France: Meets Rev. Paton of Downshire Road, Newry.

B. E. Force Somewhere in France
14.06.16

My Dear Mother

Just a few lines to say that I received your parcel all right. Many thanks for what you sent to me. I was most thankful for the cigarettes which you sent for to tell the truth I had nothing to smoke for a couple of days. I may as well tell you I am back in hospital again. I came out of it too soon and it seems that the splinters was not all out. So it broke out again and I had to go back. But its only a rest camp that I am in now. And only about half a mile from where the Regt is lying so anything that comes for me J. McCollough keeps them for me and sends them up. But somehow I missed that letter that you said you wrote on last Monday. I think he must have sent it by post so it would take it much longer coming. But I do not want you to be uneasy about me, as I will soon be alright. I was not going to tell you about it, only I thought that perhaps Jack would be writing home and telling you about it and that you would think it worse then what it was.

I just got your letter the other day telling me of the death of William Brown. It must have been very sudden for I never heard of him been ill. You see the reason I was so long in getting the letter I was just into hospital at the time and they did not know where I was so it was posted back again and got over the most part of France before I got it back again. Well that will be changes there. I thought be tooked quite all right the time I was home on leave but a short time makes a long of changes. But what can we expect but changes. There has been a lot since we came away 9 months ago. But the changes will only start when this war is over and the ones that is left live to get home. It is then that the ones that have fallen will be missed. But its all the fortunes of war and it will be a bad war indeed if all is killed. Someone will be left to tell the tale.

Well how is Jimmy getting on. He might take half an hour on Sunday and write to me a line. I suppose it is all the day he has. How does the Daylight Saving Bill affect him. It must be very hard rising at 5 o’clock when the clock says it is 6. It is starting with us today so I do not know how we will like it. I suppose they want to give us an extra hour at the Germans.

I suppose Annie is getting on all right. I had not a letter from her for long time. I think long when I do not hear from youse. I must soon write to her and to Jimmy too but there is not much to write about. Ask her if she remembers one 13th July that we came home from the Pass in J. Garvey car though Glenanne. That a man called Willie Whiteside and a wee child came home with us. Well I met him the other day. He is in the R. E. and he was asking me if I remembered it, and how my sister was getting on. He was saying that we would hardly be home for this 13th and I was of the same opinion.

I do not think I was ever telling you about meeting the Rev. Paton of Downshire Road, Newry out here. It was after I came out of hospital. We were lying at a place called the Mound Keep on the railroad that runs between Paris and Berlin. It was on a Sat afternoon and Sgt Gordon and I was sitting outside our dugout when this Chaplain came along and he stopped to speak to some of our Officers and I saw him always looking over to where Willie and I was sitting. So when he turned to come away he came over to where we were sitting. Of course we arose and saluted him.

And then he said to me Corpl have I ever saw you any place before, so I said I do not remember having met you before Sir. And then he asked me what part of Ireland I was from. So I told him. And he asked what I worked at when I was at home. So I told him that I had lived with the Rev. Meeke for a number of years. So then he said he knew that he had seen me before, and asked me did I not remember having met him on one occasion he was coming to preach in Kingsmills. But still I could not remember him. So he told me he was Paton of the Downshire Road. So then it came back to my memory. He came to preach one Friday before the Communion. So I told him then that I remembered it. So he was preaching to us the next day (Sunday) and when he had finished he came over and told me he would write to Mr Meeke and tell him he had seen me.

Well I think I have told you about all the news. Only that all the chaps of the North Irish Horse is up this part of the line. But I have never yet saw any of them. When we are in one village they are in another, so that is how we miss them. Harry Whiteside is a Sgt Major now, and Willie Lockart is still a Sgt. The Newtown [Hamilton] fellows are two villages from us. I think I must draw to a close. Hoping this may find yourself and all at home in your usual good health.

As I remain
Your Loving Son

John Adams

Transferred to No 18 Ambulance Train

John Adams had been readmitted to hospital with a recurring infection and inflammation of the wound as indicated in his letter of 14th June.

Records from are available from No 3 Casualty Clearing Station, then at Puchevillers behind the lines at Hamel. See https://www.forces-war-records.co.uk/records/7869695/corporal-j-adams-royal-irish-rifles/

These records indicate the following

Index number of admission: T1051

Ailment: S[ick]. Inflammation of connective tissue, hand

Date of Admission for Original Ailment: 17/06/1916

Date Transferred to Sick Convoy: 18/06/1916

Number/Designation of Ward: A1

Notes written in the Observations Column: 110th Field Ambulance. To No.18 Ambulance Train.

110th Field Ambulance was part of 36th Ulster Division, and in June 1916 was located at Clairfaye Farm between Varennes and Léalvillers.

For more on No 18 Ambulance train see http://www.warwickshirerailways.com/misc/misc_equip246.htm

Archive Reference: MH106/311 can be found at The National Archives in Kew, and contains First World War Representative Medical Records of Servicemen from No. 3 Casualty Clearing Station

 

Johnny Reid: Field Postcard

NOTHING is to be written on this side except
the date and signature of the sender. Sentences
not required may be erased. If anything else is
added the post card will be destroyed.

[Postage must be prepaid on any letter or post card
addressed to the sender of this card.]

I am quite well.

I have been admitted into hospital

sick

wounded

and am going on well.

and hope to be discharged soon.

I am being sent down to the base.

I have received your

letter dated
2 June 1916
telegram  ,,
 
parcel     ,,
 

Letter follows at first opportunity.

I have received no letter from you

lately

for a long time.

Signature only
Date
30th June 1916

Paisley: “I often heard it said that Scotch people were hard with their money. But I will believe it no longer. “

The Royal Alexandra Infirmary,Paisley,Scotland
30.06.16

My Dear Mother

Just a few lines to let you know that I received your parcel all right. Many thanks for what you sent to me, it was awful good of you. but you might not have minded about sending me any cigarettes as I get more here than I can smoke. The people here are so very good to us. The factory girls gives so much out of their pay each week, for comforts for us while we are here. And comes to visit us 4 days a week. I often heard it said that Scotch people were hard with their money. But I will believe it no longer. For they do not show it here. We are as well of here as we would be in Ireland. Perhaps better.

The weather is very fine here just now, and this is a lovely place. Tomorrow is the first of the month, and Wednesday will be the 12th. What changes since the last. Where is the men going this year. I hope they will get good days. You might tell Annie and Jimmy to write and tell me all the news and how things are going on. I never though as long for letters before as I did since I came here. Well there is not much more to tell you about. I cannot tell you how my hand will do until it heals up, it has been opened so often. Well don’t forget to tell Annie I will be expecting a letter from her very soon.

I thank you again for what you sent to me. I shall not forget you for it. No more at present.

I remain
Your Loving Son

John Adams