These are a selection of Duncan’s letters home which correspond to some diary entries.
59 Buckingham Gate
Sat
My dearest
We are still here, mobilisation is a long job and we are not through it yet. I believe we are going eventually to be billeted somewhere about St Albans on the northern defences of London and handy for the East Coast if the Germans should try a raid which may be quite possible though it cannot be on a big scale as their only chance is a small convoy slipping through our fleet on a dark night.
We are to receive some money on mobilisation I believe, though I’m not sure how much, I will send you some as soon as it comes through.
I am not allowed to assign my pay to you, automatically, but will send it to you
all the same, and will send as much as possible every week. I see by an order in
the papers this morning that the territorials are to get proficiency pay if they
attended full time of camp during the last two years, so that I get 6d extra a day,
2/10 in all, you will get automatically through Headquarters your separation allowance
1/1d a day and 2d a day for each of the children. This I believe will be paid weekly.
That makes 11s/1 a week, and I shall get 19/10 of which I will send you as much over
10/-
Those who lived near town were allowed to go home last night but the CO would not let any of the people go who had railway journeys so I had to stay at Headquarters.
The district railway and tubes and trains are taking territorials free and so are the busses which is very useful as I’ve only got 2d left!
Percy Tarner(?) has just joined the 2nd South or rather the 13th, his old corps again.
I am writing this on the top rail of the gallery at HQ that’s why its wobbly.
A letter here for the next day or two will find me until I can send you an address. This is a fine thing and is going to be the making of England.
Everyone is very glad that Kitchiner will be at the head of affairs.
We are simply swarmed with recruits, beating them off with clubs! I’ve just got young Bennet Burleigh through.
Must stop now as we are going out on a march.
Love to you all. If I get half a chance I’ll come down but I expect we shall be off tomorrow.
Your own
Duncan
A Co London Scottish
4th Infantry Brigade
2nd London Division
St Albans
Sunday
My dearest
I wrote you hurriedly yesterday sending you £1. By the way did you get my ring, which I sent you some time ago?
About the Scottish going abroad know nothing at present, but if they want us they
will take us, no doubt. We were asked on parade the other day to find out how many
members would go if the battalion was wanted, on the understanding that we should
go as the London Scottish or not at all: the feeling being that we did not want the
battalion split up. All, with very few exceptions, said they would go if necessary,
and I felt that if I backed out I’d never be able to hold up my head. Besides it
seems to me that we are as likely to have a raid here as not, the whole company between
here and the midlands is swarming with troops, all ready to be shipped to the east
coast at a moments notice. In any case we should not be sent out for a month or two,
or even longer than that. We are hard at work training, and we shall need to be re-
The training is doing me no end of good, I am very fit so far and the outdoor life
+ the exercise are just what I want. I have bought some army socks, thick white ones,
at 1/-
It rained last night, but not very much. One or two of the fine nights have been very cold but sleeping out is OK only the ground is a bit hard. I expect we are stuck here for some weeks, doing nothing but drill and musketry. It will be wearisome but as long as we can shove some backbone into our youngsters I shall be happy. My section is coming on alright, with the exception of one or two absolute rotters, but I am sorry to say our captain is no good at all. He has neither sense nor tact, and I should be very sorry to have to follow him in the field. That is the chief thing that bothers me. I hope when we get more settled down to be able to get more writing done. You might find the typed copy of my ‘Diary of a Territorial’ as just now it might find a publisher. Love to Mollie and the boys. I hope as I say to get a day off presently but it will only be 48 hours leave and it may be a month before I get it.
I will write again as soon as I get chance, but most of our days are pretty full up and we are pretty tired by the end of them. I’ve been in bed, or rather under my hedge, by 9.30 every night. One wakes up when the dawn cold comes along, but last night was much better having the trews from the kitbag.
