The Telegraph Book of Readers' Letters from the Great War
Page 5
Yours faithfully,
Susan Somerset
35 Grosvenor Square, W.
NATIONAL CHARACTER
SIR – Our attention has been drawn to the appeal to the British public now being made in the columns of your newspaper for funds to alleviate the dreadful sufferings of the Belgian people.
As this fund has received the approbation not only of His Excellency the Belgian Minister, but also of Her Royal Highness the Duchess of Vendome, and of His Majesty King Albert himself, your appeal is based on such high authority that it partakes at once of a national character.
We therefore have much pleasure in sending you herewith our cheque for £250 (5,000s), and with hearty good wishes for the success of the Fund.
We are, dear Sir, yours faithfully,
Huntley & Palmers (Ltd)
Reading
OFFICER’S DAY’S PAY
SIR – I see in today’s Daily Telegraph that you are starting a fund for the Belgians. I beg to enclose a cheque for £1 1s for the same. It is about a day’s pay. If every officer in the Army did the same it would, in any case, be some recognition of what we think of the brave country that has suffered so much for us.
Yours faithfully,
A.H. Wrench, Major
The Barracks, Wrexham
20 October 1914
STOCKINGS FOR THE FLEET
SIR – Please allow me, through the medium of your valuable paper, to make a public acknowledgment of my gratitude for the magnificent answer to my appeal for orders to provide ‘sea boot stockings’ for our Grand Fleet. The result of the letter you kindly inserted is almost bewildering, and I hope to be able to forward at least 1,500 pairs as soon as the manufacturers of the particular yarn and needles can carry out my instructions. Many of the generous subscribers have sent anonymously; hence my wish to thank them through you; but I crave patience from all.
I am in touch with many centres of this industry and the boon of employment of needy knitters in fishing villages, &c., will be incalculable. Every order shall be most faithfully carried out, and not the least gratifying part of our endeavours is the expression of appreciation from the Fleet itself and the friends of our gallant defenders.
Faithfully yours,
Agnes S. Fitzherbert
Norbury, Kingswear, South Devon
29 October 1914
WAR AND ORGAN BUILDING
Famous Musicians’ Appeal
SIR – In spite of the efforts to maintain ‘business as usual’, there prevails a natural inclination to economise in cases where the object of expense seems, at first sight, to be something of a luxury. We venture to point out the danger lest such economy may produce, as in some cases it has already begun to produce, a distress which it is the main desire of everybody to prevent.
It may not be widely known that in the art of organ building England stands second to no other nation. Our land is full of organs which, for beauty of tone and perfection of workmanship, are unrivalled; and this result is due to the skill of thousands of highly trained workers whose lifetime has been devoted to their task.
It is not difficult to see that, owing to the many and far-reaching calls now being made on us all, in many instances the purchase of a proposed new organ will be postponed till ‘after the war’. Wherefore we beg to enter a plea that such postponement should not lightly be made, since the result of it will be, should the war be prolonged, that an art in which we are as a nation pre-eminent will deteriorate, or even be forced, when peace arrives, to start its long and arduous growth de novo.
On behalf of the Council of the Royal College of Organists:
(Signed)
Alexander C. Mackenzie, President
J. Frederick Bridge
George C. Martin
Walter Parratt, Vice-President
H.A. Harding, Hon. Secretary
The Royal College of Organists, Kensington Gore, London S.W.
2 November 1914
FIELD FORCE FUND
Scheme to be Revived
SIR – At the commencement of the South African War an organisation (under the auspices of a small committee) came into existence, and continued to the end, known as the Field Force Fund, for the purpose of collecting comforts and clothing for the soldiers at the front. This original committee has now been reformed, with the addition of Lady French, the Duchess of Portland, Lady Sclater, Lady Henderson, Lady Henry Bentinck, Lord Islington, Major-General Arbuthnot, Brigadier-General Long and Mr Ralph Upton.
In South Africa a system of separate parcels was adopted, each parcel containing comforts for one soldier. Each man received one shirt, sweater, jersey or cardigan, one pair of socks, one pair of mittens, one small bath towel, soap, handkerchiefs, a muffler, leather bootlaces, a toothbrush, toilet paper, 1/4lb of chocolate, some stationery, an indelible pencil, a pipe, 1/4lb of tobacco, cigarettes and safety matches.
During one year over 236,600 of these parcels were despatched and delivered. They were much appreciated by the men, and greatly contributed towards their health and comfort throughout the campaign. It is now proposed to revive this scheme for the Expeditionary Army in the field. In doing so the committee desires to impress on all existing organisations at present engaged in providing comforts for the troops that the proposed fund will in no way interfere with or embarrass the valuable assistance which they are rendering. The intention – based on South African experience – is rather to bring all existing effort to the most practical purpose by establishing a central bureau, to ensure coordination, and so avoid, on the one hand, the danger of gifts being duplicated to the same units in the field, and on the other to make sure that provision is made for every unit. To do this effectively requires the cordial co-operation of those engaged in providing particular articles, so that these can be combined in parcels as above described.
