Harry's War - Comments

Apologies and Sad News comments

2011-05-29T02:30:00.000-07:00

Michael Johnson said...You father and your family will be in my prayers, Catherine. Please extend to him my thanks for his contributions on this blog.

God bless,
May 14, 2011

C Crino said...Just a few days ago I thought that I do miss his posts. He'll be in my prayers.
May 14, 2011

Robert said...Dear Catherine,

I have followed your father's blog with great interest for over a year now. I'm a Modern German PhD student at the University of Tennessee here in the United States. Your father's work has been wonderful to read and a true historical gem. I pray for both of you as well as the entire family that he will have a speedy recovery.

God Bless,
Robert Rennie
May 14, 2011

Maryland said...My thoughts and prayers are with you Bill, and with your family. I am saddened to hear of your struggle though I am certain you are approaching this difficult time with strength and some humor. You've touched so many us with your blog which brought us not only a personal story of the war, but also a perspective we can apply to our own struggles. Please know that your audience cares and we wish you well.
May 14, 2011

Parkylondon said...The longer the gap in postings got the more I was concerned about what was going on.

Please, pass on this fellow blogger's heart felt best wishes for a full and speedy recovery.

We would like you both to know that his writing on this blog is treasured and is a superb body of work. We thank you for it.

With the very best of kindest regards

Paul
May 14, 2011

Kenneth Urban said...Catherine, thank you so much for the update. Please make sure that Bill knows he is in our thoughts. I wish you and your family strength as you go through this struggle.

Kenneth
May 14, 2011

Rick said...Best wishes. Be well.
May 15, 2011

Dynamite XI said...All my best wishes to Bill and everyone in your family during this difficult time. I do hope he has a speedy recovery, and I will keep him in my thoughts and prayers.
May 15, 2011

Deniz Bevan said...My prayers are with you and your family. Hope that the further treatments work out well.
May 15, 2011

Rebecca said...Our thoughts are with you and your family. We wish Bill all the strength to win this battle.
May 15, 2011

walkingstick said...Sad news indeed! Thank you for letting us know. Wishing Bill all the best.
May 15, 2011

smlg.ca said...Thank you for the update. Sending you positive thoughts from Canada.

Sean
May 15, 2011

Kathi said...
Your father, and all of you, will be in my thoughts and prayers.
May 15, 2011

Nanny (Shirley) said...My prayers are with Bill and his family, his blog has been a real insight to the many effects of war. Please let him know he is in our thoughts and wish him and the family all the best.
May 15, 2011

John said...your family will be in my thoughts and prayers.
May 15, 2011

Aimie said...Thank you for keeping us updated. My thoughts are with you and youe family. It is great you trying to keep the blog going in this trying time
youe number 1 fan aimie from woonsocket ri
May 16, 2011

Suzann said...Please tell Bill we all miss his posts. My heart goes out to you and your family. Bill is in my prayers. Thank you so much for letting us know what happened.

I have been following his blog since the beginning. And really looked forward to each new edition.
Peace Bill
May 16, 2011

Serge said...Thank you so much for the update Catherine. This is very sad news. Our thoughts are with Bill and all his family as he fights his way back to health.

Serge in Canada.
May 16, 2011

Anonymous said...Thank you Catherine for taking the time to let us know what is going on - I´m sure you and your family have so many other things to worry about. Sending thoughts and prayers to you all and thank you for the work you have taken up on your father´s behalf,
May 16, 2011

Anonymous said...I am a survivor of a brain tumour. Stay strong. My prayers and wishes are with you and your family.

David in Canada
May 16, 2011

Jane said...I was so sorry to read about Bill's ill health. My good wishes to him for a full recovery and to all your family.
May 17, 2011

Anonymous said...Very sad to hear this. I wish Bill all the best.
May 17, 2011

Linda Gartz said...Dear Catherine,
I am so sorry to hear about your dad's health. I first heard of his blog in a writing group two years ago-- recommended to me because I am writing about my family history. I wrote your dad -- I think last December about creating his blog. He was so kind and generous with advice, although I believe he was helping his own father at the time. Please give him my kind regards and best wishes for a good outcome to this terrible diagnosis. These last two weeks, I've been posting about WWI and have been thinking about your dad -- wanting to tell him about the posts. www.familyarchaeologist.com. He may not be up for seeing it himself but I wanted him to know how grateful I am for his advice.
May 18, 2011

Dieter Finzen said...My best whishes! Please be well soon!
May 18, 2011

Anonymous said...Sorry to hear this. Very best wishes to you all.
May 21, 2011

Janell Pfoertner said...Bill & Catherine,
I opened your website today, hoping for a new posting, since it has been idle for 5 months. To my great surprise and sorrow, I read of Bill's illness.
My thoughts and best wishes are with you during this difficult time.
Janell
May 22, 2011

Bryan's workshop blog said...How awful! All best wishes for better health from another fan.
May 23, 2011

Anonymous said...Oh, Bill and Catherine,

I have been thinking and praying about/for you as I had feared you were taking your dad's death very hard; now it is clear what has been happening. All who have learned to love your grandfather - and you - are holding best thoughts and will do anything we can for you.

Catherine, a special gratitude for sharing this with us - and Bill - during what has to be a tough time for you. Thank you for continuing the story...

With loving prayers,

Linda H-F,
near San Francisco, California, USA
May 25, 2011

Tom Maher-Kirkwood MO USA said...Please tell your Dad that his good work has been appreciated by so many people.
What more can I write?
Just - Peace to him - and to your family.
May 25, 2011

Bill Lamin Senior 1916 -2010

2011-01-03T04:45:00.000-08:00

Many thanks for the kind wishes. BL

C Crino said...My condolences to you. A sad way to end the year. You have, however, given him a tribute through this blog, even if he never knew the impact.
December 31, 2010

Sailinghome said... I'm sorry to hear that... this blog is a very nice tribute to the very interesting story of Bill and Harry... I hope you find comfort with your grief at some time in the near future...
January 01, 2011

Bill said... My condolences to you and your family, Mr. Lamin. It has been a treat reading this blog and I will continue to come back and review the entries. Thank you for posting these memories.
January 01, 2011

Kathi said...My sympathies,for the loss of your father.
January 01, 2011

Anonymous said...You have my sincerest condolences on the loss of your father. I have followed Harry since the blog started and was so apprehensive he would not come home. I hope for you that you only remember the happy times with your Dad.
January 01, 2011

Beck said...We send our most sincere condolences. But what a wonderful legacy you have created here. I am sure on some level your father realized its importance.
January 01, 2011

Jess said...My condolences on your loss. I hope having so magnificently preserved some family history is a comfort, even if your father wasn't really able to grasp the significance. He still may have appreciated how important the family history is to you, and that may have been more comfort and pride than you know.
January 02, 2011

Anonymous said...Sincere condolences; if your father didn't understnad about the book before, I'm sure he does now. May he rest in peace and may you be assured the blog has created a wonderful legacy in his memory. Thank you
January 02, 2011

Anonymous said...
I'm so sorry to hear this. From what you've written, he was fortunate enough to enjoy a pretty good life.It's humbling to realize that there are still people among us who lived through 'long-ago' historical events and eras: people to whom these things weren't ancient history but rather stories from their own lives. One ordinary man's lifespan, and yet look at the world of changes that lifespan encompassed.My sympathy to the Lamin family. -Gustav's great-granddaughter.
January 03, 2011

Anonymous said...Sincerest condolences to you and your family. How very sad for you all. What a wonderful legacy you have created.
January 03, 2011

Anonymous said... Oh, Bill, My heartfelt condolences to you and your family for the loss of your dad. No matter how much it has been anticipated, no one is ever ready. I will continue to hold you and your family in my prayers. You have left a wonderful legacy for your family - and I would like to think your Dad/Willie did - or does - understand it at some level. Certainly Harry's family and their legacy lives on and will as long as any of us are around to point people to your blog and remind them of the sacrifices that your father and grandfather made so that we might be able to read this record...Gratefully,
Linda H-F near San Francisco, CA, USA
January 03, 2011

Willie

2010-07-29T01:27:00.000-07:00

Beery said... Just found your blog. My great granddad, William Wheelhouse, must have fought alongside your granddad in France and Italy in 9 Y&L. My granddad's service number was 32606 - just 99 away from your granddad's. They must have joined 9 Y&L around the same time in 1916 - possibly they were even friends. Anyway, I just wanted to say you've done a lovely job and I'm looking forward to reading the excerpts of the battalion war diary that you've posted. I'll also be sure to buy a copy of your book, which will be a valuable resource for my own research. If you (or anyone reading these comments) want to contact me, my email address is ianbrettcooper@gmail.com Thanks again - Ian.
January 07, 2011

egad apparel said...World War 1 hasn't ended until now? It doesn't pay to start genocidal wars and lose.
October 16, 2010
Are you suggesting that it's O.K to start genocidal wars and win?BL

Rich Traub said...Bill, I check nearly every day and was so happy to see Installment 4 posted. I can almost hear/see you crying as you type your words. I remember my father in the same way so I think I can relate. Please let me know if you ever make it to Chicago...dinner is on me.
October 16, 2010
Richard thank you. You may live to regret that offer! I'll put you on the itinerary of my next trip! BL

Heather van Vonderen said...Thank you so much for sharing your story. I have looked forward to each posting. Very best to you and your family,
Heather
October 16, 2010

Anonymous said...Thank you for sharing, a man of integrity, you were very lucky to have him
October 16, 201o

Linda H-F said...Bill, it's been an honor to get to know your grandfather and your father.
You are blessed to have had both of them.... and WE are blessed to share their stories and get insights into your heart. I can only guess how hard this entry has been to write... but hope it isn't the last.Please consider continuing this blog in some way - do you have any idea of what happened with some of Harry's comrades? Perhaps your grandfather shared thoughts on world or British events after the war? Just a thought....
Gratefully, Linda H-F near San Francisco, California, USA
October 16, 2010

Rocco said..I've been silent but still guarding the blog!
I realize the end is inevitable but I think the last installment should be you: your childhood, school, Sandhurst, your job as engineer and teacher, not private facts, of course, but your life as a consequence of THOSE parents and ancestors. I launch an idea: put a date for next summer for a meeting of the blog followers at Asiago. It sounds difficult but great!
Rocco & Fulvia, Verena, Margherita and Federico (we all remember you)
October 18, 2010
Any takers? Asiago with Rocco last October was wonderful. Harry's trenches are completely untouched. I'll go again. Plenty of time. I'd go for September. Lovely weather, not too busy. BL

arturosc said...Willie was lucky indeed to not have taken the boat to the far east. Now I'll wait to your next post to present time. Cheers!
September 06, 2010

Albert Herring said...The "Approved Society" was an insurance company or friendly society that provided social benefits before the introduction of National Insurance and that after the war. The National Deposit Friendly Society still exists, sort of, as a private medical insurer.
Just guessing on the other point, but I'm wondering if the censorship of the religion information and place of birth was to protect troops who were Jewish or refugees from Germany and the occupied countries in case of capture.
September 06, 2010
Thank you for that Albert. The "approved society" bit makes sense. The censor comment is reasonable. Anyone else can confirm or improve on that suggestion? BL

Anonymous said...I wonder if there were other costs not covered by the scholarship. My two uncles couldn't attend High School in the 30s because their coal miner father couldn't afford the fares and uniform. I'm fascinated to hear more of Willie's story.
August 12, 2010

Tom Maher-St. Louis said...Your sentence "I hope so." was humorous in its understatement. I did smile - Thanks!
August 13, 2010

Anonymous said...I had just turned three when my father returned from WWII, and I remember it clearly. I lived in Northumberland with my mother and aunt, and Daddy was always talked about. We played at going to the station to meet Daddy, so I was looking forward to meeting him. He had been abroad since just after I was born, with only one leave before I was old enough to remember. After all the 'rehearsal' he just arrived at the door, so we didn't go to the station. The telegram announcing his return came the next day. I recall being woken up and taken down to meet him - having been brought up by two women, my best recollection is his prickly chin! I hope Ethel talked about Harry so he wasn't a stranger to Willie when he returned. Thanks for all your work with this blog. I have enjoyed reading it and talking about it with my mother who is 97 and has some memories of WWI.
July 29, 2010

^Uyraell^. said...Not only is it (Harry's Song) a beautiful and evocative song, very well sung, it is a fine tribute to Harry and those who served with/alongside him. My Grandfather fought at Passchendaele, Oct 4th, 1917, as did his cousin (Harry Ashe), whose body is still beneath that troubled soil. I have read some of My Grandfather's letters home, written near the time of the battle. The R.E's are mentioned there, as are a few other units, though by task, not unit designation. ((Eg:"There were Engineers nearby")). Grandfather did survive the First World War, made it back to NZ, and married my dad's mum in 1920, first child, my aunty, was born in 1921, and my dad was born in 1937. While I know Passchendael was a large battlefield, I'd like to think Harry and My Grandfather might have laid eyes on eachother during one of the lulls in the fighting, even though intellectually I know that notion is somewhat idealised. I have to say I found the tale told of/for Harry very moving.
May he Rest Well. From New Zealand:
Kind, Respectful Regards,
M.E.Pailthorpe, Grandson of the Late E.E.A Pailthorpe, 11/2359 Wellington Mounted Rifles, Veteran of Passchendael.
August 05, 2010

wellardmac said...Thank you for all the time you have put into this blog. I have enjoyed every post. I can only imagine the journey that you have taken in retelling your family history. I have to admit, I will be as sorry as you are to see the story come to an end.
July 28, 2010

Kenneth E. Urban said...How cool! Except for the year, Bill and I share a birthday!
Thanks for the blog... It has been a joy to read and follow.
July 29, 2010

Faith said...You say Willie was the second son born to Martha and Harry. Who was Martha? I thought Harry's wife's name was Ethel?
July 29, 2010
Apologies. A slip of the brain! Martha was my other grandmother. I've corrected the post. BL

Anonymous said...Easy to see why Harry missed his boy so much --- Willie looks like a real charmer!
July 29, 2010

Marc Bernard said...My mother was four years old when her father came home from the war to Canada in 1945. She remembers asking her mother, "Who is this man? Do I have to listen to him?" As the father of two young girls myself, I can't imagine the mix of joy and heartbreak that situation would be. Thank you for sharing these stories. It's been a fascinating ride.
July 29, 2010

Later Comments

2010-05-11T23:48:00.000-07:00

Anonymous said...It's interesting to speculate about the continued connection of George and the Laceys; was he just close to his foster family, or was a Lacey (was ARTHUR Lacey!) George's father?
No way of telling that now, of course, short of a DNA test; but it's possible Annie did at some point tell George, even if George felt no need to pass the information on to his own kids.
July 01, 2010
That must remain speculation! The "nurse child" scenario was quite common at the time. Annie couldn't possibly have worked as a domestic servant with a young child and so an "arrangement" would have been made with the Laceys. It's unlikely to be anything more than that. I'm not at all sure how close George was to his mother Annie. Ken is visiting England later in the month, I can ask his opinion. BL

Anonymous said...
When can we expect the next profile?
June 08, 2010
I'm struggling to sort out how to do Willie. He is, of course, my father. As I write he is not at all well. It all makes it much more difficult. I'll make a real effort this weekend. After that profile is complete, I think that the only character left is Harry himself. Then that will complete the blog. I'm not sure what happens next. Please be patient. BL

Lordandlady said...I have awarded you the "Ancestor Approved Award" for your interesting blog. You can pick up your award on my blog -www. LordorLady.blogspot.com
May 20, 2010

Bradley Holton said...Thanks for providing such a great resource. Your site is one of the best, and I will definitely refer it to my site visitors. Regards, Bradley Holton.
May 22, 2010

Frances said.. More about Jack;

On the 1911 census, he was living at 149 Church Street, Kimberworth. He was a lodger in the property, and living alone. His occupation is recorded as “Clerk in Holy Orders, Established Church.”

I consulted Crockford’s Clerical directory for various years, which gave me some more information on Jack’s career.
He went to St Catherine’s College in Oxford, where he got his BA in 1905. He was awarded his MA in 1916.
He became a deacon 1905, and a priest in 1906. From 1905 until 1911 he was Curate of Kimberworth, Rotherham. In 1906, his address is recorded as 98 Regent Street, Rotherham. From 1911 – 1912, he was Curate at St Marks, Broomhall, Sheffield. From 1913 – 1915, he was Vicar of Grimethorpe, Barnsley. His address (unsurprisingly) was the Vicarage.From 1916 – 1923, he was Curate of St John, Newland, Hull. His address is recorded as 20 Ryde Street, Beverley Road. Hull. There is a reference in the East Yorkshire archives for St John’s dated 8 December 1916 which reads “Licence for assistant curate John Ernest Lamin.”

From 1923 – 1936, he was Vicar of North Dalton, again living at the Vicarage. North Dalton is small village south west of Driffield, in the East Riding of Yorkshire (where, coincidently, some of my ancestors lived).

From 1936 onwards, he was at Newton-on-Ouse, again in Yorkshire, this time north west of York. His address is the Vicarage. In 1938, he became the Officiating Chaplain at the nearby RAF Linton-on-Ouse. From June 1937 until April 1940, the Station was also home to Headquarters No 4 (Bomber) Group, which controlled the bomber stations in Yorkshire.
Frances, an impressive piece of research. Many, many thanks for helping to breathe some life into Jack's career. BL

May 14, 2010

Anonymous said...Crockford's Clerical Directory should be able to tell you all about Jack's career as a clergyman. Their online source (http://www.crockford.org.uk/) is about the contemporary clergy only, but libraries, particularly diocesan ones, will have old copies for the dates you need, and the site suggest that you contact Lambeth:
http://www.crockford.org.uk/standard.asp?id=1243 York Minster should certainly have information about its Canons. As a Canon Jack would probably have had allotted services when he would have preached.
May 12, 2010
I've had some information from Crockford's that confirmed the association with York Minster. I tried emailing the Minster's library and Archivist several times but, disappointingly, haven't received a reply. I discovered that one of my mother's relatives is married to the Bishop of Newcastle and so was able to get some "inside" help on Crockford's. BL

Gloria Reading said...I have loved following your blog. The following is not a criticism, but a curiosity. Would not Jack have been born to Henry AND his wife?? :) It's a wonderment. :) "Harry’s brother Jack was born in 1870 to Henry Lamin."
May 12, 2010
Gloria, it is a criticism - and it's a perfectly correct citicism. I finished the posting late at night. This morning I've made quite a few changes. I need loyal followers like you to point out the glaring errors that I make. No problem. Hope it's O.K. now. BL

Anonymous said... I am wondering how it is that Ethel kept letters to Jack but not the letters that Harry wrote to her. What do you think? I wonder if you would post other letters exchanged among the "characters" in this fascinating story. I have been following Harry's blog for nearly two years and I still check it every day. Thank you.
May 11, 2010
Ethel hated the war. The story is that the letters so upset her, maybe Harry too, that she burned them. It's probable that she didn't get hold of the letters to Jack and Kate until the late 1940s. Maybe she didn't think that they were her's to destroy, maybe she was a little less upset by then. BL

April, 2010

2010-04-17T23:00:00.000-07:00

Nick said...I just found your grandfather's blog and have been reading his letters through from the start. Thanks for sharing them. This post more than any other brought tears to my eyes. It really brought the story home to me when I realized that your father was the living link from WW1 to www.May 08, 2010
This is the post Nick is referring to.

Gordon Currin said... Have you commented, or can you comment as to how it came about, that Harry's father had to sell his farm and become a laborer.Chicago
April 21, 2010
I have no firm evidence, but the family story is that there was drink involved in the process. I've heard that Henry senior lost a finger when a plough (plow) lurched forward. He was at the time, perhaps, a little the worse for drink? BL

Chica Andaluza said...Bill, Will we be hearing about how Harry lived out the rest of his life? Am intrigued to know how he got on after all he went through. Thanks so much for a truly wonderful blog.
April 21, 2010
I think that will have to be the very last post. BL

Tom Maher said...I wondered about that as well. I thought maybe it was the makings of another British delicacy (like blood pudding and etc.) unknown to those of us on the Western side of the Atlantic .:) St. Louis
April 21, 2010
Tom, I think you're referring to "black pudding". A wonderful, large sausage shaped delicacy made from blood. It used to have pea sized lumps of fat mixed into the matrix of blood, rather like currants in a bun, but, in these days of health conscious eating, they seem to have disappeared. A "full English" breakfast consists of a bacon, eggs, tomatoes, black pudding, fried bread and sausages - all fried in lard. Arteries complaining at the thought! BL

Anonymous said...I like how the farm auction notice lists "Live and Dead Farm Stock"! Kate's biography merely confirms the picture I already had of her: a strong-willed woman indeed!
April 17, 2010
Farm sales today (at least in the U.K.) consist of "livestock" which is, of course, the animals, and "deadstock" which is the equipment and machinery. BL

Anonymous said...Ah, so that explains it! I had this picture in my mind of both live and dead cattle.....
April 18, 2010

March 2010

2010-03-08T10:10:00.000-08:00

Anonymous said...when can we look forward to the next update?
April 14, 2010
Apologies to readers. I'm just finally sorting out Kate's story and should post in the next two days.. I find that without the discipline of a date on a letter, it doesn't seem to be quite so urgent. I have, however, finally sorted out where Jack finished his working days.

Pattaya Girls said...We owe the soldiers of Harry's generation a great deal.
April 5th 2010

Frances said...According to the 1911 Census, Ethel Ward Watson was living in Digby Street, Ilkeston Junction. She was 19, and her occupation is recorded as "Bobbin winder." She was born in Codnor, Derbyshire. She is a boarder in the house of a Mr Robert Scattergood, who is listed as head of the household, and married, but his wife does not appear in the same entry. There are three other boarders listed at the same address: Mary Ann Watson (56), cop winder, presumably Ethel's mother, although she is listed as being single; Annie Ward Watson (19), stripper; and Annie Elizabeth Ward Watson (16), no occupation given. These last two girls are Ethel's sisters. Hope this helps!
March 22, 2010

Thank you Frances. Great effort but ... it seems to pose several questions. Are they in the same house, number 50 Digby Street, as in 1901 where Mary Anne was Head of household? Or have they moved to another house in the same street, Mr Scattergood's house? How has Ethel's mother aged only 8 years in the intervening 10 years? Young Elizabeth Anne is now Annie Elizabeth and aged 11 years in 10. Ann is now Annie and is 12 years older in 10 years. Somewhere, they've all acquired a "Ward" bit to their name.

Perhaps they were a bit "casual" filling in the census forms. BL

Anonymous said... It's amazing how this blog has turned out: not only have we-the-readers learning so much about Harry and his war, but now you're learning more about your family history!
March 20, 2010

Linda said... How fantastic, more and brilliant information, if we are lucky this blog could go on forever (I hope)
March 21, 2010

Serge in Canada said...
Thank you so much for this account, however brief, of Ethel. I always wondered why none of Harry's letters to Ethel were available. Thank you.
March 11, 2010

Té la mà Maria - Reus said...explendit blog, congratulations regards from Reus Catalonia. Thank you.
March 08, 2010

Joan said...Bill I have just listened to the clip and I like the way the book is presented, well done and top marks again! best wishes, Joan
March 08, 2010

Annie

2010-02-20T02:27:00.001-08:00

Anonymous said...I had to look up “nurse child”; such a sad concept. Of course, it provided an explanation in turn for Connie’s place in Harry and Ethel’s household. Thank goodness for them providing her with a loving home. The sampler is all the more special for the mistake – Annie must have been concentrating hard on her stitches!
February 20, 2010

Anonymous said... Am enjoying these stories about Harry's family. I miss the blog but am so happy Harry made it safe. Will be checking often to see how rest of his life went on. Thanks Bill, this is history at its best. A loyal reader in US.
February 19, 2010

Anonymous said...Love the blog and sad to see it coming to conclusion. Can I ask what the deliberate mistake is in the sampler? I keep looking at it and not seeing it. Thanks!
February 19, 2010

Pte Harry Lamin said... Shall I give it away? We're too familiar with words and so don't look at them properly once our brains have decoded them. I'd guess Annie got a ruler across her hand for this - or similar. BL

February 20, 2010

Anonymous said...Ah yes, now I see it. You are correct my brain was seeing what it thought it should be seeing, not what was actually there.
February 22, 2010

Anonymous said...True :) but you'd be amazed how people love solving these sort of mysteries. Did you say George had a middle name? I vaguely remember that but can't see it in update? Could there be a Lacey family connection?

Could the father be Mr Hutchinson? Or have I been watching too many 'Upstairs Downstairs' type dramas? :) I have solved a similar situation in my own family history, it's not impossible to do so, even at a distance. I am working on others. It may be possible to find out who Connie's father was much more easily - I think you noted she had a middle name that might have been the surname of her father? By the way I've really enjoyed your project and am really enjoying the updates now. Thank you.
March 05, 2010

I don't know of any middle name for George so that isn't much help, I'm afraid. I suppose I could ask Ken, in Australia, if he knows anything about his grandfather. Connie's middle name was Wilkinson. That may a direct link to her father. I did have an email about a Mr wilkinson that sounded promising but, when I followed it up, got no further contact. BL

Jono Wood

2010-02-04T07:41:00.000-08:00

colagirl said...I'm sorry to hear that the man behind the maps of Harry's progress is gone. My thoughts and sympathy are with his wife and children on this unfortunate event. Nevertheless, he leaves behind a contribution that has been appreciated the world over.
February 11, 2010

Lee said...I served with Jono in the Duke of Wellington's Regiment. I saw your comments on the Dukes web site and your note on your blog.
Jono was my first platoon commander in 1979. I recall that no matter how cold it was, or how windy or wet, he would always strip off to the waist and have a daily wash out of his mess tin with the tiniest flannel on this planet. This he would do in full view of his troops without a shiver, If ever I felt cold or miserable, just looking up to my platoon commander made me feel safe.
He earned our trust in him, we would have followed him to hell he was such a leader. He guided us to the champion platoon of the battalion and steered us through 2 tours of Northern Ireland before being promoted to Captain. Later he became company commander but never forgot his boys from 4 platoon, the champion platoon.
I attach a picture for you of the platoon, Jono is unmistakably sat centre front, I am 5th in on the rear rank.. He was a special leader, the sort you do not come across very often, and sadly you do not realise until it is too late. Many of his 4 platoon boys went on to have fulll and varied army careers. It is only later in life after working with several platoon commanders and numorous officers that one realises how good Jono was at what he did. Regards ex WO2 Lee Greenwood, formerly, Private, Lance Corporal, and Corporal of 4 Platoon led by the then Lt Wood
February 07, 2010

Roger O'Keeffe said...How sad, and how untimely. I hadn't even registered the fact that he missed the trip, I just assumed that he was there with you, even if there was no direct reference to him in your account of it.
His family must be devastated. It will be small consolation to them, but they should know that all the time that he spent contributing background material to the blog was greatly appreciated by a worldwide community.
February 07, 2010

Gustav's greatgranddaughter said...'Maryland's' comment says it well: Major Woods' maps and diagrams were a wonderful addition to this blog, and greatly appreciated. Our thanks to him, and condolences to his family. -
February 05, 2010

Rocco said...The 4 days adventure on the Asiago Plateau with Bill following Harry's footsteps were full of emotions. With Jono it would have been better. While we were talking of him, wondering why he didn't answer he was already gone. A very sad story. I hope his family will deal with this hard fate
February 04, 2010

Maryland said...Major Wood's contributions to the blog were enormously helpful to me. I would like his family to know how much we readers appreciate his work. Our prayers go out for those who mourn his passing. Thank you, Bill, for sharing the news.
February 04, 2010

Connie

2010-01-29T23:48:00.000-08:00

Anonymous said...She was obviously much loved.
January 29, 2010

Anonymous said... Nineteen years may not be much, but for Connie, they were very GOOD years. Many families of the era would have 'thrown away' a 'damaged' or born-out-of-wedlock child, perhaps leaving them at an orphanage; the Lamin family did not. Connie was loved and cherished, by Harry and Ethel, Kate and the young Willie; if they didn't talk about her much after her death, perhaps it was from their honest grief at losing her.
January 30, 2010

Harry's Song

2010-01-19T12:40:00.000-08:00

Tricia Gurnett said...It's a lovely song, and beautifully sung. Thank you for the song, and the inspiring website.
February 15, 2010

Anonymous said...Thanks for your post. This song is really fantastic. The lines are mind touching. So sweet and melodious voice. Slide pictures are nice. Thanks.
February 05, 2010

Roger O'Keeffe said...Schools don't always spot musical talent. Cf. this extract from an interview with Ken Robinson, an inspiring advocate of an education that does more to let people's creativity and other gifts develop:
"...I don't mean to say that you have to have failed at school before you can be a success, but an awful lot of people who did well after school didn't do well in school.
Paul McCartney went to school in Liverpool and, as you say, he went through the whole of his education there and nobody thought he had any musical talent. One of the other people in the same (...) music class was George Harrison, the lead guitarist of The Beatles, and he went through school as well and nobody noticed he had any talent. So (...)one teacher in Liverpool in the '50s had half The Beatles in his class and he missed it."
Google "Ken Robinson TED" for more in the same vein.
January 28, 2010
I rather like being compared to Paul McCartney. I'm sure that's not what you meant, but I'll take it anyway. BL

Diane said...I have loved listening to this song and reading this blog particularly as I had an uncle who was in the 1st world war but I never knew he existed until I started doing genealogy a few years ago. Unfortunately, he was invalided home before the end of the war and I have been unable to trace him after that. I was very happy and relieved to hear Harry arrived home safe and sound but I'll miss the blog. Thank you for all your hard work in letting us share Harry's story.
January 24, 2010

Jo said...A lovely song which works really well with the slideshow - thank you!
January 23, 2010

Parkylondon said...I turned the music down as you suggested and watched the slideshow. Nice.
I then realised that the music I could hear wasn't coming from the bedroom (i.e. my wife listening to something) but my headphones. I picked them up, put them on and had a listen. Fairly quickly I realised I nearly missed out on a really good piece of music which matches the slideshow really well. Thank you for posting this. Well done.
January 22, 2010

Tom Maher said...Be very proud of all of your work! Following Harry through civvie life would be rewarding, as we already have a good sense of the man.
Again - Thank You! St. Louis
January 21, 2010

Mecha said...Thank you for sharing, I enjoyed it because of the lovely harmony and the fact that it told a story.
January 20, 2010

Kittybriton said...A lovely gentle, tender song. As much as the letters of Harry, I think it catches the mood of the readers: "What'chu doing Harry?". Together with the video it makes the thousands of men in khaki suits a little less anonymous.
January 20, 2010

Alan said...Very, very moving with the images from the book and blog. Thanks so much for this project. Although I found it a bit late, I've enjoyed following it for the last 18 months or so.
January 20, 2010

Avey said...Excellent! I have enjoyed finding this blog and following it for the last 2 years..... thank you.
January 20, 2010

Cheryl said...Oh, it's so wonderful! Thank you for posting it!
January 19, 2010

Tim Douglass said...Well done! And a very fine way to summarize all that we have experienced vicariously through the blog. Thank you!
January 20, 2010

Anonymous said...Loved it! I am so glad Harry's home but I'll be lost without the blog!
January 19, 2010

Inverness said...I am certainly no musician but I do know what I like..and I like this. The singer does an excellent job of bringing out the feeling and meaning of the song. Thank you once again.
January 19, 2010

School Interviews - Coutances, France

2010-01-16T07:10:00.000-08:00

This set of comments is the result of a delightful session with a class of French students. Their resourceful teacher had asked me to answer their questions about Harry and his blog, in order to practise their spoken English.

We had a Skype session with a webcam and used up a valuable and enjoyable hour.

If any other school would like to repeat the exercise, don't hesitate to contact me. BL

Sarah, Doulcet and Oksana said... We are students from Lycée Lebrun in Coutances (France) who interviewed you last Friday. We want to thank you a lot for your time and for your interesting and complete answers. It was a very good experience for us. Your blog is amazing, it's a very good idea. Thanks again, Sarah, Doulcet & Oksana.
January 22, 2010

Ophélie said...Hello, I'm a student from a French school who interviewed you last week.
I thank you for this moment. I think it's a very good idea to make a blog about this, I'm very interested in this. Thanks from a French student.
January 22, 2010

Captain X Hook said...hello Mr Lamin, I'm Simon a french high school student. During the interview I'm sorry I wasn't very clear. I prefer writing a comment. Thanks for all :D
January 22, 2010

Anonymous said... Just a little comment from a pupil of Lebrun. Your blog is very interesting and I have learnt many things thanks to this blog. I would like to thank you very sincerely for your patience when you told us about Harry Lamin and the WW1. Bye.
January 22, 2010

Anonymous said...
Hi, Bill. We are the French purpils, Florina and Anais, who interviewed you last week. Thanks a lot for this time whith you. Your blog is fantasic, and it's a fabulous idea.

Thanks, Florina & Anais.
January 22, 2010

Anonymous said... Hello Mr Lamin, We are Aline and Clémence, students of 1L2.
We want to thank you for your patience and your welcome. Your blog is very interesting and we hope you will successed for your futures projects.
January 22, 2010

Captain Eliott Albator said... Hey Bill! It's Eliott! Do you remenber me? Well, thanks for your blog, it's fabulous and I learn a lot with it. Bye, see you soon! =)
January 22, 2010

Anonymous said...Dear Bill, to my mind it's really important to thank you, because it's a very fascinating thing to study the subject of WW1 with a real testimony like I can do with my school (I am on the French class who made an interview with you). Thank to share this with we.
January 22, 2010

Marina said...Mister Lamin,
To start, thank you for your interview.
I think your project is very interesting not to forget the people who took part in World War 1 and not to forget their courage. Your project is admirable. Best regards from Marina.
January 22, 2010

Marion said...I'm a student from "Lycée Lebrun" in Coutances (France). Last Friday, my class interviewed you. I want to thank you for your time, and congratulations on your blog, that is a good idea.
January 22, 2010

Marion said...hello Mr Lamin !! Just a comment to tell you thanks for all. You can be proud of your project because your blog is really interesting and even if your grand-father was shy I'm sure he would be very happy to know his grandson doesn't forget his experience and contributes to inform about what happened. Bye and good luck for the future.
January 22, 2010

Laura and Jeanne said...Hello M. Lamin. It's Laura and Jeanne , students of 1L2 in Lycée Lebrun in France. Thanks for having accepted and taking time for the interview of our class. Your blog is very interesting and unusual. We're happy to know that for your Grandparents it was a Happy end. We hope that the story of your grandfather is going to be used for a documentary. We wish you good luck for the future. Goodbye.
January 22, 2010

Pauline said...Hello,Bill!! I'm a Lebrun High School student, I have studied your blog and your grandfather's letters. I appreciated very much the video conversation, it was very interesting for me. I hope your blog will carry on having a lot of success. Thank you very much !!!!
January 22, 2010

Harry's Home - Comments

2010-01-11T09:09:00.000-08:00

Mimi said...Thank you for letting us share in Harry's life through the war. It was very moving to read his personal letters.
February 25, 2010

Brett Hagan said...This is great man I personally think you should make this into a book it would be great!!!I would definately buy it fo sho!!!
February 17, 2010
He hasn't heard! BL

Sarah and Nick said...Wow, where to start. I began reading your blog after I read an article on CNN. I am currently deployed to Iraq and have been keeping a journal of my day to day activities...With email and SKYPE to keep connected to family there is no need to "write" home. The journal will help me pass my "memories" for my son and hopefully someday grandchildren to enjoy. I will be headed home in June to be with my family after a 6 month tour...I can't imagine what it would have been like for Harry after 16 months without leave. He is a true hero and I thank you for your dedication to his memory. May God bless you and your family. Sarah, Camp Victory, Iraq
February 07, 2010

Anne said...Wonderful. I do hope Harry and family settled down well together. Must have been a bit of adjustment for all of them. Thank you so much for the blog. Look forward to reading all the ''loose ends'' too. Amersham.
January 29, 2010

James said...I started following Harry in the summer of 2007. We had sheep and a smallholding, moved to Norway, had our son, have moved back to the UK. I've changed in that time. Nothing in comparison to how Harry and the world will have changed in the same time. I hope he manages/managaged to cope with the rest of his life. I'll be visiting the war graves at Nijmegen on my way home. Thanks for making me appreciate things more, realise how lucky I am
January 28, 2010

vintage said...Thanks for taking the time to keep the blog going like you have.
January 26, 2010

G. Tingey said...I agree with Anonymous. What happened AFTERWARDS?
What did Harry do next ......
January 27, 2010

Anonymous said...The man was happy to be finally home.
January 27, 2010

Linda H-F said... Harry and Bill, Thank you. Both of you. And all your comrades - soldiers and teachers and just plain humans - who somehow help to make us all more human by sharing glimpses into your lives. I'm planning to donate some blood in your honor, Harry (I haven't much money, but perhaps that is more valuable....) and then make a trip to the San Francisco, California USA WWI veterans memorial and the Presidio cemetery.... as a thank you to both of you and all your contemporaries. Thank you, Bill, for helping this history to come alive, and to help us to share the journey with Harry and his mates all these months. This is what the passing on of History really ought to be.... My parish Church has a chalice donated at Christmas 1919 as a prayer that there will never again be another war of this magnitude.... and I will think of & pray for you both whenever it is used...Gratefully, Linda H-F, San Francisco, CA
January 24, 2010

Robin in Ohio said...Bill, Thanks for your hard work on this blog. I've enjoyed it very much and am pleased to hear that Harry arrived home safely. Please let us know more about Harry and his family. What happened after he returned from the war? Thanks, Robin in Ohio
January 25, 2010

AG said... Just back from holiday to find that Harry is home at last; squealed with glee, though now I wonder what I'll do without his semi-regular letters! (I wonder if Ethel missed the letters sometimes too, and read them in odd moments? It can be so lovely to look back on such things after it's all ended happily, can't it.) Thank you, thank you, thank you so much for publishing these -- for giving your faithful readers a glass through which to look back on the sacrifices of the Great War, and for being such a faithful curator of these precious family documents. All the best to you and yours, and I'll raise a glass this evening in Harry's memory.
January 24, 2010

Sgt Sam Avery said...Hello Harry: Glad to hear you're finally home. Long business getting back there, what? As for me, still in France and making my way to the coast at a snail pace. Stop by for a read when you can. Regards, Sam
PS. Bill, I know how you must feel at the journey's end. I'm dreading it myself, except for the fact that my own book project is still in the works as a distraction from the emotion of it all being "over." Best of luck with the loose ends. Rich
January 24, 2010

Dieter Finzen said...Bill, Thank you so much for doing this brilliant blog – besides providing great information about the individual perspective of war, your blog was THE inspiration for future “historical blogs” to come. Even though I have just started my own historical blog, I can tell how much effort you must have put into this unique project! All the best - you wrote internet history for sure!
January 24, 2010

Marcy said...When I first started reading, very soon after you started posting, I was desperate to know if Harry made it home. I didn't want to go through weeks of letters to find out he died in 1917 or something. When I got the book and found he survived, I was so pleased! but I'm also glad that I went through the weeks of letters because it's been a fantastic experience. Harry wasn't famous, he didn't become a politician or campaigner, he was just one of many soldiers who endured an awful event. Despite his modest status, to me he really is a hero. Thank you Bill and thank you Harry.
January 22, 2010

meg's mommy said...This was an amazing blog and I have so enjoyed following Harry's journey. Thank you so much for all you have done. It is much appreciated.
January 21, 2010

Gerri Patrick said...
Three cheers for Harry and three cheers for you, Bill. Thank you for sharing Harry's amazing story with us.
January 21, 2010

Anonymous said...thank you. It has been a long journey with Harry and I'm very happy he got home. Please let us know what happened of him: I hope he had some rest finally
January 20, 2010