When you get the Gazette you will see my ‘Non-
With fondest love to you all
From your
Duncan
God bless you my dear
Sparks and Cole send their love to you all
A Co London Scottish
4th Infantry Brigade
2nd London Division
Sunday St Albans
My dearest
It has been glorious weather the last two days and very hot. Capt Low has been appointed
to the depot in town and we are to get another captain. I don’t know who it will
be. We shall be here in the ordinary course of events for a month or two, and I hope
presently to be able to get away for a night-
If the Germans made a raid we should shift to the east coast but it isn’t at all likely just now; if there was a big naval battle they might try it if they could draw off our fleet, but not as things stand. Still they are going ahead and the situation is very serious. The next two or three weeks will decide. Personally I think they will send us to Egypt or somewhere to relieve regulars, and though I am not keen on going under fire, I’d much rather the battalion had a place in the stalls than standing room in the gallery.
Love to you all – I hope the Skeates were not offended-
We had a campfire concert in Friday that was a great success, and last night a night alarm parade in silence. It was very well done and the whole battalion assembled without a sound, the only thing one could hear was the water swishing about in the mens’ bottles.
Tell Mollie she can make me a bag to hold my button cleaning things in if she likes. It ought to be a little larger than a sponge bag and I might have another a little smaller to hold razor and brush etc.
Ive been interrupted about 40 times writing this so might stop as I hear theres a post going
With all love
Your own
Duncan
I hope the babes and Smie are well
Sunday
My dearest
We are off on Tuesday for the Continent, not, I believe for the fighting line but for lines of communication. That is the reason for our recall. It was given out late last night, but whether we shall actually leave on Tuesday is doubtful. The rest of the Brigade is not going, so it is a great honour for us.
I caught the 4.30 from Euston and am writing this to catch the six o’clock post.
Whether there will be any more leave is doubtful, there may be, we shift from here tomorrow I think. Probably to town and then off. Kitchiner loses no time when he sees a good thing he sticks a fork in it.
One thing that makes me think we shall not be in the fighting line is that we have not got the regular rifle.
If we do go onto the continent we shall be the first territorial battalion there – Hurrah!
Love to you all
Your own Duncan
In the train for Southampton
Tuesday morning
My dearest
The London Scottish have had the greatest possible honour. We are brigaded with the guards and are absolutely off to the front at once. Yesterday morning we were issued with new rifles, and by the time you get this we shall be in France. I never thought we should be off so soon, and we are the first territorial battalion to go.
Address now is
‘A’ Company
The London Scottish n(14th London)
British Expeditionary Force
I tried to telephone to Tom Gabriel yesterday but the line was blocked, officially I think, so as not to give away information, Send socks, hose tops and shirt to the above address, and keep the nuts till I come back. One of the papers last night said we were going to Aldershot, but we shall be further off than that. Sorry I could not stop longer on Sunday, it would not really have mattered. They knew at Headquarters on Saturday night.
I will write as soon as I get a chance but do not know when that will be. All Watford
turned out to see us go and the band of the 13th played us down. The rest of the
Brigade are very sick because we are going so soon and they are left behind. The
Germans seem to be fairly on the run now and I think the hardest fighting is over,
but I hope we get a smack at them. I shall continue the non-
Best of love to you all. Burr, Bivvens and Mollie and all Worplesdon friends. I know you will be as proud as I am of the honour that has been conferred on us, we are all determined to do our best to uphold it and to show the regulars with whom we are brigaded that we are not mearly peace soldiers.
God bless you, my dear one
I am writing a line to Donald
Your own
Duncan
Friday 25th September
My dearest
I have been sent to Paris to fetch some prisoners and take the chance of sending this to you by a good chap whom we have met who is going to London tonight and will post it in town so that the censors will not read it and I can tell you where I am.
We are all up and down the lines of communication. ‘A’ Co is at Villeneuve St George, ten miles S E of Paris. We have trains and trains going through. French troops for the front. Wounded coming back, all artillery fire – the Germans can’t rifle shoot for toffee but they’ve got a very strong position with big guns and it is taking a lot to shift them out of it.
We shan’t get to the front itself, or rather, into the firing line, for some time, though some of our companies are already up there, clearing the woods and looking for stragglers and so on.
We arrived in France with no kitbags and no blankets and probably shall not see our kitbags till the end of the war – they are still in England. What I have I have to carry myself and my shirt – the one I didn’t change on Sunday when I was at home is getting a bit ‘fruity’.
