1918 - Wounded

John Adams was wounded on 30 September 1918, by a serious shrapnel injury to the right thigh.

Saturday 5 October, 1918  by

Telegram: “Dangerously ill…gunshot wound at right thigh”

John Adams was wounded in the right thigh by shrapnel on 30 September 1918 during action at Dadizeele near Ypres. This was the final action in the Ypres area before the end of the War. Further detail on this action at Dadizeele is found in the War Diaries of the 9th (North Irish Horse) Bn, Royal Irish Fusiliers. See entries from 29/9/18 onwards.

This letter was written after John Adams mother, Mary Adams, had received the following telegram from the War Office:

War Office Telegram

To: Mrs Mary Ann Adams, Lisadian, Whitecross, Co. Armagh

Regret to report war office wires
13971 Sergeant John Adams 9th
Irish Fus dangerously ill at 3rd Aus
cas clearing station France 1st October
gun shot wound at right thigh regret
permission to visit cannot be granted
Records Dublin

in 1918 - Wounded / France / Telegram 4 comments
Saturday 5 October, 1918  by

A mother’s anguish: “Dear Johnnie if you are able to speak ask some one to write to me.”

Context

This letter was written after John Adams mother, Mary Adams, had received the telegram from the War Office.

Lisadian, Whitecross, Co Armagh
5th Oct 18

My Dear Johnnie

It is with a sorry heart I write to say I got the sad news on yesterday to say that you were wounded. But I hope and trust in God that you will get better and that He will be with you and help you to bear the pain that you will have to suffer for I know it will be hard to bear. God is able to take care of you over there as well as here and Dear Johnnie if you are able to speak ask some one to write to me and tell me how you are. We wired back to the War Office but we got no word. We all send our kind love to you. May God in Heaven be with you my Son.

Ever your
Loving Mother

Mary Adams

in 1918 - Wounded / Ireland / Letter 1 comments
Wednesday 9 October, 1918  by

Birmingham: “The nurse here who is attending me comes from Monaghan and I am the only Irish boy in the ward, so you need not fear for my treatment”

9th Royal Irish Fusiliers
Ward C 11
2/1st Southern General Hosp
Dudley Road
Birmingham

09.10.18

My Dear Mother

I suppose you will be glad to get this note from me and to know that I am in England once again. I am sure you have had all sort of thought this last few days, but don’t worry I am alright. I am as happy as the King. I got wounded through the right leg, so my only trouble is I have got to lie on my back. It will be some time before I can walk again, so I hope you will forgive this writing as it is not very good.

The nurse here who is attending me comes from Monaghan and I am the only Irish boy in the ward, so you need not fear for my treatment. I have got no writing paper or stamps, nor money to buy them, so you may forgive this short note. I hope you can make out this address. Tell Jimmy I have got 6 in [?!] of a beard on and no razor to take it off.

Goodbye
Your loving son
John

in 1918 - Wounded / 2010 upload / England / Letter 0 comments
Tuesday 15 October, 1918  by

Birmingham: “My leg is in splints to keep it still”

[Undated]
[possibly a fragment at the end of a letter?]

Please excuse this short note as I cannot sit up in bed long at a time. You see my leg is in splints to keep it still.

Well this is all this time so I will close for the present. Hoping to hear from you soon.

I may have the pleasure of spending Xmas at home this year.

Good bye
Your loving son
Johnnie

in 1918 - Wounded / England / Letter 0 comments
Friday 18 October, 1918  by

Birmingham: “I have still my leg in splints”

[Probably in Southern General Hospital, Birmingham – see previous letter]

18th October 1918

My Dear Mother

Just a few lines in answer to your ever welcome letter which I received alright this evening. And I am glad to know that your self and all at home are still enjoying your usual good health. As for myself I am going on as well as can be expected. I thank you very much for what you sent to me. It is really too much of you.

I had a letter from Jennie a few days ago and also a parcel today, with cigarettes in it. So I have got as much as will keep me going for a good while. I am sorry to hear of Mrs McComb’s death. It must have been a shock to the boys. I suppose none of the girls are at home. Mr Rentoul [?] had also a short reign out here. But the German shells have no respect of persons. They kill and maim whatever comes in their way. But it [is] all in the fortunes of war or rather the misfortunes.

Well Dear Mother [I] am getting along first rate. I have still my leg in splints. I have still got 6 days to lie on my back before they take them off. You see it takes the artery so long to knit and heal up. But I will be running about in a few days again.

I hope Jimmy is not working too hard but I suppose the most of the work is finished. Tell him he might write me a few lines some night he has time. I suppose the Dances will soon be starting for the winter. I was telling you they were talking of sending a few of us across to Ireland when I first came in here. But as I was not able to be moved at the time I did not hear anything more about it until this evening when they came around and [took] the names of all men belonging to Ireland. So whither [sic] they are going to send me across or not I do not know.

