by E. W. Hermon
I am most distressed that they should have worried you.
Lass dear it is the most glorious night tonight you ever saw and your reference to Helford river makes me long for such another summer as we had last year. I wish you were here tonight, it is simply lovely and so quiet and still, everyone been in bed some time and the moon just rising. The whole place as still as anything, not a gun firing anywhere, just the moon in one quarter and a constant glare in another of the Verey lights just to remind one that there is a war on. There are so many moths in the candles I can hardly see.
My very best love to you and the Chugs.
5th July 1915 – bivouac at Champ des Courses, Hesdigneul
I am so glad to hear my little Meggie is so brave in the sea – must take after her father.13 I would give anything to see the Chugs & you, especially if the whole show were over. I am sure my son is not taking after me, there is only one girl in the world for me (at a time) and I quite agree about the third!!
I hear various rumours about ‘A’ [Squadron] that they all quarrel with their O.C. and have a generally unpleasant time, but it is very funny that they are the only one of us so far who have had a scrap yet and they had a bit of a go in the trenches the other night and succeeded in killing a German officer on their parapet. Russell says, I believe, that their actions saved the entire army but we await confirmation of this.
I got a confidential report from the G.O.C. tonight & in his own handwriting a minute expressing his very high approval of the conduct of my men in the trenches which was very gratifying. They did very well I know & on all hands met with great praise. They certainly stood out in the company they were in. They did very well too on patrol between the lines that night, though were not lucky enough to get a prisoner which they wanted badly. They brought in, however, several letters and oddments off the dead bodies of men lying between the lines which are being sent to the owners’ relations.
My best love to you dearie & I hope you are now quite reassured that I am absolutely fit and well.
6th July 1915 – bivouac at Champ des Courses, Hesdigneul
I am sorry to say that one of my former pupils killed himself the other day, teaching a regimental class. I gather he threw a bomb and it didn’t explode. He went and picked it up and threw it again and it didn’t go off, and he again went and picked it up and it exploded in his hand killing him instantly. He was such a nice boy called Wood in the 8th Batt. It was pure stupidity or carelessness, it is never safe to go and pick up a bomb once it has been thrown until a considerable time has elapsed and if folk will take risks of this kind they must take the consequence. The bombs are no more dangerous than an ordinary loaded gun and you must observe the common methods for safety, in the same way.
7th July 1915 – bivouac at Champ des Courses, Hesdigneul
Lassie dear, if we are to beat the Germans we can only do it by bombing them out of their trenches and it is absolutely necessary that someone teaches. As soon as the men have learned what and how to do it they will take tea with the Boche but the training stage must be gone through first and it is more necessary that men should be so trained in Bombing that they will have this ascendancy and a few officers more or less don’t matter much in the long run provided we can give them the right training. There is absolutely no other method of getting men out of deep trenches. So much so that the French in the labyrinth, I understand, have armed their men with a large dagger and bombs only, they haven’t carried a rifle at all.
I have got an officers’ course starting tomorrow and lasting two days only, all company commanders, so as to give them some idea as to the possibilities and limitations of the bomb.
11th July 1915 – bivouac at Champ des Courses, Hesdigneul
We had a most ridiculous parade for ‘K’ last week. The squadron was ordered to be lined up on both sides of a road at 11.25 & at 12.45 ‘K’ motored through at 20 mph and the squadron rode home. Three hearty cheers were ordered to be given, but long before they were over ‘K’ was at lunch in the next village!!14 The stock of leaves is getting used up, I have turned over so many now and I am wearying of the pastime.
What a capital letter from old ‘Bet’. I sent her a cheque for a birthday present and old Bob a French bayonet, taken by one of my men from the body of a dead man lying between the two front-line trenches when they went out on patrol the other night. Rather gruesome, especially as it is some months now since he fell. However it is a memento. I hope he will like it, but I would suggest it being firmly nailed to the nursery wall. We are having some sports here tomorrow, the chief event of interest being a 100 yards race between the senior officers and senior N.C.O.s!! This evening we have a great cricket match on between the officers and the corporals, having whacked the sergeants’ heads off.
