St Edward's WWI Letter Transcriptions

St Edwards School - Letters from the First World War

The St Edwards School Archives holds a collection of letters written to John Millington Sing, Warden from 1904 – 1913, and his sister Edith Sing, known as Miss Sing. Throughout the War they kept correspondence with staff and O.S.E on the front lines, in POW camps, on ships, in overseas postings, in hospitals and within the UK. The letters are an insight into the brutality of WW1, but also show the deep connection the men had to St Edwards School, their teachers, and friends. The transcribed letters are a small selection of the full collection. They have been transcribed with editorial notes in square brackets and corrections to grammar where possible.

01: B. F. Bailey – 1st Royal Bucks, B.E.F. 27 Dec 1916

Dear Mr Sing, Thank you so much for your kind letter, I should have written earlier but your letter arrived on the eve of the Beaumont – Hamel show and when it was over they gave me 10 days special leave to go and see my son and heir – it was rather strange, he was born the very hour and day that our battalion left the parapet to attack (Nov 14th), so I am having him christened “John David Beaumont Bailey”, he is a fine little fellow, and weighed over 8lbs when he was born and is gaining weight rapidly; ¾lb a week. But the object of this letter is not only to thank you for yours, but to ask if you will be a Godfather to my little son John; it’s like my impudence to ask you, I know, but still I am a father now, and I can only say that I could wish him no better friend or adviser, it will be a great comfort to me if I hear from you that you are able to give your consent and will help me to lick him into shape! Margot is staying with Mrs Davis Barrickwood, Orpington, Kent. If your answer is ‘yes’, would you let her know, and if you are in town and able to get down for the christening Jan:11th, Margot would be delighted. If you let her know that you are coming for lunch all will be ready, and she would send a conveyance to meet your train. The padre of my regiment will be home on leave and is going to officiate for us. E.P. St John and I am asking my brother Cuthbert to be as Godfather too. We are all anxious that 1917 should see an allied peace, but we must see it properly through so that little John and his generation don’t have a repetition of this struggle. With best wishes, Ever yours Bernard Bailey

01: B. F. Bailey – 1st Royal Bucks, B.E.F. 27 Dec 1916

Dear Mr Sing, Thank you so much for your kind letter, I should have written earlier but your letter arrived on the eve of the Beaumont – Hamel show and when it was over they gave me 10 days special leave to go and see my son and heir – it was rather strange, he was born the very hour and day that our battalion left the parapet to attack (Nov 14th), so I am having him christened “John David Beaumont Bailey”, he is a fine little fellow, and weighed over 8lbs when he was born and is gaining weight rapidly; ¾lb a week. But the object of this letter is not only to thank you for yours, but to ask if you will be a Godfather to my little son John; it’s like my impudence to ask you, I know, but still I am a father now, and I can only say that I could wish him no better friend or adviser, it will be a great comfort to me if I hear from you that you are able to give your consent and will help me to lick him into shape! Margot is staying with Mrs Davis Barrickwood, Orpington, Kent. If your answer is ‘yes’, would you let her know, and if you are in town and able to get down for the christening Jan:11th, Margot would be delighted. If you let her know that you are coming for lunch all will be ready, and she would send a conveyance to meet your train. The padre of my regiment will be home on leave and is going to officiate for us. E.P. St John and I am asking my brother Cuthbert to be as Godfather too. We are all anxious that 1917 should see an allied peace, but we must see it properly through so that little John and his generation don’t have a repetition of this struggle. With best wishes, Ever yours Bernard Bailey

02: C. L. Bird – H.M.S. Worcester, Greenhithe 1914

Dear Sir, It is, I am afraid, some time since you have heard from me. And since you last heard many things have happened. At the time the war broke out I was on board S.S. Chulmleigh in the Mediterranean, and we had the pleasure of an interview with the Goeben. Of course, you are not supposed to know this! She fired 4 shots at us, two passing overhead, and one bursting under the stern was had [which hit] the poop, and the fourth burst on the poop; carried away the hand sterring [steering] gear of the boby hatch, the rails and a samson post. A piece of mettle [metal] flying from the explosion caught one apprentice and so his head joined the happy party going overboard. I was really too frightened to take a photo of her but I [it] did not occur to me until too late. However, I took a photo of the French flag ship which rescued us. Well, it seems funny, but having had a narrow escape there, when I got to port I was feeling fit, so of course I had to have a rough with an Arab boat man; he tried to hit me on the head with an oar. Well, since I have been on the Worcester, I have learnt boxing so I dogded [dodged] the oar and let him have one on tow. He immediately he had [sic] recovered from being winded got out a knife and had a jog at me. I had had enough then, so I jumped out of the boat into the canal, but his knife just caught my shoulder as I went. However, I was picked by Dowrie’s motor boat (Dowrie is the Port Said engineer) none the

worse. I hope to get in the RNR in July. From yours truly, Christopher L. Bird.

