Frederick Barrow - letter from Mary Barrow to her father-in-law Valentine E. Barrow, March 9, 1918
Frederick Barrow - letter from Mary Barrow to her father-in-law Valentine E. Barrow, March 9, 1918
Description:
Item is a letter from Mary Barrow to her father-in-law Valentine E. Barrow, March 9, 1918. Mary and her husband Frederick Lyon lived at 19, Westholme Road, Golders Green in London, and Mary wrote the letter after a bomb fell near their home. Frederick Lyon Barrow enlisted in September 1914, and served in the 9th Battalion in England in the C.A.P.C. (Canadian Army Pay Corps), stationed in London.
Subjects:
World War, 1914-1918
Date:
1918
Collection:
Frederick Lyon Barrow and Mary Hutton Barrow fonds
Location(s):
England--London--Golders Green
People Depicted:
Barrow, Frederick Lyon; Barrow, Mary; Barrow Valentine Kathleen
Page Title:
1991-053.1.11_LTR_1918.03.09_1
Transcript:
[start page]
19. Westholm
(London) N.W. 4
March 9 - 18.
Dear Dad,
We had the experience of a life time
on Thursday night. a bomb fell in the field
at the bottom of the garden about < del> a hundred< /del> < sup> seventy Lyon!< /sup>
yards from the house. It was a beautiful
still night & very light owing to the Aurora
Borealis. The maroons woke me about 11:20
and I attempted to wake Lyon but lately
we have stayed in bed as we were growing
accustomed to them. This time we could
not decide whether to get up or not but
we heard the machines before. we however
decided to stay upstairs as the fires were
out. we heard 2 bombs. which were dropped
in the field at the end of the road about
10 mins walk from here. they were quite
close together. as near as bottom of the garden.
We were just trying to settle down when there
was a fearful flash & explosion. the
house shook, and one could hear bricks
falling. I flew out of bed, seized Val who
[end page]
[start page]
was asleep in her own room and < del> tor< /del> went
downstairs. I think the next few minutes
were the most trying ones I have ever experienced
we heard the machine which was quite low
the barrage was terrific and one wondered
where the rest would drop. fortunately it did
not drop here. All the doors at the back
burst open. the lock fell off the coal house
lots of fasteners were blown off the windows
the french door was the worst several of
the wood frames were blown out. only a
few panes were broken upstairs. The loft
door turned a complete somersault. this
all happened about 12:30 A.m. We [illegible] back
to bed about 2.15 A.M. I dont know what
to do about staying in town. I cant go & leave Lyon indefinetely. and then I don' t
know if it is quite fair to Val to stay.
perhaps we could get something further
out. I went to tea with Aunt Edie on
Thursday. Uncle [illegible] has another 2 mttes
sick leave. Aunt Moll is in India
on six weeks leave. she is staying with
Aunt Meg. < del> Uncle< /del> < sup> Aunt/sup> [Kar?] is at Devonshire
House
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3
and is living at her flat. Aunt Edie is still
going to the Prisoners of War Dep' t. Lyon has
gone to Leamington to see about Jack' s money
for me. My Uncle seems to think another
agreement is necessary which is absurd.
Lyon will go and see Uncle Crowther
We have heard nothing from home lately.
I guess we shall be alright here now
it is scarsely likely that there will be anything
so near again. All the bombs that have
ever been dropped in G.J. have been in
fields. What would you do?
We all are very well. oh the glass was
smashed in your photo which was
standing in the window. Once a fortnight
Mrs Brett & I have each other' s children
so I take a day up town it is great fun.
Lyon no doubt will be writing you developments
of Uncle Fred.
Lots love your loving May
these are kisses from Val
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