I start bombing again on Tuesday with another class for N.C.O.s.
12th July 1915 – bivouac at Champ des Courses, Hesdigneul
I know it is wrong to gype at my dear Mama but I cannot help quoting you the following extract from a letter received today. ‘I am sending you a plainer cake this time as we are rather short of eggs, so many hens are sitting.’ Are there no farms nearby where eggs can be purchased at a reasonable price or are luxuries of this kind at famine prices in England now?
Now for the piece of colossal memory and my very best wishes to you dearie mine for your birthday. I fear not so happy a one as we spent last year but let us hope the next will find us united once more, but I’m afraid the chances are small.
Old Buxton told me he never wanted to go in the trenches again! He had had quite enough. They had to march on foot to get there, stand for 48 hours and march back so it was hardish work and he feels he is better off where he is!
I won my race v the S.S.M. 6 to 4 laid on the Major.
13th July 1915 – bivouac at Champ des Courses, Hesdigneul
I hear on the best authority that the war will be over by Xmas! This is from outside and not my own deduction or belief, but it was very well told and sounded most feasible. We shall see what we shall see. Many thanks about Henry’s watch.
It was capital old Botha15 doing so well. He ought to come and lend a hand here now. Yes it would have been very interesting to have heard the conference between K, Asquith & party.
I am glad to hear the Chugs are so fit & well. It is cold this evening & I am a bit starved for news. Thank old Bet & Bob & Meg for their nice letters.
ON 6 JULY, French and British leaders had met in Calais to discuss an autumn offensive on the Western Front. The following day, the Commander-in-Chief of the French army, General Joffre, and the Commander BEF, Sir John French, agreed that the offensive was a strategic necessity. Kitchener, however, complained to Sir William Robertson (CIGS) that the generals had given him previous assurances that they would push the Germans back over the frontier and concluded: ‘The attacks are costly and end in nothing.’
14th July 1915 – bivouac at Champ des Courses, Hesdigneul
I had two nice letters from you tonight on my return from the Bomb school with your dear brave sentiments which I have loved.
I very nearly got hurt today. After doing the morning’s work I went & had a bit of lunch with some of the lads at a shop & then during the lunch interval I rode out to see the trenches where we usually throw bombs as it is an old defence line and they have recently filled some of it in and I feared they had filled in the part I wanted but it was alright. The Huns thought this is a suitable time for a midday hate and started plugging some shells about which rather worried old Saxon. Riding back he took great exception to a high sort of bridge built over the road. There was a very big R.E. wagon trotting towards me very fast, when old Saxon shied violently, crashed into the side of the wagon. I just had time to throw my left heel right up in the air when the crash came, tho’ my boot got badly scratched all down, old Saxon got knocked right away and I fell on the broad of my back in the road. I am glad to say that old Saxon wasn’t badly hurt and I could ride him home tho’ he has got a good bi
t of skin off in parts. I haven’t got a scratch or bump on me anywhere, but how it happened I don’t know as I had seen the wagon some way off & noted how fast it was coming. It was most awfully lucky that my leg wasn’t smashed to bits. However no damage done at all.
I have laughed over your muddle & La Vie. The paper, the Baron tells me, is not read by the best people. In fact it takes the same place in the French family that the Winning Post [does in England]. We buy it here, but it is essentially a man’s paper and at times has a wonderfully well drawn centre page tho’ decidedly French & at times out-frenching the French!
I wonder if you will get over the German submarine. I hear on the very best naval authority that the bag of these now amounts to 28. Official!
Must go to bed now dearie. Please pack marmalade with more stuffing, 3 pots have arrived broken.