02: C. L. Bird – H.M.S. Worcester, Greenhithe 1914

Dear Sir, It is, I am afraid, some time since you have heard from me. And since you last heard many things have happened. At the time the war broke out I was on board S.S. Chulmleigh in the Mediterranean, and we had the pleasure of an interview with the Goeben. Of course, you are not supposed to know this! She fired 4 shots at us, two passing overhead, and one bursting under the stern was had [which hit] the poop, and the fourth burst on the poop; carried away the hand sterring [steering] gear of the boby hatch, the rails and a samson post. A piece of mettle [metal] flying from the explosion caught one apprentice and so his head joined the happy party going overboard.

I was really too frightened to take a photo of her but I [it] did not occur to me until too late. However, I took a photo of the French flag ship which rescued us. Well, it seems funny, but having had a narrow escape there, when I got to port I was feeling fit, so of course I had to have a rough with an Arab boat man; he tried to hit me on the head with an oar. Well, since I have been on the Worcester, I have learnt boxing so I dogded [dodged] the oar and let him have one on tow. He immediately he had [sic] recovered from being winded got out a knife and had a jog at me. I had had enough then, so I jumped out of the boat into the canal, but his knife just caught my shoulder as I went. However, I was picked by Dowrie’s motor boat (Dowrie is the Port Said engineer) none the worse. I hope to get in the RNR in July. From yours truly, Christopher L. Bird.

03: C. L. Bleaden – Fourth Army School of Instruction 5 May 1916

My dear Warden, Thank you for your letter of Feb 29th – rather a long time ago. I have just been appointed Lieut and AOG, and have been sent here on a course which is delightful and comes as a great treat, a relief from most of the responsibilities and a great rest; moreover I am my lucky, Noel Hudson [OSE] is on the same course which is splendid, and we often ramble about in the odd half hours: I do not think there is much chance of my getting my second leave, though it is overdue now, things apparently are not conducive to leave just at present. I met Fairweather [O.S.E] about a week before he was killed, his regiment relieved ours, I did not recognise him, or rather could not put a name to him, he was very small when I left school. Reckitt is still going strong or was when I left him about a fortnight ago. Yes, it is quite true my brother is now a Roman Catholic, I am rather glad as he had given up most things after my father’s death. It is just time for mess, a civilised meal in a large French Chateau, almost more civilised than when we were [first] trained at home. Please remember to Miss Sing. Yours affectionately, Cyril, L. Bleaden My brother is at present with the R.N.S. at Blandford, Dorset, he transferred from R.N.V.R. in hopes of getting to Serbia, but just too late

03: C. L. Bleaden – Fourth Army School of Instruction 5 May 1916

My dear Warden, Thank you for your letter of Feb 29th – rather a long time ago. I have just been appointed Lieut and AOG, and have been sent here on a course which is delightful and comes as a great treat, a relief from most of the responsibilities and a great rest; moreover I am my lucky, Noel Hudson [OSE] is on the same course which is splendid, and we often ramble about in the odd half hours: I do not think there is much chance of my getting my second leave, though it is overdue now, things apparently are not conducive to leave just at present. I met Fairweather [O.S.E] about a week before he was killed, his regiment relieved ours, I did not recognise him, or rather could not put a name to him, he was very small when I left school. Reckitt is still going strong or was when I left him about a fortnight ago. Yes, it is quite true my brother is now a Roman Catholic, I am rather glad as he had given up most things after my father’s death. It is just time for mess, a civilised meal in a large French Chateau, almost more civilised than when we were [first] trained at home. Please remember to Miss Sing. Yours affectionately, Cyril, L. Bleaden My brother is at present with the R.N.S. at Blandford, Dorset, he transferred from R.N.V.R. in hopes of getting to Serbia, but just too late

Cyril Bleadon O.S.E. House DOB - DOD

Cyril fought in ... regiment at the age of ... He is pictured here in his house photo back row, second from left.

03: C. L. Bleaden – Fourth Army School of Instruction 5 May 1916

My dear Warden, Thank you for your letter of Feb 29th – rather a long time ago. I have just been appointed Lieut and AOG, and have been sent here on a course which is delightful and comes as a great treat, a relief from most of the responsibilities and a great rest; moreover I am my lucky, Noel Hudson [OSE] is on the same course which is splendid, and we often ramble about in the odd half hours: I

do not think there is much chance of my getting my second leave, though it is overdue now, things apparently are not conducive to leave just at present. I met Fairweather [O.S.E] about a week before he was killed, his regiment relieved ours, I did not recognise him, or rather could not put a name to him, he was very small when I left school. Reckitt is still going strong or was when I

left him about a fortnight ago. Yes, it is quite true my brother is now a Roman Catholic, I am rather glad as he had given up most things after my father’s death. It is just time for mess, a civilised meal in a large French Chateau, almost more civilised than when we were [first] trained at home. Please remember to Miss Sing.

