Z1360/1/8

Letter (4 sheets) from Wilfred Hammond, marked: Somewhere in France, day unknown. Dear All, I have got quite a good way from the line and am now being treated for Scabies. I got here in this manner; first I went to an Advanced Dressing Station, had dinner and then went to a Casualty Clearing Station. Here a sergeant read our label and sent us to a tent saying that he would come and see us. We never saw anything of him or anyone else until after two days but someone threw a jar of Sulphur Ointment at us one day. We next saw an officer who said that it was a “peculiar case of Scabies” and said we should go the next day for two weeks rest at Rest Camp. On the following day, the 7th July, we went further down, this time in a horse wagon and arrived at the Divisional Rest Camp where we stayed for one night. It is in a big place and we were able to get out in the evening and went to a picture show where we had the pleasure of seeing the renowned Charlie Chaplin. Next dinner-time we went to the station and again boarded a cattle wagon for the next place at which we now are. All the French cattle wagons nowadays have on them the inscription “40 Hommes, 8 Cheveaux.” We arrived in time for tea and then we gave in everything we possessed, undressed in an anteroom, tied the uniform up and labelled it for baking and then strolled into the bathroom clad in one regulation identity disc. We had a very hot bath with green soft soap and afterwards rubbed ourselves down with a teaspoonful of Birds Custard (No prunes). Next we went into another room where we received a blue bundle, which, upon investigation, proved to be a blue coat and trousers, shirt (sleeves torn out), a pair of underpants and a pair of socks (one light grey and the other red-brown). The trousers were all right but chafed one’s next so. (Quite a change on the arm-pit gag!). We also had a pair of slippers exactly like those Chinese affairs we bought in London only in leather. Aren’t they mouldy things? And thus we started our hospital life. We are “hosping” in a small French church and “kip” on stretchers with three blankets (freshly baked every morning). As we have to put our letters there you will have the pleasure of knowing that this letter has rested on an altar all night. We do the bath and rubbing act every morning and but for a few minutes fatigues we are finished for the day. Unfortunately we are not allowed out at all and have nothing much to do. Although the “grub” on the whole is decidedly “No bonne” we feel as if we are living some as we get SUPPER consisting of Bread and Beef Dripping and Cocoa. I expect to be discharged from here about Tuesday (as I find it is now Sunday) and will then go and join the boys. This advance is good, isn’t it? I suppose the boys are feeling properly keen as the general opinion is that we are winning now. No more now, Wilf

n.d. [June 1916]

From: 1916 To: 1916

item

Hammond, Wilfred,
Chaplin, Charlie

France, letters, service personnel, overseas (WW1), 18th Battalion King's Royal Rifle Corps, food, scabies, bread, custard, baths, London, cocoa