Harrogate Herald - 24th January 1917

Letters

Gunner R Ramsden writes : 

Once again I have the pleasure of writing to thank you for the Herald, which I received last night. Well, I will just tell you how we spent our Christmas here. No doubt it will interest you. In the first place it was a good time for us. We had practically the same as most people in Blighty; in fact, it was one gorge from 8am until 12pm. It was quite the extreme of last Xmas, which was one I shall never forget. We had a sing-song, which reminded one of a lot of schoolboys just broken up for summer holidays, and taking it all round it was a jolly good day. Now "our friends across the way" did not approve of Christmas Day, as they were throwing scrap iron about all day. Of course we treated it with silent contempt for the time being, but on Boxing Day we replied with the zeal of the British artillery. One of our infantry bands played in front of the wire entanglements early in the morning, but the Christmas carols must have roused their anger. As there are no church bells about here, we could not ring the old year out or the New Year in, so we blazed away with guns from five minutes to twelve until five minutes past, just to show them we had let the old year go out fighting and the New Year enter with the same spirit. Someone has been kind enough to provide us with a gramophone and records, and we are having music all day. By the way, we should all be pleased if at any time you get a few records on hand if you would remember us. We have a big dugout which is likely to be snowed up by the first snowstorm, which won't be long, as the hills in front of us are covered now, and we are expecting it any time. The winter here does not start until the middle of January, and lasts until May. In fact, we had a snowstorm in June last year - and they are winters, too, aided by a strong north wind. It reminds me of being round the North Pole or somewhere up in that district. Hills are covered, plains are covered, and everything is as desolate as some unexplored country. I suppose Christmas was a quiet time this year, and I hope by next Christmas that the war is over and all the boys at home (or someone else's home). I am writing to Ken Taylor, who is in the AOC out here, and we are arranging a good time for our arrival in Blighty, and if we meet our other pals who are out here I have no doubt but that our expectations will be fulfilled. I will now draw this short letter to a close, hoping you are in the best of health.

Harrogate Herald - 7th February 1917

W H Breare letter

I have received Gunner Roland Ramsden's address. His aunt came and gave it to me on Friday. I have now despatched the gramophone records to him.

Harrogate Herald - 25th April 1917

Letters

Gunner R Ramsden writes : 

Just a few lines to thank you for the parcel I received today. Also to thank you for the records which I received a day or two ago. I should have written sooner to thank you for them, but the Bulgars have had our devoted attention for the last week or so. The records were in good condition, and they are highly appreciated by all of us. The other parcel had evidently been returned, as Messrs Wray enclosed a slip of paper and the first address, which was lacking the brigade, and it seem only a slight error, but there are dozens more C Batteries out here. Nevertheless, it was received in good condition and enjoyed, and Mr Ogden has my most grateful thanks. I do not know his private address or I would write and thank him myself, but I hope you will do me a favour by expressing my many thanks to him. I am writing this in a hurry, as I don't know how long the Bulgars will keep quiet, and they are distributing gas shells amongst us, and you cannot write very well with a gas mask on. Weather still continues to be ideal. I wrote to Mr Parkin immediately I received the records. I have not dropped across any Harrogate boys yet, but as we are still in the same position I have not had much chance.

Harrogate Herald - 30th May 1917

Letters

Gunner R Ramsden, writing from Salonica, says : 

I could not write and thank you before, as I have been laid up with fever, and am at present on a hospital ship getting a little sea air just to get me up again. I had a letter from Private Capstick, whom you gave my address to a few weeks ago, and I hope to be able to see him when I go to the convalescent camp.