You will get this on Monday or Tuesday morning. I got your first letter yesterday also one from Alice. Please thank her and say I’ll write when I get a chance. Send me a shirt, my hose tops and one pair of socks, and if you have any mittens done, they will be welcome.
God bless you my dear. We are very well and its a wonderful experience. When you write, enclose a blank envelope and a piece of paper.
Love to the babes and love to you. God bless you all
Your own
Duncan
Sunday October 18th
My dearest
Just a hurried line to tell you we are all well, getting moved up every two days
or so. I am on my own with my section at one of the rail-
It is much more interesting now that we are near to the front and there is plenty of work to do. We get our boots off about one night in four when things are slack. We seldom see any English illustrated papers and a Punch three weeks old was a welcome object. We have plenty of food and tobacco but matches are scarce, and all the jam is plum, which is wholesome but one gets tired of it.
We have a very good officer in charge of railhead and can requisition bread and vegetables, and we have a very good cook, and a piper. I marched the section the last 2 stages – quicker than French trains and we enjoyed the change. The people in the villages had never heard the pipes and were very excited.
The section is most excellent and have bucked up wonderfully, very different to what they were before we left England.
Altogether we are having a very good time so far and personally I am enjoying it. Weather good on the whole, one or two wet days and the goods yard in which we principally live and work very muddy. My hands are very dirty and I despair of ever getting them clean again, but as everyone is the same it doesn’t show.
Give my love to everyone no time for individual letters. I am writing this one on the step of a goods van full of bacon and cheese. Best of love and kisses to you and the bairns.
Tell Alice her air pillow is the envy of the section.
All my love my dearest
Your own
Duncan
Saturday Oct 24
My dear Burr
I got a letter from you this morning, also one from Bivvens, two from Mummy and one
from Aunt Alice. I have been away, with my section independently, working two little
railway stations where the Indian soldiers were coming off the train. They are very
fine fellows and I am sorry for the Germans if they get hand to hand with them. We
were showing them how to get their wagons off the railway trucks and it was sometimes
very difficult to get them to understand what we wanted them to do because I don’t
know any Hindi and they don’t know much English. We slept in a good’s shed and I
woke up in the middle of the night and heard a curious bubbling and I couldn’t make
out what it was, until in the dim light I saw close to the foot of my bed a curious
figure squatted on the floor, smoking an immense hubble-
Then the next day a German aeroplane came over, a “Taube” as they call it. I got the section out with our rifles but it was too high up to shoot at. After it had gone some way we heard a bang and it turned round and then a shell burst up in the air but not very near it, and in about 2 minutes a couple of British aeroplanes went after it and I heard the day after that it had been brought down about 5 miles away, but we were not able to see that. You did not put the date on your letter so I don’t know how long it took to reach me. I expect to be sent off in a day or two to escort German prisoners, of which a good few are coming through now.
We were quite near the firing a week ago and could see the shells bursting about
a mile away but none of them came near us; and now we are having a bit of a rest
and some other company is doing the work for a bit. I had a whole week of not being
able to take off my boots at night, getting sleep when possible by snatches in the
intervals of trains coming in. And there was a German spy dressed as a French soldier
who came round but we didn’t know he was a spy till after he had gone when they sent
a message to us to look out for him. It is very interesting now, but I am afraid
they will keep us at this work for a long time because it is better than ordinary
soldiers and a lot of us can speak French. We are split up in little bits all over
the place. Sparks and Brown are with me just now, and send their best regards, everyone
is very well, except that we have all been inoculated against enteric, which is sort
of an elaborate tummy ache which people get from drinking bad water. Will you please
send this letter on to mummy as soon as you have done with it, she will send it back
to you when she has read it. We had a big mail in today that has been following us
round the country, and everyone is full of cigarettes and tobacco and cakes and things.
Ask mummy to send me a seed cake in a tin, or some little ones. I got the tobacco
and the mittens safely, and someone sent alot of body-
The new photographs of Mollie are splendid, but I want one of you and Bivvens and Mummie, because the ones I had before are in my kitbag which is still at Southampton. Love to you all, and I am glad you are getting on well at school.
