Wilfred Owens' letter home on Y.M.C.A. headed notepaper"

France

3 November 1917

See 42.15 for main entry and details of where to find the other letters.

Wilfred Owens' Letters from 1st January to undated end of February 1918. (Numbers 34 to 44)

34.January 1^st 1918France

P.S. I have filled in my part of the Form but if they need my address you can send them it alright. Trusting this will be alright and you will receive the money for the cards.

Dear mother & father and all at home,

Wishing you all at home a very Happy and Prosperous New Year. I now take the pleasure in writing you this letter, sorry to say I have been unable to write of late as we have been up the Line as I said in Edward's letter. Well father I have received a few letters of late from you so this is the first chance I have had to write in return one you sent Dec. 20^th another on the 23^rd I received both on Xmas night while in the Line. I have also had some from Edwin & Miriam with Xmas Cards. I also had yours the big ones from you mother & father & Willie I received on Xmas morning so I must thank all of you heartily & dearly for all your many kindnesses the parcels all the Xmas Cards & all your good wishes through Xmas & the New Year. Well I now return the same good wishes to you all. Well I am sorry to say that the Xmas Cards were in that envelope part of which you have sent me but I am filling in the Form and enclosing it in this letter so you can claim for 5 silk Xmas cards 6 ½ each trusting you will get the money sent on in regard to the loss of the cards. Well I must say we had a rotten time of Xmas through being in the Line but I am writing this on New Years Day and I must say we have had two splendid meals up to now making up for what we had to do without on Xmas Day. Well this morning we had for breakfast plenty of tea, sausages, bacon & bread although a short ration of bread anyway we had a good meal. Well for dinner we had our Xmas pudding which we should have had on Xmas Day also we had roast meat, roast pork, cabbage, potatoes etc. so we couldn't have wished for a better feed which was splendidly cooked. Well for tea tonight we are having a roast ham between about 25 of us tea bread & plenty of rice so you have a fair idea of what a good time we have had on the first day of the year 1918. Well now I was very pleased to hear of you all being quite well at home & grandmother nearly better also pleased to hear Uncle Edwin had spent a few days with you also that Gomer had been on his leave for the New Year also to hear that John Samuel had spent Xmas with you. I know they wouldn't like going back poor lads but maybe Gomer will still be with you when this arrives. I suppose he is due back Jan. 7^th or 8^th Well give him my kindest regards wishing him the best of good wishes for a prosperous New Year. Well I am pleased to hear you are helping Mrs. Colly all you can to part with her things. I suppose you have heard by now whether she has landed quite safe at her destination. Trusting she as. Well I trust by now that Edward is alright again after having so many teeth removed. Well I have been counting the Xmas & New Year cards which I have had 15 in all so I will detail them to you. Fred Griffiths 4 one from each Uncle Edwin 2 Cousin Frank 1 all the rest have come in turns from you at home little Edwin & Miriam sending 2 or 3 each so I am trying to write them both a nice thankful letter also I am trying to write in thankfulness to the Bistre Sunday School Comforts Fund for the 5/- Postal Order I am forwarding it to Mr. H. Griffiths treasurer. Well we are expecting an early peace out here by all accounts. So I must close with best love & heartiest thanks to you all at home for all kindness. Will write again soon remember me to all with best regards from your true son & brother Wilfred.

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35.New Years Night Jan 1^st 1918France

Dear brother Edwin & sister Miriam,

Well I have received all your Xmas & New Year Cards quite safe which are very nice ones indeed so I must thank you both very dearly for all of them. I am very sorry to hear that all mine to you 5 of them being lost but there is many things appens worse than that. Well Edwin & Miriam I trust you have had a jolly good time during the two weeks holiday you have had with some nice weather. I hear you have had a lot of snow like we have had here over Xmas so you have been snow-balling no doubt pleased to hear Edwin as football boots & a football I know he would enjoy himself alright with it. Well I suppose you have been to Cropper's Pictures by now so you must let me know what sort they are also you must let me know Edwin & Miriam all you got in your Stocking on Xmas Eve hoping you both did well. I thought a lot about you and how you all spent Xmas sorry you can't imagine how I spent mine but I will let you know when we get the opportunity of meeting again which I don't think will be long now. I am pleased to hear that father as found you an old bike to save your new one. Well Edwin remember me to Ralph wishing him and all of you a Happy & Prosperous New Year. Trusting this will find you all quite well as it leaves your true & ever loving brother Wilfred.

