WW1: Experiences of an English Soldier

3 Million Views!!

2012-01-15T18:24:00.000Z

Dear all,

Dad has asked me to write a quick note to share that between the various blog sites he has clocked up 3 million views, which is pretty impressive!

Thank you all for your emails of support after our Christmas post and I will update you further when I can.

Catherine

A Christmas Update

2011-12-26T12:15:00.000Z

Boxing Day 2011, I am visiting dad again and he has asked me to update you on his progress. For the past few months he has been taking the chemo pills every few weeks and has made some progress although he is mostly housebound. He has noticed some weakening recently, but the doctors have said they feel this may be because he's had "too much chemo." Time will tell whether he will get better or worse, but at least we've had Christmas together as a family.

Dad has a wheelchair if he does go out and is able to walk small distances with a walking stick, but he's fortunate to have my brother here to look after him as well as my sister and his girlfriend. He is grateful for all the kind comments people have made over the past few months.

Making History - Radio 4

2011-08-18T12:29:00.000+01:00

We've had a request from a gentleman at the BBC to use some of Harry's letters in a radio 4 programme following up a listener’s search for information about her grandfather’s war service in Italy in 1918.

It will be aired on BBC radio 4 on Tuesday 23rd August at 3pm.

Hope you can tune in

Catherine

DIY chemo

2011-08-04T20:10:00.000+01:00

Dad has asked me to remove posts relating to his illness - after his prior insistence that every step be documented, he has now decided it is too personal for him so I have taken down all the posts except for the first two.

As things stand, he is at home and is taken what he called DIY chemo (vomit in the comfort of your own home). We have everything crossed that this will help, but for now, there won't be any more updates unless I have something important to pass on.

Thank you again for your kindness and support

Catherine

Every day is a battle

2011-05-29T10:50:00.000+01:00

Dad was released from hospital on Friday, on the condition that he has 24 hour care organised at home.

We have carers that come in every morning and every evening to get him out and put him to bed and a nurse to check up every day. He's incredibly stubborn and so is determined to come downstairs every day to the living room, but the toilet is upstairs so it means a rather scary ascent of the stairs. He's still dizzy and wobbly and incredibly weak.

Dad is of the opinion that his first dose of chemo hasn't made any difference, but I disagree - he seems a bit more stable and sometimes his speech is a lot better (it comes and goes), but I imagine sitting around all day drinking coffee from a sippy cup can't exactly feel like 'much better'.

He's back in hospital on Wednesday to see if he's any better and then he'll have chemo again a week after for another dose (I think).

He says I have to add "thank you for all the support and messages from all my readers - it has been a great comfort in a difficult time, as you can imagine"

An update

2011-05-25T11:58:00.000+01:00

Sorry to hijack this blog, but after all of the lovely comments from readers I felt it was important to update you all on what was going on.

After some more inconclusive tests, the doctor down in Cornwall decided that it was better to start dad on chemotherapy ASAP, because he has been so weak they changed from their original plan of one type of chemo, a few weeks break then the other, to just giving him both types at once in order to get him on the road to recovery as soon as possible.

He started the chemo on Friday evening and I believe finished it yesterday or Monday. I spoke to him yesterday and although he complained of feeling no better, and that everything they gave him tasted funny, even the water, he sounded much more like his old self (he wouldn't believe me though!). After several weeks of struggling to understand him on the phone, he finally sounded much clearer again.

He's hoping to be out of hospital on Friday or Saturday, but it depends how his immune copes, and hopefully he'll be able to update you on his progress himself, but we'll have to wait and see.

Thank you again for all your kind words, it has meant a lot to all of us to know that so many people care.

Catherine

Harry Lamin 1921-1961

2011-05-15T08:19:00.002+01:00

Written by Catherine, Bill's daughter:
After the war Harry went back to work at the lace factory. At this point Dad draws on his own memories of Harry. He describes remembering staying with him with his sister Anita and sharing a double bed, the smell of pipe smoke and playing with his hammer shot gun (a perfect toy for a 6 year old).

Anita recalls a Sunday afternoon where her grandfather woke up screaming with nightmares from the war. His mother claimed that Ethel had burnt all of Harry's letters, but fortunately it was only her own letters that she destroyed.

Dad's memories of his grandparents are rather vague since it was 40 years ago that his grandfather died, but he recalls walking to the gasworks for coke (for the fire) and lemonade from the little corner shop, which was a special treat that wasn't allowed at home. He says that in childhood every Sunday his grandparents would visit with fruit gums, pastilles and a bar of chocolate, items that had been rationed and so were still considered a big treat (Dad just asked whatever happened to Fry's 5 Boys Milk Chocolate?). He would walk to his grandparents house after school, as it was only a little bit further then going home.

Harry often frequented the horse racing, which his wife did not approve of, he went to Southall on the other side of Nottingham. Dad says that he doesn't recall if Harry ever particularly won, and as a child he is sure that any significant losses would have been kept from him.

One of the more interesting stories describes the move to Gordon Street from Mill Street. Harry was reluctant to move house, possibly because his home was one place where he felt safe after everything he had been through, so one day Ethel moved everything to his new home while he was at work. From Gordon Street, Dad recalls watching football out of the window, which is perhaps where his love of the game came from.

Even now, while struggling with his illness, Dad has said repeatedly that his grandad is a huge inspiration to him, while in hospital he said that one thing that kept him going was thinking about all the things Harry went through and yet remained strong.

I would like to finish with a quote from the book, made more poignant by the fact that whenever Dad has felt particularly unwell he has echoed his own grandfather's words:

"Harry retired at sixty-five in 1952, and lived until 1961, when he died peacefully at home. My mother, telling me of his death, reported that he said, 'I've had a good life'"

Apologies and Sad News

2011-05-14T22:24:00.000+01:00

Dear all,

This is my first post on my father's blog. He has asked me to write to you all to update you with what's been going on for the last few months. As you have no doubt noticed, there has not been an update to the blog for a number of months; sadly this is because shortly after his father's death, Dad was diagnosed with a brain tumour. After a lot of trips to various hospitals he has been increasingly unwell and now struggles with the most simple things whilst remaining completely fine mentally so that he can't walk or talk some days, and he struggles to read and type, but he wants to be able to do everything and he can't. Obviously he is finding things very hard, but we remain optimistic about the future. In the last two weeks he has had a biopsy and although the results have come back as inconclusive, the samples have been sent to London for further examination. It is thought that he has a small tumour, but it is surround by lots of inflammed tissue which can be reduced by steriods, but that further treatment is required to get rid of the source of the problem; he is seeing a haemotologist on Monday to consider treatment options such as chemotherapy or radiotherapy. Unfortunately, during the biopsy there was a small amount of bleeding which has meant that he has lost all sense of balance and so is now struggling even more to be mobile.

Dad and I would both like to apologise for not updating the blog sooner in the year and we aim to work together to get as much written as we can both of Harry's journey and of Dad's own journey through this illness.

I thank you once again for taking an interest in our family's history,

Catherine
(Bill's middle child)

William (Bill) Lamin 1916-2010

2010-12-31T17:51:00.003Z

Sadly, Bill, my father passed away yesterday afternoon, 30th December, aged 94. It wasn't completely unexpected, he has been very frail for quite some time.

Bill (Willie in the blog) was born 9 months before his father Harry was conscripted. He was one of main characters, frequently mentioned in Harry's letters. Click here for the start of Willie's story, in four instalments.

I am very sad that Bill was never really able to grasp how the blog worked. He certainly wasn't able to understand that the book was about his father.

Harry, from 1920

2010-12-20T16:44:00.013Z

William Henry Bonser (Harry) Lamin 1920 onwards.

I have been dreading writing this. Possibly, because I don’t know enough about the man to make a decent job of it. Also, it has to mark the end of the amazing journey that the blog has led me through.

Well, here goes. (Click on the image to enlarge it)

Harry left the army in January 1920 (Note; he was, of course discharged from the Royal Munster Fusiliers - not the York & Lancaster Regiment) and was given a final payment of £61 2s 1d (£61.10) made up of almost £34 back pay and a £15”war gratuity"(an example of the military’s sense of humour, £5 a year for enduring unbelievable conditions), 4 weeks pay for leave (I was sure "furlough" was a U.S. term), ration allowance and a clothing allowance. From this £1 was deducted. Harry was allowed to keep his heavy army greatcoat for the journey home. If he handed it in at a railway station, he would get his £1 back. The £61 2s 1d was paid, by post, in three weekly instalments and was worth about £3,000 in today’s money. note; The paper that the Demobilization (surely, "Demobilisation" in England in 1920!) Account was printed on has disintegrated. I just did a jigsaw job on the scanner bed and then returned the pieces to the envelope. BL

As far as I can tell, once Harry got home in January 1920, he picked up where he left off and found employment in a local lace factory.

Even that is not known with certainty. I have heard that times for the family were “very difficult” in the 1920s. It was a difficult time for the country, there was much unemployment and many ex-servicemen found it difficult to find employment. The promised “fit country for heroes to live in" just didn’t materialise. There was no welfare state provision. Maybe Jack and Kate were able to help out. Ethel and Harry were, of course, looking after Kate’s daughter, Connie. No doubt Kate would have chipped in to help with that and, equally doubtless, Harry and Ethel would have been grateful for that help.

I'll continue Harry's story later.

Two related sites

2010-11-21T13:03:00.005Z

I have been pleased to contribute to help others with similar material to get moving. Harry's blog and book has certainly stimulated several other similar websites particularly Dieter Finzen's "mirror image" German soldier's WW1 blog, Erich Rochlitzer's German WW 2 Blog and Sam Avery's WW1 "doughboy" blog. I am very proud to have initiated a new and exciting use for the internet. My one good, maybe great, idea.

This week two new publications been brought to my attention. Both are concerned with World War2 and, coincidentally, both concerned with life, not at the front, but back home in England during that war.

The first is a book and blog, "E.J. Rudsdale's Journals of wartime Colchester", edited by Cathy Pearson. E.J. referred to the futility of the slaughter in the war that ended 20 years earlier, on which to base his decision not to join up and fight. I can understand his viewpoint.

The second is May Hill's diary and poetry ;"The Casualties were Small" edited by Tom and Margaret Ambridge which was published as a book and now is being "blogged". May Hill lived in Lincolnshire ('Bomber County'), in a close-knit family and community which suffered the losses in action of several young men during that war. A recurrent theme in May's writing was 'waiting for news'.

World War 1 from Above

2010-11-16T10:12:00.001Z

A follower from the U.S. has informed me that the "World War 1 from Above" programme is available on YouTube and is well worth a look. In the supporting material, there is a very good account of the "Messines Ridge" battle that was part of Harry's war. The programme (it is English so I'm allowed the "correct" spelling) is split into four 15 minute sections and is of a good quality. Click on the links to view.

Part One

Part Two

Part Three

Part Four

Insight into Harry's World - TV Programme

2010-11-09T10:59:00.005Z

The BBC showed ""World War One from above" on Sunday. It's still available on-line but probably only in the U.K. (Note the consequent careful spelling of programme - with 2 "m"s and an "e") .

A French aviator filmed the Western front battlefields from a balloon, shortly after the war ended. That filming was linked to well researched background material, with a particularly good account of the Messines Ridge battle, which Harry took part in. (Chapter 4 of the book - June 1917 in the blog).

The programme suggested that the Messines mines were set off sequentially, working to the south - that the Germans in the southernmost trenches watched with increasing horror as a vision of Armageddon approached. All accounts I've read indicated that the mines were fired simultaneously at precisely 3 am. ( I don't see any significant military benefit in a sequential system - with only seconds between detonations.) Does anyone have any more information?

Update. I'm reading Nicholas Rankin's excellent book "Churchill's Wizards". In it he describes "a rolling sequence that lasted an appalling 28 seconds". I don't know if that was the intention or the result of imprecise timings. Access to the orders for the attack, at army level, may be able to answer that one.

Two sources may appear conclusive, but only if the two are independent.

I found the whole programme to be excellent. Particularly chilling were the views of the water filled shell holes across the Passchendaele battlefield. Not just a few, the whole battlefield completely covered with, what looked from the air like puddles, but which were actually small lakes that would easily drown a man laden with military equipment.

This week, the blog should pass another milestone with the three millionth pageload. There are still over a thousand visitors a day with a steady flow of positive and rewarding comments.

Ideal Christmas Gift

2010-10-27T08:32:00.003+01:00

Now is the time to think about ordering a copy of "Letters from the Trenches" for a Christmas present. I will supply the book, signed, with a personal dedication. At the moment, I'm including a set of the postage stamps with a picture of Harry and a short extract from one of his letters. That will continue until I run out of the stamps.

To order, click on the link to the left. You can buy an unsigned copy or the audio version from Amazon UK.

World War 1 Ends Officially in 2010

2010-10-23T09:09:00.000+01:00

Astonishingly, the final event of The Great War has taken place, 92 years after the end of hostilities. With the final installment of the reparations to be paid by Germany to France, the book can, finally be closed.

Follow the link for further details.

First World War officially ends - Telegraph

Willie -Installment 4 (to date)

2010-10-15T08:33:00.005+01:00

This is a tough, most difficult account to write. I’m going to start to work in the opposite direction and see if that works.

Click on any image to enlarge.

Bill, my father, is currently 94 years old. He’s very frail and has great difficulty with his memory. He lived alone after Nancy died in 2000, but 3 years later it became obvious that he wasn’t coping too well. His memory was unreliable and, in 2004 he had a minor stroke that really meant that he wasn’t able to stay in the family home. After a short stay with my sister Anita, he moved into the Residential home where he now lives.

What happened after the Second World War? He successfully picked up his employment with the textile Company in his (and Harry’s) home town of Ilkeston. He continued with his membership of the Church Choir and became a respected member of the community.

He was successful in his employment, moving up in the company to become their main salesman, selling bedding to department stores in the midlands and North of England. In the early sixties, he became an independent salesman, acting as an agent for several textile companies, earning a very good living.

He has always been a keen fly fisherman, making regular fishing trips to salmon rivers. In the sixties, he bought a share in a fishing syndicate owning the rights to a stretch of the river Ecclesbourne, a beautiful trout stream in Derbyshire. I have been fortunate to have taken over his share and now enjoy the fishing whenever I am able. Bill was also keen on rough shooting. For many years he was member of a syndicate that had the game shooting rights over an area of Nottinghamshire, in the vale of Belvoir. I once remember him saying to me that he loved walking over the countryside but he really didn’t enjoy the killing of game. He then sold his gun and that was that.

The fishing didn’t stop until he was really too unwell. Bill made regular visits to his beloved Ecclesbourne right up to 2006. He was a long-term member of the Rotary club and was made a Paul Harris Fellow for his efforts with that organisation..

I have an account written by Bill about himself. I’ll attach a scan. I believe it was written when he was asked to speak at the funeral of one of his fellow choir stalwarts. I’m not sure how it was used or even if that’s correct, but it’s a valuable insight into the man.

Transcript

W. Lamin- Married to Nancy. Has two children, 5 grandchildren ( + 4 great grandchildren)

Member of St Mary’s choir for 71 years (still singing). Boy chorister, contemporary of Ernest Lough, soloist of “Hear my Prayer” and many other solos. Rejoined after voice changed and has always lived in Ilkeston

Sang alto then tenor, for many years tenor soloist.

Acting unpaid choirmaster for 8 years, 6 years with 4 volunteer organists.

Rotarian Chas Norman recruited him as unpaid trainer for Gladstone Youth Club, and he finished up as chairman of the club for a number of years. The club was one of the most successful in the area, both in games and voluntary service.

Hobby. Many years dedicated fly fisherman – mainly trout, and occasionally salmon. Compulsive gardener and likes experimenting with cuttings.

He has been a very private person. I suspect some of that is a legacy of his father’s ways. (Just as I, in turn, still have some legacy of Harry’s experiences. It is quite frightening.)

My father has always been an honourable man. I treasure his honesty and integrity, too rare in today’s world.

