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TRANSCRIPTION
Dear Father & Mother,
Today the doctor has been round and turned out nearly all the men from our ward, that is the malaria cases; as a safeguard against infection we chaps who have had dysentry have to have tests made even though we are quite well now. The first test will be made tomorrow and another test a week later, so that it seems that I shall be here about ten days yet. I am sorry to disappoint you about getting home this week, but I am quite comfortable here, and in any case it cannot be helped. Anyhow I am quite well.
Under the circumstances please continue to write me untnil I tell you something differen, but don't send any parcels as we should not be allowed to have any eatables sent into hospital and I am quite all right as regards tobacco & cigarettes.
Yesterday afternoon I had a stroll out into Plymouth.
Today fifty of us have been the guests of Mrs Astor, wife of the Member of Parliament for the borough. We went first to the Grand Theatre where a charity performance was being given. It was a very good show - first one act of the play "Rip van Winkle" and then a children's operetta, which was really very good. After the performance we went to the most swagger restaurant in plymouth and had a beautiful tea - sandwiches, bread & butter, cakes and pastry - as much as we could shift - everything of the very best.
I hope you don't mind having to pay postage on my letters, but until i get the five shillings I asked you to send I cannot buy any stamps. I have only East African money on me, which I shall have to change into British at the first opportunity. You must only pay the penny for each leetter - that is the regulation.
Well, I don't think I have anything more to tell you this time, so will now close.
Yours affectionately
Alvin.
Please don't forget to write me. You know the last news I received from you was your October letters.
******************
Postcard Postmark Devonport
Feb 1 17
Glen Lea, etc.,
Dear Mother,
Thanks for letter enclosing 5/- order and letter card with Jacl's address.
I am writing him today asking if he can come to see me on Sunday.
Yours affectionately,
Alvin,
*******************
3
Language(s) of Transcription
LOCATION
Plymouth and Hounslow, UK (51.1264, 1.31615)
Story Location
ABOUT THIS DOCUMENT
Document Date
Document Type
Document Description
Language of Description
Keywords
External Web Resources
People
STORY INFORMATION
Title
Letters of Alvin Whiteley part 3 of 6
Creator
europeana19141918:agent/be9781d3364dbc1302de0de23a75ee38
Source
UGC
Other
Contributor
europeana19141918:agent/febba033d0165f8943e27f84ae565abe
Date
1917-06
1917-01
Type
Letter
Language
eng
English
Country
Europe
DataProvider
Europeana 1914-1918
Provider
Europeana 1914-1918
DatasetName
2020601_Ag_ErsterWeltkrieg_EU
Begin
1917-01
End
1917-06
Language
mul
Agent
Alvin Whiteley | europeana19141918:agent/be9781d3364dbc1302de0de23a75ee38
James Burnett Hewitt | europeana19141918:agent/febba033d0165f8943e27f84ae565abe
Medium
Text: transcription
Created
2019-09-11T08:42:49.479Z
2020-02-25T08:53:44.664Z
2012-08-31 15:28:42 UTC
Story Description
Transcripts by James Hewitt of the letters of Alvin Whiteley. This third part sees Alvin invalided out of active service (Plymouth), some of his recuperation and uncertainty over his position (Hounslow) (January-June 1917). Part three (January-June 1917): 31 Jan 17 expecting to be invalided home after malaria and dysentery from Military Hospital, Devonport (actually a hut on the Plymouth football club ground, which adjoins the hospital grounds, which is very cold to us after coming from the tropics...). Today fifty of us have been the guests of Mrs Astor, wife of the Member of Parliament for the borough, enjoying Plymouth. However after some leave he is to be found in Dover in February 1917 and trained for hardening, to be quickly sent away to France. He is now the in No 4 Company, 5th Batt. Royal Fusiliers (not the 25th), and in a postcard, Dover 20 Feb 1917, Today I have been to the eye specialist and they are providing me with a pair of spectacles. ...in another letter Of course I have my own with me, but I might as well have the Army glasses free and wear them for drilling in, etc.; he tries to decide whether or not to apply for a commission, as long as his fitness is confirmed so he can remain on active service; Fancy Lilian is now doing man's work - shell testing and there Hooson is at home - he ought to put some petticoats on then he will be safe enough.; He is now in No 7 Company, 5th Batt Royal Fusiliers; at Dover he describes a very large YMCA hut; the YMCA reading and writing hut, where they have also a good sized library; the Salvation Army Hut; the regular Army Dry Canteen; about his chum Newman; from a farm in Gloucestershire; Ethel Cleworth; Joe Kidd; I have got my free spectacles today - they are ugly looking things - made specially for shooting with perfectly round lenses. Look like a German professor March 1917; ...pleased that you like the animal books so much. Yes, isn't it strange that Captain Selous should be mentioned in it? My old captain. He was a grand old man and I am very sorry to know that the poor old man was killed by a German sniper when bringing my chums back out of action.; from 13 March 1917 there are many mentions of the photographs; Alvin's temporary office jobs include straightening up the books of a Labour Company which went to France this week. They had to leave hurriedly and left things topsy-turvy, in another letter ...It beats navvying., and he describes his routine; Selwyn Hanson; food at home, and compared with the canteen in camp; marching out for an exercise or possibly to repel a threatened German landing on the Kent coast; This afternoon I sent a parcel containing dirty clothes and an Easter egg and some chocolate in a little plant pot and saucer for Margaret. Hope she will like it.; Frank Gilmore; ...I have just seen a boat load of wounded put into the train down at the docks. My words, aren't they just glad to get back to Blighty! ; Shaw from Bradford; going to a social at the Soldier's Institute run by the Wesleyan Chapel; later he is at St. Margaret's-at-Cliffe, near Dover; Percy Shoesmith (Salonica); John Henry Riley; Mrs Stockton; a cricket match between our men and the RNAS men from Dover; bowling on village club green.