Yours affectionately Cyril, L. Bleaden

My brother is at present with the R.N.S. at Blandford, Dorset, he transferred from R.N.V.R. in hopes of getting to Serbia, but just too late,

04: J. C. Bush – H.Q. 53rd Welsh R.F.A., Egypt 20 April c.1915-1916

My dear Warden, I have been meaning to write to you for some time but have been pretty busy since I came out that I have really hardly had time for anything. I have been out now over 6 weeks and am getting on very well, my General (General Short) is awfully nice and a very good soldier, and a perfect glutton for work, which suits me because when I am working, I like to be thoroughly busy. Practically all my work is done riding, I have 2 very decent horses and am in the saddle all day long and am wonderfully fit as well. We are under canvas in the Dihyah desert about 7 miles from the cultivation but quite near a station and only 1 ½ hours run from Cairo, I have been in once or twice, on business chiefly, but have managed to see the pyramids, museum,

James Cromwell Bush O.S.E. date left school? House DOB - DOD

and a mosque or two. I came away from the pyramids feeling very young and insignificant – they are simply stupendous, and one can’t grasp their age, but of course you have seen them. This is really quite a nice spot and we have an unlimited supply of excellent water, which is the thing after all. I have been about 7 or 8 miles out into the desert on various jobs, and I must say it grows on one, and now has a most tremendous fascination for me; the unlimited space, silence, and deadness of it is so extraordinary and the sunsets simply defy description. The weather too is simply perfect, hot by day and quite cold by night; however, we had last week an idea of what it can do, in a 2 days sandstorm and of all meteorological phenomena, it is quite the most appalling. You could comfortably lose a war 100 yards away and it gets into everything and is very painful. It has one saving grace in that it is clean and one’s clothes and bedding only want shaking.

I can’t help thinking that the plague of darkness was nothing more or less than a terrific sandstorm. We are very peaceful here, our nominal foe is the Senussi, and he lurks anything up to 200 miles out, and I think is about finished. I believe we are here really more to impress the native, who is rather inclined to get above himself. Everyone seems to think the War won’t last much longer, the Hun has taken a horrid knock at Verdun, all our outlying campaigns are being gradually cleared up, and the big offensive East and West simultaneously ought to move him; and I am quite convinced the Turk has had enough of it. I have not come across any O.S.E. yet out here but I believe Stalto Douglas is somewhere in Cairo, I must try and find him. Raywell [O.S.E.] has transferred himself to the Flying Corps and I believe at Reading learning the art, he was awfully fit Mother said in her

James Cromwell Bush fought in ... regiment at the age of ... He is pictured here in his house photo back row, second from left.

last letter and has now been home on leave. I saw Mr Lebat in Salisbury before I came out, he was looking awfully fit and not a day over what he used to do. They have just made me a Captain antedated to august 11 so now I have got about as far as I shall get. I have put in for a permanent commission and think it will be alright, I hope so as I really believe I have at last found my métier. I don’t think I have anything more of interest to tell you and should like to hear from you to see ones name on an envelope thousands of miles from home means a good deal. Kindest regards to Miss Sing and yourself. Yours very sincerely, J. Cromwell Bush

James Cromwell Bush lived in .... house in ...date... something something something something something something something soemthing

04: J. C. Bush – H.Q. 53rd Welsh R.F.A., Egypt 20 April c.1915-1916

My dear Warden, I have been meaning to write to you for some time but have been pretty busy since I came out that I have really hardly had time for anything. I have been out now over 6 weeks and am getting on very well, my General (General Short) is awfully nice and a very good soldier, and a perfect glutton for work, which suits me because when I am working, I like to be thoroughly busy. Practically all my work is done riding, I have 2 very decent horses and am in the saddle all day long and am wonderfully fit as well. We are under canvas in the Dihyah desert about 7 miles from the cultivation but quite near a station and only 1 ½ hours run from Cairo, I have been in once or twice, on business chiefly, but have managed to see the pyramids, museum,

and a mosque or two. I came away from the pyramids feeling very young and insignificant – they are simply stupendous, and one can’t grasp their age, but of course you have seen them. This is really quite a nice spot and we have an unlimited supply of excellent water, which is the thing after all. I have been about 7 or 8 miles out into the desert on various jobs, and I must say it grows on one, and now has a most tremendous fascination for me; the unlimited space, silence, and deadness of it is so extraordinary and the sunsets simply defy description. The weather too is simply perfect, hot by day and quite cold by night; however, we had last week an idea of what it can do, in a 2 days sandstorm and of all meteorological phenomena, it is quite the most appalling. You could comfortably lose a war 100 yards away and it gets into everything and is very painful. It has one saving grace in that it is clean and one’s clothes and bedding only want shaking.