Willie - Installment 3

2010-09-04T11:17:00.006+01:00

It may seem obvious but, of course, I know more about each succeeding generation. If there's too much on Willie, just stop reading. BL

I’ll carry on with Willie’s story. (I think he’s about to turn into Bill)

Click on any photograph to see a larger version.

As I mentioned in the previous post, he had met a young school teacher, Nancy, at the amateur dramatics club. I think the “tree” character was “Heathcliffe” from Wuthering Heights, but can’t check. Nancy was teaching at Chaucer Street primary school which was the same school that Bill (Willie) and, probably Connie had attended as children. The school still exists, but has moved from the old buildings Bill and Nancy knew to a much more modern building.

Bill and Nancy were certainly together by August 1938. I have a lovely letter written to Nancy by Bill. Nancy was home in the English Lake District for the summer holiday.

The romance was interrupted by the war. Bill enlisted in March 1940. In his army Pay book his occupation was recorded as “Buyer”. His place of birth and parents’ nationality were blotted out by the censor for obvious reasons. (I just can’t think what those reasons are at the moment.) He was in for the duration of the war (D of W in the pay book.) Has anyone any ideas what the "Approved Society" is? Or indeed what that space is for?

I’m sure that the platoon picture is Bill’s equivalent of Harry’s squad picture from Rugeley. The legend on the back is ‘6 Platoon Recruits “A” Coy, Normanton Bks, 12/4/40. just under a month after he enlisted. I believe he joined the Sherwood Foresters, Notts & Derbys Regiment. The cap badge of the platoon Sergeant seems to confirm that. Normanton Barracks are in Derby, quite close to the old Derby County Football Ground, oddly named the “Baseball Ground”. Bill is 5th from the right in the middle row- next to the sergeant. A Sherwood Foresters battalion was adjacent to Harry's battalion for much of his service.

In April 1941, Bill and Nancy married at Nancy’s home village, Greenodd in Cumbria. Bill’s army paybook records a fortnight’s leave a few weeks after my sister Anita was born in July 1943.

I think we’ve been a lucky family as far as military service is concerned. Harry survived unscathed and my military career was too short to be much of a problem. Bill tells that tale of being on parade, ready to board lorries bound for Southampton and a ship to the far east, when he was told to fall-out and pick up a rail warrant to Aldershot to join the Army Physical Training Corps.

His comrades arrived in Singapore just before it fell to the Japanese. In February 1942. At best, Bill would have ended up a prisoner of war.

Instead, he became a PT instructor and stayed in the U.K. training soldiers. He tells of stints with Home Guard (Dad’s Army) as well as regular units. He always says that the real Home Guard was even worse than the parody we see in the TV programme. One group was issued with “weapons” made up of two pieces of wood with a leather hinge between the two pieces. Despite Bill’s misgivings, the C.O. decided to issue them to the men so that they could “try them out”. Half an hour later with several broken arms and dislocated elbows, the batons were returned to the store. (Another Home Guard veteran told me that, when faced with the threat of German paratroopers, he was to hide behind a hedge with a stick and, when faced with a paratrooper, was to “Whack him and whack him hard!”. No wonder Hitler cancelled the invasion.)

So Bill got through World War 2, gaining a wife and a daughter and without seeing combat.

The next instalment will take us up to the present.

"Buy the book", link problem - Apologies

2010-09-01T20:04:00.003+01:00

I've just discovered that the link to buy a signed copy of the book for the U.K. was corrupt and wouldn't work. Apologies if you've tried to buy one and been frustrated. (I thought sales had gone a bit flat!)

For the time being, I'll throw in a free set of "Harry" postage stamps as some form of compensation. No need to do anything. Just order a signed copy and the stamps will be included at no extra cost.

Click on the link on the left.

Willie (3) nearly ready to post. Certainly by the weekend.

Willie - Instalment 2 (Work in progress)

2010-08-12T19:56:00.010+01:00

I can only refer to the elements of Willie’s childhood that have survived in some form or other. My father rarely spoke about it.

Click on any photograph to enlarge it.

Willie became a member of the choir at Ilkeston Parish Church when he was aged about 7. That it was important to him is without question as he remained a loyal member for an astonishing 75 years. He was a talented singer. He was a soloist as a boy and later as a tenor. It's a great picture of him all ready go as Nanky Poo in the Mikado. (Coincidently, I've a very similar Mandolin hanging on my wall).

On the basis of his talents, he was offered a scholarship to one of the great Cathedral Choir Schools. His story is that his mother, Ethel, decided that such a course wasn’t “for the likes of them”, and the offer was declined.

He played football (soccer), he was a goalkeeper. That was a revelation to me as I’m passionate about the game – and yet never knew that he played. I just discovered the photograph and asked about it. Cricket was his main sport and I can remember him playing for local teams when he was in his forties.

Back to the singing. He tells the tale of how a well-to-do gentleman had left the request that Willie sing the beautiful “I know that my redeemer liveth” from Handel’s Messiah, at his funeral. At the time, Willie’s voice showed signs of breaking – a potential disaster. He was instructed by the choirmaster not to talk a word or to sing in the days leading up to the funeral. He even went to school armed with a letter of explanation. He made it, and received a treasured letter of thanks from the gentleman’s family.

He was into amateur dramatics, meeting there a young school teacher, Nancy. I suspect the photograph of Willie leaning against the tree was a publicity shot. I hope so.

When he left school at 15, he was fortunate enough to find work in a local textiles company, run by an enterprising Dutch immigrant. He tells tales of collecting cheese from the Netherlands from the railway station and rolling it down the hill to the factory for the owner.

In 1940, Willie followed Harry into the army, initially as an infantry soldier, to take part in World War 2. (To be continued)

Willie - Instalment One

2010-07-28T19:55:00.011+01:00

This is a tough one. For the last four years, I’ve never failed to upload any of Harry’s letters on time. I’ve managed to do enough research to put his experiences into a sensible context. Now, I’m finding it easy to put off writing the last two entries onto the blog. Maybe there’s an element of not wanting to end this wonderful journey.

Willie is still alive. It’s not simple to connect my father, aged 94, with the small boy who was so important to Harry. I’ll try. I’m sure that I’ll write and re-write but, clearly it has to be done.

William Lamin was born on March 23^rd 1916. He was the second son of Ethel and Harry. Arthur, the first born, was born two years earlier and had died in infancy. I’m quite sure that Willie (I don’t even know what to call him “Willie”, “Dad or, as he’s been generally known for all my lifetime, “Bill”) knew nothing of Arthur’s existence. I stumbled across a christening card from Ilkeston Parish Church and confirmed his existence through a reader locating the birth and death records.

Willie (lets stick with that for the moment ) must have been precious to the couple. It must have been desperately difficult for Harry to leave his 9 month old baby son when conscripted in late December 1916.

For three years, Willie only saw his father for one leave in September 1918. As far as I can work out, he was brought up by Ethel with the help of Harry’s sister Sarah Anne (Annie). Annie had a son who was old enough to join up and fight but, at this time, no husband. George, her son, had never lived with Annie – he was conscripted from Manchester, where he lived with the Lacey family.

An important element in Willie’s life would be little Connie. She was six years older and suffered from cerebral palsy and so couldn’t walk. I don’t know how well she could talk, but Willie and Connie are reported as “good friends”. In 1918, Connie was sent away to boarding school in Liverpool.

I can’t pretend to know more. He spent some of his time at the relatively “posh” Whitworth Road, – Annie’s House - returning to Mill Street when Annie married. Then I suppose Ethel was on her own with Willie, supported from a distance by Kate and Jack.

The crucial first three years of Willie’s development were without his father.

Friday morning, January 9^th 1920,Willie got his father back. I can imagine the scene as he walked in at 9am, wearing his khaki greatcoat, and greeted Ethel and young Willie. I can do nothing but weep at the image. Willie, aged 3 years 9 months would have to get used to this stranger. I’d guess he’d hide behind Ethel as this unfamiliar man walked into the house. You can make up the picture yourself. To help you, you can see the house on the BBC video. Click

I think that is enough for now. I’ll publish this first instalment and then I’ll just have to continue with the next phase of Willie's life.

Update - and even more information on George

2010-06-23T22:26:00.005+01:00

Apologies, I am struggling to finish off Willie's story. It's very difficult to write a sensible account about my father. Sister Anita has some information that she's sending to me to help.

Since Ken's correspondence, I've had even more information about George from Frances. (Frances, I'd like to thank you personally for your stirling efforts, but have no contact details.)

Frances wrote; Although George emigrated to Australia, he did come back to England for a time. He and his new wife, Nell, travelled on the Demosthenes, (there’s a picture of the ship on the Encyclopedia titanica website) and arrived into London on 4 April 1924. He was 27, and a bootmaker; Nell was 19. Their “country of last permanent residence” is unsurprisingly listed as Australia, but more interestingly, their “country of intended future permanent residence” is given as England. “Permanent residence” is defined as being “a year or more,” so they clearly intended to stay for some time.

Their address is given a 10 Geoffrey Street, Chorlton on Medlock, Manchester. Perhaps George came back to introduce Nell to the Laceys?

They seem to have stayed for about 5 years, as the next record is for their departure for Melbourne on 3 September 1929, aboard the Barrabool, (there’s a picture on the Photoship website) under Captain Sheepwash. This time, 2 year old Ken is travelling with them, having being born during their stay. George’s occupation at the time is recorded as “Salesman.”Meanwhile,

I've heard from Ken, George's son, from Australia. You may remember that George was the illegitimate son of Annie, Harry's sister.

Ken knew little of his father's story and so has learned a great deal of his own family's history by following the blog.

Ken has emailed me with the following information;

"My Father George was a shoe maker by trade, as I understood from my mother and from my later observation.

George emigrated to Australia about 1921 and landed in Melbourne. He told me that his first job in Melbourne was with Dunlop Rubber, see Chas. Macintosh of Manchester, and opened a boot repair shop in the suburbs some time later. Also a member of the Lacey family, I guess a son, had already emigrated and opened a shoe repair shop elsewhere in Melbourne. Shoes were a family tradition! Close by near to that shopping centre lived the Tooth family, who would have known the Lacey’s, where I surmise my father would have met my mother to be, Nell Tooth.

Nell’s Father, son Fred and a younger son Sydney all served in the Australian army. The father was returned to Australia for health reasons and served as guard until 1920, Fred after training in Egypt went to France and went to action in the infamous battle of Fromelles on 19 July 1916. Over 3 days there were over 5,000 Australian casualties, including Fred who was wounded and managed to return. Brother Syd was posted to France in early 1917 and was wounded and declared unfit for action and returned to Aust July 1917. Fred, after more action in France, went into action in Polygon Wood and was killed on 26 September 1917. I guess Fred’s forces would have relieved Harry’s forces and George would have been about there according to the blog.

Arthur Lacey as Guardian is interesting. Again nothing was said by George and Nell referred to them as friends. I only became aware of Arthur’s role as executor of my fathers, although, we, as children, were well aware that he didn’t have a registered father."

Jack - John Ernest Lamin 1870 - 1945

2010-05-11T21:07:00.020+01:00

Harry’s brother Jack was born in 1870 to Henry Lamin and his wife Sarah. He was 17 years older than Harry. In 1891, the census tells us that he is an assistant schoolmaster, living in Awsworth. We can only assume that he was teaching at the same village school that he attended as a child.

One of the photographs I have looks about right for a young schoolmaster in his early twenties.

I have quite a few photographs of Jack as his career progressed, but now, thanks to Frances, know little more of the detail of what happened to him. After some impressive research, Frances said...

On the 1911 census, he was living at 149 Church Street, Kimberworth. He was a lodger in the property, and living alone. His occupation is recorded as “Clerk in Holy Orders, Established Church.”

I consulted Crockford’s Clerical directory for various years, which gave me some more information on Jack’s career.

He went to St Catherine’s College in Oxford, where he got his BA in 1905. He was awarded his MA in 1916. By 1916, St Catherine's wasn't yet a "proper" Oxford College. It was set up to permit less affluent students gain a degree without the great expense of attending the University as a full undergraduate.

He became a deacon 1905, and a priest in 1906. From 1905 until 1911 he was Curate of Kimberworth, Rotherham. In 1906, his address is recorded as 98 Regent Street, Rotherham.

From 1911 – 1912, he was Curate at St Marks, Broomhall, Sheffield.

From 1913 – 1915, he was Vicar of Grimethorpe, Barnsley. His address (unsurprisingly) was the Vicarage.

From 1916 – 1923, he was Curate of St John, Newland, Hull. His address is recorded as 20 Ryde Street, Beverley Road. Hull. There is a reference in the East Yorkshire archives for St John’s dated 8 December 1916 which reads “Licence for assistant curate John Ernest Lamin.”

From 1923 – 1936, he was Vicar of North Dalton, again living at the Vicarage. North Dalton is small village south west of Driffield, in the East Riding of Yorkshire (where, coincidently, some of my ancestors lived).

From 1936 onwards, he was at Newton-on-Ouse, again in Yorkshire, this time north west of York. His address is the Vicarage. In 1938, he became the Officiating Chaplain at the nearby RAF Linton-on-Ouse. From June 1937 until April 1940, the Station was also home to Headquarters No 4 (Bomber) Group, which controlled the bomber stations in Yorkshire.
May 14, 2010

Thank you Frances. Fills many of the gaps. to my efforts. BL
By the 1901 census he was an “elementary schoolmaster” (Not an assistant) living in Oxford, with young Harry staying with him. Oxford is mentioned in quite a few of Harry’s letters so Harry must have stayed there for a while.

By 1917 John had been ordained into the Anglican Church and was was a curate, a novice clergyman, living in Newland, Hull, Yorkshire.

He spent quite a time in Hull and was, at some time, was given title of Canon (an honourary title in the Anglican Church, given to senior, well respected members of the clergy) attached (probably the wrong word) to York Minster. I have discovered that the Canons attached to a Cathedral or Minster (as York) are allocated a pew – a seat in the church – that is for their use whenever they attend a service. Maybe that is where the family story of him having a plaque came from.

I know that he retired with Agnes to Rugely in 1943. He had married her in late 1917, aged 47. It was the same Rugeley where Harry did his basic training before the Flanders battlefields.

Willie knew "uncle John" quite well and always referred to him in a respectful manner. Jack officiated at Willie, my father’s wedding, in 1941. He died in 1945 aged 75.

The “Bill” referred to in Jack’s letter to Kate, is Willie, my father. I don’t know if he made the visit.

The Vicarage,

Brereton,

Rugeley

Staffs

27^th Feb 1944

Dear Kate

We made a mistake over the date of my birthday – we made it the 24^th instead of 25^th. Your pork pie came on the right day and we are enjoying it very much. We are expecting Bill on next Sunday. I hope we shall have better weather than it is (to)day for it has been snowing very heavily all day!

I see they have got a new vicar at last at Newton – when are you thinking of coming to see us? The Curry’s …… We are both very well just now and we both send our best love.

Yours affectionately

J.E. Lamin

I can't really give a better picture of John Ernest Lamin. I have no access to anyone who knew him apart from Willie, and I'm afraid his memory gives us no help.

More information from blog follower Veda.

The remaining piece of information missing from your added comment to the blog is that he was Canon and Prebendary of Husthwaite from 1940.

"Prebendary" means that he was given this honorific title as a senior parish priest. The connection with Husthwaite will have been non-existent, and simply a random title which became vacant and which the cathedral Chapter decided to bestow on Jack. In the medieval period it seems to have been fairly significant, with legal jurisdiction:
Link to guide 1
Link to Guide 2
Although some canons have a specific role in relation to a cathedral which means that they live in cathedral houses and are part of the cathedral's day-to-day life, a canon with a title like Jack's had been given this office pretty much as an honorary distinction in recognition of long and faithful service. He might have been involved in some of the Minster's business as member of a council or committee, and may have been invited to preach very occasionally. As you said of his Oxford degree, well done Awsworth!

Thank you, Veda.

I'm really grateful that Jack kept Harry's letters safe so that they could be handed on to Ethel. Followers of the blog owe much to him and to Kate.

