Breakfast at 7.00 a.m. Some of our mates shifted to Bray? [Bray-sur-Somme] others left behind walked round the battlefields of Gulleynont, Longeval, and Thiepal? Several graveyards about.
The following additional information is from Martin Farebrother:
Guillemont, Longeval, Thiepval (most sappers did not have access to maps).
Alec to his parents:
Dear Mum and Dad
Thanks for weekly letter, duly received on Saturday morning. Glad to say we are all now over the worst as regards health. We all have the residue of colds, namely catarrh. This of course will pass in due time.
Glad to hear that the batteries from Fortiphones have arrived at last, although you had to write them a snorter. As it so happened your letters crossed in the post. I shall be interested to learn what actually went wrong.
We thought of you last Sunday going to Lyng, and as I recall I commented in my last letter on it being a fine day. You had a dull day apparently, which is a surprise to us considering the weather we had that day.
Hope budget will stretch to the 6d stamp each week, as it is interesting to get the Mercuries reasonably up-to-date. I would have liked to have had them before, but never mentioned it.
Incidentally I was glad to hear that Don is better, or appears so. Going in for poultry in a big way by the sound of it.
I could not say if the Benns are interested in the local news or not. I have pushed the paper through the door after I finished with it, but so far there has been no comment. On Friday Mr and Mrs Benn and Janet went to Southampton where they spent the night, and were motoring to Clevedon on Saturday afternoon. This is to decide if Mrs B likes the site and is willing to live there. I am sure I do not know what the reaction will be, but little Michael missed his mum. We heard him in there late on Friday saying ‘Mummy gone away’ etc etc. We saw Mrs Benn (Grandma) down at the shops on Saturday morning, and invited them in for the afternoon. He played with the girls and did not seem very put out. He did not want to go home of course, and raised the roof for a bit. Grandma Benn was saying that it all depended on Dorothy as to approval or not of the site, but she said they were quite used to moving about and it did not worry them.
Regarding our helpers – washing up et cetera – we had a continuation of the same this morning. Susan washed up, and Carol wiped the breakfast things, but they got a bit out of phase so had to step in and clear it all up.
I saw some pencil or biro marks on the last paper you sent and wondered if you had marked it specially, that is why I asked for identification. It may be that the children had got to work with their crayons etc.
So poor old Arthur has died. Nice to be able to think you were able to entertain him even for a short while before he went.
We did not ask for an estimate for sliding doors, and will not now vary the conditions otherwise he may put up the estimate. Note the position on the typewriter.
Should have thought that your greenhouse could have provided the regular warm temperature that you require for your lettuce plants, or is it a higher temperature than you normally have in there. Al three of our pot honeysuckle plants are growing well. I have them now on top of the coal bunker – still in their pots and they have had the benefit of regular rain.
Nice to have company come round even if no assistance offered when digging trench. At least your assistants do not undo what you have already done.
Have done nothing further about the lawn, but put in another electric point yesterday. This time it was on the landing, and involved much more fiddling about with floorboards than I have had hitherto.
June and Carol have just come in with some tea for me, and Carol says that we are having tortoise for dinner. Hope I don’t get the shell.
Later on I hope to put a point in our bedroom, and possibly one in the small bedroom. After that at some time I must fit one in the hall, and perhaps some more in the dining and front rooms.
Re: wine, it is surprising how much wine you can stow away in a small space – like the airing cupboard – if you have it stored in gallon jars or sweet jars. I have one gallon of fig and tangerine fermenting under lock in the top of our cupboard, and a further gallon jar and a sweet jar full of apple that has recently stopped fermenting. There is also a bottle of yeast and a spare one, and still room for more.
I agree with you that Jungle Juice (Lyng version) is not very acceptable this time of year.
Taking a bit of a chance were you not in taking him down some grape wine? Pity to waste good wine if he does not drink it – better to have disposed of some of the elderflower. So far as the cherry wine is concerned we now have plenty, thanks to bringing two bottles back from you, and finding some that had been overlooked. it is being reserved for medicinal purposes, but the last time it was used it had no apparent effect. Perhaps the virus is now immune?