I can’t help thinking that the plague of darkness was nothing more or less than a terrific sandstorm. We are very peaceful here, our nominal foe is the Senussi, and he lurks anything up to 200 miles out, and I think is about finished. I believe we are here really more to impress the native, who is rather inclined to get above himself. Everyone seems to think the War won’t last much longer, the Hun has taken a horrid knock at Verdun, all our outlying campaigns are being gradually cleared up, and the big offensive East and West simultaneously ought to move him; and I am quite convinced the Turk has had enough of it. I have not come across any O.S.E. yet out here but I believe Stalto Douglas is somewhere in Cairo, I must try and find him. Raywell [O.S.E.] has transferred himself to the Flying Corps and I believe at Reading learning the art, he was awfully fit Mother said in her

last letter and has now been home on leave. I saw Mr Lebat in Salisbury before I came out, he was looking awfully fit and not a day over what he used to do. They have just made me a Captain antedated to august 11 so now I have got about as far as I shall get. I have put in for a permanent commission and think it will be alright, I hope so as I really believe I have at last found my métier. I don’t think I have anything more of interest to tell you and should like to hear from you to see ones name on an envelope thousands of miles from home means a good deal. Kindest regards to Miss Sing and yourself. Yours very sincerely, J. Cromwell Bush

James Cromwell Bush O.S.E. date left school? House DOB - DOD

04: J. C. Bush – H.Q. 53rd Welsh R.F.A., Egypt 20 April c.1915-1916

My dear Warden, I have been meaning to write to you for some time but have been pretty busy since I came out that I have really hardly had time for anything. I have been out now over 6 weeks and am getting on very well, my General (General Short) is awfully nice and a very good soldier, and a perfect glutton for work, which suits me because when I am working, I like to be thoroughly busy. Practically all my work is done riding, I have 2 very decent horses and am in the saddle all day long and am wonderfully fit as well. We are under canvas in the Dihyah desert about 7 miles from the cultivation but quite near a station and only 1 ½ hours run from Cairo, I have been in once or twice, on business chiefly, but have

managed to see the pyramids, museum,

and a mosque or two. I came away from the

pyramids feeling very young and insignificant – they are simply stupendous, and one can’t grasp their age, but of course you have seen them. This is really quite a nice spot and we have an unlimited supply of excellent water, which is the thing after all. I have been about 7 or 8 miles out into the desert on various jobs, and I must say it grows on one, and now has a most tremendous fascination for me; the unlimited space, silence, and deadness of it is so extraordinary and the sunsets simply defy description. The weather too is simply perfect, hot by day and quite cold by night; however, we had last week an idea of what it can do, in a 2 days sandstorm and of all meteorological phenomena, it is quite the most appalling. You could comfortably lose a war 100 yards away and it gets into everything and is very painful. It has one saving grace in that it is clean and one’s clothes and bedding only want shaking.

I can’t help thinking that the plague of darkness was nothing more or less than a terrific sandstorm. We are very peaceful here,

our nominal foe is the Senussi, and he lurks

anything up to 200 miles out, and I think is about finished. I believe we are here really more to impress the native, who is rather inclined to get above himself. Everyone seems to think the War won’t last much longer, the Hun has taken a horrid knock at Verdun, all our outlying campaigns are being gradually cleared up, and the big offensive East and West simultaneously ought to move him; and I am quite convinced the Turk has had enough of it. I have not come across any O.S.E. yet out here but I believe Stalto Douglas is somewhere in Cairo, I must try and find him. Raywell [O.S.E.] has transferred himself to the Flying Corps and I believe at Reading learning the art, he was awfully fit Mother said in her

last letter and has now been home on leave. I saw Mr Lebat in Salisbury before I came out, he was looking awfully fit and not a day over what he used to do. They have just made me a Captain antedated to august 11 so now I have got about as far as I shall get. I have put in for a permanent commission and think it will be alright, I hope so as I really believe I have at last found my métier. I don’t think I have anything more of interest to tell you and should like to hear from you to see ones name on an envelope thousands of miles from home means a good deal. Kindest regards to Miss Sing and yourself. Yours very sincerely, J. Cromwell Bush