BMS/CWK/95/21b/25

Letter from James William Kaye to his parents. Sent from Headquarters Royal Artillery Mons Cadre B. It seems that this letter may have followed a period of leave.

29 Apr 1919

From: 1919 To: 1919

Describes journey; first to Camforth, then Crewe, then Preston [?]. A Highland Officer on the train shared a bag of oranges. Arrived in London and crossed to Victoria station. Discovered there was a troop train from Euston to Folkestone so caught that after a shave and free buffet at the hotel. Arrived at Shorncliffe about 9.30 and marched (6 officers and about 1200 or 1500 men) into No 3 rest camp at Folkestone. Kit went into Folkestone by car. The rest camp is a part of the town railed off - a sort of chunk out of the middle of the place. Had breakfast at about 10.15 in a restaurant, and explored the town. . Lunch at the rest camp, then paraded and marched through Folkestone with the 1200 men to the harbour. It was raining, and the triumphant march fell rather flat. Took the boat to Boulogne which sailed about 3.15 and arrived soon after 5. Raining hard at Boulogne. No tickets for the Boulogne - Cologne express; was told to travel on the civilian train via Lille, leaving Boulogne at 5.10 am. Dined and slept at the Officer's Club. Caught the train; was told to change at Lille, and would arrive in Mons at 6.00pm. However, trouble started when the Franch official informed writer that the train did not go to Lille, but only to La Madeleine, a station just outside Lille. Advised to change at Hazebrouck for a Lille train, and arrived at Lille about midday. Could not find valise on train to Boulogne, labelled to Lille, and could not find it at Lille. Walked to La Madeleine and found valise there. Was told there was an English troop train heading for Mons at 2.00, so decided to take that. By 3.45 no train had arrived. Got a French car to take us to Lille for that train, but missed it by 3 minutes. Had to stay the night in Lille; left heavy kit at the station and got a room at a fine hotel which had been an Officer's Club, but had just re-opened as a hotel. Good bedrooms, but no meals, as the Boche stripped the restaurant part of everything. Walked back to La Madeleine with RAF captain called Mercer who had also been waiting for the Mons train, and swore at the six officials. 'They thought we had gone back to kill them.....they fled into the booking office and shut themselves in.' Returned to Lille and had dinner with Mercer. Discovered Mercer attended Marlborough College [same school as writer] The following morning explored Lille; first rate shops. On returning to the hotel, discovered that some RAF officer had loaded all the kit on a motor van proceeding to Cologne. Managed to catch the 4.15 train and had the most awful, interminable journey; spent 2 hours at a frontier station where all civilian kit had to be inspected. Changed at Tournai, and arrived at Mons about 9.30pm, feeling absolutely fed up. Had a sort of supper at a reception camp where Mercer slept. Writer found his billet still extant, though his batman not yet returned. It occurred to the writer that the RAF officers bound for Cologne would probably have stayed the night at Charleroi, where there is an Officer's Club. Mercer and the writer took the 6.10 am civilian train from Mons to Charleroi. It was a miserable journey, and arrived at 8.30am. Found the RAF officers and ransacked their vehicle to find their kit. The telephone line was down, so could not call for a car back to Mons, and had to wait for the 4.37 train. Ate at the Club and expolred the town. Arrived back at Mons at 7.00pm. Walked to Cuesmes and had dinner with the Captain, Lt. Boyd etc. No one sympathetic over the writer's previous illness. Mercer had a room in the writer's billet, and set off next day for his squadron. Writer is in a mess at Cuesmes with the battery - 2 officers and the padre. Were invited for dinner by the Gilberts. During the day travels by car, motorcycle or sometimes a horse to get to the mess for meals. Batman has now returned. When at Charleroi met up with E.P.G. Wright, a friend from school. Saw in a newspaper that Marlborough College won the Public Schools Rackets.

11 sheets

item

Kaye, James William,
Mercer,
Boyd,
Gilbert,
Wright, E.P.G.

family correspondence, Crewe, London, oranges, Folkestone, Shorncliffe Camp, Boulogne, Lille, Hazebrouck, Mons, Tournai, Charleroi