Photographs and images (Click to enlarge)
There are no dates with any of the pictures so the reader can make their own judgement. The only exception is the last photograph, taken at Willie's wedding to my mother, Nancy Satterthwaite, in 1941.

Thanks to readers' efforts and the Church of England's detailed records, we seem to have arrived at a good account of Jack's career.

The next post - Willie

Catherine Lamin (Kate) 1876 -1948

2010-04-17T18:45:00.023+01:00

Harry’s sister Kate was born on 22nd April 1876, the year after the family sold the “New Farm” at Annesley, about 8 miles (5km) North of Awsworth. On the birth certificate, her father, Henry, still recorded his occupation as a farmer, but by the 1881 census he had accepted the status of farm labourer. Catherine was the fourth child as far as records show. John was the oldest, 7 years older, followed by Mary Esther and Sarah Anne at 2 year intervals. Catherine was identified as a “scholar”. As she was only 4 years old, this may have been an error.

We can see at the 1881 census that the family was living with Harry’s grandmother, the widow Sarah Brown (evidently she must have lost two husbands).

In the 1891 census, the family, now having lost their mother, was still living in Awsworth in Towsons Row. (Farmer Towson – farmer of 54 acres - lives at number 1). Catherine, called Kate on the census, has no recorded occupation but, at 14, was probably occupied in looking after 3 year old Harry.

I have no further information about Kate until the 1901 census. In the intervening time, she would have been helping to bring up Harry and will have endured the loss of her elder sister Mary Esther who was 17 when she died in 1889.

By 1901, Kate was living with her father in a different house, this time in Kimberly Lane Awsworth. We know that Annie was in service and Harry was living with brother Jack, now a school teacher in Oxford. She has no recorded occupation. Her father Henry, was a chemical labourer.

Still nothing more that I can find until 1910 when Connie was born. Catherine’s occupation was recorded on the birth certificate as a school teacher. I had always assumed that Connie was the result of some youthful indiscretion – or perhaps some “gentleman” had taken advantage of her youthful inexperience. Of course, at 34 years of age, neither was the case. Connie was born at 145 Nottingham Road Ilkeston, I believe it was where sister Annie lived later, maybe then. The only clue as to the father’s identity is Connie’s middle name - Constance Wilkinson Lamin.

By 1913, Kate had moved to London and had become a qualified midwife. I have no information about what happened to Connie. Ethel and Harry weren’t married until March the next year. 24th January 1913, “Kate Lamin entered the service of the Guardians of the Poor of the Parishes of St GILES-IN-THE FIELDS AND ST GEORGE, BLOOMSBURY, as Midwife”. She was described as “A qualified and certificated midwife. Kind and considerate to her patients.”

Her employer changed their name on amalgamation to the Holborn Union. In November 1916 became Kate became a Health Visitor, becoming qualified as an “Inspector of Nuisances” by taking an examination mentioned by Jack in a letter to her at that time. (Coincidently written on the same day that Harry took his first examination as a front line soldier at the battle of Messines Ridge.)

A testimonial written in October 1917 confirms that she resigned from the London job and moved 200 miles North to Leeds in Yorkshire. I’m not too sure about the detail, but the family story is that she worked at Leeds Infirmary and, eventually, became a Matron there. Maybe. She certainly left Connie behind with Ethel and Harry in Ilkeston.

Then we lose track of her. She appeared for Connie’s funeral in 1929, as she registered her death. We can see her at Willie and Nancy’s Wedding at Greenodd, North Lancashire (now Cumbria) in 1941. Her last will and testament was signed in 1946, before her death in July 1948 aged 70. She was buried in the same grave as her daughter Connie in Ilkeston Cemetery.

The family always referred to her in quite respectful terms. I got the impression that she was quite well off, if not wealthy. My sister Anita, who hadn’t quite reached her fifth birthday when Kate died, can remember her. She recalls “a formidable woman.”

Pictures (Click on any picture to enlarge) From the top.
1. The poster for the farm sale 1875.
2. Kate's cross-stitch sampler produced at Awsworth Board School.
3. Funeral cards for Harry's mother and sister, Mary Esther.
4. Employment record for her London job.
5. Wonderful velum certificate "Inspector of Nuisances".
6. A studio photograph of Kate in her nurse's uniform.
7. On holiday in Blackpool in 1925. (Actually, on holiday in front of a picture of Blackpool!)
8. Kate at Willie's wedding to Nancy 1941.

Final word - my daughter was named Catherine, after my great Aunt Kate. She is now a school teacher in London - quite successful, it appears. BL

Next Post, Jack.

More news.

2010-04-03T15:52:00.007+01:00

Marek Vašut has approached me asking if I would mind if he produced a Czech version of Harry's Blog. Mind? I'm delighted.

Marek has made a start and his initial efforts can be found Here

Finding that the current version of audio book is not available outside the European Union, I am recording readings of each of Harry's letters. This, rather than an audio version of the whole book, could act as a companion to the book.

I should have the right sort of accent as I was born and brought up in the same town as Harry. Watch this space for details and availability.

More on Annie and Something on George

2010-03-17T16:18:00.010Z

What an amazing surprise! Today I received a "comment" from "Frances" that gives a lot more information on Annie and George.

It ties together some of the details we knew. George, when he emigrated to Australia, started a shoe factory in Melbourne, my sister Anita tells me. If he was a shoemaker 1916, that would make some sense. I'll publish Frances' contribution without any further comment. BL

More on Annie and something on George

On the 1911 census, Annie is living back at home with her widowed father Henry, Kate, Harry, and Connie (acknowledged as Henry’s granddaughter). They are living at 145 Nottingham Road, Ilkeston.

Annie (35) has no occupation recorded; Kate (33) is a monthly nurse, and Harry (23) has “twist hand lace factory” as his occupation. Father Henry has “formerly oxide worker at chemical works.”

George Lamin, Annie’s son, is nowhere to be seen. I found him, still with the Lacey family, but they have now moved to Manchester. The address is given as 164 Upper Brook Street, Chorlton on Medlock, Manchester. George is 14, and a joiner’s apprentice.

By 1916, George is working at Chas. Macintosh & Co Limited, India Rubber Manufacturers. In military records (on Ancestry), the following memorandum, dated January 13 1916, is preserved:

“Dear Sir, the bearer, G. Lamin, wishes to join the Army for immediate service and we have released him from munition work for this purpose. Yours faithfully, Chas. Macintosh & Co. Ltd.”

George enlists aged 19 years and 1 month. His address on his papers shows that he was still at the same address as that given in the 1911 census. He is 5ft 8½ inches tall, and his occupation is given as shoemaker. He is passed for service with an A1 medical category. His next of kin is Arthur Lacey, who is his guardian. He is assigned a Sapper 440567 in the 497th (Kent) Field Company RE (Royal Engineers).

Some of the military records are charred round the edges, and difficult to read. But George was awarded one medal: the Victory medal, which he received and signed for in 1922!

The medal card shows TWO medals. Exactly the same as Harry. It's such a shame that similar documents for Harry aren't available. A lot of records were destroyed by bombing in World War 2.

Following up on Frances' research, a little more work (All the hard work's been done) I discovered that through 1917, George would have been in the Ypres sector in the Royal Engineers, supporting units like Harry's. When Harry was involved in night time activities, improving the trenches, as in June 1917, he would have been under the supervision of R.E. personnel.

George's unit was, as was Harry, also involved in the Battle of Passchendaele. George was hospitalised for 5 weeks in September 1917 when the battle was intense, but the records don't help with a reason. Also, on discharge from the army, he leaves the section on hospital experiences blank. More research into this guy with bow legs and a scar on his jaw? (According to his medical.)

Thank you Frances, for really great piece of research. Any ideas where Ethel was in 1911? BL

Frances said...According to the 1911 Census, Ethel Ward Watson was living in Digby Street, Ilkeston Junction. She was 19, and her occupation is recorded as "Bobbin winder." She was born in Codnor, Derbyshire. She is a boarder in the house of a Mr Robert Scattergood, who is listed as head of the household, and married, but his wife does not appear in the same entry. There are three other boarders listed at the same address: Mary Ann Watson (56), cop winder, presumably Ethel's mother, although she is listed as being single; Annie Ward Watson (19), stripper; and Annie Elizabeth Ward Watson (16), no occupation given. These last two girls are Ethel's sisters. Hope this helps!

March 22, 2010

Ethel, Harry's wife

2010-03-05T13:26:00.010Z

Ethel was my grandmother. She’s someone in this story that I knew, and can remember.

With sister Anita, I’d spend weekends with her and Harry. They lived a little over a mile (2km) from my family home and, in the carefree days of the 1950s, I was allowed to walk there after school if I was to stay.

I can remember her as slightly stern - not too many smiles - but both Anita and I enjoyed staying there. We could drink lemonade and could listen to “Children’s Favourites” on the radio on Saturday morning. The food was different. Ethel cooked on small coal-fired range in the living room/kitchen. Somehow, the sausages tasted different when cooked in the oven and the mashed potato was whipped to a wonderful creaminess with butter and “top milk”. I’ve never had anything quite like it since.

Ethel had a tough time after the war. Looking after Connie, I’m sure that Kate helped her out financially. Later in her life, Anita says that she wouldn’t go shopping for clothes for herself. For Anita’s wedding, my mother went to the Co-op clothes shop and took a selection of outfits. Ethel, reluctantly, chose one from the selection.

The letters to her from Harry haven’t survived. My mother reported that Ethel hated the war and everything to do with it and almost certainly burned the letters that she received. Thankfully, later on, when she inherited the bundle of letters from Kate and Jack, she hung on to them.

When I was16, I decided to go to the army’s boarding school, Welbeck College, with a view to taking up a military career. Much, much later, I discovered that Ethel was devastated at the thought of her grandson joining the army. She had such a hatred of the army after Harry’s experiences. Much to my great regret, she passed away while I was at Welbeck, still on course for that military career, which never actually happened.

The earliest reference to Ethel I can find is on the 1901 census. Ethel Watson was born in 1892, making her 5 years younger than Harry. In 1901 she was living with her widowed mother, 5 sisters and brother (maybe step-brother) in 50 Digby Street at the Eastern edge of Ilkeston – just over the river Erewash into Nottinghamshire. There are still a load of old factories in that part of town. Digby Street is a few hundred yards from the Gordon Street home that was the eventual home of Harry and Ethel. Ethel never moved far, always living within a 400 yard radius. Compare that with Harry, who saw the sights of Flanders, Venice and the Dolomite Mountains

At the time of that census Ethel was 9 years old. Two of her elder sisters aged 16 and 17 worked as hosiery (skin) buttoner worker and a hosiery runneron worker. One of the streets off Digby Street is Trumans Street. Harry worked at Trumans Lace factory. A neighbour of Ethel’s family was a Mr Truman who’s occupation was a Lace curtain maker. Perhaps we can guess how they met

I discovered from the census that she had a sister Nelly. My sister Anita and I have discussed where the “Auntie Nelly” we knew as children fitted into the family. Now it makes some sense.

Harry and Ethel married in March 1914 in a civil ceremony at Basford, Nottingham Registry Office. Their first child Arthur, was born in June 1914. Sadly Arthur died, a few months old, early in 1915.

The following March, 1916, my father William (Willie) was born. By the end of the year, however, Ethel was on her own as Harry had been called up to join the army.

There are lots of indications in the letters that Annie (sister Sarah Ann) teamed up with Ethel during the time that Harry was away. For some of that time it seems clear that Ethel, Willlie and Connie shared a house with Annie. When Annie married, Ethel and the children returned to the family home in Mill Street.

After Harry’s death in 1961, Ethel lived by herself until she died in 1966, aged 74.

I wish that I could give a more complete account of Ethel’s life but there is little available and, of course, no one left to ask. ( How many family history researchers have said that?)

Photographs; from the top. (Click to enlarge)
Ethel, on the right, with elder sister Nelly. The two were good friends and spent much time together.
Ethel at the Gordon Street home with "Nipper". I can only guess the date.
Ethel and "Nipper".
Willie's wedding in 1941. Ethel, with Harry behind her. Next to Harry is his sister Annie (wrongly identified in the book.)
Ethel looking very proud, with Kate at Willie's wedding in 1941, when she would be 49.

Next week, Kate

Unabridged Audiobook is Released

2010-03-03T18:27:00.007Z

The unabridged audiobook of Letters from the Trenches was released by Whole Story Audio Books on 1st March. click here.

The site contains a downloadable clip. I've just listened and, to my great relief, really like it. I was so disappointed when the short extract came to an end. I think the whole book will be going on my MP3 player as soon as I get my copy.

Geoff Annis, reading it, is quite believable as an East Midlands boy. It was quite strange listening to him saying my own words as he read from the introduction.

Have a listen to the clip and add a comment here. All welcomed - complimentary or not. Thank you.

Apologies to world -wide readers. I've just been informed that the publisher doesn't have the right to distribute outside the European Union. I'll try to find out more. Bill

Comments - An extra step required, Apologies

2010-02-26T08:17:00.002Z

I'm afraid that, recently, I've been getting quite overwhelmed with advertising masquerading as comments. Some have contained quite offensive material. After three and a half years (not a bad innings) I've had to turn on the word verification thing to intercept the automated "spam". That should reduce the moderation load a little.

I'm sorry if this is a nuisance for you, but please, please don't stop making the comments. They are one of the really rewarding features of this adventure.

Bill Lamin

Sarah Ann Lamin (Annie)

2010-02-14T21:09:00.023Z

(Click on any image to enlarge)
Annie was regularly mentioned in Harry's letters. It would seem that Ethel's sister-in-law provided much needed support while Harry was otherwise engaged in the war. Some of her story, although a diversion from the main plot, may be interesting to the reader.

Sarah Ann was born in 1874 and so was 13 years older than Harry, 4 years older than Kate. Like Harry and the rest of her siblings, she attended Awsworth Board School. The sampler was produced as part of that education. Spot the deliberate mistake? I wonder if Annie ever noticed.

For Annie, I also have a certificate from the School Inspector. Level 5 is, I believe, the standard that was needed at the end of schooling. As she was aged 13, that would be about right.

I can't find what happened next to her. She doesn't seem to appear in the 1891 census and she wasn't at home with Harry, Kate and the rest of her family. At 17 she was probably away working as a domestic servant, as by December 1896, that is the occupation recorded on the birth certificate of her son George. No father on there. George was illegitimate.

Update! Frances has found Annie on the 1891 census. All the details age, birthplace and, if read carefully, the name (Transcribed as Lamm, not Lamin) are correct. She was a servant living with the Hutchinson family at number 70 Wilson Street, in the centre of Derby, about 12 miles from her family. Well done Frances.

A "cold call" to the next door offices of AB Consulting found a very helpful Linda, who went out and took a photograph of number 70 for me. Some people are just so helpful. Thank you Linda. I can imagine Annie and Ada, the other servant, in the top room.

By 1901, the census tells us that Annie is working as a " cook domestic", one of two servants, in one of the big houses in Lucknow Road, Mapperley in the city of Nottingham (still, a "posh" area of the city). Little George, aged 4, was living as a "nurse child" with the Lacey family in Radcliffe-on-Trent 7 miles away. This is terribly sad. Of course, Annie (recorded as that - not Sarah Anne) - couldn't work with a baby son in tow, so some arrangement had to be made. That is all I know for quite a while. I know that George did some service in The Great War. His son Ken told me that he thought he was in the Engineers but I can't identify him on any military records.
Another update; George's birth was registered by "E. Lacey - Present at the birth Ratcliffe on Trent." Almost certainly Kate E Lacey of the family that was "nursing" George at the time of the 1901 census.

We know Annie married a Mr Enoch Hartshorne in the summer of 1919 but I can't recall any mention of the man from family members.

George married in 1920 and , in the summer of 1929 emigrated to Australia with his wife and young son Ken. He visited England in the 1950s, I can just remember his visit.
Ken, now in his 80s has visited quiet recently, staying with sister Anita.

Annie became the Auntie Annie that I can remember staying with when quite small. She lived about half a mile (a Km) from my family home. She died in 1954, aged 80 and is buried in the same cemetery as Kate and Connie. The picture shows Annie at the terraced house she lived in when I visited. The sharp-eyed readers may spot that, in the book, she's wrongly identified in the photograph of Willie's wedding.

