File consists of a typescript of letters written by Frederick Ancel Carne between September 1915 and February 1919, primarily to his mother and father as well as to his sister Marjory. The transcripts were typed by his sister, Mrs. Agnes Tate. Frederick (born in 1889) and his brother Harold Gowen (born 1897) enlisted in 1915 with the Canadian Army Medical Corps and were placed with the 8th Field Ambulance. Frederick and Harold underwent training in Vernon, BC, subsequently transferred to Dibgate camp, England, and to the front in Belgium and France. The letters describe Frederick' s wounding at Courcelette and ��� after a few days in a rest camp ��� return to the front and also Harold' s battle wound at Passchendaele in 1917, subsequent shipping to England and return to Canada. Frederick' s letters describe the daily life of the soldiers during training and at the front, observations of local residents and interactions among the men. Frederick served in different positions in the Medical Cops, for example, as a stretcher-bearer and in dressing stations.
Subjects:
World War, 1914-1918; Carne, Frederick
Date:
1915-1919
Collection:
Frederick A. Carne fonds
Location(s):
British Columbia--Victoria; British Columbia--Vernon; England--Kent--Dibgate Camp; France--Courcelette; Belgium--Paesschendaele
Page Title:
97-051_LTRS 1
Transcript:
Carlton Hotel,
Taooma., Wash.
Sept. 15th, 1915.
Dear Mother,-
Received your welcome letter a few days ago, and was glad to hear the flowers arrived O.K. I had to wire for them as I almost forgot your birthday was on the 9th.
How Mother for a piece of news which I am afraid will strike you rather hard, I have decided to throw up my job and go over home to join the ambulance corps. After hearing from Marjorie that Harold was anxious to go, it set me to thinking, and I' ve come to the conclusion that my King and Country need me more than the Fairbank Co.
I wrote Reg. Beckwith on Sunday re this, to make sure that I would be accepted but haven' t heard from him yet. If I don' t get a line tomorrow I intend wiring in my resignation anyway. So ten chances to one I' ll be home on Sunday.
I wish Papa would make a few inquiries to make certain that my bad eyesight would not bar me, for I' d hate to throw up my job and then not be able to go. Ask him to- wire me C.O.D. this hotel to-morrow sure for I want to get this settled as soon as possible.
Don' t take it too hard Mother, and very likely I' ll be over this Sunday,
Till then with beet love to all, from
FRED
Vernon, B.C.
Oct. 5/15.
Dear Mother,-
Have been trying to find time to drop you a few lines but until to-day apparently haven' t been successful. Developed a blister on my heel the other day and as it didn' t respond to my treatment, had it fixed by the Dr. this morning. Result I' m off duty for to-day, so am making the most of my opportu��nity.
I have had only one day' s drill*, since I have been up here last Friday. On Saturday the four of us were put on what is known as kitohen fatigue. Our duties were very light, consist��ing merely of peeling from three to four sacks of spuds a day,
cleaning and scouring myriads of pots and pans, keeping the fires up, carrying wood and water, sweeping the floor, stirring porridge and rice pots and a few other odds and ends. Of course we didn' t work long hours, merely from 6 AM, to 6 p.M. with one hour off in the morning. Bill McD., Harold and I also served a night each from 6 to 10, so that made a straight stretch of 16 hours. Maybe the hard pan bed didn' t feel fine that night.< /
Had a terrific wind and rain storm last night. Thought the tent was going over sure several times. Cold as bla2es this morning with snow on the hills. Can' t get back to Victoria any too quick to suit me.
We fully expect to be starting back again on the 16th, but of course a hitch may ooour. If we have to put in the winter on the ooast I' d sure much rather put it in down there in fairly comfortable quarters than up in this burg under oanvas.
Inoculation didn' t phase us a bit. Slightly sore arm next day that' s all. Due for a second and larger dose this Friday with the final and largest one in ten days from then. Will be glad to get it over with too.
Nothing to do here at night exoept read or play oarda. Usually we go up to the I, tent and play there, Tnere is some mighty fine talent in the camp, and I have heard some good ooncerts etc, in the past week.
Am sitting on the sharp edge of a box writing this with a dull pencil so if the writing is not very legible don' t blame me.
Annie sent us up two pairs of fine sox yesterday, We haven' t our uniforms yet, in faot wouldn' t be at all surprised if we didn' t get them till we get back. The corps is consider* ably over strength at present, so uniforms are at a premium.
The oorps have been out for a route march this morning and are Just getting back so will have to cut this short.
Can' t think of anything we need although a small cake or cookies would go mighty fine. No suoh things up here of course.
