Wilfred Owens' letter home on Church Army headed notepaper"

France

11 November 1917

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

Wilfred Owens' Letters from 1st April to 10th May 1918. (Numbers 56 to 65)

LETTER HEAD

Church Army Recreation Hut or Tent

On Active Service with The British Expeditionary Force

Church Army

Open to All

Please help us to economise by writing on BOTH SIDES of this paper

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Wilfred Owens took no heed of the small print at the top of the sheets and wrote only on one side of the paper! However as time went on, supplies became short and he valued the supply he received from home and used both sides.

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56.April 1^st 18France

Dear mother & father & all at home

I know by you receive this letter you will be anxiously awaiting news from me trusting same will find you all quite well at home as it leaves me at present. I have received your letters alright of late, father's letters sent March 10^th 14^th 22^nd & 24^th also regularly I have received the Motor Cycle & Observer also Edward's letters of the 12^th 17^th & 22^nd also 1 from George a day or so ago. Well the last parcel I had a few days ago which you sent on the 18^th but I am expecting the one you sent on the 25^th at anytime. Well we have had a rough time of it this last week or so with heavy fighting but I have pulled through alright up to now. I could write you books full of what I have seen & experienced but I am not allowed you will have to wait till I come on leave then I can tell you more. Well you musn't upset yourselves we are being looked after alright. Well mother you ask me about my pay also about making an allotment to you well I don't understand much about it since we have been getting this new pay but by what I can hear I have nothing at all to do with the allotment which you are getting for me because the Government are paying you all and I have none stopped off me now as they pay all out now you musn't believe these rumours mother we are getting plenty of money more than we can spend and by what we can hear we get our pay alright on coming out of Hospital also we get all credits. When we come on leave we send to Preston for it but anyway we will leave these things till I come on leave. I am sorry to hear Frank Hughes & Jim Wainwright having to join up may they never be needed out here. Very pleased to hear you are being kept busy selling plenty of Cycles. I hope Edward gets my petrol permit alright so I must now close hoping grandmother is alright also all of you remember me to Mr. & Mrs. Rogers, Mrs. Gould, Mr. & Mrs. Lewis all at the Warren, Fred & Arthur. I was pleased to hear of Harry Connah being home on leave again. Thanking all of you for all kindness may we meet again soon as I think the end isn't far off. From your true & ever loving son & brother Wilfred.

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57.Monday April 8^th 18France

Dear mother & father & all at home

Well father I have today received your letter of March 31^st also the Observer & Sunday Herald very pleased to hear of all being quite well at home also to hear of Uncle Edwin coming over to see you at Easter although only for so short a time. Well father & Edward you must excuse me at not answering all the letters which I receive from because I haven't been able to write only field cards now for the last three weeks but I trust you have received these alright saying I am quite well. I know how eager you are looking forward for news of me so I do my utmost to write as often as possible knowing you do the same at home. Well you state about the parcels I am pleased to say I am receiving same alright the last you sent on the 25^th March I received in about 10 days. I am expecting another which you say you sent 1^st or 2^nd of April at anytime but you know how everything is upset out here at present with the heavy fighting. Well mother & father I want to tell you not to put any more eggs or sweets in the parcels as we can buy these cheap enough were we are at present. Only send a few cakes & a Hovis brown loaf or any kind of bread but if these are hard to get I wouldn't bother sending any parcels at all knowing the cost of things at present and I can manage on the army's rations. Well father I am not on the front which Uncle Edwin mentions about I was there up to Xmas since leaving England. Well we moved to cambrai and was there up to a week ago. I have pulled through the retreat alright which you have read about right back to the Somme. Well I am unable to state much but you must wait till I come on leave. I could write books as you know but that wouldn't do. Well we have been relieved off that front so we are out on rest at present we are expecting to go on a quiet front for a change as our Division as seen enough of fighting for a bit. Well leave has been cancelled for the time being but we are expecting them to start going again shortly. Very pleased to hear you are doing such good business. From your ever true & loving son & brother Wilfred.

Wishing to be remembered to my many friends & relations with kindest regards hoping to be with you all again soon.

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58.

