Clyde River

Devonport, England, Military Hospital, R.A.M.C, 7th Coy, February 16th, 1919 (Letter #31) 

Dear Brother;

Hoping this will find you in the pink as this leaves me at present. We have got the fever very bad here again. We have got about 200 in this hospital now down with it, about seven deaths a day on average. It is still not quite as bad as the last time.

Well, I have been trying to get out of the army since the first day of the year and I should have been out the 3rd of January, but there is so damn much red tape they are trying to do me out of my passage back, but there is nothing doing, they got plenty of fight out of me. I have not done four years for nothing. Well, have you got plenty of work? Labour is unsettled over here. Everybody is on strike. The country is in a hell of a state, plenty of Bolshevik and German money behind it.

Well, how is Herb Hatch and all the other boys? I suppose Ted and Mary are going to high school by this time. Is Ted alright. You said he had a bad ear the last time you wrote.

Remember me to Sam, Flo and children. I heard Lillian is working, as I had a letter from Mother yesterday. Well, I wish you would drop a few lines when you have time. Hoping I will be able to see you all about 1920.

With love and best wishes.

From your brother, Lee.

Editor’s Notes:

• The war may have been over but the suffering continued. Labour movements had been building momentum throughout the war. Strikes were rampant.
• The Paris Peace Conference began on January 18th, 1919, included delegates from 27 nations and resulted in the Treaty of Versailles with Germany and subsequent treaties with Austria, Bulgaria, Hungary and Turkey.
• The Treaty of Versailles placed full blame for the war and a tremendous financial burden on Germany, which is believed to have created the conditions for the later rise of Nazism which led to WWII.
• World War 1 casualties were estimated to be somewhere between 9 and 11 million military. The estimate for civilian casualties is somewhere around 8 million.
• The army camps were rife with flu, and when the soldiers returned home, the virus spread to their families and communities. Estimates were between 20 and 40 million died within a year and a half after the war, but current estimates are much higher at 100 million. It was referred to as the Spanish Flu. Spain was neutral during the war. The Allied countries suppressed the news about the flu, but in Spain they freely reported on the illness, so people associated it with them.

Devonport, August 21st, 1918 – (Letter #30) 

Dear Brother;

Just a few lines to let you know I am alright. Hoping this will find you all the same. Well, I am still in Blighty and I am tired of writing and getting no answer. I have not had a letter from you since I had the registered one with the dollar in it. It seems to be the same with all us Canadians here, as there is about a hundred in the hospital here and they don’t get any letters from Canada. I would like to know where in hell they are going to. That is why I am having mine sent to a private address. I do stand more chance of getting them.

Well, I had a Medical Board two weeks ago and they marked me B I for B II, so I am expecting to be on the next draft and it is for Siberia, but you leave that to me. I do not want to go there. It is too far away and too cold. I would rather go to France. I think I can kick off it. Well, I am not fit for it anyhow, but I am getting better every day. I am getting stronger. It takes quite a little time to get over gas, but this is a dead place here. I do not like it.

I was just thinking today, I am going on to my fourth year in the army. It seems about 10 years. Well, the good old U.S.A. is doing good work. They are getting lots of men over here and that is what we want to end this war quick. They are also good fighters, but, of course, they have lots of swank. They tell us they are coming to finish the war here. They don’t know what we have done and suffered the past four years. But they’ll love their swank when they get to France and up against old Jerry.

When do you think it will be over? Have you got plenty of work? Well, as long as you can keep out of the army, you are alright. Well, I do hope you will get this letter and try to write to me once in a while. Remember me to the boys. How is Sam? I never hear anything about Dave Ross. What is he doing?

Love and xxxx for Mary and Ted. Hope he is better with lots of love.

From, Lee

Editor’s Notes:

• Lee mentions Siberia. After Russia had backed out of WW1, the remaining Allied countries sent soldiers to Russia during their civil war to assist the anti-communist movement, strengthen the Eastern front and also to protect military supplies and equipment in Russian ports. They eventually backed out in 1920, but this intervention did create distrust between East and West.
• The Americans helped to turn back the Germans in the Spring Offensive from March to July and during the final Hundred Days Offensive from August to November. Germany was not able to replenish their armies to compete with the influx of fresh American soldiers and improved morale among the Allies. The Central Power armies were tired, the citizens were hungry. Germany wanted to fight another battle at sea with the British, but the German navy refused and revolted, supported by civilians. The German Empire collapsed. They had no choice and an armistice was signed on November 11th, 1918.
• There are two more letters, but this letter represents the last letter before the war ended.

Editor’s Note: The Guardian will run a special feature on Saturday, November 10th on WW1. Included will be a feature on our series, “Letters from the Great War”. Make sure to check it out.

