Add MS 89235/2/1

Family:

1914-1916

(64 items)

Correspondence of Alfred's brother: Wilfred Johnson, and his brother in law, Essie's brother: Reginald Lindley Jackson, both serving in the war at the time of writing.

• Wilfred Johnson correspondence, (1916-1918)x14 items.

Wilfred Johnson: no 7490 3 Platoon, No.1 Coy. 2' H.A.C., B.E.7.

Wilfred and Alfred are brothers. Hilda is the sister of Wilfred and Alfred.

Letter correspondence dating between: 06.10.[1916] - 22.03.1918

Letter correspondence from Wilfred to Essie 06.10.[1916]

Letter correspondence from Wilfred to Essie 14.11.1916

Letter correspondence from Wilfred to Essie 25.01.1917 to 26.01.1917

'These free trips to the Continent are no great catch.'

'It is quite a treat to sit at a table & write a letter over a glass of wine at one of the many Estaminet in the village..'

Letter correspondence from Wilfred to Essie 14.02.1917 to 16.01.1917

Enjoying the bombing course

Letter correspondence from Wilfred to Essie 06.03.[1917]

'Not much rest at rest camps, been out mending roads'.

Envelope 09.04.1917

Letter correspondence from Wilfred to Essie

27.04.1917

'..glad to say my leg hardly pains me at all now… the St John's [Ambulance Brigade] Hospital at Étaples was a fine place. I should have been sorry to leave but I was keen on getting to England.'

' Currently at a large private house turned hospital.'

'How do you like the bread rations? they are a bit thin for a person in good health. its growing into a very rotten war. I only hope this year will see the end of it. I hope to have the chance of looking you up later on.'

Locations: Étaples; Havre.

Envelope 05.05.1917

Letter correspondence from Wilfred to Alfred

14.05.1917

'when I was wounded I did not want them to worry at home, so told them it was nothing much, it was rather bad at first but is healing up now. ..It will be 2 or 3 months before I am quite fit again..'

Letter correspondence from Wilfred to Essie

07.06.1917

Making arrangements to visit Essie.

Letter correspondence from Wilfred to Essie

08.06.1917

Making arrangements to visit Essie.

Went on a steamer trip to Southsea.

Letter correspondence from Wilfred to Essie

15.06.1917

Making arrangements to visit Essie.

Letter correspondence from Wilfred to Essie

12.07.1917

'I'm fed up with having nothing to do. It would be alright if I had a friend here, the men are alright but I cannot stick the girls they go with.'

Letter correspondence from Hilda to Essie

22.03.1918

Offers information regarding Wilfred's death, and references his colleague 'Pte. Drury', who suffered wounds at a battle at Polygon Wood in October 1917.

' I have also had another letter from the Red Cross Society in which they say that Sgt. Robinson saw Wilfred killed in the early morning on Tuesday at Polygon Wood.'

• Reginald Lindley Jackson, 1914-1916.

50 items of letters and postcard correspondence:-

Letters and postcards of Reginald Lindley Jackson, A. F. Johnson's brother-in-law.

Writes to his mother, and sister, Essie May Jackson.

Accounts typical drill and protocol of his time in service, posted in France.

Details the expectations, obligations and conditions of his experiences, which include his significant duty in supporting trenches and at the front line, and his training and knowledge of German and British ammunition.

1914

Postcard, addressed to Mrs A. J. Johnson

01.11.1914

Informing new address: The Institute, Hatfield Rd

Letter correspondence from R. L. Jackson, with no addressee.

n.d. [donor date: 01.11.1914]

Letter correspondence from R. L. Jackson, to Miss M Jackson.

02.11.1914

Sleeping in a hall the size of a station, with over 50,000 men.

Bishop of London spoke today, 'awful sentimental piffle'.

'The Library in the Y.M.C.A isnt bad.'

Reading: 'Sinister Street', Compton Mackenzie, (1914); and William Makepeace Thackery work.

Postcard, addressed to Mrs E. J. Jackson

21.11.1914

Expectations to go to Braintree.

Letter correspondence from R. L. J, to May

n.d. [11.1914]

Two blankets on the floor for a bed and kit bag for a pillow, scrambling for food, eaten on their laps. Patching up holes in the clay trenches.

'When they hit we get a shower of stones from the back of the trench, I got a wack in the eye.'

Church service. More freedom than at white city- permitted to be out every night until 9.30. Accounts daily routine.

Rumoured they are going to France Dec 2nd - '..but I can't believe it.'