Will drop you a line next week to let you know for certain when we will be back. Both of us are feeling fit as a fiddle.
Best love to all from
FRED
P.S. Sinoe writing the abovd was in receipt of your letter. Needless to say it was very acceptable. We have all been put into different tents, but when the draft leaves next week hope
There is one thing certain though, and that Is to have no kick coming about our quarters. This ship only carries two classes, and we (the Medical Corps) have the same accommodations as the offioers, of which there are plenty on hoard. The ship is only about lo months old, and is fitted up pretty nice. Better than any of the Pacific Coast S.S,Co.' s boats.
So much for our quarters, but am sorry to say that I haven' t anything good to say regarding the meals. There are 1000 Engineers and 600 Ammunition Columns on board in addition to our corps, which makes four sittings for meals a necessity, and we are on the fourth, We eat in the ' bear pit' as it is called, and after ten days of it, believe me, it requires an effort to go down for a meal. In fact the only reason I eat is because I' m hungry, and not that I have any appetite. At the fourth sitting I find I can colleot less dirt on my bread by ' margerining' it on the table instead of the plate. If the eating utensels were only clean I might enjoy a meal or so, but when you can' t see through your glass for the grease and crumbs on it, well it is going a little too far. Still I guess I shouldn' t kick, for it may be better than is in store for us. But can you beat tripe for breakfast on board a rolling ship?
Both of us have stood the rocky motion fine though. Harold couldn' t hold his supper down the first day out of Halifax, and I followed suit a short time after. Since then, with the ex��ception of two or three meals we' ve bfeen able to toe the scratch.
I guess I' ve been jumping a little ahead of my schedule, so will fill in here. We sailed from St. John on Sunday the 12th at 5 P.M, with a big crowd, down at the dooks, partly to see us off, and partly owing to a big freighter being on fire at the adjoining dock. When we reached Halifax we heard that she had blowb up and sunk during the night.
Made pretty slow time getting around to Halifax, taking 24 hours to make the trip, Halifax is sure a strongly fortified town, and has a swell harbor. Prom the entrance of the harbor to the town, a distance of over two miles, we passed all kinds of freighters anchored in the harbor, waiting their turn to dock. Also passed the converted cruiser ' Calgarian' late of the Allen Line, lying at anchor and crowded with sailors. The S.S,Lapland also a troopship, left her dock and anchored near us shortly after we arrived.
That post card I sent from Halifax (or ft least I presume you received it) was lowered in a basket to a kid who was selling fruit from a small boat. We thought we might be taken ashore for a route march but no such luck.
Eire seems to pursue us, for a big dock was burned a few hundred yards from where we were anchored during the ea.rly hours of the morning after we arrived. There was a heavy snow storm
during the night, or the damage may have ' been greater.
Our convoy the cruiser ' Carnarvon' arrived on the morning of the 14th, a.nd the light cruiser ' Caesar' came in the next day.
On Thursday night, the l6th a concert was held in the first class saloon presumably for the men, but after the officers had draped themselves around the room there was very little room left. Bill and I managed to find a seat though, and passed a fairly pleasant evening. No refreshments though, and that put the blink on the whole affair from our viewpoint.
Sailed from Halifax at 7.30 A.m, on Friday the 17th, accom��panied by the ' Lapland' and convoyed by the ' Carnarvon' , It was a raw cold day, and if anything kept getting colder as the day went on. Missed my dinner but went down to supper, though as I mentioned before couldn' t keep it down.
Felt better next day though, but couldn' t make the grade for the first two meals. Managed to make it for supper though, and had a good meal, and what is more important kept it down. (Have written enough for this sitting. Will resume some time later. Anyway it is supper time and I' m hungry).
Wednesday A.M.
Once more I pick up my pencil to continue the harrowing tale. Today is a general holiday, all kinds of snorting events going on. Have been out watching the boxing for some little while but thought I could ocoupy my time to more advantage writing.
On Sunday alL the port holes were covered over, and the order read out that no one was allowed to smoke or strike a light on deck after 6 o' clock, as from now on we may be considered as being in the danger 2one. We hit the Gulf Stream on this day, and there sure was a difference in the weather. The air feels just like a mild spring day in Victoria, Sun shining bright, and fine and warm too. Very little swell on the ocean, in fact have seen it rougher many times off Beacon Hill.
On Monday I had the misfortune to be picked for hospital orderly. The ' hospital' is located right at the stem and is the vilest smelling hole I have been in. How a sick man can stand it I don' t know, for I had to get out in the fresh air erery few minutes. The hospital in our lines at Vernon was paradise com��pared to this one. Hope I never have the job again.