Jason R said... An amazing journey. Yes, you could not have made up a better ending. I like how short and to the point it is. Thank you for posting this amazing project. Doing it in real-time was a wonderful idea.
January 19, 2010

Pfc Benjamin Kaplow said...
Please accept my gratitude for taking us on your journey to honor your grandfather. His letters about his WW1 experiences are now a part of history for all to read. Thank goodness you rescued them from that drawer where they were tucked away for so many years. A huge thank you for sharing them with so many of us throughout the world.
I bet you never dreamt what your future would hold as you picked up that first letter from the drawer to read. So happy Harry is home safely. Thanks for the book, too. And to top it off, I can’t get Harry’s song out of my head. I imagine it will become background music for the audio book. Keep up the good work. My very best, Florence
January 17, 2010

Elizabeth said...I cried! I am so glad that Harry is safely home at long last.
What happened next? I want know more about the family! Please give us at least a potted history of the rest of Harry's hopefully long life.
January 17, 2010

Anonymous said... As always wonderful. Added to bookmarks.
January 16, 2010

Gloria Reading said... Thank you for your fine work. I've enjoyed every word. Best wishes to you and your family.
January 17, 2010

Super Bowl 44 Live Stream said... so sweet letter
January 17, 2010

Anonymous said... Good post and this fill someone in on helped me alot in my college assignement. Gratefulness you as your information.
January 17, 2010

Todd said...I, like a lot of people checked to see if there was any new letters every morning before I went to work. My feelings are torn between happiness that Harry made it home safe and sadness that his story is over. I truly enjoyed following his story and will miss reading about his experiences. Thank You for sharing this part of your life and legacy.
Todd NC, USA
January 16, 2010

Simon said...Many thanks for the interview today. Really interesting experience.
January 15, 2010
Simon is a member of a class of French children who are using Harry's blog to practice their English. We did a "live" interview on Skype when they used their English skills to question me about Harry and the blog. Very enjoyable. BL

Gillian said...
Thank you for publishing this blog. Now to buy the book!
North Yorkshire, UK
January 15, 2010

elhaf said...Hadn't checked in in a while, and now just in time I came back. Congrats to Harry for making it home at last.
January 15, 2010

Jim said...Woo Hoo! Harry made it through. Having young kids myself I can't even begin to imagine what the release was like for him as he held his family for the first time.
Bill, sincerely, thank you for your investment in time and humanity through this journey. Lest others forget...
January 16, 2010

Tim Douglass said...Wow! I've been following Harry's story since about the second page so it is going to be a bit of a shock to the system to not have any new letters to look forward to.
You are to be commended, Bill, for the way you have honored Harry and also all the others who fought for their countries in the great war.
January 16, 2010

Anonymous said..."Say it ain't so." I began following the blog when I assigned it to a classroom of community college history students and while they are now long finished with the class, subsequent classes have also followed Harry's journey through World War I. I can remember how excited we were to find out that he survived the war--It has been a joy and pleasure to follow along. Thank you so much for all your hard work.
January 15, 2010

Two Shorten the Road said...I've really enjoyed your blog, and will miss checking in with Harry's letters.
January 15, 2010

Sheila said...I can imagine how excited Harry's family were to have him home. My earliest memory is of my father returning from World War 11. He just walked into the house. I am told that the telegram announcing his arrival was delivered the following day! Although the family knew he was on his way, they didn't know which day he would come. I wonder if Harry's family were in the same situation. I look forward to finding out what the future held for the Lamin family.
January 15, 2010

dean said...Kathryn has made an excellent point...you have brought us into your family (metaphorically speaking)...we have all taken Harry on as kind of a "surrogate grandfather in the War"; so I think we all hope to get a very comprehensive follow-up as to how "Grandpa" made out, and how that led to the very astute and creative grandson we have also come to very fond of. Dean Roosevelt, Toronto
January 15, 2010

Kathryn S said...Until I found this, I'd never really seen the point of blogs!
This has been brilliant and I'll miss checking up on Harry's progress, not knowing what was around the corner for him. I'm looking forward to hearing how he got on with the post-war period.
January 14, 2010

Jim said...Thanks, Bill - it has been a genuine pleasure to watch Harry's story unfold. Really appreciate your efforts not only in telling his story but also posting the contemporary photos, maps, and the accounts of your battlefield visits. Best wishes to you and the Lamin family. From Jim in Washington State, USA.
January 14, 2010

Roger O'Keeffe said...I'd already read the book to the end (the temptation to finish it was irresistible!), but still wanted to check in from time to time to know if he is home yet. The "here and now 90 years on" is still a powerful emotional draw.
I'm feeling a strange emptiness now, an anti-climax. What must it have been like for Harry and all his comrades, when they finally made it home? They must have felt pretty drained, and wondered what all the preceding years of hardship were for: was it worth it? Probably nostalgia for their mates, both for those that didn't make it, and for those that did survive, but most of whom they would rarely if ever see again.
Most accounts indicate that the survivors rarely said much to their families about "what it was like" - both because they wanted to shelter their families from the worst and because words couldn't adequately describe it. For many years it was only among their peers that they would open up and talk about their experiences to those who could understand.
A marvellous achievement, Bill, and a great memorial to an ordinary chap who just did what was expected of him.
And now it's time for me to head back to the Somme in early 1917, just opposite the British positions on the Ancre, where Dieter has had a more than ample baptism of fire but still has so much to go through.
January 14, 2010
Roger, if you have a "strange emptiness now", it begins to explain the devastating feelings I'm experiencing. BL

colagirl said...He's home! He's home! He's actually home! I can't believe it! I'm actually tearing up a bit as I sit here....What a wonderful, wonderful journey. Thank you so much for posting this blog and letting us share Harry's life experiences. I wish you (and Harry) all the best...Dana, Illinois, USA
January 14, 2010

Kittybriton said...Welcome Home Harry. I'm so glad to read that you're home at long last after all you've been through. And for standing up to the Kaiser, thank you.
January 15, 2010

Endeavourer said...I kept "behind" with the book until late 2009 when I read to the end and was relieved to find Harry's military career was soon to end. I feel privileged to haved shared in a small part of your adventure, Bill, in the trip to Flanders in May 2008. My granddad served in the Sherwood Foresters from 1916, he went 'over the top' twice, and though he survived the Great War his life was badly damaged by it. He lived till my teens and Harry's blog has helped me understand his personal experiences with great pride - Many Thanks! David
January 15, 2010

William Watt said...Hello Bill, My dad was born 10 years after Harry and served in the Army after immigrating to the United States in 1913 from what is now Northern Ireland. He never saw any action in WW I, although his brother did, but they never talked about it. I’ve followed your blog daily and very much appreciate what you have done.Thanks, Bill
January 14, 2010

The co-ordinator said...It's been a great (true) story, everything good that blogging and the internet can bring.I look forward to your final few round-ups about the characters but then I will have a gap in my daily browsing which will be difficult to fill.
January 14, 2010

kathygnome said...
Thank you so much for sharing these for these last few years. A wonderful tribute.
January 14, 2010 dean said...I don't think you can fully appreciate how many people are much closer to their parents and grandparents because of what you have...I certainly feel much closer to my grandfather after realizing the kind of experience he also must have had. God Bless...Dean Roosevelt, Toronto
January 13, 2010

Thomas Maher said...Thank you, Sir. This has been a pleasure AND a privilege.
St. Louis
January 13, 2010

Anonymous said...Don't stop here! I want to know what happened to him after the war - where did he find work? When were his children born, and under what circumstances? Where did he die, and how? The war letters are a wonderful start; surely he had a long life ahead.
January 14, 2010

Anonymous said...
I’m delighted Harry is safely home at last, although I will miss following his story too. Please do let us know how he and his family fared in the following years. I hope they were many and happy. Thank you so much for sharing your family’s story and best wishes to you.
January 13, 2010

Felicia said...
What an amazing labor of love this blog must have been for you! I'm relieved to know that Harry finally made it home and will have a growing family (including an amazing grandson) to look forward to in the coming years.
Thank you for sharing. All the best to you.
January 13, 2010

Antje said...
I enjoyed reading the blog quietly, never posted a comment but I am glad he has made it home safely and lived a normal and happy life after his experiences. Thanks Bill for sharing this.
Devon UK
January 13, 2010

Anne Jones said...
So glad that Harry is home at last.
I shall miss checking up on him, and I hope life was good to him back in England.
NOW I can go and buy the book. I would have been too tempted to peak at the end, and I've really enjoyed reading it this way first.
Thank you Bill. . UK
January 13, 2010

Bryce said...Hi Bill, This was a wonderful story, and I'm happy that it reached such a good conclusion for Harry. Like many other readers, I will be sad to see it go, and I'll certainly miss seeing new entries appear in my RSS feed list from day to day.
All the best to you and yours. Bryce San Angelo, Texas
January 13, 2010

Marta said...
What a happy letter and such a happy conclusion. I can't wait for the epilogue with what Harry ended up doing, if he was able to and wanted to return to Trumans or if he found some other occupation. I recall he said he never wanted to be a cook after doing so for such a long time in Italy. So I'm sure he didn't do that if there wasn't an opening at his old place.
Thank you for providing this insight into a war often passed over very lightly in our United States school systems. Why, I don't know. It was a very important period of history. My grandfather fought in this war too.
I was happy to find several fiction authors devote novels and series of novels to this war and have fleshed out my understanding by reading these well researched volumes.
Thank you again. Can't wait to read how all the loose ends of your family get tied up.
Pennsylvania
USA
January 13, 2010

Felna said...I know a lot have said it all already, but thankyou again for sharing these letters. Like many I've been following this blog and Harry's fortunes. Thank you also for directing me to Dieter Finzen and his blog which does the same for the other side - it has been most enlightening.
January 13, 2010
I'm not sure that "the other side" applies. I get more and more to feel that all the ordinary soldiers were, sadly, actually on the same side. BL

Curt said...
All I can say is "Well Done!"Curt
January 13, 2010

Stefan said...
It's like saying good bye to an old friend. Strange how much I got attached to Harry. And even since it's decades ago, I'm glad he's home. Really strange! :-)
January 13, 2010

Ed Quarmby said...I've followed the blog from the very beginning and never missed a post. It's been fascinating as someone interested in history and particularly the sacrifices made by ordinary people doing extraordinary things in the First World War. Thanks for doing this. It is a fine tribute to your ancestor. Ed, in Cornwall
January 13, 2010

Sue said...Hi Bill. Thank you so much for doing this brilliant blog - I shall miss looking every day to see if there was any news of Harry. I will certainly look forward to the stories of each of the characters when you complete their histories.
At last I can read the book that has sat on the side table against my chair since it was published - it has been dusted regularly but not opened!!
Kind regards Sue
January 13, 2010

Thies said...Hi Bill, I really appreciate sharing Harrys experience with me in a way that made WW1 so personal and so much better to understand. Just an idea: Maybe from time to time, it would be great to hear "news from Harry" about what happened to him after the war. Did he find a job? How did he deal with his family? Could he get resocialised in his daily live?
How did he deal with being apart as a soldier for so many years? Regards from Berlin / Germany, Thies
January 13, 2010

Rachel said...
Thank you for sharing Harry's experience with the world. It's been an amazing ride and I'm glad he made it home safe. This has been an educational and moving experience. Best of luck to your future endeavors!
January 13, 2010

David in Canada said...Hi Bill,Thank you for the blog and the letters. I've been following since long before the war ended, and as my own father was a soldier in WWII, I've signed on to your blog every day in hopes of another letter that found Harry safe and sound. This is without a doubt the best site on the internet, period.
January 13, 2010

Jan from Australia said...
This tiny thread of history has woven a tale that has stretched across the globe. It was such a relief to know that Harry was finally safely home. I will miss my daily visits to the blog. I cannot imagine how you must feel Bill, now that it has come to its conclusion. Thank you so much for all your hard work and dedication in sharing this true story with us.
You have indeed "made a difference" in the lives of many people. Thanks again. .
January 13, 2010

Mister Sill said..Hurray! A bittersweet ending. I am finally at ease knowing Harry has returned home. It occurred to me today that I have been a long time follower and nervous every time I saw that you had a new post. On the other hand, I am saddened that this has come to an end.
Thank you so much for sharing Harry's journey with all of us. It has been an amazing.
January 13, 2010

Sarah said...Thank you for sharing Harry's life with the world! I was relieved to know that he survived the war, but it was also interesting to learn about how the demobilization process occurred after the Armistice. I was surprise to see how long it took Harry to come home, and that aspect of the war tends to not be covered in much depth.
Good luck to you, Bill, in your retirement and future endeavors. I will miss following your blog, but it ends on a positive note. It's taught me so much about the human aspect of the war, and I hope that I will see more blogs like this in the future:)
January 12, 2010

Serge said...Hi Bill (and Harry... I feel I must say hi to him too),
thanks so much for this great experience. I've been following the blog for a long time now, and I kept hoping for this letter. I didn't want to know the end ahead of time, and even towards the end, there was always a remote chance that it would not conclude on a happy note.
I am a bit sad that I won't have Harry's letters to wait for, but at least we'll have a couple of more weeks of tying loose ends. I can now finally go ahead and read the whole story.
Thanks again!Toronto, Canada.
January 12, 2010

Linda said...I admit that I couldn't resist and read to the end of the book, but was amazed how emotional it was for me to read his last letter, it really felt like he was part of my family. Many many thanks for your wonderful blog, Im look forward to reading the tying up of loose ends, hopefully it will wean me off, I know it will be hard not to be checking all the time. Once again thank you for all the work you have done for us. Kind regards, happy retirement. Linda
January 12, 2010
I have read the last letter, countless times. I included it the book in a sensible way and virtually knew it by heart. Yet, when I pushed the button to post it yesterday, I'm happy to admit that I burst into tears. It was a very important moment and a very poignant letter. BL

Deirdre said...Dear Bill, What an amazing international following for your very private and public journey - thank you so much for making this part of all our histories come alive.
I'm now following Dieter...All best wishes, Deirdre
January 12, 2010

David M said...This has been a most wonderful journey. Thank you for taking us along.
January 12, 2010

legli said...Bill, I can't believe it's the end. I have followed this story from the beginning and I tried so hard to try to find out what happened before you told us but I never could. LOL What a void this will leave to so many of us. I can't wait to read the completed stories of the characters. Thanks so much for sharing a part of your life with us. Linda
January 12, 201

ger said... Thank you for a wonderful story and I was so happy he came home with only a sore throat.g.martin galway ireland
January 12, 2010
I don't think Harry got away quite so lightly - as we shall see. BL

Icarus said...Incredibly for me, after not paying a visit for some time, I come in to find the last letter of the whole saga dated 90 years ago today! You have performed a rare, valuable service in this endeavour, which must be so hard for you to stop. You deserve a rest, but I agree with the previous comment suggesting a brief description of how Harry's life progressed in Civvy Street.
January 12, 2010

Anonymous said...Amazing that poor Harry was one of the soldiers who had to stay on active service for 14 months after the war ended!! Good for us I suppose, as it extended our enjoyment following his exploits. Perhaps you can put out an epilogue of Harry's life 'post service'. Obviously not month by month, but a summary of his working life and retirement plus that of the other family members we have come to know. Thank you Bill, it has been a most eye opening experience.
January 12, 2010
The plan is to tie up all the loose ends and to account for each of the characters we've got to know over the last three years. BL

Jackie said...I knew Harry made it home in one piece because I bought the book and couldn't resist reading it to the end. Wherever he is, I hope he's 'going on all right' and I know he'd be very proud of you Bill. Thank you so much for letting us share in Harry's story. I'm going to miss you Harry.
January 12, 2010

Jim Ahrens in Minneapolis, USA said...Thank you. It's good to remember that all of these titanic world struggles are actually carried out by people like Harry -- and ourselves -- who worry about whether their job will be there when they get back, why the mail is so slow, how bored they are, and all of the other quotidian worries we all share. It was particularly good to be so intimately connected with Harry's experiences in particualr: the Great War formed our modern society in ways we are still discovering, and it's important that we be reminded of all it involved. Finally, thanks for reminding us, through Harry, of all the sacrifices made by those who fight for us, in whatever country we live. "Dulce et decorum pro patrias mortis...." ? Well, no, not really...
January 12, 2010

Joan said...I'm happy for Harry yet sad for me. I would check on a daily basis to see how he was faring. I was always afraid there would be the dreaded "official word" of his death. It's pretty amazing how much I cared what happened to this man who I never met and sadly never will. You've brought him alive again. Thanks for all your labor.
January 12, 2010

Anonymous said...Just to let you know that I have really enjoyed following the story and I am pleased with the happy ending! Good luck with the book.
January 12, 2010

Nanny (Shirley) said...So wonderful to know that Harry is finally home! Thanks to you Bill for this true labor of love. I look forward to now being able to read the book (yes - I hid it so I would not be tempted). I look forward to finding out more about all the characters and what happened to them in their lives. Again, thanks Bill for this amazing personal insight into a part of history that is being forgotten. Shirley
January 12, 2010

Anonymous said...Thank you for sharing this wonderful journey with us. The Internet has made the physical topology and related barriers mostly irrelevant (I'm posting from South Australia).
January 12, 2010

Gustav's great-granddaughter said...At last! I wonder how much warning Ethel and Willie had before Harry actually showed up.... were they waiting at the train station as he got off, or did he just knock on the door? There were probably parades and such after the war ended, but did any of the neighbors even notice this lone man walking home over a year later? It really makes me wish we had Harry's letters to Ethel to fill things out, but I also understand why she'd destroyed them.
I have a nephew on his second tour of Afghanistan; considering the family reactions during his leaves or his homecoming from the first tour, I can imagine Ethel and Willie's reactions to Harry's homecoming: Ethel would probably be quietly ecstatic, making many moments to look at him, touch him, just repeatedly comfirming that yes, he IS really home. Willie would most likely be shy, not knowing who this stranger was! Harry would probably prefer to spend quiet time with his family: he'll need time to readjust to civilian life.
Well done, Pvt. Lamin!
January 12, 2010
I don't see them waiting at the train station. I'm not sure if there would be any way for Harry to get word to Ethel. There were three railway stations in Ilkeston at the time, one was a few hundred yards from Harry's home. I picture a knock on the door and then,.... Pandemonium! BL

Dr Satori said...For you Bill, your family and all those who support this project - a hearty thanks for bringing Harry home! This is a great demonstration of a creative, educational and practical use of contemporary technology to bring history to life. I was elated to see this post. It also makes me take a moment to think of those who sacrified life and limb in war past and present. Having Harry home is certainly symbolic of how much better peace is than conflict.
January 12, 2010

Joan said...I'm happy for Harry yet sad for me. I would check on a daily basis to see how he was faring. I was always afraid there would be the dreaded "official word" of his death. It's pretty amazing how much I cared what happened to this man who I never met and sadly never will. You've brought him alive again. Thanks for all your labor.
January 12, 2010

Sandy Cosgrove said...Hi Bill, I started reading the blog after I saw a story about it on the Today show. I’ve kept my fingers crossed all along hoping Harry would make it home safe and sound. I have nothing but admiration for him and all the others who have fought to preserve our freedoms. I’m so thankful he made it! I will certainly miss checking the blog every few days for news. I do look forward to reading a recap on your family members; I feel like I know them already! Thank you for sharing your family’s story with us.
Regards
Sandy Cosgrove
Indianapolis, IN
USAInverness
January 12, 2010

Michael MacIsaac said...Bill, I want to thank you for this look back in history. A look back at your own personal family history. It was evident from the first day I started reading in 2006 that this was a labour of love and deep devotion. I will certainly buy the book now and keep an eye open for the final posts tying up the loose ends. Perhaps the best Blog on the Net and a #1 account of an incredible journey.Thanks again
Michael MacIsaac,Inverness, Nova Scotia
January 11, 2010

Helene said...Thank you Bill for the wonderful account of your grandfathers journey. We all are glad to hear that Harry made it home safe. Looking forward to the last few blogs that will tie up loose ends.
Congratulations from Windsor, Ontario, Canada.
January 11, 2010

Anonymous said...
Thank You so much, I shared this with the children here in Stratford (Canada) in history class, I have followed the blog for quite a while!! While it is sad it is finished, so happy Harry made it home safely. Thank you so much for sharing it was wonderful, take care.
January 12, 2010

Suelle said...This has been one of the most unique ideas for a blog I have ever seen. It was just like being a part of your family back during the war. Thank you so much for doing this, it was wonderful.
January 12, 2010

Mecha said...I will miss all of you! Thanks for sharing all of this with me. Are you sure you don't have any other relatives with letters...diaries...pictures of their cats...anything?
Good blessings to you and yours! Mecha
January 12, 2010

Mrs. Johnson, Teacher-Librarian said...
How wonderful to read this final letter bearing good news, and what a relief to know Harry made it home at last. I'm looking forward to learning anything more about him and his family that you can share with us. Thank-you, Bill, for creating this Blog (the best use of a blog format I've ever heard of!) and giving us a very personal view into an ordinary soldier's experiences during a momentous period of history.~ Lesley in Canada
January 12, 2010

Kenneth Nall said...Bill First off, I am glad that Harry finally made it home after his long wait. Second I wish to express great appreciation for the time that you have spent over the last years on this blog. All the letters and then the further research you added to it has made this a great piece of history. Now that Harry is home I shall get the book and also keep checking in to see what else may come out of this. Thank you for sharing this part of your family history.
January 11, 2010

sykes said...Good for Harry! Let us know what became of them. And... thanks to you Bill!
January 11, 2010

Johann said...Thanks for all your hard work Bill - an excellent idea for a blog and an amazing journey too. Now I really must buy the book. All the best, Johann Tasker
January 11, 2010

Alan Bailward said...Fantastic and very enjoyable. I've posted my few quick thoughts over at http://ufies.org/archives/2010/01/11/ww1-experiences-of-an-english-soldier-the-last-letter.html Short story though is thank you for the fantastic look into a world that none of us will ever (hopefully) know and is fantastic and fascinating.
January 11, 2010

Anonymous said...Congratulations and Thank You for sharing this amazing journey with us. It's a relief that Harry got home safe after all this time!Mike, CT, USA
January 11, 2010

Vireya said...Thank you, Bill. It's been a fascinating journey. I'm also amazed that Harry didn't get home until such a long time after the "end" of the war.Happy retirement to you.
January 11, 2010

Mattg says...So pleased Harry's home safe.
We're Harry. Harry's us.- Matt
January 11, 2010

Anonymous said...I'm going to miss checking on Harry every week to see what was going on. It was entertaining learning of the past and how things were. Thank you for posting this.
January 11, 2010

Cheryl said...Hi Bill- Your blog has really been wonderful to follow along with for the past two years. Harry's life has certainly touched mine, thank you for taking on this wonderful project.
It has made me much more interested in the daily lives of people in my family tree. Thank you for that.Cheryl
January 11, 2010

smlg.ca said...Congratulations on the completion of this wonderful project. I've been following the blog for a while, and am happy to read that he made it home. Thank you for doing this.
SeanToronto, Canada
January 11, 2010

Indra said...Dear Bill,I followed this blog since X-mas 2007. I checked this blog nearly every day to find out how Harry was doing. I translated it for my parents, they unfortunately do not speak/understand enough English. Force's postal service is an inestimable source for historians and even more a piece of heaven for family members. We experienced this myself when my father had to join KFOR and SFOR in the 1990s. We're so glad Harry made his way home. We were starting to cry when we read the good news today. You've done an amazing job so far and I must say that we're looking forward to see what becomes of Harry and his family. sincerely
Indra + family
Hilden, Germany
January 11, 2010

Hi Bill, I started reading the blog after I saw a story about it on the Today show. I’ve kept my fingers crossed all along hoping Harry would make it home safe and sound. I have nothing but admiration for him and all the others who have fought to preserve our freedoms. I’m so thankful he made it! I will certainly miss checking the blog every few days for news. I do look forward to reading a recap on your family members; I feel like I know them already! Thank you for sharing your family’s story with us. Regards Sandy Cosgrove Indianapolis, IN USA
January 11, 2010

Dianne said...Just wanted to let you know that I have followed this blog for some time. I'm thrilled that Harry made it home to England in one piece. I've really enjoyed following Harry's progress. It was a great history lesson with a personal touch. Here in the U.S., our history classes in school tend to gloss over WWI and spent a great deal of time on WWII, so this blog was a nice supplement to what I learned in school growing up. I'm looking forward to reading about what becomes of all the folks we've met in this journey. And best of luck to you in the future. Cheers! Dianne Columbia, South Carolina
January 11, 2010

Marc Bernard said...Excellent news! Thank you so much for sharing this story.
January 11, 2010

Greg said...Thanks for all your hard work. It really was a labour of love. I've enjoyed following Harry and to be honest couldn't quite believe that he'd made it home when I read it just now.Cheers.
January 11, 2010

Anonymous said...Enjoyed every minute of it. Thanks for your hard work!
January 11, 2010

Ian Eiloart said...Amazing piece of historical reportage. If Harry had been demobbed a year earlier, I'd have been very worried about the sore throat. Thousands of returning troops, and others died of Spanish Flu between June 1918 and April 1919. In fact, Spanish Flu killed more people world wide than enemy action in the war.
January 11, 2010

Cecilia said...I started reading this blog in February of 2008, and I was immediately blown away how I would check every day to see if there was word from Harry, much as if his family must have done 90 years before. This blog has given me a history lesson like no other, and has encouraged me to study The Great War on my own. I think I have learned more about it now than I did when I was in school! I shall check in to see the updates which you've promised, but for now, it's off to buy the book! Best Wishes, Cecilia
January 11, 2010

Andy Wagner said...Fabulous to hear that Harry "finally" made it home safe. It's hard to believe he won't be part of my life any longer. This has been a great story to follow and a great way to present it. Thanks for all your work.-Andy
January 11, 2010

Jo said...Thank you Bill for the work you have done bringing us all Harry's story. I started reading the blog as a distraction whilst doing a distance learning PGCE - I am now in my 2nd year of teaching and can't believe how you managed to do most of this whilst teaching! Thankyou again and hope you now start to enjoy your retirement.
January 11, 2010

Anonymous said...Thanks so much Bill for all your efforts! I started reading in 2007hanging on every letter. I would even have friends occasionally ask, "Hey, how's your World War 1 soldier doing?!" And that pretty much says it all, I did feel like part of a big extended family. Thanks again and I'm so pleased Harry made it back safe!
January 11, 2010

Joan said... Hi Bill, just had to tell you im sitting here in tears. I will miss not dropping in to see how Harry is getting on,thanks once again for such a brilliant blog.Good luck always in whatever you do, best wishes,.
January 11, 2010
Joan, that's two of us in tears. I knew this was going to happen, but it's really just hit me. Bill

January 2010 - Comments

2010-01-01T02:01:00.000-08:00

Sgt Sam Avery said... Hello Harry: Glad to hear you are finally on the move for home. We have also moved to Sarrey and are waiting for the next move if and when it comes. As long as we don't head to Russia, which is possible. Stop by for a read when you can. Regards, Sam
January 09, 2010

Anonymous said... On one hand, I'm almost believing he's nearing home; on the other, a pessimism born of watching the Army mess up his leaves and demobilization still has me worried.... Harry's getting close, but he's not there yet. We hope to see you safe at home soon, Harry!
January 07, 2010
It's wonderful that we're all still talking in the present tense. The illusion continues. BL

Roger O'Keeffe said...The so-and-sos couldn't manage to get him home for Christmas, but better late than never. Note that everyone is confined to camp in Marseille, again par for the course: the authorities are probably terrified that large numbers will try to make their own way home, and their personnel files will be left in such a very untidy state!

I would encourage all you Harry junkies to begin to migrate to Dieter Finzen's blog before withdrawal symptoms set in. An American student, Alex Seifert, has taken over the English translation and I'm catching up with the French, and now good old Rocco is translating it into Italian. Welcome aboard! So Harry's community lives on.

As Dieter's blog is a diary rather than letters home, he is much more outspoken about what he's going through than Harry, who - still! - has to worry about both the censor and the anxieties of his nearest and dearest. It's quite fascinating to see an account of living conditions on the front directly opposite the positions occupied by the British after the "big push" on the Somme has petered out. There is also information about how the "live and let live" policy worked out in practice. Sven Janke, the person who is keeping the blog, has followed Bill's lead in accompanying the diary with extracts from the war diary of Dieter's Regiment. These give an interesting view from the "bigger picture" perspective. He is also posting photos that are not directly linked to Dieter, but that give a very good idea of conditions.
January 06, 2010
Looks like the "powers-that-be" relented and allowed them to savour the delights of Marseilles in 1920. Maybe it would have been more of a challenge to keep them confined to a camp with the sounds and smells of a great seaport just outside! As Harry says, he would have met "all sorts of people". What a great adventure. BL

Kittybriton said...
We kept the home fires burning
While our hearts were yearning
Though you have been far away
We'll welcome you home!
January 07, 2010

Inverness said...My Lord, home for the weekend. What am I going to do next week? Time to buy the book.
January 06, 2010
He's not home yet! "Many a slip......." (But please do buy the book) BL

Greg. Tingey said... Not so slow, actually! I have a copy of the 1922 "Bradshaw", in which the best and "normal" trains London / Paris / Marseilles are advertised... Marseilles to Paris Best (1st class de luxe only) 11 hours, normal 24 hours. Paris / Boulogne 3.5 and 5 hours repectively. So a troop-train taking three days, with food/water/facilities stops is not too bad at all.
I would assume he would "overnight at Calais, march to the steamer, and then either get on a direct troop-train for Yorkshire, since, with a double engine-change, a troop-train could have gone through what is now called "thameslink", or go in two stages changing Charing Cross / Kings Cross ....
January 06, 2010
Thanks Greg, much appreciated. I can't quite get my head around the 1st class taking 11 hours and the "normal" 24 hours. (or did it just seem like that). They must be separate trains, I suppose - like the Orient Express and standard trains. To go twice as fast, there'd need to be some overtaking. Sorry, my ignorance of train matters is immense. BL

Anonymous said...In his letter to Kate, Harry mentions Connie's 'holiday' --- any idea what was happening? I would have thought she'd spend her school holidays with Ethel and Willie, rather than 'Aunt' Kate.
January 05, 2010
I can only guess. Maybe Kate spent this Christmas with Ethel, Willie and Connie. Maybe Connie did stay with her mother in Leeds this time. She would be home from the Liverpool school for the holidays. BL

Kittybriton said...Lumme! You should get a medal for endurance Harry.
January 04, 2010

Anonymous said... Whoopee! It's starting to look like good news for Harry: he sounds quite upbeat and almost chatty --- he must have his hopes up that he's finally on his way home!
January 02, 2010

Kate said...Have been following this for about 18 months now and really enjoy it...quick question, on the entry for the 1st Jan. Christmas is referred to as Xmas, did Harry write Xmas?- as I naively thought this word was a very recent addition to the English language. Many thanks.
January 02, 2010
Harry did write "Xmas" in both letters written on January 1st. he has used "Christmas" in earlier letters and so the two would seem to be interchangeable, even then. BL

Nanny (Shirley) said...Hopefully we will welcome Harry home very soon!
January 02, 2010

Anonymous said... Webmaster, I love your site. Thank you sooo much for working on it.
January 01, 2010

G. Tingey said...Across France by train to Boulogne, channel crossing, train to Charing Cross?
Or steamer to Portsmouth/Southampton from Marseille?
January 02, 2010
We'll have to wait and see. I suppose I could open a book on the two alternatives. He could catch the Spanish 'flu and not get any further! BL

Rocco said... white handkerchiefs winding on our hands at the Italian border.
January 01, 2010

December 2009, Comments

2009-12-09T13:07:00.000-08:00

Anonymous said... I love this site! Thank you sooo much for all your posts!
December 30, 2009

Anonymous said...Moving to Tortona, a town on the main railway line: Harry must be so hopeful that maybe now, finally!, he might be moving one step closer to home. This postcard doesn't say anything like that, but I imagine he wouldn't want to suggest it either, in case he gets stuck somewhere yet again.
December 28, 2009

Linda said...Wishing you and yours a very merry christmas and a happy new year.
December 23, 2009

Janell said...Bill, It is somehow fitting that Rocco has sent a Christmas card this year. He has been your most supportive friend through this. He even invited you to Italy and went with you to Harry's old haunts this summer. As we wait for Harry's War to come to an end, I would like to thank you again, for presenting your grandfather's WWI experience to the world and producing his book. Janell
December 23, 2009
I have been most fortunate in acquiring many good friends, world-wide, through the blog. I've been lucky enough to meet up with a few. Thanks to all. BL

Gustav's greatgranddaughter said... Merry Christmas to Harry, whom so many of us have folded into our own families; to his grandson Bill Lamin, who has shared this treasure with us; to Harry's wife and son, who lost years they should have had with him; and to those like Rocco, who have helped expand even more on the bare bones of Harry's diary.

To all of you: Peace on Earth, and Goodwill to Man!
December 23, 2009

Sgt Sam Avery said... Hello Harry: Sorry to hear that you are still in place, but as you say being in good health is something. As for me, just returned from a leave and am back in the hospital. The flu is here now and they take no chances. Stop by for a read when you can.
Regards,Sam
December 19, 2009

History said... nice article, 1 and 2 world wars are a tragic period !
December 21, 2009

Anonymous said...It was rather interesting for me to read the post. Thank you for it. I like such topics and anything that is connected to this matter. I definitely want to read more soon.
December 21, 2009

Kolobos said...the title of the post must be "...11th DECEMBER 1919".
In any case, thank you for this excellent blog. Guido
December 10, 2009
Oops! Corrected that now. Thank you. BL

Nanny (Shirley) said... Just in case you are not home soon - Happy Christmas Harry, I'll keep praying that you will see your family soon!
December 09, 2009

November 1919, Comments

2009-11-10T08:19:00.001-08:00

Sample Letters said...Poor Harry, it shows how desperate he was to come back. The post is really heart touching.
November 26, 2009

Linda said...
Oh dear, poor Harry must be desperate to get home - he didn't like it when Jack wrote before, but now really seems he wants him to, quoting dates and circumstances, it makes for quite a sad letter.
November 25, 2009

Sgt Sam Avery said...Hello Harry:
Sorry to hear you are still waiting for word of leave. At least you are changing scenery, what? I've been hiking since the end of things and we are told we will soon stop at our next assembly area. As it happens, we will be here waiting yet and others who came after will be going home first. Stop by for a read when you can. Regards Sam
November 22, 2009

puma_librarian said...I am finding it fascinating to read these letters. Really helps give one a feel for what was on the minds of the soldiers. I did wonder though...didn't Harry mean a tin of Pomade (rather than Pomard)...for his hair?
November 23, 2009G.
Pomade is correct - "posh" scented hair oil, suggesting that Harry is well enough to start thinking about the finer things in life, BL

Tingey said...I THINK the last conscripts etc came home about April 1920 ....
November 19, 2009

Harry hopes that you're right. BL

Anonymous said...Any idea how many men were, like Harry, still at their posts this late after the war? On the one hand, he so obviously and rightfully longs to be home; on the other, well, at least he has a job.
November 17, 2009

Serge said...It almost feel as if Harry just got forgotten... poor guy. I have not read the book, so I'm still anxiously waiting to read the "end" of this story. Thanks.
November 17, 2009

Anonymous said...I have a copy of one letter my grandfather wrote his brother while he was serving in World War One. After reading these letters, I so wished to have been able read more letters of my grandfather's.
November 12, 2009

Sgt Sam Avery said...Hello Harry: Well as you know it's Over. We were driving until the last minute, then Peace. Something odd to try and shoot a chap and then shake his hand, what? Sorry to hear you are still where you are. As for me, a long hike awaits. Stop by for a read when you can. Regards, Sam
November 12, 2009
Sam Avery is a "doughboy" who is working a year behind Harry. For him, the war has just ended.