16th July 1915 – bivouac at Champ des Courses, Hesdigneul
I am sorry I didn’t write you yesterday on your birthday, but I am sorry to say we had another accident at the school & two officers slightly wounded.
I always used to make up the bombs with my own school staff & while we did that we had no accident of any sort, bar mine, which of course had nothing to do with the manufacture of the bomb. Then I asked for an R.E. man to assist in the manufacture & they sent me two men & a Corporal who were supposed to be experts, which in a way they were, but lazy, & they stripped the whole of the fuse of its outside covering instead of only half.
As they were supposed experts I never bothered to examine their work, with the above mentioned result. We had thrown 70 bombs in the morning & 20 in the afternoon, fortunately they were bombs with the detonator in only, when it came the turn of a young officer & the bomb exploded in his hand wounding him slightly. We took him up the trench & then in a few mins I went back to continue. Old Sir Harry Waechter had come down & in order to restore confidence he threw the next – real guts in an old man & it was the first time that he had ever thrown one only he has taken great interest in the school for some time. His bomb went alright and then a fellow called Chaytor, who is taking over the school from me, threw the next & it too exploded in his hand. Of course then I stopped the throwing & we went back and I found that these R.E. men had fused the bombs so badly that in almost every instance it was possible for this to happen. The flash of a lighter, if the bomb is carelessly fused, passes at once to the detonator without burning the five seconds through the fuse as it should.
To light the bomb you pull out the safety pin, push down the top & turn it at the same time, when the match composition lights as soon as it impinges on the two brass striking points. The flash ignites the fuse which burns for five seconds & then explodes the fulminate of mercury which in turn detonates the ammonal and bursts the bomb with terrific force. Now with this makeshift arrangement the fuse exactly fits the lighter but is too large to fit the detonator, therefore it is necessary to strip the insulating tape off the cover, & then the rubber of the fuse is a trifle too small for the detonator. So long as the fuse (2inches long) is only stripped for a short way, say ¾ of an inch, it is alright because where it fits the lighter it is full up & the flash cannot escape; where however the whole fuse is stripped the flash comes out of the lighter, follows the outside of the fuse & at once explodes the detonator, with disastrous results. It is much easier & far less trouble to strip the whole fuse. Hence accidents!!
This possibility has been suspected before but never proved & these two accidents have shown it to me without a possibility of a shadow of doubt. I hope it will be taken up now throughout the whole army & all present bombs withdrawn & rendered safe in a way I have shown them. I thank God that the bombs weren’t fully charged.
I hope Ralph comes through all right, but the R.E. have some real tough jobs to do out here, wiring between the lines at night & odd little games of that sort. I wrote to old Juckes before, which I hope he got. I am afraid he will take it very hardly.
I’ve had a piece of detonator in my forehead for three weeks now & was getting a bit tired of it. I was sure it was there the day it was done but the Dr said it wasn’t but lately it got runny so yesterday I went to the F.A. [Field Ambulance] & got them to work on it and fortunately they got hold of it first try and out it came and now it is quite healed and doing fine. I’ll enclose it for you to see. It’s very small but better out than in, about half the size of the piece through my lip. I am now quite sound. There seems to be a great wave of optimism going round just now & everyone’s tail is right up. The Huns are to propose peace in Aug. which will not be accepted & we are to have them set by Xmas!! I hope it is true. What a fine response the War Loan had. It will make Germany think yet!
My love to you dearie.
19th July 1915 – bivouac at Champ des Courses, Hesdigneul
I had a very interesting day yesterday as I went down and spent some time in the front-line trenches of the French. We went down to a place that overlooks the lines and is about 1500 yards away & got behind an old ruined house & watched the line through the telescope.