Letter correspondence from R. L. J, to Essie [A.J. Johnson]

n.d. 4.12.1914

Reading Punch magazine.

Talks about food, and requests copies of eye-sight tests.

Letter correspondence from R. L. J, to May

n.d. [before xmas]

Sixteen troops to their mess [groups for their meals]. Billeted two to a house ['ours is a hat shop'], and receive rations at six am. Food includes bacon and jam. 'Some makes we get are mere refuse, one in particular named Tickler', the men would tickle Mr Tickler if they could get hold of him.'

1915

Letter correspondence from R. L. J, to Essie

09.03.1915

From Southampton they sail for France that night.

Letter correspondence addressed to Mrs E. T. Jackson

18.03.1915 mother Havre, France

Permission slip- Soldier's Club 2

1.03.1915

Letter correspondence from R. L. Jackson to May

22.03.[1915]

Very active, having moved on to various villages and spent a 'remarkable six days in the trenches', '..the Germans hold part of the coast..'

'..the whole ground has been ploughed up by shells. The village in the valley is just a heap of refuse..'

'We had to advance about four miles across ploughed fields & over banks, if you were blooming unlucky over your waist you went in a snowdrift or else on the seat of your trousers down a bank, which I did. 'We have just finished a remarkable six days in the trenches', ..the French made a big attack here...the trenches are on a hill...the Germans hold part of the coast..' '..the whole ground has been ploughed up by shells. The village in the valley is just a heap of refuse..'. 'the trench we had to hold was only about four feet deep when we got there, after being held up by shelling on the road; the German trench about thirty yards away was in pretty much the same [case], so a kind of mutual agreement seemed to have been agreed when to do no firing, we were told not to fire. The Germans were on top working at their trench & we got out on our parapet just to show there was no ill feeling. At 'stand to' every day they shouted across 'Good morning' altogether It is a very farcical situation. They borrowed a maul from the battalion in before us & offered to lend them some barbed wire if they were short. There are a great many human remains about, it would be very bad in summer.'

Letter correspondence from R. L. Jackson to May

24.03.[1915] to 25.03.1915

Send no more cakes 'French ones are excellent and English ones are liable to be delayed'

'Our progress to Southampton by train was like a procession, every house we passed seemed to have some flag waiver.'

'p.s. all our letters have to pass the censor'.

'Water plane', one of the other transports to southampton was the SS Empress Queen - which had a rocky passage.

Location: Havre. Harfleur. Southampton.

Letter correspondence from R. L. Jackson to Mother, 1915

The French are 'terrible swindlers, they sell us bars of chocolate at 1d the bar when the box is plainly marked "cinq" centines (1/2); when it is pointed out to them, they can never understand either English or French.'

Letter correspondence from R. L. Jackson to May

02.05.1915 to 03.05.1915

'we are at the front at last. ..the railway journey took over 22 hrs, luckily we travelled in carriages, not the usual cattle trucks.'

Letter correspondence from R. L. Jackson to Mother

19.05.1915

'Last Sunday May 9th we were in reserve to a fairly big attack.. we reached the reserve about three in the morning, soon after the English bombardment of the German trenches began, it was one continuous roar for some hours, the Germans pitched a great many shells about 1/4 mile from us.'

'We have had more casualties, I don’t know how many, one was through in the head.'

Letter correspondence from R. L. Jackson to Mother

22.05.1915 to 23.05.1915

Had a 'pretty bad time' in the trenches ..'over a hundred casualties'..'it is really a terrible sight to see the wounded & dead brought by, & in ordinary circumstances would have made me sick, but doesn’t seem to have much effect as it is.'

'It has been very nerve racking, several have got nervous breakdown.'

Letter correspondence addressed to Mrs E. T. Jackson

30.05.1915 to 02.06.1915

mother

Rejects further chocolate, shortcake, bread and btter and apples, and requests Lemon Fizzers sweets- or 'something of that nature' and some gingerbread.

Signs off 'Sweets, Sweets, Sweets'.

Letter correspondence from R. L. Jackson to Mother

11.06.1915 to 11.06.1915

Letter correspondence from R. L. Jackson to Essie

20.06.1915 to 21.06.1915

Been having 'fairly easy time.. Staying in a barn .. About half a mile from the firing line.'

Accounts typical drill and protocol. On inspection: 'We are told that there will be a tooth and finger nail infection in future, I believe the nails have to be clean to prevent the ill effects of scratching..'

