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FROM THE CONTEMPORARY LOCAL NEWSPAPERS OF NORTH BUCKS (BUCKS STANDARD, NORTH BUCKS TIMES, WOLVERTON EXPRESS)
With today’s internet a wealth of official information is available regarding those who served.
In an age before local radio and television, families often allowed letters to be published in the local press from their loved ones on active service.
However, for their descendants the letters reveal a more personal aspect, graphically describing the experience of the people and providing an insight into their personalities.

NBT 1915 June 1st Tue.

From ‘somewhere in France’, Sapper E. Young writes to his father;

“We had had some beautiful weather since I wrote last, the sun has been very warm and everybody is sunburnt. Since Saturday we have had a party out each day and have been out late each evening. I have had no time to write any letters, although I have been pretty safe, so don’t get worried if you don’t hear from me for a few days. We get the London dailies each morning, but the worst of it is they are all a day old. Northcliffe seems to have put his foot in it this time, perhaps it will teach him to be a bit more careful in future. I’m feeling fine, we’re within sound of the guns all day you know, but we don’t get any shot near us. Aeroplanes are quite common; we see twenty or so every day. It’s quite exciting to watch our men. I have seen seventy or more shells burst round one machine and still not a hit registered.”


NBT 1918 Jan. 15th Tue.

From Georgia, an American lady writes to a friend in Newton Longville;

“All the world at war, and my own country at last bearing its burden, and feeling its sorrow and tragedy. We are only at the beginning, and you are in the deepest depths, but our hearts beat in sympathy and all our efforts are directed to the same end to destroy the power of Germany - the enemy of mankind - that the world may be free and at peace again. Out of all this chaos and suffering and wretchedness (to me) there dawns one hope, and it is that this war is the end for evermore of bloodshed. Never again will nations attempt to destroy each other, for human ingenuity has made it impossible; 40 years of diabolical preparedness of the Germans have not yet conquered Europe, and America is not yet fully roused. Wait and see what will happen when all the tremendous energies of this great country are co-ordinated and made into a fighting machine! We are just learning how to do it, and it will take some time, but our people are very intelligent and energetic, and they are very determined. I wish you could read the letters I have received from the young men all over America, how willing and glad they are to sacrifice every comfort, and life itself, to help in the great struggle now going on for human liberty. Many people have turned over to the Government every dollar of income, and are living almost without, to help raise money to carry on the war. My own family have done it, and every day I deny myself comforts I have always had. Soldiers must be fed, and housed, and trained, and uniformed at once, and the whole country is helping in this great hour of need. There is a camp of 30,000 near me, and much sickness from unaccustomed exposure and hardship. We are incessantly taxed, but no one complains. Women as well as men are working by night and day to get the soldiers across the sea as quick as possible to help the Allied cause. I mention this that you may know that Americans are not all money lovers and money getters (as represented), but are capable of living to far higher ideals. We are Anglo-Saxons like yourselves, and are ready ‘to go over the top to death’ and save the right. I do not know a household but has given up its best loved either as a soldier to fight, or a Red Cross nurse to serve, and all the people at home are making bandages, and hospital supplies, and conserving food, or in some way helping to win the war. Have your people still the comforts they need? How about food? The Government here is taking necessaries, and fixing prices, but the scarcity is being felt, as America has been trying to feed and clothe the world for four years. Our facilities, however, are almost limitless, but we are greatly troubled by the course of Russia, which may give to the Germans almost limitless supplies. Now comes this Halifax horror, which is overpowering and will demand more tax on our resources, but we are not ‘giving up,’ we are with you to the finish, and we mean to conquer.”


ALSO AVAILABLE IN BOOK FORM AS ‘LETTERS FROM THE FIRST WORLD WAR’ FROM WWW. LULU.COM,
PRODUCED WITH THE INVALUABLE EXPERTISE OF ALAN KAY & ZENA DAN.