Gustav's great-granddaughter said...I don't know if you've heard of this or not, but: apparently the Green Howards Regimental Museum, Richmond UK, has acquired and put online 43 photos taken by a Lt. John Stanley Purvis of the trench warfare he and his men faced in 1916-1918. The website appears to be http://www.modes.org.UK/greenhowards
It's one year today since the Armistice, and Harry is still not home.
November 11, 2009
It's actually a year and a week since the Armistice in Italy and, yes, Harry's not home. The pictures referred to are great but the presentation and filing of the site is a little "difficult". To find the pictures click here, scroll down and select "people" and find J. S. Purvis in the list. BL

Anonymous said...This was great for my h/w
November 07, 2009

October 1919, comments

2009-10-01T23:04:00.000-07:00

Nigel from Nottingham said...Dear Bill, My uncle served in North Africa in WW2 and was taken to Italy as a POW. He was killed in an allied air strike against a German munitions train at L'Aquila in December 1943. I intend to visit his grave in Ancona next year. I didn't realise that UK troops were also on the Italian front in WWI. Thanks for highlighting this in "real time" blog mode straight to modern day. Regards
October 27, 2009

Sgt. Sam Avery said...Hello Harry: Rumors in the Army are as natural as breathing. I'm still breathing also, right now in Verdun on some military business while the Regiment is holding the right flank of the Allied line during this push. Still dodging the big shells that come over behind the lines. Stop by for a read when you can. Regards, Sam
October 26, 2009

Kittybriton said...Good to hear you're keeping alright Harry. I should think if you stay overseas much longer you'll have to become an Italian citizen! And the way the officers treated you when you were cooking for them just serves to confirm another long-held belief that fellows like yourself who make life possible for the rest of us are never really appreciated. Well let me say this, Harry, you are appreciated. And I hope the country recognizes your contribution when you get home once more.
October 25, 2009

Dieter Finzen said...Bill, Thank you for the well done post about the blog. Inspired by your remarks about "All quiet on the Western Front" I have posted a small extract of the film showing what it´s like to be in a recruitment camp.
October 22, 2009

Anonymous said...thanks for this English link to Dieter's diary. As you noted, I had gone to look at it when it was posted earlier and as I can not read German, was disappointed I could not 'see' the other side of the line.
I'm sure it will be very informative. My step-father was in the 101st Airborne in WWII and found that the 'word' about what 'The other side' would do if you or women and children were captured were generally false or very exaggerated on BOTH sides.
October 20, 2009

Sam Avery said... Hello Harry: It's been more than 12 months since I've been home too. Now I'm back in the lines with the boys after getting done with the hospital. Dugouts, cooties [Lice] and the exchange of iron makes it seem homelike here as long as I'm back with the Company. Stop by for a read when you can Regards, Sam
October 18, 2009

Iwan said...eeemm and still no leave???
October 17, 2009

Kittybriton said...All I can say is, your patience, Harry, must be legendary! All this time since the armistice, and still no leave!
October 10, 2009

Sgt Sam Avery said... Hello Harry: Sorry to hear you're still stuck in the same spot, but hopefully you'll be home by Xmas. At least you're not being shot at as I soon will be again. Finally got out of the hospital and am enroute back to the Company. Big doings ahead I think. Stop by for a read since you must have so much free time. Best Regards, Sam
October 03, 2009

Alan Kirby said... Great blog! I just started reading it...going to skip back to the 1st entry and catch up with everyone else as soon as I can
October 04, 2009
Thank you Alan. Welcome to this wonderful community. BL

Kittybriton said...
Here's to you getting back in time for Christmas Harry. Goodness knows, you've done your bit and then some! I had no idea you would be kept hanging around overseas for so long, and as you say, I can understand that an indoor job will take a bit of getting used to after being outside so much but I know your family will be happy to have you home safely.
October 02, 2009

September 1919, Comments

2009-08-31T23:26:00.000-07:00

Therese said...Thank you for the great photos of your stay with Rocco and his family. The country is truly beautiful, but you can imagine what it must have been like for Harry back then, the country side would have been much changed due to the war.
I have truly have enjoyed Harry's blog, you have done a wonderful job, and I look forward to the next installment. Therese from Australia
September 29, 2009

Rocco said...
We do believe you are sincere...except about the "excellent English". Too generous!
Tripadvisor comments: (1)
We recommend Bill as a guest to everybody. Try to believe!
Rocco
September 28, 2009

Roger 'Keeffe said...Just wait for the second edition ;-)
Bill has sent me a draft chapter of the school text that he is working on. It's a worthy companion to the blog and to "the book of the blog": in plain language, I think it's bloody brilliant!. But so far no publisher is biting, which I think is a crying shame.
I'm more than willing to write a personal reaction to the draft textbook, but I'm not all that sure that my endorsement from a neutral European perspective is worth much in the UK (cf. the less-than-entirely detailed reference to "The French" on the Sherwood Foresters' map!).
Is there nobody out there with lines of communication to the UK school textbook industry that can convince a publisher about the phenomenally inspiring nature of all that Bill has brought forth from a box of letters that could just as easily have been thrown in a skip and lost forever?
This textbook is crying out for a good publisher.
Has anyone got contacts in Euroclio, the European association of history teachers? Anybody been involved in a Comenius project on history? An endoresment from someone from that sort of background would surely carry much more weight than anything that I could write as a "faceless unelected Eurocrat".
September 23, 2009
Many thanks. I'm sure an endorsement - even from a "faceless unelected Eurocrat" would help. As a footnote, I did a nominal 1 hour presentation to a year group in a local school this morning which was extremely enjoyable. The kids soon engaged with Harry and asked loads and loads of really well considered questions about the Great War. It had to wound up after 90 minutes as the Hall was wanted for another group. BL

Anonymous said...It is quite amazing that you were able to see the original trenches. It's too bad you weren't able to make this trip before publishing your book, and include some of your great pictures in it. Thanks!
September 22, 2009
Something to consider for the second edition. BL

Janell said... Sorry to hear that your trip to the Piave Front was anticlimactic. I suppose the armies weren't there long enough to leave many artifacts and scars on the ground and whatever might have been there was probably cleared by the farming population over the next near-century; but how disappointing for you to find no evidence of their November 1918 presence at the river crossing, Cimetta or Sacile. Will you be going to Rivalta Scrivia or any of the other places where Harry spent time, after November 1918?
September 20, 2009
I don't really have time to take in every where Harry visited. The bits where there was fighting were, of course, the most important. I can't see that there would be too much of interest at Rivalta. I think I may try to organise a trek - walking the route from Mantua (Mantova) to the Piave front at Montebelluna. About 100miles in easy stages. Anyone else fancy joining me? BL

J4pfoert8@aol.com said... I knew you'd feel Harry's presence, as you traveled the ground he trod 90 years ago. I'm sure his angel is on your shoulder, as you travel his path back through time. Thanks for taking us on your journey.
September 18, 2009

Anonymous said... Amazing, just amazing. It's hard to say what gets to me more: the shell holes that are still so obvious, even after ninety years and another major war, or how peaceful the scene looks now. I imagine that in June 1918, the trees were either shot up or chopped down; instead of that verdant grass the fields were nothing but mud, rocks and barbed wire; and the misty haze was thick choking smoke from the guns. Instead of a serene quiet green, everything was sharp, harsh and filled with constant noise. It's no wonder many of Harry's comrades were invalided with 'shell shock'!
September 19, 2009
I'm sure that it would, at times, have been a harrowing experience but Harry is quite clear that, compared to Flanders, the Italian front was a "picnic". There wasn't the industrial intensity of warfare that was evident on the Western Front. In several letters, Harry makes it clear that it's a much quieter theatre of war. Harry, in the reserve trenches, went the front line to "have a look" on 15th June. That just wouldn't have happened in Flanders. BL

Janell said... Thank you for all the wonderful pictures from your trip to the trenches on the Asiago Plain. They are the next best thing to being there. Though the beauty of the area is breathtaking and many of the scars have healed, for those who look, evidence of the War is everywhere.
September 19, 2009

T.F. Maher, St. Louis, MO said... Thank you for the photos; what a brutal place to have a war. I cannot imagine that the stone-lined trenches would not have been more deadly than earthen equivalents; many more chances for ricochets of bullets and shell fragments, as well as pieces of stone.
Brave men!
September 20, 2009

Emanuele Ziglioli said... As an Italia, I'm ashamed and sorry to hear your were overcharged in Venice. In Italy they just take advantage of foreigners. Recently a Japanese man was charged something like 500e and it went to the police.
Well done!
September 17, 2009
Emanuele, we weren't overcharged. I just emailed to ask the prices. That wasn't a problem. Just a bit too expensive for me. BL

J4pfoert8@aol.com said... I am so excited for you and for us. Just to think that you are in Italy to retrace Harry's path makes me happy. We are going to enjoy your trip almost as much as you will. Harry has shown you the way; you'll probably meet him somewhere, as you travel back in time and place.
September 17, 2009

Dr Satori said... Brilliant post. I'm next door in Padua. Wish I'd organized to meet up with you. Enjoy your visit. Thanks for this project.
September 18, 2009

J4pfoert8@aol.com said... Did you and Rocco have lunch at Harry's Bar? If so, I hope they served you on a silver plate, something to make the price a little more palatable.
September 18, 2009

Pte Harry Lamin said...
Harry's Bar is very expensive and so we didn't eat there. I can't complain as they were very clear about the prices. We could make our own decision. If I didn't make it clear in the text, we weren't ripped off. Harry's Bar's fine for tourists with a large budget. Unfortunately I'm not one of them.
September 19, 2009

colagirl said...I followed this blog fairly regularly for a while but stopped shortly after Armistice Day--I figured there couldn't be that much more left. Looks like I was wrong. I can't believe Harry's still not home yet!
Here's hoping you can get home soon, Harry.
September 17, 2009

Roger O'Keeffe said...I just noticed that although it was a different explosion, it did involve what would subsequently become Harry's battalion. I followed through the wikipedia link to the general article about the Munsters. The garrison battalions formed towards the end of the war were not intended for active service, and by 1919 they were either a source of men for guard duty, or holding formations for processing people due for demobilisation.
1 Garrison Company was initially mainly made up of old soldiers - many of them probably regulars from the pre-war era - who had seen active service and returned to duty after being wounded, but by late 1919 it was probably rather a ragbag unit.
The regiment, like others whose recruiting areas were the southern part of Ireland, was disbanded in 1922 after the creation of the Irish Free State, and some members of these regiments became the nucleus of the Irish regular army - which is how part-time soldiers like me a half-century later learnt to use words like "jildi" or "chit" in the hope of sounding like real soldiers!
September 17, 2009

Kimberly said...I found mention of the explosion on Wikipedia.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Munster_Fusiliers_%28Reserves%29#1st.2C_2nd_.28Garrison.29_Battalions
September 11, 2009
Thank you for that- but if you read the account carefully it's an explosion at a different time and place. BL

Gustav's great-granddaughter said...
For what it's worth (not much, if they can't be bothered to PROPERLY contact you!), Frontline is a television show here in the US: not sure how THEY would describe themselves, but I'd say they cover a lot of news and current events.
September 10, 2009

Kittybriton said...Good grief! Leave stopped for September? it's nearly a year since the armistice!
September 10, 2009
Of course, it's over a year since Harry has had leave and has seen Ethel and Willie. BL

Anonymous said...I found this reference:
Army of Occupation of Germany http://74.125.93.132/search?q=cache:T2zP4JLPCnQJ:usmilitary.about.com/od/armymedals/ss/aog.htm+WWI+%22A.O.G.%22&cd=9&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us
September 10, 2009

Anonymous said...I'm 13 and I have history project on what soldiers had to endure in the great war, I was wandering if you could post some updates about the letters and life in the trenches
September 09, 2009
I would help, but I don't have an email address. You should be able to find the information you need, if you read the blog. BL

(Best Show)Watch said..Hi: Two things
1) I’d like your permission to (re)print your article on Frontline for our website
2) I was hoping we could use your ‘scribing’ talent for our website.

Frontline is one of our featured shows. We’re hoping to round up a few people who can occasionally contribute perspective (via an article/blog) on the shows – maybe a recent episode, future direction, plot shortcomings etc. What’s in it for you? Primarily a larger audience back channeled to your blog. We don’t pay but the site has a lot of promise and we're pretty excited about getting it off the ground. Let me know what you think. Thanks
September 09, 2009
Love to help, Three things; Who do I reply to? What Article? And what is "Frontline"? This MAY be a genuine request but, if it is, they're not going to get much going with that little thought! I suspect it's just a sneaky link. So I'll delete the link until you get in touch properly. BL

Anonymous said...Have a great trip --- I'm not about to tell you what photographs to take: after all, you've already done a fantastic job of leading us through Harry's war, and I doubt you'll disapoint us now!
September 02, 2009

Milanesio said...My Grandfather and his brother fought in the WWI, in the Piave river area. In that period Hemingway drove ambulances for the American Red Cross and my grandfather Bartolomeo, a Fiat 15 Ter full of ammunitions. Maybe they met :). Also John Dos Passos was around. I have some pictures of my grandpa and brother of that period (without american writers). I'll look for them and I'll send them to you.
September 01, 2009

Cecilia in Michigan said...Wow! How exciting! This will be a fantastic experience for you, and I hope you enjoy it to the fullest! I can't wait to hear all about it.
September 01, 2009

August 1919 / 2009 Comments

2009-08-06T01:12:00.000-07:00

Janell said...Climb every mountain, search high and low, follow every byway, every path you know. Harry will show you the way. Tell us of your experience. We would love to take the journey with you.
August 30, 2009

Tom in STL said...Interesting - I guess a lot of us use the SN for passwords - and I also use my M14 number as well. I did have to laugh when Bill followed the recitation of his number with "Sir!" Funny that my 1963 USA number had the same number of digits as his BA number - and was actually close to his numerically...
August 26, 2009

Anonymous said...Ah yes the good old service number, it's true you never forget it! 22 years on and mine has a new lease of life.....as a handy password for today's electronic age.
August 24, 2009
What a good idea. AAARGH, I've just published mine on the internet! BL

Kittybriton said...Fingers crossed for September leave!
August 22, 2009

Kittybriton said...Poor Harry! It just doesn't seem right after all you've been through and all you've done for us that the authorities keep you hanging around with no indication of when you might be demobbed.
August 21, 2009

Sgt Sam Avery said...Hello Harry: Glad to hear you are still well. I have been moved to an evacuation hospital at a chateau where I am getting along nicely after a dose of gas. A lot of chaps have the same problem and many are in worse shape. The nurses are quite nice here. Some class what? Stop by for a read when you can. Regards, Sam
August 17, 2009

Dieter Finzen said...Thank you very much for the great support you are giving my own project. It is greatly appreciated. With the help of friends I will be able to present my diary in English and in French.
Let´s start 12th september !
August 13, 2009

Ellen said...
He sounds like he is missing his family so much and it's dragging on for too long. My heart goes out to Harry, even more since the war is over and he is just stuck there. Hoping it doesn't do on too much longer for him. That he gets his leave or just gets to go home!
August 13, 2009

Kittybriton said...At last! Some prospect of leave. I hope it all goes smoothly and you actually get some time back in England, or would that be too much to hope for?
August 10, 2009

staring-into-space said... my dad told me about this site ages ago and I was amazed to see the letters were still being published! This is really special thanks so much for sharing them!! New Zealand
August 08, 2009

Florence said....I watched the funeral for Britain's last World War 1 Soldier on TV today. It was so wonderful that your countrymen honored Harry Patch with such a celebration of his life. In a way it was a celebration of thanks to all the soldiers from that generation. Did you ever think when you began your blog to honor your grandfather how timely it would be? You brought the Great War to the forefront in the minds of millions throughout the world. Harry Patch and Harry Lamin, two soldiers among the many who fought for their country. One will be remembered because he outlived them all; the other will be remembered because of his grandson. You are an inspiration. My best, Florence
August 07, 2009

Kittybriton said...After being abroad for so long, and the war finished, I'm sure you will be glad to get back to Blighty. I wonder you haven't started making plans to settle in Italy permanently!
August 07, 2009

Greg. Tingey. said...Some soldiers were, indeed, not "demobbed" until May or June 1920.Whether Harry was one of these, as you say, we'll have to wait and see.
August 06, 2009

Sgt Sam Avery said...Hello Harry: Just a note to tell you Im alright even tho in the hospital. Closest thing Ive had to a real rest since hitting France. Seems the Hun gave us the gas right up until the end and there are many chaps worse off than I am. Glad to hear you're well. Keep your chin up and stop by for a read when you can.
Regards, Sam
August 06, 2009

Jason said....The blogs are brilliant. What a wonderful idea and a great way to educate all people about so many aspects of life in our difficult world. I first heard about the first of Harry’s blogs some time ago because of a story and interview done on NPR in America. The various spin-offs are first rate and a real treat as well. I just wanted to thank you and the rest of your family for allowing us into Harry’s life. The blogs are tremendous, and together they really become perfect tools for learning about a period of history in which living witnesses are now unfortunately all too few. Thanks so much for creating such a valuable resource.

June/July 1919 Book & Blog Comments

2009-06-14T03:33:00.000-07:00

Sgt Sam Avery said...Hello Harry: Thanks so much for your Honorable Mention. It is greatly appreciated. Soldier's Mail is also coming together as a book, but as with the rest of this war, you Tommies are ahead of us Yanks in the job and there's still more to do. We've just sent the Hun packing but I've ended up in the hospital into the bargain. Italian food would be good right now. Stop by and read when you can.
Regards,Sam
August 03, 2009

G. Tingey said...So everyone else is posting, but Harry hasn't sent any messages for some time.I realise that his present existence in Italy is fairly comfortable, but we KNOW that he wants to come home to Derbyshire. Any hints on that front, at all?

August 02, 2009
I think that you, and many others, would be quite disappointed if I did give any hints. "To discover Harry's fate, follow the blog." (Or buy the book!) BL

Roger O'Keeffe said...I received my copy this week - many thanks to Bill - and have devoured it in short order, inevitably continuing to the end in spite of good intentions! I'm still logging on whenever I can for updates on the blog, though: the book - which I hardly need to say is excellent and wonderfully complements the blog by filling in the gaps with narratives that relate Harry's experiences to the "bigger picture' - in no way diminishes the hankering for news from him.

Someone has posted a comment on the Dieter Finzen blog asking if Sven plans to make it available in English. That struck me as an excellent idea, so that the view from the other side could be accessible to more people - including Harry's fans who will at some point in the future find themselves without their regular history fix! But it could involve a lot of work, and while I'd love to contribute I couldn't promise a dependable service. So I've followed this up with a suggestion to Sven that it might be possible for him to set up a "Wiki translation": anyone who speaks both German and English could offer at least summaries or rough translations, which would spread the workload, and other members of the community could provide revisions, explanations of German military terminology etc.
August 01, 2009

Thomas A. said...Thank you for this information! I only know WW1 from the stories that my grandmother has told; she was 7 years old in 1914. I remember that she told a lot about the food situation back then, 900.000 civilians perished from starvation during the war. Her father served in Verdun and he was wounded. He never could speak about the war after he had returned. So this account will be very valuable to compare what the average soldiers worries were on both sides.
July 28, 2009
Does the comment refer to France and French soldiers? BL

Linda said...
And it was interesting to see that they had a picture of our Harry in The Mail on Sunday, saying it was Harry Patch in his teens!
July 28, 2009
And the Telegraph, The Sun, The News of the World and the Daily Express! I just hope they'll review the book to compensate. (The Express already has.) BL

Gretchen H. said...Thanks for inspiring others! This is invaluable material that people have in their private collections. I'm glad it is being brought to light after all these years!
U.S.A. July 26, 2009

Gustav's great-granddaughter said...I've got to say the Dieter Finzen blog sounds pretty interesting: I never got to know my great-grandfather or had a chance to ask him what it was like to serve, 1914-1918, as an infantry sgt. in the Kaiser's army --- perhaps I can get just a tiny glimpse of what he experienced through Dieter's eyes. (I do have a pretty good idea what it was like for German civilians at home: thank goodness my grandfather was, occasionally, quite talkative about his childhood and the family's homefront wartime tribulations.)
But mostly, I'm STILL waiting for our Harry to make it home!
July 26, 2009

Parcival said..."I also had some problems with the spatial configuration of the Western Front. Fixed in my head is a front line that runs from top to bottom with the offensive taking place from left to right. I couldn't adjust, mentally, to the German viewpoint, attacking from right to left. Very strange." I am a Swiss reader and just realized that I have the same problem. I guess this is a perfect example how history is made and viewed by the victors. Cheers,
Parcival
July 25, 2009

Gustav's great-granddaughter said... I've looked in a couple bookstores, hoping to get a photo of the book on shelves to send you: no luck, darn it! (They do all have it available 'from our online stores only', for what that's worth.) Oh well, they just don't know what they're missing. I'll try another store or two in the next few days.
July 22, 2009

Endeavourer said... When the book came out I did not guess how long it would take for Harry to be demobbed. Although compulsory service was normal, I am thinking the enforced and unwanted stay in the army may have been as unpleasant as the fighting period, at least with the passage of time and indefinite waiting, away from family.
I am going to stay with the blog and await the news, at the same time counting my blessings, and thanking all the brave, ordinary guys (including my granddad (survived wounded till 1964)) who suffered for us.
July 21, 2009

Janell said...Curiosity finally got the best of me. Today, I read the book, having avoided it for weeks, waiting in vain for the blog to come to an end. It was very satisfying to turn the pages to the end. I was interested to see that Harry and Willie look very much alike in one of the pictures. I wonder what kind kind of relationship they had over the years. The book is excellently written and beautifully designed. It is not only a historical document but a work of art. Congratulations.
July 18, 2009

Joanne said...My son has ordered your just published book for me for my 76th birthday. What a treasure! Jo Thompson in Placitas, New Mexico, USA
July 02, 2009

Anonymous said...As much as Harry would've wanted leave, Jack's letters seem to have been having almost the OPPOSITE effect: it sounds as though the officers are getting irritated by Jack's repeated requests, and Harry is trying to tell Jack to stop, before he, Harry, gets in real trouble. Maybe Harry was too good a cook for the officer's mess to willingly let him go home!
July 01, 2009

Kittybriton said...It's so sad that even in Harry's day, Soldiers were heroes as long as we needed men to fight. But as soon as the war has been won, priorities change. Perhaps it is just as well that Harry is still abroad, and well away from the troubles at home.
July 01, 2009

Rocco said...Found on National Archives:
Unrest and riots. Demobilisation, nonetheless, remained a difficult undertaking. Many ex-servicemen, promised a 'land fit for heroes' by the Lloyd George government, suffered when unemployment rose rapidly and the ambitious wartime programme of 'reconstruction' was shelved during the 1921 economic slump.

Some problems were caused by demobilised soldiers from the Dominions, who were often left waiting in Britain for long periods until transport could be found to ship them home. A mutiny at a camp for Canadian soldiers in Rhyl in March 1919, for example, was only suppressed after a number of men were killed. A few months later, rampaging Canadian soldiers broke into a police station in Epsom, killing one policeman and causing a serious riot.

Demobilisation also exacerbated social tensions in various British ports. A series of ugly race riots took place in Liverpool and Cardiff during June 1919, as the local white population clashed with black workers and seamen, many of whom were left unemployed at the end of the war. In Cardiff, in particular, white ex-servicemen, including Australians stationed in the area, headed lynch mobs that terrorised the city's black community during a week of violence that left three men dead and dozens more injured. In the aftermath the government repatriated hundreds of black people (600 by mid-September 1919).
June 30, 2009

Paul said..Further to the previous comment, the book is now available in libraries in Wellington, New Zealand. I have a copy and, unlike most it seems, went straight to the final chapters - no further comment! The commentary surrounding the letters was excellent and obviously the result of a lot of hard work and research. A masterpiece Bill - What's next?!
New Zealand June 30, 2009

Rocco said...It would be nice to see photographs of the book in the shelfs
June 29, 2009
There's a display in my local Waterstones bookshop in Truro. "Local Author - signed copies." I'll try to get there and take a photograph. (Before they sell out) BL

Anonymous said...Your book has arrived on the public library shelf in Hamilton, New Zealand.
June 28, 2009
That is wonderful - and exciting! Perhaps we could start a "book spotting" activity. Readers could report sightings of the book in shops and libraries so we can map progress. Any more to report? BL

Kittybriton said...Well after all this hanging around, at least it sounds as if you're getting some decent nosh. Any idea how things are on the home front in that respect?
June 28, 2009

Sgt Sam Avery said...Hello Harry: No drilling but eggs and bacon every day, some class, what? I'd be happy to not have leave from that camp. Trade places with you anytime. We had an affair with the Boshe the other day and they had the worst of the argument, believe me. Very soon to leave this sector and move up where the big things are doing. Stop by for a read when you have the chance. Cheers, Sam
June 23, 2009

John Meier said...Bill, Please accept another round of congratulations on your marvelous telling of Harry's story.
Regarding the Treaty of Saint-Germain-en-Laye, whether signed in November 1919 or (as another source had it) September, The Treaty did not come into force until 16 July, 1920. I hope Harry doesn't have to wait until then to be demobbed! At any rate, could you please explain the mission of Harry's battalion in 1919? Was it just guarding stores and ammunition? Best regards, Vienna, VA, USA
June 22, 2009
The 1st (Garrison) Battalion, Royal Munster Fusiliers were sent to Italy in January 1918 specifically to man the stores depot at Arquata Scrivia. The battalion members were not considered fit enough for front-line service and so they were kept at that base, about 200 miles from the front line, where they were when Harry was attached to them.

G. Tingey said...Peace treaties (plural, note) were signed at/after the Versailles conference. That covering Germany was signed 28/06/1919, and Austria (which would have included Harry in Italy, as the treaty of Saint-Germain on 10/11/1919. So, do Harry and his new battalion start going home at the end of June, or does it all have to wait until September? I know SOME people were not demobbed until 1920 had arrived ...
June 22, 2009

Harry, of course, knows nothing of this as all the dates are in the future! "If you want to know Harry's fate, follow the blog!" (Or buy the book.) BL

The co-ordinator said...Grand Parade won the 1919 Derby. The horse was making its seasonal debut which may have been the cause of Harry's surprise.
June 21, 2009
Grand Parade was a 33-1 outsider, so quite a few were surprised. The bookies would have been delighted! BL

Anonymous said...No, he's not missing the drilling, but he sure seems to appreciate the decent food he's getting!
June 21, 2009

HAROLD HECUBA said...I have just discovered this blog in the last hour, or so, and what you have compiled and provided here is incredible! I don't maintain a blog myself, but a friend of mine has made some excellent posts about the military conflicts of the last century+ at http://whatandever.blogspot.com/ Looking forward to more!
June 19, 2009

Anonymous said...Poor Harry. Still getting shunted around and no idea when he'll get home. And Ethel and Willie too. I wonder how they're managing without Harry for all this time. Hard on everyone.
June 17, 2009

Marcy said...I finished it today. You did a fabulous job and your grandad would be proud. This is definitely a book that can be used by scholars, not just interested persons. Kudos to you, Bill, you have a winner here.
Marcy
June 16, 2009

Chris said...Is Harry back in England? Is Jack in Strelly. Does it mean he is back in England?
June 15, 2009
Jack is in Hull in England. Harry's stuck in Rivalta Scrivia, Italy. He's compared the Italian villages with Cossall and Strelly, places near Ilkeston that both Jack and Harry would have known as children. BL

TyauvinOn said...Bill, Just got the book here in the US on Friday evening. It is excellent - thank you. I have posted reviews on Facebook and Amazon US
Great job. All the Best Jim
June 15, 2009

Joan said...Bill,just have to say I loved the book.It was great to see photos of everyone waiting at home for harry.I will treasure the book for ever and you should be very proud.Thanks for sharing Harry's story with us. Joan

June 15, 2009

A new post just to split up the comments. I'll start with a couple of great reviews of the book. BL

Jackie said...I felt the same way as Linda. I didn't want to read ahead of the blog but I couldn't stop myself. It's a wonderful book, even better than the blog! I shed a few tears more than once. I would definitely recommend it to people.
June 14, 2009

Linda said...Yes... I know I said I would not read to the end, but The Book has been sitting and whispering to me for too long. So I finished it, it is absolutely brilliant, perfect to the very end and I finished the way I started, stroking it and thinking about when I should start to read it, again. You should be very very proud it's definitely a keeper (you wont see this in the charity shops, I'm sure). Once again well done you.
June 13, 2009

What a pair of lovely comments! I'm really relieved that, somehow, the book has worked as a separate item. Thank you for those kind and encouraging words, Linda and Jackie. BL

Book Feedback.

2009-04-24T01:05:00.000-07:00

lyndyloo said...HI Bill! I'm really enjoying the book...thanks :) It is very moving and and as I read, I also remember my Grandad. He never spoke about the trenches but he did write down some bits and pieces ...and as I told you, his hair went white overnight at the tender age of 17. Yes, he lied about his age to enlist, as did many, many others. Lynn
June 12, 2009

Sgt Sam Avery said...Hello Harry:
Glad to hear you're still kicking but sorry to hear about the transfer. Had a bit of bad news myself recently when I lost my stripes due to reorganization. A common occurrence but still sour apples. Just do what I do: Pack up your troubles in the old kit bag and Smile, Smile, Smile. We're about to get into it proper where we are, so stop by for a read when you have the chance. Cheers, Sam
June 04, 2009

Gustav's great-granddaughter said...Today (June 7) I received a notice that Amazon-US "will have the book available beginning June 1", and that they will send a further notification as soon as it is available..... all of which is so confusing that I'm glad I got mine straight from the author! Thanks, Bill, for saving me from having to figure out what the heck Amazon is up to! (PS- I couldn't help it, I've read ahead.)
June 06, 2009
I've edited, very slightly, this comment. Just removed a reference to a timescale. I know you'll understand and won't mind. BL

Anne said...Makes me feel like somebody at home needs to remind the 'powers that be' that there are still men out there who seem to be being ignored. I never realised that they were left languishing for so long.
June 04, 2009

Kristin said...Who is Annie and why will Ethel and Willie be losing a house now? I wonder how much longer they can keep moving Harry around and preventing him from going home.
June 01, 2009

Annie is Sarah Anne, Harry's sister. As far as I can tell, Ethel and Willie had moved in with Annie for the duration of Harry's absence. Whitworth road is a mile or so (1.6 KM) from Mill Street and is in a much smarter part of town. (As a young child I used to get my hair cut in a barber's shop on the residential street, Whitworth Road. My first school was just across the fields.) I suppose that if Annie gets married, Ethel and Willie will have to move back to the Mill Street address. BL

Anonymous said...Darn it, sounds like Harry's gotten stuck in a poor situation. And being such a poorly-regarded sort of unit, they won't be on any short-lists even for things like clothing and supplies. Hang in there, Harry!
May 31, 2009

Theknitbox said...I've been following Harry for over a year and even the happy letters still make me cry. To give a little bow to the greatness of this blog, I'd like to humbly pass on the Lemonade Award - an informal acknowledgment of appreciation between bloggers - for being an inspirational blog. Click back to my blog to find out how to pass it along.
May 30, 2009

Kittybriton said...Bad luck about the move old man! I'm ashamed the brass didn't see fit to get you back to Blighty after all you've done too.
Not to worry, we'll keep the home fires burning, and a pint waiting for you when you get your boots off.
May 31, 2009

John said...I too have been through the review. It is really good. Thanks for the great work. Hope this good work would continue.
May 27, 2009

Paula said...My copy of the book arrived yesterday morning: thanks, Bill! So far I've only skimmed through, but it looks great: lots of expanded explanation of what was happening, lots of photos. It's a beautiful testament to Harry and all the others who served in the Great War.I'm diving in in-depth today, and I'm going to TRY to stop with May 1919.... not sure if I have the willpower, but I don't want to 'skip ahead' of Harry's letters in this blog! With much appreciation; Gustav's great-granddaughter (AKA Paula, the computer Luddite)
May 19, 2009

Yantram BPO said...This is great. I am favouriting you and will read from the beginning soon.
May 15, 2009

Kittybriton said...I wonder whether Harry is asking for something he can wear during off-duty hours? Guarding a dump! How much longer can the Army drag it out?
May 15, 2009
Different times Kitty. Soldiers would have to wear uniform if they went out in off duty times. No, they just didn't get new kit when the old stuff was worn out.

Anonymous said...'Send an old shirt'? Any idea why? I mean, I would've assumed that the Army kept the soldiers well clothed, but this sounds otherwise.
Also, Harry sounds pretty depressed; understandable, since the war's been over for months and he's STILL not home.
May 14, 2009
The soldiers were poorly equipped and, in an out of the way place, just wouldn't have supplies of fresh clothing and kit. Throughout the war, the soldiers would wear anything, within reason, to keep themselves comfortable. In an earlier letter, Harry's pleased to receive woollen goods but lets them know that he has to carry EVERYTHING, so he has to be selective about what he keeps. (Chocolate and cake, no problem!)

The Clever Pup said...I love the idea of a site like this. Well done. I've been tracking some French Soldiers from the 54th artillery that I found on postcards from a french auction. I also have clipping and letters from a Canadian soldier of WW1.
This is great. I'm favouriting you and will read from the beginning soon.
May 13, 2009

Janell said...Congratulations once again, Bill. Anyone who hasn't heard of Harry's Blog and the book, Letters from the Trenches, must live in a cave. I hope the book is a best seller.
May 10, 2009

Anonymous said..Whoopee, I've got my order in! But.... what can I say? I'm a bit a a Luddite: I didn't see anything about your signing it; I don't need it personalized, but I WOULD like your autograph in there. On the other hand, I don't want to mess up and accidently make a second, completely different order. Will you be signing all the ordered books --- in which case my screwup is taken care of!
May 09, 2009
All books I dispatch will be signed. There is a request for an email to me syaing exactly what dedication is wanted. I'll try and alter the Paypal button to request the dedication details. BL

Nanny (Shirley) said...Bill - I ordered from Amazon US and no delivery date as yet. I would LOVE to have one directly from you with your personal autograph (would go with my stamps) - thanks, Shirley
May 09, 2009

Anonymous said...Are you sure you want to do this? I'd bet you've got a lot of US readers, we might sprain your signing hand! (But yep: I'd love an autographed copy, if you're really willing!)
May 09, 2009

bill said...Hello Bill, I'm in the US, but I ordered the book from amazon.co.uk, and received it last week.
May 09, 2009

Janell said...Thank you, Bill. I will be happy to pay what ever the cost to receive the book from your loving hands. You continue to be a tribute to your grandfather and if he is able, your father no doubt takes great pride in his son's efforts to enlighten the world about one soldier's fight in The war To End All Wars.
May 09, 2009
I should have the ordering details by Monday. The postage to the States is about £7 ($12) but The book will be quite a bit cheaper than Amazon.com so, overall, it won't be too much more expensive than buying in the States. (And it'll be a signed copy) BL

Anonymous said...I've had a pre-order in with Amazon(US) since January; they've been saying 'we'll tell you as soon as its available' since mid-April. So when I was at a bricks-and-morter bookstore yesterday, I asked about it; the book is not listed on their upcoming titles. Sigh. I'll hang on a little longer, but the Amazon (UK) option is going to look better and better each day!
May 08, 2009

Rocco said...As a foreigner follower I'm not able to write in English a learned comment (found this expression on my English-Italian dictionary) on my GREAT appreciation of Bill's book. I expected a book taken from the blog, letters and some comments, I found instead a real history-chronicle book in which I'm accompanied and I learn the little and great reasons of Harry's adventure. I'm loving (arrived at page 100, 1st period in Italy), Bill's contributions between the letters, they are really involving and extremely clear. A lost teacher but a gained writer. Criticism?: too short!!
May 08, 2009

Janell said...We in the United States wait impatiently for the book to arrive. Perhaps the blog will end, at the time the book arrives. But I imagine I will start at the end, no matter when that is.
May 07, 2009
There seems to be a small problem in the States. There are negotiations to find a U.S. publisher for the book. Until that is resolved, it is going to be difficult for Amazon to satisfy their orders. (So my publisher tells me) It may be sensible to cancel the order with Amazon.com and re-order through Amazon.co.uk which is delivering. BL

Anonymous said...If the cow is grass fed, as I'm sure these were, the drippings were actually healthy!
May 08, 2009
A comment about the training camp food "bread and dripping" from 1917! BL

Louise Lewis said...The problem is that we book buyers have been following the blog in 'real tima' for some years, and we don't wnat to learn the ending in 'advance'. My book is waiting on the shelf ready to be read and appreciated in the future when the blog finishes. Nevertheless, I can say how much I appreciate the work and effort you have put into the project and a glance at the book shows it to be handsome indeed. Thank you for all you have done
May 07, 2009

Jo Allen said...Such an achievement Bill, saw a copy and feel I must go and buy one now, looks and feels really good. Never had my name mentioned in a book before! hope it does well for you, you deserve it.Jo
May 06, 200

Linda said...Sorry Bill should have posted before, I have been reading my copy for the last week, I am not rushing to finish, just enjoying it slowly, it just seems the right thing to do (still haven't decided whether to go to the end), it's absolutely brilliant, I had forgotten lots of things and the war diaries really come into their own, I have only just realised how important they are, I was always in such a panic for the letters.
You should be very proud of this book, I get the feeling that it will be a stayer for many years to come.
I have read the review, really good, it sums it up perfectly. Linda
May 04, 2009

David said...My book arrived in good time, I started to read it and am doing so slowly, so as not to get near the end before the blog does. I imagine other readers are doing the same. Few are in a position to give a full resume!
I am very impressed with the technical quality as well as the amount of material you have amassed, and its presentation. You have made a brilliant job of writing a book on its own account, not just a rehash of the blog.
You have really done Harry justice - and I also think the BBC probably pinched the idea of following up letters home in their series of programmes last November with celebrities (memorably, Dan Snow and Rolf Harris) meeting historians at the battlefields.
May 03, 2009

Anonymous said...Great article for technology educators. I shared it with my colleagues here in the states. Thanks for all the great work.
May 01, 2009

Sgt Sam Avery said...Hello Harry: Too bad about being involved in occupation instead of going home, but at least it's better than being occupied with keeping your head down as I am. Just got some ready made smokes tho, and believe me they are grand. Stop by for a read when you have the chance. Sam's blog
Sam
May 01, 2009

I've added scans of contemporary newspaper reorts on the Fiume issue, found by Rocco, as there seems to be quite some interest. Click here. BL

Steve from Croatia said... Fiume(Rijeka) is town in Croatia. Name means river (there is a river in town). In Austro-Hungarian monarchy it was separate territory goverend by hungarians but mostly Croatians and Italians lived there. After WWI Italy claimed Rijeka but Yugoslavia and people from Rijeka had different ideas. For brief time (until 1919) english, french and american troops where stationed in Rijeka. I don't think Harry would like that: it was probably not peaceful job.
April 29, 2009

Anonymous said...I dont get the connection with the Wiki-link and the comments on the "Fuime job". Is the link correct?
April 28, 2009
The link seems fine to me, explaining a little of the history of Fiume, or Rijeka as it is now known. Is the confusion with the name?
Rocco said...The following link (from Wikipedia) could be interesting for non Italian people: the FIUME job, as Harry calls it, was a terrible problem, whose consequences continue today for those Italians who were forced to leave Fiume or for those who decided to remain there. A hard destiny anyway for thousands people.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rijeka
April 28, 2009
Harry's still spelling it FUIME. He can't be reading Rocco's comments. Thanks for the link Rocco. BL

Kittybriton said...10/6 a week bonus doesn't sound bad! At this rate of going, they'll have you in the regulars yet!
April 28, 2009

Gordon in Chicago said...What is the "Fuime job" reference?
April 28, 2009
A whole load of Harry's battalion were sent to Fiume (Harry spelt it wrong) on policing duty - a sort of United Nations job. The ownership of Fiume was disputed - the Italians laid claim to it and there was the potential for civil disturbances. It would appear that the rest of Harry's battalion (apart from poor Harry) was sent home for demob. BL

Rocco said...I got a mail from Amazon.UK: the book has been sent to Italy! Looking forward to it. My English-Italian dictionary is going to effort a hard job. 2nd good news:getting the book from IBS (an Italian kind of Amazon, very good for Italian books) I discovered it would cost 24,59€!!!!!Quite TWICE!! Thank you Bill for ALL you did
April 26, 2009

Inverness said...I will get myself a copy, but after the end is known. I know I would be reading the book from back to front.
April 26, 2009

Linda said...It's arrived! got it yesterday. I have stroked it and smelt it (like you do with all new books) and flicked it. I am going to find a quiet corner today and try my hardest not to look at the end.
April 25, 2009

Anonymous said... Darn it, no word from Amazon(US) on when they'll be shipping: "we'll notify you" is all she wrote.....
Oh well, don't know if I'll have the fortitude anyway to set the book aside and not read it until AFTER we finally get word that Harry's home: maybe it's just as well I've got to wait to get hold of it!
April 23, 2009

Heather B. said...I think that the heart and soul you have put into the project will show. Even not having seen a copy, I am sure I am going to love it.
April 23, 2009

Linda said...Yes Amazon have just let me know that my copy is in the post.. marvelous. I am glad that you haven't gone right to the end, I was a bit concerned that I would have had to read it all, even though I promised myself I wouldnt. How can you possibly be worried about how the book has turned out, it has been such a marvelous journey for us all, we could never be disappointed. Well done you!

Linda also said...see above comment, I obviously didn't read your post properly (blonde moment) - so now I am back worrying again!!!
April 23, 2009
Let's be clear, the book reveals ALL. (Actually there are a couple of minor extras I've discovered after pressing the "PRINT" button. They'll be in the second (and subsequent) editions.) BL

Anonymous said...You just keep this going. I have been watching this from almost the beginning here in Illinois USA. I will buy the book for my son AFTER this blog is finished because I don't want to know the end, yet. This is part of my morning ritual. BTW, I looked up the General Beauman, ...interesting dude.
April 23, 2009

Al - London said...Just got my email from Amazon confirming dispatch - just in time for my holiday next week , can't wait to start the adventure all over again !
April 23, 2009

Linda said.. sooo 'citing, the only thing is, do I read it to the end! or would this be spoiling the story. Anyway, can't wait for my copy
April 23, 2009

Cheryl (Pool School ;)) said...Congratulations Bill - amazing idea, with deserved success after all your hard work. I'm sure the book will be equally as treasured. Many congratulations again! x
April 21, 2009

maclaird said...Most excellent news. I have had this book pre-ordered at Amazon for ages and can't wait to read it.
April 21, 2009

Givinya De Elba said...Congratulations, Bill. What a labour of love. Kate, Qld, Aust.
April 18, 2009
Don't hurt the flies, just smash the uke. BL

The Dotterel said...Congratulations! (That means my copy won't be long now!)
April 18, 2009

Rocco said...More than the near arrival of the book, the fact that Harry is leaving Italy and he's "very nearly in France" gives me the feeling that my burrrowing efforts in Harry's adventure are going to an end. Ciao to everybody, for the moment
April 19, 2009
"Don't count your chickens...." , " Many a slip....", "It's not over until the fat lady...." etc. etc. BL

Paul (NZ) said...Congratulations Bill - Who'd have thought this when you published the first letter. I know what you mean about not wanting to read it in case you find an error - If there is one, I'm sure there'll be a lot of people who'll let you know - in the nicest possible way of course!! I wonder if we in New Zealand will be the first to get a copy? I think not..Excellent work Bill.