Your loving
Dad
Nov 2 1914
My dearest
We have had our first fight, which took the place of the Halloween Dinner, and in spite of far too many casualties we have come out of it very well. I expect you will see something about it in the papers.
We had to support some cavalry who were holding a weak place, and we were rushed up to the line of trenches across the open in the daylight under a tremendous enfilade fire. How I was missed I don’t know. As soon as we had gone 20 yards over the brow of the hill we had shrapnel, maxims (?) coal boxes and everything on us.
The man next to me was shot through both calves in the first minute – how mine escaped is a mystery. I got out my entrenching tool and dug like mad to get a bit of cover. No sooner had I got my head protected than 6 from a maxina? Came smack into the earth I’d thrown up. We had about 100 yards to go to a trench where some cavalry were, so we got up and made for a haystack half way, to breathe behind it. There we collected all the wounded we could and finally I and some others made a rush for the trench. The men on each side of me were hit but I got in all right. There we stayed under fire till dark. No German infantry in sight, only shells coming, not one a minute but a continual rain of bits and splinters. One got me on the head, but luckily it hit a thick bit of my bonnet and only dazed me for a minute. At dark the shells left off and we got out and started to dig a trench across the road to our front. At 6 we heard the bands? Playing hymns and some of the cavalry said that meant an attack. We dug and dug till midnight, being continually sniped in the moonlight and then came a big attack, but we were able to drive it off where we were. There were 3 columns and we were the centre. Those on our left got through the first line of trenches and set fire to a farmhouse on our left rear, and then to one behind us. They didn’t know we were there and we saw some figures coming up in the dark behind us, a big mass of them. They called out “Don’t shoot, we’re Scottish Rifles” so we opened fire and down they all went, but not before they had bayoneted our medical officer who was attending to some wounded behind the haystacks.
Then we were sniped at from all sides. Luckily they can’t shoot for nuts, and we had to get out because everyone else had retired form our immediate neighbourhood. But we accounted for a good many more on the way and I’d have done better if my magazine hadn’t stuck so that I had to use my rifle as a single loader all night.
Then as dawn came we returned to some reserve trenches which we found and we had a halt for about ½ hour, until we had to get out of that because the right and left columns were coming on and had nearly surrounded us. We stopped and gave them some from a shallow ditch in the middle of a field but they opened 24 maxims on us so it wasn’t good enough and we got out and bunked, just in time to avoid being surrounded. We had no supports whatever, mind you, and only a few cavalry acting as infantry and one company of a regular battalion with us against what must have been at least three big German battalions, which are twice as big as ours.
Anyhow, we delayed their advance long enough to allow supports to come up and they say that we practically saved the situation and prevented them from getting through. That retirement was pretty rotten because they were not only behind us but on each flank as well. All the generals and people are very pleased with us and we have kept up the reputation of the old corps and I am very proud indeed to have been able to take a hand in it. I believe there will be something in orders about it, so watch the papers. I hear more territorials are coming out now so I think the worst of the fighting is over. Some of the prisoners we have seen are boys of 16 and 17 who have only had about 4 weeks training, so it looks healthy, since they are at their last gasp and we have got Kitchener’s army to come at the back of the Telliers? Terriers?
Cole is wounded I am sorry to say, but not very badly. Capt MacDonald also is wounded
in the foot. Luckily they were got off before the German infantry attack came up
at night. The beasts bayoneted our wounded in the trenches! I hear that this is a
bigger thing than we thought, but I can’t say much about it.Sorry to say that in
the night attack I lost my pack with razor, soap, towel, spare clothes, plate, the
cigarettes Skeate sent me and everything except the airpillow which was in my haversack
with my food, and the mits which were on. I had taken it off to dig better. Also
my skean-
Well, my dear, I will write again when I have a chance. As regards postcards, if we haven’t had another fight I’ll sign my full name, if we have I’ll just sign Duncan. We do not yet know how we stand but there about 300 casualties so far. Of course some more may come from the ‘missing’ list to reduce that but it is pretty heavy for our first days work. It’s a curious feeling being under fire, but it came so suddenly that there was no time to be frightened, and one could only dig and shoot. It was very exciting but the reaction after a thick 24 hours like that is rather severe, and I confess that my nerves found themselves in a bad state when it was all over. Anybody who has once been under German shell fire, and says he wants to get there again, is a blooming liar, and that is the conclusion we have all come to.