Devonport, 5 Sandringham Street, Scarborough, England, June 3rd, 1918 (Letter #29) 

Dear Brother;

Your most welcome letter received a few days ago, the registered one, I mean. Glad to hear you are all well and I do hope Teddy is alright by this time. Well, you can see by this letter they are still keeping me on the move. I am now in the town from where I sailed for Egypt and I do not like it. It is too hard for me. We are supposed to be getting hospital training, but it is a damn job, carrying beds out of the wards with the patient in them. It is too heavy for me. I refused to do any more today. I am willing to do it, but I can’t. I have been excused all stretcher drills and marching by four doctors in the training battalion in Blackpool and, also, all the lifting in my old unit and I am damn sure I won’t do it here.

Well, I was over to Plymouth the other evening and I ran into two brothers from Charlottetown, PEI. They know us. They have folks in Cornwall and Nine Mile Creek, so we had a good time. They came over here on a cable ship from Halifax. They are waiting for a boat back. I am only 15 minutes walk from Plymouth. There are lots of Yankee sailors here, lots of them from Boston. Your dollar came in very handy for grub. I got 4 shillings and 2 pence for it, that is full value. I have not had a drink for 8 months, can’t afford it, it takes all I can get hold of to buy something to eat as we do not get it any other way. It is wicked here and it is damn little we get.

I am sure of getting your letters now, as long as you send them to the Scarborough address. Aunt Maggie sent me a parcel and a letter. I got the letter but the parcel she sent to the Lancaster Fusiliers unit, so I know they pinched it. Did you ever get the watch back you sent me?

Well, I do not know what to think of this war. It looks kind of bad now on the western front. I wish to God it was over. I am damn fed up. I expect to be in France or some other front in about 6 to 8 weeks time. I would rather be out at the front than be messed about here.

Well, I will have to come to a close for this time. Give my love to all and lots of xxx to Ted and Mary and a thousand thanks for the $. Remember me to Herb Hatch and old Klein. Tell him we got Jerusalem for the Jews and that I done my bit in getting it for them, so they can all go there after the war is over in 1928. What has become of Dave Ross? I never hear tell of him.

Goodbye with lots of love and best wishes from Lee.

Editor’s Note:

• The US began sending over troops in the Spring of 1918, at an estimated rate of 10,000 per day. This was a tremendous boost to the Allies and helped to reinvigorate the tired soldiers.

Editor’s note: CBC Radio Mainstreet (FM 96.1) did a follow-up interview with me to talk about our series “Letters from the Great War”. The segment will air on Friday, November 9th, sometime between 4-6 pm. Our history committee engaged Alan Buchanan to voice all 32 letters and one of these will be featured as part of the interview. Make sure to listen in.

Blackpool, England, March 26, 1918 – Letter #28 

Dear Brother;

Jack, just a few lines in answer to your most welcome letter received March 23rd. Pleased to hear you are all well, but I am awful sorry to hear about Mr. MacDonald’s sudden death. It was the first I heard about it. That is the first letter I had from you since last May.

Well, Jack, I am still alive and able to move as you or Flo said. It was my mother’s prayer that saved me. I did not ever think for a minute that I would be alive to tell you that I was in France the second time, as I was in the worst of it 36 hours from the time I left England and, believe me, it was hell and I have been through hell.

I am in Blackpool now, came here yesterday, transferred to the R.A.M.C., so you can see for yourself, I am not much more good when I am no more good for infantry, but I would not be surprised to be in France again within another month. I know I won’t like this. I would rather be fighting than taking care of the wounded, but we can’t suit ourselves in the army. If I go again, it will be my last. I won’t try to go through what I haven’t done as they have not given me a very square deal, as I have been at it for nearly three years without a leave. I only had 10 days out of hospital and I was back again within 10 days in France.

Now, Jack, I want you to write this address and they will send them on to me as God only knows where because I do not. Well, I am just thinking as I am writing this letter, will I ever see Boston and you all again. If I have to go again, I won’t. But nevermind, it is all in a lifetime. I would like to be able to sit down and have a good talk with you all and I could tell you what kind of damn skunks we are fighting – that would make you open your eyes. Thank God, you have not gone through it and if you don’t, I will for you.

Give my best respects to Herb Hatch and Klein. I guess they are only friends I have, so don’t ever worry over me. When you have time, drop me a line. As always, I like to get a letter.

Love and xxx for Ted and Mary.

Your brother, Lee.

Editor’s note: 

• Lee likely fought in the Spring Offensive, one of the fiercest and desperate battles of the War, which took place at the Western Front. The Germans realized it was their last chance to win this war before the Americans fully deployed their resources. The Germans also had the advantage of extra soldiers that had been previously fighting in Russia.
• R.A.M.C. – Royal Army Medical Corps – they operated the army’s medical units.
• Mr. MacDonald was Jack’s father-in-law, Beatrice’s father. Mr. MacDonald ran the Charlottetown Water Works. These are the same MacDonald’s as Lucy Maud Montgomery’s husband Ewen.