Lights out on board at 9.15 and had just dropped off to sleep on Monday night, when the emergency bugle oall sounded. Some scramble. Four of us in the room dressing at one time, putting our life belts on, and then parading on deck. Just practise you know, in case the real thing ever turns up. Hope it never does, needless to remark.
Thursday A.M.
Boat was rocking some considerable ^yesterday when I wqs writing and I began to feel the need of some fresh air. Have taken in enough for another sitting, so here goes.
Weather singly glorious on Tuesday. Quite a swell, but not at all rough. Just about 10 o' clock we sighted smoke, end half an hour later another cruiser came into sight. Most of our bunch were up in the bow watching her heliographing to our convoy. I don' t know the Morse code very well but could pick up a few letters now and then. Apparently the signalling was to the effect that she would convoy us the rest of the voyage, for our convoy lay to and we passed her on the port side. It was certainly a grand send off she gave us too. The oruiser' s band playing ' 0 Canada' , and the crew crowding the rigging and decks. When the band reached the line ' 0 Canada, we stand on guard for thee' , I think it would have thrilled any man to hear the cheer which went up from our ship. It was a sight I wouldn' t have missed for worlds. After we passed her, she turned and in about two hours time was out of sight on her way to Halifax.
The cruiser convoying us now is a much faster one than the other. To see her flying around in all directions reminds one of a hen looking after her chicks. We expect to-pick up a few destroyers any time now as we are right in the danger zone.- ./
/' \
Saw the most beautiful moon rise on Tuesday night I have ever witnessed. Huge banks of clouds in the sky, and the rays from the moon, as yet below the horizon, lighting them up. Then she gradually came into sight, just like a great ball of fire, and lit up the ship almost like day, h:p port holes are supposed to be opened after 6 P.M., but I took a chance after lights out and kept mine open, while sitting up in bed for over an hour.
While reveille is at 6 A.M., we don' t eat till $.30 and as a consequence stay in bed till at least 7.45 every morning, so I didn' t begrudge the sleep I lost.
We passed a sailing vessel going our way on this day too, the first one since we left Halifax. Also bumped into; a huge school of porpoise, must have been thousands of them.
A big calamity happened yesterday, the bailee ran out of chocolate bars. You who live on shore can' t imagine how serious an affair this is. If you don' t feel like going down to the ' bear pit' a couple ofo chocolate bars will fill the bill (and the belly) to a nicety. Still we expect to sight lend early Saturday so I guess I' ll survive.
Ran into some fairly rough seas last night. Becks all awash, and a fierce wind blowing. Fairly: rough yet, but sun fine and warm, so. can' t kick at all.
Am getting to be a regular bear-cat with the English coin��age now. Can figure up now how much change is coming to me, and
- 20 -
such terms as two snd six etc. flow quite glibly from my tongue. Hank hasn' t quite mastered it yet though. He sprang one today about going into the barber shop to buy some gum. ' I gave him a dime, and he handed me back a package of gum, two pennies, and a - and a -' hay' penny' , was the way he expressed it. As a result he is now dubbed ' Hay-penny Hank' .
Have been spieling all these pages about my doings, and I guess you are a little tired of reading them, so I' ll stop for a while and let you know how some of the others are faring. Bill still retains his ' pep' and voracious appetite. He is on regi��mental messenger duty just at present. Hank had the misfortune . to hurt his knee wrestling with Logan one day last week, and has been laid up since. He was on parade today though, and expects to be jake in a few days now, Goldie has been having an awful time. Hasn' t been able to keep a meal down since we left Halifax. He says that all he can keep on his stomach is his undershirt, and life with him is just ' one damned vomit after the other' . Seeing a fellow run for the scuppers is an old story now. Tom YTebster is another who has been under the weather. He can get on deck though, which helps a lot. Goldie feels better when he is lying down.
Prank Gron^ton hurt his back playing leap frog on deck the other day, but aside from a few creaks when he bends over is all to the mustard. Jimmy Stewart, who is in my room, has been under the weather off and on, but today apparently is feeling
O.K.
Harold is on hospital duty today. Haven' t seen him since early this morning (It is now 12.30), but he had been unable to hang onto his breakfast then. He had a scare the other day. By the way he isn' t in my room but across the aisle with Prank G,
Tom Pascoe and Les Gordon. Thought he had lost his purse with L 3�� Us. lG^-d in it, or in Canadian money $17.25. ' Searched' all through his pockets but swore up and down he must have dropped it when he was up for' d the night before, While he was out re��tracing his steps of the night before, I thought I' d have a look through hie greatcoat pockets which he had. already emptied. The first thing I laid my hands on was his purse, I talked to him when he came back, and I think in future he will be more careful.