How I lost my pack was that I took it off when digging the advance trench, and had no time to find it again in the dark, and so lost it. I had thought of putting my razor in my haversack but had no time.
Later
We are having a bit of a rest now, and are going to be in reserve for a bit, to refit.
I’ve nothing left and must gradually collect razor, skean-
I don’t suppose we shall ever have such a stiff time again, we were rushed up in an emergency, and it isn’t likely that we shall be unsupported like that again.
Having come through that safely, I have great hopes of getting through to the end. German rifle fire is no good, and unless the shells come absolutely addressed to you, you are pretty safe in a trench, and they give you good long spells in between turns in the firing line.
The weather has been very good so far except for one or two wet nights – by the way we were taken up tot he front in a fleet of London Motor Omnibuses! – so if I don’t get rheumatism too much all will be well. Luckily we are in good billets – hay lofts and so on, now so I don’t care if it snows.
Now I must stop on the chance of getting this letter off.
Give my love to all friends and tell them all about it. I’ve no facilities for writing to anyone except you. It has taken me 3 days to write this. Today is the 4th, and I hope to get this posted tomorrow, our wedding day. There are no wedding bells here, only the boom of guns, yet as we marched into our billets last night, in bright moonlight, we passed a crucifix on top of a hill, and when we halted a little further along the road, a shepherd came across behind us under the moonlight, with his sheep following him, quietly and peacefully. It was a beautiful picture, under the moon, and such a great contrast to the sights we had left that it was very impressive, and I shall never forget it.
Goodbye my dearest, and God bless you all. I long for the time when we shall meet again, but I feel that whatever happens it is worth while to be here, and I feel I wouldn’t be out of it for anything.
Your loving husband
Duncan
PS Finally finished this letter Nov 6. Weather still good. It now appears that we had against us 3 army corps directed by the Kaiser himself. They are well on the move backwards now, we believe.
1) Copy of telegram from General French
I wish you are your splendid regiment to accept my warmest congratulations and thanks for the fine work you did yesterday at ____________
You have given a glorious lead and example to all territorial troops who are going to fight in France.
Sent to XX Cavalry Corps for conveyance to Colonel
2) Copy of letter from General Allenby GOC Cavalry Corps
Dear Colonel
I congratulate you on the accompanying message from the Commander in Chief, which
you and your grand regiment have so richly deserved. I wish to add my sincere thanks,
and those of the Cavalry Corps, for the self-
The behaviour of officers and men of the London Scottish was worthy of the best traditions of British Regular troops.
Only their steadiness and courage saved a situation that was as critical and difficult to deal with as will ever occur.
Yours sincerely and gratefully
Signed E H Allenby Maj Gen
3) Copy of a letter from General Bingham. O C Cavalry Brigade
2nd Nov 1914
My dear Colonel
I venture to ask you to convey to your regiment my deepest gratitude and admiration for the work they performed on Oct 31st and thro the following night. No troops in the world could have carried out their orders better, and while deploring the losses you have occurred, I unhesitatingly? Affirm that the allied armies of France owe to the London Scottish a place of high honour amongst the heroes.
Signed C E Bingham Br Gen
The Lodge, Romford
Nov 18th
Dear Mrs Tovey
I am ashamed to say I am home again from Belgium with an attack of sciatica and have
had to leave all my friends still at it. I left the Battalion at 7am on Nov 9th and
last saw Duncan on the night of Nov 8th when he was very fit and well. I thought
perhaps you might like to know this and also the fact that no-
Poor McNab our Regimental doctor was killed and I was promoted to his place. As soon as I am fit I must go up to the War Office and find out what my position is and see what job I am for.
Although rather ? with the newspaper accounts of our fight I am very proud of the way in which the Corps behaved/
Hoping the family is well
I remain
Yours Sincerely
Eric A Wright
November 19th 1914
My dearest
Just a chance to write you a line, to tell you that all goes well with me at present and am keeping in good health though very tired and worn out but am pretty hard and fit though it’s cold o’nights in the open, and the mud of these parts is unbelievable.