I'll be packaging up the originals of these images and sending them off to Ken in Australia.

Next week Ethel.

Major Jono Wood 1956 - 2009

2010-02-04T08:58:00.007Z

Followers of the blog will be familiar with Jono's contributions. If you look down the left -hand side you'll see links to maps of the Italian campaign. There is a whole series of maps and images charting Harry's progress through Italy. They were all Jono's work. He picked up the blog quite early on and, with his own military background, quickly engaged with Harry and his activities.

He volunteered to work on the maps. As Harry's battalion shifted location in Italy, he would email the annotated map for inclusion on the blog. He was the only person in the world who knew Harry's movements in advance.

Last summer, after we had started to make plans to meet up with Rocco, to visit the Italian battlefields, all correspondence suddenly stopped. To my shame, it's taken until now to discover what happened. It was so simple to just email. When that failed, I had no "Plan B." SNAFU.

Sadly, Jono died suddenly in his sleep in June. He leaves a wife, Stella and three daughters, Kate, Alexandra and little Sophie.

To my eternal regret, I never sat down with him and enjoyed the promised glass of wine. I know we would have become firm "proper" friends once we'd met face to face.

I've made many internet connections through this blog. Jono was one of the firmest. I've met a few of those friends. This gives me the resolve to make the effort to get out there and meet a few more.

Thanks to Jono for the support. Goodbye.

Bill

Constance Wilkinson Lamin (Connie) 1910 -1929

2010-01-29T20:52:00.024Z

Click any image to enlarge it.

Connie appears regularly in Harry's letters. He obviously has a great deal of affection for this little girl.

When I started the blog, I knew nothing about her. I hadn't really looked at the two or three photographs in the "bits & bobs" box. She'd certainly never been mentioned in any family conversations that I could remember. Sister Anita knew nothing about her. But, as she was frequently and affectionately mentioned in Harry's letters, there was research to be done.

Connie aged three.

The official facts;

The Birth Certificate tells us that she was born on the 18th May, 1910 in a private house at 145 Nottingham Road, Ilkeston, Derbyshire. Her mother, who registered the birth, was Catherine Lamin. (Kate) Catherine's occupation was recorded in 1910 as a School teacher, living at that same address. There's no father on the birth certificate. The only other information on the certificate tells us that the birth wasn't registered for over a month after the birth - on 25th June.

Connie's death certificate records that she died on 21st December 1929 at Harlow Wood Orthopaedic Hospital, Sutton in Ashfield, Nottinghamshire. Her mother, recorded as living in Leeds, registered the death in Sutton in Ashfield. Kate's occupation was then recorded as a midwife. The death was registered on the 27th December, 3 days after the funeral on Christmas Eve, December 24th.

Connie's cause of Death was; a) Acute Dilation of Stomach. b) Operation. c) Spastic diplegia

The story;

I asked Willie (my father)about Connie. His memory was, at the time, failing and he told me that Connie was the daughter of a wealthy Ilkeston family. As she was a cripple, they advertised for someone to look after her and Ethel, Wllie's mother offered to do that. "It was very good of her."

I would guess that was the family story to cover the fact that Connie was Illegitimate. Willie knew the truth, as he annotated one of Connie's photographs to say it was "Daughter of Kate Lamin", in his distinctive handwriting. The "story" must have been used to explain the appearance of this little girl into the Lamin household. It would have came to the fore as Willie's memory became unreliable. The significance of the cryptic message on Annie's card to her sister Kate becomes clear.

Connie had cerebral palsy. "Spastic diplegia" on the death certificate confirms that explanation for her problems with walking as this form of cerebral palsy affects the legs and walking. The photograph showing her leaning against a chair, apparently illustrates a typical attitude for such a sufferer. It is quite likely that her intelligence was normal.

I'd love to tell you more of this sweet little girl who was obviously adored by all in the Lamin Family but there is no more and there's no one else to ask. Anything more must be largely speculation and guesswork.

I have no clues as to where the "Wilkinson" part of her name came from. It could be a link to the father. Maybe he was able to pay something towards Connie's upkeep. As a schoolteacher and later, as a junior nurse or midwife, Kate would not have been well paid, yet there were expensive studio photographs taken and Connie was sent away to boarding school in Liverpool. The outfits we see her in were quite smart. Note the beautiful boots.

A phone call to the council offices for Ilkeston located her grave in the main cemetery in the town. I duly visited and photographed the grave that she shared with her mother, my great aunt Kate. Another emotional interlude.

I now feel that I know her quite well. It's recorded by Harry that she and Willie were great friends. Harry and Ethel loved her dearly and she was obviously in Harry's thoughts through his tribulations in the Great War. I don't think she ever walked properly.

The inscription on her gravestone reads "Peace".

Next week - Annie

Harry's Song

2010-01-19T18:30:00.005Z

As the first "extra", I'll post Harry's Song.

It may not be a masterpiece, but after being told all my life that music wasn't my forte, (thank you Nottingham High School) I'm extremely proud of producing something that Harry's experiences initiated. Thanks to Shaz Adams, the singer.

Anyway, you don't have to listen. Turn the sound down and watch the slide show of images from the book and blog.

Positive comments would be astonishing.

Next week, Constance Wilkinson Lamin (Connie). BL

Harry's Home. The last letter, 12th January 1920

2010-01-11T16:32:00.013Z

Jan 12th/ 1920

19 Mill Street
Ilkeston

Dear Jack
Just a line to let you know that I have got home at last for good. I got demobilised on Thursday, and got home at 9 0 clock on Friday morning from Ripon. Ethel thanks you for the 10/- you sent. We are all in good health except for me I have just a bit of a sore throat but I hope it is well in a day or two. the weather is very wet just now. I dont know whether I shall start at Trumans or not, they seem to be quite busy just now. I will write again soon and let you know what I am going to do.

With best Love to you
both Harry

This letter just couldn't be better if I'd made it up. "I have got home at last for good" says it all. Harry's arrived home at Mill Street, last Friday, 14 months after the war ended and 16 months after his last leave. His prediction of "Thursday at Ripon" proved to be spot on. This is the first letter that has a postage stamp. (click on the letter for an enlarged image)

"10/-" means 10 shillings, 50P in today's money, worth about £25 (UKP) today.

We can only imagine the inside of number 19 this last weekend. To see number 19 today, click this link and go to 55 seconds into the film clip. Film link

Me? I'm just overwhelmed with emotion as I "time shift" back to 1920. There's even more emotion as it becomes clear that I've also reached the end of an incredible personal journey.

What happens next? My plan is to spend a few weeks tying up all the loose ends. I'll complete the story of each of the characters, as far as I can, and will publish the photographs and documents that I have that relate to the blog and to Harry and his family. There is a great deal more material than could fit into the book.

Then I just sink back and learn to live without the blog. It won't be easy.

My readers? If you've followed the blog, please tie up your loose end with a comment. Anything will do. Just let me know that a little bit of Harry's life has touched yours. Take a moment to glance at the comments that are, already, appearing while you're adding your own.

If you've put off buying the book until Harry got home, well, there's no excuse now. Signed copy click here. The audio version is on the way soon. I also intend to produce a CD of just the letters, read by myself. The audio publishers are doing a version of the whole book and want a "proper" actor to do it - I can understand that. If you just would like just the letters, watch this space. Email if you would like a sample reading.

To all of you, thank you,

Bill Lamin

Card to Jack, 6th January 1920. On the way!

2010-01-06T07:53:00.005Z

Jan 6/1920
Dear Jack
Just a line to let you know that I am alright. We have left Marseilles after having three days their. We were allowed out. its a fine big city and you meet all sorts of people. At present I am in Calais and hope to be in England by Thursday at Ripon if good luck. Hope to be seeing you soon. With love Harry

Nearly home! I would think that a train from Marseilles, retracing the route he took in November 1917, is the most likely method of travel. 3 days in Marseilles, 24 hours in the troop train - that about accounts for all the time. I wonder what "all sorts of people " encompasses.

The YMCA have put their own postmark on the card. Harry must have stayed in Hut 2 in Calais.

Ripon is in Yorkshire, not too far from Jack's home. 6th January would have been a Tuesday in 1920 so, if he thinks he'll be in Ripon by Thursday, things will have to move quickly.

Two letters, 1st January 1920. Definite progress.

2010-01-01T08:28:00.004Z

Jan 1st 1920

Dear Kate

Just a line to let you know that I have left Italy and have arrived in France at Marseilles. I dont think we shall be here more than a day or two. we got in today at 4 o clock. and we are not allowed out of camp so i expect we shall have to stay in. I hope to be in England this time next week that is with good luck. I have got my papers for demobilisation so I expect to get demobilised within this next fortnight so I hope to be seeing you before long. I hope you had a Merry Xmas and a Happy New Year and I hope Connie enjoyed her holiday. I will write and let you know as soon as possible how I get on.

With Best Love
Harry

Jan 1st 1920

Dear Jack

Just a line to let you know that I have left Italy. I am at present at Marseilles how long I am here for I do not know but I don't think it will be more than a day or two. We have just got here by train and we are not allowed in the place so I expect we shall have to stay in camp. We was on the train about twenty eight hours so we went well for a troop train. I received your tobacco alright it was very good. I hope you have both had a Merry Xmas. I expect you have been very busy. It is very cold here and wet I don't know what it is like in England I expect to be there within another weeks time with a bit of luck. I will write and let you know if I am so you need not bother writing till you hear from me.

With Best Love to you
both
Harry

This seems quite conclusive. At last, Harry's on the way home. BL

27th December 1919. Harry's on the move!!

2009-12-27T09:46:00.004Z

Harry's written this card to Jack on 27th December reporting that he'll be on the move on the 29th. Coincidentally, the Card shows Tortona - the same location as his first card from Italy back in November 1917. Then, he bought the card as the troop train stopped on the way to the front. Perhaps this will be his last stop before leaving Italy. Note that it's been "Passed by Censor". That must be a relief. I suppose that the military machine is always insecure. (I have just inserted a scan of that first card - not originally on the posting. Click on the link above to view it and see if Harry's writing has changed much in the intervening two years. BL)

Dec 27/ 1919

Dear Jack

Just a line to let you know that I have received the tin of tobacco. I was very pleased with it. Do not write again till you here from me as I am moving from this place on the 29 Dec. Will send post card as soon as possible.
Harry

Tortona is a few Kilometres to the North of Arquata Scrivia, his base for the last few months. The town is on the main railway line across the North of Italy, towards France

Questions in the House, 28th December 1919.

2009-12-26T10:34:00.001Z

With Harry in Italy for Christmas, questions were asked in the British Parliament's House of Commons, about Him and the other soldiers left in Italy. Winston Churchill provided the answers.

Lieut. - Commander KENWORTHY asked the Secretary of State for War how many British troops are now in Italy; and for what purpose they are still in that country?
§Mr. CHURCHILL The present ration strength of troops in Italy is 3,250, including sick in hospital. These troops are required, partly for the guarding of Austrian prisoners, who number about 2,300, and partly for the custody, storage and handling of surplus Army stores which have been handed over to the Disposal Board, and are awaiting disposal. The prisoners will shortly be repatriated, and the Ministry of Munitions, I understand, anticipate that the disposal of the surplus stores will be effected in some six weeks' time or less.

Perhaps the end is in sight for Harry and his comrades. Thanks to Rocco for spotting it BL

Please note this is slightly out of Chronological order (a day or two early) but this is a deliberate decision. BL

From a loyal Harry Follower - Christmas greetings

2009-12-22T19:22:00.000Z

Rocco, one of the most loyal and supportive readers of Harry's blog has sent the attached greeting.

May I join him and send best wishes to everyone who has made this website so successful and rewarding.

Harry clearly won't be home for Christmas with Ethel, Willie and Connie. At least, he's safe and can now, surely, anticipate the end of his military career.

Letter to Jack, 11th December 1919

2009-12-10T12:10:00.004Z

There would seem to be no real sign yet of any progress towards home.

Harry has also been very unfortunate with leave. I had assumed that he had a leave in the summer of 1917, but from his letters it's clear that he went from his leave at the end of basic training, in the Spring of 1917, right through to September 1918. Now he has completed another fifteen months without a break. So much for the entitlement of two weeks leave a year! If he'd stayed with the York & Lancasters, it would appear that he would have, at least, had a leave by now. BL

address now 1st Garrison
40843/ Royal Munster Fusiliers
A. P.O. L1
IEF Italy

December 11/1919

Dear Jack
Just a line to let you know that I am alright and in good health. I don't think it is any good writing about getting home as their is no chance of getting home for Christmas it looks like being more like the middle of April before I get home. I might manage it a bit before. all the prisoners are going home this month so it will make it a bit better after Christmas for us all. I am very pleased to here that all are going on alright at home & keeping in good health. I hope you and Agnes have a Happy Christmas & New Year. I am sorry that I shall not be at home for it but I am in good health so that is something. Write as often as you can and let me know all the news and send me a newspaper or two. I will write again soon.

With Best Love to you both
Harry
40843/ 1st Garr Batt
Royal Munster Fusiliers
D. Coy. 17 Hut
A. P.O. L9 IEF
Italy

Christmas Book Orders

2009-12-07T21:40:00.000Z

If you would like to order a signed, personally dedicated copy of the book as a Christmas present, then now is the time to do it if you want to be certain of delivery.

Delivery to other continents e.g. the United States takes about 10 days, Europe around 5 days and the U.K. a couple of days - providing my stock lasts.

To order, click on the link to the left or here.

Letter to Jack, 18th November 1919

2009-11-17T07:46:00.005Z

Nov 18

40843/ Royal Munster

Fusiliers

A.P.O Box L1 D Coy

I.E.F. Italy

Dear Jack,

Just a line to let you know that I am in good health, but am wanting to get home, and there seems no sign of it yet. the last train from here went 5 or 6 weeks ago. goodness knows when the next is going. It is over fourteen months since my last leave and I belong to the 1916 men, but in December. Young lads are getting home, 1918 men, on compassionate grounds. I would be glad if you would try and get me a leave by writing to the war office. dont write hear as it would be of no use, as only special leaves are going, if you write do it at once as we might be moving any time. I think I have earned a leave as it was 17 months before I got my first leave. I have been moved from the village Rivalto and I am now at a place called Auquato. Let me know if you write to the war office. I am pleased to hear that they are all keeping well at Ilkeston and to hear that Annie is keeping well, but they all want to know when I am going to come home as all the other chaps as got out of the army who joined up when I did. Write back as soon as possible as it is a long time since I had a letter. Hoping that this letter finds you all in the best of health.

With Best Love to all
Harry

Christmas Orders for the Book

2009-11-10T15:59:00.004Z

If you're considering the book as a Christmas present, it would be a good idea to order quite soon. If I get my orders wrong and run out of stock, it's going to add another week or so to the process.

There are two links over to the left, one for a signed and dedicated copy from me, one for a copy from Amazon.

I also have a few sets of the "Harry" postage stamp, which can be added to a book order to complete a gift for a "Harry" fan. I'll add that to the book order page. Click to order.

Letter to Jack, 24th October 1919

2009-10-24T09:08:00.002+01:00

Oct 24/1919

40843/1st Garr Batt
Royal Munster Fusiliers
A.P.O Box R L9 I.E.F.
Italy

Dear Jack

I have just received your letter and was very pleased with it. I am glad to hear that you and Agnes are keeping in the best of health, as I am in the pink only this last day or two I have had the tooth ache but I think it is a cold. I have had a letter from Ethel and they are all keeping well at Ilkeston. You ask me if I was cooking. No I have finished cooking and am doing guards and escorting Austrian prisoners but I can do it. I could have had a job yesterday cooking for two officers but I am not having it. never finished till 10 o clock at night and up about 7. you have no time for anything cant get out at all and they think no more about you when you have done it. of course the foods all good but in the camp were we are we live well. you can buy eggs and get all sorts of tin stuff from the canteen so we don't do amiss. I hope to get home before Christmas if not on demob I hope to get a leave it will be three years come Christmas. Dec 28th since I joined up. I don't know when we are moving out of this country but I hope it will be soon. i will let you know if I hear any thing. They keep getting rumours about that we are moving but they never come off. Write and let me know all the news send a newspaper next time you write.
With Best love to you both
Harry

Harry sounds in good shape. This letter was the first indication I had of the date of his joining the army. Before I read it, I had assumed that he'd gone to Rugeley Camp shortly before his first letter in February 1917. From this, it's clear that he went much earlier - at the end of December 1916. BL

Dieter Finzen's Blog - now in English. (and French)

2009-10-19T15:04:00.008+01:00

A wonderful complement to Harry's blog is Dieter Finzen's diaries. Dieter is, as close as we are likely to get, to an equivalent of Harry on the German side.