Well I think this is about all tonight. I will now close. Thanking you again for what you sent to me tonight. I shall not forget it.

Goodbye
I remain
Your loving son
Johnnie

Tell Annie I shall write to her as soon as I am able to sit up. Hoping to hear from her soon.

in 1918 - Wounded / 2010 upload / England / Letter 0 comments
Thursday 24 October, 1918  by

Rev. Torrie: “He has got on splendidly in the Army and you have every reason to be proud of your brave son”

24th Oct 1918

Dear Mrs Adams

I was so glad to get your letter some time ago. I trust you are somewhat improved in health since you wrote though indeed you have had a great anxiety since. I heard from Mr Dillon, also from Mr Hamilton about John being wounded again. I do hope he is making rapid recovery. How splendid of him to get a recommendation for his commission! It shows that he is a good soldier and one in whom trust is placed. He has got on splendidly in the Army and you have every reason to be proud of your brave son.

I am sure you know about my friend’s death. It was a great blow to me. I had a wonderful deliverance myself for which I thank God. I trust it is his will to spare me to return to minister to my people in Kingsmills and I hope that happy time will soon come. How are Annie and Jimmy? Tell them I should like to hear from them and especially I want to hear about John.

I hear regularly from Mrs Torrie. We are calling the new baby after my father and he is greatly pleased at that. Cecil is growing rapidly and is as bright as ever. Mrs Torrie and the children are all in Waterford now with my parents.

The sinking of the Leinster was a terrible disaster. A friend related to us by marriage was returning to France from leave. He was drowned and they have recovered the body. There is sadness in many homes. The war will soon be over but I think much yet remains to be done before the Germans give in.

My address – 91st Field Ambulance, BEF, France.

Kind regards and best wishes to all
Yours sincerely
EG Torrie

129117 Pte EG Torrie, RAMC

in 1918 - Wounded / France / Letter 0 comments
Tuesday 29 October, 1918  by

Dublin: there have been a lot killed this last while

St Patrick Ward
Mater Hospital
Dublin
29.10.18

My Dear Mother

Just a few lines in answer to your ever welcome letter which I received today. And I am glad to know that yourself and all at home are still in good health, as this leaves myself going on alright. I am a good deal better. My leg is nearly healed up, but I am still in bed.

I am sorry to hear of G Halliday being killed. I wonder what Batt he was with. I did not see him for a long time. But there have been a lot killed this last while. The CO of the 9th was killed the day after I left [possibly Lt Col P Kelly – killed by a shell on 11 Oct 1918 – see war diary]. I am sending you his photo he was a good man and he thought quite a lot of me. I was sorry to hear of him being killed.

Well I think this is all now hoping to hear from you soon again. I shall be glad to get those cigarettes which you have for me.

Goodbye
I remain
Your loving son
Johnnie

in 1918 - Wounded / 2010 upload / Ireland / Letter 1 comments
Wednesday 30 October, 1918  by

Dublin: “I am going on alright and will soon be able to walk about again”

St Patrick’s Ward
Mater Hospital
Dublin
30.10.18

My Dear Mother

Just a few lines in answer to your ever welcome letter of today. Am I am glad to know that all at home are still in good health. I am going on alright and will soon be able to walk about again. I am very sorry indeed to hear of young [Lew’s?] death. It must have been very sudden.

Well Mother dear I thank you very much for your parcel. The apples are very nice. And tell Jimmy I also thank him for the cigarettes which he sent.

I shall write to Annie as soon as I am able to move about which will not be long. I hope I said in my last letter I was finding you Col Kelly’s photo, but I forgot to put it in. I am sending it this time.

No more at present. Thanking you again for your parcel.

Goodbye
I remain
Your loving son
Johnnie

in 1918 - Wounded / Ireland / Letter 0 comments
Wednesday 13 November, 1918  by

Dublin: “the War is finished”

[poorly copied letter with much of each page off the edge]

[probably St Patrick’s Ward, Mater Hospital, Dublin]

13.11.18

My Dear Mother

…have been so long in … But I hope you and …are in good health. …Is very trying on people…at present. Today is…the day the Germans…on the 21st March. …do you think of the …reached up last night…the War is finished aft[er]…Well I do not think …to say I am sorry…not. But when I hear[d]…news I thanked…I was spared to …it safe. I just…paper of a going…had been out from…killed by a stray…before peace was…I think that was…luck. I received…alright today. And …from Jennie. Well…I was so long in …expecting every day …week to go to Belfast…have been talking…all North men to be…I do not know when… or if we go at all…when of all the …home. But there is a lot of deaths in Dublin. I never go out but I meet 8 and 9 friends in one day. And there was some slight riots in the city last night. And a few people injured. I am sorry to hear of Annie being ill, but I hope she is got alright again. Miss Gardiner was not expected to get better but she is up and able to move about again. There has been not cases amongst the soldiers in Dublin yet that I have heard of.

