04 - They are starving us
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- SpeakerSouthport, England, September 28th, 1915 (Letter #4) “They are starving us”
- SpeakerMy Dear Brother; Your most welcome letters received.
- SpeakerGot all your letters in a bunch. Got six in one day. Was more than pleased to hear from you all.
- SpeakerI was on light duty for a week. I got sand in my left eye and got cold in it.
- SpeakerIt was awful sore for a few days but it is all better now.
- SpeakerWell I am going to the doctor tomorrow for the next draft. I was there this afternoon, but they did not get to me, but I don’t think we will go for a couple of months yet.
- SpeakerThere is still one draft of us fellows under orders to go any minute, now about 3800 of them.
- SpeakerYou know we are all going out in drafts from here. They are not sending any battalions from here. You see, Jack, we are the third seventh,
- Speakerso they are taking us in drafts to fill up the lines for the first and second seventh that is killed and wounded.
- SpeakerI wish you could see me. I am dark and not very fat. Damn them,
- Speakerthey are starving us on army rations.
- SpeakerNow I will tell you what we are getting for breakfast.
- SpeakerWe get one egg, boiled,
- Speakerand the eggs came over in the Ark.
- SpeakerWe call them German bombs, as they explode when you crack the shell,
- Speakerand one [piece of] dry bread with a pint of tea or dishwater, as it tastes more like dishwater than tea.
- SpeakerFor dinner we get some boiled meat, about a half pound,
- Speakerone potato, one round dry bread and a pint of tea.
- SpeakerFor tea, we get one tomato or one boiled egg and two rounds of dry bread;
- SpeakerI have not seen butter since I came here
- Speakerand the usual pint of dishwater, so you see we live quite high. I think if I got a good square meal, I would drop dead.
- SpeakerWell I don’t know what to do with [all] my money.
- SpeakerWe get one shilling a day and that is 24 cents.
- SpeakerWe are supposed to get paid every week, but we have not got a damn cent for a month.
- SpeakerNow, there are fights if they pay us a draft, that is going to the front.
- SpeakerWe’ll all get drunk and skip, so [they] won’t give them their money until they are on the trains to go.
- SpeakerWe won’t get ours until they go. I do wish I was with the Canadians. They get six shillings a day.
- SpeakerThey don’t know what it is to live over here.
- SpeakerThey like fish and chips. A good square meal would kill them.
- SpeakerWell, Jack, I got just one bundle of papers and that was the one about the Iberian.
- SpeakerI don’t know where they are going to, wish I had that watch.
- SpeakerDon’t know how you can send it. I would not do to send it in papers as you see I am not getting the papers, but [at least] I am getting all the letters now.
- SpeakerWell, Jack, I will write you every week, so I hope you and B will do the same.
- SpeakerI will write to Flo next Sunday. I am sending you a picture in this letter.
- SpeakerI had them taken Sunday after church parade. We just parade with a belt as you see in the picture.
- SpeakerWe have to carry a walking cane. Let me know if Eugene got the badge I sent him. Will try to send Mary a brooch as soon as I can get the price to buy one.
- SpeakerWell, give my love to all. Give Mary and Ted a kiss for me,
- Speakernot forgetting yourself and B.
- SpeakerWith love and best regards, From your brother, Lee