'In the night we have heaps of company, rats & mice & the other livestock.. everytime you wake [the rats] are fightng & squeeking all over you.. the other night one took a flying jump on to my face, he had been washing his feet I believe, it was just like a wet rag.'

Envelope to Mrs E. J. Jackson , 09.09.1915

Four postcards, one populated to Mrs E. J. Jackson,

12.9.1915

Letter correspondence from R. L. Jackson to May

22.09.1915 to 24.09.1915

Letter correspondence from Officer Coy to Sir

02.10.1915 to 08.10.1915

In receipt of Jackson's kin requesting address and information following hospital admission. In different ink, 'Recd 8,10,1915.'

Letter correspondence from R. L. Jackson to Father

05.10.1915 to 06.10.1915

Torn area through enclosed letter and envelope. Inscription written around this defect.

Does not want fuss from any visitors. 'I don’t know why you sent that silly telegram, don't do it again.'

Letter correspondence from R. L. Jackson to Father

09.10.1915

Account of long planned large scale attack directly following on from intended bombardment from 40 other Allied regiments, which included the use of Gas, 'Jack Johnsons' and accounts the fate of his various colleagues, as well as himself. 'I went out about ten yards before I got mine, it was like a bang with a sledge hammer, I thought my arm was shattered at first, anyway I stopped there for about quarter of an hour thinking about it, bullets were wizzing just over my head..' '... I think only three officers were untouched.'

Location: village of Loos.Location: Nœux-les-Mines marched to Maroc [British Cemetary] location of bombardment.

'Jack Johnson' was the British nickname used to describe the impact of a heavy, black German 15-cm artillery shell. Jack Johnson (1878-1946) was the name of the popular U.S. (born in Texas) world heavyweight boxing champion who held the title from 1908-15.

Letter correspondence from R. L. Jackson to May

10.10.1915 to 11.10.1915

Journey following his injury: Location: Les Brebis; Nœux-les-Mines; Versailles; Le Havre, Birmingham.

The papers seem 'afraid to publish' the casualties.

Letter correspondence from R. L. Jackson to Essie

11.10.1915

Over 24hr train journey to Versailles.

Writes from hospital - accounts injury, exploded bullet has left a 'great many small pieces in the arm'.

Letter correspondence from R. L. Jackson to Mother

12.10.1915 to 12.10.1915

'Was Bob in the action, it’s a wonder he's alive if he was hes too tall for safety.'

Letter correspondence from R. L. Jackson to Mother

15.10.1915 to 15.10.1915

On making up the hospital beds every morning at 5am: 'the beds look very nice, the sides beautifully tucked in & the counterpane doubled back with mathmatical accuracy..'

Letter correspondence from R. L. Jackson to Mother

20.10.1915

Wishing his mother happy returns of the day.

Letter correspondence from R. L. Jackson to Father

25.10.1915 to 26.10.1915

Wishing his father happy returns of the day.

Letter correspondence from R. L. Jackson to Essie, n.d

Envelope to Mrs E. J. Jackson

21.11.1915

Envelope to Mrs A. J. Johnson

22.11.1915

Postcard, addressed to E. J. Jackson

14.12.1915

Referring to hospital treatment

Letter correspondence from R. L. J, to Essie

n.d, 1916

Letter correspondence from R. L. Jackson to May

08.01.1916 to 09.01.1916

'It is not the same camp I was in in March, though a number of the Officers [?] are the same; the conditions are a lot worse, the food very poor. Today Saturday we had a bit of greasy meat & half a potatoe for dinner..'

Letter correspondence from R. L. Jackson to May

02.02.1916

Letter correspondence from R. L. Jackson to May

22.01.1916 to 23.01.1916

Location: Le Havre.

Training camp was instead devoted to 'internal economy'.

Captain 'found fault with someone for having a button off, the he went raving mad, our hats werent straight. Equipment crooked, altogether we were a disgrace to the regiment we were going to join, he then bragged about being at Loos, ohw he had watched the 19th go over, a splendid lot of fellows, according to him, Catpain Billy was shot through the body by a whole shell, it was a bullet really. All the time it was pouring with rain, to cap all he kept us out of it for three hours, to teach us forsooth a little of what we should have to go through up the line.'

Simnel cake

Envelope, addressed to Miss E. M Jackson

07.02.1916

Letter correspondence from R. L. Jackson to Mother

15.02.1916 to 17.02.1916

Letter correspondence from R. L. Jackson to Mrs E. T. Jackson

23.02.1916 to 24.02.1916

'Does Alfred have a text book on the Vickers Light machine gun.'