April 20, 2009

The Dotterel said...Just ordered my copy today. Congratulations on a tremendous achievement. Proud moment for you, and a fitting memorial to a brave soldier.
April 03, 2009

Italy, from March 1919

2009-03-27T02:03:00.000-07:00

Anonymous said...I have been to Rivalta scrivia, beautiful place
April 15, 2009

Sgt Sam Avery said...Hello Harry: Sorry to hear you have been held back and shifted around a bit. I'm going through some big shifts myself with the loss of my rating into the bargain. Some class what? We're back into the mix somewhere north of Toul. Stop by for a read when you can, and keep your chin up. Regards, Sam
April 11, 2009

G. Tingey said...EXCEPT Harry says "It is very near France", which Rivalta Scrivia most definitely is NOT. Any other possibilities (without burrowing into the Munster Rifles records...?)
April 10, 2009
I think the distance from France is relative for Harry. It's definately Rivalta Scrivia. I have burrowed into the Royal Munster Fusiliers' records! I think it's fair that Harry knows where he is. BL

Anonymous said...Rijeka became a border town between Italy and the Kingdom of Yugoslavia. Rijeka, Istria, Zadar, parts of Slovenia and the islands of Cres and Losinj were a kind of 'present' for italian participation on the side of entente. They were promised much more, but disappointment with the Italian ability to fight, reduced its territory gains.
April 09, 2009

Anonymous said...Fiume is Italian name for Rijeka in Croatia.
April 09, 2009

Jack O'Sullivan said...I think that this letter must have been hard to get through, with all of the frustration that was involved.
April 07, 2009

Anonymous said...Wait, what?!? So everyone from Harry's old battalion, officers and enlisted, have all gone home: but for some reason Harry, one single man!, is left behind with another unit?!?This letter to Kate sounds pretty calm, for what must have been total frustration!
April 07, 2009

G. Tingey said...So, now you'll have to look up the Royal Munster Fusiliers records?
April 07, 2009
Royal Munster Fusiliers 1st (Garrison) Battalion. BL

Jay Stevens said....the military is sometimes in their own world. I love your blog. thanks for the post.
April 06, 2009
Thank you for the comment but, no advertising links please, Jay BL

Cecilia in Michigan said...My favorite military acronym is FUBAR. And I'm sure that's how Harry is feeling about his situation right now. Hopefully, Harry's next letters will include the date of his return home!
April 06, 2009

Linda said...Just had an email from Amazon, "Estimated arrival date: 23/04/09 - 25/04/09". I don't mind the waiting is a bit delicious, will make the reading all the better.
April 05, 2009

Anonymous said...Looking forward to getting my copy of the book, but not NEARLY as much as Harry must looked forward to finally going home! Letters from home gone astray, everybody ELSE has gotten demobbed, and he's still in there cooking for 16-17 hours a day. (I do like his comment about the how officers must have thought it was a restaurant.) Hang in there, Harry: surely this can't go on TOO much longer!
April 04, 2009

Kittybriton said...Grinning about the acronyms! The military do love their alphabet soup. I was thinking maybe Harry would be all set to open a little cafe when he came home, but after working 16hr days, I can't blame him if he was content to let somebody else do the cooking for the rest of his life.
April 04, 2009

Anonymous said...Publish and be damned.....we are all adults....military acronyms are always fun!
April 04, 2009
Sorry, but we're not "all adults" and maybe not all comfortable with military language. I may link to them on a separate page with a disclaimer.BL

Linda said...The worrying thing is, as he as is so late going will he get a job when he finally gets home. Although he sounds just as easy going as always, I think I would have liked him.
April 05, 2009

Janell said...As the old saying goes, "Last person out, turn off the lights!" I guess that will be Harry. Obviously, someone has got to be last to leave a war; but a Private would not come to mind, cook or no cook. I hope he doesn't miss the last train home.
April 05, 2009

Janell said...Maybe Harry has been sent to Paris for the signing of Treaty of Versailles on June 28th. After all, someone needs to cook for the participants!
April 04, 2009

Kittybriton said...Confused of Lyndonville writes "this appears to be a circular link. I think I may have missed something."
April 03, 2009

Marcy said... Oh no......that is not fair! surely he wasn't transferred to another unit...no, no, no....ugh!!!!
April 03, 2009

meg's mommy said...oh no!
April 03, 2009

G. Tingey said...Except, you say "SNAFU" regarding Harry. I also note that the 8th Bn has joined the 9th. I presume the remaining battalion(s) are being reduced and renumbered, as the Regiment returns to Pre-War regular Army size, but from your remark, Harry is still cooking for someone, or has been re-transferred elsewhere?
03 April 2009

Hosting said...It is about 3 weeks to 23rd october. :-(
April 03, 2009
Oh dear. Maybe Hosting means April. Perhaps it was late at night....BL

Janell said...Congratulations, Bill. Your amazing achievement and incredible tribute to your grandfather has come to an end. Your labor of love has produced a masterpiece that is a lasting, historical record. Thank you for your dedication to the cause.
April 03, 2009
Harry isn't home yet! Don't assume anything. This is organised by the military. BL

Mark at Mark's Travel said...**Waiting for book to be delivered so can find out ending**
April 02, 2009

Marcy said...Yea Harry!!!!!!!!!! Now I want to know what happened when he got home---how long did it take him to find a job? did he have any more children? how did he adjust to being home? etc etc???
02 April 2009
Steady Marcy! No one said anything about Harry.
You might have to buy the book to find out the answers to those questions. BUT he isn't home yet. BL

Anonymous said...Do you see any rhyme or reason in WHO is getting demobbed? Longest enlistments first, longest time since leave, any particular specialties (not a lot of need now for sappers!) or assignments? (Maybe Harry getting into what we first thought was a slightly cushy berth, cooking for some officers, was a bad move after all: they'll want to keep their best cooks as long as they themselves are there!)
March 31, 2009
Unfortunately, the war diaries just refer to "other ranks" by numbers involved. As always, no details. We can only pick up clues from Harry's letters. He's not that helpful there. BL

Janell said...At least there is no reference [in the war diary] to the pandemic Flu. Since the Battalion is fairly isolated, they may be protected. I guess that is one advantage for Harry and the others.
31 March 2009

Kittybriton said...It's wonderful to know that Willie is still with us - another belated Happy Birthday to the grand old man! I'm sure he has a few stories of his own to tell.
March 29, 2009

Doctor Pion said..Harry's experience mirrors that of my Grandfather, whose letters sent up the chain of command pointing out the conditions of his enlistment were not as restrained as Harry's. Happy Birthday to your father. Has he learned new things about his father from your project?
March 29, 2009
To my great sorrow, Bill senior is not really able to follow the process. He was able to help at the start but now, as the whole project is coming to a wonderful fruition, he is not well enough to appreciate it. Thanks to all who have sent birthday wishes to him. BL

Anonymous said...Ministry of Defense messing around in 2009 for no discernable reason with ninety year old public records..... Ministry of Defense messing around in 1919 by letting some guys go home, and keeping others (like our Harry!) in Italy for extra months for no discernable reason.....Tradition: it's wonderful!
March 28, 2009

Janell said...Thanks to the Ministry of Defense ("Defence", for my U.K. readers.) for finishing with the Battalion War Diary in such a timely manner. It only took them 3 months to muddle through. Meanwhile, we have been missing out on valuable information about Harry's continued detainment in Italy, cooking for the brass, of all things. Now, the Diary will keep us informed about his battalion's activity and "dispersal". I see they continue to route march. They probably route march in their sleep!
March 28, 2009
Or, sleep in their route marches. BL

Anonymous said...He must have been very good at what he was doing or he would have been sent home, surely?
March 27, 2009

Italy 1919

2009-01-22T04:15:00.000-08:00

After an frustrating saga, I have the scans of the war diaries for the 9th Battalion York and Lancaster Regiment, from December 24th 1918. The Ministry of Defence had possesion of them and delayed returning them to Kew. I really wonder if national security would have been compromised. Perhaps I could ask, under the Freedom of Information Act, what on earth was so important. BL

Gretchen said....We're a bit behind, but my entire writing history class is following the blog from a university in Michigan.
March 26, 2009

Ken said...Happy birthday to Bill Sr.! I celebrated my 50th birthday on March 23rd as well!
March 26, 2009

Janell said...Ninety birthdays between then and now--quite amazing, when you think of it that way. I wonder if he remembers the day that Harry came home...........
March 25, 2009
I'll certainly ask him. BL

Anonymous said...Happy birthday to little Willie/Bill Senior! I hope the years between the two birthdays have brought you much joy and contentment!
March 25, 2009

Marcy said...How wonderful to hear! I hope he enjoyed his day, Bill! :)
March 24, 2009

Dave in blustery Massachusetts, USA said...Yes, Bill senior must be Willie; Age 93 in 2009 means he was born 1916, making him 3 yrs old in 1919. Happy Birthday Willie!!!
March 24, 2009

Linda said...How fantastic, I hope he is well enough to appreciate this fantastic blog. Happy Birthday Bill
March 24, 2009

Anonymous said...I'm assuming Willie = Bill senior.... or I am I missing a generation? Happy birthday anyway!
March 24, 2009
Willie, 3 in 1919, is 93 in 2009. So yes, Willie grew up to be Bill Senior.BL

Linda said...Sounds like you really like it, cant wait for my copy to arrive
March 21, 2009

Anonymous said.."pro captu lectoris habent sua fata libelli"
(according to the capabilities of the reader, books have their own fate)
Maurus Terentius - II century a.
March 20, 2009
Still don't understand - even with the transalation! BL

C. Joy said...This is really fascinating reading about how someone felt in the past.
March 17, 2009

Anonymous said...Harry wrote: “We have had the General for dinner ... I don’t cook any poultry or game”. Maybe in his next letter we’ll find out if the General tasted better than poultry or game!
March 13, 2009

Janell said...Glad to see Harry has more time to write letters to his family. Maybe it's good that he has time to re-adjust gradually to future civilian life, as he waits and cooks in Italy. It is wonderful that his family continues to provide the items he requests in letters home. Clearly, the cook book is very valuable to him, as he struggles to improve the art of cooking. I do hope that soon Harry is returned home to family and employment.
March 13, 2009

Sgt Sam Avery said...Hello Harry: Glad to hear you are still getting along in the cooking line. Poultry or game would go just fine with me right now, but all we have is what can be brought to us under fire. Have had a busy time since the 10th, and am learning to dance to the tune the Bosche plays. Stop by for read when you can. Regards, Sam
March 12, 2009

Kittybriton said...Chin up Harry! Hopefully your guess is right and you won't have to wait too much longer before you can come home again. I must say, you must have quite a talent as a cook for them to hang on to you like that!
March 12, 2009

Anonymous said...I discovered this blog yesterday 10/03/09. It is rivetting. I am also researching my family's time during WW1, a grandfather,his two cousins, a great grandfather and his two brothers all in AIF and all bar one came home, the one buried at Crucifix Corner Cemetry in France. I have loved reading Harry's letters and am interested in how he tells his brother Jack much more about the reality of life on the line than he does his sister (understandably I guess for the times and thoughfulness of brothers)Harry seems to have been an optimistic and happy soul. Someone to be very proud of.
BL your work in putting this together inspires me to keep going so that I can also document my findings.
I have planned to go to our Dawn Service on Anzac Day April 25 for the first time this year and now I will also have Harry to reflect upon too.
March 11, 2009

Mesut said...good that he's getting decent food at last. Let's hope he gets to go home soon and get a job. Koxp, Koxp indir, Koxp 1726, Koxp Haberleri
Koxp
March 10, 2009

Rocco said...The soldiers' disappointment can be very dangerous in a not so established democracy like Italy was (and I think is): Italian soldiers of the the Great War were the most enthusiastic supporters of the first Fascism, after the false promises given during the war as to; land to till, job to find, pension to receive and so on.....Many soldiers, after the return, did not find even their wives, thanks to the draft dodgers fighting in the well warmed offices of the war bureaucracy.
March 06, 2009

Jackie said...Poor Harry. He's really frustrated but what would he be coming home to? Unemployment probably. I didn't realise 'all over the shop' was such an old phrase.
March 05, 2009

Anonymous said...Yep, he sure does sound frustrated, and justifiably so! Four months since the end of the war, and he's STILL in Italy, STILL doesn't know when he'll get to see his home and family, and, I'd say, he's getting really worried if there'll be a decent job for him whenever he DOES get home.
Poor Harry may be physically rested by now, but he's mentally exhausted. It's one thing to endure hardships as part of the group during a war, but it's quite another to be left behind like Harry must feel he has been, watching the lucky ones go home while he's 'forgotten' by the high command.
March 05, 2009

Anonymous said... There was an interesting TV program on where they traced someone's family. He was a soldier in WW1 and died just after the war from the Flu epidemic. I think little does Harry know it, but he is better of where he is at the moment.
March 02, 2009
He probably wouldn't agree! But, the 'flu epidemic did kill more in Europe than the war. I've seen an estimate of 25 million deaths due to the "Spanish 'flu" BL

Kittybriton said...What a caper! Three months since the armistice and still no word about getting demobbed. I'm curious about the mention of breaking up the divn. Does this mean you might get sent home? or just organized into another bit of H.M. Forces? Still, I am immensely grateful that the fighting is over and you are out of the heat (even if you are still in the kitchen!), and I doubt very much the hun will be in a fit state to make any more trouble for a good long while.
March 01, 2009

Anonymous said..."two years in the trenches without a break" - didn't he get leave sometime last year?
March 01, 2009
You are right. Harry had a leave last September, but that was the only time that he went home from May 1917 until now. It's his first real moan! BL

Sgt Sam Avery said...Hello Harry: Just to let you know I have received you letter. Can't blame you in the cooking line as I was too glad to be rid of the job when they made me Mess Sgt. for a time on the Border. Only good thing about it is being where the food is. Stop by for a read when you can. We're properly in the mix now, just as you are (HA). Keep your chin up.Sam
February 28, 2009

Matt said...Technically 5 shillings in 1919 would be 60d, but that's not terribly important.Hope Harry gets home soon!
February 27, 2009
I have to disagree Matt. Every 12d was, until 1971, worth a shilling. Prices above 12d were always written in shillings and pence. 5s - 0d would have been correct. BL

Marcy said...I wonder what kind of work he was doing that kept him on the go all day---was he having to do all the food prep, kitchen cleaning, etc as well as cooking? He says he's cooking for 8 so that wouldn't be a huge number yet it sounds like they worked him hard. You'd think they'd cut these guys some slack considering what they'd just survived.
February 27, 2009
"Cut some slack"? "Consideration"? Marcy, this is the military. BL

Janell said...Poor Harry. He must feel like a prisoner of war. But the economic situation at home must be discouraging, too, writing to the factory and getting no response. Maybe he'll learn to cook as he waits. I am so glad to hear from him. It's been so long.
February 27, 2009

Anonymous said...Harry sounds a lot happier than he has done in recent times. It's good that he's getting decent food at last. Let's hope he gets to go home soon and get a job.
February 14, 2009

Sgt Sam Avery said... Hello Harry: Just a note to tell you that we are finally IN somewhere on the Aisne Line. This company was the first to see No Man's Land. Some of the boys have already been knocked off, but we're getting wiser and give as good as we get. Trench life is all that it's been cracked up to be. Stop by for a read when you get the chance. Stay well, Regards,
Sam
February 11, 2009

Kittybriton said...It's wonderful to hear that you've had a chance to see Venice, Harry. It is one of the places I've long wanted to visit. And you got to stay in one of the posh hotels too! I should think it made a pleasant change from huddling in drafty trenches.
February 06, 2009

Sgt. Sam Avery said... Hello Harry:
Glad to hear you've had the chance to see Venice. We have packed now and are ready to move In somewhere north on the Aisne line. Should be there in a day or two. Stop by for a read when you have the chance.
Regards, Sam

February 04, 2009
Sgt Sam Avery said... Hello Harry:
Glad to hear you've had the chance to do a bit of sight-seeing. We're on our way north to the Front in railcars that may hold 40 Frenchmen, but not as many of us strapping American lads. Soon our sight-seeing will be in No Man's Land. Stop by for a read when you can. Stay well, Sam
February 05, 2009

Anonymous said...Dan Quayle would be thrilled to see how Harry spelled "potatoe". Vindication!
February 03, 2009

Anonymous said...Soldiers from Australia took up to 12 months to return to Aus. As a result many having time in England after the war ended married while they were there and later brought their wives to Aus. Of course we must spare a thought for the many who were wounded or ill and many who continued to die long after Nov 11.
February 01, 2009

Janell said...I am so pleased that Harry and some of his fellow soldiers were allowed to see the sights of Venice which seems to have done wonders for his mental health. Venice certainly made an impression on him. I wonder if he was ever able to return. It seems that the poor economy affecting many countries was playing a major role in post-war discharge and return of soldiers to civilian life. The lucky ones had job prospects at home; Harry and the others must have had real concerns about the future.
February 01, 2009

At last I'm getting somewhere with the PRO at Kew and the War Diary scans. They say that they'll get the diaries back from the Ministry of Defence for me. BL

Puckoon said...The age of industrial innocence when men believed that the 'firm' would look after them when they got back. Unfortunately those lucky enough to get back early were much more likely to get a job and those forced to wait take their chances.
January 26, 2009

G. Tingey said...Any progress on the official Battallion diaries front?
January 22, 2009
Sorry, been tidying up the book bits and have been very busy. I'll get onto it right away. BL

Spangly Princess said...Hi there, somehow I have only just found your blog but I have spent all morning reading it, what an amazing resource! I am a professional historian specialising in WWI in Italy. While my research has focused on Italian soldiers and their experiences I am really interested in this fantastic account and look forward to the book being published. I am glad that so many people around the world have found your site so interesting, and that you have uncovered so much through your own research, congratulations on some really impressive work.If you ever need any further info on the Italian side of proceedings, drop me a line and thanks very much for your efforts.
January 23, 2009

J4pfoert8@aol.com said...Why are Harry and his fellow soldiers sitting in a tiny town in north-central Italy, nearly three months after the end of conflict? If they have plans for his battalion to participate in post-war security, it seems that would have taken place by now. I have read one resource that said some economists suggested not returning all the soldiers at once, to prevent worsening of already-high unemployment occuring throughout most nations in 1919. Poor Harry, unless he is unusual, the next twenty years will mean more hardship and suffering---followed by the horrors of WWII!
January 22, 2009

Kittybriton said...The delay must be frustrating enough, but having to manage with very limited pay, and high local prices must be very trying. It isn't the first time that I've had the impression that once the fighting is over, the hierarchy all but forgets about the men who did all the donkey work. I hope you manage to find work when you get back to England once more. It seems unfair that you've had to wait three months over there already.
January 22, 2009

War Diary Commentary

2009-01-10T05:02:00.000-08:00

G. Tingey said... Any luck yet with digging the Battalion records out from Kew?
As you say, they must have them SOMEWHERE .....
14 January 2009
I'll try again now that they've settled after the Christmas holiday. BL

Roger O'Keeffe has kindly produced explanations for some of the terms used in the War Diary. Many thanks Roger.

With a (limited) military background, I tend to assume that all readers will understand most of the terms used. Of course, that isn't always the case.

It would certainly pay dividends to go back and re-read the diaries in the light of Roger's efforts.

These are included as comments in the War Diary postings. This refers to the War Diary of September 1917. BL

Roger O'Keeffe said...
4th-11th
The word "musketry" might seem odd to some readers in the context of the first world war.
In British Army training terminology, "rifle marksmanship" refers to learning how to shoot accurately, whereas "musketry" is about understanding the tactical use of the rifle in the field.

20th to 24th
Quite a lot going on. The battalion takes part in an attack, behind 10th NF (10th Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers) which it then relieves in the front line. It seems as if it lost 22 killed immediately on going over the top (zero hour), but only one more fatality during its five days in the front line.
Blue line seems to be the objective of its attack, and it digs in into a new trench system along that line and then moves into the front line and holds the position for four days until relieved, relying mainly on artillery to protect it from German counter-attack.
It spends the night of 20th to 21st consolidating its position – turning bits of captured enemy trench, shell holes etc. into a continuous trench line, with a fire step and new barbed wire on the side facing the enemy.
Note that on several misty mornings it calls for a barrage in front of its position to as a precaution against a dawn attack.
The “hurricane bombardment” is a short period of intense enemy artillery fire intended to create the expectation that the Germans are about to counter-attack, and thus to keep the British, who are occupying their recently-captured position, on edge and guessing about the time and place of the real counter-attack.

30th
English-speakers often misuse the word “barrage” to refer to an artillery bombardment, but the diary makes a distinction between the two – a distinction particularly relevant to trench warfare. A bombardment is intended to destroy the target and its occupants, whereas a barrage (French tir de barrage) is intended to prevent movement. In this case, where the diarist writes “the artillery did not barrage our front” he is complaining that the British artillery did not put down a screen of fire in front of the Battalion's lines to stop the German advance. The battalion was left to defend itself with just its own rifle and machine-gun fire because Battalion headquarters in the rear had not seen the SOS due to the morning mist and therefore failed to telephone the artillery for support: it wasn't till 7:30 that a messenger (orderly) made it back a few miles on foot to inform HQ.
The SOS was an emergency signal in the form of a succession of Very lights (flares fired from a pistol) in a fixed series of colours, fired by the infantry as an urgent request for artillery fire on a prearranged line just in front of their own trenches in the event of an enemy attack.
The barrage put down on the British lines at 10 am was, I imagine, a German barrage designed to prevent the British from counter-attacking, or it may have been to cover the reinforcement or relief of the unit which had unsuccessfully attacked and taken heavy casualties.
A “creeping barrage” was used in the attack to shield advancing troops – artillery fire would be aimed to land in a line just in front of them, and the elevation of the guns would be constantly adjusted so that this impact line would move forward at a prearranged rate so as to continue to fall just in front of the advancing troops. Once the attackers had occupied their objective – typically a line of trenches which would have been separately bombarded - the barrage might be laid down beyond that line to prevent the enemy from moving up reinforcements or launching a counter-attack.
Flammenwerfer is the German word for a flame-thrower, and it's interesting that the German word is used by the diarist without the need for any explanation.
A Minenwerfer (literally mine thrower) is a German heavy trench mortar (nicknamed a “moaning Minnie”). It fired a very large projectile over a fairly short range, and was dreaded because the projectile could be seen flying through the air and did considerable damage on impact.
“Bombs” are hand grenades. They were one of the most useful weapons in trench warfare, and were very widely used in all infantry battalions – designated soldiers would carry a canvas bucket full of them or a sleeveless jerkin covered with grenade-sized pockets (from memory, I think that this was the original meaning of the term “bomber jacket”, though I can't find a source to prove this): these soldiers were originally called grenadiers until the British Grenadiers objected to this prestigious title being used by inferior regiments (never mind the fact that by this time most of the soldiers in a Grenadier battlion would be riflemen!), so grenadiers became “bombers” and grenades became “bombs”.

The Northumberland Fusiliers (from the industrial North-East of England) included about a dozen battalions of “Tyneside Irish” and “Tyneside Scots” - these pals' battalions were so named to generate competition between the local communities of Irish and Scottish immigrants to see who could raise the most troops for Kitchener's New Armies.

DLI: Durham Light Infantry

KOYLI: King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry. My father was born in Dublin in 1904, when it was still a British garrison town. No offence to any Yorkshireman reading this, but he once told me that, when he was a young man, years after Irish independence and the departure of the British army, “KOYLI” was still shouted as a term of abuse by Dublin football supporters at any player who kicked into touch to escape a tackle!
09 January 2009 13:37

The Book.

2008-12-18T00:08:00.000-08:00

Rocco said...World Book and Copyright Day. World Book and Copyright Day (also known as International Day of the Book or World Book Days) is a yearly event on 23 April, organized by UNESCO to promote reading, publishing and copyright. The Day was first celebrated in 1995. Bill, better date couldn't be found!
January 28, 2009

Anonymous said...As Harry is an 'English' Soldier it is quite appropriate that it should be published on St.George's Day :o)
January 28, 2009

Marcy said...I'm very excited to report that I just pre-ordered the book from Amazon.com!!! :)
January 13, 2009

Heather (aka Mum) said... I stumbled across your - well your Grandfather's blog, just now. I'll look forward to exploring it! Cheers from the Yukon, Ca.
January 04, 2009

Kittybriton said...It's good to see that Harry has got his pipe. I hadn't realized it, but thinking about it of course, anyone who went to fight would have had to leave their job. Presumably things would be easier for the first home, so I hope you get back to work alright Harry, and the army doesn't keep you dithering overseas forever!
January 03, 2009

Doctor Pion said...Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. My grandfather also spent quite a few months in France after the war ended. Many of his letters from that time detailed his irritation at the mismatch between what the recruiter told him and what actually happened when the war ended. As I recall, he barely made it back to the US in time to start the fall semester at college in 1919.
January 02, 2009

Marcy said...An American woman named Elizabeth Tyler went to France with the Red Cross in Aug. 1918 as an interpreter and to help resettle displaced persons. After the war, she stayed on and wrote some wonderful letters home to her family. Sadly, she died of bronchitis, probably part of the flu epidemic, in Feb. 1919.
January 01, 2009

G. Tingey said...It would appear that demobilisation lasted until April/May 1919 - info. from a short book on the railways in WWI. Troops had to be brough home from a very large area, and, of course there was also the occupation, temporary or "permanent" areas of former enemy territory - though that work would largely have been given to "regulars".
December 27, 2008

Linda said...Wishing you a very happy new year, I know I shall have one - got my book on order! I can't wait. Very best wishes to you and yours.
December 28, 2008

Janell said...Bill, Thank you for all you have done to stimulate interest in and educate us all about World War I, through the letters from your grandfather. You have described a simple man who clearly endured pain and hardship that none of us can imagine. Initially, I was naive enough to think they would all board the nearest train or ship and return to England, but I see that they must have other plans for him. I imagine he and the others still in Italy are very disappointed about missing Christmas with their families.
December 27, 2008

John in Ohio said...Bill - What a wonderful Christmas present it is to all of us to know that Harry will be returning home to his family. Thank you for what an incredible effort you placed to bring us his story. I hope that 2009 brings you continued success in telling the story and that 1919 brings Harry some well deserved happy times as well.
December 26, 2008

Pamela said...Merry Christmas. Thank you for sharing Harry's letters with us. Looking forward to reading the book now.
December 25, 2008

Ken said...Mr. Lamin, Thanks for sharing Harry's story with all of us. I wish you a Happy Christmas and a wonderful 2009.
December 25, 2008

Nanny (Shirley) said...Bill - Happy Xmas and New Year to you too. This project I know has been very time consuming but yet so rewarding. Again - thanks for bringing it to us - I look forward to keeping up with Harry in 2009 - Shirley
December 26, 2008

Sgt Sam Avery said...Hello Harry: Have a merry Xmas, even still encamped at Tavernelle. That we haven't been knocked off yet is something to give thanks for at least. At Neufchateau we are continuing the hard work of being ready for the line. Stop by for a read when you can. Regards, Sam
December 24, 2008
Link to Sgt Sam Avery's letters (91 Years time shift!)

Robert said...I have only today found that my Great Uncle is buried in Magnaboschi. All these years we have had his brass plaque on our mantlepiece and I never knew where he was resting. Beautiful place and we plan to visit in the next year or so.
November 11 2008
Apologies Robert, I've just found this comment. BL

ERIC SHACKLE said...A story about WWI blogger Harry Lamin and WWII blogger Doug Mayman has just been published by OhmyNewsInternational. It's posted at http://english.ohmynews.com/articleview/article_view.asp?no=384478&rel_no=1
December 24, 2008
Thank you Eric for another great plug. BL

Janell said...I await the stamps ordered soon after they were available and look forward to ordering the book, when Amazon notifies me of it's availablility, here in the USA.How disappointing for Harry to not be in the group sent to Tavernelle for discharge. Will wait for his next letter.....
December 23, 2008
I've chased the stamp order with the suppliers. I am currently checking that all others who have ordered have received their stamps. I was assured by "The Westminster Collection" that orders were being sent out promptly. New orders are now being dealt with by myself directly to ensure rapid service. BL

Oogie McGuire said...Any chance it will be available in a kindle format? I'd love to get it if it is.
December 22, 2008
I have no idea at the moment. I'll have to consult the publisher after the Christmas break. BL

Anonymous said...I was afraid Harry wouldn't make it home for Christmas. Oh well, the bright side: the war is over and he WILL make it sooner or later! Any idea how they're choosing who goes when? At a guess, maybe it's whoever was next up for leave.
December 22, 2008

Francie said...Its been a pleasure reading about Harry my Great Grandfather Pte John Campbell 5th Cameron Highlanders served also but never saw the end of the war d.o.w 5th Oct 1918 all we have is 1 letter and the telegram so it was a pleasure to read and maybe understand what these poor men went through thanks and I look forward to reading the book. Yours Francis Lopez
December 19, 2008

Bryan's workshop blog said...Congratulations! It's so exciting to see yet another blog->book translation.
December 19, 2008

Pete from the US said...This book looks fantastic! I've been a loyal reader of Harry's since reading about his blog on MSNBC over a year ago. Should you ever make it back to the US (specifically the Philadelphia area), please post when online. I would be interested in speaking with you.
December 18, 2008

Anonymous said...Hope you can now relax and enjoy Christmas and the New Year. thank you so much for all you've put into the 'blog'. Presumably, if Harry does make it for Christmas, there'll be no letters, but at least we won't be as worried as last year. However, there was the flu ...
December 18, 2008

mrchristian said...Congratulations on such a great project. I look forward to seeing the book here in Canada. What in the world would Harry think of all this fuss ?! Now a book, no less ! I can't wait to see if Harry makes it home for the holidays !
December 17, 2008

Mrs. Johnson, Teacher-Librarian said...Congratulations, Bill! This is a wonderful achievement. I look forward to seeing the book here in Canada, too.
December 18, 2008

Marcy said...I'm all set to buy it when it's ready here in the US. Will you do a speaking tour when it's published here? I'd like to chat with you about a stop here..!!
December 18, 2008

Anonymous said...I've pre-ordered! Can't wait to see the finished book!
December 18, 2008

Getting used to not being at War

2008-11-20T23:59:00.000-08:00

Anonymous said... I'm rather taken with the "Guard Mounting Competition" on the 11th and 12th. \\! Can't you just see the faces of the men when they were told about THAT one?
December 12, 2008

resim said.. thanks..nice pictures
December 12, 2008

Tor Erik said...Thanks for letting us know what happened to Harry - an ordinary man serving as a soldier in the first world war. I have followed his experiences at least for a year now, and I am so pleased he got through the war unharmed. I enjoyed reading Harry's blog! Thank you for a splendid job.
December 12, 2008

G. Tingey said...I note that a "Lecture on Demobilisation" has been given. Presumably Harry and his mates are being prepared for the complicated business of returning to "civil" society, especially as they will have to get home first. There are lots of other things to do, as well.
Large areas of what had been Austria-Hungary and Imperial Germany are / will be occupied by Allied troops, for varying lengths of time. And, although "regular" troops will be used for most of this task, I don't doubt that quite a few of the conscripts will take part, for short periods, at least. Given where Harry and his mates are, there are several possible routes home, both overland to the Channel, and then back to their home depots, or even by sea from Italy - do you know if any did go home that way?It will be interesting to see what Harry has to say about this in his pre-Christmas letter(s), especially if the military censorship rule will probably have been relaxed somewhat, now hostilities are over ....
13 December 2008

Karoline said...Hey. Ive been following this blog for over a year now, and just wanted to tell you how glad I am that you made this. Earlier my teacher ruind my interests for both world wars. But this blog has made me more aware, and interested in this part of history. Thank you so much for that! I also feel like I know Harry now, its been great following him!
December 10, 2008

Sgt Sam Avery said... Hello Harry: Glad to hear you are getting along well. I'm still in the same place in France for training. We have our helmets & gas masks now and have buried the first dead from sickness. We will be here awhile yet. Stop by for a read when you have the chance.Sam
December 05, 2008

Marta Weller said...What a cheerful letter. I'm glad Harry is still doing fine. I hope he does indeed get home before too long. It's amazing he had access to a Christmas card to be able to send home.
December 05, 2008

lom said... I hope harry gets home for christmas
December 06, 2008

Anonymous said...Facinating blogg and what a clever idea. It is amazing how little he tells his family. Censorship and caution will be some reasons but I wonder about others.
December 03, 2008

Anonymous said...I started following this blog when it was mentioned on the morning news. I am so glad I did, I'm hooked. I have also learnt a few things along the way!. Thanks for all your hardwork and effort.
November 30, 2008

Roger O'Keeffe said... "Interior economy" is posh army speak for "general housekeeping", i.e. tidying up the billet area - what the US armed forces would call "policing" them - and generally improving the look of them. Whether this was done as occupational therapy imposed by authority (as was probably the case in this instance), or just some soldiers' basic human instinct to improve their living environment, or a way of dealing with stress in between periods in the line, it's amazing to see photographs of billets in rear areas even on the Western Front where little gardens were laid out, edged with stones, and planted with vegetables.From this distance, it is hard to guess whether, at this point after almost a month of peace, the daily routine as recorded in the Battalion diary was a still fairly strict regimen designed to maintain discipline in case of a resumption of hostilities, or a cover story for allowing the troops to take it easy. My guess is that there was probably a bit of both - probably largely dependent on the attitude of individuals at different levels of the chain of command (both officers and NCOs)in each battalion or company.
December 01, 2008

Roger O'Keeffe said...28th November: War Diary"Interior economy", about which a question was asked on the main blog, is the official term for "housekeeping", i.e. general tidying up ("policing" in US parlance). In this instance, it was probably programmed because the battalion was about to leave its current billets, and officers and NCOs in any self-respecting unit would make a point of handing over the billets in good, clean condition, since this is one of the issues on which a regiment's reputation would be built. The same is true, with even more force, of the condition of trenches and dugouts: you may have noticed in one of Harry's letters that some of the trenches that the battalion took over were judged to be in poor condition, and his battalion immediately set about improving them. I may be over-interpreting, but I note that on the 30th the term used is "Billets and environs were cleaned", which may be a hint that the previous lot handed them over in a condition "not quite up to our standards" - it may have been true, or was possibly just a bit of one-upmanship. Armies thrive on a sense of competition. By the way, while in normal English usage "billeting" means quartering troops in civilian homes, in British Army usage the "billets" are simply the soldiers' accommodation, whether barrack rooms or wooden huts. Similarly "the lines" means the area around the billets. Originally it meant lines of tents, but the term is now still applied even to the paved areas between accommodation blocks in the most permanent of brick-built barracks.
01 December 2008

Anonymous said...
In the Battalion War Diary for Nov. 28: "interior economy". Anybody have any ideas what THAT might be?!?
November 27, 2008
"interior economy" is the time that is given to check kit, replace shortfalls and damaged items, inspect feet, catch up with admin etc. - anything that will ensure that everything is in place for the unit to function effectively. BL

Anonymous said...Any idea what's going on with Connie? I thought she was at Harry's home with Ethel; perhaps a hospital or school of some sort? Harry's almost chatty in these letters. I'm wondering if he included Kate's letter with Jack's because he was running short of envelopes and/or stamps, or if (though I doubt this) the army limited the number of letters a soldier could send at a time.
November 25, 2008
Connie? See main blog or below. BL

Kittybriton said...I can't begin to tell you how thankful I am that you made it through Harry. And I'm sure the family are equally happy to hear your news. It would be nice if Jack can get a pipe out to you pronto, and perhaps some of your favorite baccy for Christmas?
November 26, 2008

Janell said...Thanks to Roger O'Keefe for the detailed explanation of military thinking, or lack thereof. It is becoming obvious that Harry and his battalion will be serving in some post-war capacity. By the way, does anyone know how much WWI soldiers were paid or the mechanism of payment? Meanwhile, I imagine his family is wondering why he hasn't written since Nov. 4th. I certainly am.
21 November 2008
We can now (25th Nov) see that Harry had used a precious green envelope to write to Ethel.
Pay? The standard rate was 7 shillings (£0.35 a week) less 1 1/2d (£0.015) a week "insurance" (Whoever said that the army doesn't have a sense of humour?), but the soldiers didn't always get all of their pay. Some was kept back and saved for them. From Harry's letter of 4th march 1918 "it would be better if we got paid more regular we have only drawn ten lires in a month that is equal to five shillings in English money, (25p - 70 cents! BL) so I think we shall have a bit to our credit," BL

Roger O'Keeffe said...Correction: "Band of Brothers" is by Stephen E Ambrose.
21 November 2008

Thomas Houseman said...Been following this blog for ages. Great idea/concept and storyline to boot!
November 23, 2008

Gail in Ohio, USA said...Just found this blog today and am reading through all of his letters. Almost seems unfair that I found this with hopefully only a little time left until he returns safely home. ***Crossing my fingers that it's so.*** Am amazed at how calm he sounds in his letters when so many horrors are happening around him.
November 24, 2008

Janell said...After re-reading his letter to Jack, I believe that he did send an earlier letter, with one to Ethel, "in the green envelope I sent it to Ilkeston."
November 25, 2008

Janell said...What a relief to hear from Harry. I have imagined that he was ill or injured. It seems odd that he hasn't written to his family, until now. Could some of the correspondence have been lost? Poor Harry, his letters to his brother and sister convey sheer boredom and homesickness. He and his cohorts deserve a trip to Venice, only 57 miles away, though too far, I suppose, in post-war times nearly a century ago. It will be interesting to see what the future holds for Harry and the battalion.
November 25, 2008

Kathleen said...Is Connie not living with Ethel now? I notice that Harry is asking for her address and an update of her progress.
November 25, 2008
In his letter to Jack back on August 4th, Harry tells Jack that Kate was going to send Connie to a school in Liverpool. No doubt a "special" school to help with Connie's problems.

peregrinator said...I'm not sure that there is a re-enactment society for Harry's Regiment alone. But the men featured are from The Great War Society - more general. So you're probably right the leather jerkins are for artillerymen. However, the older soldier with a red neckerchief is one of the people I met in Derby at the beginning of October. He features quite a lot on their website and so it should be easy to get a name. His mate - who was in full Yorks and Lancs fig - doesn't leap out of the photos at me, however, he could be the soldier with an artilleryman looking at a boiling kettle. If so, he has the uniform that, I guess, Harry would have worn during the winter in Italy.
Great photos!
November 25, 2008

Ludimar Menezes Brasília - said... I´m from Brazil and a discovered this blog only some days ago. I would like to thank you for your idea to show to the world HARRY amazing history. Brazil 11/25/2008

November 25, 2008

Joanna said...Fascinating. I had no idea that re-enactment took place outside the British Isles ;) I've only recently discovered your site, and haven't yet had time to go back to the beginning, but will do so soon. My grandparents served in a Red X unit in Italy at this time. Most of the research I have done so far is about the battles of the Isonzo - a fascinating place to visit, if you ever get the chance. I found it extraordinary/happy/sad/etc that the border these soldiers fought over for so long is now effectively non-existent, since Slovenia joined the EU.
Best wishes, Joanna
November 21, 2008

All Blog Spots said...Thanks to Rocco for providing these and the earlier stunning photographs of the British Cemeteries. You can discuss on buzzerhut forum by free registration
November 21, 2008

Rob Langham said...Hi, i'm one of the Tommy's that were flown over for this event. There was indeed a member of the Y&L's group there representing the Regiment, personally I was representing the West Yorkshire Regiment. If you'd like to get in touch with him, let me know and i'll forward his e-mail.Regards, Rob Langham
November 22, 2008

Old Contemptibles said...I was one of the Tommy's that was there. My group The "Old Contemptibles" Great War Living History Group were there with the Great War Society. I was Badged as a Royal Welsh Fusilier other regiments we represented were the Worcesters, Royal West Kents, Yorks and Lancs, Middlesex and Royal Warwicks. The leather Jerkins were standard issue and were used by the infantry. There were over two hundred Living Historians who took part but only eight of us were British.
November 23, 2008

warhammer gold said...Good article! Good luck!
November 21, 2008

Janell said...How fascinating to see the topography of the area and the reenactment of the 1918 crossing of the Piave. Thanks to Rocco for providing these and the earlier stunning photographs of the British Cemeteries.
November 21, 2008

