Letters from Norman Griffiths Ellsworth to his Mother, 1914-1915, Part 26 of 27

(It has only snowed once yet)
County of London War Hospital,
Ward "M"
Epsom, Surrey
England
December 22^nd.

My dearest Mother & all at Home
Just a line to let you
all know that I am still doing well, & hope to tell you
all about London soon. I am still confined to my bed,
but my diarrhoea is quite better, but the Dr told me
that he wants my temperature to come down a little
more, & then he will allow me to get up. It keeps
down to normal for 4 or 5 days, & then suddenly takes
it into its head to hop up to 99 ° Etc, & this “narks” me.
Well, I’ve seen cousin Harriet Cole. She came down
from Gravesend last Sunday to see me, & a long distance
it is too (45 miles). She is a dear old soul, but is
very active. She resembles Mrs Algie somewhat, only is
hardly so severe looking (if I can use the word) & is also
like Mrs May in the face. She was awfully nice & kind
& brought me eggs & sweets & told me all about her life
& also about the rest of the family. Julia Roberts is too
old to come so far in this weather, & they tell me
that they have a bed & room for me when I am ready
to come, & Harriet is coming to fetch me. They have
had the Zeppelins down their way & just in the street
at the back of their premises, so they get a little
excitement at times to break the monotony.

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Harriet seems to have had a pretty hard time of it
all thro’ life, & has still Lucy (her brothers child) living
at her expense, & she has had her taught shorthand
and typewriting, & is now in employment somewhere
in London. Anyhow Harriet is looking well & keeping
well, & she says that all at Home are well.
I believe she has written to you. She asked me
all about Will Johnson & Aunt Jessie, & told me all
about them whilst they were in London, & some of it
is very funny.
I had a cablegram despatched to you
soon after I arrived & I wondered if you got is alright, &
hope it did not frighten you all.
Several of our battery is in England & two
of them are in this hospital, but in different Wards.
Nellie Wheelers brother has been wounded,
& is in Hospital at Birmingham
Well, what do you think of the Dardanelles
now, eh; A lovely mess that has been hasn't it, & at
what a cost too. Enough to make the poor fellows turn in
their graves. Well, anyhow, I’m very glad there is no
Anzac to go back to, & I don't mind where they send me
after this. It was a terrible place to exist in.
K of K didn't take long to make up his
mind about taking them off, & I’ll bet it was a pretty
rotten job getting off, especially the last of them.
It was had bad enough trying to land there

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I had the honor of having the first gun ashore
but I am sorry for the one who had the last gun.
The news only came out last night about the
withdrawl, so I am eagerly awaiting the news.
Talking about the first gun ashore. Cousin Harriet
sent me a Melbourne “Age” 25th October & in it I was
surprised to see that there had been a discussion
as to who the honor belonged of landing the first
gun, & in the paper, was a letter from one of our
returned men (Jack Barker) & he had written to say
that it was the 4th Battery & the the gun was in
charge of “the most popular & efficient Sergeant Norman
Ellsworth”. I nearly fainted when I read it. I
showed it to Harriet when she came down & she
had not seen it or knew anything about it. Isn’t
it strange that it should be the very paper with
my name in it. Of course I cut the piece out & have it.
I had the only gun & was the first ashore
of any battery on the Sunday 25th April. No other
gun got into Action on the Peninsular on that Sunday
(except mine) & the rest of our guns & those of other
batteries came ashore next & succeeding days.
True, a mountain (Indian) battery was on
the peninsular before me, but they are not called
field guns.
I am still on Fish diet & getting on great
& the Red Cross people cater for all our wants

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I am going to the Chapel on Christmas morning
to service, & am looking forward to going to a service
in St Pauls Cathedral and Westminster Abbey
later on. We are to get 6 weeks furlough on being
discharged from Hospital (This is for Enterics, the other
sick & wounded only get 14 days) & I'll have £35 or
thereabouts to spend, as we are not allowed to
draw anything whilst in Hospital, altho’ I have got
£2 in my belt, so am not broke; Of course we
can get out & go to Epsom every day & the nurses
don’t say anything (altho’ we are not supposed to go out)
Well, how are you all at Home? How
I think of you all everyday, & long to see you all.
Anyhow the day is not far off when this
confounded War will be over & I’ll be home again.
[[??]] I say, what do you think of Vin Yardley; he
is in England too. Apparently they would not have him at
the Peninsular at any price. He has a very bad name, but
how the deuce he got here, goodness only knows.
Give my love to all at home & elsewhere & a
special ration for dear Mab, George, Chas & Rupert & Floss
& an extra special whack for your dear self from
Your loving son
Norman.
P.S. I’ve had no mail since September. N.