Well I think this is all at present. Please forgive me for being so long in writing to you.

Goodbye
Your loving son
Johnnie

PS In this cutting Sir D Haig is speaking of the Retreat of the 21st March. And also of the (36) Ulster Division and is for Jimmy. I shall always remember those times when we were fighting the Germans 3-to-1.

in 1918 - Wounded / 2010 upload / Ireland / Letter 0 comments
Friday 15 November, 1918  by

Dublin: “They are sending all North Men down to Belfast”

15.11.18
St Patrick’s Ward
Mater Hospital
Dublin

My Dear Mother

Just a few lines n answer to your ever welcome letter which I received alright this morning and I am glad to know that all at home are still in good health. I hope Annie has got alright again. I am sorry I have been so long in writing but we have been waiting this last week for to go to Belfast. And as I was expecting to go every day I did not write. They are sending all North Men down to Belfast. We go on Monday. So you need hardly write again until I send you my address in Belfast. I shall write to you as soon as I get there. I am going on alright. I shall soon be well enough to leave hospital.

I am sure you were glad to hear the news of an armistice being signed. It has caused some little disturbances in Dublin, but I do not think it will come to anything.

I think this is all now.

Goodbye
I remain
Your loving son
Johnnie

in 1918 - Wounded / Ireland / Letter 0 comments
Monday 18 November, 1918  by

Belfast: “Tell Jimmy if he thinks of buying a new pair of boots I shall buy those that he has”

[undated – probably 18.11.18 – see letter 15.11.18]
Ward 7
Royal Victoria Hospital
Belfast

My Dear Mother

Just a line tonight to say I have arrived safe in Belfast. We left Dublin today at 1 o’clock and got here about 5.30. I am still going on alright and I hope so are you and all at home. I hope Annie has got alright again and that Jimmy is still keeping well.

I am glad to be in Belfast once more. The weather is lovely at present and I do hope it may continue as it is most pleasant. Tell Jimmy if he thinks of buying a new pair of boots I shall buy those that he has. I do not like paying so much money for a new pair for 7 or 8 days at home. But I do not like going about in those heavy ones. Tell him to write and tell me if he will sell them to me. And if he does he can send them to me while I am in hospital.

Well this is only a line tonight to let you know where I am. Hoping to hear from you soon.

I remain
Your loving son
Johnnie

in 1918 - Wounded / Ireland / Letter 0 comments
Wednesday 20 November, 1918  by

Belfast: “I am still able to walk about”

20.11.18
Ward 7
Royal Victoria Hospital
Belfast

My Dear Mother

Just a few lines in answer to your ever welcome letter of today. And I am glad to know that all at home are still enjoying their usual good health as this leaves myself going on alright at present. I am still able to walk about and we are allowed out here from 2pm to 7pm every day. The weather is lovely at present.

Well Mother I thank you very much for what you sent to me. It was very good of you. I shall get along alright without the boots until I get home. I [do] not know how long I may be here, but I shall do my best to be home for Xmas.

I hope Annie is still keeping better and that Jimmy is going on alright.

Well I think this is all now. So I will now close thanking you again for the money.

Goodbye
I remain
Your loving son
Johnnie

in 1918 - Wounded / Ireland / Letter 0 comments
Tuesday 14 January, 1919  by

Belfast: “I wonder if Jimmy intends to go to that Dance”

Royal Victoria Hosp
Belfast
14.01.19

My Dear Mother

Just a few lines in answer to your every welcome letter of today. And I am glad to know that yourself and all at home are still enjoying your usual good health, as this leaves me in the same at present.

The weather here keep[s] very nice. It has been like summer this last two days. We had none of that snow you speak of. Or at least very little. It stayed no time here.

I had no word from Jennie since I saw her but I am sure she is quite alright. I did not see Tommy since I came back. I may go over to see him before I go home but I do not know yet.

I wonder if Jimmy intends to go to that Dance at [Killeavy] Castle. Tell him I shall do my best to be home for it. But tell him I got an invite from another quarter. He will know who I mean. I hope it may be a much drier night than the last. Tell him to get the Patton’s for to drive up again.

Well I am glad that all at home are well. Well I think this is about all I can say now. So I will close with best love.

I remain
Your loving son
Johnnie

Hoping to hear from you soon again.

Note: Killeavy Castle is at the base of Slieve Gullion, Co. Armagh

in 1918 - Wounded / Ireland / Letter 0 comments