Letter from Noel Downing to his sister, Mary Downing – 8 Feb 1917
[This letter is clearly written from behind the front in hospital or holding camp]
8/2/17
My Dear Mary
Thanks so much for your letter. I am glad to hear you are trying to get away from Studley, feeling must be running very high there. May tells me you are trying for a job at Worcester, it will be nice if you can live with her. I hope Daisy has recovered and can now sit down in comfort! We still continue to be frozen here, tho’ the weather is lovely & fine. I am sorry the family are getting disturbed because I want to go back to the battalion. Ma wrote and begged me to stay here for her sake, I do wish she wouldn’t write like that. If everyone thought of the wishes of their people at home, before their duties out here there wouldn’t be much done I’m afraid. You don’t know how rotten it is to stay on here and see all the others pass through, men who have perhaps been wounded two or three times and are going back again to it. Of course, if I was really bad I shouldn’t mind staying here, but as I am feeling perfectly well & my deafness is no worse now than when I first came out, I must go back to the battalion and give it another try. They are so frightfully short of officers at the moment. Of course I have got to get the doctor to pass me fit and I think he will soon, it always takes such ages for them to get a move on. Don’t tell Ma all this, I am only writing this to let you know how unfair it is for anyone at home to try & influence people out here with family affairs. I’m sure you will see my point of view.
I’ve no time for more at the moment but will write again soon.
Yrs Ever
Noel
Letter from Noel Downing Feb 1917 – page 1
Letter from Noel Downing Feb 1917 – page 2