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36.Posted Jan 3^rd 1918France

To the United Methodist Church and Sunday School Soldiers Comforts Fund.

Dear Friends,

It is with great pleasure I write you this letter in reply to your most kind letter and 5/- Postal Order for which I must thank you all sincerely. I received same on Dec 21^st while I was in the Trenches sorry I have been unable to reply sooner as we have been up in the Line 10 days so this is the first chance I have had. Well I suppose you will all be pleased to hear I am keeping alright up to the time of writing. I have had many ups and downs in the short time I have been out here. It is awful while in the trenches to see our pals falling by our side. I am sure if ever there was a time for earnest Prayer it is now many times to my idea I have been face to face with death but the Lord as been good to me and brought me safely through it all yes and if ever a lad as prayed since leaving England it is me and I am pleased to say the life out here brings the majority of lads to the Lord in prayer asking him for forgiveness and pardon and to bring them safe out of it all to there dear ones at home. I am sure if ever we are spared to return to our good homes we shall be better Christians and better lads to our parents also this will put an end to all wars and I am sure there will be a great change all through the Nation and may it come that we shall all be brothers and sisters to each other and may all arms which have been taken up against each other be cast on one side never to be taken up again.

Well we are all of the opinion that it wont last much longer and are thinking that something will be done with these Peace Terms as we are all completely fed up with it ourselves as well as the enemy. Well you will be pleased to hear we get a fair amount of good meat out here although they don't over feed us but we manage on it alright but we keep buying things for ourselves while out of the Line then again we manage alright to keep warm as we are exceedingly well clothes so we must be thankful for small mercies. So I must close by thanking you again for your excellent effort in sending such a gift to the Boys of the United Methodist Church and Sunday School and may we all have the opportunity to return shortly to give an helping hand in the good work which as been done and is being done. So we must all join in earnest prayer and ask the Lord to give us an early and everlasting Peace which shall reign the world over. May all our prayers be answered for the sake of the people of the Nation. From your ever true member & friend, Pte. Wilfred Owens.

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37.Jan 5^th 1918France

Dear mother & father & all at home,

Well I am a bit long in answering your letter which you sent father & Edward on Dec 28^th & 29^th I received same on Jan 3^rd It is very good of you sending more parcels I have not as yet received any of them nor the Flintshire News but am expecting something with the mail tonight so I will let you know as soon as any arrives I am very pleased to hear of grandmother getting up so I trust she is alright hoping this will find you all quite well. Well by you get this I suppose Gomer will have gone back anyway. I know he would enjoy himself while with you and I trust his arm is alright again. Well I suppose he would report at Oswestry were I hope he will stop for a month or so anyway I have faith that he wont be wanted out here again as it wont last much longer. I think the Yankees will make a big difference with it shortly. Well I am vexed at those Xmas cards being lost but there is many worse things appens than that anyway I will send some more when I get the chance of buying them hoping you are claiming for those lost. Well I was upset to read in Edward's letter about Andrew Jones being taken prisoner but we must trust he will be looked after alright and that he will return shortly as he was such a nice lad and the very best of pals with anyone. Well I suppose by now that George as found out what sort of a job he is at hoping he is liking it alright and that he doesn't grumble like he did while at Fred Griffiths there will be none of lads grumbling at anything if ever we are spared to return home again as we have to take up with all sorts of trials and troubles out here. Well I suppose Cropper as made his fortune with his Pictures by now as they would have no where else to go to over Xmas & the New Year. I should think Bill Wilcock's place will be empty anyway it will make the Lane End more lively. Well we are having very nice weather out here since that lot of snow at Xmas which we had hoping you are having the same. Well I have had some more New Year cards from Griffiths's so you can reckon I have had about 20 cards in all. Well I think this is all for now will write again soon I have sent a letter to Mr. Beattie for the Chapel in acceptance for the 5/- P.O. Please remember me to all I know thanking all of you for all your kindness, cards & all your good wishes. From your ever loving son & brother Wilfred.