Pride,y Noon
H0thing of any importance has happened since I left off writing yesterday. Yesterday afternoon was another holiday for the purpose of finishing the sports. Played cards most of the afternoon and night.
Today we had an inspection of all the troops by the O.C. this ship. Lot of ceremony for nothing to my way of thinking.
Prom now on we live in our clothes and life belts, never know wnen the alarm may sound, so hove to he rrerered. Making
pretty slow progress now, as all the boats are pursuing a zig- zig course. The cruiser is one side of us one minute and. the other side the next. The idea is to make it it more difficult for a submarine to torpedo us.
Expect you have been having your anxious moments wondering whether we will arrive safe, but the feeling on board ship is different. Nobody seems to pay much attention to what is going on although our stern chaser is all ready for action. Everybody apparently feels confident that we will hit England O.K. I guess there is no use feeling any different.
Prom what I can gather we are to land at Liverpool. Hope so for it is one of the biggest shipping centers in the world. Still any old spot will do just as it will enable us to get off the boat. Three weeks today since we left home, all of it being strictly G.B. A little bit of freedom and a good meal will sure be welcomed.
Just been looking out of the porthole for smoke some of the fellows declare they saw on the horizon, but can' t locate it.
We are due to have a destroyer or two take us in charge just about now, so possibly that is what the smoke is from.
Hardly any swell on the ocean today, and the sun is shining bright, in fact taking it all around, a better trip across couldn' t be expeoted even in midsummer. So I' ve almost amended my resolution made the first day out that! wouldn' t return till they built a bridge across.
This is the longest letter I have ever written, but seeing as all this is something out of the ordinary, you' ll have to pardon my loquaeity. Only hope t hat you will find it as inter��esting to read as it was to write.
Now a few requests. In a box file on the shelf in my room you' ll find two or three Great West Perm, pocket books. Wish you would mail them as they will come in handy for keeping envelopes etc. in. Also three or four of those small bags you made for handkerchiefs would be acceptable. Make them a little larger though. Put in my fountain pen too if you can locate it. I don' t know whether Harold is short anything, but I' ll ask him so that when he writes you will be able to include his junk with mine.
Did we leave our regimental numbers? If not mine is 524511, and harold' s 524512. It is imperative that they be placed on all letters as otherwise quite a delay in transmission can be expected. A lot of red tape, I know, but what can you do.
Just back from dinner and find three destroyers busily en��gaged running rings around us. There isn' t much of a sea, but judging from the way they plough through it, with the spray dashing
all over, I' d hate to be on one in a gale. The ones with us now are of the D type and can make about 36 knots an hour. Some speed eh? The cruiser has drawn off quite a distance with one destroyer guarding it. Well I' ll have to drop this again as we parade in five minutes for physical jerks. Kind of a hard job dbing them with a life belt on, but I guess it can be managed.
Au revoir for an hour or so,
4.30 P.M. same day.
Big exoitement on board as Ireland has been sighted on the port bow. Two lighthouses are in plain view, as well as what look from here like two mole hills. Cruiser right out of sight now, so guess all danger is over,
8.45 P.M.
Been for' d all evening feasting my eyes on land. All kinds of lights and-light houses around us, but no one seems to know definitely just where we are. Some say Ireland, some England, while Wales also has some backers. At any rate lights are on both sides of us, so we apparently are between two slices of land. Also no one knows where we are going to land, except the officers of the ship, and they won' t tell.
The destroyers are chasing around every now and then signal��ing by lights to us. The Lapland has dropped out of sight com��pletely, not a hard job at thatf considering the darkness of the night.
Had a big row down at supper tonight when the orderly offi��cer came around asking if there were any complaints, I think every man in the room yelled at him judging from the row made and the way he jumped. We were served with bologna which, was I don' t 3aiow how old, and had been in cold storage for so long that there was more ice than sausage to eat. We had been getting some pretty rotten grub all along, but this was the worst yet, so everybody: kicked. As a result those who cared to stay were served With breaded sole from the officers' mess, I got in on it you oan bet. First bite of decent grub I' ve had on the boat, so it tasted mighty good. ' Lights out' has just sounded so will have to quit. Will add a few more lines tomorrow and will then try and rake up enou^gi to pay for the postage. Fortunately it is their paper I' m writing on,
Saturday 8.30 A.M.