Another important consideration, and one which, the committee believes, will commend itself to everyone, is the question of punctual and certain transport of these parcels to the troops. In regard to this the committee is in a position to announce that the War Office has been good enough to give its support to the scheme, and will afford the necessary facilities for conveying consignments of these parcels to the troops in the field.
Mrs William Sclater, who so ably carried out the organisation of the Field Force Fund in South Africa, has again kindly consented to act as honorary secretary, and will most gratefully acknowledge any gifts of the above articles if sent to her, care of Lady Henry Bentinck, 53 Grosvenor Street, W. Any money contributions for the purchase of any of the above articles will be gladly received at the same address by Mr Ralph Upton, who has kindly undertaken the office of honorary treasurer.
Yours faithfully,
President: Eleonora French
Committee:
Winifred Portland
Mabel Airlie
Alice Bective
Olivia Bentinck
Cicely Bentinck
Edith Sclater
Nettie Henderson
H.T. Arbuthnot, Major-General
S.S. Long, Brigadier-General
Hon. Secretary: Charlotte Sclater
Hon. Treasurer: Ralph Upton
Islington
4 November 1914
ABSTINENCE DURING THE WAR
SIR – Without wishing it to appear that I am questioning the high motives of the Archbishop of Canterbury in his appeal for ‘abstinence’ during the war, it is unfortunate it should be represented that ‘not for many years has intemperance been so prevalent as it is now’.
Even assuming there has been an increase of drunkenness among certain classes – and it is not improbable that the amount of insobriety has been greatly exaggerated – it is very undesirable to suggest that a large proportion of the public are so degenerate and neurotic that in their hour of trouble they must fly to strong drink to drown their cares.
With all deference I would suggest that this does not accurately represent the situation, and that the weight of testi
mony is that the country is bearing itself in this crisis with admirable courage and resolution.
I do not know whence his Grace gathers his information, but there are many big centres in which there has been a marked decrease in drunkenness since the beginning of the war.
I am, Sir, yours faithfully,
G. Read
98 Thurlow Park Road, Dulwich, S.E.
A FATHER’S LETTER
Service During War
SIR – I am governing director of very large works employing many hundred men. Over 250 of these are now serving. Of my three sons one is in the fighting line, and the other two go to the front this week. There are many thousand young fellows still in Derby and elsewhere, as may be seen by persons attending football matches, who ought to be serving, and it is sad to me, and doubtless many others, to feel that any day we may be advised of the death of a dear one, and to know that there are so many who ought to be made to serve, and who would enormously benefit physically and morally if they had military training.
May I entreat you to use your great influence to make military service compulsory during the war and for, say, six months afterwards?
This does not bind the country to compulsory service after that period.
Yours truly,
Francis Ley
Derby
5 November 1914
PLEA FOR BELGIAN DOGS
SIR – I have just read in the Daily Telegraph about those unhappy dogs on some Ostend fishing smacks at Lowestoft. Could it be possible, through the columns of your valuable journal, to suggest that the Government should exempt these poor dogs (belonging to the refugees) from quarantine? It would, indeed, be a kind act on the part of the Government at this time.
Yours faithfully,
M. Tharp
Merchistoun Hail, Swindean, Hampshire
SIR – It is with greatest regret that I note in today’s issue of the Daily Telegraph a quotation from a letter stating that many Belgian dogs brought over by their owners, are taken from them and killed because the refugees have not the money to pay for their detention in quarantine. It is well known that the Belgians are very attached to their dogs, who labour with their owners in support of the family.
Surely the Government might supply free quarters for the dogs of these noble people who have done so much for us. I believe that Belgian dogs have drawn the light guns to the front.
Fair Play
Weymouth
6 November 1914
THE QUEEN’S THANKS
SIR – I am commanded by the Queen to express Her Majesty’s grateful appreciation of the kind manner in which, through the columns of your journal, you have helped the appeal for the gift of belts and socks to the troops at the front from the Queen and the women of the Empire.
The Queen feels that the publicity afforded by the newspapers has materially assisted the generous public in so quickly bringing the Fund to a successful issue.
I am, yours faithfully,
Farquhar, Treasurer
Devonshire House, Piccadilly, W.
PRINCESS MARY’S GIFT
SIR – In response to the inquiries that have reached me as to the nature of the gift that is to be sent to our sailors and soldiers by the Princess Mary and the subscribers to her Fund, I have the pleasure of announcing that the gift will consist of a brass embossed tobacco box, a pipe, a tinder lighter, and cigarettes, and a special form of present for the Indian troops.