November 11th, The Guns are Silent

2008-11-11T13:50:00.000-08:00

Anonymous said...I have been following the blog too for some time. When I have nothing to do I make a point of checking in and seeing if anything new has happened.
November 19, 20

battlecry said...Very interesting article.Cheers.good luck.
November 19, 2008

Roger O'Keeffe said..."Recreational training" is army speak for sports or any other activity which gives the lads a bit of time to take things easier, while making it clear that they are still in the army! The term was still in use in the Irish Army right up to the 1980s, and it may well still be in use for those not "deployed" on operations, to use the 21st-century term. Every day had a full training programme for those not engaged in guard duty, patrols or "employed" - i.e. people like cooks, company clerks etc. In normal garrison conditions in the Irish Army (which on its establishment after independence in 1922 was largely made up of former members of the British Army - first-world-war veterans and even old regulars who had served in India), Wednesday afternoon was always programmed for recreational training, i.e. sports, just like in school. Now that Harry's Battalion has effectively reverted to peacetime conditions, you can be sure that "blanco and bullshit" will become a more prominent part of daily life for himself and his chums. This might seem unduly harsh for men who have been through what they have been through, but if you read Paul Fussell's "Band of Brothers", you will get an idea of how quickly an army can fall apart on the cessation of hostilities. In answer to Janell, you have to bear in mind that the armistice of 4/11 was just an armistice, a temporary if substantial cease-fire pending negotiation of a final settlement: the allied armies had to be kept in an operational state until it became clear that especially Germany, but also Austria had collapsed. The French and British armies would go on to take up garrison duty in Germany, and elements of the British Army would go to Russia to get involved in the war against the Bolsheviks.
20 November 2008 09:50

Roger O'Keeffe said... On reflection, as the diarist makes a distinction between recreational training in the mornings and football in the afternoons, he may be using the term to gloss over the fact that the lads were simply allowed the morning off, especially if they had an opportunity to work up a hangover the night before.
20 November 2008

Anonymous said...Yo may find this of interest http://www.john-dillon.co.uk/yorklancs/sgt__davenport.html
18 November 2008
An account of another member of the 9th Battalion. Some pictures. Unfortunately, none with Harry. BL

Janell said...Why is Harry's Battalion still in Italy, practicing on the rifle range, route marching and playing football? Very strange. And why are there no letters from Harry? Is he sick or have they been lost? I would be frantic, if I didn't know that he does return home. Janell
18 November 2008
This is the way that every army works. They are trained and organised for war. They have no mechanism to sort out what to do next. The Battalion has a thousand young men who need to be occupied and "contained". Discipline must be maintained or there could be major problems. BL

Anonymous said...This has been a most fascinating blog, and I have kept up with it very regularly here in Kansas, USA. I am struck by Harry's unwaivering civility and graciousness through it all. He must have been quite a fellow.
November 17, 2008

Daniel said...I know I am a week late, I've been away from the Blog for some time, but it was not far from my thoughts. I guess like many of your readers, When November 11th rolled around, Harry was in my thoughts. Of course it was Veterans Day in the US. I served in the National Guard as have many in my family in various branches. I want to thank you for such a wonderful resource to military history. It is invaluable to get the front line soldiers perspective in order to give us a much better feel for the events of the time. I am happy to see that Harry made it to the end of the war. Thank you for taking the time and doing the work neccessary to share with us Harry's world. I look forward to reading the remainder of his letters between armistice and his return home. Dan Fort Worth, Texas
November 18, 2008

Anonymous said...My Grandfather served with "D"COY, 9th Battalion, Yorks & Lancs from September 1914 to the end of hostilities so it is very interesting to read Harry's Blog and the War Diaries.
November 18, 2008

Doctor Pion said...My grandfather was in France for quite a long time after the war ended. Part of it he spent touring parts of the country, but many of his later letters show the frustration of being given random duties once the war was over rather than returning home so he could go back to college.
November 16, 2008

Marco said...I want to thank you for your work on your family history.
Every one of us had a grand father or great grand father fighting in WWI and in many of our houses have letters or diaries of that times, but not one of us had an outstanding idea like yours. Thank you for having honoured your grand father, and our grand fathers too, by publishing this letters and making us feel the pain of waiting for the next letter. This was a non rhetorical way of talking of the WWI while all the celebration cannot avoid rhetoric, even 90 years after the end of that cruel war, that was called "The great War" until we was obliged to count them out.
November 16, 2008

Marco said...I read this wonderful blog from Italy. I want to tell you all readers that still nowadays in any city,town, or village in my country there is a stone or a monument with the names of the soldiers who died in WWI and they are still honoured on Nov 4th, the day of Italian armistice (la Vittoria as we call it). When you'll came in Italy as tourists look out for them and have a poppy in memory of all the young boys that did not come back home as Pte Harry did. Love from Italy.
p.s. I didn't know that English army helped us to win the war. thank you Harry.
November 16, 2008

ccesnik said...I have loved the blog. I haven't commented much, but I have loved tracking Harry and I love hearing about the wonderful things that have happened to you. Who knew when we all started reading this that letters you posted would become a media sensation, generating new interest in history and tours based on Harry's experiences. Thank you for this blog. You deserve all the accolades you receive.
November 16, 2008

Marta Weller said...I have been reading Harry's letters home and the very interesting contextual comments for over a year. This has been a great, great experience. I posted a link to this Blog on my library's website and got it written up in our Berks County, PA library newsletter. I was very excited to hear/read about the forthcoming book and plan on adding it to our library's collection. Thank you again for inviting the world to share in this experience.
November 16, 2008

Anonymous said...I have been following since the blog was first announced on TV. Thanks for sharing.
November 12, 2008

David said...I´ve been following this blog for a year and a half with great interest. Thank you for Your work! November 12, 2008

Lightning Rose said...Thank you for sharing these letters. I hope Harry went home and had a long and fulfilling life. Lori Boulder, Colorado
November 14, 2008

Logic Boy said...I have been following this blog. It's been quite moving. Thank you so much.
November 15, 2008

Anonymous said...I have loved reading this blog, with real messages produced with real-life timing. Thank you for imagining, creating and sustaining such a simple yet deep way of looking at the past.--karma
November 15, 2008

mr christian said... "...he served through the whole war, 1914-1918, and made it home in one piece, only to lose his wife to the Spanish influenza in 1919."I was just thinking that to myself - I hope he survives the flu !
November 13, 2008

Jain said... :-(Can we have a spoiler alert if links to outside reports (e.g. "The World") give away more detail than what is already published? I'll continue to be a devoted reader, but only of your, sorry, Harry's, own material from now on ... just in case!
November 13, 2008
Apologies if it's spoiled anything. The event to keep concealed is the time and method of Harry's journey home. To discover that story, "follow the blog!" BL

Paul B said... So pleased he made it through. Such a touching story. Well done for such an effort. Thank You
November 13, 2008

George said... Each year at Armistice Day, memories flood back to a visit I made to the Western Front some 20 years ago. The most vivid are an entry in the visitors book at Tynecot, written by two English ladies, giving the name of a soldier who was buried there and the comment, "To a father and a grandfather never known, but never forgotten." Relatives of the fallen could place an inscription on the stone of the soldier. I remember one which said, "He said 'twas his duty" and one below the Victoria Cross on a soldier's stone which simply said, "My son, my son, no reward can be too great"
Such sorrow for so many people. GLL-Norman, Oklahoma
November 13, 2008

Janell said...I am concerned that Harry has not sent a letter since November 4th. I hope he hasn't gotten sick with the flu, the 1918 epidemic that in some histories of WWI, the attrition from which, is described as a major contributor to the end of the conflict. We know from Bill's recent radio broadcast that Harry did not get home for Christmas which must have been very disappointing for him and his family. Illness might explain that, or perhaps, his battalion was just engaged in post-war activities that prolonged his stay in Italy, though that would not necessarily explain the worrisome lack of correspondence, during this otherwise peaceful time.Janell
November 13, 2008

John and Joan said...Both of us lost close relatives in WW1; one, a member of the Royal Irish Rifles, is remembered in Tyne Cot Cemetery and the other, a member of the 20th Battalion, Canadian Infantry (Central Ontario Division) at the Vimy Memorial. Curiously they died on the same day, August 15, 1917. Thank you for this remarkable web site and blog. It has helped us bridge the decades and better understand WW1.
November 12, 2008

Anonymous said...I'm so glad he made it. Seeing the three WW1 survivors lay their wreaths yesterday moved me to tears. When Harry was writing home, they were young men, also no doubt writing home. God bless them all.
November 12, 2008

Mike said...Just heard of your blog on NPR here in the States today and it is fascinating. My great uncle fought in WWI, somewhere in the vicinity of Verdun, as he was awarded that campaign medal from the French. The stamp logo "Lest We Forget" is so appropriate, especially today (still November 11 here in the States).Thanks so much.....
November 11, 2008

Janell said...I thought of Harry on this Veterans Day, as I do every day, but with heightened Joy and Sorrow. Joy for Harry's survival and Sorrow for the soldiers who did not survive; and for the soldiers in wars to follow. I thought of my Dad's WWII service and the profound residual affects on him. Though he returned from combat without physical injury he was brooding and silent about his experience, until the day he died 35 years later. Janell Boise, Idaho
November 11, 2008

Anonymous said...It is wonderful to have the ability to have the insight to a soldiers thoughts during war. I often wonder about my uncle who was killed in Africa in 1943 during WW11. We should never forget what these brave men did for freedom
November 12, 2008

Tom Belardes said...While on the side lines with my wife, daughter and grandson, I watched my son march in the Veteran's Day Parade. I wonder if he really understands what today is all about? I have spoke to him about war and history, but I really don't think he understands the scope of humanity lost in just WW1 and WW2. I picture myself on a cold winter night with my grandson on my lap by a fire, reading your book to the family. Good show Harry! Three cheers!
November 11, 2008

Anonymous said...So glad that Harry's made it, all the marching in the Battalion's War Diary over the last few days was starting to make me nervous.....Ninety years ago in my own family: my great-grandfather was an infantry sgt. in the Kaiser's Army; he served through the whole war, 1914-1918, and made it home in one piece, only to lose his wife to the Spanish influenza in 1919. And then there was his son, my grandfather: eight years old when his father left for the war, he remembered some terrible times later in the war as a kid in Lorch, Germany, a lot of near-starvation. But my favorite story: on his thirteenth birthday, he first thought that they were ringing all the church bells in town for him --- his birthday? November 11!
November 12, 2008

Viola said...I have been reading your blog for over a year now and was so happy this morning to find Harry had made it. I look forward to hear more news on him. As we all cheer for Harry's return, we must never forget the ones who weren't as fortunate.
November 12, 2008

Anonymous said...I have been following your blog for a year now and was so happy this morning to find Harry had made it. I look forward to read future news on him. As we all cheer for Harry's good fortune to have survived the war, we must never forget those who died for our freedom !!
November 12, 2008

Sgt Sam Avery said...Hello Harry:So glad to hear that you have made it through. As for me, I have a year to go and will be fighting until the very last moment... Best Regards,Sam
November 12, 2008

Shoalanda Speaks said... Today in my blog I honored the last living U.S. doughboy Frank Buckles. This era has almost completely passed, and I sincerely thank you for bringing us Harry's letters over the past months. I look forward to reading your book as soon as it's published. S.S. - Florence, Alabama, USA
November 12, 2008

Janell said...Oh, Happy Day! Harry will return to his family, as we have hoped since he left for the war. Now the question is: "HOW IS HARRY?" Have his mind and spirit survived, too? I will continue to think of him every day, until I know the outcome of his life. Then, I will remember him, until the end of mine. Janell
November 12, 2008

lom said...I am so pleased that Harry will soon be home with his family and friends, There have been times I have shed tears and worried about Harry as I have read this blog. My thoughts go out to his family and the families of those that didn’t return
November 12, 2008

Steve said... Last night I saw a BBC program and it said over 9,000,000 letters were sent a week from the front. The startling thing was they were a lot like Harrys, no one mentioned the actual war. No one discussed death or the gloom this all to prevent the people at home worrying. How magnificent for these young men to think of others when their plight was so grave.
November 12, 2008

Vicki said...I am so glad to log on and see that Harry has made it. I really feel quite weepy. It is an end of an era. Thank you so much for sharing harry;s story with us, it really has brought home the effect of war on ordinary people in a real way. It also has been a valuable lesson with all the extra information on just how many men sacrificed their lives in this conflict and how hard they suffered whilst there, even those that survived. I would imagine that the Harry that returns home is a very different man to the one that left in 1914.....
November 12, 2008

Nanny (Shirley) said...I am so glad Harry has made it, but sad for the many who didn't. On this day especially we always thinks of those who have served their countries in all wars, let us hope that someday there will be no more wars. For those of you interested - Harry's stamps are wonderful - I encourage all to buy them.
Bill - please let us know when the book will be available. I'll be following Harry until he arrives home safely - Shirley
November 11, 2008

Anonymous said...I am delighted to log on today and read your post and see how fortunate Harry was. I'll keep reading the story and like others have said, look forward to the book. Today honours so many people who unfortunately paid the ultimate sacrifice for all our freedom
November 11, 2008

Jennifer said...This blog is so interesting. Thank you for publishing this and bringing the WWI experience to modern readers. Best of luck with the book deal.
November 11, 2008

Ish said...Been following for about a year I guess, maybe a little more. Thanks for your effort in sharing this remarkable heritage.
November 11, 2008

Carrie said...Thank you so much for making these letters public. I have enjoyed following Harry's progress and am much relieved that he is going to make it out alive! I hope he doesn't catch the influenza!
November 11, 2008

Serge Boivin (Canada) said...Each year on Remembrance day I think about our soldiers... a little bit for a few moments...This year is different. I have been anxious about Harry's fate for a while, and I keep checking the blog in the hope of seeing good news come in. I keep telling myself "today is the day". While I wait to hear from Harry, I'll read about other soldiers who have fought bravely for us. Thanks again for reminding us so vividly that it is not faceless armies but people like us, our family, neighbours, and friends, who face danger each day to make the world safer.
November 11, 2008

Doctor Pion said...When I was a kid, the vets always sold red paper poppies at what by then was called the Veteran's Day parade in the US. It was much later before I learned about the war from my Grandfather, and came to appreciate its scope and impact on Europe, and the somber nature of the celebration of this day. Harry's letters fill in some of the gaps in the stories I heard, so I offer one of my Grandfather's stories (converted into the form of a letter) about the last day of the Great War to fill in some gaps in his story. You can read it on my blog. Although modified somewhat to work as a letter, much of it is verbatim from a tape recording of his story.
Thanks again for sharing your family's letters.
November 11, 2008

Eva said...As a result of following Harry's story, I read the book "All quiet on the western front" and just finished it yesterday on the airplane. While I was in tears to realize Harry made it through the war, I'm nervous about his adjusting to life after the war. How did these great men do it?? I wonder if our generation has the emotional reserves of strength the past ones have had. Harry's letters had not a hint of the whining and complaining we typically hear today when people are inconvenienced. I'm determined to use this experience as an example for me personally. Thank you so much!Eva
November 11, 2008

Suzanne Kansas, USA said...Thank you so much for this blog. I have been completely pulled in, and am glad to see Harry has lived to see the end of the War. I hope to hear soon about his life after the war and hope it was happy and long.
November 11, 2008

Anonymous said...I've just given a big cheer after reading that Harry has made it through.
November 11, 2008

Jackie said...What a relief! I am so happy for Harry and his family.
November 11, 2008

Pamela said... Yeh! for Harry. I'm so pleased to hear the news.
November 11, 2008

November 4th 1918, a big day.

2008-11-03T00:53:00.000-08:00

Mary Lou said...I have enjoyed this journey with Harry, thanks.
November 11, 2008

Mark, Bacup said...Have followed the blog for a good long time, and its good to read Harry got on ok.
November 11, 2008

Samantha said...I am so glad he made it. This has been fascinating and we should never forget those who died and continue to die defending their countries.
November 11, 2008

C Crino said...My eyes filled up with tears when I realized the date and saw your post.
All I could think of was the huge relief in so many homes. And the enormous sorrow in others. And to think it was not just this one war, but so many others.
November 11, 2008

gaz said...I am over the moon that harry reached the end alive. this has been a fantastic journey and i am grateful to you for sharing it with us. I look forward to the next letter. All the best.
November 11, 2008

VP said...I've been reading your blog for the past year. A very mocing accont. I love the combination of personal detail with the official accounts of the same events. I've linked to your blog today as part of my own little act of remembrance. I look forward to seeing the rest of Harry's story.
November 11, 2008

Roger O'Keeffe said...Today is 11 November. In Belgium and France - for very understandable reasons - it's a public holiday, irrespective of what day of the week it is (unlike Remembrance Sunday in the UK).
But it's a working day for the European Commission, the public service of the European Union, whose founding myth is reconciliation and renunciation of war between European countries which have so often been at war with each other. As some readers may know, it was only after the second world war - the "unfinished business" of the aftermath of the first, leading to even many more millions of deaths - that this state was achieved, and less than twenty years ago that peace really broke out and those parts of the former Austro-Hungarian empire that had been left to rot behind the iron curtain could finally choose to join the Union, with the cold war at last behind them.
Rather than play down 11 November by making it an ordinary working day (supposedly "so as not to offend the Germans"), I would like to see it made into a day of reflection on what Europe collectively still needs to learn from its past, and of warning against the dangers of turning the European Union into a military alliance in which, instead of killing each other, we engage in diplomatico-military adventurism and kill other people instead.
I've been away and unable to access the blog for some time, but especially for the last few days, and particularly this morning when I had to give a talk to representatives of the Italian regions here in Brussels, I've been mentally "on the edge of my seat", wondering if Harry has made it, as if it were really today that we were talking about rather than 90 years ago. So I find it hard to explain the sense of relief and elation that he has made it, beyond observing that it's only when you get down to individual stories that it's possible to make any sense of the war.
The Italian front, and indeed Austria's involvement (apart from the assassination of Archduke Ferdinand and the ultimatum to Serbia which triggered the whole orgy of industrialised killing), generally gets little attention in the English-speaking world. So it is good that Harry's extraordinary itinerary included not only the Western Front, but also the Italian one, and that this blog will make it more widely known.
Congratulations again on such a marvellous initiative, which will make the first world war meaningful to a whole new generation of young people who weren't reared on the sort of nationalist drivel that people of my generation were fed.
November 11, 2008

Rosie said...I found this blog on 11th November last year and have followed it since then - I wonder what Harry would have thought of it all? Wonderful, thankyou!
November 11, 2008

Stanley Kivell said...Thanks for sharing Harry and your family with the world.
November 10, 2008

Anonymous said...There's a new Oxford University website on the 'Great War', at www.oucs.ox.ac.uk/ww1lit/gwa that you might find of interest.
November 11, 2008

Michael said...Excactly 90 years ago the armistice treaty between Germany and the Allies was signed in Compiègne Forest, ending the Great War. An ideal moment to thank you for sharing your family's history with us. It has been a great read and I'm looking forward to the coming entries. Hopefully Harry makes it back home safely.Thanks again from Germany
November 11, 2008

Hazel said...I have been following the blog with a great deal of interest
November 10, 2008

Anonymous said...I have been enjoying this blog quite a bit. It's fascinating. Even the long pauses between letters because it gives you a sense of how distant and remote things were in that day. we didn't have live coverage form the front and email. Thank you!
November 10, 2008

Anonymous said...I have been following the blog for the last six months anxiously waiting for the next letter to be posted. The war is coming to an end and I hope that Harry survives. Should this be the case, it would be a very interesting to follow Harry and family, if possible settling back into a 'normal' lifestyle.
November 11, 2008

Amanda said... What an emotional and fascinating journey you've taken us on, Bill. Thank you so much for your dedication and hard work. I feel like a member of Harry's family - waiting each day for letters and worrying when there's no news. I introduced the blog to my father and work colleagues and now Harry's very much the subject of our daily conversations! Once again, thanks for allowing us to experience history in such a unique and fascinating way. We all sincerely hope Harry makes it home safe and sound. Thinking especially about him and so many more today.
November 11, 2008

VP said...I've been reading your blog for the past year. A very moving account. I love the combination of personal detail with the official accounts of the same events. I've linked to your blog today as part of my own little act of remembrance. I look forward to seeing the rest of Harry's story.
November 11, 2008

Anonymous said...Interesting that the Battalion War Diary makes no mention of the armistace on the Western Front with Germany.
November 10, 2008
Communication certainly wasn't instant. Maybe the word hadn't got through. Maybe it wasn't part of the War Experience of the battalion so it wasn't included in the Diary. BL

The Slingerland family from Ugchelen, The Netherlands said...We have been following Harry and his letters for over a year now and we would like to thank you for sharing his letters with us.
November 10, 2008

Wibbo said...Thank you for all your hard work - it's a fascinating journey. I find Harry's letters especially poignant because my grandfather didn't come back from the war; when Grandma married again in the mid Twenties, she got rid of all his letters and mementoes apart from a few 'family group' photographs.
November 10, 2008

Anonymous said...Thank you for giving us a personal insight, not only into life on the front and in the trenches but also the nerve wracking wait of those left behind. My heart can be in my mouth on some mornings, waiting for the next letter to arrive. This surely was a pattern repeated in homes around the world. Waiting to see if your loved one had survived another day. Thank you for your time and effort invested in bringing this blog to us all.
November 10, 2008

Kevin said...Thank you for such a wonderful history of Harry and the Great War. My Great Grandfather served in the US 30th Division, 117th Infantry Regiment in France during 1917-18. By reading Harry's letters it has given me at least some insight to what my Great Grandfather endured as well. Thank you for your hard work and all your efforts needed to share Harry's story. The world survived 2 "great wars" because of the honor, sacrifice and fortitude of men just like Harry...
November 10, 2008

Lia Bowling Vancouver, BC Canada said...Thanks for all your efforts... Wonderful Blog.
November 10, 2008

St Bart's PA said...Fascinating - many thanks for all the effort you've put into this. I'm very interested to find out what happens next and whether Harry reflects on the war and his experiences.
November 10, 2008

Laura said...I started reading the blog 10 months ago - thank you so much for all your hard work. I look forward to more letters!
November 09, 2008

Jaclyn said...I have been following this blog for over one year now. In that time, I have been so nervous for Harry as he's been at the front lines of war. I am interested by how the letters that the writes to Jack and Kate differ in nature and also distort the reality of what he endures, which we get a glimpse of in the battalion's war diary. I can hardly believe that the cease fire is about to be called! Good luck, Harry!
November 09, 2008

Kev said...I've been reading this blog for a while, so glad Harry has made it as far as the armistice. Fascinating insight into a time long past.
November 09, 2008

DPUTiger said...I've been following this blog since it was mentioned on the NBC news several months ago. Thanks for doing this. I hope to have time to read it from the start soon!
November 09, 2008

Anonymous said...Hi from Memphis, TN, USA.
November 09, 2008

multisync said...Hi, I have followed Harry,s exploits since I was introduced to him by my daughter. I hope he survives the next few months and returns safely home. Congratulations, and thanks for the work you have put in to make Harry so real to us all. Best wishes with the book.
November 09, 2008

nutmeg96 said...Still reading and still enjoying the blog! USA reader
November 10, 2008

Ellison said...I've been hooked on following Harry's experiences day by day and have been in much suspense over his ultimate wartime fate. Hadn't realised that the Austrian Armistice was in advance of the German one... fingers crossed that nothing untoward takes place now it's all so close to over. Thanks for the all the work and effort that's gone into publishing this fascinating and very human soldier's perspective on WWI.
November 10, 2008

Froggy_GTF said about the post "Magnaboschi Military Cemetery": My own Great Uncle lies in Magnaboschi. A truly beautiful, tranquil and fitting place.
November 8, 2008

gorditaangel said...Greetings from, just beginning to get cold Canada!!!!
My husband is a chaplain in the Canadian Forces, and we have been following Harry's journey for almost a year now. It has been a great blessing for us to read all of Harry's letters, and to read all the other details that you add to them. We feel like we are part of his family, as if we are a long distant cousins, or just close friends waiting to see what he is experiencing in the war. We are so concerned for him, and we are hoping that he will soon come home!! So thank you for all your hard work and the time that you take to share this with us!!! I feel that we will be better people for it!!! God Bless you and your family, the McKay's.
November 08, 2008

Anonymous said...I am happy the story will continue. I peaked at the Commonwealth Graves website ealier. Thank you for sharing this. I shouldn't say I enjoyed reading. I found myself emotional when reading it.
November 08, 2008

Pamela said...I have been following the blog from Toronto, Canada since January 2008, and during that time Harry has very much endeared himself to me. His simple, loving letters home to his family are filled with his longing to see them again as well as an uncomplaining stoicism about his own, very tough, day to day existence. You can't help but marvel at how he reduces the rigour and horror of life in the trenches to phrases like, "We have had some trying jobs lately in the front lines." I've been very worried about him over the last few weeks as his battalion went into serious action- the hastily sent postcard showed the peril he was in. The suspense has been growing day by day. Now, with the war almost over, I am starting to hope that against the odds, and unlike so many others, he will make it back home after all. I'm rooting for ya, Harry!
The blog is a brilliant idea-so real that it feels like WW1 is happening today. Many thanks for making Harry live again.
Pamela, Toronto
November 08, 2008

Leisuretoad said...It has been a thrilling and educative journey back in time . I hope very much that Harry makes it home safely and that we will learn more of how he copes with civilian life again. Thank you for all your effort in bringing Harry's archive to life. I wish you every success with the book.
November 08, 2008

VioletSky said...This story has had me rivetted for a long time - sometimes fearful to look in, yet joyful for the news. Thank you for the immense effort it must have been to share all this with the world.
November 08, 2008

Andy said...Thank you so much for sharing these very private letters. My Grandfather would never talk about his experiences in the first World War - but I now have some insight it want he went through. Opening the blog is always a nerve racking moment - but who could stop once they've started.
You're bog has been of huge value to me, Many Thanks Again
November 07, 2008

Keith said...Following this blog has been a fantastic experience. Using this new(ish) technology to make an old story come alive was a great idea and it worked really well.
I was hooked from the first time I looked at the blog sometime last spring. Thank you so very much!
November 07, 2008

Fredrik Mellem said...Hi! I've been following your blog for more than a year. Amazing!
November 07, 2008

jayjay, australia said... What a fabulous journey - I hope that Harry lives to go home to his family.
November 08, 2008

Jaime said...I've been following for about a year now (after catching up on the previous posts). Thanks for the unique experience.
November 08, 2008

Bryce said...I've been following Harry for roughly a year now, after my uncle sent me the link to this blog. It's truly a fascinating story -- in some ways I feel like I've gotten to know Harry, and I'm keeping my fingers crossed that he makes it home ok.
November 08, 2008

Jenny72 said...Thanks for the great blog, I've beem following from the beginning. The long gaps in between letters must have been very worrying for those at home.
November 08, 2008

Sally said...It looks like Harry is going to survive! It's strange, but I feel like I got attached to the man and I've been praying that he returns home safe to his family. I'd like to know if possible what his homecoming is like and what he did the rest of this life.
November 09, 2008

Doctor Pion said...I have been following this blog for a year, and have already planned my own "contemporary" contribution. In the spirit of this blog, I will post an article at the 11th hour (EST in the US) of the 11th day of the 11th month based on an oral history from my Grandfather about his experiences that day.
November 09, 2008

Anonymous said...Looking forward to knowing if Harry makes out alright.
November 09, 2008

Edvardas Vilnius, Lithuania said...read that blog with great interest.
November 09, 2008

ADB said...It has been great following Harry's story over the past few years, will keep an eye open for continuation.
November 09, 2008

Anonymous said...I was thinking of Harry today as well as family members and all those who have fought in each and every war. I hope he comes home soon.
November 09, 2008

Tacitus Orkney said...Thank you very much for posting Harry's letters. I have been following them in real time for over a year now - it has been both moving & fascinating. The long gaps between some letters give us some insight into how hard it must have been for families to wait so long for news of their loved ones. I do hope all turns out well for Harry - will miss him when the war ends.
November 7, 2008
The war may end but Harry's story continues. Plenty of adventures to come - and more letters. BL

AWM employee said...Hi,I work for the Australian War Memorial. Very fascinating letters. Thanks for making the time to do all this.
November 06, 2008

Anonymous said...Been following Harry's story since the introduction-posts. It is extremely fascinating to read about one persons trials during this time. After a while you feel like you know Harry, and it's been more than once I've dreaded opening the blog - in fear of bad news. Hope this will end in a bookdeal, and a movie of sorts... All the best!
November 06, 2008

Florian said...Thanks for doing this blog! I can imagine it's hard work...
As a historian focussing on WWI I find it remarkable how many people became interested in the war just because of the blog. When reading some of the comments posted here I can't help but thinking of the old quote:
"War is delightful to those who have not experienced it." Greetings from Germany, Florian
November 07, 2008

Mrs. Peel said...Been reading from Texas for about a year. I love the blog and can't wait to learn the rest of the story.
November 06, 2008

jon white said...I have been following for a while now and am eager to learn of Harry's fate.
November 06, 2008

Joel said...I've been following periodically since last year (I think), and I've got you linked in my sidebar as well. It's been fascinating.
November 06, 2008

Ela said...Unfortunately I only discovered this Blog two days ago. Therefore I had a quick run through Harry's story! I'm looking forward to learn more about his postwar experiences. Greetings from Bonn, Germany!
November 06, 2008

Lizzi said...Marvellous to read what really happened to a real individual. We read about "three million deaths" - and it means very little. To read about one particular man make it so much more real.
I want to know what happens next . .
November 06, 2008

Kate said...I've been following with interest. Thanks for sharing such a fascinating collection of letters with us.
November 06, 2008

Anonymous said...Just to let you know that I have felt like I've been on of the family waiting for his letters. Anxiety continues..
November 06, 2008

Anonymous said...I left a comment one year ago or so, now I'm writing these few lines just to let you know I'm still here. Antonio
November 06, 2008

Lizzi said...Marvellous to read what really happened to a real individual. We read about "three million deaths" - and it means very little. To read about one particular man make it so much more real. I want to know what happens next . .
November 06, 2008

Kate said...I've been following with interest. Thanks for sharing such a fascinating collection of letters with us.
November 06, 2008

Anonymous said...Just to let you know that I have felt like I've been on of the family waiting for his letters. Anxiety continues..
November 06, 2008

Anonymous said...I left a comment one year ago or so, now I'm writing these few lines just to let you know I'm still here. Antonio
November 06, 2008

Will said...Nearly there. I have my fingers crossed.
November 06, 2008

Mark said...Thank you for the blog. This week I have read an account of the last living survivor of the war,now 109.(Guardian Wednesday) I have worn two poppies today: A red one to honour the soldiers, some of whom tried, when possible, to shoot at opponents' legs. Also a white one in recognition of those with the courage NOT to fight.
November 06, 2008

Anonymous said...I have been following Harry's blog daily for some time now. A truly wonderful idea, and well executed.Pat
Osaka, Japan

November 06, 2008

Anonymous said...Just wanted to register my interest. I have been checking the blog fir a year or so and have been gripped by the unfolding story. In many ways it has been interesting that much of it has been quite mundane and 'normal' where a young guy like me (well not that young, I'm 32)only hears the dramatic stories and almost imagines that it was one long adventure! It has been a really unique experience following this and I will continue to follow.
November 07, 2008

Reiza said...I just wanted to say that I've been lurking for some time now and will continue to follow the story. Thank you so much for doing this. I find it fascinating.
November 07, 2008

Anonymous said...Hi yes i have been following all these letters with interest-great job-looking forward to the book
November 07, 2008

Botogol said...I have been reading
November 07, 2008

Kurt Sims said... Thank you for this blog sir, it's been a pleasure to read about the life of a common man during WWI. We hear much about the officers and the strategic level this is the first look I've ever had of a man in the trenches. I look forward to the book.
November 07, 2008

Ian said...We can never know the true horror of the events that Harry lived through, but these letters have given us an insight into how he and his family tried to come to terms with life during the great war. Thank you for sharing these very personal letters and letting us share in the emotion. I will make sure that I attend a memorial service with my son this Sunday. LEST WE FORGET !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Ian from Benfleet
November 07, 2008

Anonymous said...Thank you so much for sharing these letters with the world. I look forward to "getting mail" from Harry and get a glimpse of how his family must have felt waiting for his letters.
November 05, 2008

John in Ireland said...I've been following Harry's blog and must say a thank you to yourself for the time and effort you have put in. I'm here in Ireland and a good number of Irishmen fought in the Great War and WWii but it was always kinda shunned upon for them to openly talk about it. When you think about it, Harry must have been a father figure to some of the kids that he was with. Great work "Lest We Forget"
November 05, 2008

Rebekah, Switzerland said...Many thanks for the blog, I've been checking nearly everyday since finding it about a year ago and I have told all my family about it. What a great view onto a lost world, which really is only just in our past.
November 05, 2008

Jürg from Switzerland said... I don't like reading at all...except your Blog... I'm with it since the beginning... it puts you 90 years back in time... and makes you realise how good we have it today. Thank you for sharing your private memories with us. Great Job.
November 05, 2008

AWM employee said...Hi, I work for the Australian War Memorial. Very fascinating letters. Thanks for making the time to do all this.
November 06, 2008

Anonymous said...Been following Harry's story since the introduction-posts. It is extremely fascinating to read about one persons trials during this time. After a while you feel like you know Harry, and it's been more than once I've dreaded opening the blog - in fear of bad news. Hope this will end in a bookdeal, and a movie of sorts... All the best!
November 06, 200

Patrick said...Keep up the good work, very interesting and I'm very curious about it all unfolding! Greetings from Amsterdam.
November 05, 2008

Pamela said...I have been an avid follower of Harry's blog for a while now. I can't wait to hear if Harry is safe and ready to get back home.
November 05, 2008

Anonymous said...Great blog, Thank You for sharing this with us in the USA. MAtt
November 05, 2008

Anonymous said...I've only just discovered Harry and his letters, but I await every new letter just as his family did!
November 05, 2008

Anonymous said...Bill - I've been following the story for about a year now and have been captivated and intrigued by Harry's story and life. The ending is bitter sweet to know that the war is drawing to a close as is Harry's story and knowing he's made it through (so far). Looking forward to rest of Harry's story and the book. Congratulations on your (and Harry's) success!
November 05, 2008

Anonymous said...After about a year following this amazing blog, I'm a as fascinatated as in the beginning. Harry's fate, the concept of this blog and all the comments provided me an insight into these hard times I never thought it would be possible. Thanks for the great work and all the best wishes from germany...René
November 05, 2008

Anonymous said...Thank you for all your hard work keeping this site rolling!
November 05, 2008

Mrs. Peel said...Been reading from Texas for about a year. I love the blog and can't wait to learn the rest of the story.
November 06, 2008

jon white said...I have been following for a while now and am eager to learn of Harry's fate.
November 06, 2008

Joel said...I've been following periodically since last year (I think), and I've got you linked in my sidebar as well. It's been fascinating.
November 06, 2008

Ela said...Unfortunately I only discovered this Blog two days ago. Therefore I had a quick run through Harry's story! I'm looking forward to learn more about his postwar experiences. Greetings from Bonn, Germany!
November 06, 2008

Lizzi said...Marvellous to read what really happened to a real individual. We read about "three million deaths" - and it means very little. To read about one particular man make it so much more real. I want to know what happens next . .
November 06, 2008

Kate said...I've been following with interest. Thanks for sharing such a fascinating collection of letters with us.
November 06, 2008

Anonymous said...Just to let you know that I have felt like I've been on of the family waiting for his letters. Anxiety continues..
November 06, 2008Paul Kriston, Chicago, IL said...This continues to be the best 'first person' account of history that I have ever seen. Thank you so much for taking the time and effort to share this with the world. History can be and often is so politicized that we never get the feeling of what it truly was like for the general populace. Your family should be commended for electing to keep this valuable correspondence instead of cleaning the clutter.
November 05, 2008

Anonymous said...A truly wonderful blog that it has been a great pleasure to follow to closely since it's started. I've recommended it to so many people, all of whom now love it too! Congratulations on a great piece of work. I look forward to the next installment.
November 04, 2008

Diane said...I've been following Harry's story since December or January when I heard about it on a news radio report. It was the first time I'd ever read a blog. During one of the lulls in letters, I started clicking on the "next blog" button at the top of the screen and discovered a whole new world. I now have over 200 blogs in my Google Reader and about half again as many in Bloglines. I don't know whether to thank you or curse you! ;)
November 04, 2008

Paul G said...I have followed the blog since I heard the Radio 4 broadcast last year. Thankyou for bringing this to us. Fantastic.
November 04, 2008

Anonymous said...thanks for a wonderful blog, i have found myself worrying about harry more and more as time goes by, my heart leaps when i get the alerts knowing we will hear more from harry, i cannot imagine the torment for his family especially when it goes weeks between letters, thanks for sharing Harry's story with us, i am waiting with bated breath to find out what happens next.
November 04, 2008

Linda from Idaho, USA said...I have been following this story, sometimes with held breath, from the beginning. Please, please be safe.
November 04, 2008

Mike said...Hi. I've been following the blog since the beginning and as we approach armistice day I think it's something everyone should read.
November 04, 2008

Anonymous said...I have been following this blog since the beginning and hang out for each new update.Kelly from Australia
November 04, 2008

Michelle said...Harry reminds me of my own father who I lost just 4 short/long years ago. He too would leave me little notes to let me know how he was doing and how I was doing in his eyes....I will never forget the note he left me when I announced my engagement....."He never asked me for you....courage is one thing that should be a requirement in a husband. Will he ask your opinion on the tough decisions if he lacks the courage to ask me mine?" I thought about it for a few days and realized his bluntness was the one thing that kept me from making a huge mistake. Harry not only reminds me of my father but he has given me many 'pause to think' moments. Thanks.
November 04, 2008

Bryan's workshop blog said...I've been following the blog for a while, and count myself a fan. I've taught it in two workshops, and it's in our new article.
http://connect.educause.edu/Library/EDUCAUSE+Review/Web20StorytellingEmergenc/47444
November 04, 2008

Anonymous said...Thank you for sharing this story. I look forward to continuing my following of Harry's life. This is, in the US at least, a rather neglected area of history - not old enough to be really nostalgic and not new enough to be thought of as relevant. How wrong these views are.
November 04, 2008

Julian, 34, Guildford (3 of my great grand fathers fought in this war) said...Thanks for sharing these precious letters with us. They are unique and illustrated so vividly an ordinary soldier's life in this horrific war were so many of our relatives suffered and died. Inspiring.
November 05, 2008

David W, Memphis TN said...I started following early last year. Thank you so much for the excellent effort and presentation.
November 05, 2008

Mr.Sill said...I have been enjoying your hard work for almost a year. I get nervous with every new post in my RSS reader. Thanks getting me to learn more about WWI.
November 05, 2008

Anne in Texas said...yes, every day!
November 04, 2008

Sue said...I have followed your blog for the last 18 months and have always gone to it first for the latest news. Have enjoyed reading about your grandfather so much and like everyone else have worried about him when there has been a long gap between letters. Wish this had been around when I was at school as it makes history so much more interesting. Thank you for all your work with this - I will definitely get "his book" when it is published.
November 04, 2008

Shirley Williams said...I've found this diary a fascinating insight into the world of 90 years ago. I was in France recently and the many cemeteries of the Somme are a poignant reminder of so many young men who didn't reach the end of the war.
November 04, 2008

Lisa S / Canada said...I have been following Harry's blog for over a year and it is the first thing I go to every morning when I log on to my computer. I had no troubles imagining how his family felt going to their mail box every day hoping there would be a letter. Thank you so much for sharing Harry's letters with all of us. My great-grandfather was at Vimy Ridge and he passed away before I met him. Reading Harry's letters gave me a better understanding of what my great-grandpa had been through.
November 04, 2008