Tuesday April 9^th 18France

Dear brother Edward & all at home

I now take the first opportunity of writing you a few lines in reply to your many letters of late. Sorry I haven't been able to send any letters lately but I trust you have received the field cards alright. Your last letter I received yesterday which you sent on March 31^st Easter Monday. I was very pleased to hear of you all being quite well at home also that you were being kept busy. I had a letter at the same time from Aunt Mary and was pleased to hear of them all being quite well also to hear of Gomer being unfit for stretcher-bearing as it not much of a job out here. Well Aunt Mary was telling me about Fred being transferred to the M.G.C. which I am told is a very good job out here hoping you have heard from him with the very best of news. Well Edward I must thank you for your kindness in writing to the Petrol Control Committee so I trust by you get this that you have heard from them with a fair share by the time I come on leave. I am so pleased to hear of the Douglas being in such good order. Wont we have some fine runs with the aid of some nice weather and a bit of good luck. Well I was sorry to hear of Harry Connah having to come back on Easter Monday. I know it would be hard lines for him if you remember Edward I was in Ireland when he was home on his last leave. It is surprising what changes we do go through. Well I am pleased to hear you are getting plenty to eat we can't grumble at all at the rations we are getting only we get too many hard biscuits and not enough bread. I was pleased to hear of Uncle Edwin coming to see you at Easter although only for so short a time. Well Edward it may be the end of May before I get my leave as it as been cancelled this last month but are expecting them to start going on leave anytime now. So I must now enclose with love to all at home wishing to be remembered to my many friends From you ever true brother Wilfred.

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59.Wednesday April 10^th 18France

Dear mother & father & all at home

Well father I have just received your most kind letter of April 5^th I also received your parcel which you sent on the 2^nd I received it quite safe and in good condition yesterday the 9^th so I must thank you very much mother & father for same. Well things are going on just the same here at present we are still out on rest. The weather keeps rather dull and we are having some April showers as usual. Well father I am very pleased to hear of you all being quite well pleased to say this leaves me in the very best of health. You seem to be kept very busy indeed father with Motor Repairs & selling new cycles also taking some one or other on odd journeys with the Enfield. Yes father I don't think there is a better machine for sidecar work you should see how they rip away out here with heavy loads in all conditions. Anyway you will know the machine to deal with after the war such as the Enfield, Douglas, Triumph P.M. B.S.A. Ariel etc. Well I am very pleased to hear of so many calling in and asking about me as we all know it is a very anxious time at present for everybody but we must keep a good heart and trust in the lord that he will guide and keep us safe through it all and bring us safely home again to you. I am pleased to hear of Gomer being sent to Kinmel Park. I trust he will be given a good job which will keep him there until it is all over. I hope that they have had word from Fred with the very best of news. I know he will be alright with the Machine Gun Corps. I only wish I could get transferred to them. Well father I am sure Mr. Rogers is in a fine way about them being so long in repairing his Engine but I suppose with a bit of patience he will get it repaired alright. I don't suppose he will have much petrol to run it with but all the same it is best to have it in order. I am pleased to hear of Mr. Hargreives being so well fitted up. Don't think he as a bad machine at all but I know he would see the difference when he had a ride on the Enfield. I hope you have had word about the Petrol Permit with good news and all which we need. I may not be coming for a month or so but I am expecting to be with you just at the nicest part of the season when we are having long summer days and everything is in full bloom. Well I haven't much more news for now don't upset yourselves we are getting a fair share of food to eat so we haven't much to grumble at. The war wont last for ever. Please remember to Mr. & Mrs. Rogers, Mrs. Gould, Mr. & Mrs. Lewis my relatives & other friends with kindest regards from your ever true & loving son & brother Wilfred.

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60.Sunday April 14^th 18France

Dear mother & father & all at home

Well father I have just received your letter with Gomer's address & B.S.A leaflet you must have forgotten to date it father. I notice there was none on it I also received the Motor Cycle & Observer & papers from Uncle Edwin. Well I am pleased to hear you are all keeping well also doing good business you seem to be selling a lot of cycles. I am sure they are lucky to be able to get any at all. Well it was with pleasure I read about how Edward had been exempt I am glad I am helping anyway to keep him were he is. Well leave as not started again yet but I have faith that the war wont last very much longer it is awful as you say father to think of the waste of precious lives also the money and material. Well I suppose there will be an end to it all some day I must thank you for Gomer's address. I will try and write him a line tomorrow. I trust Fred is still going on alright hoping you have heard from him. Well I hope by now Mr. Wilson as had his permit and that he is settled on buying the Douglas. I know he wouldn't ever regret his bargain if he once bought the Douglas as she is a marvel. I know you will be able to buy lots of good machines at the present time. Anyway I will be alright when I get my leave with the Enfield to run about with. Well I haven't much news for now will write again soon please remember me to my many friends also Fred & Arthur & all I know with kindest regards & love to you all at home. From your ever true & loving son & brother Wilfred.

