The Earl Campbell Story - Life In The Army

Feb 28, 1918 postcard sent to Merelda, front is picture of Naunton Park Red Cross Hospital, Cheltenham, Eng

Front of postcard sent February 28, 1918

"Dear Merelda I think this is your birthday, is'nt it. Must drop you a line. This is the main ward in the Hospital I am in. This one ward will hold 60 Patients. You will see 2 Ward which I am in. I am not in the photo. I am out of bed now. I got up yesterday. I went under my operation on my eyes Monday. I had them scarped. They are very sore just now. It will be a long time before I go back to France. I am going out town to-day. I will try and get you a few sheets of music. We had a gang of actors here giving a concert the other night. It was a grand concert. I guess I'll have to ring off for this time. I have no letters from France yet. I guess they are not allowed to send them on. They will have to wait until I go back if I ever do. Love to all. Brother Earl."

Mar 9, 1918, Cheltenham, Eng.

Dear Merelda & All, I received your 17 page letter of Jan 15th a few days ago. I should had written you before. You say that I can write awful good letters. Maybe I can. But I can't beat you writing letters. I am allways glad to get your fat ones. I had a box from Ruth the other day same day as I rec the one Mother sent with the black sweater and streaked socks in. Ruth's had a jar of chicken preserved in butter. It was jolly fine. The Nurse had some of it. She said she would have to go Canada if the butter was so good as it was.

The Nurses and Sisters are awful nice here. It is a V.A.D. Hospital and is far ahead of the Military Hospitals. I have'nt seen a Military Doctor since I left France. And I hope I'll never see one again.

Harold Boys will enjoy hisself now. He sure is a lucky lad. Maybe I'll be sent home to a convalescent home for 4 or 5 months. I will know in another week whether I go or not. I am playing the game as much as I can. You can be sure of tht, ha-ha. I am getting along jake. My legs are very weak yet. It may be a long time before I am fit for marching. My eyes are much better now. But have to wear glasses when I go out. The sun is hard on them without ‘em. I am glad the box with the kilt arrived home safe. I was afraid it would be censored and those live cartridges be found. The German ones are those with the rim around the bottom. Harold can tell you which is which.

The mail Nurse just brought me in a registered letter. I opened it. And surprise to see it is £1. It has been on the way a long time has'nt it. Tell Mother I said I will keep it until I get my 10 days sick leave. I had to change the American gold piece I got 10 s. for it at the Bank of England here. I passed the other gold piece for 10 s to. It was a gold dollar only 4.s. So you see I still can stick it over people yet, ha-ha. I did not know where Frank Platte had gone to. Glad you sent me his address. I will drop him a line or two. Had a letter from Bob Carney. He is at Witley Camp now. So Harold couldn't skate with my tubes. I wonder if I can wind them up when I get home. I have forgotten how to skate now. I sent you two sheets of music a few days ago. One is a dandy waltz or what ever you call it. I heard it played at a show in Etaples in France. How is Dad and Henry getting along with the checkers. I guess that is all they do now. I wrote to Merle a few days ago tell her not to forget to write soon. I had a letter from Mrs. Edwards yesterday. Another married woman eh. I hear that my dear Bessie is married. What a shame, they all are going. So you think Jean Burns wants one of us. Harold has the best chance to get her. But maybe he will miss her, ha-ha. I know she is a nice girl no need of you telling me so. And she would be a kind and true sister to you, ha-ha. Tell her I said the war will be over soon.

So Dickie Badger has left the good world. He will open his eyes when he get where there is no world atall. I feel sorry for him. Well Merelda what a big letter this time, better save some news for next time. I will send a photo of little me soon, I thank Mother for the pound note she sent, money is a good friend to me, ha-ha.

Love to all, Bro. Earl

Mar 17, 1918, Cheltenham,

My Dear Mother, Well Mother, how do you like this paper. A Austrilian lad gave me a few sheets of it. So that I would write a sheet of it home to you. Tell Merelda I received the 30 page letter this morning. And I was awful glad to get it too. So much news in it. One of the Nurses said to me. I got some awful fat letters from Canada. I told her that get well feed over there. Merelda's letter had gone to France. Lieut Jenkins sees that my mail is sent ot me. He is very good that way. He is one of the best of Officers. The whole Coy has a good word for him. I would like to see his Brother. But if he is at Bagdad I don't think I will ever see him. I think I told you in last letter home I received the Gold money and the English pound note. I am keeping it until I got on leave. I get a 10 days leave when I leave Hospital. Called a sick-leave. I don't know if I will be sent to Canada yet. I have to have a Medical Board when I come off my leave. It will be a long time before I go back to France tho. I could not carry a pack a mile the way I am now. My legs are very weak, also my back. They may keep me in Convalescent over here somewhere. But I will look forward in sending me to Canada. I will soon get better if they send home allright. P. 2 Say Mother. What do you think of me. I have forgotten my age. I don't know if I am 23 or 24. I am send you a photo of the Ward I am in it took 1st prize Xmas for Best Decoration and cleaness. Merelda asked if Paddy was with our Batt. He is with the 1st C.R.T most of the Aurora Sports are with it too. The Newmarket lads are in D.Coy in our Battalion. But there are not many of the poor chaps left. The old 127 Battalion has lost heavy in France. There are Drafts going across to join us every 3 months. I wish I could have seen Dad, Henry & Arch and Buster after the fox. I bet it would be a show. Dad with a stick of wood, Henry with the shot gun. And Arch with the automatic. I guess Buster legs would be to short to keep up to the fox and them. I had to leave my rifle behind when I left France. So if I get home I'll not be able to bring it along to show them how to shoot foxes, ha-ah. Well Mother. I will come to a close now. This will be a fat letter I am afraid. Take good care of yourself. And Good Health to all, Your Loving Son, Earl p.s. I cannot get the photo of the Ward in this letter will send it in next."