Anonymous said...Just letting you know how much I have enjoyed this blog over the past year or so. WW1 seems to get overlooked so often here in the United States that it is refreshing and encouraging that Harry's blog can help personalize it for us.
November 04, 2008

Kittybriton said...It really is touching to see so much concern for Harry. I wonder if the troops fighting today know just how much the folks back home care about them!
Everyone seems to be asking "what will we do when the war is over?", I'm sure Harry is wondering that too. Even just reading his letters I can see that war changes a man. He has had experiences that made bonds, broke bonds, and I hope, strengthened his spirit. I will never again be able to sing It's a Long Way to Tipperary or Smile, Smile, Smile, without thinking of Harry, and the thousands who fought alongside him.
November 04, 2008

Fydaelin said...Inciteful, thought provoking, timely... ok, it's just plain awsome.Thanks for taking the time and (conciderable effort) to put this together. Remembrance day is coming around again and I can tell you that Harry and Family will be in our thoughts for a lot more than a minute's silence. Thanks for the letters
November 04, 2008

Bruce Alvarez said...I have been following Harry's story for some time. Posting the letters on the dates they were written was a brilliant idea, adding a real dimension of time and REAL suspense to the story for those who started well before the current date. You already know how much all the readers appreciate your hard work. I'm sure you could not have imagined how big the project would be worldwide when you started. I am VERY happy to read about the book deal. All of your efforts, and those that joined with war diaries, maps, photos, etc along the way, are well rewarded.
November 04, 2008

Anonymous said...HARRY, just say the name and thousands of people all over the world know who you mean. He has been taken to the hearts of so many people. If only the politicians in this world could come together in peace and harmony like all the people all over the world who are praying for Harry to survive and come home safetly.Thank you for your time in bringing Harry to life.
November 04, 2008

Anonymous said...This has been a fascinating journey so far. Hope and fear have been fighting it out as November 11 approaches; I'm a little reassured by the hint that "there's a lot of Harry's story still to unfold." Thank you very much for sharing Harry's perspective with us!
November 04, 2008

John - London UK said...My great uncle fell in Palestine during WW1, and my grandfather lost an arm and half his back in the horrific trench warfare in France. He never spoke about his experiences until shortly before he passed away in his eighties. Thank you BL for sharing Harry's story with us, and for giving so many of us, from all corners of the world, such an important insight into such a courageous, yet betrayed generation.
November 04, 2008

Anonymous said...I remember that at this point, as my time to leave Vietnam neared, feeling like the bullets, mortar shells, and all the rest, seemed to be larger than before and moving faster. I felt like they were looking for me in particular, just to make sure I didn't make it. The terror was absolute, but I could not let on. I am convinced that I aged at an accelerated rate and am paying for that experience even today.
Looking back, I think the problem was that after I had been in country a short while I felt I actually had little hope of making it out alive and that somehow had a calming effect. Finding myself so close to actually making it brought back hope and that was not a good thing.Good luck to Harry. I hope he makes it safe and sound in body and mind.
November 04, 2008

Anonymous said...Been following since you started. Congrats on the books, the stamps, the honours and everything. It has been a wonderful adventure so far, and I'm looking forward to more!
November 04, 2008

Anonymous said...Ever since I heard about this blog, I've logged on every day. I've been wondering/worrying if he had died since no new letters where coming and then when a letter comes, I breathe a sigh of relief. Thank you Bill for bringing your grandfather 'back to life' to make people all over the world truly understand what WW1 was like for ordinary soliders and their families.
November 04, 2008

tufty said...Following others' comments, I've been reading the blog since the start and have found it compelling. Thank you for your opus. It has been a joy to follow.
November 04, 2008 Paul from Birmingham, UK said...Have been following Harry's story ever since I first heard about it ~ I can't describe it as merely a compelling read ~ I have to say I have found it to be a profound experience which has served to help me truly understand what it was like for the individual soldier and their families during the Great War. Only a few days to go ~ hope all works out well for Harry. Thank you for giving us the opportunity to share in Harry's story.
November 04, 2008

Kimball Hutchinson said...Its easy to become so wrapped up in our own lives that we become oblivious to the world around us. Harry has provided a window into another life that is far removed from our own experiences. It has been quite a journey and one I doubt I will forget. My hat off to you Harry, see you in Blighty.
November 04, 2008

Anonymous said...Like Harry's family, we've been celebrating the Austrian armistice; and like Harry's family, we'll keep praying to see him go home.
I can only imagine what it was like for the troops at the front: the football the War Diary mentions must have been only part of it. Games of all sorts, tons of letters written, probably some mementos collected or gifts for thier families, lots of photographs taken.
And I'd guess there was a lot of call for the battalion chaplains: there must have been some interesting sermons on Sunday the 3rd!, as well as many, many individual soldiers wanting to talk to them.
November 04, 2008

Anonymous said...I have been reading this blog for well over a year and have found it completely fascinating. At the same time I have been typing up letters that I found when I cleared my Dad's house. They are the letters that he sent home to his Mum during WW2 whilst he was a flight mechanic near Cairo, also and perhaps more interestingly there are the letters that his Mum and his young sister sent to him (amazing that he was able to keep them all). So whilst he was enjoying life in a warm climate with no rationing, his family at home were subject to air raids, an almost direct hit on the house by a doodlebug (while they were in the air raid shelter) and severe food shortages. A rather topsy turvey war!
My Grandfather also served in WW1 in France, he was lucky in the fact that he could drive and was therefore given a driving job that saved him from being sent to the trenches. My Gran then spent two wars waiting for news...from her fiance in the first war and her son in the second.
It is very hard to imagine just how hard it was to live through two world wars, Harry's Blog is helping so many to understand.
Sue, Chelmsford UK
November 04, 2008

Ian said...Doh! Yesterday I said how much I enjoyed your site ... and forgot to say thank you for all your effort ... a big thanks, Harry would be proud of you :o)
November 04, 2008

erathwomen said...Oh no Bill, I don't want it to stop! This is an historic day in 2008, I want my history from 1918! :) Thanks so much for doing this. I'm sad that Harry won't be part of so many days of my months, but I'm so glad to know he made it. I'm teary now.
Marcy
November 04, 2008

Tracy from Manchester, England said...Thank you for sharing Harry's story and creating such a great blog. I have followed from the beginning, checking in every day and it has been a captivating journey. I wait with fingers crossed that all will be well for Harry
November 04, 2008

Anonymous said...HARRY, just say the name and thousands of people all over the world know who you mean. He has been taken to the hearts of so many people. If only the politicians in this world could come together in peace and harmony like all the people all over the world who are praying for Harry to survive and come home safetly.
Thankyou for your time in bringing Harry to life.
November 04, 2008

AG said... I cannot believe how *worried* I get for Harry -- 90 years after the fact! Thanks so much for doing this. It's a marvelous project and a smart idea about what a blog might do.
November 04, 2008

nurhanne said...Thank you for sharing.
November 04, 2008

Paul from Birmingham, UK said...Have been following Harry's story ever since I first heard about it ~ I can't describe it as merely a compelling read ~ I have to say I have found it to be a profound experience which has served to help me truly understand what it was like for the individual soldier and their families during the Great War. Only a few days to go ~ hope all works out well for Harry. Thank you for giving us the opportunity to share in Harry's story.
November 04, 2008

GY Wilson. said...Being a combat vet in the US Marines. I can understand some of the emotion Harry must feel at this point. being away from home is bad, but being away from home and having a chance of never seeing home agains is much worse. cleaning billets and other types of house cleaning chors are probably to keep idle hands busy, especially after what they have been through.
03 November 200

Stefan from Munich, Germany said...So glad Harry made it to the end! I was quite nervous, that something might go wrong in the last couple of days.
November 03, 2008

Anonymous said...I have been so worried that he woudn't be alive at the end. I have checked here daily since I first heard of the blog on the Today Show in the US (and went back and read all the earlier postings). Kathy (USAF nurse corps vet)
November 03, 2008

Sb said...Great History - New Zealand
November 03, 2008

Anonymous said...Have checked the blog daily for months. So glad Harry has made it through to the armistice. Hope his regiment is safe now in Italy until the armistice on 11/11.
November 03, 2008

Ann, Atlanta, USA said...I've been following the blog since I heard about it on NBC news - not sure how long ago that was. I have enjoyed following Harry through the war. Thanks for sharing his story with us!
November 03, 2008

Linda H-F said...Awed by you & your buddies, Harry, and by the work of your grandson, Bill. You should be proud.Perhaps all of us who have been (and are being touched by your letters) your can find a way to carry your message forward. When this is over, I'm planning on visiting the WWI memorial in San Francisco's Golden Gate Park and donating some blood in your honor. Maybe we can all declare a 'Harry Day' Holding you & all you love in prayer.
November 03, 2008

Vireya said...I've been a regular reader for the last 18 months or so. Thanks for doing this, it has been an interesting opportunity to see the war through the eyes of a normal man living through it, rather than through reading history books.
November 03, 2008

Sarah said..I heard about this blog after reading an article on CNN Online last year, and I've enjoyed reading ever since. This is a wonderful way to archive such fragile primary sources of such a devastating and world-changing experience. We should never forget those who served, no matter how long ago. Certainly, we Americans need to wake up to this fact.
November 03, 2008

Busby said..I check in every day...
November 03, 2008

Zoe S Wales said...Ths has been an amazing thing to follow and I've been spreading the word as much as possible this just shows exactly how much good the net can be for people to experience history in such an immeadiate way.Zoe
November 03, 2008

Anonymous said...I know it's only 8 days until Armistice, but I'm still worried for Harry!
November 03, 2008

Anonymous said...I have enjoyed Harry's letters, the blog, the war diary, etc. It really puts things into perspective.
November 03, 2008

Anonymous said...I've followed this blog for the past year. Have never before commented on anyone's blog but am glad to do so now. Best wishes to Harry from Washington state.
November 03, 2008

Anonymous said...I have been worried about Harry recently, wondering if he will survive the war. I have been sorely tempted to search the records to find out!Lady_Branwyn, reading from a feed to LiveJournal
November 04, 2008

Sikes said...I have been following Harry from the start. It certainly looks like he will make it. No small feat. One of, if not the best blogs ever put together. I am going to have to look for something else to follow pretty soon.
November 04, 2008

Kerry said...I've been following for I think a year. Very interesting project - I only wish there had been more letters.
November 04, 2008

Brad said...I have been following Harry for at least the past 12 months and wish him well for the last few days of the war. As a result I this blog I searched the National Archives of Australia (http://www.naa.gov.au/collection/recordsearch/index.aspx) for details of my Great Grandfathers service with the AIF in ww1. While not as personal as Harry's letters I was able to view his 'official' 126 page record scanned online. This included a number of hand written letters from him and his family to the army command. Very interesting reading and I would highly recommend anyone in Australia descended from WW1 service personnel take a look. You wont be disappointed.Brad
November 04, 2008

Anonymous said...I have been following Harry's blog since early last year. I check daily and hope for his safe return. My grandfather fought in France but never spoke of it. This is history at its best. BL thanks so much for sharing this. US reader
November 04, 2008

Ian Yorston said...I've been following Harry for the past year now. A tangible piece of personal history.
November 04, 2008

Tony said...I've been following Harry all the way. really enjoyed it. put a lot of friends on to it. Hope my prayers now count for 90 years ago and Harry comes through ok.
thanks for doing this tremendous blog.
.
November 04, 2008

Checotah, Oklahoma, USA said... Wow! I started checking daily about a year ago and was sure that Harry would pay the ultimate price that so many soldiers have paid for their countries. My thanks go to him and his mates (of all wars) who fought for what he believed was important.
My thanks to you, too, BL, for making this blog available. It has enriched my life.
November 04, 2008

Sgt. Sam Avery said...Hello Harry: Don't know if you got my last note, but I'm now in Neufchateau and training in trenches with the French and learning to use bayonets in hand from the British. Glad to hear you're still at it. Stop by for a read when you can.
Regards, Sam
November 04, 2008

materkb said...Keep your head down, Harry, and come home safe!
November 04, 2008

Only a few days of war to go, thank goodness.
I have followed Harry for quite some time, great to see the end of the war approaching.
November 04, 2008

Anonymous said...Hoping the best for Harry; been following with great interest. I am US born & raised, but my Mum & all her side is from London. Granddad fought in WWII. God speed, Harry.
November 04, 2008

Anonymous said...hi - I've been reading since sometime last year - keep meaning to go back and read the earlier posts, but never have the free time. Congrats on the impending book btw - this has been an amazing and enlightening read for me (I knew both my great grandfathers, both of whom served in WWI from america and this gives me a bit more of an idea what the war was like to the common soldier)
November 04, 2008

Anonymous said...I have been following since the Blog was featured on NBC news. I check for new content daily. I hope for the best for Harry, I know many casualties happen after a cease fire when the troops are not all aware of it. I will miss this blog when it ends. Thank you many times over for sharing Harry with us and making this time real to us all. Quite the accomplishment for an "ordinary bloke" like Harry!
November 04, 2008

Redneck Geneticist said...interested
November 04, 2008

Anonymous said...Thanks a lot for this great piece of history! Honour to the memory of all the soldiers on all the fronts that fought this terrible war.
November 04, 2008

Anonymous said... I have been following Harrys blog for over a year as have most of my friends(we are all ex military)and we all find ourselves checking daily to see how things came out for him. You are to be commended for publishing such a pricessless piece of history in such a unique manner.
November 04, 2008

Anonymous said...Very interesting story. My grandfather was also with the British forces in WWI, but I don't know much about his time there. Great idea to publish by date - it certainly gives an understanding of the feelings of family at home.
November 04, 2008

wkwalker said... Thank you for sharing this with us. It has been a fascinating journey.
November 04, 2008

chris d said...Thanks for the blog and the emormous ammount of work that it involved, I've enjoyed it heartily. lets hope harry gets home safe
November 04, 2008

tps said...Fantastic idea for a blog.
November 04, 2008

Anonymous said...This has been an amazing experience. I cannot get over the simple, understated courage of Harry. When he wrote he had been on "what we call the suicide post, but it was only at night", I could hardly believe such coolness (that was where my father got his bullet.) What men they were! Historians now say the war for most soldiers was not the poets war. But this really brings home better than any historian can the coolness and forbearance of the English common soldier in WWI.
November 04, 2008

TSmith (USA) said...Thank You for sharing this part of your pesonal history with me and all of us. It has been a very educational and emotional reading for me for the past 1 1/2 years. I'm glad you were able to experiance some of the places where Harry was and am grateful for your sharing of those experiances as well. I started each morning for the last 1 1/2 years looking for a new letter from Harry. I am sorry it is coming to an end but am grateful that Harry made it out ok.
November 04, 2008

GailH said...I have been following this blog since January and wish Harry well. I wear a poppy with pride at this time of year in memory of men like Harry. Thank you to all veterans everywhere!
November 04, 2008

Anonymous said...Thank you so much for sharing these letters. It really does bring history alive, and in such a new way. Sure, we could read these letters in a book, but publishing them in "real time" allows us to live the events in a way a book can never match. Cheers from Vancouver, Canada.
November 04, 2008

Anonymous said...Finally looks as if Harry will survive, although we can't be sure for a few days yet. Fascinating story, have been following it all year.
November 04, 2008

Anonymous said...A fascinating and at times nail biting insight into the life of a soldier in WWI. Thank you for this blog that has made Harry a part of my life over the last few months.
November 04, 2008

Joe said... I've thoroughly enjoyed following this blog. Thank you! Joe Illinois, USA
November 04, 2008

colagirl said...I've been following this blog for a while as well. Thank you very much for posting these letters. Like others, keeping my fingers crossed.
November 04, 2008

Anonymous said...Fascinating stuff! Very interesting. I have been following this blog nightly for about a year and a half. I am very interested in his thoughts especially as they are coming 90 years from the past. He feels like a very dear friend of mine.Ken Tribou Mansfield, MA
November 04, 2008

Eva said...I have been following for quite awhile now and am so grateful to be able to have had this perspective and relive some of Harry's experiences. I live in the Western United States and somehow I feel like I've had an advantage over Europeans because I get the letters on the night before they actually are due. Silly huh Eva
November 04, 2008

Anonymous said...I am anxiously awaiting the rest of the story. I have deliberately avoided going back to history books to learn what dates to expect big things, because I want to let it unfold as it did for the people involved. Thank you for sharing your family's history with us.
November 04, 2008

Brian Jones said...My Dad was wounded in WW1 at Ypres in Belgium. I have traced his story somewhat but your day to day letters have given further insight. Dad was wounded early in the war but stayed through to the end. Thanks, Brian Jones Ladner, BC Canada
November 04, 2008

Cate from Seattle said...I've been following this blog almost since the beginning and still find it fascinating! It's a rare treat to get such a personal insight into the life of a soldier. Thank you!
November 04, 2008

ghertz said...I'm a reader from the US (Michigan). I have been reading this blog since June or July 2007. I saw a reference to it somewhere, I think CNN's web page and have been hooked ever since. I know more about WWII than WWI, and this is a great way to learn more about WWI. I am also glad you kept the technical diary information separate from the main dialogue. I like the "human" story but am not as interested in troup movements or the type of weapsons they had. I have always liked to see old letters from wartime and this is a wonderful way to share Harry's. I know it has been a long process for you and i'm sure there were days you didn't feel like adding a post, but out here we are quite greatful for it.
November 04, 2008

JoK said...Hoping Harry keeps safe as his war hopefully comes towards a peaceful and safe end. I realise that he will now be part of the clean up and then the long slow return through France to England.I have been an avid reader of Harry's news since June 07 and never miss checking it daily. Grateful thanks that he is hopefully safe. Thanks for sharing your family history with us all, it has been gratefully received. Jo in Wgtn NZ.
November 04, 2008

HeavyLight said...Thanks for publishing Harry's letters, it's been a fascinating read. Best of luck with the book.November 04, 2008

Jacky said...I only discovered Harry's blog a couple of month's back but was immediately hooked. It is touching and real and I wish we could all have been there to welcome him home - surely he will make it back safe now. Bless him, and all those who had to endure this tragic war. When he does come home, will you please give us some information on what he did with the rest of his life? Thanks SO much for a truly wonderful site, I'm going to miss it very much.
November 04, 2008

lom said...Not long now Harry, you will soon be with loved ones
November 04, 2008

Tricia said...Having grown to know Harry and his family as 'friends', the people who live down the road, I'm watching and worrying as the war comes to an end. We cannot be complacent yet too much can happen, and did, in the last few minutes of an event.If he survives the war it would be good to know if he survives the peace.Thanks for this blog
November 04, 2008

Anon said...Great idea - please keep it up
November 04, 2008

annelize said...I'm going to miss Harry when the war is over. This has been a fascinating blog.
November 03, 2008

Anonymous said...Great blog, great perpective. Have been following for about a year. Helen Australia
November 03, 2008

tmw said... hey there... thanks for making this blog!
November 03, 2008

Anonymous said...I've been following Harry for a year now. Thanks for all your work. Richard
November 03, 2008

Lynda said...I love Harry's story. But I am really worried that he wont make it back to England and his family. Fingers crossed for him, so very near the end but who knows with him being in Italy. Very real to me, even if it was 90 years ago. My great grandfather made it back, but the war changed him. How did they get through it all, amazes me. Will definately buy the book, for me and for my 2 teenage sons to read. They will learn a great from Harry! Kind regards and thank you for this site. Lynda, Devon
November 03, 2008

Ann P said... I've been following this blog for almost a year. I try to imagine my own relatives and how they must of felt so far away from home and thier families and never knowing if they wold see them all again. Terrible times.Thank you so much for all your time and trouble bringing Harrys letters to us. I feel very moved when I read them Ann
November 03, 2008

Sutta said...I've been following since about January maybe. It might have even been longer than that! I can't believe it's almost over!
November 03, 2008

Lisa E said...I have been following Harry's blog since January this year and hoping, like everyone else, that he got through the war okay. I have visited Flanders but found it difficult to connect with the history there because it is now so peaceful. It is through accounts like these that the war can be brought back into reality for modern people and for this I thank you so much. A fantastic idea and thoroughly gripping, I'll almost be sorry when it's over! I will be attending the 90th anniversary of the Armistice in Whitehall next week and I will certainly be thinking of Harry and all his comrades that gave so much in that horrible war.
Thank you.
November 03, 2008

Aurora said...Such a short time to go now. I am hoping and willing Harry to make it home safely, and that the telegram boy wont be walking to his front door bearing tragic news. My father, as a little boy, remembered the telegram boy visiting almost every other house in the road and then one terrible day he knocked on their front door. Thank you so much for this very moving blog.
November 03, 2008

Wild Trout said...An 18 month anthem of hope for today's youth. Thank you for your efforts.
November 03, 2008

Anonymous said...I've been following Harry's story for over a year from Virginia, Washington DC, and now in North Carolina... best of luck Harry!
November 03, 2008

Anonymous said...I've been following Harry's story for over a year from Virginia, Washington DC, and now in North Carolina... best of luck Harry!
November 03, 2008

Anonymous said... Excellent blog, many thanks.
November 03, 2008

Anonymous said... What a great way to relive history. I've been following this blog for about a year now and have really enjoyed using it to learn more about The Great War. Thanks for doing this. Your grandfather would be proud!
November 03, 2008

Linda said...have been following the blog for about a year, and like everyone else have been keeping my fingers crossed for Harry. Thank you for sharing this with us all
November 03, 2008

Anonymous said... I can't believe it's nearly all over; a luxury we have that the guys involved did not!!
November 03, 2008
Anonymous said...

I have been watching the site with great anticipation hoping Harry suvives the war
November 03, 2008
Anonymous said...

Thank you very much for all your efforts with this blog. 90 years after WW 1 we're hoping Harry once reached his home safely.

Today let's think about all the soldiers all over the world, fighting useless battles, risking their lifes. Like Harry they all want to make it home safely to kiss their friends and families.
Give peace a serious chance!

Greetings from Bavaria.
November 03, 2008

Sunny said...History didn't interest me much in school, but your presentation in this blog has got me paying attention. Thank you for your wonderful job. I'm really enjoying learning about the war from Harry's letters.
November 03, 2008

Anonymous said...I've been following Harry's blog for quite some time now and am glad to see that he is doing so well close to the end. Thanks for sharing this amazing insight with us all.
November 03, 2008

Anonymous said...I've been following this blog for a while now, if something were to happen to Harry during the war I think i'll be very upset. Keep up the good work.
November 03, 2008

Anonymous said...I have been checking on Harry for the past year or so. My great uncle was a veteran of the war. Thank you for sharing. Murfreesboro, TN USA
November 03, 2008

Sara said...Following Harry's progress from Los Angeles, CA. Your blog has made WWI seem so current, especially given the wars in Iraq & Afghanistan. Thank you.
November 03, 2008

Anne Jones. England said...I've been following this blog for some time now, and like everyone else, hope that Harry makes it safely home.
November 03, 2008

Anonymous said...my american history class and I have been following your story since March, 2008. What a great thing you have done, pulling this all together. Thanks so much, all of us are enjoying Harry's adventures and are hoping we lives to see the end.
November 03, 2008

Anonymous said...Great Blog. Have been reading for about a year. Thinking of my Grandfather who was in France during this same time.Jackson in Texas
November 03, 2008

Anonymous said...Best wishes to Harry and his extended family. I've follwed the blog with interest because Harry was brought up in the same locality as my Grandfather, so I can hear the local accent I read the letters. My Grandfather was one of the underage boy soldiers - happily he came back. Hope Harry comes home soon too, and survives the difficult winter and 'flu epidemic of 1918/19.
November 03, 2008

Anonymous said...Thanks for all the time you've put into this. It's been amazing to really get a feel for how long the gaps between letters must have felt for relatives back home.
November 03, 2008

joan said..Thank you so much for sharing Harrys letters with us.This blog is excellant!
November 03, 2008

John R said...6 Great Uncles on my Dad's side (from Yorkshire) and my Mum's Dad (New Zealand) were survivors of the Great War. I have followed your blog from the beginning and have found it an amazing portrait of history as seen from the foot soldier's perspective. I now live in the USA, where this crevasse in history is seemingly treated as a mere footnote. I am reminded of the saying (and I paraphrase) "Those who forget history are doomed to repeat it." Thank you for all your hard work and good luck with your future endeavours, especially the book in which I am very interested and am looking forward to seeing more information about it here.John Monticello, MN USA
November 03, 2008

Anonymous said...I too, like all before, check for a letter from Harry every morning, and when we haven't heard for a while have to check in the evening as well. I have mixed feelings, so happy that it looks like he has made it and sadness that this fantastic blog will be over, but will only be content when I hear that he is home surrounded by his family and having a cup of tea in the back kitchen. Thank you so much for all your hard work - I look forward to reading the book.
Kind regards Linda
November 03, 2008

Anonymous said...Hello - girl from Norway here. Saw a tip about this blog on the Internet, and have followed it since. The details gives a stunning insight to the war, as it was.
November 03, 2008

Fee, Edinburgh said... Been following for a while now, checking daily for news. Made pinning on the Poppy just a little more poignant this year.
Thanks for sharing such a personal story.Lest we forget ...
November 03, 2008

Jake said...Many thanks for the blog, I've been following it avidly since I heard about it on Radio 4. It makes the reality of war much more personal and I hope Harry makes(/made) it home safely!
November 03, 2008

June said...I also have been reading for about a year and have been fascinated by Harry's story. Your posting of his letter and the entire BLOG contents has been a wonderful way to revitalize and humanize a war that is "old history" to so many.Hope Harry makes it home to his family!
November 03, 2008

Anonymous said...I have followed this from almost the beginning, and have read widely about the 1st WW because of it.How these men retained their sanity amidst so much horror eludes me.
History tells us that Harrys life in the immediate future won't be a bed of roses either. Excellent work Bill.
Paul - NZ
November 03, 2008

todd helmkamp said...I am a bit surprised at how much I have grown attached to the people from this story! Thanks for publishing about your family history!
November 03, 2008

Anonymous said... I've been reading since I heard about the blog earlier this year on a television program here in the US. It's just a marvelous way to connect to these events 90 years ago. Bravo!
November 03, 2008

Vern in Montana said.. I have been following Harry for over a year now and have become quite fond of him and his family in England - The armistic is coming and I have th horrible feelign that Harry will be the last man killed on the Italian front. I certainly hope not.
November 03, 2008

Jennifer said...I have been reading this for quite some time. I saw it online one day and was hooked. Thank you. It's interesting and I look for new entries everyday.
November 03, 2008

Rebecca and Chris said...I have been following Harry's journey for a long time and have been getting more and more nervous as November 11 approaches, wondering what is going to happen.
Thanks for sharing this amazing story!
November 03, 2008

Sarah Goodyear said...I have been following for several months now, since I heard about it on NPR in the US. I have to say, I have been counting down to Armistice Day for weeks now.
November 03, 2008

double i said...This blog has been my first stop on the internet every morning for the past year plus. Thank you very much for the postings.Brooklyn, New York
November 03, 2008

Saharafrog said...My stomach tightens up each time I see a new letter posted. I'm always in fear that it will be an official letter, and not one from Harry.
--SF
November 03, 2008

jc said...I've been following this blog for over a year, after being alerted to it by a colleague (a history teacher). I'm going to miss Harry's letters and history.
November 03, 2008

Anonymous said...I won't relax until Harry is home safe and sound with his family. Only another week until it's all over. I'll really miss reading his letters. Thank you for an amazing blog. Jackie
November 03, 2008

Anonymous said...I have followed the blog for almost a year, it has been most interresting!/Jesper
November 03, 2008

Anonymous said...I am an English girl in my twenties who is fascinated by the First World War and I have followed this blog from the start, finding it to be a moving and unique insight into the lives of those who lived through the Great War.
This blog has been a fascinating look into the life of an ordinary soldier in a war I little understand. This one man's life has inspired me to read up on this war and to learn more about the overall picture. Thank you so much for sharing. It is with much hope that I'll get to read about how Harry gets home and what his life is like after the war.Thanks again for putting the effort into this.
November 03, 2008

Simon, North Wales said...I have followed this account for nearly a year now and found it very informative. I have felt closer to understanding the fears and feelings of the rank and file soldier through this terrible conflict than through my reading in other accounts of the great war.
My only hope is that Harry survives the next few days as he rightly deserved.
November 03, 2008

Anonymous said...I've been following the blog since it was mentioned in the newspaper in january. Very exciting!Greetings from Lars W. - Oslo, Norway.
November 03, 2008

Anonymous said...
Thanks for a great (and so personal) blog I have been following the blog with great interest, and sometimes dread, since January 2008. We're getting so close to the end. I hope we continue to get positive news.
Thanks! Serge Boivin (Canada)
November 03, 2008

Anonymous said...Because you asked...A silent reader who was pulled into this experience from my very first visit. For many months I've begun every day checking on Harry's progress. I thank you so much for sharing this portion of your family hitory with us...from Boston, MA USA.
November 03, 2008

Anonymous said...We are sitting on the edge of our seats. Harry, please make it home. The Traub Family, West Dundee IL
November 03, 2008

Andrew Lamin said... I have been following this for a long while, my Grandfather (Private Jack Lamin, Field Artillery) never told any of us anything about his war experiences, so I have taken a close interest in how someone from the same area faced that most apocalyptic time.
November 03, 2008

Anonymous said...Like many I have loved reading this blog. Thank you Bill. It looks like he will make it..
How long Bill would it have taken this letter to reach home? Would it have arrived after the 11th November?
November 03, 2008

Anonymous said...Thanks for the blog, followed with great interest.Josh from Alberta, Canada
November 03, 2008

Anonymous said...Many thanks for an amazing blog. My 13 yr old son is totally fascinated by it.
I hope Harry is able to come home and be embraced by his family.
November 03, 2008

Anonymous said... I've been following this since mid 2007 - the idea of posting on the day has been brilliant. When will we learn that violence never wins? Good luck with the book. In Peace.
November 03, 2008

Jo Allen said...well done Bill, your a fantastic person for sharing your Grandfather's letters, hope Harry makes it home safely. It's been an emotional journey.Jo
November 03, 2008

Mimi said...I have found this so interesting. I love history and first hand accounts. I just wish this was available when we studied World War 1 with my children. They always ask, has Harry posted a letter? I will be buying the book so we can read it when we study WW1 again:) Thank you for sharing such an intimate part of your family.
November 03, 2008

melissa said...I've been following for a while now - Oh, I'm nervous for Harry Many thanks for working so hard to bring this to us. It's a fascinating read!
November 03, 2008

Jennifer said...I have loved reading about Harry! Thank you for bringing this gem of history tous.
November 03, 2008

Chris said...fascinating stuff! Hope all is well for Harry now--I am reminded of my mother's cousin who survived WWII and was killed by a landmine before he left the desert!
Chris, Canada
November 03, 2008

Marilyn said...It seems significant that Harry was able to mention several strategic facts in his Nov 4 letter. Was the censor becoming more relaxed?
Have followed Harry's progress with great interest.
November 03, 2008

Anonymous said... What a fantastic experience this has been - it shows all the emotions that would have been felt by everyone at the time.Thank you .
November 03, 2008

Anonymous said...I've followed the blog since june 07 and I've been gripped. It's fascinating stuff, brings the war to life. I'm 23 and couldn't imagine what lads of the same age went through and what sacrifices they made. I'm not sure my generation are made of the same stuff! Thanks for the blog, very well done. Dave, Wirral
November 03, 2008

Tolomere said...This has been one of the most fascinating things that the Net has ever been used for, and I have been following this for over a year, hoping that Harry makes it back home to his loved ones safe and sound (at least as sound as one who experienced WWI could be).
It is with a profound sense of both joy and sadness that I see the approach of November 11th... joy for Harry's survival, sadness that we are nearing the end of his tale in WWI.Thank you for this most amazing journey!
November 03, 2008

shooter said...My fathers uncle was killed in action in France on this date, Hope Harry fairs better
November 03, 2008

mattg said...Recently picked this up again so saying hi. Heart is in my mouth thinking about the next week.See Michael Palin's 'Last Day of WW1' documentary:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b00fg9hw/Timewatch_The_Last_Day_of_World_War_One/
November 03, 2008

Anonymous said... Hi, I've been following this blog since months and I am happy to see that Harry has made it safe until now. Thanks for the effort, your blog is unique in the internet as it links history to new media in a thrilling manner.
Best wishes from Munich and thank you again Stefan
November 03, 2008

Anonymous said...I'm reading the letters of Harry with great interest since I've heard about in the ARD-TV in Germany. I wish and hope, that Harry will manage to return back home safely and healthy. I'm of opinion that Harry's letters are an important lecture for german kids in school - so we hope for the proposed book. "Thank you!" from germany for this great and fascinating blog!
November 03, 2008

Marc Bernard said...I've been following for quite a while, from Waterloo, Ontario, Canada.
Fascinating stuff. Thanks for doing this.
November 03, 2008

richard booth said...
love this site - been following for the last year from Canada. just a few more days...
November 03, 2008

Robin from McLean, VA USA said...Thanks for taking so much time to provide us with this blog. It has been a real treat to read!
November 03, 2008

ConnecticutYankee said...Thank you so much for sharing this, it has been fascinating. Will we be following Harry until he returns home?
November 03, 2008

Anonymous said...Reading this account has been a fascinating journey. Thank you for bringing it to us. My grandfather was with the Canadian Corp on the Western Front, and this brought that experience home for me. I find myself ferventing wishing for Harry's safe deliverance from that war as if it were happening now.
Godspeed Harry, whatever your fate was in this life.
November 03, 2008

Mantelli said...I've been following Harry's adventures from St. Louis, Missouri. My father was only a year too young to go along with the troops, but told me many stories of slightly older peers. This is a fascinating story. I hope Harry makes it through the rest of the war! Thank you for making this blog possible!
November 03, 2008

Fiona said...What a brilliant journey you've taken us on! No doubt we're all keeping fingers crossed that Harry makes it through to 11th safely as well as making it home ok!
November 03, 2008

Anonymous said...I am hoping that Harry survives this war. He feels like a member of my own family now.
November 03, 2008

richard booth said...I find it interesting that although these events have long since transpired, there are thousands of people checking this site daily to find out what will happen to Harry. It's almost like Harry is living in a past, yet, current, state of indeterminacy. It reminds me a bit of Schrodinger's cat mind-experiment.richard in Ontario, Canada
November 03, 2008

Anonymous said...
Each day I check in... as the war draws to its conclusion I hope each time as I log in Harry is very much alive and well
November 03, 2008

Anonymous said...I have looked everyday to see if there has been a letter from Harry and then, with a sigh of relief, read the news quietly pleased that there has not been a telegram. But the times when there was no news for weeks were hard to bear - what must the family at home have felt?
Thank you for your sharing your family's experiences in such a unique and informative way. Good luck for the future.
November 03, 2008

Anonymous said...
A fantastic way to tell us about the experiences of a WW1 soldier. Thank you so much Bill for all of your hard work!
November 03, 2008

Claire said...I've been following for a year, from Canada. I am hoping that everything turns out OK for Harry....
November 03, 2008

Anonymous said...This blog is SO AMAZING. I live in Ontario and we follow it with great interest and hope only the best.My 15 year old daughter also very fascinated and always checks in too!!
November 03, 2008

The co-ordinator said...Fantastic reading.One of the first links I've checked every day for more than a year I think. What will I do when the war is over?!
November 03, 2008

cowsandplows said...I've been reading this blog for than a year, and I am so grateful that Harry has made it! While I know that the war is not over yet, I want to see Harry live on to ripe old age. To see such carnage, the waste of so much life, and survive is miraculous. A week to go until the Armistice! What will happen next?
November 03, 2008

Anonymous said...Just posting to give you a count.
November 03, 2008

mark b said...Outstanding recollection of turbulent historical events. The anticipation of 11/11/1918 and reading of Harry's reaction to it is exciting.
November 03, 2008

Anonymous said...I have so enjoyed keeping up with all of Harry's letters. Thanks so much for posting these letters!
November 03, 2008

Robert said...I have only been following Harry for the last half year, but still there were a few times that I checked and rechecked the blog even though I knew there would be no update. Let's hope that Harry makes it hone safely and let's be thankful for the wonders of modern day communications, with all your loved ones at our fingertips.
Many thanks for this experience!
November 03, 2008

Anonymous said... A fascinating blog, which I've been hooked on for about 12 months.The horrors of war, as far as Harry describes them at all, are so understated... I'm hoping he is safe now! I'm really looking forward to the book coming out. Thank you for the blog.
November 03, 2008

Matthew C said...I've been following Harry's blog for some months. He is clearly a master of understatement and one inevitably wonders what horros are behind the comment 'we have had some trying times'. Only another week to get through Harry!November 03, 200

8Yke Timmerman said...Thank you for letting us follow Harry's experiences during the Great War. I have been following it ever since a documentary was shown on TV about it here in Canada.Even though the war is almost at the end, I would like to continue to hear about Harry and his family.
November 03, 2008

Anonymous said...I've followed this blog from Qc, Canada. Thank you for your hard work.
November 03, 2008

I live in Bulwell Nottingham very close to Awsworth, so I know where he is coming from, My family remained miners and farmers in the 2nd world war, not sure about the first, check this blog daily and cant understand why my workmates don't seem interested, It has awoken something in me and I have also read that birdsong book you mentioned earlier. Come on Harry
November 03, 2008

Anonymous said... I've been following this blog since 2007 and I am hooked. My dad was a soldier (English 8th army) in WWII, and while I came along many years after he came home, Harry's blog has given me the chance to feel what it may have been like to wait for those letters from a loved one, and the sense of never knowing.Thank you BL, this is without a doubt one of the best sites on the internet, period.David in Moose Jaw, SK, Canada
November 03, 2008

Anonymous said...I read this blog every morning I enter work, it has become part of my morning routine...truly amazing job you have done with this.
November 03, 2008

Debbie said...I've been following Harry's blog from Stow, Ohio for about a year and a half. What a novel concept for a blog - absolutely fantastic. I am still holding my breath wondering if Harry makes it through with the end so near. But as others have said, one never really knows what can happen and when. THANK YOU for this blog: the hard work is represents and the dedication you have shown.
November 03, 2008

Sockbug said...Reading Harry's words from Houston, Texas! Thanks!
November 03, 2008

Laura said... Congrats on a great way to create interest in Harry's life and history.
November 03, 2008

Debs said...Like so many others i have been following this for so long and have experienced the despair of no posts and the joy when once again Harry's letters are received.its the first site that I check when I log onto my PC each day.
Good Luck Harry!
November 03, 2008

Anonymous said...I have been following this blog since February, when I heard about it on NPR. My father was born in October 1918--his war service came during the Second World War and Korea. He died Nov. 11, 1983, coincidentally, on Armistice Day.
What I find most interesting about this blog is how it has linked generations, and how it has brought together people from all over the world. I can't say I've personally met anyone who has responded to this blog, but I feel a kinship with each of you, because we were all rooting for Harry.
This was a brilliant idea, Mr. Lamin, and I want to thank you once again for sharing your grandfather's letters with the world. The called it the War to End All Wars...I hope one day that dream can be realized. I suspect Harry would, too.
Cecilia in Michigan.
November 03, 2008

Bell said...I can't remember if I ever commented before (I think I did at the beggining of the year, when I started following the blog). Anyway, this is in response to your request- I've been following Harry, and am quite eager for its conclusion.
I'm a nineteen-year-old university student from Argentina (Literature and Linguistics), and I've been following the blog absolutely enthralled. I've come to care for Harry the same way I care for my friends, and hope things will be allright for him.
Thank you for sharing his story with us, and good luck with the book.
November 03, 2008

Albert said...Thanks for sharing Harry's correspondence!
November 03, 2008

Anonymous said...By now I am following Harrys live for more than a year - and everytime I am checking the blog I hope that ther will be a new letter and he is still 'alive'. Thank you.
Janina
(Muenster/Germany)
November 03, 2008

Anonymous said...Very thrilling to get here. I've been following the blog form Madrid, Spain. It's great to learn actual stories from the protagonist himself. Really, great blog!
November 03, 2008

Manuel said...It's very significant that Harry never showed any ambition nor desire to win the war, he just kept on writing, letter after letter, the same words: "I hope the war is finished..."
Congratulations and all the best for Harry from Asturias, Spain.
November 03, 2008

Duncan said...I've been following this blog via RSS. My grandfather fought at the Somme and Ypres with the Royal Engineers. Saw a very interesting programme on UK TV last weekend about the last day of the war and how some units were still being sent into attack right until the last few minutes before the armistice. Tragic and pointless.
November 03, 2008

erathwomen said...I'm nervously excited for Harry but also feel a bit sad that this is coming to an end. I'll miss waiting for the next installment and I'll miss knowing how Harry is. I feel a bit teary today, knowing the end is so close. How proud you must be to know how stalwart he was and what a good soldier he was. Even if he doesn't make it home, you know he fought hard for his country.
November 03, 2008

Anonymous said...Greetings from Oregon, USA. I'm following Harry's journey and hoping he returns home safely. I've also been wondering why we never learn anything from the horrors of war.
November 03, 2008

C Crino said...I keep looking at the date and counting down to next week. Sort of holding my breath.I always remember seeing a gravestone in the American cemetery in France of someone from my hometown. His date of death was 10 November 1918.
My best wishes to old Harry!
November 03, 2008

Anonymous said...I have certainly enjoyed reading this blog and hope that the cease fire with Austria means Harry is out of danger.
November 03, 2008

Rklawton said...Let's not forget that the British went on to fight the Red Army during the Russian Civil War.
Also let's not forget the great flu pandemic soon to follow. Global deaths from this event matched those of the war.The threat of early demise has not passed.
Robert
November 03, 2008

Anonymous said... I've been following from Connecticut, USA. Always very interesting, thanks for sharing all this with us.
November 03, 2008

Anonymous said...Watching and waiting from the Canadian prairies.
November 03, 2008

Chris Breman said... I've followed Harry's blog with great interest. The way you presented his story makes history come alive - thank you very much for sharing!
November 03, 2008

El Dude said...Been following for some time now from Charlotte, NC. Wonderful job letting in on his life during this time. Thank you!
November 03, 2008

Sarah said...
I've been following this blog since January. I've really enjoyed following the progress of the war with Harry. It's made it all much more real than anything else ever could.
November 03, 2008
Anonymous said...