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38.Jan 6^th 1918France

Dear mother & father & all at home,

Well you will be pleased to hear I received your parcel alright last night also the Flintshire Observer, a letter from you father sent Sunday Dec 30^th also George's kind letter sent the same day. Well I haven't time to write you both today but as soon as I have a chance George I will write you one also I will have to write Edward one when I can. Well mother & father & all I must thank you very much for the parcel which as arrived in the best of condition better condition than any I have had yet as you have packed it very well indeed all the cakes & the brown loaf & pies are in the best of condition also the oranges & apples & butter are none the worse for there journey. I must thank you for sending the Flashlamp out also the spare bulb which is the handiest think I could wish for out here. I am sure it is very good of you in looking after me so well with eatables & all which I need. Well you needn't send me any money till I tell you as I have plenty at present we have just been payed out a double pay 10 francs. Well I am very pleased indeed to hear that grandmother is a lot better and that she as got out of bed hoping this will find you all in best of health as I am also pleased to hear of George starting to work at Summers hoping you like your job alright George although you are working long hours. Well father I was very sorry to hear of Andrew being taken prisoner but I trust it will soon be over and that he will be set free again. I have spent many an hour away with him at Kinmel Park where we had some good times remember you coming to see us on bikes that Sunday before he went to France and me to Ireland. What a great change in so short a time. Well I trust Gomer as spent a good time with you and enjoyed himself he as done well in getting 13 days. I suppose he is looking well and his arm is alright again. I must ask you or Edward to send me his address I suppose he as gone to Oswestry anyway I have good faith that he wont have to come out here again. Pleased to hear of Fred going on alright although he is like myself in and out of the Line but we must have faith in the Lord that we shall be kept safe through it all and brought home safe again to you all. Well this is all for now I must thank you all again for all you have sent me pleased to receive the Flintshire Observer as I can pass many weary hours away reading the local news. So I must enclose with love to all from your true & ever loving son & brother Wilfred to all at home.

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39.Sunday Jan 20^th 18France

