France
24•10•17 (what the deuce is the date?)
[the 4 of 24 is written over another number]
My Own Dearest:–
It’s a pretty good world when you come right down to it for today has brought me three of the grandest letters ever penned and I am a new man everything is right. This morning when I got up it was raining like it rained in Noah’s time and to get my breakfast I had to scamper (save the mark!) through mud that was, in lots of places, deep enough to dive in. I just had a hunch when I was splashing along wondering if my braces were waterproof and how long a man could swim in mud before he would sink from exhaustion, that to-day was the very day that I was going to get a whole lot of letters from you. Right then I cheered up and lost that “when a feller needs a friend” sensation. And true to hunch oodles of mail arrived this afternoon. It was great, Maidie, I love your letters and I just can’t carry on without them.
Well I have a news item. Tommy Thompson came over to see me to-day He had just received a wire from Jennie’s M.O. “Boy arrived; both doing well”. I rejoiced with him and he seemed quite glad. I am glad to say that he seemed especially glad about Jennie. I rather expected him to talk principally about the boy and I could have hated him if he had – without trying. Temporarily he is acting as Transport Officer for the Company but expects to go in to the line shortly. I can’t understand why he should have been so blue and pessimistic when he was at home – there is no reason for it whatever.
The papers to-day gave an account of the French getting all those zepps. Good old French I am strong for them. But I am never done being glad that you are out of England – it’s really quite rotten there according to all accounts and since the raids have taken on such proportions – well, I’m glad you are not there. Bombs have got my goat and I could go crazy thinking of you being exposed to them. I don’t think that I could ever bring myself to like Monsieur le mari very much, I certainly don’t. Madame Ruthie sounds so good, isn’t it the luck of the damned getting one like that?
I haven’t heard a word of Bill Leicester but I don’t think that anything can have happened [to] him as, so far as I know, they haven’t been in since Bill joined.
I am greatly worried about your bruises poor Baby, she needs me with her to look after her and to make her well when she hurts herself. My Sweetheart, I want nothing else in the world but to be with you every minute looking after you and loving you. I want you, Dearest, with every atom of my being. I adore you that’s all. There is never a moment when you are out of my mind. I love you. And I just know that it won’t be very long until we are together again. God speed the day. With every bit of my love
Your own Ross
[This line is squeezed onto the left side of the last page:]
Tell Madame Netta that I was charmed with her little note and that I am desolated that I cannot comply.
[And this is squeezed onto the right side:]
I shall write to Madame Ruthie as soon as I can. It is rather difficult here
19 Oct 1917 – 11 Zeppelins carried out the last airship raid on Britain. Because of the great height of the Zeppelins during the attack, and because the gun and searchlight positions were ordered to remain covered, the attack was known as the “Silent Raid”. Five airships were lost — the biggest disaster suffered by the German Naval Airship Service.Source: “RAF History Timeline,” Royal Airforce Home Page, http://www.raf.mod.uk/history_old/line1917.html, accessed 1 May 2007.
As the trench war on the western front bogged down, to bring the British to their knees, the Germans turned more and more of their attention to high altitude bombing. On the night of October 19, 1917 they launched a massive eleven ship raid against England using nothing but height climbers. The ships were so far above the earth their engines couldn’t be heard by observers on the ground. Following the raid nearly half of the eleven climbers were destroyed, ironically none over England. As the ships dropped altitude to come in over Germany, French and British fighters such as the Zeppelin Killer Sopwith Camel together with Nieuport 11s with overwing-mounted Lewis and Hotchkiss guns, swarmed like bees around an invaded hive, and joined with ground fire, tore four of them to shreds.Source: “Zeppelins: High Altitude Warships,” http://sped2work.tripod.com/zeppelins.html, accessed 1 May 2007.
(God) bless (also save) the mark and variants: an exclamatory phrase, prob. originally serving as a formula to avert an evil omen, and hence used by way of apology when something horrible, indecent, or profane has been mentioned. Now used chiefly in writing to apologize (freq. ironically) for a preceding or following word or phrase. [The phrase was apparently formerly used by midwives at the birth of a child bearing a birthmark (see W. A. Henderson in N. & Q. (1895) 8th Ser. 7 373); and this may possibly be the original use (cf. quot. a1625). However, the meaning of mark in the expression may originally have been ‘sign’ or ‘omen’ (cf. sense 9a). There is no foundation in the statement of E. C. Brewer Dict. Phr. & Fable (1870) 790/2, copied in some dictionaries, that the phrase was originally used by archers.]Source: OED online, entry on mark, accessed 16 May 2008.
A bomb is a container filled with an explosive, incendiary matter, or gas that can be dropped, hurled, or set in place to be detonated by an attached exploding device. It may range in design from a homemade device used by terrorists, assassins, or clandestine raiders to a sophisticated weapon of war.
... In the 20th century the aerial bomb became the most important adaptation of the weapon. Its construction is similar to that of the artillery shell. The conventional aerial bomb consists of an explosive or chemical agent in a container, one or several fuse-and-igniter mechanisms, and external fins for directional stability. Bombs dropped from high-performance aircraft have an advanced aerodynamic shape.
... The advent of the airplane in warfare led to the development of new types of bombs. The first massive aerial bombing took place in 1915 when German zeppelins carrying more than two tons of bombs began dropping “terror from the skies” on the British Isles. In the early stages of World War I, airplane pilots had their hands full just flying, and bombing was relegated to observers who merely tossed small bombs over the side. Aircraft engineering advanced, however, so that by 1918 multiengine bombers had become a reality and 450-kg (1,000-lb) bombs were in production.
This cancels all previous orders on this subject. ... two Coys. will be organized and ready to move in fighting order and in any formation on receipt of orders from O.C. TADPOLE or O.C. TALKER from ZERO minus one hour. ...
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...steady bombardment of DECLINE COPSE. Our front line system and posts heavily shelled in retaliation. ... DECLINE COPSE was held by enemy. ... Much digging was done but trenches caved in frequently owing to rain and shelling.
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