I do not think there is much that I can tell you, except that the trenches are very damp and uncomfortable and there isn’t too much room for a fat man like me. One suffers form want of sleep because there is no knowing when they will attack you and you have to get up and drive them off. It is very hard also to keep your rifle clean.
I haven’t yet got that shirt you were going to send me and handkerchiefs are very rare indeed but don’t send more than one at a time because I’ve no pack until I can get a new one. I’ve given up shaving for the time as the Germans have got my razor and have a fine grey beard, leastwise it’s kind of streaky, and grey underneath. I’m going to let it go on for a bit until I get to some civilised place.
I’ve had two Punches from someone and they are very welcome. If Ascherbergs? Write about stamping copies of Big Drum Major, will you find my stamp, and ask T G or Skeate to send one of his clerks up to them to do it.
We had a perfect winter day today but it is very nice in the sun but jolly cold at night, and my toes is friz and I wish I was in my little old corner in the dining room with you and the boys and Mollie, which I hope it wont be long before it is so.
All my love to you all
Your own
Duncan
The Lodge, Romford
Nov 25th
Dear Mrs Tovey
I have been to H Q and can find no evidence that Duncan has been wounded. I also have has postcard from Sparks and am sure he would have mentioned it. I also hear (from the War Office) that the whole of the First Army to which the Scottish were attached when I left them are resting. This is good news as it shows the ? situation out there has much improved. 3 weeks ago it was impossible to ? even a ? a rest.
Yours Sincerely
Eric A Wright
59 Buckingham Gate
S.W.
Nov 26th 1914
Dear Mrs Tovey
I was glad to learn from Col. Sergt. Earl the good news that your husband was well and not wounded, and congratulate you on it. The Scottish appears to have had one of the strenuous jobs.
I managed to rescue the kit bags left at Southampton and got them back here.
Thinking that you might like to have your husband’s at home rather than leave it here in the damp I have sent it to you today and hope you will receive it in good order.
Yours Sincerely
J C Duncan
Memorandum
From Colour Sergeant J ?F Earle
Nov 26th 1914
Dear Mrs Tovey
I am indeed pleased to hear your good news about Duncan and have altered our books accordingly. I explained to Mr Gabriel that our information was unofficial and not very reliable – and was given for what it was worth.
I understand the Regiment has now been withdrawn from the fighting line for a rest and no doubt the men will be refitted with what is necessary. In any case I do not think it would be possible for you to send him any equipment that would be useful to him and I am sorry to say we have none here. I think you can take it that he will be supplied in France with kit.
We are today forwarding to you his kitbag which was left behind at Southampton
Trusting you will continue to receive good news
Believe me
Yours very truly
J ?F Earle
2/12/1914
At Barts
My dear Mrs Tovey
I was indeed glad to get your letter and I felt very guilty and distressed at having started a false rumour about Duncan, based on a bit of false information. I’m so pleased to know that you’ve heard from him. It is good, too, to know that he is down with nothing worse than lumbago, tho’ that is bad enough, heaven knows. Hospital is the best and safest place for him just now tho’.
Thanks too, for your wishes. My old foot is healing but slowly and I’m not yet able to put it to ground. In perfect health otherwise, but it is horrid to go about on crutches.
And now, with best wishes for further good news, I am
Sincerely yours
Lennox Field
November 25
My dearest
Many thanks for your letter and parcel, I also had the other parcel a fortnight or so ago, and aunt Edith’s as well.
I am at present out of it, with the old lumbago business which has got hold of me pretty stiffly and I’ve been sent to hospital for a bit, there is nothing to worry about for at all events I am in the warm and dry. The weather has been beastly and it got me down, you know what I’m like in the winter.
I am very sorry to hear from Sime of Aunt Georgia’s death, please ask Alice to convey my best love and sincere regrets to Aunt P, if she is well enough to be bothered. Aunt G has been our friend for so many years that it is like losing one of our own aunts, and I feel it very much, though her life cannot have been without much suffering these last years.