TRANSCRIPTION
LOCATION
DESCRIPTION
PEOPLE
STORY INFO
TUTORIAL
Dear Father & Mother,
Today the doctor has been round and turned out nearly all the men from our ward, that is the malaria cases; as a safeguard against infection we chaps who have had dysentry have to have tests made even though we are quite well now. The first test will be made tomorrow and another test a week later, so that it seems that I shall be here about ten days yet. I am sorry to disappoint you about getting home this week, but I am quite comfortable here, and in any case it cannot be helped. Anyhow I am quite well.
Under the circumstances please continue to write me untnil I tell you something differen, but don't send any parcels as we should not be allowed to have any eatables sent into hospital and I am quite all right as regards tobacco & cigarettes.
Yesterday afternoon I had a stroll out into Plymouth.
Today fifty of us have been the guests of Mrs Astor, wife of the Member of Parliament for the borough. We went first to the Grand Theatre where a charity performance was being given. It was a very good show - first one act of the play "Rip van Winkle" and then a children's operetta, which was really very good. After the performance we went to the most swagger restaurant in plymouth and had a beautiful tea - sandwiches, bread & butter, cakes and pastry - as much as we could shift - everything of the very best.
I hope you don't mind having to pay postage on my letters, but until i get the five shillings I asked you to send I cannot buy any stamps. I have only East African money on me, which I shall have to change into British at the first opportunity. You must only pay the penny for each leetter - that is the regulation.
Well, I don't think I have anything more to tell you this time, so will now close.
Yours affectionately
Alvin.
Please don't forget to write me. You know the last news I received from you was your October letters.
******************
Postcard Postmark Devonport
Feb 1 17
Glen Lea, etc.,
Dear Mother,
Thanks for letter enclosing 5/- order and letter card with Jacl's address.
I am writing him today asking if he can come to see me on Sunday.
Yours affectionately,
Alvin,
*******************
3
- English (English)
Dear Father & Mother,
Today the doctor has been round and turned out nearly all the men from our ward, that is the malaria cases; as a safeguard against infection we chaps who have had dysentry have to have tests made even though we are quite well now. The first test will be made tomorrow and another test a week later, so that it seems that I shall be here about ten days yet. I am sorry to disappoint you about getting home this week, but I am quite comfortable here, and in any case it cannot be helped. Anyhow I am quite well.
Under the circumstances please continue to write me untnil I tell you something differen, but don't send any parcels as we should not be allowed to have any eatables sent into hospital and I am quite all right as regards tobacco & cigarettes.
Yesterday afternoon I had a stroll out into Plymouth.
Today fifty of us have been the guests of Mrs Astor, wife of the Member of Parliament for the borough. We went first to the Grand Theatre where a charity performance was being given. It was a very good show - first one act of the play "Rip van Winkle" and then a children's operetta, which was really very good. After the performance we went to the most swagger restaurant in plymouth and had a beautiful tea - sandwiches, bread & butter, cakes and pastry - as much as we could shift - everything of the very best.
I hope you don't mind having to pay postage on my letters, but until i get the five shillings I asked you to send I cannot buy any stamps. I have only East African money on me, which I shall have to change into British at the first opportunity. You must only pay the penny for each leetter - that is the regulation.
Well, I don't think I have anything more to tell you this time, so will now close.
Yours affectionately
Alvin.
Please don't forget to write me. You know the last news I received from you was your October letters.
******************
Postcard Postmark Devonport
Feb 1 17
Glen Lea, etc.,
Dear Mother,
Thanks for letter enclosing 5/- order and letter card with Jacl's address.
I am writing him today asking if he can come to see me on Sunday.