The diaries are published in real time using the same "time-shift" process as with Harry's letters only with a shift of 93 years so that in "Dieter time" we are now approaching the end of 0ctober 1916.

Dieter finished his basic training and traveled to France, arriving in the combat zone, opposite the British lines on the Somme, in September 1916.

The Battle of the Somme initiating the “big push”, commenced, disastrously for the allies, on July 1st, and is reaching its final throes as Dieter arrives. Despite heavy losses on the ground, British aircraft retain air superiority and are frequently seen overhead.

Dieter is not yet involved in the fighting, and is going through some gruelling training of a kind instantly recognisable to anyone who has seen the film of Erich Maria Remarque's Im Westen nichts Neues / All quiet on the Western Front.

I'm sure that many of Harry's fans, may have been disappointed to find Dieter's diary only in German. Now that Roger O'Keeffe (Long time Harry supporter) has undertaken to provide a translation to both English and French, you might be interested in taking up Dieter's story and seeing what life was like on the other side. Sven Janke, the author, has supplied some very informative links, including one on 8 October to an excellent BBC animation that shows the the course of the Western front throughout the war on a map.

Maybe Roger could use his spare time to translate Harry's blog into German. (Only joking - well done Roger for this work)

Link to Dieter's Diaries

Letter to Kate, 9th October 1919

2009-10-09T08:13:00.003+01:00

Oct 9/19

40843/1st Garr Batt

Royal Munster Fusiliers

A.P.O Box R L9

I.E.F. Italy

Dear Kate

Just a line to let you know that I am getting on alright, but have heard nothing yet about leave. There are some men with two or three months in more than I have got but I hope to be home before Christmas. I was very pleased to hear that Connie was getting on alright and to hear that she was very happy. I should like to hear of her walking. I mean paying her a visit the first chance I get. If I hear anything about coming home I will write and let you know . I have just wrote to Annie its the first time I have wrote since she was married. I hope it finds her alright. It is now nearly fourteen months since I was home so I think it is about time I got home if it was only for a leave. Ethel tells me theyare doing better at Trumans so thats a good sign of more work. Write and let me know how you are geting on. All the men who came up before 1st July have gone home except one or two and they are going home next week so it looks a lot better. Will write again soon.

With Best Love
Harry

"Trumans" is the lace factory where Harry worked before the war. The news about Connie is, really, a bit sad. Clearly, she isn't getting any closer to walking. A little more optimism about getting home? BL

Letters to Jack & Kate, 2nd October 1919

2009-10-01T19:06:00.004+01:00

Oct 2/10/19

40843/1st Garr Batt

Royal Munster Fusiliers

A.P.O Box R L9

I.E.F. Italy

Dear Jack
I have received your letter alright and I am very pleased to hear that you are going on alright. I think it is a good job that you got the furniture before the railway strike came off as you might have lost it altogether. I don't think it is hardly worth while writing now, but you see it is a long while without leave thirteen months, and the war finished as they have been going at six months from Fuime out of the Y & L. I have seen some of them on the train at a place called Alexandra. I went down for a day's outing there and they were just going back off leave, they tell me what a fine place it is. There is a big do on at Rome next week and some of the R Cs [Roman Catholics] have got a chance to go for 7 days. I wish I belonged to the R.C. I might have had a chance I should have liked to have seen Rome before I left Italy. I hope to be out of this country before November is out and I might stand a chance of getting demobilised before Christmas. I would be satisfied then.. anyway we shall have to wait and see as leave as been stopped here to let the men get home that joined up before 1st July 1916. I think they have plenty of work at Trumans now but I don't know whether I shall go back or not. It will not be very nice at first being shut up after being out in the fresh air for about 3 years. Well theres one good thing to be thankful for. The place I visit is the chief place in the province of Alexandra and about as big as Nottingham. Write as often as you can.

With Best Love to you both

Harry

Oct 2/10/19
40843/1st Garr Batt
Royal Munster Fusiliers
A.P.O Box R L9
I.E.F. Italy

Dear Kate
I was very pleased to receive a letter from you and to hear that you are keeping in good health. I am sorry that Connie does not get on with her walking but we shall have to make the best of it. I have wrote to Annie so I expect I shall get a letter before long. There is no signs of me getting demobilised yet as there is some men here yet that come up here in April 1916. If I could get a leave , I could easily get demobed when I got to England but the thing is getting there as there is no leave going from here, only odd ones they are only men for demobilisation, but any way I hope to be home for Christmas. Write as often as you can and let me know all the news. I had a letter from Ethel and she said that Willie as had a cold but he is a lot better now. I hope he keeps in good health. The weather hear is very cold at night but the sun gets out well during the day. I will write and let you know if I hear anything about getting home.

With best Love

Harry

Not such good news about Connie. Harry seems to have had high hopes that the school in Liverpool would do some good. BL

Big thank you to Rocco and Family

2009-09-28T08:34:00.005+01:00

I really must express a public and sincere thank you to Rocco and his family for their superb hospitality during my visit to Italy.

It was wonderful to be treated as one of the family and to be made so welcome in their home. It was very brave to have invited a strange Englishman. It could have been an extremely uncomfortable few days. (I certainly hope it wasn't.)

Especial thanks to Fulvia, Rocco's wife for her kindness and the wonderful evening meals that we enjoyed after each hard day's trek. It was a fantastic way to experience authentic Italian cooking.

The visit was particularly good as, with Rocco's local knowledge, it was possible to cover a lot of the important places in Harry's story. I just had to present myself for an eight o' clock start and my host did the rest.

The rest of his family also made me so welcome and seemed very pleased to practice their excellent English. We all learned to use the word "replete" after Fulvia's meals. Federico generously allowed me to play his guitar and Rocco's two lovely daughters Verena and Margherita were always helpful with the translations when language got in the way.

Thank you. I hope I'll be able to repay the hospitality one day.

The Piave Front 1917 -1918

2009-09-20T07:15:00.004+01:00

This was a real anti-climax after the Asiago Plateau. There was no sign of the events of 90 years ago. Harry spent some time on the Piave front at the end of 1917 and in 1918 but all that is left is the river - and that with a much reduced flow. The only evidence of trenches are reconstructed ones that have been used in re-enactments.

Harry's battalion crossed the Piave where the main Autoroute from the North to Venice crosses the river there now.

In the battle of Veneto Vittoria at the end of October, the trench warfare gave way to a very mobile battle as the Austro-Hungarian army was forced back. Harry would have marched and fought across the plain. It was possible to identify locations where they stopped for the night outside Cimetta and Sacile, but there was no sign of it on the ground.

All I could gain was the impression that I was somewhere close to where my grandfather was fighting 90 years ago.

Asiago June 15th 1918, revisited

2009-09-18T22:06:00.005+01:00

Armed with maps, war diary entries and as much material as we could carry, I set off with Rocco to find Harry's location on the day of the Austrian attack, 15th June 1918.

Unlike Flanders, where much of the topography has been disturbed and modified, the plateau has changed little.

It was quite possible to find out exactly where the 9th Battalion, York & Lancasters were on that day.

The trenches were there, clearly evident, in lines about 50 metres apart, with the front line sited a few metres inside a wood.

The sketch map from the 11th Battalion of the Sherwood Foresters (p144 of the book) on the Y & L's right flank, made the job easy, especially as the boundaries of the woodland have changed little in the last 90 years. There was a track through the woods which was the boundary between the two front line Battalions. That is still there and so it was easy to find the very trenches that Harry and his comrades would have occupied. It was exciting and emotional to look out over the ground over which Harry would have seen the Austrian advance.

I have a load of pictures from the day. Click this link to view. The account of the day from War Diary can be found at this link. Harry's letter about that day can be found here.

Venice "It is a most wonderful City"

2009-09-17T21:25:00.006+01:00

I can understand Harry's wonder upon seeing this city in January 1919. I, having seen much in books, on TV and in magazines, was impressed with the real thing. Harry, from a small town in the heavily industrialised east midlands of England, having seen none of that, must have been totally amazed.

I would think that little has changed in the last 90 years. (Maybe the prices have crept up a little. The aptly named "Harry's Bar" quoted me €150 (£125) a head for lunch.)

(I MUST make it clear that I have no problem with Harry's Bar prices. I emailed and asked and they told me the prices. It's too expensive for me, a retired school teacher, but it may well be worth every penny. We didn't eat there. And, Harry did warn me "things are very dear" when he wrote about his 1919 visit. )

With Rocco I called in at the Canal Hotel and asked if they would have the registers from 1919 - to see if Harry had signed in - but with no success. I did ask the young lady receptionist if she worked there in 1919. Apparantly she didn't.

Link to Harry's letters about his Venice trip.

Letter to Jack, September 10th 1919

2009-09-09T20:41:00.003+01:00

40843/1st Garr Batt

Royal Munster Fusiliers

A.P.O Box R L9

I.E.F. Italy

Sept 10th

Dear Jack

Just a line to let you know that I have received your paper and letter. The explosion you speak of was at the dump we are guarding but it was nothing. it might have been worse I think one Austrian prisoner got killed of course biggest part of the men here belong to A.O.G and have seen no fighting at all so it would be terrible to them. I dont know when I shall get on leave now as it is stopped for September expect for special leave when a man goes on leave from here he does not return but stops in England. You can please yourself whether you write for a special leave but whattever you do dont write to this end. if you could not get any thing from the war office dont write here I would rather wait six months. I expect I shall be home for Christmas. Write as often as you can and let me know all the news. Glad to here that you are both keeping in good health. Ethel address is 19 Mill Street. I think it is all this time. I will write again soon.

with Best Love to you both

Harry

If you write for leave tell them that I have only just been transferred to the 1st G RMF as this Batt as seen no fighting at all. It is twelve months now since last leave.

Well, that's Harry's September leave gone. I've tried, unsuccessfully to find a newspaper report of the explosion. I'll see what I can do next week with Rocco's help. Also I can't recall what A.O.G. stands for. Any ideas? Something that indicates a non-combatant, I'm sure. To Harry a single explosion would hardly have been worth commenting on!

A.O.G. - I've had the suggestion that it could well stand for the "Army of Occupation of Germany". O.k, I know it's in Italy, but they may be part of one of the non-combatant units raised for the German occupation. BL

Visit to Italy

2009-08-30T14:22:00.007+01:00

Well, if Harry can't come home, then I'm going out there!

I've arranged a visit to Italy to see the battlefields and to check out where Harry visited. Rocco, one of our faithful contributors, has generously offered accommodation and to be my guide. I'm travelling out on Wednesday 16th September and returning on 20th. Ryanair has provided flights from Cornwall to Venice via London at a ridiculous price with ideal connections. Seems too good to be true!

If anyone has any wish for me to take photographs of a particular grave or location, I'll do my best to oblige. If you're in Italy and want to meet up, let me know Email and I'll try to sort it.

The local TV news announced yesterday that Ryanair was cancelling all flights from Cornwall! After a few moments of great disappointment, it was confirmed that the flights don't stop until Oct 1st. Thankfully, I'll be home by then. BL

Letters to Jack & Kate 23rd August 1919

2009-08-22T10:29:00.003+01:00

Aug 23rd

Dear Kate
Just a line to let you know that I have received your letter. I am pleased to hear that the wedding came off alright and that it is all over. It as been awful hot out hear this month and we have had no rain for a long time. The grapes are just about getting ripe, well in another weeks time they will be getting [harvesting] them. I hope to be on leave very soon as it will very soon be a year since I was at home. so I think it is time I had one I will let you know as soon s I hear anything about it. I am pleased to hear that they are all keeping well at home. I have been transfered to the Munster Fusiliers now so my proper address and No [Number]will be at the bottom of the letter. Write as often as you can and let me know how you are getting on. What did Annie think to Connie when she went to see her does she get any better. I will write again soon
With Best Love
Harry
Address
408432 Pt Lamin
1st Gar Batt
Royal Munster Fusiliers
A.P.O. Box R L9
I.E.F. Italy

40843
1st Gar. Batt
Royal Munster Fusiliers
A.P.O. Box R. L9
I.E.F. Italy
Aug 23rd

Dear Jack
Just a line to let you known that I am alright and keeping well. I have heard nothing about leave yet but I hope to be home in September sometime, if I have good luck. I am very pleased to know that you found Ethel and Willie well. I have been transferred to the Munsters altogether now, so I have got a fresh No. It as been awful hot out here this month. we have hardly known what to do. The grapes are just about to ripe I expect in another week or so they will be getting them. I am pleased to hear that Annies wedding came off alright and I hope she will be happy. I expect Willie will miss her for a bit but they will have to make the best of it.
With Best Love to you both
Harry

Harry has been officially transferred to The Royal Munster Fusiliers as, I suppose, the rest of his battalion has gone! At that time, a new regiment meant a new service number. Faithful readers may remember that when Harry first went to France he had several service numbers until he settled on the York & Lancaster Regiment. The British Army today assigns a soldier a unique service number when he joins up. That stays with him for the whole of his career. (Mine was 24108071 Sir! - and, 40 years on, I can still remember it)

Three letters in a few days suggests that Harry isn't too busy. BL

Letter to Kate, 19th August 1919

2009-08-21T13:26:00.002+01:00

32507/9th Batt Y+L
att Royal Munster Fusiler
A.P.O. Box R. L9
I.E.F Italy
August 19th/1919

Dear Kate
Just a line to let you know that I have received your letter, I have also received one from Jack. Ethel told me in her last letter that Annie had got married I am very glad that it is all over. I think she will be alright. I was pleased to hear that Mr Leverton was their and Annie Bonser. I dont know when I shall get a leave but I hope it will not be long, write as often as you can and let me know all the news. It has been very hot this month out hear. We dont get to know much about demob I expect they will soon start now. write as often as you can
With Best Love
Harry

Harry's Song

2009-08-11T19:17:00.014+01:00

Maybe we can use this community that has evolved from Harry's blog to benefit others.

Inspired by Harry's Blog, I've written "Harry's Song". With a singer friend, I've now produced a finished version that I can offer to you all.

O.K, it may not be your cup of tea. (English expression) but you may have gained some pleasure, education or inspiration from the blog, and could consider contributing a tiny amount to a deserving charity - One that Harry would certainly have known and supported.

The "Haig Fund" was set up by Field Marshall Haig to help ex-servicemen. It is now administered by The Royal British Legion.

View and listen to a small clip of the video version

All you need (should) do to make the contribution is to click on the "Donate" button. Donate by Paypal or Credit card £1 (About $1.70 USD ) and I'll email to you a link to download 2 versions of the song - one as an MP3 file for your ipod and the other as video file, complete with pictures from the book. Proceeds to the Haig Fund. (And it's better than the Radiohead song, IMHO).

Even if you don't like the song, it's a way to say thank you to the many who, like Harry, suffered in wars and to show some appreciation for what Harry's Blog has achieved. (The main blog has just passed an astonishing 2.5 million page loads and has inspired and moved countless readers world-wide.)