Dear mother & father & all at home,

Well by you receive this I know you will all be anxiously awaiting news from me as it is over a week since I wrote you as we have been in the Line for the last 12 days so I have been unable to send you any letters. Well mother & father & all it is only the lord we have to thank that I am alive and well to write you all this letter because while in the Line we have experienced the worst weather I have ever seen, nothing but rain, wind snow & hailstones. Well you can imagine what state all the trenches was in. Well it was on the night that we were relieved that I experienced the worst time since being in the Army. We started to come out and a chum of mine & myself got astray from the rest of the Plattoon so was both lost for the time being we wandered about in No Man's land in search for a trench which we managed in finding at last in the pouring rain. Well we both slid in this trench and to our horror at finding it above our knees in mud & slush we both worked hard to try to get out of it but all to no avail as we were seemingly a fixture there. Well my pal wasn't in as bad a place as me he wasn't long before he got out of it but I was over the knees in it and it was becoming worse through the sides of the trenches falling in. Well I was in this state from 10 at night till daybreak next morning when I managed to get out of it with the help of my pals and boards across the trench. Well when I got on top I was as weak as could be and I was nothing else but a mass of mud and my clothes alone seemed tons in weight. Well I found out I couldn't carry my equipment so I had to leave it all behind and I was too ill to think about anything which I was leaving behind and when I got a bit better I found out I had left my flashlamp which was about the most valuable thing and it as grieved me to think I have not thought to get that out before coming away but anyway father don't bother sending another as we are not allowed with them out here in the Line. Well I managed to get out of the Line and I was put into bed right away and I have been in bed for 3 days and I have received every attention by the doctor so am now nearly well again anyway we are on our way out for rest so I have a good chance of getting well again as I am not expecting to get into Hospital this time. Well mother & father you will be pleased to hear I received your 2 parcels quite safe one on Monday of this week I got it while in the Line and I must thank you mother for all the splendid cakes you have made and sent me. I must thank you for the puzzle which I have had some sport with with my pals. Well I received your second parcel on Thursday 17^th with the 2 round cakes and all the sausage rolls and the round cakes the writing pad & envelopes so I must again thank you all for these good things the Battery & Bulb you sent father I have sold to a lad in the Platoon. Well I have been receiving a lot of letters from you all of late but have been unable as I say to send a reply. I am trying to write to Edward & George in reply to letters I have received from them also a lot from father. So I will write you as often as ever I can now I have the chance. I am sorry to hear of Bill being very ill in bed for so long but pleased to hear he as got alright again also I am pleased grandmother is alright again. I was surprised to hear of Fred Reynolds being home on leave already I suppose he will have gone back by you receive this hoping he had a jolly good time while with you all. Well father I hope you have managed to get the 6 h.p. Royal Enfield from Liverpool as it is a good machine also cheap at the present time you know what a machine like that will fetch when the war is over which is not going to be long now. Well I hope Gomer is going on alright at Oswestry remember me to him Edward and tell him I hope to see him soon. So I must now enclose no more news at present hoping this will find you all quite well as it leaves me fairly well. I must thank you for the many things you have sent me with love to all at home from your true & ever loving son & brother Wilfred.

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40.Monday Jan 21^st 18France

Dear brother Edward & all at home,

Well Edward you must excuse me at not writing before now as I have been in the Line as I stated in father's letter so could not send a reply to all your letters which I have received lately. I am pleased to hear from you at all times but it grieves me when I am unable to send you a letter in reply. Well Edward I trust Gomer had a good time while on leave with you and that he enjoyed himself. I was surprised at reading in one of your letters about Fred being on leave with you so soon I hope he is with you when you get this please remember me to him Edward and tell him I am going on alright hoping that we shall all meet again very soon which I don't think will be long now. Well Edward by what I can hear it seems to be hard lines with you for food in England but it seems to be the people in the towns whom are faring the worst. Well I hope none of you at home are going short of food at all as I know you all have to work hard enough so you need a fair share to eat it is only what I have heard about the shortage of food at home but you don't seem to say anything about it in your letters. Well Edward I am sorry to hear from you about Mr. Cropper's mishap I also read about it in the Observer. I am sure he as had a nasty accident hoping he will soon come round again as you will be out of work without his custom. Well I have received the local papers alright the Observer & Chronicle which father as sent and I have spent many weary hours reading all the news from round about home. Well Edward you seem to have some good football teams in Buckley now and they seem to be a lot of good players among them. Well Edward as you will read in the letter to mother & father we are having awful weather out here and you state in your last letters that you are having bad weather. Well I hope you have had a change for the best by now remember me to all I know all at the Warren.I must thank you Edward & all at home for all your kindness. Trusting this will find you all quite well as it leaves your ever true & loving brother Wilfred.

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41.Thursday Jan 24^th 1918France

