Tag: Letters

15th October 1915

Pam Preedy

“In a hurry to get the job over and get something to eat” “Dear Sir, – Thought perhaps you would like to have an account of some of the Bromley Boy’s doings, and how they covered themselves with glory. We are billeted in a factory, and on Saturday morning at 6 am we had orders to pack and get ready to march to the trenches. We started out at 6.30, and had not proceeded far before we came under shell fire. We passed some German prisoners that had been captured…

Letters from the front: Harold Parker #2

Pam Preedy

Corporal Harold Parker, from the Royal West Kent Regiment wrote to his parents at West Wickham. This letter was printed later in 1917. An earlier letter can be read here > I am getting on fine here: am feeling a great deal better already. I expect in a week or two to have another eye, as the one I had in Germany was too small. I expect you have often wondered where I have been and what was the meaning of the delay in my letters and cards. When you…

Letter from the Front: Harold Parker #1

Pam Preedy

Taken from the Bromley & District Times on 9th March 1917, pg 6 Extracts from a letter from Corporal Harold Parker, the Royal West Kent Regiment writing to his parents at West Wickham. I expect you will be surprised when you hear I am in Switzerland; as you all may guess I am very pleased to be here, and a fine reception we had coming through the country. Of course, you know why it is I got here; all the badly wounded are here, especially eye cases this time. We…

Poetry from the Front Line

Pam Preedy

A Poem from G.R. SOLDIER’S LAMENT ON A DULL EVENING If this were June – sweet month of sun and roses – And all the woods were filled with singing birds, And I beside a streamlet dreamed and wandered, My soul entranced, my heart too full for words, I should rejoice, and sing aloud with rapture, With all the world then I should be at peace, An sweet content be mine that from my labours, If but one day, I had found release. But what’s the use? ‘Tis not the…