Letter to Kate, 8th August 1919

2009-08-07T13:48:00.002+01:00

32507/ 9th Batt Y+L
attached Royal Munsters Fusiliers
A.P.O. Box R. L9 I.E.F. Italy
Aug 8/8/19

Dear Kate
I have received you letter and was very pleased. I with it. I have also had a letter from Jack. I have told him not to bother now as I expect coming home on leave next month perhaps before. It is very hot out here this month and we are still out in the country, but I dont get much time off. Write and tell me how Annie is getting on I have not had a letter for a long. I had a letter from Ethel telling me she had gone back to Mill street but both are keeping in good health Willie must get a rum chap as he is always up to some tricks I shall be glad to get home again but trade is very slack. I think I shall manage to get out of the army by about April next year. it might be before, well I hope so. Let me know what Annie said about Connie and if she is keeping in good health. If I hear any thing about leave I will let you know at once. Jack told me in his last letter that he enjoyed his holidays very much and that he found time to visit Ilkeston. Did you get the letter about me asking for one or two cheap handkerchiefs. Write as often as you can, but if you have not sent any handkerchiefs I should not bother.
With Best Love
Harry

(PS) Address same only L9. instead of L1

Letter to Jack, 6th August 1919

2009-08-05T20:14:00.004+01:00

August 6/1919

32507/9th Y+L

attached Royal Munster Fusiliers

A.P.O. Box R. L.9

I.E.F. Italy

Dear Jack
I was very pleased to received your letter. And to hear that you had a good time when on your holidays. I dont think I should bother any more now about writing as I expect I shall get a leave before Septembers out I might get one any time now, as I have nearly twelve months in, and it is a long time to go without leave especially when then war is over. I expect I shall get out of the army about next spring if all goes well. All the men who joined up before July1st 1916 are getting released from the army as soon as possible, so I expect when this lot is gone. I shall be amongst the next. If I hear anything about a leave I will write and let you know as soon as possible. I am very pleased you paid a visit to Ilkeston and found them well but I hope Annie's face is better. I guess Willie gets a rum chap what had he got to say to you Ethel tells me he gets no better always up to some tricks. he was going to send me a parcel last time Ethel wrote all sorts of things bobbins etc. The weather hear is very hot. I think it is the hottest month of the year. I expect we shall be out of Italy by november. so if that is correct I shall have had two years in Italy quite long enough. Write as often as you can and let me know all the news. I will write again soon.
With Best Love to you both
Harry
(P.S) Address same only
L.9 instead of L.1

Harry seems a bit more optimistic about leave but his prediction of not getting out of the army for another 6 or 7 months isn't so good. We shall see, BL

Other Soldiers' Websites

2009-07-25T13:50:00.006+01:00

It has been so rewarding to find that others have been sufficiently inspired by Harry's blog to use similar stashes of letters or diaries to produce their own web sites.

It occurs to me that some of my readers may be interested in investigating one or two of these others.

Quite early on, Florence Kaplow from the States contacted me. She had her husband's letters from World War 2 and wanted some advice on how to do something with them - similar to my efforts with Harry's letters. I explained how the system had worked for me. Wisely, Florence ignored everything I said and got some local help to prepare what has the makings of a superb website.

http://www.benkaplow.com is still "work in progress", but is a mighty impressive collection of letters from World War 2.

Sgt Sam Avery has followed Harry's lead. A doughboy's letters from the Great War follow Harry's, a year behind. So he is currently in July 1918, on the Western Front, heading towards the Armistice. His author has made many comments on Harry's website with the persona of Sam. You can find his blog at http://worldwar1letters.wordpress.com

I've recently been contacted by a German contributor who is about to start posting a blog, following Harry's format, of the Diary of Dieter Finzen, a German infantryman who served on the Western Front from 1916 to 1918. The blog will timeshift 93 years, starting to post in September 1916 (2009). The website can be found at http://dieter-finzen.blogspot.com/
I find the opportunity of following a soldier on the "other side" fascinating. I have just read a translation of Ernst Jünger's book: "Storm of Steel". I found it quite disturbing to be looking from the "enemies'" point of view, finding it indistinguishable from those of men on the "our" side. I also had some problems with the spatial configuration of the Western Front. Fixed in my head is a front line that runs from top to bottom with the offensive taking place from left to right. I couldn't adjust, mentally, to the German viewpoint, attacking from right to left. Very strange.

dieter-finzen.blogspot.com will find the introduction to this blog.

In addition, the author, Sven Janke, has assembled an enormous collection of websites containing diaries and letters from the Great War. I don't know how many, if any, were stimulated to appear by Harry's efforts! I believe that there are currently 170 entries with an estimated ultimate target of 300. Quite a collection of material.

The links to the third party sites are at www.war-diary.com

Well here it is, on sale.

2009-07-02T17:23:00.013+01:00

I called in the local Waterstones bookshop in Truro, Cornwall as I'd signed a load of copies there last week. They'd promised a display in the shop entrance. I'm very proud to see it there.

I'm still sending out signed, dedicated copies from this website. They make an ideal, personally dedicated present!

Click on the picture to enlarge. BL

Letters to Kate and Jack, 1st July 1919

2009-06-30T06:40:00.006+01:00

32507/ 9th Y+L

attach /Royal Munsters Fusiliers

A.P.O. Box R, L 1

I.E.F Italy

July 1

Dear Kate

Just a few lines to let you know that I am alright and in good health I dont think I shall get leave yet a while well I am sure not, there are so many men with 18 months without a leave, I expect one before Christmas anyway now that peace is signed I hope it will not be long before we are all at home. I am still doing officers servant and cooking and we are still sleeping in the open field so we get plenty of fresh air night and day. I am pleased to hear that they are all going on alright at home, and I should like to know if Connie can walk yet she will soon have been their a year now it is a long time. I am glad to hear that Willie is keeping well and all at home. I hope Annie will be alright when married well I think she will be. Write as often as you can and let me know all the news and if you hear anything about demob in the papers. Jack as wrote to the office out hear about leave and a told him in my last letter not to do so as it was no use to write hear at all. I have never got the papers you were going to send and yesterday I got two of your letters together. Write as often as you can and let me know all the news and when Annie is getting married.

With Best Love

Harry

P.S I would be very pleased if you could send me a few cheap handkercheifs as I have not got any at all and also a tin of Pomard.

Connie has been at the school in Liverpool for almost a year. I wonder if Harry has had some unpleasant interviews with his officer over the letters from Jack trying to get him leave. He sounds quite agitated about it. Most unlike Harry. He seems relaxed enough to start to bother about a few of the finer things. Handkerchiefs and Pomard (Pomade - a fashionable, perfumed men's hair dressing.) is quite a change. Rocco has unearthed a spectacular account of civil unrest in England straight after the war. Quite unexpected to hear of race riots in Liverpool and Cardiff. BL

32507/9th Y+L

attached Royal Munster Fusiliers

A.P.O. Box R. L.1

I.E.F, Italy

July 1

Dear Jack

Just a line to let you know that I am alright and keeping in good health. The officer here as just had a letter from you asking him about leave, as I told you in my letter it is not a bit of good writing here as there is so many men with 18 months in without leave dont write here again whatever you do for I shall be surprised if I hear anything about leave for another four months at least anyway now peace is signed. I hope we shall all be home for good before long. I am still doing officers servant and cooking for him but I dont know how long it will last, I think I have kept the job. well I think I told you in my last letter that about a dozen of us were sleeping in a field in the open so we have plenty of fresh air night and day we have been out now for about five or six weeks. Do you think you will be able to get home for Annies wedding, I hope she will be alright I hope you enough (enjoy?) yourselves in the country it will be a nice change for both of you. Write as often as you can and let me know how you are getting on and if you see anything about Demob in the papers its about time they started about it. Is it true that these are are thousands listing every week in England again. I have had a letter from home and I am pleased to say that they are all getting on well could you allow Ethel 10/- a month of the money and begin the first week in July if so let me know. I will write again soon

With Best Love to you Both

Harry

A repeat of much of the letter to Kate, quite concerned about Jack writing to his officer. "thousands listing every week" refers to soldiers re-enlisting in the army. There was a huge problem with finding work and so one solution was to go back to the army. BL

Treaty of Versailles signed

2009-06-28T07:22:00.007+01:00

"Peace" - as Harry referred to it in his letters - was signed on June 28th 1919, some 6 months after the fighting stopped. This treaty was between the allied powers and Germany. The other parties involved signed their own separate agreements at different times and places.

Negotiations to decide on the terms had been extensive. Germany had to accept the blame for the war and agree to pay reparations to the aggrieved allies. For a detailed analysis, click here.

Maybe removal of another obstacle will clear the way for Harry to go home? We shall see.

A blog follower has reported "sighting" the book in a library in Hamilton, New Zealand. Please let us know of any other sightings. BL

Letter to Jack 22nd June 1919

2009-06-21T07:09:00.011+01:00

22nd June1919 was a Sunday, generally a rest day with time to catch up with letters. Harry's last letter was 1st June, also a Sunday..

Click on the letter for a large image.

June 22/19

Dear Jack
Just a line to let you know that I have received your letter and the towel you sent it is very good of you to send it. Ethel and Annie wants me to try and get home on leave for August, but its no use me asking from this end there is some men here now with 18 months in without leave although they are going on leave from Fiume with eight months if they write for leave they want to send to the war office as it is no use at all sending here. any way I hope to be home on leave by October as I think it will get down to twelve months when peace is signed let me know as soon as that happens as we dont here much out here. I am still officers servant and cook but I dont know how long it will last. Do you think you could send Ethel 10/- a month and begin in the first week in July and then the first week in August till I get a leave and then I might draw some credits. No doubt they will ask you to write for a special leave if you do write to the war office as I should like to get home when things break up, any way let me know what you think best. Write as often as you can and let me know all the news, do you think the Germans will sign peace, if they do we should be demobed in six months time. I shall be very pleased to get out of it although I have not done any drilling now for about six months and I have always had eggs and bacon for breakfast while I have been a this country place and plenty of new potatoes and fruit I was surprised at the Derby winner. I will write a line to Mrs Higgins when I have time and tell her that I did not receive her parcel which she sent at christmas. Are you going home for Annie wedding she told me in her last letter that she had wrote and ask you, let me know if you do, Ethel tells me that they have given notice at Whitworth Rd. I dont think it will be very healthy for Willie at Mill street. I hope she gets another house. Write as often as you can hoping you and Agnes are keeping in the best of health.
With Best Love
Harry

Address
32507 9th Y+L
attached Royal Munster Fusiliers
A.P.O. Box.R. L.1
I.E.F Italy

put R.M.F in full

There is still no indication of when Harry will be getting home. This letter talks of "leave" in October - very different from demobilisation. Harry's last (only) leave was in September 1918.

He seems aware that the statesmen are meeting in Paris to work out a peace treaty that will finally, formally end the hostilities.

10/- means 10 shillings which was equivalent to £0.50, worth about £25 in todays values. I don't think Harry is missing the drilling and marching. BL

Does the Book Work?

2009-06-14T11:38:00.007+01:00

I just have to put in a few wonderful comments from readers. Gradually, I'm beginning to believe in the book. There are a few lovely reviews on Amazon.co.uk and several journals and newspapers have reviewed it and said some very nice things about it. I think it's O.k. (phew!) BL

Marcy said...I finished it today. You did a fabulous job and your grandad would be proud. This is definitely a book that can be used by scholars, not just interested persons. Kudos to you, Bill, you have a winner here.

Linda said...Yes... I know I said I would not read to the end, but The Book has been sitting and whispering to me for too long. So I finished it, it is absolutely brilliant, perfect to the very end and I finished the way I started, stroking it and thinking about when I should start to read it, again. You should be very very proud it's definitely a keeper (you won't see this in the charity shops, I'm sure). Once again, well done you.

Jackie said...I felt the same way as Linda. I didn't want to read ahead of the blog but I couldn't stop myself. It's a wonderful book, even better than the blog! I shed a few tears more than once. I would definitely recommend it to people.

Amazon is delivering in the U.S.

2009-06-10T18:36:00.011+01:00

I've just heard that books ordered from Amazon.com are, at last, being delivered in the States. I'm very relieved as the publisher was talking of a year!

If you order a signed copy from this web-site, delivery seems to taking between 5 days and a week for most of the world. I'm pleased to add a suitable dedication to the book.

If you do have a copy, could you consider adding a review to the Amazon.co.uk site. There are now five lovely reviews there but would certainly appreciate more. (Unless, of course, you don't like the book. Then send your opinion to me via the "comments" utility. Bad reviews will be published there, along with the good!) BL

Letter to Jack, 1st June 2009

2009-05-31T08:38:00.012+01:00

Click on the letter to enlarge

32507/9th Y+L

attached R.M.F

A.P.O. Box R.

L.1. I.E.F

Italy

June 1st/1919

Dear Jack

I have received the shirt alright it is very nice. but I have not got the towel yet I am sure it is very good of you to be so much trouble. but my shirt is in half it has been a job to get exchanges were we are but I think we shall get some before long. I am very pleased that you and Agnes are keeping in good health. and I hope you enjoy your holidays. the weather hear is very hot. We are at a small country place about like Cossall it is very pleasant there is only about forty infantry men here altogether. I think we are all being transfered to the Munsters that is not very nice as the Munsters have been here all the time we have been in Italy they were all old men and B1 or 2 you see they never went in the line but just did garrision duty about fifty miles behind the line but I dont care as long as I get home alright. Write and tell me as soon as you see anything about demob in the papers as we can get to know nothing about it out here. I have had a letter telling me that Annie is getting married. I hope she will be happy. I dont know what Ethel and Willie will do I am sure as it means giving the house up at Whitworth Rd. I am pleased to hear that you are thinking of getting a better job soon I hope you get to a nice place it will be alright. Write as often as you can I am getting letters pretty regular now.

With Best Love to you

both Harry

P.S It would be nice for Willie to pay you a visit if you are near Ilkeston I am sure he would enjoy himself.

Getting new kit would have been quite a problem in such a remote location and so Harry was resorting to getting stuff sent from home. This was not unusual. On active service, soldiers would use anything that made their life more comfortable.

Cossall is a close to Ilkeston in the East Midlands of England, right in the middle of D.H. Lawrence country. It is placed about mid way between Ilkeston, where Harry was living, and Awsworth, where he was brought up.

To answer a comment and to remind readers- Annie is Sarah Anne, Harry's sister. As far as I can tell, Ethel and Willie had moved in with Annie for the duration of Harry's absence. Whitworth road is about a mile (1.6 KM) from Mill Street and is in a much smarter part of town. (As a young child I used to get my hair cut in a barber's shop on the residential street, Whitworth road. My first school was just across the fields.) I suppose that if Annie gets married, Ethel and Willie will have to move back to the Mill Street address.

Harry is now attached to the 1st (Garrison) Battalion of the Royal Munster Fusiliers. This is not a good move. The Garrison Battalion is made up of the sick, lame, halt, old and the lazy (to approximate), soldiers who are not fit for front line service. Harry has joined a group who, not having seen active service, won't have a high priority for re-patriation. BL

Letter to Jack, May 13 1919

2009-05-13T07:37:00.005+01:00

Dear Jack
Just a line to let you know what I have received your letter. We are in a out of the way place just now, if you have an old shirt or a towel will you send it on as soom as possible as it is very hard to get changes up here there is about 40 of us guarding a dump it consists of all sorts guns etc.. Write as soon as you can and let me know all the news. I am please that you and Agnes are keeping in good health. If you have got an old shirt send it on as soon as possible. my address is at present.
32507
9th Y+L
attached R.M.F
A.P.O.
L.1. Box R
I.E.F
Italy
With Best love to you both Harry
I will write again in a day or two and tell you a bit more.

Sorry, that's all there is. I suppose that there's not the urgency now that the fighting's stopped. No hint of any return home yet. Rocco has found a little more local evidence that Harry is billeted at Rivalta Scrivia. BL

Radio 4 Broadcast

2009-05-10T19:19:00.009+01:00

The blog that has gone to a book, got a very warm and supportive mention on the national Radio 4 programme "Broadcasting House".

Click to listen

Supply problems with the book, U.S and other places?

2009-05-09T07:58:00.007+01:00

I'm sorry that some of you are having difficulty in getting hold of "The Book". Amazon in the U.S. have cheerfully taken orders but aren't delivering. My publisher has informed me that it's due to on-going negotiations with potential publishers in the U.S.