To make it possible for every sailor afloat and every soldier at the front to receive this token of admiration and affection at Christmas time, I venture to appeal to the public for further subscriptions.
All subscriptions should be sent to her Royal Highness Princess Mary, Buckingham Palace.
I am, Sir, your obedient servant,
Devonshire, Chairman of Committee
Ritz Hotel, Piccadilly, W.
11 November 1914
THE REAL SHIRKER
SIR – ‘One of the Cowards’ has chosen a very incorrect nom de plume. He is not of the too numerous class of shirkers, of whom we are all getting ashamed. He must be consoled by the fact that his real grit is acknowledged. I fear, however, that the country cannot put the screw on employers, and that he will have to be contented with service at home, such as can be done whilst he is remaining in his employment. Such service is of great national value.
We have in England and Wales 5,685,175 males between the ages of nineteen and thirty-eight. Many of them are doing indispensable work in factories, foundries, mines, &c. But what of the others, thousands of whom may have been seen in the City of London alone, and more than half of them unmarried?
The real shirker is the man of military age who has no one dependent on his earnings and who fails in the present emergency to recognise his very obvious duty to his country. If these shirkers have to be forced into the Army by compulsory measures they can never be on any equality with the true men who volunteer. The humiliation of their position will last all their lives, and the realisation of it will become more acute as they get older. War with all its misery has some compensations, not the least of which is that we get near the true perspective of things.
Yours, &c.,
An Old Soldier
1 December 1914
MR KEIR HARDIE
SIR – You gave prominence in your issue on Saturday to a paragraph stating that Mr Keir Hardie declares, ‘I have never said or written anything to dissuade our young men from enlisting. I know too well all there is at stake.’ I am glad to find that he has at last felt compelled to offer some explanation to his constituents and to organisations that he influences.
He neglected the many opportunities he had to explain before the House of Commons, the fairest jury in the world, why he wrote the wicked paragraphs I read to the House.
If he is sincere in the declaration reproduced in your paper, I invite him to withdraw the disloyal advice he gave to the Labour organisations. I take it from his present declaration, which I welcome, that he authorises me here and now through this letter to convey in his behalf the information to the same organisations that he misled them, and that he wishes them to use their influence to get men to fill in the form, stating that they are ‘willing’ to serve when wanted, because he realises ‘too well all there is at stake’. I am sincerely desirous of stopping the bad effect of his writings, and of getting his influence with that of the loyal Labour leaders on the side of his own nation.
Will he also use his influence to discourage and condemn the silent underground, but steady and deadly intimidation of loyal leaders of workmen in many localities, which is preventing them from taking the open and enthusiastic part in recruiting meetings and effects which they are personally anxious to do?
I am, yours, &c.,
Edgar R. Jones
House of Commons
A JEWISH BATTALION
SIR – Will you allow me to bring to the notice of your Jewish readers the proposal for the formation of a Jewish Battalion?
From personal inquiries made and information given to me there is good reason to believe that the formation of a Jewish unit for active service would meet the wishes of a considerable number of Jews who are not willing, at all events not eager, to enlist under other conditions. Such a corps might also be able to enrol Jews who are still subjects of Britain’s Allies.
The formation of this unit must in no wise be regarded a movement against the enlistment of Jews in other regiments. But the War Office has already recognised that many persons prefer to serve with ‘their pals’; to those Jews who feel this rather keenly the Jewish unit will be an additional recruiting measure.
Everything that will give this country more men without extra trouble must surely be welcome to most Jews in this country who, like myself, have just now one chief aim – to give all possible help to England. At such a moment we Jews can at least follow the lead of the politicians – sink all our differences and unite in this common purpose.
If, as I have every reason t
o expect, there is sufficient response, a private meeting will be called on an evening at an early date, so that immediate steps may be taken towards active recruiting by means of public meetings in the Jewish centres of population, and by such other means as may be desirable.
Let me repeat, this is not a movement of opposition towards other Jewish ideals or other Jews; it is a practical step to get soldiers who would not be obtainable by other means, and good soldiers too, as I know.
Will those interested communicate with me immediately?
Yours, &c.,
M.D. Eden
7 Welbeck Street, W.
THE FOOTBALLERS’ CHANCE
SIR – Without entering into the controversy as to whether football should cease or not, may I point out that there is an honourable alternative for the man who ought to serve his country and yet must play and talk football – namely, to join the 2nd Sportsman’s Battalion Royal Fusiliers, the battalion which is now recruiting at this hotel.
The corps already contains well-known footballers, and friends joining at the same time, who have interests in common, can be kept together, live in the same hut, and so on. They need not altogether sacrifice their love of sport while training for the great international now being played in northern France.