Letters from George Alexander Hugh Murray to his family, 1917 - Part 13

being well it will be my fourth away
but this year has slipped away
very quickly and now we have to
face another cold & bleak winter
I simply dread it, but some one has
to remain here. The cold weather
has started already. Cold winds
rain, & a few frosts up to date
My hand is numb now
The unit is out for a spell but very
far away from a decent town
where one can buy any thing.
If you buy say butter from the
French people they charge four
francs & a half about -3/8^d A terrible    
price I think cigs fourpence each.
My pen is about run out & no
more ink to be had for love
so I must ring off hoping you are
well. I am writing home tomorrow
night Your loving brother
George.
I have heard nothing more about
poor Jim.

 

Corp George Murray
14^th. Battalion
France
2-11- 17
Dear Mum
I received a few days ago a
batch of mail from you all also one from
Het from her new home, and yesterday
I got a letter from Les but I have not
seen him for a long time getting on
towards three months; but by all
accounts the mounted troops are
being split up and drafted into infantry
They are coming in a very hard time
for they have all the winter months
ahead of them and that's not a nice
thing to talk about.
I am back in the infantry again, far
better being in it; for you know what you
are doing & have to do. I was in the last
turn in the line with them Plenty of
rain & mud & plenty of shells, but the Coy
was very lucky indeed. No one killed
only one slightly wounded & when in
the enemy put over a terrible lot of
 

big shells and plenty of gas but the ground being
so wet & boggy it saved our fellows a
terrific lot. The unit is will out of the
line now and will be some time for it is
up to them to have a good spell for they
have never had one since landing in this
county
Het wrote me a long letter about her
new place and how she manages her
new school & the hammerings she gives
some of her pupils.
By the account Lena gave me a lot of
the poor boys from the old town have
given their lives in the glorious cause but a
lot more have to go ere this is all over
and the brave boys dying here while those
at home are causing such unrest. They
are not fit to be left in such a
country for they are not loyal but
traitors to the county and flags that
shields them from all outward ham harm
Imprisonment is too good for such as
they. Punishment could not be too severe
for them, for if they were in Germany they
 

would not last twenty four hours.
I was stopped by a chap in the battalion &
he said he knew me, but I could not
place from. He was one of the Franklins from
Beulah
Where I am now I cannot get any thing
to send for Christmas but may be able
when we move again but I wish you all
the happiness of Christmas but I know we cannot
be cheerful when we are so far apart & one
of our loving ones missing.
I well now close hoping you are all well as Les
and I am
I am
Your loving Son
George

France
11-11-17
Dear Mother
Another week gone by and
still no word has been heard of poor Jim
I had a letter from Les today and he has
heard nothing either. He said he was near
the battalion but never knew that I was
in it, but since then both of us have
travelled far and are now far apart
in fact do not know where each other
is but may meet any time for the mounted
are often on the move.
Christmas will be about come and gone
by the time you receive this but so you we
have been spared though have gone
through some very warm places
Today I have sent a card to all at home
I could not get any thing else in the
out back place for it is a be typical
French village
 

2
The wet weather has set in with a vengeance
for never a day goes by without plenty of
rain and today church parade had to be
put off for it has to be held in the
open air
The girl in England said that she had written
to you & had received some letters in reply
I hear from her regularly and she has been
the best of friends to me. Looked after me
as well as any one could, while I was on
leave but a few weeks after I came
back she was taken very ill and was
in hospital for a few weeks but is out &
very near able to get about again.
There is very heavy fighting not many miles
away and I can just hear the continuous
rumble of the guns in the distance, and
to make matters worse the weather
has been very bad and the advancing
has been slow & heavy going but it seems
not to have much difference to the
Italians in their retreat for they are
steadily going back into their own
country. It seems that Russia & Italy are
 

on about beaten & if they are woe betide the
Western armies for he will consentrate all
his forces against them & then they will have
a big thing to face.
I have not much to say py hoping you are
all well and enjoy a Merry Christmas &
have a Happy New Year but it is nigh
impossible when there is such a mystery
surrounding poor Jim
Au Revoir
From your loving Son
George.
 

1 DRL 529
Couldn't find before. 
GM
Snaps good!.
After harvest !
 

France
14-11-17
Dear Lot
I received your wire & always
looked for letter today along with
one from Mum telling me the
news they received about poor
Jim and I fear that it is all
too true for if he were taken
prisoner word would have
been through by now, and he
cannot be in a hospital or
he would have written long
before now, so poor Jim was the
first of us to go in the great
cause but it is far from being
finished and either or both of us
may follow but always hope
for the best but I can say I
have had some very narrow
 

shaves too near for my liking
for the wind that the shell made
in passing knocked my steel hat
off but still I came out not
even scratched but badly shaken
The nearest I have had.
I have not seen Les since I returned
from Leave but a few days
ago I had a letter from him
saying that he was well & far
back from the line. A very
good place to be in especially
now that it is so cold & wet
but by all accounts our
division is out for some time
and I think it is due to them
for they never had a rest
since they landed in France
while all the other divisions
had long easy spells far away
from the sound of the guns