Please thank Skeate for the boots which arrived safely. I got a new pair of shoes not long ago and the boots were a bit tight (my feet are swollen a bit I think) so I gave them to my friend Hutchings (a person who joined us as a private and is doing fine work as a stretcher bearer) They fit him well and he wanted them badly. He will take care of the knife that T.G. is sending till I get back. Letters wont have much chance of finding me till I get back to the Battn again.
But you are not to worry about me because I am warm and comfortable and well looked after.
Love to you all my dear, Kiss the bairns for me. I am so glad to have the photographs.
Your loving husband.
Duncan
Sunday Nov 29
My dearest
Sparks, lucky man, has drawn the chance of getting five days leave – there are only two per battalion allowed. So he will post this in England and you will get it sooner than usual.
I am all right again and back in the hayloft with the company. A draft has come out and Low is with it. There is nothing much doing just now, we are about 4 miles east of Hazebrouke in the NE corner of France.
We had a week in the trenches and it was very wet.
I hope perhaps I may get a day or two later on but up to now they have not given any preference to married men, I think they should do so. I missed the first draw by being in hospital. It was only a dirty schoolroom floor and no chance of a bath. Except for being dry and more or less warm it was no good at all.
You must not count on my being able to get leave but if I don’t it will be hard lines.
I am writing this in a hurry to give to Sparks who is off tomorrow (Monday) morning. Things are quiet here now and I fancy it will be a week or two before any move is made. It would be better if we were more comfortable, but it isn’t so bad now it is warmer.
Just as the frost has all gone we have all been given skin coats with fur on them and we look like bears with them on.
I expect Sparks will ring you up via Sime, and tell you all about it. God bless you my own dear
Love to you all
Your own
Duncan
St Andrews Day
Nov 30
My dearest
You will have had all my letters including Sparks’ message, so I needn’t tell you anything except that all I got out of going to hospital was a cold in the head and missed my chance of coming home.
Knife from Gabriel has not yet arrived, we have heaps of baccy and cigarettes.
Please ask Thompsons not to send daily papers as they will arrive at least a week old and we generally get yesterdays newspapers or at least the day before’s.
Don’t send any more knitting, we have so much that we don’t know what to do with it.
Eatables always are acceptable and anyone who has a cake is always popular.
Saccharin tabloids would be useful but not for me as I don’t care for sugar.
It isn’t easy to write as we aint in the lap of luxury and censors don’t want to wade through yards of letters.
My fountain pen has run out of ink.
I tell you what you might make for an experiment and that is a pair of soft flannel knickers, very short in the leg, with a flap at the back to button (like Mollie’s). They might be all right, if you will make one pair experimentally. They should have a tape at the top to tie round like pyjamas.
Socks occasionally are useful, I shall be wanting a pair by the time you get this – I wish someone would send me a good luminous compass. That would be very useful.
I’ve got a fine pair of wire cutters which I hope to make good use of.
Tell Alice the air pillow is still the success of the campaign.
I’d a nice letter from Burr and will write him soon.
Love to you all. I’m afraid I shan’t have a chance of any leave. It is hard lines, I think they ought to give married men the preference. But still I hope it will be over before long. If the ‘Rooshians’ get on as well as they have begun there will be a slump in sausages.
God bless you my dear
Your loving husband
Duncan
December 23 1914 -
Wednesday Dec 23 1914
My dearest
You will have got my postcard saying that I was wounded, it is not very serious. The bullet grazed my nose and one of my top ribs and then went through the flesh of my right arm near the shoulder.
The blow in the ribs has upset my breathing a bit but I am everso much better this morning and hope to be in England before you get this, will wire or telephone first opportunity.
I am sitting up in bed smoking a pipe and writing right handed so you can judge there is nothing to worry about.
Best love to you all; I think you will have me home during the holidays after all. Of course I shall have to stay in hospital until I am officially discharged.
I’ve no souvenirs except a German ammunition pouch – had no time.
Your own
Duncan
Countersigned G Bungham
Hospital letters
New Central Branch
Manchester Infirmary
9pm Dec 26
My dear
I am sorry I gave you the wrong address in my wire, they have brought me here instead, however I am arranging for letters to be sent on.
