Letters from Robert Edmund Antill to his Parents, 1914-1915 -Part 18

E.  Devision. Hutt 14. 
Woodcote Park 
Convalesent Hospital 
Epsom. 
Friday night 
Sept 24th.  1915 

Dear Mother, 
So you see they turned  
me out at last & put me on the motor for 
here, well up to the present this dosent 
seem a bad place of course its more 
like a camp than a hospital  as you 
will see  by the address that we are 
in huts. Things are a bit ruffer than 
wear I have just came from but all 
the fellows here speak very high of  
the place. Visitors are alowed in here any  
time after 2 pm  &  we are alowed out after 
2 pm but it is in our blues of course.  To 
We are about 2 miles from the Epsom 
station, our place is very near the race 
course. I will now close as I want to catch 
the post  
I remain your loving son  Bob.

1228. 
Division E. Hut 14 
Woodcote Park Hospital  
Epsom 
Sept 30th 1915 

Dear Mother, 
Well I arrived home safely 
but only by the skin of my teeth, the doctor 
missed me on Tuesday & so did the sergant & yesterday
(Wed) he the sergant came round about 4 in the 
morning & found my bed empty. well I must say 
he was a real good sport & when I came in he 
said he let me off this time & he did not mind 
me having a night off now & agin but he 
reconed I was making the pace a bit warm, so 
you see I shall have to slaken down a bit & let 
this coming week end slip by. When I left you 
in the morning for here my foot began to give 
me a bit of gip why I could hardly walk & 
when I got on at Epsom station I was like a  
gamme roster & beeing in a hurry as I wanted 
to catch the doctor made it worse, a cab

was waiting at the station & of course the cab 
man seeing me hobling had completly got me beat & 
could charge his own price well it cost me 3/- 
to get to the park, well you can just imagin 
how I fealt my last 3/- I fealt like punching 
his head (the cabmans) but there I had to submit 
as if I had walked I should not of been out to  
the camp yet, well after geting out of the cab 
I strugled out & got here just in time to  
miss the doctor as I came along the path he came 
out of our hut finished. You see now I am  
almost broke but for a few coppers so I would 
be very pleased if you could send on a few bob 
but for goodness sake dont send it if it will 
run you short because I can do with out it if 
it comes to the pinch but still you know its 
very nice to able to have a few shillings, well 
I will now close as the doctor is coming round 
& I must not miss him this time 
I remain  
Your loving son 
Bob 

Oct 5th 
Dear Mother,  
Will you please read this little 
piece that I have wrote & see what you think of 
it.  hope you will be able to understand as it is 
very. May be home next weekend, but cant 
say forsure 
I remain, 
Your loving son 
Bob.

1228  
E Division Hut 14 
Woodcote Park 
Epsom. 
Oct 8 1915. 

Dear Mother,  
I think my leg has taken 
a turn for the worse, well any way I have 
got to go back to the hospital for a while 
It has been swelling a great deal lately 
& is very painful.  Have just seen the doctor 
this morning & he has booked me down for a  
transfere of corse I shant go back to Waterloo 
it will be a hosp close here. I dont know when  
I am goin but it wont be long as soon as I get 
there I will drop you a line & let you know my 
address & how I am goin on. Myself I dont think 
its much only its sore & jolly sore too but  
still thats only half our luck sometimes isint 
it   
I remain  
Your loving Son   
Bob.

P.S.  A few photos of the Peninsula