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61.Wednesday April 16^th 18

Y.M.C.A. On active Service with the British Expeditionary Force.

Dear mother & father & all at home

Well I received your parcel quite safe which you sent on the 8^th I received same on the 14^th for which I must thank you all very much. I trust you had the field card I sent saying I had received it. Well everything was in the best of condition the loaf of bread, butter, eggs, cakes, tin of biscuits, oranges, sweets etc. all being none the worse for there journey. Well things are still going on the same as usual out here the weather keeps rather dull & threatens rain. I hope you are having some nice weather I know it would be nice motoring around the coast now father while everything is changing its colour it will be splendid the scenery from the Mountains. Well I suppose we shall have to see the war over before we can do any more motoring without I manage to get a leave before it does end but I don't think myself that it is going to last very much longer. Well they have not started sending any more on leave as yet so we shall have to keep good spirits and hope for the best. I had a letter the other day from Uncle Edwin he seems like a many more at a loss to know how the war keeps on so long. Well I am very pleased to hear of you being kept so busy also selling so many new machines. Well I trust this will find you all quite well at home. I wrote Uncle & Fred Griffiths yesterday I am writing Gomer a letter at the same time as you hoping he is alright also Fred when last you heard from him. Please remember me to all I know thanking you all for your many kindnesses with love to all at home from Your ever true son & brother Wilfred.

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62.Thursday April 18^th 18France

Dear mother & father & all at home

Well I have this morning received your most kind letter which you sent on Friday April 14^th. Very pleased to hear of you all being quite well also that you were doing good business selling new & old cycles. I am also pleased to hear you have a good stock of parts in, in the line of frames and wheels. I know any kind of old machines will sell now at a good price with the new ones being so dear. Yes father wouldn't I just enjoy being with you again fixing secondhand machines up it would be quite a change after being out here. You will know very well we have to work hard enough out here sometimes but anyway we must not grumble too much things might be worse. Pleased to say we are in no way going short of food glad to hear you are getting plenty at home. Well father you state you sent the Motor Cycle same time as the letter so I can expect it alright with the next mail. I was very pleased to hear they had heard from Fred Reynolds and that he was going on alright. As you know it is bad with us sometimes to get our letters away this appens either when we are doing a lot of marching or else when we are in the line. I wrote to Gomer yesterday after receiving his address. I notice he is in No. 11 Camp the same Camp as I was in when I was there so Edward will know where to look for him that is if he as not been to see him before now. Well I was sorry to hear of Clegg Edwards joining up they seem to be taking all category men now also lads of 18, they are coming out here when they are 18 & 6 months. Let us hope that they are not coming out for long but I think myself they will come to some terms or other before very long. We are all wondering were the American Army is there doesn't seem to be many out here yet. Let us hope Wilson will try and bring it to a close before he starts to fight because it only means still more loss of life and I am sure they will never come to an end by killing men. Well I must now come to a close will be writing Edward a letter as soon as I can. Please remember me to my relations & friends with kindest regards with love to you all at home from your ever true son & brother Wilfred.

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63.May 2^nd 18France

Dear mother & father & all at home

Well I now take the first opportunity of late in writing you a few more lines. I have received your letters father & Edward alright of April 18^th 19^th 22^nd also I have received your parcels quite safe the tin of biscuits which you say you got at Tom Davies I also received the parcel you sent on the 19^th with the cakes and bread, oranges, apples & sausage rolls in so I must thank you very much mother and father & all for all these kindnesses. I am very pleased to hear of you all being quite well also that you were being kept so busy. Yes father you can just guess how we enjoy a parcel out here as we are unable to get anything so tasty here. I think we get better bread than you are getting but ours is getting browner lately but the colour doesn't matter if we got enough of it, although we get good rations by times well too a small 2lb loaf. Our days rations run 3, 4 and maybe 5 & 6 to a loaf with a few hard biscuits we get fairly good dinners by times we also get a fair issue of jam cheeses & margarine but anyway it doesn't do too grumble too much. I know we are doing better than some of the people in the large towns in England. Well you must try and get a magazine called the "Bystander" dated April 17^th 18 and on page 107 you will find my Photo in among the crowd of us about 1 ½ inches from the bottom left corner. It was taken when things were a bit busy. Well I hope you will be able to get this as I have seen it knowing you will be anxious to get it when you read this. Well the weather still keeps unsettled and very dull hoping you are having some summer weather. Well by what we can hear leave as started again so I do hope to let you know definitely in my next letter. I hope Gomer & Fred is going on alright also Frank I had a letter from Wainwrights and they were telling me they thought Jim wasn't being sent to Africa. Hoping he doesn't go there. Well I must now close hoping you manage to get the "Bystander" and find my Photo. Trusting this finds you all well and getting plenty to eat as it leaves me quite well. From your ever true & loving son & brother Wilfred.