So far as last Monday’s strike is concerned, I was little affected as I had a meeting arranged for Maidenhead at 10 a.m.. Did this by going down by car. All right by going in the opposite direction to the flow of traffic.
You may be interested to learn that the fellow who was prepared to be Work Studied at Morris Cowley was started on last week. The senior investigator is a clerical representative on Sectional Council and asked to have two days off to attend to such matters. In his absence I sent one of the Old Oak Common team to keep the pot boiling – as it were – but he telephoned on arrival to say that the individual to be studied had died the night before. You cannot win can you?
Glad to hear that it is your turn this week to win the £5,000 on the Premium Bonds. Let me know when to call round.
Sorry to hear that the T&G party is off. it would have been better if they had canvassed the members in advance before issuing invitations. Can Mrs H talk herself out of this one?
The trouble with the Maidenhead scheme is not cleared up yet, and I had to leave it to others to sort out on Friday as I had other meetings to attend. We have started the Acton station negotiations and so far they are going well. On informal level we have cleared up all but four points, none of which is difficult so next meeting should produce the acceptance.
Well have nothing more of interest to report this week, thanks for the paper etc. Hope you are both keeping well, and will comment on the holiday aspect next week.
Love from us all.
Breakfast at 8.0 a.m. Squad drill until 11.00 a.m. Then searched battlefield we are camped on for souvenirs, but only found German bullets. Had a service in our own tent at night among ourselves.
Now in sound of artillery guns. Several shells passing over us during night. We are situated in a horseshoe curve thus:- [A diagram shows Plateau surrounded by deep horseshoe curve with the enemy on the far side.]
The following additional information is from Martin Farebrother:
At this time, and until the German retreat to the ‘Hindenburg Line’ in March 1917, Plateau and Frise were quite near the front line where the Battle of the Somme ended in November 1916. Froissy was slightly further from the front line.
Fell in 8.00am. Squad drill. Had a Turkish bath. Left Audr[u]icq at 9.00 pm in box trucks for Plateau. Arrived 6.00 am February 3rd. Enjoyed the journey although tired.
Unloading timber all day. Good feed at night of steak etc. Heavy frost all night. Boots frozen hard. Hats frozen. Blankets dripping wet with dew from top of tents.
Leonard to the family:
Dear Alec June Susan & Carol
Many thanks for another long and interesting letter received yesterday but so sorry to hear you are all under the weather again – hope it will not be long before you are once more back to normal. Not really surprised to know the smallpox vaccination upset you – surely it is a sign that the dose is becoming effective – but did not expect to hear it had such an effect on you as you describe. Can remember the effect it had on me when I joined the Army in 1916. Still no news or batteries from Fortiphones (^see postscript^) and have sent them a bit of a snorter today as perhaps that will shake them up – will report on this in next letter.
Well we had quite a good time at Lyng on Sunday – Don & Joan had killed the fatted calf (chicken) and we did full justice to the spread. It was a dull day in this part of the country but roads nice and dry and quite good for motoring. Don seemed much better then when I saw him at Durston station on Dec 23rd but he always is a bit chesty as you know. We left here at 9.55 a.m. and arrived Lyng about 11.15 a.m. leaving again 3.15 p.m. & home by 4.20 p.m.* They have bought two new poultry houses since we were last there – that was when we went down with you – and the children were very lively. I think I told you they lost 36 day-olds during that cold spell but firm had replaced 25 of them.
Note you would like Mercury sent up and as we now know value stamp to put on and have a suitable supply of envelopes will carry on until further notice. Not surprised the Benns might be interested in the local news if they are thinking of moving down this way. Have not been round the Strawberry Hill recently but now think the plot they have in mind I somewhere between Bell’s place and the bottom of the hill opposite All Saints Church in the Swiss Valley – noted you had heard nothing more from them regarding their intentions. Has Mrs Benn been down to see the site?
So Carol is still busy helping Mummie – gives her something interesting to do when Susan is at school.** She will have to help Grandma when she comes to Clevedon for holiday.