Yours affectionately,
Alvin,
*******************
3
Language(s) of Transcription
English Translation
Transcription History
Dear Father & Mother, Today the doctor has been round and turned out nearly all the men from our ward, that is the malaria cases; as a safeguard against infection we chaps who have had dysentry have to have tests made even though we are quite well now. The first test will be made tomorrow and another test a week later, so that it seems that I shall be here about ten days yet. I am sorry to disappoint you about getting home this week, but I am quite comfortable here, and in any case it cannot be helped. Anyhow I am quite well. Under the circumstances please continue to write me untnil I tell you something differen, but don't send any parcels as we should not be allowed to have any eatables sent into hospital and I am quite all right as regards tobacco & cigarettes. Yesterday afternoon I had a stroll out into Plymouth. Today fifty of us have been the guests of Mrs Astor, wife of the Member of Parliament for the borough. We went first to the Grand Theatre where a charity performance was being given. It was a very good show - first one act of the play "Rip van Winkle" and then a children's operetta, which was really very good. After the performance we went to the most swagger restaurant in plymouth and had a beautiful tea - sandwiches, bread & butter, cakes and pastry - as much as we could shift - everything of the very best. I hope you don't mind having to pay postage on my letters, but until i get the five shillings I asked you to send I cannot buy any stamps. I have only East African money on me, which I shall have to change into British at the first opportunity. You must only pay the penny for each leetter - that is the regulation. Well, I don't think I have anything more to tell you this time, so will now close. Yours affectionately Alvin. Please don't forget to write me. You know the last news I received from you was your October letters. ****************** Postcard Postmark Devonport Feb 1 17 Glen Lea, etc., Dear Mother, Thanks for letter enclosing 5/- order and letter card with Jacl's address. I am writing him today asking if he can come to see me on Sunday. Yours affectionately, Alvin, ******************* 3
Dear Father & Mother, Today the doctor has been round and turned out nearly all the men from our ward, that is the malaria cases; as a safeguard against infection we chaps who have had dysentry have to have tests made even though we are quite well now. The first test will be made tomorrow and another test a week later, so that it seems that I shall be here about ten days yet. I am sorry to disappoint you about getting home this week, but I am quite comfortable here, and in any case it cannot be helped. Anyhow I am quite well. Under the circumstances please continue to write me untnil I tell you something differen, but don't send any parcels as we should not be allowed to have any eatables sent into hospital and I am quite all right as regards tobacco & cigarettes. Yesterday afternoon I had a stroll out into Plymouth. Today fifty of us have been the guests of Mrs Astor, wife of the Member of Parliament for the borough. We went first to the Grand Theatre where a charity performance was being given. It was a very good show - first one act of the play "Rip van Winkle" and then a children's operetta, which was really very good. After the performance we went to the most swagger restaurant in plymouth and had a beautiful tea - sandwiches, bread & butter, cakes and pastry - as much as we could shift - everything of the very best. I hope you don't mind having to pay postage on my letters, but until i get the five shillings I asked you to send I cannot buy any stamps. I have only East African money on me, which I shall have to change into British at the first opportunity. You must only pay the penny for each leetter - that is the regulation. Well, I don't think I have anything more to tell you this time, so will now close. Yours affectionately
Dear Father & Mother, Today the doctor has been round and turned out nearly all the men from our ward, that is the malaria cases; as a safeguard against infection we chaps who have had dysentry have to have tests made even though we are quite well now. The first test will be made tomorrow and another test a week later, so that it seems that I shall be here about ten days yet. I am sorry to disappoint you about getting home this week, but I am quite comfortable here, and in any case it cannot be helped. Anyhow I am quite well. Under the circumstances please continue to write me untnil I tell you something differen, but don't send any parcels as we should not be allowed to have any eatables sent into hospital and I am quite all right as regards tobacco & cigarettes. Yesterday afternoon I had a stroll out into Plymouth. Today fifty of us have been the guests of Mrs Astor, wife of the Member of Parliament for the borough. We went first to the Grand Theatre where a charity performance was being given. It was a very good show - first one act of the play "Rip van Winkle" and then a children's operetta, which was really very good. After the performance we went to the most swagger restaurant in plymouth and had a beautiful tea - sandwiches, bread & butter, cakes and pastry - as much as we could shift - everything of the very best. I hope
Dear Father & Mother, Today the doctor has been round and turned out nearly all the men from our ward, that is the malaria cases; as a safeguard against infection we chaps who have had dysentry have to have tests made even though we are quite well now. The first test will be made tomorrow and another test a week later, so that it seems that I shall be here about ten days yet. I am sorry to disappoint you about getting home this week, but I am quite comfortable here, and in any case it cannot be helped. Anyhow I am quite well.
English Translation
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