'Ask Bob if he wants to take a bet on about that shell, there are still some witnesses left. Where abouts in the line was he, he doesn’t seem to have seen or know much, dammed ass, the sort of officer who would get one in the back if he did go over the top.'

Letter correspondence from R. L. Jackson to Mrs E. T. Jackson

12.03.1916 to 13.03.1916

Letter correspondence from R. L. Jackson to Mother

12.04.1916 to 13.04.1916

'Tell father not to send that M.G book, bombing is my game now worse luck.'

Letter correspondence from R. L. Jackson to May

20.04.1916 to 21.04.1916

To be another six days in the trenches 'the thought of it gives me the shivers.'

'The last six days I have been away from the battalion on a bombing course, bombs are really quite safe so long as you use them properly, the Mills bomb is the one most used.'

'The German Minenwerfers are terrible things, you hear a slight pop & then see the bally thing coming over, it is very hard to judge where they will let, so you are kept in suspense with your eyes protruding out of your head watching the torpedo till it hisses down; then you duck, first of all it digs itself in & then explodes by time, fuse, the explosion is terrific & so are the results, about a ton of earth goes up in the air if you are anywhere near when it comes down, you are killed & buried in very quick time, if within the radius of the explosion no burial will be needed. Dugouts werent much use against these blighters.'

Letter correspondence from R. L. Jackson to Mother

04.05.1916

'My appetite for sweets is still as large as ever, they are about as cheap as gold, two very small caramels for a penny..'

Becoming 'quite expert' at frying eggs.

'Essie hasn’t given my pants away has she? I shall want them when Peace is declared, which may be soon if America has declared war.'

Notification document from Territorial Force Records Office, to Sir, kin of R. J. Jackson

01.06.1916

Letter correspondence from E. J. Jackson, to No.6 London Field Ambulance.

03.06.1916

Letter correspondence from 6th London Field Ambulance, to E. T. Jackson esq.

08.06.1916 to 09.06.1916

Three Photo-postcards , [6].1916

• F. D. Sladen correspondence, 1919.

x 1 item, of 1 folio.

Correspondence of F. D. Sladen, [British Museum] colleague to Alfred Johnson. 14/02/1919

Thanking his colleague Johnson for the wedding present, and congratulates him on his being awarded the Military Cross.

• E.W. Lyneham correspondence.1914-1915

x 4 items

Correspondence of E.W. Lyneham, British Museum colleague to Alfred Johnson.

Reads several languages, undertook some translation work.

Letter correspondence from E. W. Lyneham to Mrs Johnson 02.12.1914

'..you would hardly imagine how much a thing like that bucks a fellow up. Getting killed by shells is quite a simple business; its being dead in a less solid way that's rotten - and so hard to avoid sometimes, I think the handkerchief is much to good to be used in active service, for it will be used to clean a gun, as improvised braces, as a nightcap, a substitute for a lost puttee, and what not.'

Letter correspondence from E. W. Lyneham to Mrs Johnson

10.03.1915 to 11.03.1915

'I am really having quite a good time here, though it is a trifle boring, and what I call my mind is generally a cheerful blank.'

Reading:-

'Anna Karenina', Leo Tolstoy, 1878; 'Le Roman d'un Spahi', Pierre Loti, 1881; 'Sapho', Alphonse Daudet, 1886; 'Les Vrais Riches', François Coppée, 1908; 'André Cornelis', Paul Bourget, 1887; 'The Second Blooming', Walter Lionel George, 1914.

Letter correspondence from E. W. Lyneham to Mrs Johnson 22.06.1915 to 24.06.1915

'I'm writing this in the ruins of a Flemish garden. Roses, fruits and wallflowers, cherries, peaches and plums grow all about, in spite of the bullets constantly cutting through them...We've got quite a pretty bit of garden fixed up in front of the mess Dug-Out. On the left is a pretty stream and meadows and woods all around, three of birds, which are always singing.'

'We celebrated Waterloo Centenary by blowing up two mines, a good bit of German trench, and a few Germans. Then they shelled us like blazes...and we had a busy 12 hours of it.'

Reading:-

Punch; Printers Pie.

Letter correspondence from E. W. Lyneham to Mrs Johnson 11.10.1915 to 16.10.1915

Reading:-

Times Literary Supplements.

Location: Picardy, France.