Am afraid I cannot help much with identifying people in the picture in the Mercury. I believe Tom Garland’s wife was in it and also Mrs Palmer and Joyce (her daughter). Incidentally Mrs Golding (Land Yeo Cottage) died last week and Mum and I went over to funeral service on Monday. You remember the boys (three of them) who were in Choir and Marion the only girl who was a typist in my section of DSQ. [?] Old man Salisbury – 90 odd – the former tailor in Clevedon has also passed on.
That reminds me – Mum had a letter from Aunt Lil at Dawlish on Monday to say that she had heard from Florrie of Twickenham that Arthur (California) died on the 2nd January from lung cancer. This was a bit of a shock as we had no idea he was that ill – he certainly showed no signs when with us last year. No wonder we did not hear from him after he arrived back home. Don’t suppose we shall now see any of the photographs he took whilst here including one of Mogg’s thatched cottage which he was particularly pleased to take.
Talking about sliding cupboard doors, did you have an estimate for them? Looking at ours here I cannot think the cost can be much more than the hinged ones. Seems quite a small job but I must admit I would not like to tackle it – everyone to his own kind of work!
No further news of typewriter but being away on Sunday I did not see my contact (Ern Cole) who may have had some information for me.
Mr Palmer has been ordered to rest pending his operation because movement is aggravating the trouble caused by years of neglect.
Sorry about Eric Benn’s car – only proves that in many cases the innocent party has to suffer for other people’s neglect.
Yes, Vicar still laid up but a couple of days ago I saw old Mr Houghton drive by in his car so he must be improving.
Re: Electricity Booster I do not know if ity is in operation yet but am of opinion it is not yet connec ted up properly.
Noted GM’s cut applies to Divl. Office Staffs – this will hurt a lot of people in high places and not before time either.
Not much to report on the garden this week. Our tomato seeds – in pots in kitchen – are now showing through soil. This is several weeks earlier than last year and if we can save them will obviate necessity of buying a few plants for the earliest fruiting. The job is to keep them in a regular warm temperature. Managed to di out second trench for runner beans last Friday working from the path, Whilst at it both Roy Hewitt and Mr Aston looked in but I did not get any assistance. In the greenhouse I have lettuce and Brussels sprouts seeds coming up but am anxious for outdoor soil to dry so that I can make up some more compost for planting out seedlings – more Burnham Beeches loam wanted.
Glad to hear your boiler chimney now appears satisfactory – presumably you can fill up the linen cupboard with fermenting wine? What did June say – no you cannot? I took a half pint bottle of grape wine down to Don but he did not try it whilst we were with him. He still goes out on the moor two or three times a week for his jungle juice. I brought back a gallon but don’t care a lot for it this time of year.*** How about the cherry wine? Have you still got a good supply?
How did you get on on Monday travelling to and from Paddington? By the accounts we read it was at its worst on the Southern region so we hope it did n ot affect you too much. It is a dreadful business and thousands of people have to suffer for such irresponsible people. Did you see Monday night’s Panorama programme when a bunch of striking railwaymen were on view.
No more now but we do hope you are all much better again.
All our love to you both and lots of kisses for Susan & Carol.
Mum & Dad
*80 minutes down and 65 minutes back is not too bad compared with roughly 50 minutes that Google Earth would expect the journey to take today … albeit that is using the M5 motorway which was not in existence back then. If my calculations are correct they went down at an average speed of 30mph and returned at 43, whereas the modern prediction suggests 48. OTOH on a Sunday morning there would have been plenty of people going to church and therefore the villages they passed through might have been busy; now the roads are wider and faster, of course, and the cars more powerful, plus the modern route would take them well away from congested villages.
**Fascinating! Washing up and dusting and running to fetch things and pretending to cut out pastry and listening to ‘Music While You Work’, all the things a Fifties housewife was expected to do and a Fifties girl child was expected to aspire to. Yes, technically the Fifties were over by this time, but they pretty much lasted until the Beatles appeared on the scene. For anyone who doubts this, watch ‘The Boat That Rocked/Pirate Radio’; the scenes where Sir Alistair and his family are sitting around having their appalling family meal etc. are very realistic. One really was not expected to think for oneself in those days, just to conform, and the penalties for not doing so could be excruciating. Ask me how I know.
