Letters from George Alexander Hugh Murray to his family, 1916 - Part 6

Conflict:
First World War, 1914–18
Subject:
  • Documents and letters
Status:
Open to contributions
Accession number:
RCDIG0000958
Difficulty:

Page 1 / 10

aneee Corporal George curay, wates t his penent Mancilles tos Wsent froms Frante an June 144 as France 14/6/16 fullows Allat Home This is the first opportunity I have had of writing for a long time. The mails were stopped before I left Ejyes od and it took us kight days to cross to here for we were wr in a very slow boat and very much over crowded and had to wear our life bells all day & sleep by them at night. We had a fairly close have for wa it one day for there was a submanne sighted & followed us for six- hours. Another time we had the alarm sounded & all had to fall in on dick in quietness but Where was a terrible Scramble, but it was only for practice. i Shant We arrived early on the 14th and were to disembark, at once but Pound out fthat no trains were available to we have to may on board another night, but many have fone over the sides of the foat. As far as can be seen from where we are now, this coty look very nice, but to morrow we will know for we have to march from the wharf to the train a matter of haff an hour so we will see some part of this old town, & after we
manigace unuane n entrain s Law as is knownno, we have close on two days havelling by train to The seat where we are to take ip aperations The first definite news of the By naval Batt in the North Sea & the great Fars an advance we heard today, aho the severe loss in which the nation lost by the seath of Lord Kitchner I am quite well & so was fiom whend saw him just before I left Fil. el Rebin in Gypt. I suppose he has said by now for they were under orders to seift I am sending aphote of the ship I came across in I do not know when this will reach you for I am pivin it to a Pailor to portfor me, for all litters have to be cenrored, so this may be the last litter for a whits for now we will have the field Service Cards. There is a vart difference between the Banl climate of Gyft t here, for here you require you tume & flannel which we never thought. of unry while in t ryft Teannt think of any more to vay this time so I will slose from your ponson D Brother George
France 16/6/16 All at home I have had only one letter from you since I arrived here It was from Bers o dated about the middle of February Well, none of the old chaps can get many letters, only the late ren forcements. Jim is in the same camp as I am. He was camped only a few lines away from me, but I never knew tll I met Vic Hophins & he told me where he was I went to find him the following day but he with all the thers in his tert were put into irolation that morning on account of their having mamps amongst them. I am not in the firing live yet but no. to for away for we can hear the jans fooming all day long and on a clearday you can see the lighttomes on the English coast near Iolksone & I am not sapposed to say where I am but it is of very much importance as it is one of the principar hosptals in France & is on the road to Boulonge It has been raining all day long but it never seems to ceast. Being on the coast & the heary
an gun fire has a lit to ao with it cannot get a trace of Is in fact I do not know where to with to him now, for I have written to all the places that I can think of but cannot get any reply. There is an army cemitary near this camp these are doyens & doyens buried in it every day. They are buried with full melitary hinours but about six are buned at once & a cross is put over ever one that they know the name of, but there are man & that only have the simple word above them Unknown The villages about here are not much chance than the natuve villages of Gript. They both have the same musty smell & the duty ways of trowing every thing out of the front ann The day I landed here all the clocks were put on an hour. It is a releme that they call the dax light Saving. Our Peveille is five, so in fact we have to tunn out at four, not to entering there cold mornings. It is cold enough for me here now, but what must it be in the dead of wistr No one can imagine it. I hope I am not here to see it By the time you ought to receive this I will have been away from Austiatia close on 19 month
40 but in hist time I have seen many shange places + different things My pen is about run out of ink & I have nothing more to write about this ame as I will have to close hoping you all are quik well & always hope for the best Wish findest lose fom your lonng for George. Aukeron EMC IAN 189
France 20/6/16 On tnne oth Conpoial entay Athat home Herte litter My I wrote last from Marredles, but now I am many miles from that lovely twn We havelled kend through lovey county better than sor I van in went England for we came through the noted vineyards of the South and there were nothing but rows & rows of vines with jast she pruit byinning to form. But now we are in a rcamp & it is not too far from the fireworks but we are well out of their range There is a day-light saving reheme in vogue here The day we landed the clocks were put on an dom & the camp lights are all out but that makes no difference for you can easily read till after then We have not the same light length of waim sunshin & you cannot go much about without a coat (on I have not had a) letter for a long time get now but when you are travelling about you cannot epect any I have not found a hac of Sis now I lift England but fim think he will be here worthy 2009
egne m monce On a char day you can ree the Lydthom on the other side but so near but yet so far I am sending in another envelope some flowers that I piedid along the railway line in the South We have to go through another nterr course of taining before we go into the trenches but there seems to be little doin on this nide, but the Buinans are making wonderful readway I am quitt will di in best of spirits I cannot think of any te i che this time To Ankevor from your loving Brother & Low Gleoge
France 7116 2f Athat home No letters yet but one from will Maghom fittered kroys. It was the first for over six weeks though mails are comin in every day but they are all for the take runforce ments I have had no news of hims or Lir whereabout. I met Wathe Marchant and ore of the Dawes from Lak aho another chap who ured to in work in Wellenbuna. He is a sezcant in the instruction school but a bully into the barain I cannot think of his name. weare having lovely weather but you can never rely on it. It may be Tunshire one rour to in a few minuhs it is teeming rain for we are alny courtal showers. I have not I been too well of late but since we have to take to hard training again I seem to get better but getter wet through & the clothes drying on you doer not go to keep one in Good health
Well, up till now I have had no chance of getting too near the firing time but we mt may be there sooner than some of as think though we are in the midst of the war one does not read the war news, but the French People are always sad looking we have heard jart now of a By advance on the Wertern front so lets hope that it is true. I finish up my toin of duty toryght- & I am not s bit sorry for it is 15 homs a day. I have not seen much of the county about here for you require a pas og. out of the camp boundries & when you have a by company it takes a faw time for your teun to come cound I lost my set of teeth so I have to try & make sheft wishout them By the time you receive this I hope to be in the live & doing better than before To An Revon from your loony son& Brother GGeorge 1316
Fraure 9/8/16 All at home I have not received a letter from you for over two S yot hnd weeks now but papers & a letter from Bess just after I came on the firen line. Whhen I was marching along the rad 1o the 18th Soet of Horre and Bert Harrs from Bentake they were on these way fact so the dine Shear fairly offen pr. 2 fom but all the tme I have been in France I have not had a likte from Sis

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