Rather than wait for that to resolve, I'm quite happy to supply the book myself. Then, I'll know that the book's delivered and I can sign and dedicate to order - if that's wanted.

Click here to buy the book
BL

Radio Broadcast - Sunday 10th May

2009-05-07T10:36:00.006+01:00

Readers may be interested in catching a BBC broadcast on the subject of blogs that have made books. This blog and the consequent book are included. I was interviewed by the trout stream in Derbyshire that has been a great love of Willie's life. The article should be included in the "Broadcasting House" Programme that is broadcast between 9am and 10 am on Sunday morning. Click to listen

If anyone has the book, I would appreciate comments/criticsm. BL

Letter to Jack, 26th April 1919

2009-04-28T07:54:00.012+01:00

At last, someone's read the book and given their opinion. And it's an independant view. Thank you the Daily Express for the review. (Big sigh of relief - they like it!) Any other views?

The Times on-line has published an article I wrote on the use of blogs in school. That's where the idea for this blog came from originally. The article links to the blog and the book. BL

32507 9th Y&L
attached R.M.F
A.P.O
L.1. Box R
Italy
April 26/19

Dear Jack
Just a line to let you know that I am alright and in good health I have not had any letters for about six weeks now. but I have been moving about a lot I hope I am settled down now till they send me home for good send me a paper or two regular if you can. I have seen no news for a long time. The weather here as been very nice lately. we are in a little country place about like Strelly guarding ammunition etc. there is only about forty of us all together but there is a lot of Italians guarding it too. I hope Agnes is keeping well and all at home. I hope to get a letter from you soon. I expect Willie is getting quite a man now he is turned three expect I am for army of occupation as I have got my 10/6 bonus. How is things going on in England and what do you think about the Fuime job and America.
Write soon With Best Love to you both
Harry

APO = Army Post Office. L.1 Box R would be the specific address. Strelly is a small village close to Ilkeston in the East Midlands - when I was a child in the 1950s it was a favourite destination for a country walk or a bike ride. The 10/6 (10 shillings and sixpence = 52.5p) weekly bonus was paid to those soldiers who were entitled to be demobbed but were stuck doing some "useful" task. Harry was helping guard an ammunition dump at Arquata Scriva a few miles from Rivalta Scriva.

For contemporary newspaper reports on the Fiume question - Click here. Thanks again Rocco. BL

Book Delivery Starts Now.

2009-04-23T11:23:00.004+01:00

It would appear that the books should start arriving by post in the next day or so, at least in the U.K.

I'll be pleased to take comments and to publish them. However, I must ask that the "ending" isn't mentioned. I really want to keep the story going for those who decide they'd like to continue following the blog. I'll be ruthless and reject any comments that may give anything away.

I now am immensely insecure - worrying that the lovely, loyal, world-wide community of readers following Harry's progress, will be disappointed when they receive my best effort at a book.

If you have a moment, have a look at the stunning Cornish seascapes I've discovered. They just capture the light and atmosphere of the coast down here in West Cornwall. Click BL

The Book - In my hands!

2009-04-18T09:03:00.003+01:00

I've just received a copy of the finished book, back from the printers, complete, exactly as it'll be in the shops. Until now, I'd only seen the proof copy which was not nearly of the same quality.

I am so pleased with it. Everything is exactly as I would have wished. However, I daren't read it in case I find an error now it's too late.

Hopefully it'll be in the bookshops and dispatched from the on-line sellers on Thursday.

I just hope that readers that have ordered a copy are as delighted with their book as I am. Let me know. BL

Half a letter - but quite significant

2009-04-07T08:04:00.015+01:00

A second letter to Kate, within 3 days.

This is one instance where material is incomplete. There is no sign of the remainder of this letter, just a single sheet. BUT, it is very significant.

Harry has been attached to the 1st (Garrison) Battalion, Royal Munster Fusiliers .

April 8th 1919

Dear Kate
Just a line to let you know I am alright I am still in Italy at a small village called Rivalto it is very nearly in France it is alright I have finished cooking for a bit it is nice to get out D.H.Q broke up and all officers went to England so I was let behind my Batt had gone to Fuime in Austria what was left of them. I am now attached to the Royal Munster Fusiliers it is an Irish Regt they wear the shamrock behind the cap badge. I have not changed my badge. I still ....

Half a letter. The second page is missing.

There are several places in Italy with the name Rivalta. (Harry didn't quite spell it right.) This one is almost certainly Rivalta Scrivia about 6 miles (9 km) south-east of Alessandria, a couple of miles south of Tortona. BL.

Two letters. Not Good News

2009-04-04T07:04:00.015+01:00

April 5/1919

Dear Kate
Just a line to let you know that I am alright and in the best of health. I had a letter from Ethel she told me you have had your letters returned no wonder they could not find me as I have been all over the shop lately. D.H.Q as broke up and gone to England so have finished working I was the only cook left so I did very well but such a lot of work. I had ten officers and more to cook for at the finish to much at it from 6.30 AM t0 10.30 PM they must have thought it was a restaurant but I pulled through we had the general with us to finish up with had a big dinner last night seven courses and I got congratulated on it so I was satisfied. I have not drawn any money since January 28 and I got 10/6 [£0.525] bonus from Feb 1st so that is about £9.00 to my credit and I have never had so much money while I have been in the army you see the officers gave us so much a week so I am set up now for a bit, I liked the job but I did not feel so well always being shut up I dont know how I shall get on when I get back to the factory again. I hope I shall be seeing you before long, how is Connie getting on. The weather here is very fine
My address at present is
9th Y+L Regt
G.H.Q Demob
Concentration Camp
I.E.F Italy

I might get one with a bit of luck but I can quite understand the letters going back as I have been all over the shop lately I am in a little place call Tavernelle in the province of Vicenza near the province of Verona you will see it on the map. I hope you get this letter and I hope I shall be seeing you all before long
With Best Love
Harry

April 5th/1919
Dear Jack
Just a line to let you know that I am alright and in good health I am not at Fuime but a small place called Tavernelle in the province of Vicenza it is next province to Verona. All the lads from our batt as gone to Fuime. I finished cooking two or three days ago when the D.HQ broke up. Ours was the only mess left and we had BGD general Beaman [Brigadier General A.B. Beauman, commanding 69 Brigade] with us the last few days so we had some big dinners all the officers thought me and the waiter was on the D.H.Q cadre and was going with them to England they were surprised we had to stop had they known we should have gone with them but it does not matter we should have been soldiers in England when I come home I want to get demobed. There is to much work cooking for officers 6.30 AM till 10.30 PM to much if I can get out I shall. We had ten officers and more sometimes to look after not bad I had a big dinner last night and got congratulated on it by all the officers and one or two had their wives with them so I was satisfied although I had a lot of work. Remember me to Agnes. If there are any more leave trains to Rome or Naples I shall try my best to get on one as I shall never get the chance again. I hope I do not have to go to Fuime I dont want any more guards or sloping arms, as I am fed up with that I would rather be up the mountains again. when do you think peace will be signed, cooking as been a good thing for me as I have not drawn any money since January 29 and I get the 10/6 bonus from Feb 1st so that is over £9.00 to my credit. My address at present is
32507 PT Lamin
9th Y+L C of G.H.Q
Concentration Camp
I.E.F, Italy
You can send a letter here I might get it with a bit of luck and I might not as I dont think we shall be here long
With Best Love
to you both
Harry

Harry has missed out on the moves. We can see from the war diary that a large proportion of the battalion has been sent back to England on "Dispersal Drafts". Another sizeable party has gone to do policing work at Fiume. 5 days earlier on 30th, the remaining "cadre" (a nucleus of skilled men) of around 20 men left for England. The 9th Battalion York & Lancaster Regiment has left Italy.

Harry, now cooking, with something approaching £500 (today's value) from his war bonus, must be the only one left! "Winning" the cook's job at DHQ seems to have backfired on him. Amazingly, he still sounds cheerful and up-beat. The bonus was paid to all soldiers who were due to be demobilised but were still serving, from 1st February. This extra pay was worth about £25 a week in today's values.

NOTE ON MILITARY ACRONYMS.
SNAFU - Used frequently in military circles - probably an anachronistic acronym, ( I like the sound of that) as it was almost certainly first created in World War 2. It stand for "Situation Normal, All Fouled Up." E.g As an answer to "How's the mission going?" The military language tends to be a little richer, but I can leave that for the reader to consider.

Many thanks Rocco. This link goes to a wikipedia explanation of various acronyms. Warning, they contain "military" language. BL

"Many a Slip 'Twixt Cup and Lip"

2009-04-03T07:38:00.006+01:00

Some of the faithful few are assuming that Harry is on his way home and the story ends here. His family may have heard that the battalion is being disbanded and assumed the same.

"SNAFU" is a frequently used military term . BL

The Book - Out of my Hands, at last. War Diary update.

2009-04-02T09:49:00.006+01:00

The final proof copy of the book has been checked, re-checked and checked again. At last, the deadline for delivery to the printers has arrived and, it's gone. I daren't look at the proofs again for fear of finding a vital error.

Nothing to be done now, just wait until 23rd April when it should appear in a bookstore near you. The only way to get advance information on Harry's ultimate fate is to buy a copy! It's available for order on-line now with a huge, pre-publication discount.

Meanwhile, I've updated the war diary. The final entry for the 9th Battalion York and Lancaster Regiment states that. "On 29th [March] the CADRE left TAVERNELLE for ENGLAND." What about Harry? BL

War Diaries - At last!

2009-03-27T08:51:00.010Z

The war diary has been entered up to the end of March. Click here.

Virtually every other day men leave for their demob. Not Harry, I'm afraid.

By the end of February a number are shipped to Fiume and the Battalion is reduced to a "Cadre" of 2o men. By the end of March, even the cadre has been shipped to England. Not Harry, still in Tavernelle, cooking.

Harry is very restrained in his letters. He must be very frustrated. BL

Willie's Birthday

2009-03-24T08:11:00.004Z

Sunday 23rd March was Willies third birthday. Harry left for the war when Willie was 9 months old. Since then, he has only seen his baby son during his four day leave at the end of basic training and during a leave home from Italy last September.

Coincidently, my father, Bill senior, celebrated his 93rd birthday on Monday 23rd March in a nursing home near Sudbury, Derbyshire.

Progress on the Book

2009-03-20T20:42:00.004Z

The publication date of the book approaches and I'm now getting the final few tasks to complete before the whole package goes off to the printers. There's still time for a final revison, but not much can be changed at this late stage.

It was quite a challenge to convert the material from the blog into book form. Of course, it had to be a different product but it has been really important to retain the simplicity and freshness of the original.

Today I received the proofs of the artwork - the layout of the book with the illustrations. I am totally overwhelmed. If you enjoyed the blog, I'm sure that you'll treasure the book.

I had all sorts of ideas of the way the book would look and "feel". This has exceeded all expectations. (I know it's my book and that may well not be a strictly objective view!)

Two letters, 12th March 1919

2009-03-12T08:24:00.002Z

March 12
23. D.H.Q
9th Batt Y+L
C.Mess
I.E.F
Italy

Dear Kate
Just a line to let you know that I am alright and still cooking but I expect the Division will break up in a week or two. Your book came in very useful. I should not like to be without it. There was four messes on D.H.Q and ours is the only one left. I thought I should have to leave and let one of the other cooks come, but I still keep my place. I should like to be officers servant when we break up, but I expect I shall be with army of occupation till I get demobed. I dont mean soldiering if I can get a job any how while I am in the army. I hope I am out of it before 1920 any way. Write as often as you can and let me know how you are getting on I will write and let you know how I am getting on and where I get too.

With Love
Harry

23. D.H.Q
C.Mess
I.E.F
Italy
March 12

Dear Jack
Just a line to let you know that I am alright and still working. Our mess is the only one left we keep getting fresh officers but I still keep my place as cook. I expect the division will break up in a week or two. I dont know were I shall get to. I shall try hard for officers servant when we break up but I expect I shall be with the army occupation for a while. but I dont mind so much as long that I am employed I have had my share of guards etc. I have received your tobacco alright and was very pleased with it. I am lucky to be here till now as all the cooks from the other three messes have finished I thought they would take me place, but I keep as clean as possible I think that as a lot to do with it not the cooking but its a big job as you always messing with the fire. We have had the General for dinner but I got on alright. mind you I dont cook any poultry or game. Write Every week and let me know how you are both getting on

With Best Love to you Both
Harry

Letters to Kate & Jack 28th February 1919

2009-02-27T07:48:00.005Z

At last, more letters from Harry. For the first time, Harry shows some of his frustration at his fate "no good to a man who as had two years in the trenches without a break."

"but it will take a lot to make me list" Harry is referring to re-joining the army. With a great shortage of work, many men, upon demobilisation, joined the regular army. Harry doesn't sound too keen.

Harry's extra money is quite a useful amount. 5/- stands for 5 shillings or 25P. Worth about £10 today. His location is, I believe, a place called Tavernelle.BL

Feb 28/2/19

Dear Jack
I am sorry that I have not wrote for such a long time but you see I have been all over the shop, I am cooking at present in the officers mess for eight of them, three majors at that I dont know how long I shall be here. I have been here a fortnight, I expect I shall have to leave when they get an experienced cook. The only thing I am bottled at is pastry. It is all work I have not had a night off yet and dont look like getting one. I am at the Divisional Head Quarters these jobs are alright when there is a war on but no good to a man who as had two years in the trenches without a break. You see the cook as got Demob. I hope you got my letter telling you about my visit to Venice I am very pleased I went. I dont know when I shall get demobed I might have to go with the army of occupation, but I expect I shall be out of the army some time this year. I am very glad that they are going on alright at Ilkeston and that Willie and Connie is well. If you dont here from me you must write as I am so busy at present I get seven lires a week extra that is about 5/- English money. of course I live well, you can bet on that. but there is such a lot of work. Well the next time I write I might have another job, or they might keep me. I will let you know as we are expecting breaking the division up any time they address at present is
23 D.H.Q
C Mess
I.E.F.
Remember me to Agnes with best love
Harry

Dear Kate
I have received your postal order alright, but I could have managed alright. I have left the Church Army so I have finished making tea I liked it alright. But you see the Batt moved to another place so I had to go with them.. I have got another job now I am helping to cook at the Divisional Head Quarters mess but I dont know how to make fancy thing but you know I liked cooking, I should be very pleased if you would send me a small cookery book, it might be useful, but you see we cant get all the things we want, we have to make pies and pastry with self rising flour, you might give me a few wrinkles how to go on how to make small meat savours and a few sweets and so forth I am asking you all these things and I might get the sack but not out of the Army, I wish I could, I hope you received my letter telling you about me going to Venice, I enjoyed myself very much I am glad that they are going on alright at home, I shall be glad when I get there but I think it will be a few months yet there so quite a lot of our men taking on. I think it is this two & three months leave that is doing it, but it will take a lot to make me list I have wrote to Trumans factory but I have not heard from them yet Write as soon as you can well right away as soon as you get my letter my address at the present is

32507 Pt Lamin
23 D.H.Q
C.Mess
I.E.F
With Best Love
Harry

"The most wonderfulest City in Italy"

2009-01-31T10:24:00.002Z

Feb 1/1919 32507/9 Y&L

Dear Jack
Just a line to let you know I am alright I have not much time as I am very busy man this week I have been working in the Church Army dishing tea out in the afternoon and night. I dont get away till 9.30p.m so I have not much time the job is alright, but I expect we are moving next week so I shall have to go back to the company, but address my letters the same as I get them alright We have a parson in charge of us of course he is like all the rest a bit of an old figgett. (fidget?) gets excited now and again, so you have to talk to him a bit. We have had supper with him these last four nights, of course we have cooked it between us. Well before I had this job I had a weekend at Venice, about three days, It is a most wonderful city, all built on small islands and their is some fine buildings. I went in S. Marks Church it is a wonderful sight, well I enjoyed my self very much, I got £5.00 to go with so I expect I shall be debt now but that does not matter so long that I am on the right side, and I thought I shall never get another chance. I will tell you all about it when I see you I hope to be seeing you in the summer time. Well write as often as you can I am pleased to hear that you and Agnes are keeping well. I hope you will write as often as you can. I am very pleased that they are going on alright at Ilkeston, Ethel tells me what a rum chap Willie gets I shall be glad to get home again I would rather do any thing than go on parade and do guards in fact I think I would rather be in the trenches in Italy. I am just going to have supper now.
With best love
to you both
Harry

32507/9th Batt
Dear Kate
I am getting on alright and am sorry I ask you to send me a shilling or two as the next day I was given a week end leave. I got £5.00 and went to Venice it is one of the most wonderfulest cities in Italy, it must be a sight in summer time to see the boats on the river and canals We put up at the Grand Canal Hotel, and we was alright. I have bought Connie and Willie a broach and Ethel a present, things are very dear, but I did not mind, and I had a shilling or two left. I will tell you all about it when I get home but I dont know when that will be, I hope it will not be long, only men with slips are getting home and I dont think our firm have got any work so they not bother with slips. I am glad that they are going on well at home, and pleased to hear about Connie I hope she will be able to walk soon I am working in the Church army Hut this week so I dont require any money, the job is all right plenty to eat, so you bet I dont grumble I have just made supper stewed meat, onions and potatoe and a piece of toast not bad, I dont think I shall be here above a week. I will write again soon but write as often as you can
With Love
Harry

War Diary Update.