I am getting on very well, I hope they will not keep me very long, I will write to you every day to report progress and, as soon as I know more or less when I am able to get out, will get you to send my boots as I have none at present.
You might send me a suit of pyjamas to be going on with.
Love to you all, I shall be with you in a few days I hope.
Yours
Duncan
There was no ambulance train going to London today, it was hard luck; I hope to be sent to there
New Central Branch
Manchester Infirmary
Sunday 27th
My dearest
I think you might send me my thick boots and if you would first wash the white off my white spats and then khaki them, and send me a pair of garters – I think there are some old ones – I shall be complete enough. I have also lost my sporran, but there is one with a thistle badge somewhere that will do, if you can find it, and send a long strap with it.
I hope to be out very soon now, and perhaps we shall be able to spend the new year together, I am doing my best to get fit. I was hit on Monday night by a bullet that ricocheted off the next man on my right (it killed him) and my right shoulder is sputtered with little bits, about 7 small punctures. The main part of the bullet grazed my ribs under the arm and all down my side is black and blue, but luckily the lung is not touched and no ribs are broken and I shan’t have to go through any operation, beyond perhaps having one or two bits picked out of the flesh of my shoulder blade.
I’m afraid you must have been terribly anxious, I did my best to let you know. Sparks was hit above the knee ¼ hour before I was, but we got separated on the way home, as he was a “sitting up” case and went to a different hospital.
I shall be so glad to see you again, and shall now try for a job in one of the new Scottish Battalions, and shall not go out again unless it is necessary. After 25 years service I think I’ve done my bit and its time for younger men to come along. However we will see about that presently.
Love to you all. I hope you are not thinking of coming to Manchester, it’s too far, and I am so well that it will only be a few more days now.
It’s very lucky really this wound, because it lets me out with honour and no one can accuse me of being a shirker. I was just about to have had about enough of the dirt and discomfort of it. My general health is splendid and I shall be none the worse of the experience, in fact it will have done me a lot of good.
Goodbye my darling; it will only be a few days now and we shall all be together again.
Yours with all love
Duncan
New Central Branch
Manchester Infirmary
Monday
My dearest
I got your wire today and you will I hope have got the reply.
It certainly is not worthwhile for you to come all this way.
I have been walking about the ward in a dressing gown today and playing the piano and signig to the other tommies so you can judge there isn’t much the matter. I have had several visitors and have been made an Hon member of the Arts? Club so that when I get allowed out it will be OK. But I’ve got no boots.
I am sending you Queen Alexandra’s card, also the one sent by the King and Queen to all the wounded. They are in the envelope inside the big card. They will be interesting souvenirs. Also one with flags on it for Mollie.
You wont forget the boots, spats and sporren will you? That’s all I want.
I hope they’ll let me out soon. I’m the only Lon Scot here. Don’t know where Sparks is. God bless you my dear, all of you
Your own
Duncan
Thursday
New Years Eve
My dearest
Many thanks for the parcels, boots etc, safely to hand. I do not expect to be out of here before Monday or Tuesday, but think I can avoid being sent to a nursing home up here. I have been agitating and think you have a very good chance of seeing me during the week. I’ve got to do 2 columns for the “Weekly Dispatch” which I am busy on. The D M sent me 2 guineas for the verses so I’m OK for money.
Please thank Burr and Biv for their letters.
An old member of the ?Logic Club came to see me today and is going to take me out in his car (a closed one) to Buxton on Saturday. Everyone is very kond to me. I’ve had lots of visitors.
Sparks is gazetted Lieut – he is at Fishmongers Hall which is turned into a Red Cross Hospital.
Happy New Year to you all, my dear ones. I will wire you as soon as ever I know anything.
Your own Duncan
?? dispatch for Sunday
New Central Branch
Manchester Infirmary
Jan 1 1915
My dearest
Many thanks for your wire, I write this in answer to it, and to say also that I hope to be home on Monday night or Tuesday.
I have got permission to be sent home as soon as I am fit to be discharged form here as there is nothing much the matter with me now.
I will send you a wire as soon as I know what time and train and so on I shall be arriving.
Best love to you all, I am looking forward to being home again, though I don’t know how long it will be for.
Your own
Duncan