I have always believed that Harry lived through this mess and went on to have a regular life after this war was over. It seems that this possibility is a lot closer to being a reality as of this last letter and the actions in theatre.
November 03, 2008
Anonymous said...

Thank you for such a fascinating and personal insight into your family history. What a wonderful and generous contribution you have made to those of us who have followed Harry's story, whether it be for school, research or personal interest. I hope there may be many more posts and that we may follow Harry's safe return home.
November 03, 2008
Anonymous said...

Thank you. This has been a very interesting experience. I hope you will continue to follow Harry through to the end.
November 03, 2008
Nicola said...

Have been following Harrry's journey for ages now and am hopeful for him. I have been fascinated by WW1 for a long time so to follow events through a soldier's own experiences and feeling the nervousness as I look every day to see if there's any more news leaves me full of admiration for those who lived through it.
November 03, 2008
Cheryl said...

Following from Plainfield IL. Love this blog.
November 03, 2008
Anonymous said...

I found this blog by chance when reading the BBC news web site. My great-grandfather, also from Cornwall, had tried to join the Army, but was too young and unable to fight in WWI. So, when I read about this blog, I was immediately drawn to it. Thank you for sharing your family's story with the world. (Annie from Indianapolis, Indiana, USA)
November 03, 2008
Anonymous said...

I have been following Harry since the beginning, now we are reaching the end I am on tenderhooks to find out whether he survived and please went on to have a happy life!!
November 03, 2008
LB said...

Been following the blog from Illinois, USA... love it. It gives a much more emotional feel to the war then you'd ever get out of a history book.
November 03, 2008
wtfree3 said...

Most excellent news on the armistice today with the Austrians. Looks like Harry might make it. This has been a wonderful thing to follow. I wish safety for all those who serve their countries, when they call, in uniform. Your efforts and sacrifices are appreciated.
November 03, 2008
Anonymous said...

I've been following this blog since the summer from Ontario, Canada. Thank you so much!
November 03, 2008
Sara McGrail said...

Holding my breath to see how Harry does next week ...
November 03, 2008
marybindc said...

I'm following from Washington, DC!
November 03, 2008
Christina Hidek said...

I always look forward to reading this blog. Thanks for your efforts!
November 03, 2008
Christina Hidek said...

I always look forward to reading this blog. Thanks for your efforts!
November 03, 2008
Ken said...

I have been following Harry from Wisconsin, USA. Outstanding!
November 03, 2008
Murr said...

thanks for this blog
November 03, 2008
Mark said...

Well let's hope he gets home safe...I wonder what happens afterwards (if he gets home ok!) It would be really interesting to have a postscript page with details of his life post war, what he did for a living, his immediate family, where he lived, when / how old he was when he dies etc. It seems we know so much of him over the past few years but know nothing yet of his "future" Thanks for all the efforts to bring this history to life... Mark (Hope you enjoyed your RTW trip Bill!)
November 03, 2008
Curtis, Kirkwood Missouri, USA said...

I've been following the story since I heard an mention of Harry's blog on a BBC broadcast. I majored in History while in college and find this to be an exceptional way to bring his story, in his own words, to an age he could not fathom and to people who would not have heard his story any other way.

I hope the next week is an easy one for Harry and we find out the rest of his story.
November 03, 2008
Anonymous said...

Been following for a while now, always glad to hear when Harry's 'going on alright'. It's hard to imagine what Harry and the others must have been feeling at this time but the tone of this latest letter certainly speaks volumes.
November 03, 2008
Anonymous said...

I'm a Canadian living in Raleigh, NC USA. I've been following since near the beginning. I am worried about Harry. He's so close but it's not over yet.
November 03, 2008
smlg.ca said...

Reader here from Toronto, Canada via RSS.
November 03, 2008
Dave said...

Thank you so much for bringing Harry to us. I have been following it from Franklin, MA USA ever since I discovered it about 8 months ago. This is a beautiful example of what the Internet was conceived for: to foster interest in a place and time somewhat forgotten, to unite people from around the globe, to educate us, to touch our emotions.
November 03, 2008
Anonymous said...

This has been incredibly informative to me. Both my grandfathers were in "The Great War" and even though they are American (one was a Swedish immigrant), I still found this an exciting read. I never realized there was this type of fighting in Italy, as well. I have checked the blog each day for over a year now. I am a Technology Director in a school district in Illinois and I made sure to share this with our classes. I also sent the links to my mother and aunt as well as the rest of the family.

Thank you for the blog.
Mike Swanson
November 03, 2008
Anonymous said...

An excellent idea for a blog.
November 03, 2008
Ilkeston Cam said...

Been following the blog since it was featured on TV and living close to Awsworth has added an extra interest as Harry was a "local" lad.

I often wonder whether Harry knew my granddad who was born in 1887, ten years before Harry, but was a baker in Awsworth in 1901. There are a few pictures of the village including one of the school Harry attended on my website at http://www.ilkcam.com/2003/030629/Awsworth.html.
November 03, 2008
Parkylondon said...

I just wanted to add my comments to the 50 or so above. Thanks for doing this for us - it's been a very moving and yet entertaining series of posts over the past months. I only hope that he wasn't one of the unlucky ones who copped it after the ceasefire. One keeps ones fingers crossed.
November 03, 2008
Wolfram & Hart said...

I follow your / Harry's blog from Budapest, Hungary since (almost) the beginning. Thank you.
November 03, 2008
Anonymous said...

I have been following this blog for the past 18 months. Please let us know what happens to Harry and the rest of his family after the war. Thanks for all your hard work in maintaining this interesting blog.

Cheryl in Claremore, Oklahoma USA
November 03, 2008
dc said...

Great reading about Harry from Atlanta, USA. Since the war is soon over, I'd glad he made it! I hope you will be able to supply some biographical details of what happens to Harry after the war.
November 03, 2008
Tony from USA said...

Through the last several months I have looked forward to Harry's letters. It a rare, fascinating insight. You have honored your family by posting them.
November 03, 2008
HRH King Lerxst said...

I've followed Harry almost from the start, I find his accounts fascinating.
November 03, 2008
Jim Ahrens said...

I've still got my fingers crossed! I've been following for the last yyear or so from the US, and won't be completely happy until Harry is back in Blighty: so much can still happen......
November 03, 2008 Colleen From Canada said...I have been following Harry's letters since January 2008 and am responding to your request today to make a short comment to indicate interest, (I don't know how to use a blog so I found this email address on your website instead). I have been checking in each morning and it has been an absolutely wonderful journey to be part of. I will be sad when the letters stop coming but I am only hoping that Harry made it home all right after the armistice. It has certainly given me more of an understanding of the events of WW1 and what the soldiers went through. A wonderful idea! And thank you for sharing such personal memoirs with the world! This has been an excellent example of how the digital age and the internet can foster understanding, learning and global awarness! Bravo!
November 03, 2008

Saint Lemur said...I'm still nervous. The Great War has only another week to run -- but then there was the intervention in the Russian Civil War.
November 03, 2008

jacksonj04 said...An excellent blog I've been following since day one - fantastic.
November 03, 2008

Anonymous said...I've been following this blog for quite some time now and find it really fascinating to "experience" it a bit from a soldiers point of view.
Being from Flanders myself - not so far from where the battles took place - I visited a lot of the graveyards and other remnants of the war here. In a way this helped me to kind of picture Harry's experiences when he was "over here".
I felt a bit relieved when he was leaving Flanders for Italy and it is good to see he made it this far alright.November the 11th is closing in ...
Stay low for another week Harry!
November 03, 2008

Nancy said...
I've been following Harry's journey for a long time now. I'm hoping he'll survive to come home and be embraced by his family...
November 03, 2008

Anonymous said...Just started reading this recently but am finding it very interesting. Thanks!
November 03, 2008

Anonymous said...I have been following this since the beginning. What a wonderful way of showing the true history of the horrors of war. All too often the common fighting man is overlooked. This has been a wonderful insight in to Harry's life, and I await the end with baited breath. I, for one, will be buying the book when it comes out. Many thanks for sharing this with as all.
November 03, 2008

Anonymous said...Hope you get home soon Harry. I have been with you all the way, and have shed many tears on your behalf.
November 03, 2008

Pat Tobin said...Yes I found it 'unusual' that Harry mentioned his friend. Perhaps Kitchen was wounded and was unable to write. I would have thought that he would have given Jack his address before now, when he was home on leave a short time ago, so that in the event of very bad news Kitchens family would have had a personal caller with some report. Is it possible that Harry, being able to read and write might have been a letter writer for others? What was literacy like among soldiers of that time?
November 03, 2008

Louise said...I've been following via the feed onto LiveJournal.
November 03, 2008

Sara said...I've been following this blog for quite a long time now, never commented before but since you requested :-)
November 03, 2008

Knut (Hamburg, Germany) said...I've been following this blog for almost a year now. I appreciate your effort to let us live through the tension and fears of those waiting at home for their loved ones.Rest assured: It works!
Now please, bring him home safely ...
November 03, 2008

Klaus said...thanks for all the work so far - great to have long term blogs to follow!
November 03, 2008

CannibalRabbit said...I have been following along since close to the beginning. Here I am now keeping my fingers crossed for Harry for the next week, and the 'flu epidemic that follows.
November 03, 2008
I think that the 'flu epidemic was earlier in the year. Harry and the war diary have commented on it. BL

Brian S said...I've been following Harry for many months. This blog is quite unique. Well done, and keep it up!
November 03, 2008

Daniel Polónia said...Following from Ovar, Portugal (one of the "sad participants" in this cruel war)Best Regards,Daniel
November 03, 2008

Rocco said...The starving Austrian Army runs back living ruins. Harry's hope is almost realized. In the meantime, at the same date, still on the Asiago Plateau, you can find this, just to tell us how our destiny may be cruel:
Private Sidney William Baylis + 3 nov. 1918 - age 21
GLOUCESTERSHIRE REGIMENT
“we miss him most
who loved him best
always in our thoughts
mother(My joy for Harry is great anyway!!)
November 03, 2008
What a horrible reminder that the fighting went on right to the end. I watched a BBC Timewatch programme last night where some of the U.S. forces in France were committed to an attack on the morning of the armistice, the senior officers knowing that the war would end in a few hours. Grotesque. BL

Anonymous said...I think I can understand the battalion's War Diary entry, with that simple quiet factual statement of the cease-fire on the Austrian front: words really can't describe the feeling. Satisfaction? Joy? Sorrow for lost comrades? Exhaustion, exhilaration, longing for home? All this and much more.
Remember too that Harry won't be home just yet: occupation of captured areas and the long talks about war reparations are ahead.
November 03, 2008

Eadwacer said... Outstanding job. Would make a good book. Too bad it's ending -- well, OK, happy there's no more death and destruction, but you know what I mean. Someone should offer walking tours.
November 03, 2008
The book's on the way. See the post for the 17th October! BL

ToJe said...I have been reading this blog with great interest. Having read "All Quiet on the Western Front", Jack's letters (and the War Diary) have been very helpful in showing the "other side". Keep on doing this great work!
November 03, 2008

TheFabulousJourney said...This was an amazing blog. Thanks for posting it!
November 03, 2008

Anonymous said...I have been following Harry's story for a year now I love it It makes the war so much more alive then the history books. I am glad I can read about it wouldn't like to live through it. It was a very brave generation both the soldiers and the ones left at home
November 03, 2008

Anonymous said...Thanks for sharing, one man's experiences among millions puts things into perspective in a unique way.
Kristian from Norway
November 03, 2008

Anonymous said...I have been reading Harry's blog from the beginning. I am reduced to tears to hear that he is safe today.
My own grandfather fought in France in WW1. His 1 year old son died, and was buried, while he was away. He also had two older daughters. There was never a word of condemnation for this from either he or my grandmother.
He went on to volunteer for the home guard during WW2, and suppported my mother through her service in the ATS.
May God bless all who have or will fight for this country. We will remember them!!
November 03, 2008

Anonymous said...My interest in WWI started when I lived in Verdun, France as a teenager.
November 03, 2008

Anonymous said...I've been following your blog for over a year now with great interest. Thank you very much for sharing this.
Andreas from Germany
November 03, 2008

Anonymous said...I have been following Harry's experiences for months, I hope he makes it home safe.
Greetings from Siebe, The Netherlands.
November 03, 2008

Lori said...Thank you for posting all of Harry's letters. I've been in great suspense regarding Harry's fate. My fiance asks me every now and then "if my WWI soldier is still alive."
Lori Baltimore, MD
November 03, 2008

Claire Foss said...I've been reading Harry's letters via RSS - an amazing account, absolutely brilliant.
November 03, 2008

Jonathan Lee said...Thank goodness Harry made it. I had checked on the commonwealth war graves web site and couldn't find Harry but it didn't stop me from worrying particularly as I knew he was involved in fighting up until the Austrian armistice.
November 03, 2008

Anonymous said...I have been following this blog from Charlotte, NC USA, it's brilliant.
November 03, 2008

Anonymous said...Ths is a great blog. I'm following all of Harry's steps.
November 03, 2008

Parcival said...Well, I already assumed that Harry is going to survive this war when he was moved to Italy, but after these events I take it almost for granted - though one can never be completely sure.November 03, 2008

Claymore said...I've been following from a syndicated feed on LiveJournal.
4 November - he was fighting with Austrians, but the ceasefire with Austria was on the same day.
November 03, 2008

Anonymous said...Been following the blog for quite some time now, sometimes shivering as I thought of the experiences Harry's lines most likely hide. I got a collection of german newspapers from my great-grandmother. Interesting to see the propaganda from the other side...
November 03, 2008

Ian said...Thank God he made it :o)
Have learned something new today that the Austrian Armistice was so far in front of the German one. I was all geared up for willing Harry through for another 8 days!
November 03, 2008

Anonymous said...I don't think the mention of a Pal is so astonishing. Self preservation in that mad house must have been the way to survive mentally, only at the end can he acknowledge a friend. Harry was certainly tough to maintain this, I have nothing but admiration for him.
November 03, 2008

kathz said...I've been following this blog for quite a while now - congratulations on the work that has gone into it.
November 03, 2008

Janell said...I have followed Harry and the battalion from here in Boise, Idaho, USA for months, as they fought their war in France and Italy. Each day, I would enter their location into Google Earth and try to imagine what it was like to be there, endlessly walking, fighting and resting, wondering when it would all end. The hardships and dangers he and his fellow soldiers experienced are unimaginable today. Comraderie is probably what got them through. I anxiously await the Harry Stamps and I will be one of the first to order the book, when it becomes available. Today, I am thinking good thoughts about Harry and imagining that he is really hopeful for the first time in two years. But, he is still a long way from home, with much more to do. Godspeed, Harry........
November 03, 2008

Anonymous said...As a student of history I found this blog and Harry's account of the Great War very interesting. His lively remarks give a great impression of how it felt being a soldier in these times. In addition, the idea to publish his letters the same day he wrote them 90 years ago put me as a reader into the same position as his relatives and gave me a good feeling for their situation. Thank you very much!
November 03, 2008

waylon said...Nov. 4, 1918? Interesting in that 7 days from that point, the cease fire went into effect (Nov. 11, 1918). Are we reaching a conclusion to Harry's experiences?
November 03, 2008

Anonymous said...
A fascinating account which has made it all very real - exciting and sad - I've been hooked!
Thank you
November 03, 2008

Anonymous said...I have followed this blog with great interest. Hope the best for Harry.
Thomas from Denmark
November 03, 2008

Anonymous said...After the 'over the top' feel of the postcard a few days back, I wondered, but this is fantastic news.
November 03, 2008

A change of emphasis

2008-11-02T06:49:00.001-08:00

lom said...Hang in there Harry
November 03, 2008

Baoky said...I am new here. this is an awesome blog. definitely will read more.
November 03, 2008

Chris said...So close now Harry.
November 02, 2008

Anonymous said...The football is VERY encouraging --- I'm also wondering what that Sunday sermon included! C'mon, Harry, you can make it!
November 02, 2008

erathwomen said...They played football on the afternoon of the 3rd! Looks like Harry might just make it home after all!!! :)
November 02, 2008

Anonymous said...Harry, I´m so exciting. I wish you the best. Hold out for the next days. Best wishes, a friend from North Germany
November 02, 2008

G. Tingey said...The Austrians asked for an Armistice on November 2nd (Saturday), it was signed on the 3rd (Sunday) and became effective on Monday 4th.
Of course, there is still fighting going on in Belgium, but the Germans start asking for an armistice on the 4th, and the Allied troops on the Italian front will be needed for post-Armistice occupation of all of SW Austria. So they will be busy, but NOT FIGHTING.
Historical note: The whole of Süd-Tirol was occupied and is still part of Italy today, though the spoken language there is German. Also the Western part of modern Austria proper, as far up as Innsbruck.
Plenty to do, before Harry and the lads can come home ....
02 November 2008

A Card to Jack. 27th October 1918, Letter 29th

2008-10-26T07:42:00.000-07:00

Sgt. Sam Avery said...Hello Harry:
Just a line to let you know we've arrived at Neufchateau and look to be here for the winter. The French are instructing us. We use a full-sized trench system to work out problems of defense and attack, and we show the French a thing or two about how N.E. boys use the rifle to good advantage. The British have set up a school at Bazoilles to teach us how to come to grips with the Boche using just bayonets and our hands. Some stuff, what? Stop by for a read if you get the chance. Regards, Sam
November 01, 2008

G. Tingey said..."31 casualties" does NOT refer to the number of DEAD. It refers to "Killed, Wounded, and missing (in action)" Please remember this. It still applies, incidentally.
November 01, 2008

Jacky said...Sorry but I have just tried to access the History Today site but it does not seem to be available. I'm trying to find out if there are any remembrance services being held in or near Timisoara in Romania this year.... Could you possibly help please Derry, or anyone for that matter?
Thanks in anticipation.
October 31, 2008
Apologies Jackie and Derry - and anyone else who was in difficulties here. Somehow, I managed to put in a "@" instead of a "." in the web address. Click here for a valid link to "History Today."

historytoday said...Hello, and well done on this blog
Its an excellent concept and certainly one of the best First World War sites I've come across so far. On our blog we have a new World War I section with complete listings of remembrance events happening across Europe from November onwards, if you are interested
Derry Nairn History Today Magazine
historytodaymagazine.blogspot.com
October 30, 2008

Anonymous said...In some ways, I think we here & now are more tense about this particular upcoming week: his real family just see more of the same on the horizon, with a constant level of associated worry; we, his '2008 family' if you will, know the war is coming to an end, and we're worrying more right now on that account, not wanting to see our Harry lost in the final stretch.
Hang in there, Harry! We're all praying you make it home safely!
October 30, 2008

Anonymous said...Only 31 is perhaps a relative comment given the scale and previous statistics in this war. Take a trip to Flanders sometime and be very glad you live now and not then.
So glad to see a letter following the standard issue postcard.
October 29, 2008

Cecilia in Michigan said... We tend to think of 31 casualties as a large number, but in a war where tens of thousands of men could be obilterated in one battle, that's not a bad number. According to Wikipedia, there were only 374 British troops lost. The Allies lost 5800 men, as opposed to Austrians, who lost 100,000 men. Today, Oct. 29, the Austro-Hungarians are asking the Italians for an armistice, according to Wiki.
October 29, 2008
Of course, the number of casualties is irrelevant if one of them is your husband, father, brother, lover. The trap of working by numbers can be horrific. Haig and his Generals would accept 100,000 casualties, calculating that they would still have 400,000 men left as a functioning army. Never a thought to the pain, anguish, grief and despair attached to each and every casualty. BL

Anonymous said...After reading the battalions diary, it seems as if the combat was much more fluid than the more static combat of earlier in the campaign. Was this typical of things towards the end of WW1?
October 30, 2008
Italy was totally different theatre of war to Flanders. Harry makes it clear how, despite the weather, conditions are so much better. In this phase of the fighting, the allied troops are moving forward rapidly, taking ground from the Austrians. BL

Anonymous said...A couple days before this there was a work detail of 400 men. So the battalion's actual strength was at least that high. The diary says "only 31 casualties", which would indicate the author at least considered them light.
October 28, 2008

Robert said...For the book it might be interesting to includes snippets of news from the newspapers to get a better idea of what Harry was reading from home - and about what folks back home thought about the war.
Best, Robert
October 28, 2008

Dino said...and now we're quite near to the end.
Harry, stay clean, there's only few days, and it will be over.
Dino, an Italian very proud of english that fought a mad war for us
October 28, 2008

Rocco said...-Especially as the war progressed, it was rare indeed for a Battalion to be at full establishment. It was not unknown at times for Battalions with a nominal strength of over a 1000 men to go into fighting with perhaps only 200. (The Long Long Trail).
- If this was the average situation, 150 prisoners and 31 casualties indicate that the 29th oct. was a very hard day.
- it seems to me that Harry is hiding the truth to tranquillise his family
October 28, 2008

Jacky said...I only stumbled across Harry's blog 2 weeks ago and after frantically catching up on 17th October have been checking every day for more news from him (internet down here in Romania yesterday for some reason). This card has made me go cold; just imagine how he felt being allowed only to send that and, as you say, probably realising it means something serious is about to happen. Only a few days left - please, please let him get home safely from this horrible mess. Jacky.
October 27, 2008

Jono said...Jackie,
There is some narrative on the very latest military situation in Phase 5 description with slide illustration as at today, 27th, and more to follow.....
Click on JW Overview of the Italian Campaign in menu bar on left..... hope it helps JW
October 27, 2008
Jono has posted an excellent narrative on his site. This really helps to fill in the details outlined in the Battalion's War Diary. Thank you Jono! Click here C.A.R.O.? BL

Anonymous said...Today is dead the last soldier of the IWW; he's name was Delfino Borroni.
For everyone can read italian here is the article http://www.corriere.it/cronache/08_ottobre_26/borroni_morto_1dc9ba5e-a3a0-11dd-8d2c-00144f02aabc.shtml
and here a touching video http://it.youtube.com/watch?v=9kfvQO47B_U
October 27, 2008

Sgt. Sam Avery said...Hello Harry:Landed in Le Havre the other day, now on the way to someplace called Neufchateau. Should arrive in a couple of days. Stop by for a read when you get the chance. Also, take a look at some film footage from the boys in Neufchateau.
Regards, Sam
October 26, 2008

David McGovern said...The fact that signature and date are the only things allowed to be added, suggests that the card was used by the army to prevent soldiers letting slip information that might risk an imminent action.
It may have been standard procedure when on short notice to move.
October 26, 2008

Rocco said...The 10th Army (Italian- British) began the attack on October 24th at Grave di Papadopoli (see Google earth) -north east of Catena where the Btn is reported on October 27th. On the night of 26th the 7th British Div.-Gen.T.H. Shoubridge- could install half a dozen bridges over the Grave to cross the Piave river. As Harry is dating his postcard on Oct. 27th, we can expect, I argue, that in a short time he'll cross the river running ahead to Vittorio Veneto
October 26, 2008

Jackie said..Can someone tell me what battles are ahead for Harry? I'm getting worried for his safety. Thanks.
October 26, 2008

Andrew said...holding my breath..let this not be the last bit of correspondence. good luck Harry.
October 26, 2008

G. Tingey said...The Battle of Vittorio (Veneto) has already started, and had been in progress for 3 (THREE) days, when Harry sent that postcard. He is at least 10km back behind the then lines, which were advancing over the Piave river.
October 26, 2008

erathwomen said...And here I've been thinking that Harry is so close to being out of it. This is an odd card but I suppose he didn't have time to write a letter but wanted to let them know he was alive.
October 26, 2008

Letter to Jack, 17th October, Book Deal.

2008-10-18T04:18:00.000-07:00

Dino said...and now we're quite near to the end.
Harry, stay clean, there's only few days, and it will be over.
Dino, an Italian very proud of english that fought a mad war for us
October 28, 2008

Kittybriton said...I see from the papers this morning that the Italians launched an offensive in the mountains two days ago, but progress is slow. Stick to it Harry, and may God Himself watch over you.
October 25, 2008

Leah J. F. said... If you get a chance, watch the Canadian film "Passchendaele" staring Paul Gross. It really puts you there, and will give you a taste of what Harry and all the other soldiers who fought in WWI went through.
Lest we forget.
October 24, 2008

G. Tingey said...Silarnon: Read the preceding posts.
Battle of Veneto, 24th October - Austrian collapse. Armistice and cease-fire on that front on 4th November. OK
October 23, 2008
Of course, Harry knows any of this. And, we can't consider his future. We don't know what happens to him. Silarnon is quite right about the peace treaty. The terms were not agreed and signed until June 1919. BL

Silarnon said...It's very exciting that Harry is at last coming up on the cease-fire, though I wonder when the fighting will actually stop for him.
And there would still be uncertainty about whether he gets to go home, with the peace treaty not signed until June next year.
October 21, 2008

G. Tingey said...CORRECTION! After 19/12/1915 when there was a bad landslip cutting the Dover-Folkestone railway line....Most TROOP trians went to and from Folkestone, and most of the Ambulance trains went to and from Dover.
A lot more information on this, which affected all troops, unless they were on "the Staff" (and had special trains) can be found in an out-of-print book.
ISBN: 0 85361 2781 "The South-Eastern & Chatham Railway in the Great War.
Harry would have experienced all of this, including the free travel warrants, and the free food made available at the two London Termini used (Charing X & Victoria)
October 21, 2008

Paul Harding FAIA said...V. is definitely for Vicenza, not Venice. Venice is a series of islands and is remote and out of the way. I spent 10 weeks in Venice and the Venetto Province during grad school so I know the area quite well.
October 21, 2008
Thank you Paul. I was just assuming...BL

Doctor Pion said..."However, I am very keen not to lose the simplicity and directness that seem to have worked so well in the blog."
A suggestion. I've read a few books that achieve that goal by separating the original text from the much more detailed commentary. One key is to use a completely different typeface in addition to physically separating one from the other on adjacent pages. You can read the original historical material straight through or digress into the explanations without having to jump from chapter to chapter.For example, you could have the War Diary itself (with maps) frame the letters to put them in context ... but always making the letters the prominent part of the story.
October 21, 2008

lom said...well done on the book deal, I too shall buy a book, I just love this blog
October 21, 2008

G. Tingey said... From the other pages - referring to Harry's trip home on leave ...
The postcard shows Ilkeston GNR station. But from London, he would most likely have come from St. Pancras on the Midland Railway, to the other Ilkeston station, in the Erewash Valley - probably changing at Trent. There is also reference to the cross-channel shipping routes.
The principal embarkation port was DOVER, with some coming via Folkestone. Dover Marine Station had been opened, just as war started, and was requisitioned entirely for military use. The SECR didn't get it back until after the war was over.
There was also the huge military port at Richborough, with a train-ferry, but this was not used for personnel.
Some wounded were landed at Queenborough/Sheppey, but normal troop-transit was Dover only, with Folkestone for special purposes.
October 20, 2008

JW said...Dear All, 'Phase 4'has been opened via the JW ,Overview of the Italian Campaign in the side menu.
Things have been 'steady' for a while, albeit with c.14000 artillery shells a day during July being fired up in the Asiago sector by the British alone, still great danger for Harry and the boys when in the line.
Open page, go to bottom and click on the 'Ph 4-Things are bubbling' link for some insights.
October 19, 2008

Pamela said...
Great news about the book! I shall definitely buy a copy. Congratulations.
October 19, 2008

John Meier said...For Bill Lamin: Congratulations on gaining the book contract. Well deserved. Let us know when you will be ready to autograph the first edition.
For G. Tingey: Thanks for the look ahead.
Vienna, VA
October 19, 2008

Anglers rest said... I am so glad to hear that Harry's story will be published. I'll be getting a copy as soon as available - congratulations. October 18, 2008

Anonymous said...Congratulations on the book: I'll be getting a copy as soon as I can! And hang in there Harry: we're all praying for your safe return home!
October 18, 2008

Anonymous said...I do hope we hear of Harry's fate before the book comes out.
October 18, 2008

Steve said...That will be a world seller.
These are memories from the normal guy that cannot be lost, and a book is the perfect solution. I will buy it.
October 16, 2008

Hook said...As it looks, Harry will be in or near the center of the upcoming final Battle of Vittorio Veneto. Let's hope the best
October 16, 2008

Sgt. Sam Avery said...Hello Harry: So glad to hear you are getting on alright. I've landed in England with the 103rd and am now on the way to Bordon. From there we continue on to France. Stop by for a read if you have the chance. Regards, Sam
October 16, 2008

G. Tingey said...Try looking HERE for what's coming up:
and HERE for a summary ....
October 17, 2008

Anonymous said...It seems Harry doesn´t feel comfortable marching through the landscape and for the situation of the soldiers. Luckily we now know war will end soon. I hope he´ll come home healthy.
October 17, 2008
Of course, Harry has no idea when the war may end! BL

Anonymous said...Still really enjoying the blog- thanks. Keep sending letters Harry! I would like to hear that you survived the war & all the illness that followed the war! October 17, 2008

Blogger Kittybriton said... Chin up, Harry! I don't think the Hun can keep it up too much longer. The only way I can see that they could keep the fight going beyond next summer is if they forge a new alliance.
October 17, 2008

Back from Leave. Letter to Jack, 1st Oct 1918

2008-10-01T01:52:00.001-07:00

We should all be aware that, of course, Harry had no idea when this war would end. He may have had a local awareness of what was happening in his small part of Italy, but would have absolutely no real idea of how the war was going. He was a Private soldier.

Just to be helpful, the armistice was NOT signed on November 11th in Italy. November 11th was the Western front's big day. BL

Jack has said...This is wonderful and I feel I'm not going to get much else done now I have discovered your blog! We have recently relocated to Romania for a year and decided to drive over so that we could stop in Ypres on the way over. It was a very emotional experience which fuelled my interest in everything about WW1, and we were very lucky to bump into 2 men from the Western Front Association (Essex branch) who gave us lots of information and suggested I look on the web. I don't think your site was specifically recommended but I am chuffed to have found it. Can't wait to read more about Harry and see what happens to him, bless his heart. Thank you SO MUCH for doing something so valuable and interesting on the net; there's some much pointless rubbish on it! All the best. Jacky. Mandy in Manitoba, Canada said...What a precious gift you've given to the world! More valuable than even the brightest jewel. For this is the jewel and so much more. Thank you for sharing and thank you to your grandfather and thank you to those who kept his story, his letters, safe all these years.
October 11, 2008

stefanie said...I just found your blog through a link on another blog. What a brilliant thing to do! I'm hooked and I haven't read anything but this introduction page. I'm inspired by the family literary thread that would cause Harry to write so many letters, those before you to preserve them, and you to pour so much of your time and energy into organizing, researching and presenting them as a gift to the world in such a creative fashion. Thanks!
October 11, 2008

erathwomen said...It's been 10 days...I hope Harry is ok....
October 11, 2008

G. Tingey said... NO - ON THE AUSTRIAN/ITALIAN Front, the (local) Armistice was 4th November.The Entire war stopped on the 11th, but there would not have been time for Harry's regiment to pack up, and go over to Belgium in the intervening 7 days.For more information see:here and here October 6, 2008
Rosemary said...I'm holding my breath now as the end of the war is in sight and I'm hoping Harry makes it home to the family.
I agree with the comment before about I wonder what Harry would think if he knew what an inspiration he is so many decades on? October 04, 2008

Nick said... I always feel humbled when I read the latest from Harry..In an age when most people are complaining about the price of petrol and why they aren't getting a pay rise this year, its hard to imagine the sacrifices Harry's generation made.I also feel its worth sparing a thought for our troops today, fighting what are becoming increasingly forgotten wars - something that I am sure the labour government are relieved about!

Anonymous said...The problem with foresight: holding my breath, and praying Harry makes it safely through the next forty days.....
October 01, 2008

Anonymous said...The cease fire was 11 November 1918. So today (2nd Oct 1918) there are 40 days remaining of the war.
Will Harry survive...
October 02, 2008

Anonymous Sgt. Sam Avery said...Hello Harry:I'm sure you enjoyed your leave. I'm now somewhere at sea between Halifax and Liverpool heading Over There to join the great adventure. Expect to land in about a week. Drop by and read a bit if you have the chance.
Regards, Sam
October 03, 2008

Anonymous said...Seven more weeks until the Armistice. Keep your head down, Harry!
JDMeier USA
01 October 2008

Kurt Sims said... "I shall have to make the best of it" I wonder what he would have thought if somebody told him 90 years on he could inspire others. Amazing blog sir, I love every minute of it and continue to hope for Harry's safe return.
September 30, 2008

Bronn said... Heyy :) Thought I'd leave a comment, since I'm doing my English GCSE and I'm writing about the war.
This is such a great idea, and a real help to me, I enjoy reading about Harry, I feel so involved in his life.
I may just have to let you know what grade I get in my coursework now, since this site has been my biggest research point . Thank you, and keep posting :)
xxx
September 30, 2008
Bronn, What lovely comment. Thank you. I'm sure we'll all be keen to know about your grades. BL

G. Tingey said...
Armistice on that front on Novemebr the 4th, after Austro-Hungarian collapse at battle of Vittorio (October 24th)
374 British casualties - that's killed AND wounded.
How big was the British force in Italy at that time - how many men?
September 30, 2008
I believe it was 3 Divisions. About 50,001 men but if anyone knows better.

374 casualties WAS minor compared to Flanders, but if one of those was your husband, father, grandfather..... BL

Anonymous said... Harry sounds a bit down to be back to the guns etc. It must have been strange to come back from leave. To anyone interested in this era I strongly recommend the WW I series by Anne Perry.
~S
October 01, 2008

Harry goes on Leave. Postage Stamps!