Dear brother Edward & all at home,

I received your most kind letter sent Jan 16^th quite safe on the 21^st thanking you very much for same very pleased to hear of you all being quite well again pleased to say I am in the best of health. I was sorry to hear of Fred going back on the 21^st the day I received your letter. I thought a lot about him hoping he didn't upset himself but I know his mother also all on the Warren would be very much upset when the time came for him to leave them but I have faith that it wont be for long. Hoping that it will soon come to an end and that we shall all be together again enjoying the pleasures of real life when peace reigns over us may that time speedily come. Well Edward you say John Samuel Shone as gone to Ireland so I hope he as got into a good Billet. I wouldn't mind being there again I used to grumble a bit while there but I have changed my tune since then as I have seen some harder times since I was there. I am pleased to hear of Gomer having to go into hospital again with his arm he may stand a chance of another leave when it gets alright. Well I am sorry to hear of them stopping the Petrol completely but I know you will manage without the rides alright if it will in any way hasten the end to this war and then we will have some fine times motoring over the beauty spots of north Wales. I know Bob Davidson is anxiously awaiting those time like the rest of us when there is a good share of petrol at a decent price and then we shall have some jolly good times. Well Edward I trust Mr. Jenkins is going on alright also all at Wainwright's Spon Green. I wrote them both before Xmas but am still awaiting a reply but am not at all anxious to hear from them being that they are so long. I sent a Silk Xmas Card to Wainwright's but I haven't heard whether they received it or not. I will be sending you a few home as soon as ever I am able to buy some when we get far enough back from the Line for a rest. Well Edward I must enclose wishing to be remembered to Fred & Gomer, Harry & Charlie Connah, John Samuel all at the Warren & at Aunty Polly's. Trusting this will find you all well at home as it leaves your ever true brother Wilfred

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42.

Wrote 24^th not posted till Jan 26^th France

Dear mother & father & all at home,

Well father I have tonight received your most kind long letter which you sent Friday Jan 18^th I also had one from Uncle Edwin which he sent Jan 19^th very pleased to hear of you all being quite well again you state you sent a parcel on the Friday night so I expect it will arrive in a day or so's time but anyway I will write and let you know as soon as ever I get it. I must thank you for all your parcels I have received two just lately as I stated in my last letters. Sorry to hear of it being so bad with you to get butter & sugar well we get a fair share of sugar also so called butter. Mother as been very good in sending butter to me but mother don't send any more knowing that you are not allowed much and I don't care about too much butter & I can manage alright on my army issue so you must keep all the butter you can get for yourselves at home. We can't grumble at the food we get out here a bit of bread sometimes a fair share and sometimes we get very little but we get porrage for breakfast which we call burgue and for dinner we get meat stew and sometimes roast sometimes a potato or so and a carrot with this we have rice which livens things up a bit we also get jam & cheese which we have to make do for tea with a bit of bread. Well father am sorry to hear Mr. Green is not going to part with the Enfield as it is a good thing but as we have said before we can always manage without that which we can't get but I know you will always be on the lookout for good makes of machines which will take a great price after the war. Well father & all you will be pleased to hear of me going on alright. I am not going in the Line with the Battalion as I am attached to the Royal Engineers for a week or so anyway we shall join the Batt. When they come out for rest. We are not having so bad a time of it we work 8 hours a day then we are done we do all kinds of jobs such as digging carrying wire, duck boards etc. and we are living down deep Saps where there is about nearly 500 of us and there is the Electric light down here but it is only lit 3 hours at night so you can reckon what dark dismal places we live in at present but we are not expecting to be here long. We are busy at present cleaning those trenches out where I was stuck in. Well the weather keeps very nice at present it as just been like a summer's day today. Hoping it keeps like this for a bit. Well the war still goes on but we hear of the Americans arriving over here to finish the war. Hoping they will as it is getting time they made a show but we must have faith in the Lord and pray that we shall have an everlasting peace shortly. Won't it be a day when we all meet again may that time soon come. Well I must close hoping you have heard more about Andrew and that he is quite well. I am the same Front as what Andrew was on I trust this will find you all well and grandmother still alright and you doing good business wishing to be remembered to my many friends with kindest regards from you ever true & loving son & brother Wilfred.