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64.Sat. May 4^th 18France

Dear brother Edward & all at home

Well Edward I must thank you for your kind letters of late sorry I haven't been able to write in reply to them all as we don't have much time to spare but I know you will excuse me. Well things are going on just the same here except for a change in the weather, as we have had lovely summer weather these last two days so if you are having the same I can consider more business still rolling in. I always used to notice it if we had such a change of weather from rain. Well I also received Father's letters regularly also the Motor Cycle and Observer. I received the last of April 25^th yesterday. I was very sorry at reading about Bob Hughes being hurt at the Elm he seems to have had a nasty accident. Hoping by you get this that he is better. Yes father it is a sad case when anyone gets his back injured. Well I was sorry at reading about Abraham Messham being wounded. Well I must say I find plenty of news in the "Observer" I must thank you father for sending me Andrew's address but when I looked at it I thought I wouldn't be able to write to him so I have inquired and find out from some of my pals whom have brothers that are prisoners that it isn't safe to write as I may be brought up for it. But anyway we must hope that the time is not far hence when we shall be together again. What a tale we shall have to tell I am sure what we are going through will ever remain on our memories. We still keep hearing rumours that soldiers have started to go on leave but up to now I can't say how true these rumours are anyway I will let you know as soon as I hear anything definitely. As you know I expected coming last month but leave was stopped altogether through the recent heavy fighting. Well you will be having Whitsun in a fortnights time but I suppose it will pass off very quiet again as in recent years. Well Edward you ask me to bring some presents when I come home you can leave it to me I wont forget you all. Hoping this finds you all quite well and keeping busy. I was sorry at hearing of Dai having to go on draught again also to hear of Jim Wainwright leaving Blighty so early so I must close now remember me to all with kindest regards from you ever true & sincere son and brother Wilfred.

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65.May 10^th 18France

Dear mother & father & all at home

Well I received your parcel quite safe which you sent on April 27^th with the two small loaves, sausages & jam rolls, tin of milk, oranges, soap & writing paper so I must thank you very much for all these good things. I also received at the same time Father's & Edward's letters of April 28^th & 29^th also the "Motor Cycle" & Observer. I am pleased to hear of you all being quite well also doing good business. Pleased to say this leaves me quite well at present. I am pleased to hear of Gomer being home on leave once again also to hear of the good hopes he as that he shall not be sent out here again but no one is any use without they are properly fit so he is going back to Manchester for further treatment so I hope it is all over before he is ready for further service out here but I think he will get an easy job in some camp or other. Well I hope by now you have had good news from Fred and that he is alright. It is a long time to wait for news since March 27^th. Well George I am pleased to hear of you growing so big to be able to fill all my old clothes but you generally do when starting work after leaving school. Well we are at present having very unsettled weather with very heavy showers by times. Well father you are right there is a many pulling long faces which makes things no better. It is always best to keep on smiling and try and keep a good heart. Well father I have just received your letter of May 2^nd also the "Bicycling New and Motor Review" & "Observer" for which I thank you very much. I notice there came another aeroplane down by the Elm Colliery I notice there as been a lot of Buckley lads taken prisoners. I notice Ned Roberts's son for one the "Cosy" also Willie Powell of Daisy hill. Well father I was most sorry at hearing of Mr. & Mrs. Reynolds having word about Fred being missing but I trust you have heard better news before you receive this I am sure it as upset all at the Warren very much but tell them not to give up hopes. I have heard of many mistakes about men out here anyway I hope Fred turns up alright perhaps he as been in a bit of a Scrap and either been wounded and is in hospital or else he maybe a prisoner let us hope so anyway. Well I am very pleased to say this leaves me alright thanking you all for all your may kindnesses. So must now enclose wishing to be remembered to my friends & relations. From your ever true son & brother With love to all at home from Wilfred.

Author: Owens, Wilfred, 1898-1918

Wilfred Owens' letter home on Church Army headed notepaper"

France

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