Apr 1, 1918, C.C.H. Monk's Horton, Kent, Eng.

Dear Merelda, I received your dandy fat letter of Feb 25th last-night. I am sorry you are laid up with the grippe. How did you come to get it? … p.2 Now don't any of you believe this until you hear for sure that it is the truth. Yesterday I was talking to a guy out of the 4th Can. Rly. Tps. He said he had a letter from one of his chums in France saying that Fritz captured nearly all of B. Coy of my Battalion at Cambri on the 24th of March. I hope it is not true. I don't know what I would do if all my chums were taken prisoners. I wrote to Leslie Sturdy last night to find out for sure. There is a awful battle going on in France now. Fritz has taken land we been on for months. The City of Albert is in his hands again. It is a beautiful town too. I see the Canadians drove him back some yesterday. They are the bosy allright. Our lads will fool Fritz I bet being it is April fools day. He was badly fooled last April fools-day. I remember it quite well. Had a letter from Annie Sturdy yesterday also one from Harold. He told me all about his wife. He says I am to hurry home so I can help him to farm. I told him I was hurrying as much as I could possible do. My but it take a long time for them to give me a examination. I got the slip you sent about H. Boys reception. I ‘ll not have anything like it when I get home. I am too shy of guy for to make a fuss of. You just leave that question to me.

Apr 21, 1918, Monk's Horton, Kent

Dear Pauline,

I must write and let you know I received the beautiful box of chocolates. They are just swell ones. One can't get good chocolates over here unless he pay an awful high price for ‘em. Thanks Pauline for them. You must not be buying me stuff like that. Put your money in the Bank. Tell Mother I said she could keep 10 or 15 dollars out of my Military wages, and let you girls have it to buy me stuff.

I have not heard anything of being sent home yet. I had a Board on the 19th. Don't know what I was marked tho. One of the Doctors examined the wound I got in my head very close. I told him it bothered me quite often. But it does'nt much, ha-ha. Cute ain't I. I have to have one more it will be the final one. There is a chance of me getting home yet. Every damp day the trench fever bother me some. I don't think the climate of England will ever cure me of it.

I heard from one of my chums in France. Sap. Wellman he said that B.Coy, C.Coy and D.Coy were badly cut up in this offensive. A number of my chums have been killed and wounded. The only King lad hurt was Harry Bovair. He was badly wounded. B.Coy's Trumpter was killed and some more he mentioned. I feel sorry for poor Harry Bovair. I hope the wound is not bad. B.Coy had 14 days and nights of hard fighting. I can imagine what it has been like. Wellman said he had hardly a stitch of clothes on at the last. I believe Wellman is the luckiest lad in the whole Battalion. You have his photo at home. He looks like a simp. But don't you ever think he is. I have seen that poor chap thrown about 65 feet with shell. And never hurt. Jenson the Dane was wounded. He is the big fellow in the photo. A very nice lad he is. And Frank Wilson the small chap he was hit with machine gun bullet in the arm. Fisher the Irishman he came thro it o.k. being he was Irish, I guess.

Lorne is back to the Coy. He was Corporal of the Transport. He gave his job up like a fool and went back to B. Coy. He is trying to get into the R.F.C. If I have to go back to France again. I believe I will transfer into the R. Flying Corps. You asked Dad & Mother what do they think about it. But I do hope I do not have to go back again. As Harold say, it is not a good Country for ones health over there, ha-ah.

I had a letter from Annie Sturdy a few days ago. Say but she is a awful tease. But I allways give her the worse of it. I believe you just be giving her news about me. I hear F. Gamble back with is dearly beloved.

p.5.. I have found a P.P.C.L.I. lad that knew Aubrey Marshall real well. He was in his Coy. The 14 of Sept at Moque Farm he lost track of Aubrey. This fellows home is in Sutton. He thot a lot of Aubrey. And was surprise when I told him that he was killed the night the P.Pats when over the top at M.F. He thot that Aubrey had got to Canada. This chap will be sailing for Canada soon. All the first Contingent are getting 3 months leave to Canada. Those that are left are very few."

Apr 24, 1918, Monk's Horton, Kent, England

Dear Merelda,

Just a line or so to let you know I am leaving convalescent to-morrow. I am going on my 10 day sick leave. You had not better write until you find out where my next Station will be. I guess it will be perfect that is a Can Rly Tp depot. I will have another Board while there. Sorry to say I was marked D1 yesterday. That means Active Service again. I will try my best for Canada after my leave is over. I have just one more chance. Have you sent my name into the Gov yet? I think it would help a great deal.

Men are needed so bad in France just now, it sure has to be a dead case before one get back home.

I guess I will go to London this time. Lots I have'nt seen there yet. I will write in London soon. There is a picture show to-night in the Y.M.C.A so I am hurrying up so I can get a seat. I have my khaki on today for the first in 4 months. I just hate the looks of it. I hope all are in the very best of health. I am not so bad. But when the M.O. ask me how I am I say I guess you would know what I would tell him, ha-ha. I wrote Pauline a few days ago, telling her I rec. the box of chocolates.

Love to all, Loving Bro Earl.

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