Z1360/1/7

Letter (4 sheets) from Wilfred Hammond, marked Somewhere in France, Tuesday, no. 4 I was reading a Monday’s paper to-day and was most surprised to see the news of our advance. It is funny that we should have to get our news from England about what is happening a few miles away. We had yet another medical inspection to-day and as myself and three chums had suffered a lot of irritation through a rash affair on the legs we showed the officer our legs. He put two of us down for Scabies and hospital and has done nothing about the other two yet. Hence and therefore we two put on our full packs and went for a nice little stroll up towards the line to an advanced Dressing Station where we stayed some little time. The most exciting incidents were, a piece of roast, or perhaps I ought to say Roast Beef and bread for dinner and the typing on of a label stating the trouble. It is really a beautiful label which is tied on one’s second button from the top and makes one stick out one’s chest with pride. It is all tissue, oilproofed, brown, yellow and white paper and ever since having it, people with markers on their arms like Lou’s dash up, seize me by the label, read a little and say “Oh, its Scabies” and off they go. After dinner, a full load having collected, we started off in a nice comfy “Red Cross” motor for a ride (stopping once at “Doodoo Farm”) and arrived here, where we had all particulars (such as religion, months of service, no. of sisters and brothers, liking for butter, Father keep mice? etc.) taken down again then banished to a bell tent where we are now waiting for the next round. Scabies, I might say, is a skin disease that itches very much at night and against which Keatings Powder is of no avail. It is probably caused by so much tinned stuff and rough life generally although I shall always think I caught ‘em from the filthy blankets at Folkestone. The chief reason of my sending so soon is because in some cases of this sort the authorities send home a note headed “Casualty” and if possible I want to save you from thinking that I have been trying conclusions with anything with a kick in it. Got me? Send letters to old address at present but nothing valuable in case they do not reach me. Yours Wilf

n.d. [June 1916]

From: 1916 To: 1916

item

Hammond, Wilfred,
keatings

France, letters, service personnel, overseas (WW1), King's Royal Rifle Corps, , scabies, Red Cross, beef, bread, Folkestone