Just, sighted the English coast, so it looks as though the second stage of our voyage is nearly over. All the mail, and there is a hugh quantity of it, is on deck, ready to be put off when we reaoh Liverpool ,whioh will be some time this afternoon.
Have quite a bit of packing to do, so will have to close this long epistle. Will drop you another ' few" lines next week, giving you my first impressions of the old country. Am going to drop a
line to Mr. Brayne in the hopes that a few lines will reach me Before long.
Very Best love to all
man
Southgate, Kent,
March 51st,191& .
Bear Mother & Bad, -
Intended holding over this letter until this Sunday, But having just finished writing to Gus, thought I' d Better make a complete joB of the family. You' ll notice my writing is getting smaller. Have a hunch this is going to Be another long letter so am going to economize on the stationery, I know Harold has written you telling of our trip down from Liverpool, But as I douBtless saw many things he didn' t, and am a more experienced letter writer, I am going to tax your patience By having you fol��low me from the time we sighted Ireland, All right, here goes.
Early the next morning after sitting Ireland, Ht.' Snowden in Wales came into view. They say it is the highest mountain in Great Britain, But it is only a mole hill in comparison with the mountains we have out in B.C,
Prom here to Liverpool is aBout 8 hours run, and apparently they aren' t trouBled with submarines judging from the ships which were runming around in all directions, ranging in size from a trawler, to Boats the size of the Princess Victoria,
We lay off the mouth of the Mersey for quite a time waiting for a pilot who finally arrived and we started our tortuious way through the Buoy marked channel to our dock, I had an idea that when you were in a river the wind couldn' t Bother you very much. But say talk aBout a gale, why the wind whistled through the rig��ging and you couldn' t face it at all.
The Mersey is aBout f of a mile wide at Liverpool. We docked about 5 o' clock. I always thought that San Francisco had some fine docks, But they are totally eclipsed By the ones at Liverpool, There were quite a few ocean liners in too. We docked near the Mauratania, which is now a hospital ship, as you can plainly tell By the four huge red crosses painted on the side. The MissanaBie, a sister ship of the Metagama pulled out of her dock Bound for St. John just as we tied up.
We paraded for our rations for next day about six o' clock and were handed a loaf of dry Bread, two slices of Bologna, and
some so-celled ' cheese' , which more closely resembled gutta��percha. Some kicking you may be sure, at the prospects of only that to eat next day, but to no avail.
At seven o' clock we were told to put on all our equipment, great coats rolled, and be ready to fail in at a moments notice. How a moment in the army is naturally somewhat longer than in civic life, but when it stretches from seven o' clock in the even ing to four next morning, seems to me tha.t I' d hate to be ready at a minute' s notice. By this- time, naturally we were pretty tired and cold, but we finally managed to get ashore, and were lined up on the dock with a bitter wind blowing, still with our great coats rolled. Then and not till then, did it dawn on our O.C. that we may be cold, and he gave the order to don great coats. Maybe they weren' t welcome too.
Shortly after we marched into the station to board our train. Say talk about laugh when we saw the cars they call a coach over here. Reminded me for all the world of those little engines and oars we used to play with when we were kids. Thought Bill and Hank would have a fit when they saw them. Bill climbed into one of the ' compartments' and for a time resisted all at��tempts of any one trying to get in, saying that there was only room for him, but he was finally persuaded to let in five more. We travelled third class, but wili say that the seats were very comfortable even if you had to sit facing each other.
We finally started, and as it was pitch dark, with a regu��lation to the effect that it was a punishable offense to pull up the blinds other than in a station, tried to get some sleep, but wasn' t very successful, in spite of the fact that the road bed was fine.' ^k^' Swell sunrise at $,30 and from then on was worry about the loss of a little sleep, Rugby was the first city of any size we passed through. Stopped there for ten minutes, long enough to dispose of a sandwich and a cup of tea kindly donated us by one of the patriotic societies, which are doing a mighty fine work over here.
, Struck the oanal around here, and followed it for miles. Passed quite a few barges on it too, and judging from the speed they were making, the consignees weren' t in any hurry for their goods. Was told that the rate per ton is very much cheaper then on the trains, so it is used quite a bit. It was certainly pret ty along the sides of it.
What struck me most forcibly when going through this part of the country was the way in which the towns were built. Hot withstanding the faot that all kinds of land is available the houses are lumped together with absolutely no attempt at indivi��duality. Everything is built of brick over here, don' t believe I have seen a dozen frame buildings, but they are very picture- esq ue, especially as quite a variety of coloring in the bricks