***I found a recipe for Bravery’s Jungle Juice, but what ‘going on the moor’ has to do with anything is beyond me!
Bravery’s Jungle Juice
3lb very old potatoes
6 oranges
1 lb raisins
1 lb wheat
4 lb sugar (don’t use invert)
1oz yeast
5 quarts water
Cut up the oranges and their peel and boil gently for 3 minutes in 3 pints of water. Leave aside to cool.
Thoroughly scrub the unpeeled potatoes, then grate or slice them finely and bring to the boil in 6 pints of water. Simmer gently for no more than 10 minutes and take off all the scum that rises. If scum continues to rise then simmer until no more rises, taking off every bit of it.
Strain into a polythene pail, add half the sugar and stir until dissolved. Then add the wheat and cut up raisins. Then add the oranges and the water they were boiled in. While still lukewarm, sprinkle the yeast on top and stir in.
Ferment for ten days.
Strain out the solids and return the liquor to the fermenting vessel. Boil the remaining sugar in the final pint of water and add to the rest.
Continue to ferment in a warm place for a further 10 days and then transfer to jars under fermentation locks. Continue until fermentation ceases and proceed to clearing and bottling as usual.
[Courtesy of https://wine-pages.com/community/index.php?threads/jungle-juice.936/%5D
Eva to the family on the remaining ⅝ of a sheet of Leonard’s writing paper:
Dear Alec June Susan & Carol
Many thanks for letter. I hope by now the colds will have improved despite the awful rain. Today it has not stopped & it’s a thick mist here.
We had a good ride down to Lyng & back, but who would live there, it would drive me silly on the moors with nothing to look at. Plenty of fishing going on but the men must have been nearly frozen.
There is a continual scrape next door so suppose they are doing some decorating, it’s like mice scratching.
Went to Mrs Golding’s funeral, plenty of people as she was so well known and there were 44 wreaths. One a lovely one with red carnations, Marion’s I think.
We haven’t noticed any improvement in the electricity other than it’s more steady now.
Our T.G. party is off, heard it today that not enough tickets were sold only 30 out of a possible 200 it’s not good enough. Suppose people have skinned themselves over Xmas. We are looking forward to winning £5000 this month [about £115,000 in 2022 money] (Feb.) Shouldn’t know what to do with it!!!
No more now lots of love from Mum and Dad.
P.S. 8 Batteries arrived today Feb 1st.
[Eva’s drawing comprises items labelled umbrella, big spade, big fork, gloves for the garden, trowel, fork, bucket, seeds and hoe, plus a straight line with a face at each end labelled ‘worm’.]
Unloading timber all day from railway wagons. Very cold all day. Had pork and potatoes and haricot beans for one shilling* at B.E.F.** canteen. Sharp frost at night.
*£4.50/$6.10 in 2022 currency
Fell in at 8.00 a,m. Same as previous day. Had a good feed at night at cafe of steak, potatoes, bread and cafe’* for 1s 5½d.**
*Leonard may not have had much to do with coffee before this time; although it was generally available – and could easily be made at home – it had a reputation for being both expensive and ‘foreign’. Also, an article here suggests that there had been supply chain problems with it earlier in the war, but that the absence or presence of coffee in any food establishment was probably a good indicator of the progress of the war.
**The equivalent of about £6.50 ($8.80) in the present day, which is a modest enough price for what is essentially steak and chips and a cup of coffee.
Fell in at 8.00 a.m. Had drill of various kinds until 12.30 p.m. Dinner 1.00 p.m. More drill until 3.00 p.m. Dismissed for day then had to stop in camp at night for water fatigue*.
*I have not been able to identify exactly what ‘water fatigue’ involved and I suspect that it was different at every base anyway; presumably it involved transporting water from wherever it was sourced to wherever it was needed, i.e. from a pump or standpipe to the kitchen, latrines or laundry. Alternatively it may have been pumping water for the use of the locomotives in the shunting yard. Leonard knew what he meant, anyway, and didn’t feel the need to include any further illustrative detail. And ‘stopping in camp’ doesn’t sound too bad, really; it’s hard to imagine that Audruicq had very much of a night-life to offer, even if Leonard had been the type to indulge in it!
On The Track 