady Robinson always seems to be to you & Iam sure
Judith liked being at Broadstairs for Xmas.  I am rather amused at Uncle
George's present of Homer & Virgil to Chris _ What did he say to it?!!  How
I should have loved to take Judith to the pantomime &I'm sure you
all enjoyed it thoroughly.  Look out for the Anzac magazine which 
will be published at home next month or March &for which I have
written an introduction - you might send me 3 or 4 copies to send
to people  _ some of our ships I know will like them.  All the
Xmas cards you had sent out have arrived all right &will
be much appreciated.  Goodbye my own little one _
Excuse a more than usually badly written scrawl, but
as a matter of fact I write from bed as I suddenly
found I had a temperature of 102° last night, so am
sitting tight for a day or so.  All my love to you.
Ever your very loving old_ Will.
 

 

5 Aug 1916
Friday
My own darling girl

I'd far rather Nancy should remain on at
Harefield &I hope she will do so quite contentedly
&happily _ My reasons are _ I feel that the Harefield
people &all the Australians would be really
quite hurt if she left there _ I am sure they look
upon her as one of themselves by now, are very proud proud
too she is there, while any of the men here who
know about it, also appreciate it, and I am
sure that none of them would like to think she
had gone _ and that too to another hospital - They
would not understand the difference in the 
different class of work she could do there &
what she now does _ and while I am head
of the Australians I like to think of her being
 

 


there &helping our men.  Then too, supposing the
nursing didn't suit her, or for any reason she
didn't get on with Mrs D _ she would have to leave
it &couldn't return to Harefield - And is she
strong enough to stand the really heavy strain of
nursing?    Also I don't much care to be
under any sort of obligation in the matter & 
for Nancy to go there more or less "as a favour"?
If they couldn't stretch a point &take her
at first _ that was an end to it _ and I
don't care to think of her going now &
hindering what she is doing - "Shoemaker
stick to your last" _  is as true now as
ever_  I am not unmindful of little Nancy  

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