2008-09-07T21:59:00.000-07:00

Leah J. F. said...
Those stamps are amazing! Congratulations on having started something so wonderful! I wish there was a Canadian version of those stamps.
I've been advertising Harry's blog on mine, which was started for assignments in one of my University courses.
September 23, 2008

Anonymous said...I'm doing a project for school on this guy and I need 5 facts about his family and their history. HELP!
September 20, 2008
What a great choice for a project! It shouldn't be too difficult to find 5 facts. (There's a whole book being produced) Look back at the first posts for family background (link on every post at the top) and say where he fought. BL

Anonymous said...Leave in war time is a terrible hard thing for some people. Your mind is constantly thinking about your friends and colleagues, and what's happened in the past.
You try to relax and eventually as you start to clear your mind, the thought of returning comes upon you, If you have had a bad war and a good leave there is a terrible struggle to go back
September 19, 2008

Gy Wilson said..
Could the IDBAPO stand for;
Italian Detachment British Army Post Office?
Anything to do with Italy is a bit unlikely as it's 6 months before the Italy trip came up BL

September 19, 2008

Anonymous said...I've found two website of possible interest; they're about Gallipoli, but they might help shed a tiny bit more light on the era:
http://user.glo.be/~snelders/contents.html
www.worldwar1.com/pharc007.htm
September 20, 2008

Anonymous said... Hi Swill. Well I have read everything and just cannot believe it. Who would have thought that a few old letters would have opened such a big door. Well done, when I meet you I must remember to curtsey....lol. sonia.September 16, 2008

Rosemary said...I too breathe a sigh of relief when I see a letter posted on here - we're getting so close to the end and I want Harry back safe and sound. Your father was an adorable little baby.
Thank you for this blog, it is a such an interesting viewpoint of history from a participant.
September 12, 2008

Tea N. Crumpet said...How do we buy these stamps if we live in Alaska and just want them for our collections?
September 12, 2008

Anonymous said... I thought The First Casualty was full of really old hackneyed cliches, you would be much better off reading Sassoon's The Complete Memoirs of a Fox Hunting Man or William, an Englishman by Cicely Hamilton, both books which were written by people who were really there. Another really good read was Bringing Uncle Albert Home by David P. Whithorn which is about the journey the author made in discovering about his Uncle who died in the First World War
September 15, 2008
You're probably right about F.C. I was slightly bemused by Ben Elton writing something that didn't have humourous undertones. I have read the Sassoon but not the Hamilton. Will do. BL

Nicolai said...I was just wondering if you have read this book:http://www.amazon.com/Storm-Steel-Stormtroop-Officer-Western/dp/0865274231
A perpective from "the other side".
September 11, 2008

Anonymous said...I found "Under Fire" by Henri Barbusse, gave a phenomenal insight into what it was like to be French soldier in the first World War. Remarkably, it was published in 1916 when you might have thought it would be censored as it is so anti war. I wonder if such a book could have been published at that time in England. I'm afraid I don't read french, but if you do, it is called "Le Feu".
Thank you for posting this blog. It is fascinating and a great memorial to your grandfather.
Louise Lewis (also just retired and enjoying all the benefits of the freedom pass, as I'm sure you will when you return to England.)
September 11, 2008
Sadly, nothing like the "Freedom Pass", living in Cornwall. BL

Blogger erathwomen said...Vera Brittain's _Testament of Youth_ is an excellent description of what women went through.
September 11, 2008

Kittybriton said... It's good to hear that Harry is getting some well-earned leave. I hope to hear that he has (had) a good leave.
I like the design of the stamps, and once again, Harry makes the whole horrible mess so much more human; no longer just numbers and geography.
Perhaps someday we really will see the end to war that his generation believed they were fighting for.
September 10, 2008

nononsensegrammytree said... Absolutely awesome!! Great idea, the stamps!
September 10, 2008

Sexy pinay said... very nice journal.. I love your writings very addicting!
September 11, 2008

Anonymous said...So glad Harry has some leave at last.
I check everyday for a letter just like his family did, what joy for them to see him instead of the postman.
Keep up the good work and enjoy your well deserved holiday
Mavis
September 10, 2008

Anonymous said... I gave a cheer when I read Harry had been granted leave. I'm delighted he'll be heading home to see Ethel, Willie & the family.
That's great news about the stamps too. It's a wonderful tribute to Harry.
Jackie
September 09, 2008

Maurício Ganzo Pereira said... Congratulations! I love this blog and all about ww1 and ww2. These histories should never be forgotten.
Sorry my bad english, my native language is Brazilian Portuguese...
Thanks
September 09, 2008
Thank you. The English is excellent - You should try my Portuguese. Well done. BL

Anonymous said... Like everyone who keeps coming back to the blog, I love the letters and this entire experience. I am so excited about the stamps. That is one of the coolest things I have ever heard of and I feel like we (the blog community) are all a part of it. It's a fitting tribute and I wish the States would do something similar. September 09, 2008

Rosemary said... I think this is such a fitting tribute - well done, Harry!
I love reading these letters, they put the perspective on this war from the viewpoint of the average man.
September 08, 2008

Ralph K said... What a surprise I do share the same Birthday with Harry some 78years later. He is almost 1 year older then my Great Grand Father who served many months in the military at the same time in the alps, but on the much safer Swiss side. I guess they are some of the reasons why I feel so intrigued about his "adventure". Just hope he gets out of this alive but, sorry to disappoint some of you, praying won't help anymore. Feel very proud that there will be a postal stamp about "our" Harry.RK
September 08, 2008

Anonymous said... Congratulations to Harry: I hope he has/had a wonderful time on leave!
September 08, 2008

erathwomen said... How absolutely splendid! You must be so proud!Marcy
September 08, 2008

Letter to Jack, 19th August 1918

2008-08-17T17:52:00.000-07:00

Sgt Sam Avery said... Hello Harry:
Glad to hear that your grand leave is going well. We've started on a grand 15-day trek across the desert. Didn't join up to be a camel, what? Stop by and have a read when you get the chance.
Sam
August 30, 2008

CP said... Happy Birthday Harry! (a few days late)I just wanted to inform you that I have chosen your blog as one of my five picks for Blog Day 2008. Thank you for bringing us this unique voice!
http://blog.andvaranaut.es/2008/08/blog-day-2008/
August 31, 2008

Linda said... I've just put a link to your blog, and an endorsement of it, on my blog sitea; http://lindaswindow.blogspot.com/2008/09/terrific-blog-take-look.htmlI hope that's okay!This is an amazing piece of work, and something we should all thank you for doing.Thank you!
September 04, 2008

Anonymous said... In a way, all of us reading this blog are now also Harry's "family": and as you said, Bill, all that we can do is wait and hope and pray for his continued safety.
It's sad to think that Harry has missed more than half of his young son's life so far. My own father was in the Navy and spent perhaps two thirds of my childhood at sea; we knew why, we understood the call of duty, but it was still very tough on both him and those of us at home.
August 31, 2008

Robert said... I seem to have lost the thread of Harry's letters. Has the blog stopped? The last I heard was in mid-August. Anyone?
The last letter from Harry was on the 19th August. We can see from the War Diary that his Battalion were in the front line until 24th August but can only wait for any news. Sorry, but that's the way it is for Harry's family. BL

August 29, 2008
PMD said... Congratulations... keep moving we are with you all the way...........Regards, Jeetu
August 19, 2008

Anonymous said... Blog fantastic...If you are travelling through Auckland then try to get to the Akl war museum as there are displays of interest and relevance to Harry's experiences.I would be happy to meet and act as a (novice) guide!
August 22, 2008

Debbie said...
Phew! I always breathe a little sigh of relief when a new letter gets posted. Since the armistice with Germany comes in just a few months (11 November 1918), every letter is one step closer to a happy reunion for Harry and his family. I do hope when the saga is over, we'll get a thorough update on the remainder of Harry's life. Thanks for this blog and all the hard work. What a tribute to your family!
August 17, 2008
The armistice in Italy was a week earlier, 4th November 1918. BL

Soldier's Mail said... Hello Harry:
Glad to see you're still at it. Stop by for a good read about what the Americans have been up to on the Mexican Border!Regards, Sgt. Sam Avery
August 18, 2008

Special Post from BL, 24th July 2008

2008-07-24T10:55:00.000-07:00

A physicsist who thinks outside the box said... I visit your blog by your good domain and content you may find My blog
interesting. So please Click Here To Read My Blog. Best wishes!
http://softwares-addiction.blogspot.com/
August 06, 2008

Tiago said... I'll subscribe all of the above statements. Although my visits have been more sporadic, I did enjoy reading most of the correspondence In reading sessions. Have you considered published in book format? By explaining part of the journey that has led you to this point, it would be a great tribute.
Best regards, may retirement bring you the best!
/TiagoAugust 07, 2008
A book is certainly on the way. Final negotiations are taking place. Great news! BL
Anonymous said...When in NZ, check out the army museum in Waiouru if you can (near the centre of the North Island). Te Papa Tongarewa (Museum of New Zealand) in Wellington is worth a look too.

Do some bushwalking while you're here as well if you can. There's several places in Wellington you can wander around that only take a couple of hours.
Scott.July 28, 2008

Roger O'Keeffe said...
Congratulations, and have a ball. I get the feeling that the teaching profession has lost a good 'un.
Just turned 60 myself a few weeks ago, and wondering when to pull the plug between now and 65. Tough call, but for the moment I'm still enjoying myself.
July 27, 2008
I decided that it was the right time - just because I WAS still enjoying it and felt that I was still good at the job. Then, the trip came about.... a "no brainer" as they say! BL

mad4books said...I'll second what everyone has said--and if you want the best barbecue in Texas, your trip to Harold's Barbecue in Abilene (about four hours west of Dallas) will be OUR TREAT!Merry retirement!
July 27, 2008

Anonymous said...Bon Voyage! I hope that your trip goes wonderfully well. I just got back after a short three day jaunt and thought "I wonder if Harry wrote while I was gone?"
He grows on one!Congratulations!
July 27, 2008

Blogger Dana D said...Congrats! Happy and safe travels to you!
July 27, 2008

Anonymous said...Congratulations on your retirement --- I'm sure the school will miss you greatly, you must have been a wonderful teacher: anyone who can hold the interest of the whole world must've found a single classroom easy!
July 26, 200

Thank you all for the great comments!
kevinyon said...Good luck on your retirement and safe travels.
I have really enjoyed the blog. In September I am going to be visiting Kansas City and intend on visiting the World War I exhibit at The Liberty Museum.
July 25, 2008

Jim Ahrens in Minneapolis, MN USA said...Congratulations! And thank you for your work here in bringing the Great War to life for all of us. While I've been a student of that particular historical tragedy for the last twenty years, I've never felt so personally connected. Thank you a thousand times!
July 25, 2008

Anonymous said...Congratulations from Indianapolis, Indiana! May you have a wonderful and blessed retirement.
July 25, 2008

Blogger Anne-Marie said...Congratulations on your retirement, and all the best during your travels. I'll be looking forward to your posts.
regards,
Anne-Marie
July 25, 2008

Blogger Will said...Congratulations. Enjoy your trip.
July 25, 2008

Blogger Ken said...Bill,Congratulations on your retirement! I wish you the best.
July 25, 2008

Fredrik Mellem said...Congratulations. Both with your retirement and with one of the most interesting blogs I read.
July 25, 2008

Blogger Bill said...Congratulations, Mr. Lamin, on your new life. I'm in education myself, so I know your attachment. Best wishes in the future.
July 26, 2008

Congrats and happy retirement!Enjoy your trip, it sounds well deserved!
July 24, 2008

Blogger Nanny (Shirley) said...Congrats on your retirement and your dedication to teaching for the past 26 years. I too check your blog everyday to see if there is a letter from Harry! Enjoy your well deserved world trip and I look forward to Harry's letters and pray he (and you) will both return home safely.
July 24, 2008

Blogger Beck said...Congrats! Have a great time. We will still be following along.
July 24, 2008

Anonymous said...
enjoy your retirement.you've earned it. I log on at 1am, every morning hoping there's a new letter.
tony. manchester.
July 25, 2008

corin91 said...I'll ditto what Jared said -- if you're traveling near the Boston area I hope there might be an opportunity to say Hello :)
July 25, 2008

Anonymous said...Have a great trip, especially down under to Tonga NZ and OZ. Congrats on your retirement and the blog, its been great to follow WW1 from the view of an individaul soldiers view and not just the numbers that history usually deals with. July 25, 2008

Blogger Connie said...How wonderful! Congratulations on your retirement and your well deserved trip. It sounds very exciting. If you are in the Pacific Northwest and planning to be near Portland Oregon I hope you contact me. I have a great guest room and you would certainly be welcome. As others have said I start the day by checking to see if "I" have a letter!Thank you for sharing them and making this part of history so real and personal.
Most sincerely, ConnieJuly 25, 2008

nononsensegrammytree said...Have a great trip!Glad to hear you will keep the blog going.July 25, 2008

Anonymous said...Marvelous! have a great time and a long and happy retirement.
Kind regards
Linda July 25, 2008

Jo Smith said...Congratulations on your commitment to teaching and enjoy the retirement & world trip!
July 24, 2008

Blogger Jared said...Where in the States are you going? If you are going to be in the Boston area I would like to meet up and have a drink or coffee if possible.
July 24, 2008
Thanks Jared, I'm only in L.A. for this weekend. If you want to nip down......

Blogger Scott said...Congratulations! And Bon Voyage!
July 24, 2008

Blogger John said...Congratulations on your retirement. I have thoroughly the blog for the last several months since I discovered it. I anxiously check my RSS reader every morning hoping for a post. History is a passion of mine and I think there is no better way to learn about history than from the people who were actually there. Your blog is an asset to anyone interested in history.
I pray for a safe journey for you on your much deserved trip.
Thank you again for the blog.-John Nall
July 24, 2008

Blogger erathwomen said...Congratulations! I hope you have a wonderful trip. How your students will miss you and how proud your grandad would be!! If you're coming to Texas, I'd love to meet you. I'm sure the Western Front Association here would love to meet you too!All best,
Marcy
July 24, 2008
Thank you Marcy. I'd love to talk to your group but only a short visit to L.A. Next time?
Anonymous Mary T. said...Congratulations - enjoy yourself! I do look forward to keeping up with news from Italy though!
July 24, 2008

Anonymous said...
Congratulations on your retirement! Best Wishes for new adventures!
Cecilia in Michigan
July 24, 2008

Blogger John said...Congratulations on your retirement. Have a wonderful trip! Thanks for continuing the blog. I start each day checking to see if I have a letter from Harry.
July 24, 2008

Blogger John said...Congratulations on your retirement. Have a wonderful trip! Thanks for continuing the blog. I start each day checking to see if I have a letter from Harry.July 24, 2008

Anonymous said...Have a great retirement. The trip sounds like something you have always wanted to do. Congrats on the great career. Your students will no doubt miss someone with such great talents.
July 24, 2008

Blogger Autolycus said...Congratulations and all good wishes for a long and happy retirement: enjoy that trip!
July 24, 2008

Anonymous lom said...Enjoy you holiday and your retirement
July 24, 2008

Anonymous said...Enjoy your travels and thank you so much for keeping us all up to date on Harry's trials and tribulations.
Bon voyage!!!!
July 24, 2008

Anonymous said...Congratulations on your retirement. Enjoy the trip.
JackieJuly 24, 2008

Anonymous said...
Congrats and happy retirement!
Enjoy your trip, it sounds well deserved!
July 24, 2008

Letter to Jack, 16th July 1918

2008-07-16T00:45:00.000-07:00

John said... I believe that Harry asking Jack what he thinks about the War reflects his hope that Jack, who he looks up to, will say something like "I believe that it will end soon". We can only imagine how tired Harry is and how many terrible things that he has seen. He is concerned about Connie too. Harry wants to come home to be with all of his loved ones and end this nightmare. Just like all of the men he's with. Hopefully he and those with him will be alright.
August 03, 2008

Sgt. Sam Avery said... I'm curious to know if the British forces had access to pre-formatted postals the same way the U.S. troops did. These seem to be of a local variety, very appealing.
August 05, 2008

Roger O'Keeffe said...Interesting that for 5th to 11th they were able to improve the defensive positions, and only used the cover of night to work on outposts (which would be forward of the main defensive line, in no man's land).
This reflects the fact that the lines are far apart, and it's a generally "quiet" sector at the moment, with perhaps a bit of "live and let live" going on and not much more than sporadic enemy harrassing artillery fire.
On the Western Front, pretty much all work on the line (replacing barbed wire, rebuilding trench walls with sandbags, fascines etc.) had to be done at night, as it was too dangerous by day because the lines were generally just a few hundred yards apart. Daytime for units in the line was a time for catching a quick if fitful snooze (sitting on the firestep, wearing full kit and with their rifles to hand), with just a couple of sentries watching for any suspicious enemy action.
27 July 2008
As Harry says in his letter, the lines were 2Km apart. In Flanders, they could be as close as 70 metres - a totally different world. BL

Heather B. said...I had just recently found this amazing blog. My heart aches each time I read Harry's requests for his family to write. He obviously missed them greatly and awaited any word from them. It is amazing to see through reading the comments the unique community that this blog's readers have formed.BL, a great many thanks to you and all your contributors for the time, effort and heart that has obviously gone in to creating this.July 23, 2008

Anonymous said...Note the reference to the Austrians being 2 kilos (i.e. kilometres) away. Not the first metric reference he has used, and strangely reminiscent of soldiers jargon 80 years later. Any knowledge of whether the British Army used metric measures operationally? July 18, 2008
No sensible answer is available to this one. In 1966, at Sandhurst we were still measuring in yards and miles. Also angles were measured in a strange unit called "mils". I can't even get an answer on when they changed to the 24 hour clock. Help please readers. BL

Anonymous said...That 'mountain fever' sounds suspiciously like the Spanish flu! Had people started to put the pieces together yet, and realize the sheer worldwide extent of it? July 15, 2008
The mysterious illness is generally accepted as being the "Spanish" 'flu. BL

jilcov said... I am glad to hear that you are all getting on well July 20, 2008l

Letter from Private Hunt

2008-07-10T00:06:00.000-07:00

Kimberly Carrillo said...Not sure if he survived, but here is a link on Private W. Hunt:
http://www.stockport1914-1918.co.uk/soldier.php?name_id=1562
July 11, 2008
There were quite a few Private W Hunts. I'm not sure that this is the same one. It would be a lovely link if it were. However, our Private Hunt was in a different Regiment - K.O.Y.L. I. He could have changed. Thanks for the link anyhow. BL

Anonymous said... What a sad letter. Poor Pvt. Hunt. Jackie July 11, 2008

Anonymous said...So sad: he's wounded, I'd guess his wife died while he was at the front (and he seems to have even missed her burial!)and it sounds like he in the midst of a prolonged hospitalization. I don't suppose any one knows what became of Pvt. Hunt, and if things ever got better for him?!? July 10, 2008

Letter from Cadet Creighton to Jack

2008-07-04T10:11:00.000-07:00

Lt. Ralph Krattli said...Harry's Letter states that they had trying times at the front lines. The front line in July 1918 was already "up in the mountains"!
Harry was doing night round in No men's land "in front of our own wire" during the day time they would have been pulled back for a bit of rest as mentioned by erathwoman above. The "7th" does not need be 7th June could be May too as "... all envelopes were stuck" for 7 or 8 weeks before the 8th of July. How long did the delivery of a letter take during the war time? Guess about 2 weeks + ?
I know I am not helping to solve the puzzle.
I am amazed how frequent Harry finds time to write with all that is going on around him.
I like this blog RK
July 10, 2008

Anonymous said...But he does say that they've "had some trying times up in the frontline..."? July 09, 2008
I understand that. The problem is that the war diary says that Harry's Company has been in the front line since the 5th July. BL

erathwomen said...Harry says they're half-way up a mountain. Perhaps the war diary is generalized and Harry was pulled back for a bit of rest without being sent back...perhaps we'll find that he's back out in the front line in the future. I would expect the 7th does mean June since it took a little while for mail to arrive and he says they were out of contact for a bit. July 08, 2008
The War Diary does generally state if anything different happens to a Company or other group. Harry is in "C" Coy, and it doesn't get a mention as being anywhere else. I am a bit perplexed. BL

Anonymous said...> (I just wonder why he would be addressed as "Mr Lamin" rather than "Reverend".)
In the Church of England, the correct form of address to a member of the clergy is "The Revd J.D.Smith" on the envelope and "Mr Smith" at the top of a letter. See http://www.crockford.org.uk/standard.asp?id=116
.
In the USA it is more common to write "Rev Smith" and that usage is growing over here now, but 90 years ago it would have been quite incorrect.July 08, 2008
Many thanks for that. Now all is clear I suppose that the writer would have had lessons in letter writing etiquette, as a trainee officer. I know that at Sandhurst in the 1960s, there were such lessons for Officer Cadets. BL

Pat Tobin said...How strange, how strange it is," I reflected, as I looked, with an indefinable pain stabbing my chest, for Edward's name among those neat rows of oblong stones, "that all my past years-the childhood of which I have no one, now, to share the remembrance, the bright fields at Uppingham, the restless months in Buxton, the hopes and ambitions of Oxford, the losses and long-drawn agonies of the War- should be buried in this grave on the top of a mountain, in the lofty silence, the singing unearthly stillness, of these remote forests ! At every turn of every future road I shall want to ask him questions, to recall to him memories, and he will not be there. Who could have dreamed that the little boy born in such uneventful security to an ordinary provincial family would end his brief days in a battle among the high pine-woods of an unknown Italian plateau?"
Close to the wall, in the midst of a group of privates from the Sherwood Foresters who had all died on June 15th, I found his name "Captain E. H. Brittain, M.C., 11th Notts. and Derby Regt. Killed in action June 15th, 1918. Aged 22"
In Venice I had bought some rosebuds and a small asparagus fern in a pot; the shopkeeper had told me that it would last a long time, and I planted it in the rough grass beside the grave."How trivial my life has been since the War ! "I thought, as I smoothed the earth over the fern. "How mean they are, these little strivings, these petty ambitions of us who are left, now that all of you are gone! How can the future achieve, through us, the somber majesty of the past? Oh, Edward, you're so lonely up here; why can't I stay for ever and keep your grave company, far from the world and its vain endeavors to rebuild civilization, on this Plateau where alone there is dignity and peace?"
But when at last I came from the cemetery, the child, who had been playing with his father near the car, ran up to me holding out a bunch of scabious and white clover that he had picked by the roadside.
"For the little signorina," he said.
Vera Brittain - Testament of Youth. On her death her ashes were taken to Italy by her daughter, Baroness Shirley Williams, and scattered on her brothers grave. (http://www.worldwar1.com/itafront/vbp.htm)
July 07, 2008

Rocco said...Hi Michelle,
Maybe the 9 july I'll be again at Granezza with my wife to take last pictures. If you get this message write to me to: clearlance@gmail.com
Maybe, if you like, I can help you to find the best places to visit. They are so many that it's hard to choose where to go!Ciao
06 July 2008

Helen said...My Dad, Herbert Everett, (from New Zealand) was wounded in The Battle of Messines. He lost both his legs. He survived WWI and lived to be 91. He had me when he was 55years old. Consequently, my youngest son, Jesse, who is 22years old (born Jan.9,1986) is probably the youngest living grandson of a WWI veteran. I can be contacted at <<>>Helen Bockweg (Chicago, Illinois)
July 06, 2008

Direct Loan said... Oh my.. this is the best blog.

lottery said...Sorry if I commented your blog, but you have a nice idea.

Anonymous said...Perhaps that's 'Mr. Lamin' as a shorter, VERY slightly-casual version of 'the Rev. Mr. Lamin'?(I seem to recall that many of the schoolmasters of the era were men of the cloth.)July 05, 2008
It appears that Jack was a schoolmaster in Oxford before he became an Anglican priest. BL

Anonymous said...I wonder if this was the Spanish Influenza which killed so many? 4th July 2008
There was a Europe wide influenza epidemic in 1918 so I'd guess it's the same one. BL

Duncan said... I'm sure it must have been. According to this article Spanish flu appeared in Britain (in Glasgow) in May 1918 so by July it would have been well established throughout the UK. July 04, 2008.

Letters to Jack & Kate 2nd July

2008-07-01T09:49:00.000-07:00

erathwomen said...The envelope is a fascinating artifact to examine. It seems ironic to me that it's postmarked--a sign of complete normality in a crazy time.
July 01, 2008

Lord Montrey said...Thanks. İt is good post.
July 01, 2008

Letter to Jack, 19th June 1918

2008-06-18T00:43:00.000-07:00

handel_vangoh said...this reminds me of my grandfather...
tears are rolling when I read this...
I am simply thankful for the courage of people ahead of my generation...
June 30, 2008

gerhard said...Prices in Austria increased up to 1000% between 1913 and 1918.
Beef (1 Kilogramm)
1913: 1,60-2,20 Kronen
1918: 7,20-16,00 Kronen
1 Egg
1913: 7 Heller (1 Krone=100 Heller)
1918: 51 Heller
Wages (industrial workers)
1913: 80 Heller-1,52 Kronen (p.hr.)
1918: 2,28-2,93 Kronen
June 22, 2008

Rocco said... "casualties of the 48th Division for june 15th -16th were 922 men (206 artillery men). The Division caught 25 enemy officers, 515 NCO's or soldiers, 188 wounded and buried 576 Austro-Hungarians.
The 23rd Division had 556 casualties, caught 230 prisoners and 127 wounded.
In the night between 21-22th june, a company of the 10th Duke of Wellington's (hey Jono!) penetrated the enemy front at Ave, killing 50 Austrian soldiers, taking 31 prisoners and suffering 21 casualties."
(from George Henry Barnett-William Blackwood & Sons, Edimburgh and London, 1923) -translated from Italian, corrections welcome!
21 June 2008

Anonymous said...What a great letter, Harry seems really up and wanting to share his feelings, the attitude of the prisoners must have made them all feel positive and hopefull for an ending. Good luck Harry we are all rooting for you.Linda
June 19, 2008

Anonymous said...I, too, was anxiously awaiting word of Harry. He was in the very battle in which Edward Brittain, brother of the writer Vera Brittain, was killed. They were even from the same place, Derbyshire. (The Brittains resided in Buxton). I loved Harry's attitude of "we really gave them hell!" Obviously, he was still pumped up from battle!
Cecilia
June 19, 2008
Edward Brittain has been mentioned earlier by readers. "Rocco" has located his grave. Click

Anonymous said...Harry mentions in passing that after the war he will be able to say more. Hope that means that he's mentally in good shape - we read so much that so many of the men never spoke about the war afterwards. He sounds chipper - good.
June 18, 2008

Blogger John said...Very Coooooooooool!!!!
June 18, 2008

Blogger Kittybriton said...I have to admit that I wasn't previously aware that Roumania was fighting during this war! It certainly sounds as though the morale of the Austrian forces is flagging.
June 19, 2008

Blogger Nanny (Shirley) said...Can't help about the currency however I am SO GLAD that Harry is OK - Shirley
June 19, 2008

Anonymous said...What a relief to finally hear from Harry. It's good to know that everything's 'going on all right' with him, even though he must have had a tough time lately. It's difficult for any of us to contemplate the things he's experienced being so near the front line.
Jackie
June 19, 2008

Paul from Canada said...According to
http://www.econlib.org/library/Mises/msEnc1.html,
the Austro-Hungarian Krone was worth about $5.75 US in August 1914. It went thorough a period of devaluation during the war.
June 18, 2008

Blogger M Oneby said...I found a paper titled "The Currency Problem in Austria" by E.H. Vogel, published in the Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science in 1921. The first of seven pages is viewable at the following website:

http://www.jstor.org/pss/1015214

The value of 1 USD is listed for the following dates:
Aug 1918: 5.12 kronen
Dec 1915: 7.85 kronen
Dec 1916: 9.56 kronen
Nov 1918: 15.82 kronen
The paper lists many more post-war values as the krone continued to rapidly depreciate in value. The last listing is 846 kronen on July 23, 1921.
June 18, 2008

SoldierGirl2008 said...In 1918, a 2-pound loaf of bread was sold for 0.57 Kronen... so you could buy 7 pounds of bread for the 2 Kronen. In 1921, the 2-pound loaf was already sold for 7 Kronen!
I hope this gives you a feeling about what the money was worth...
Greetings from Germany!
June 18, 2008

Anonymous said...There was a 2 krown coin:

http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Österreichische_Krone

Its weight was 10g and contained 83.5% of silver. So the value of the note was at least the the value of 8.35g of silver. If you look up the price of silver in Pounds in 1918 you will probably get a measure for the notes worth.
June 18, 2008

Anonymous said... Here is an article in english about the Austrian Crown:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Austrian_crown
It seems, that the currency lost a lot of its value during WW1 due to inflation. The consumer prices rose sixteenfold during the war...
June 18, 2008

Asiago, Mid June 1918

2008-06-13T06:45:00.000-07:00

Michelle said...My Great Granddad was killed at 3am in the first ambush which I beleive were attacked with gas on 15 June 1918 in Asiago he is buried in Granezza which I am visiting on the 9 July 2008.01 July 2008
Michelle said...My Great Grandfather was killed in the patrol party that was ambushed on the 15th June.18 June 2008
So sorry Michelle. Let us all know how your trip goes. BL

Doctor Pion said... FYI, "lachrymatory gas" is tear gas. Also, for those who don't know what a Lewis gun is or what it can do, there are two nice videos on YouTube: A short one that just shows the gun being fired, while a really well made 23 minute documentary about tracking down and shooting one shows lots of detail about how the gun is loaded and operated. Along the way I found a video of the 1st Battalion, The Lancashire Fusiliers in the Battle of the Somme in 1916. Related videos include ones of other contemporary machine guns, such as a Maxim or its Vickers variant. Check out a Vickers being used to cut down a tree to get a real sense of what happened in combat. 17 June 2008

Anonymous said...Harry has just been involved in the two day Battle of Asiago (http://www.1914-1918.net/BATTLES/bat1_italy.htm)
17 June 2008

Bryony-White said...Hi, I have been reading the blog for a while now (have had to start from the begining!) as a source of background research for my A2 English literature! We are studying WW1 poetry! We intend to visit the battlefields and war graves in October! I really love your blog and I hope that Harry is ok at the end of it all! Just so I know how well informed I shall be about Harry when I visit the war graves; do the letters finish this year?(2008) or can't you tell me? As I haven't got any further than November 2007 yet!
June 17, 2008
Thank you for the kind words. I'm sorry, no clues as to Harry's fate. You'll just have to follow the blog. BL

Anonymous said...Still no news? We've had long gaps before where we didn't hear from Harry for a while. But I'm still worried and I'm afraid Linda might be right about it being a pre-warning.
Jackie
June 16, 2008

Oh no! my heart just sank - I so hope this is not a pre warning, to let us all down gently, Harry must make it!Linda
June 14, 2008

farawayhats said...Having two sons away at university, I think I have a small inkling of what Harry's family must go through, from letter to letter. It's the not knowing that is the worst. I REALLY hope Harry makes it. He has become one of the family.
Your description of your trip and the photos was excellent.
June 16, 2008
Thank you, much appreciated. BL

John said...I went to pray for Harry but realized that it's strange to pray for someone in an event 90 years ago. It reminds me how wonderful this blog is making all of us identify with Harry as if it were today. I hope he'll be alright. There were survivors who went on so let's hope Harry was one of them.
June 15, 2008

Kittybriton said...I believe the "lachrymatory" gas probably would be "mustard" gas, or tear gas as we would call it today. But this was nasty stuff, capable of blinding victims who weren't quick enough to put the gas mask on, and generally lethal if breathed for any length of time. I await Harry's next letter with hope, and prayers for his safety.
June 15, 2008

Anonymous said... Have been following Harry's letters for quite a few months. This is real history, am very worried about his fate. Will continue to check this blog.

Anonymous said...Is that 'gas' mentioned in the war diary on the 15th what we generally refer to as 'mustard' gas?
June 15, 2008
"Lachrymatory gas" is, literally, tear gas. Mustard gas is a much nastier poison gas. We don't know, however, whether the War Diary writer was aware of the distinction. BL

E Roach said...Having finally caught up to the "present", the wait for a new letter is enough to drive one mad! Imagine what it was like for Harry's family.
13 June 2008

Nanny (Shirley) said... I have been worried about Harry - but hope all will be well and the he is NOT the casualty.
June 13, 2008

LetsEatLunch said... sweet site I loved WW1!
June 14, 2008
Not many who were there loved it. Hard to believe. BL

Anonymous said... I can feel the tension building as I sit and read the blog. Come on Harry. You can make it!
June 13, 2008

Anonymous said... For the first time since I started reading this blog, I am concerned for Harry's safety. Please be OK.
June 14, 2008

G, Tingey said...Coming up to the Battle of the Piave, are we not?>

15th-22 June Austro-Hungarian troops attacked, and were thrown back.
See:
http://www.firstworldwar.com/battles/piaveriver.htm
http://www.firstworldwar.com/source/piave_trevelyan.htm
13th June 2008

Harry's Battalion had moved from the Piave River front onto the Asiago Plateau some time ago. The Battle of Piave, that started last Monday, 10th June, wouldn't affect him directly. BL

Battlefield Tour

2008-05-24T08:25:00.000-07:00

Laney said...I've been meaning to post a comment on one of the entries for some time now. I studied WW1 literature for A Level and became really fascinated with the war and everything that happened, so I would like to thank you for being kind enough to share these letters and everything for other people to read.

I recently found out that my great-grandfather fought in the war and was gassed. Unfortunately that's about all I know at the moment, but I'm hoping to try and find more information about him and where he fought etc.

I'm glad your trip to Flanders went well. I also went to France around the same sort of time, only I was on a 'Somme Trip' so we visited various places on the Somme. Although I've visted WW1 cemeteries and memorials before, it was still a very powerful trip.
June 27, 2008

Kimberly said...Wonderful pictures! I had the chance to do a short study abroad for my undergraduate history degree in England and France on WWI and WWII. I have to say that the cemeteries I visited in France really put WWI in perspective. WWI is not as intensively studied or discussed in school, but it is so important within history to everyone. To stand there and see the still evident destruction of life and earth leaves a lasting impression.
My several times great uncle died at Thiaucourt, France, 26 Sept 1918 - his body was never found.
Thank you for sharing you grandfather's letters, they are wonderful!
June 20, 2008

Anonymous said...I just recently saw a documentary on the Military Channel (here in the US) called "Digging Up The Trenches," about an archaeological dig on both Allied and German trenches in Ypres. Fascinating to anyone who might read this blog; they mention the Battle of Messines, in which they laid the mines that, when they went off, were heard in London. Just wanted to add that information. If you get a chance to see it, do.
Cecilia in Michigan
June 12, 2008

Blogger lonach34 said...This is a surprisingly emotional trip. Check the blog and think "Dammit, Harry, can't you write more often to let me know how you are getting along!"
My father was a US Naval officer in WWI; I have a picture of him, in training, firing a Lewis gun.
Concerning letters, if you don't mind an off-topic comment, in the US, the Postal Service delivers the mail and in the UK, the Royal Mail delivers the post.
C'mon, Harry, how are you doing?
Malcolm
June 12, 2008

Anne-Marie said...Thank you for sharing your experience with us. I've enjoyed the journey with you and hope that Harry made it home safe. My father was one of five men who came home from his platoon in WW2 and his stories always moved me to tears. He never ceased to love and cherish life after his war experience, though it took him a long time to retell any of them. I suspect those of us lucky enough to have lived in peace time have no idea the hell these young men went through.
Thanks again for sharing all of this with us.
Anne-Marie June 12, 2008

G. Tingey said...The most likely route would have depended on where the train started from. However, assuming he had been issued with a travel Warrant:
By the old GN route through Derby Friargate to Burton-on-Trent.
He would have changed trains there, and gone on (MR) to either of Lichfield or Tamworth, as there was a reasonable service to either, and then (at either station) gone down from the HL to LL platforms, and caught the first Trent Valley route local (LNWR) to Rugely.
June 11, 2008
This refers to one of the earliest posts and concerns Harry's possible travel route to his training camp at Rugeley from his home in Ilkeston when he received his call up. Thanks for the information. BL

Anonymous said...Absolutely wonderful blog! Thanks for sharing the story, letters and pictures!
I'm hoping that Harry made it home from the war safe and sound.....

Anonymous said...so many graves. so much sorrow. and we did this to ourselves. thanks for posting the pictures of the cemeteries, they're very moving. it must have had an even greater emotional impact to actually be there.June 03, 2008

Doctor Pion said...Thank you for this wonderful article. My grandfather fought in France, but his letters never told what he saw. Only a few of his stories (and then between the lines) convey what really was there.

The single most striking thing in the pictures is the spacing, or lack of spacing, between the gravestones. The casualties were so high that they had to pack them into the graveyard.

How could it happen? I think Europe didn't notice the hints that were there in the American Civil War, when rifled guns and automatic weapons like the gatling gun made their appearance and massed attacks were often futile. It was assumed that the next war would be like the previous ones, so the threshold for starting one was low. One can see hints of that in the US plan for Iraq.

The fraction of soldiers who fired a weapon in combat was even lower in WW II and WW I according to the studies I have seen, and the increase since Vietnam has been associated with the increased rate of PTSD among veterans. [Wish I could tell you were to look for the detailed article I read on this.] In additon, many soldiers in Vietnam and previous wars held jobs that are now done by contractors, so a larger fraction see combat today.
June 09, 2008

Anonymous said...I check this blog every day, as if I were a family member waiting for a letter or other news of Harry. I want to thank you for sharing Harry's letters and the documentation of your trip. You hear the number of people who died in combat during WW 1, but it means nothing until you see all those headstones, and it hits even harder when you realize that you are looking at only a portion. I found your photos very moving, and it makes me even more grateful to those who serve.
Cecilia Saline, MI USA
June 08,

Blogger Rocco said... I ENVY you your great experience on your grandfather Harry's Flanders batterfields! And I envy your great way to tell it.
To win my envy I'll be near the Piave River, were Tommies fought, on next 13, 14, 15 June: there will be concerts of the "massed band" of PIPES AND DRUMS OF THE LONDON SCOTTISH together with the SCHIEALLION PIPES & DRUMS, the PIPERS OF THE TRINITY PIPE BAND OF EDINBURGH and the PIPES & DRUMS OF THE ROBERTSON ACADEMY, SUSSEX. I'm sure it will be a great event!!
I'm Italian, I don't have any British relatives but, during my frequent visits on the Asiago Plateau British cemeteries, I cannot get out of considering that young British dead 90 years ago helping an unknown country. Thank you
June 08,

Showbizbuff said...This is a fantastic site. My wife's father served in WWI, and his health was damaged to the extent that he passed away when she was just 12 years old. She did not have the benefit of a normal father/daughter relationship because even though he did survive the war, he was in poor health for those 12 years, caused by this dreadful war. Your site has been marvelous for her because it gives her a little insight into what Harry endured, and therefore, what her own father must have gone through as well. We hope Harry makes it to the end.
June 06, 2008

Linda said...Wonderful pictures, absolutely perfect description - please do not change a thing, so moving.

John said...Please, there is no need to edit and revise, you get across your feelings admirably. If you revise you will (to me) possibly lose the heartfelt feeling that you have conveyed to me!

Thank you
June 05, 2008

erathwomen said...What a lovely tribute and description. I, too, feel the need to go there someday.
June 05, 2008

Anonymous said...My friend and I, both descendants of members of the 21st Btn CEF, had a very similar experience last October. Thank you for voicing so very well, what we felt and experienced. We had the unique privilege of placing a wreath at Menin gate during the ceremony, on behalf of the descendants and I have to say I was never so moved by any thing, save perhaps the birth of my sons and my marriage day, in my entire life.
Sarge
June 06, 2008

tps said...Professional copy editor here: No need to change a word. "... the 50,000+ names inscribed on the Menin Gate are those of men who were not found and buried" -- powerful.
June 06, 2008

True Newspaper said...How to stop a war.

In the Vietnam war only 30% of
the American soldiers going to the front line fired their weapons. The remaining soldiers had 100% of the bullets still in their guns.

So the individual soldiers own conscience kept his finger off the trigger of his rifle.

Which, with the help of the protests back in America, helped lead to the end of the Vietnam war.

Anonymous said...Did he die?? and is this for real "Battlefield Tour"?

Keep reading to find Harry's fate. The Battlefield tour is certainly real. Follow the link from the main website to get the details. BL

Rocco said... from George Henry Barnett-48th Division:

".......on june 19th the 23rd Division came for the changeover. Our 48th descended to Trissino....
the only difficulty was a strange fever suffered from some battalions on the Plateau: we called it "the mountain fever". Symptons were a very strong headache, extremely high temperature for three or four days and then some days of prostration. Doctors got crazy to find definitions for that, and, at the end, they decided it was a simple influence......

from wikipedia: in Italy, the first alarm of the Spanish desease was given in september 1918.....

Right name Mount CAVALLETTO, minus than 1 mile south west of Granezza Valley
Ciao

Letter to Jack, 21st May 1918

2008-05-20T05:06:00.000-07:00

Anonymous said...very interesting...
May 23, 2008

Anonymous said...It really isn't a very good reflection on the Army leaders of the time, that Harry has had to ask his civilian brother to find him books on Lewis gun operations and how to be an NCO! Anybody have any ideas WHY the Army didn't or couldn't supply such necessary books to the troops?
May 22, 2008
No real idea but I suspect that ammunition, food and men were rather occupying the priority spots - especially with the current problems in Flanders.

Kittybriton said...Are there any clues about what the books were? It would be interesting to know what Harry is reading in his spare time.
May 22, 2008
Harry asked Jack for two books - one on the Lewis Gun and one on Military matters like drills and saluting. I don't suppose either would take his mind off the war! BL

Ian Eiloart said...What's a y.m.?
May 20, 2008

Paul said...YMCA http://www.worldwar1.com/dbc/ymca.htm
May 20, 2008

"Y.M." is the common abbreviaton for Y.M.C.A. (Even today in the U.K.) The letter was written on Y.M.C.A. notepaper. The link takes us to a website about the Y.M.C.A. in World War 1. It is, however, a U.S. site and so is directed, understandably, at the "Y.M.s" for the U.S. soldiers. BL

Kathleen said...No letters to Kate for a while. Have these been lost or has he not written to her for a while?
May 21, 2008

Talizi said...I think these been lost.
May 21, 2008

Blogger Pamsie said...Indeed, we haven't seen any letters to Kate for a while.
Wonder what happened.
May 22, 2008

I have no way of telling! BL

Letter to Jack , May 8th 1918

2008-05-16T00:13:00.000-07:00

Imitation is the best form of flattery! We have a rival site containing "Letters from an American Soldier" The publisher is, at the moment posting the backlog of letters to catch up so that it works in the same way as Harry's blog from then on. Link here.

ERIC SHACKLE said...Dear Bill. You may like to read a story just posted in the South Korean citizen reporters' newszine OhmyNewsInternational, that mentions your fascinating blog. Just click on http://english.ohmynews.com/ArticleView/article_view.asp?menu=A11100&no=382600&rel_no=1&back_url=
Best wishes, Eric Shackle (in Sydney, Australia).
Thank you., Eric for the very good article. BL

Did You Know? said...wow.. nice blog.. God Bless!!!
May 15, 2008

Anonymous said...Where is he!! Whats happened!! I need the next letter!!!! Is he dead!!! Is he alive!!! Its been 8 days and no word from him!!!
May 16, 2008

Harry may well be in "the Line". He has said that it's difficult to write from there. See the "War Diaries" to get clarifcation. BL