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43.Feb 2^nd 18France

Dear mother & father & all at home,

Well father yesterday the last day of January I received two of your kind letters which you sent on the 24^th & 25^th also the Motor Cycle & Observer. I also received the Observer a few days before so I must thank you for looking after me so well with news. Well I am pleased you are all keeping well at home also keeping busy trusting this will find you all still the same as it leaves me alright same as it says in the Observer as fit and well as ever. Well father I am sorry you were all so upset at not hearing from me for so long but you can imagine me solely upset as I couldn't send any letters if I wrote them while I was up the Line as they don't collect them but anyway I relieved myself a great burden by writing you as soon as ever we got out of the Line but anyway I have to console myself as best I can as we are under awkward conditions out here but there is a saying the "Boys" have out here when we are unable to send any news home and that saying is "No news is always good news" Well I have had a letter from Gomer and was pleased to hear from him. Well father you say you sent a parcel on Jan 18^th with some pork pies also mince pies which Mrs. Gould gave you to send me well I don't know where it as got too as I have not received it yet and I have a doubt of it coming now as all the others have landed between 5 & 9 days but it may roll up yet anyway if it doesn't I consider it the first that as been lost. You state you sent another on the 25^th so this will be nearing here I will be well off if they both arrive together. But as soon as any comes you will hear from me straight away. Well mother & father I am still attached to the R.E. and am not having a bad time of it. I trust you are able to get a fair share to eat knowing that things are so bad to get in the towns. I was sorry hear also to read of Mr. Cropper's troubles but we all know what he is. Well I must enclose with love to all at home from your true & ever loving son & brother Wilfred.

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44.

Buckley, Chester

Dr. to WILLIAM OWENS, Cycle Agent and Repairer.

All kinds of Cycle Fittings, Rubber Goods and Miners' Tools always in Stock at Lowest Prices.

Prompt and Personal attention to all orders.

Dear mother & father & all at home,

Well it is with great pleasure I am writing again to let you know I received your two parcels tonight which you sent on the 26^th & 18^th as I said in my last letter I expected the first one you sent to be lost but no they have both come together it is strange where it could have got to as it is 16 days since you sent it. I also had father's long letter (4 sheets) and Edward's both sent on Sunday Jan 27^th also I had a kind long letter from Fred Griffiths sent Friday 25^th So now I must thank you all dearly for all these good things & all the news the parcels arrived in the best of condition and all the cakes are not broken in the least so I must thank mother & father for the pains you take in packing them. Well I have just tasted Emily's mince Pies which are splendid. I will have to let you know how all the other good things go on in my further letters but you may depend they will go down as a luxery out here anyway there will be an egg or two for breakfast in the morning and the Brown Hovis loaf and all the cakes the Rabbit and loaf of bread will be eaten in due course as I told you before there is a few of attached to the R.E for a short time so we are settled in nice billets and I couldn't have wished the parcels to have come at a better time. Well while we are on this job we are not having a bad time of it at all it is all day work we start at about 9 in a morning and finish 2 & 3 in the afternoon. We then get back to our billets and are finished till next morning. Well I was very pleased to read that you were all quite well at home also that you were having some lovely weather we are having it the same just like summer. Well now father about your dream which I have wondered and thought a lot about since you told me. Well I have come to the conclusion that there is a lot in dreams mother says in her note in the parcel that you dreamed of me being out for a walk with you and it was on the night of Jan 15^th that you dreamed it. Well strange to say I had my awful experience of my life on the very same night yes when mother stated the date I considered and found out with help of my chums that on that awful night Tuesday Jan 15^th we were relieved by the Notts & Derbys so you can see what as been going on while father was dreaming that night but as you say in your letter we can only thank the Lord in prayer for all is goodness in keeping and guiding us safe through this awful war. May the end come soon when we shall all meet again a better people. So I must enclose with thanks to you all for all the good things you have sent me also all your kindness also thanking the Lord in never ceasing prayers for all is goodness & kindness in watching over us at all times. With love to my dear mother & father, grandmother, my dear brothers & sister Miriam. From your ever true & loving son & brother Wilfred.

Will write again soon also will answer Edwards most kind & welcome letter Wilfred

Author: Owens, Wilfred, 1898-1918

Wilfred Owens' letter home on Y.M.C.A. headed notepaper"

France

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