Then we had lunch & after lunch we walked across the open for about 100 yards to the communication trench which leads to the part of the ground we wanted to get to. On the way we found a shell hole and thought we should like to get the nose out but couldn’t so we went & got down in the trench. However it was too much for the Boche & they gave us three what we call ‘Whiz Bangs!’ One of the damn things burst so close to my head that I had a violent headache for the rest of the day. This started a ‘strafe’ & there ensued quite an artillery duel for a bit. We meandered on down miles of twisty communication trenches & eventually arrived in their front line.
We were much chagrined by the French officer describing the day as ‘très calme’ as we all were thinking ourselves very brave, the ‘all’ being Steve and S.S.M. who were with me. Certainly there were a good many shells buzzing about & a French soldier put the nose of one into the S.S.M.’s hand that he had just dug out and it was far too hot to hold even then. Their line where I was ran through a mining village and the shells coming into the houses were certainly rather beastly. The church was an awful ruin, all the roof off, the altar hardly touched & the chairs all lying about anyhow.
On the way home we joined a crowd of soldiers and women in a village watching a French battery getting shelled. The battery certainly wasn’t 300 yards away & there were all these women & children looking on just as the folk in the village would look on at the old roundabout that comes.
You know dear, I don’t believe our country folk have the guts of these French. Do you think that if half the houses in Cowfold were without roofs and smashed to bits, that with, say, a doz. big shells coming in every day that the rest of the women would go on living in their homes? I doubt it very much & we English think there is no nation in the world to touch us. There is more calm bravery in these women here than in whole villages full of men at home. They go on day after day with no hope of having a shot back & are all the time week after week and month after month exposed to daily shelling & never seem to notice it at all.
Yesterday I left my horse at a farm, where only a month ago I left it in the same way. Then the folk were living in it and a damn nice girl there was there too, yesterday the house had no roof, was smashed to atoms, but their stock remained and they came back to milk the cows.
Tomorrow I have got the C.O.s, Adjutants & company commanders of two of the Battalions coming to my bomb school & I am giving a lecture on bombs & their management & the next day I have another lot coming. I’m very busy there now & have another class coming in again tomorrow night. I hope at the end of this week to hand the school over to Chaytor as I don’t want to keep it on as I get so little time with the squadron.
Henry & I had our cake for tea tonight & we both liked it very much, in fact there was enough for us all to have some & a guest too. We’ve had quite good cakes from White House so far but they haven’t rolled up with any great regularity, but I think that very often Buxton unpacks them while I
am at the school.
I like the ‘K’ soldiers, in fact I think they are magnificent & their equipment is the best I ever saw.16 They have impressed me beyond words.
I liked the photos of the kids very much. Best love old dear to you and all the Chugs.
21st July 1915 – bivouac at Champ des Courses, Hesdigneul
I am so glad to hear that all the birthday letters arrived to the tick of time. What news of old Campbell, where is he now and his army? Talking of Yeomanry we have got the Westmorland & Cumberland Yeo. next to us. They don’t wear K.E.H. on their shoulder straps but their other two letters & are known as the ‘Water Closet Hussars’. Henry’s watch rolled up all right and I am very pleased with it indeed. I gave it to him at 7.30 and before 9 he had broken the glass in a fight with Pongo!
I had a reply from Mimi tonight in answer to mine. My suggestion that Dick should go to Sandhurst has not been taken up. The fact that he did a bit of turning has satisfied them. They forget that any hollow-chested imbecile can turn up a few shells, but that it is only given to a certain class to lead and that class is rapidly being exhausted. You might put this view to Nell & that almost the last words she said to me were that she would see that he did go!17
My love to you my own darling.
22nd July 1915 – bivouac at Champ des Courses, Hesdigneul
I was just riding along Noeux[-les-Mines] street today to the watchmakers to get Henry a new glass, when who should I run into but old Gibbon. He was fearfully pleased to see me & wished to be remembered to you. Very anxious to know how the family had swelled since he last saw me!
There are at present a large variety of Bombs, the one I’ve drawn for you is the most common and is manufactured locally. We have percussion bombs that go off on landing.
