Correspondence between Field Marshal Lord William Birdwood and Lady Janetta Birdwood, 1916 and 1918 - Part 8

Conflict:
First World War, 1914–18
Part of Quest:
Correspondence between Field Marshal Lord William Birdwood and Lady Janetta Birdwood, 1916-1918
Subject:
  • Documents and letters
Status:
Finalised
Accession number:
RCDIG0000051
Difficulty:

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A FEADAUAYATBAS. FFTH ARMY. S.E.P. RRANCEB. such a day of it naterday we had I had in too libte bighit Church here erice first Wed at t mepit beafe ho hident Wllns - about 100 of them. If t. itl halle. it Gwynt - shat a nice fellin with Hhal M in me. who gave a real nice sermon & later their meating rown I had to addrees them & shook hands with them at hen I went on to Compar which is the fort te Edeian toom my Amy has taken, & had to the Benoomante Htalled about theys forsel to S meth he luek Church they h &men oer the Hee fort Plumer. ter went bore.
A1S Dr. Winto these the King Pelnen dose to hall Lest boy the coming. of the Belerans with them Bsratant apteed, tayd they were like o way them getting dark & funhon. Sw cd to put them oure Eaghs are had. I &th wuld to a fet of it. Git tee of ii to lnge. &ven cold. an of en ca. fellow. very plodd in Hilt Leet well. he ather Pty. Seveble I aw store & can wite. I dear. i. Sucher litll Andreotard. Be fie with a leature eay mer. Gord tor be yourd. and
AUSTRALIAN COpps S.EF. FRANCE 11 1 1 1nn-n22 191 Whonr I told her it was much too lat the same. S. cancering about lake this Cas their H.Q. to tid me they sanctime were a bong way. they had ove i have till 3.a.m.&. didt t. tiek on wanded to see - they line in a hour i withat even a bath in ip. To hhnk lit the with & of that Iuite Pi too was the wit. too that her se blton s o1s Lnprecpt of Basaria. lt om. my bey. but nice seemed such 9. in Weel. Temtan beaa rince of Wales. a to tak. my Arl Area. I had of coure to as they had no feride & didut them round it. knwo the roads. Lo mary being braken dawn ti et. As. to wire in. mas of & rtwatee 9 t 10000
word et fom Ree any me. Aroto to fo to Iinper prople met us with Brigowastes & a fay. ai then repuied the ling & Rineey b Candes & As se really delighted- Oratons ne made tthem in the I dining them Eown hall & we then retured her at a tomg H.Q. at Litle, 63 trak & jind mt. round which. Cuparo I the may to few horrs earter. qhite had henon of a bine to the stuck in the nind Welled to &theng t dore but tere round Acives it ad Sars & to back miles for these Handers have. the Marrow awful & had we po on We would protaty t to the Side They Certain Mno- Arrilles the night ADC & ard morst informnall oe tran by while willld. N. th 9 dow 10005
FEADAAYTERS. FEDTM ARMY B.E.P. PRANCE. I in toodked back here for suppt &wight Slike m 5ew hearc &they seemed. Chirs . white he was dolighted with the Queen es fival. Sir not magine arything. for then then dre in eveing way & evidently quie. Qurktig St was rather rople. their dovited talking to him about the present revolutions enany with the conseguent foing on.mn. Geneally - ash ture of King. uncertiin he over to to lave to C. high Said. Sirte. Went wone in his counte. England Saredy to. bft thee. n bey thoypt B.
9 in Sante Io ke that issible to want Much to do & have armane. & ta 9. hard look my Capt Wad t eaf. with ecretion hi gove to popital hathear to too of loving in. pe. ir 9 4t 45 Grenes 115t 3376 3rd Sarkss [18] n on n oxmn

2) 
HEADQUARTERS, 
FIFTH ARMY, 
B.E.F., FRANCE.  
  
I had such a day of it yesterday. We had a 
service first in the little English church here 
to meet all the English people who have been in 
Lille all these 4 years- about 100 of them. 
I had Bishop Gwynne - such a nice fellow with 
me, who gave a real nice sermon & later in 
their meeting room I had to address them 
& shook hands with them all. 
Then I went in to Tournai which is the first 
big Belgian town my Army has taken.  I had 
to see the Burgomaster & talked about things generally 
& went over the lovely church they have there. 
I then went back to see Genl. Plumer quite

 

close to Lille for tea. While there the King & Queen 
of the Belgians with their eldest boy the young 
Duke of Brabant appeared, saying they were 
going to  Tournai! It was then getting dark & 
of course roads are bad. I tried to put them 
off, but not a bit of it - both would go - & in 
an open car & very cold. He is a huge 
great well built fellow - very plodding 
& sensible I am sure & rather shy. She 
is a perfect little dear & I can quite 
understand everyone loving her. Such a little 
slight frail creature with a figure 
& hands like yours  & probably weighing  about

 

3) 
AUSTRALIAN CORPS, 
B.E.F. FRANCE 
...............................................191 
the same. When I told her it was much too late 
to go careering about like this (as their H.Qs 
were a long way off), she told me they sometimes 
didn't get home till 3 a.m. if they had any 
sick or wounded to see - &they live in a horrid 
little villa without even a bath in it! To think 
too that her sister was  the wife of that brute Prince 
Ruprecht of Bavaria! The boy is at Eton & 
seemed such a nice but very shy boy, like our 
Prince of Wales! Well - Tournai being in 
my Army area, I had of course to offer to take 
them round it,  as they had no vehicle & didn't 
know the roads, so many  being broken down. 
Fortunately I was able to wire in to expect us; or

 

they wouldn't have seen any one. As it was the 
Burgomaster & a few very [[drunk?]] people met us with 
candles & as soon as they recognised the King & Queen were 
really delighted. Orations were made then in the 
Town hall & we then returned, I bringing them 
back for supper at 9 to my H.Q. at Lille. On 
the way to Tournai I found one road which I 
had been on only a few hours earlier, quite 
blocked  by a huge lorry stuck in the mud 
across it!! Nothing to be done but turn round 
& go back miles, for these Flanders roads are 
awful & had we got off the narrow "pave" 
on to the side we would probably have been 
stuck ourselves for the night. They certainly 
travel most informally-  only 1 A.D.C. & no  
car to follow. I think they quite liked being

 

4) 
HEADQUARTERS, 
FIFTH ARMY, 
B.E.F. FRANCE 
brought back here for supper. I introduced 
Chris to them here & they seemed to like him 
while he was delighted with the Queen. 
You can not imagine anything less formal 
than they are in every way & evidently quite 
devoted to their people. It was rather amusing 
talking to him about the present revolutions 
going on in Germany with the consequent 
uncertain future of King's generally - as he 
said - he might have to come over to 
England if things went wrong in his country, 
but he thought the people there already too free

 

& sensible to want a change like that in  
Russia or Germany.  I have much to do & 
by real bad luck, my Capt. Ward (the 
[Geersham?] has gone to hospital with the 
flu! 
All my love my Sweetheart, 
Ever your very loving old 
Will. 
  
DONATED RECORDS LIST 
3376 
3rd Series (15)

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Jacqueline KennedyJacqueline Kennedy
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