2009-01-29T17:41:00.004Z

I have just received an explanation from the Public Records Office at Kew, regarding the non-availability of the 9th Battalion York & Lancaster Regiment's War Diary. Apparently, they are being used by the Ministry of Defence. I'm sure that they'll learn a great deal from them. The PRO has asked for them back but haven't indicated any timescale. "We can confirm that the document is currently in use by the Ministry of Defence. We have requested that it be returned to us so that you can place your order, and will let you know when the document is orderable once more." BL

Book Publication Date Change

2009-01-28T10:01:00.002Z

I've just heard from the publisher that the book release date will be three weeks later - 23rd April instead of 2nd. Apologies for that. I'm sure that it'll be worth waiting for. The editor wants to be sure that the illustrations are all properly sorted. BL

Letter to Kate, 22nd January 1919

2009-01-21T07:40:00.004Z

32507/9th Y&L
C.Coy
I.E.F
Jan 22/1919

Dear Kate
I have just received your letter and was very pleased with it, it was such a long time since I heard from you. I am glad that Connie is getting on alright I hope she will soon be able to walk. I have not wrote to the firm yet I think it is not much use, as I dont think they have much work. Ethel has not said anything about the other men writing I dont think they all have if they want us they ought to send for us. I am going on as well as possible but I am just about fed up. Well I think we all are its about time we all got home but I expect we shall have to wait a bit and be patience things are very dear out here and I am very short of money as we dont get much pay. Glad to hear that you enjoyed you holiday with Jack and to hear that he is getting on alright. Write as often as you can and let me know all the news. If you can spare a shilling I should be very pleased as it would come in alright, hoping to see you soon
With Best Love
Harry

Harry's frustration is clear in this letter. "The firm" would be the lace factory where he worked before the war. He doesn't seem to be very optimistic about a job there. You may recall that Connie, now 9 years old, is at school in Liverpool, around 100 miles (160 Km) from home. BL

The Book is Available World-Wide

2009-01-14T19:36:00.003Z

Amazon have now offered the book of the blog on all its sites. Search for Bill Lamin on your national site, and there it is.

They are accepting pre-orders at a discount in some countries. (Oddly, it's discounted in Canada but not in the USA.)

I find the whole thing astonishing.

War Diaries Explained!

2009-01-10T13:38:00.002Z

One of our regular commentators has contributed a set of explanations of some of the terms used in the War Diary. He has looked through the September 1917 War Diary and pulled out any terms that may need explaining or clarifying. Re-reading the Diary along with Roger's contribution may help with comprehension. His words are included as comments on the War Diary posting for September 1917, as well as in the "Readers' Comments" Blog BL

Arzignano

2009-01-03T13:40:00.005Z

Harry's battalion was stationed in a small town in the foothills of the mountains, about 50 miles (80Km) due West of Venice. Harry would recognise the location as they wrere there for a short stay the year before, in April 1918. It is in a small valley and so, in the winter may not see a lot of the sun.

Rocco has turned up some traces, left by the British troops, on the walls of the castle there.

Letter to Jack, 2nd January 1919

2009-01-01T10:15:00.006Z

32507/9th Batt york & Lancs
C. Coy 12 Platoon
I.E.F, Italy
Jan 2/1/1919

Dear Jack,
I am sending you a few lines just to let you know that I am alright and keeping in good health. It is a long time since had a letter from you, but I got the pipe alright which you sent. I am glad that you and Agnes are keeping well, and I hope you a have had a happy Christmas although I expect you have both been very busy Christmas was very quite out here, but I enjoyed myself in a way, not much money but we had a good dinner. We are in a little town called Arzignano it is a very damp place as it lies in a valley between the mountains. I dont know when I shall get home but I hope it will not be long. All men going on leave now are alright for if they get work while at home they can stop so it makes it better for them. About all the miners have gone, some which came up in April 1918 have got away. Let me know next time you write if you got the cards I sent. I am glad to hear that they are all keeping well at home and are keeping free of the flu. I guess you must have a busy time in Hull with so many prisoners of the war coming in. Everything is so dear out hear the money now is thirty lires to a pound, we used to get forty at one time but still things are no cheaper rather dearer Willie must be getting a rum chap as Ethel tells me some funny tales about him in her letters. Write as often as you can and let me know all the news, I hope soon to be able to write you from England. Wishing you both A Happy New Year

With Best Love to you both
Harry

No real sign of any movement towards home. The "Spanish" 'flu was rampant in the winter of 1918 - 1919, causing an estimated 25 million deaths - a greater toll than the War. But Harry's got his new pipe. BL

Happy Christmas

2008-12-25T09:16:00.002Z

Happy Christmas to all readers of Harry's blog. It's sad that Harry won't be home for Christmas 1918, to spend time with Willie, Connie and Ethel, back in Ilkeston. At least, the fighting is over and there is a future to look forward to.

May I personally thank you all. This last year has been an amazing and unforgettable experience for me. I look forward to 2009 with eager anticipation. Bill Lamin

Prospects of Home?

2008-12-22T16:14:00.008Z

Today's (Monday) entry in the Battalion's War Diary records; 'First Dispersal Draft of 55 other ranks left the Battalion for the Concentration Camp at “Tavernelle”.' The term "Concentration Camp" has all sorts of sinister connotations today. I feel that we should take the term literally, to mean that it was a camp where the soldiers, bound for home, were gathered together. Tavernelle is close to Harry's current billets. It's on the main railway line heading towards France, close to Vicenza, about 50 miles (80 Km) West of Venice.

I can confirm that Harry wasn't in that draft and so I'm afraid that he won't be home for Christmas.

The Book.

2008-12-17T14:54:00.005Z

The book, based on Harry's blog, is complete and, this week was sent to the publishers.

The publication date has been set for April 2nd, but already it's available for pre-order at a significant discount from major booksellers.

It's certainly very exciting for me. There has been much more work to complete it than I ever imagined. The blog needed to be completely reorganised and largely re-written (Not Harry's letters!) A book is, of course, a very different medium. Hopefully, I've captured the spirit and simplicity of the original, using the same material but with a totally fresh approach and a more rigorous application to research. (I can hardly ask readers of the book to check the details for me)

As any cook will tell you, the same ingredients can make many dishes.

It would appear to be available world-wide from Amazon so it does seem to be really happening!

The next project, for the new year, is to prepare a school text book on World War One, using Harry's experiences as a scaffold. The target audience will be 11 to 14 years old. At least then, I'll be on familiar ground.

Letter to Jack, 6th December 1918

2008-12-05T11:24:00.001Z

Dec 6th 1918

9th Y & L
C Coy
12 Platoon

Dear Jack
Just a line to let you know that I have received your long letter and papers. I am very glad that you visited Kitchen’s and found them alright. He is a decent chap very quite. I hope you got the letter I sent you asking for a pipe as I have broke mine. Ethel tells me what a rum chap Willie was you cant help but laugh when you hear about him. I shall be glad when I see you all again and I hope it will not be long. I am sending you a Christmas card. I hope you get it alright.
Wishing you both a Happy Christmas and New Year.
Harry

I'm afraid that there's no sign of the Christmas card. BL

Ideal "Harry" Christmas Present

2008-11-27T21:18:00.007Z

As an idea for a Present for the "Harry" enthusiast, you can buy a limited edition mounted and framed version of Harry's stamps. If you order soon, then I'll make every attempt to ensure delivery before Christmas.

Only 100 will be produced, they will be signed to that effect by Bill Lamin, Harry's Grandson.

Now available, a limited edition of 50 of the full set of six sheets of commemorative stamps, framed and mounted.

Click here for further details and to order your Limited Edition Gift .

Two Letters - 26th November 1918

2008-11-25T06:52:00.010Z

Nov 26 / 1918

Y & Lancs
C Coy 12 Platoon

Dear Jack

I was very pleased to receive a letter from you. I hope you are both keeping in good health , as I am in the pink at present. I have had a letter from Ethel and they are all going on alright. I hope you received the letter I sent in the green envelope I sent it to Ilkeston. I am sending a letter to Kate will you post it for me. The weather as been very cold just lately. We had a big dinner last week. It was the victory dinner and alright too. I sent kitchens address in the last letter, I have forget it but I will get to know, if you have not received it. I am short of a pipe could you get me one as soon as possible as they are very dear out here. Has Kate been to see you yet I expect she will be coming before long. We are having plenty of sports just now running and football matches but we are in an out of the way place we cant get anything and there is nothing to see. It is about time they took us to a town or brought us to England. I hear they are going to break up the 10^th Army on the 10^th December, so we might get all parted and reorganised. I don’t suppose I shall get away for some months yet, but it will not be so bad if we can get to England. Things are very quite out here just now. I am very pleased that it is all over and we have finished with the trenches and mountain climbing. Write as often as you can and let me know how you are going on.

With best love to

you both Harry

E Kitchens address

5 Beta Villas
Mayfield Street
Spring bank
Hull

From the content, especially of kate's letter.It looks as though these are the first letters that he has written to Jack and Kate since the armistice. Once more in this saga, I'm almost apologising for Harry. E Kitchen's address would be local to Jack. Harry has got another "green envelope". The contents wouldn't be censored locally and so could be used for any personal or embarrassing content. There is a scan of a "green envelope" on an earlier post but not, unfortunately, addressed to Ethel. BL

Nov 26^th 1918

9^th York & Lancs

C Coy 12 Platoon

Dear Kate

I was very pleased to receive a letter from you. I am sending this with Jacks so I hope you get it alright. I was very glad to hear that they are all going on well at Ilkeston, and to hear such a good report about Connie send me her address, so that I can send a card to her. We are in a very poor place cant get anything and nothing to see only hills its about time we got to a town or to England, but I dont suppose we shall get there just yet. I dont suppose I shall be able to get home for some months yet. It will not be so bad if we can get to England. We had a bit of a rough time last time we were in action just at the finish we had to take a town called Sacile the Austrians had blown the bridge up over the river and held us up for five or six hours, but I and (am) glad to say that I got out of it alright. I hope you have a Merry Xmas it will make a lot of difference now the war is over. I hope you get home for Christmas. Let me know all about Connie if you go to see her anytime and how she is get on with walking. We had a dinner party last week it was called the victory dinner it was very nice. The weather is very cold but it is healthy very cold at night. We are at the bottom of the hills, there is plenty of snow on the top. Write as often as you can and let me know all the news you can, I got the papers alright.

With best love

Harry

Connie - to clarify; Harry in a letter to Jack back in August, tells how Kate is going to send Connie to school in Liverpool. I would guess that Chaucer Street School may have found it little difficult to deal with her special needs. The Liverpool school would have been a "special school" and Connie would have been a boarder.

The War Diary tells us that the "Victory Dinner" was held last Saturday, nearly two weeks after the armistice. Was this a general celebration for the whole of the army? BL

The Piave River Italy - Military reenactment

2008-11-20T20:01:00.004Z

Rocco, a reader from Italy has just sent a link to a set of photographs of a reenactment of the crossing of the Piave in October 1918.

It may be of interest to readers. there are some good shots of the topography.

I had heard that the York & Lancaster Regiment reenactment Society were to be represented, so the British soldiers that can be seen may be them. (Although I thought that the leather waistcoats were of Royal Artillery issue.)

The event took place on 25th October. Click Here

At Last the End of Hostilities.

2008-11-11T11:50:00.008Z

As we mark the 90th anniversary of the armistice, we can confirm that Harry has made it to the end of the war.

A link to a short BBC TV report on this milestone, may be of interest. As would the broadcast on "The World" in the USA.

I've been asked to insert a warning that some of the broadcasts do look into the future. The secret that will remain with me, however, is Harry's story between the end of the war, and arriving home. To find out that part of his story, readers will have to "follow the blog".

While we celebrate Harry's good fortune, we should, of course, remember the many, of all nationalities, who didn't make it through that dreadful conflict.

In Italy, the last week may well have been quite stressful for the troops. They would, I would think, be quite fearful that they would be trained back to Flanders to support the fighting there. By now, however, they would have heard that the War was over on all fronts and that they could really look forward to going home to resume their lives.

I can confirm that Harry's story will continue on the blog until he actually reaches home. The letters continued and will be published, in the same way, exactly 90 years to the day after he wrote them.

The book is progressing well and will be published next April. BL

Thank you to Harry's Readers - The story will continue!

2008-11-04T07:55:00.007Z

Over the last 24 hours, I have been totally overwhelmed by the comments from Harry's readers. I have several times been reduced to tears. Please take a little time to go to the "Readers' Comments" blog to see the wonderful scale of this following.

Thank you for your kind wishes, notes of appreciation and messages of support. At times, this amazing journey has been hard work but the response from you all has made it well worth while.

AND, - the story isn't over yet.

I will continue to publish his letters as they were written. Still, his family wait for news. Harry, (like his dear readers) has no idea when he will get the order to go home.

Without giving too much away, there's a lot of Harry's story still to unfold.

Then there's the book. BL

Letter to Jack, 4th November 1918

2008-11-03T07:42:00.003Z

Nov 4th 19/18

32507/9th Y & Lancs
C Coy
12 Platoon

Dear Jack

Just a few lines to hoping you are keeping fit. I am alright at present, but we have had some trying times as you must have seen by the papers what a big success we have had in Italy. Our div is 23rd there are three brigades in it two went and crossed the Piave and two days after we had to releive them and take up a two Brigades front they had advance about 10 kilos we had to take a place called Sacile which was about 30 kilos farther on. We were not long before we found the Austrians first day it was all open fighting a great deal of machine gun fire but not much shelling as he was retiring very quick it was a rum job going through maize fields and searching old houses. of course we could not do anything at night only put sentries out and wait till morning. next day we went to with about four kilos of Sacile without seeing anything and day after we had to take the town of course he had blown the bridge up but we took it before night. We had four wounded in our platoon bullet wounds. The Austrians then retired to the Taglemento (river). I hope the war is finished by the time you get this letter. My Pal is safe. Kitchens address. 5 Beta Villa, Mayfield Street. He is alright.
Love to you Both
Harry

In ALL of Harry's letters, this is the first time that he has mentioned any of his comrades by name. I have always found that quite astonishing.

I would guess that this letter was written in the morning of 4th November. The War Diary entry for today (4th November) is worth a look.

Comments: If you've been following Harry's blog, may I ask that, at this very significant point, you make a short comment - just to register your interest. Thank you. BL

Sudden change in atmosphere - 3rd November 1918

2008-11-02T08:05:00.004Z

Consulting the Battalion's War Diary for today reveals an extraordinary and very welcome change in atmosphere. From being in an extreme active service situation, today all pressure has disappeared.

Maybe the clue was in the Diary entry for Friday 1st November. BL