The Telegraph Book of Readers' Letters from the Great War (8 page)
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Authors: Gavin Fuller
Yours faithfully,
Equity
SIR â I feel sure if owners of motor cars realised the urgent need of motor ambulances to convey the wounded from the field of battle to the various hospitals there would be many more offers than have recently been made.
The fact that wounded men have succumbed to their injuries, and that transport by train is painfully slow owing to delays
at sidings and other circumstances, should, I think, call for a special effort on the part of all who wish to relieve suffering.
I have recently had occasion personally to observe at Sézanne and other stations in France the misery of our soldiers in the trains. I have spoken to wounded men lying on the floor of vans, condemned to one painful position during many weary hours of jolting. Such trains take from ten to twenty hours to do a journey which by motor car would be done in two or three hours. Surely with our many relief funds and charities this should be the paramount charity to engage our attention.
Yours faithfully,
Nora Logan
170 Piccadilly, W.
SIR â I see that Major W.B. Fry, RAMC, who is well known to us in Woolwich, together with a number of other doctors, was taken prisoner by the Germans on 23 August.
Our Woolwich medical officer of health, Dr Sidney Davies, who was on holiday at the outbreak of the war, is still detained in Germany.
Should there not be at once a prompt exchange, or better still a prompt liberation of doctors, so that they may at once attend to their duties under the most favourable conditions?
Faithfully yours,
C.H. Grinling
17 Rectory Place, Woolwich, S.E.
13 October 1914
Lady French's Appeal
SIR â I have been requested by the authorities at the War Office to collect 250,000 mufflers as quickly as possible for the use of our troops at the front. I shall, therefore, be most grateful for contributions either in money or kind towards the fulfilment of this object.
The mufflers should be two and a half yards long by twelve inches wide, with no fringes (but other sizes would be accepted), and the colour of the wool should be khaki or grey.
Parcels containing mufflers, if sent by post, should be addressed to me at the Manor House, Waltham Cross, Herts, but, if sent by rail, should be forwarded to Enfield Station (GNR).
I am continuing to keep open my fund for the supply of socks and shirts, contributions to which should be sent to the depot at 54 Beauchamp Place, S.W. I would venture to request contributors to either scheme to be so kind as to mark their goods âcarriage paid', as in many instances railway charges have had to be paid twice over.
Might I add that I have now ninety women working for me, both at Messrs Harrods and also in a room kindly lent me by Messrs Tudor? These women would otherwise be out of work owing to the war, and I am naturally anxious to obtain sufficient funds to enable me to keep them employed throughout the winter.
Yours faithfully,
Eleonora French
The Manor House, Waltham Cross, Herts
SIR â At a time such as the present, when the people of Britain are amalgamating to make the lot of the soldiers on active service as pleasant as possible, I think it a crying shame that my wife should be charged 6d postage on such a paltry article as six envelopes and a similar number of sheets of notepaper. As everyone knows, the pay a soldier can allow
his wife is small enough, without having it reduced by such exorbitant charges as these.
Hoping you will have the space to insert this in your valuable paper, and probably bring same to the notice of the Postmaster-General.
I am, Sir, yours faithfully,
Coldstreamer, on active service
15 October 1914
Hearty Support From All Quarters Duke of Norfolk's Letter
SIR â May I be allowed to say how thankful I am that the
Daily Telegraph
has set on foot the Shilling Fund for the Belgian refugees?
England's loyalty to treaties and Belgium's heroic sacrifice and stubborn fight to uphold the same cause are two of the great inspiring facts which this war will pass on to history.
Your fund not only bears a practical testimony of sympathy to those who in this connection are most worthy of help, but it
spreads broadcast the opportunity of proving that the obligation laid upon us is widely felt by all classes in our country.
I remain, your faithful servant,
Norfolk
Norfolk House, St James's Square, S.W.
SIR â I feel it is a great honour and privilege to plead the cause of the brave Belgians who, under storm and stress of battle against a powerful and relentless foe, with their small army, by the wonderful stand they have made on behalf of King and country, have called forth the admiration of the civilised world. May I hope and trust that the fund your newspaper is raising as our debt of honour to the brave Belgians will meet with the success which it merits.
I do not doubt it. I feel assured that everyone, rich and poor alike, will welcome this opportunity of paying their small tribute, and I ask you to accept 100 shillings with my best wishes for your success.
Alas! nothing can restore to Belgium what she has lost in brave men and glorious monuments, but the tale of the courage and heroism of the King and his people will remain in the pages of history, and prove an example to generations yet unborn. Neither time nor circumstance can efface the memory of brave
deeds, and already the Belgians have enlisted the sympathy of the whole world by the patience and courage with which they have borne their terrible misfortunes.
Yours faithfully,
Susan Somerset
35 Grosvenor Square, W.
SIR â Our attention has been drawn to the appeal to the British public now being made in the columns of your newspaper for funds to alleviate the dreadful sufferings of the Belgian people.
As this fund has received the approbation not only of His Excellency the Belgian Minister, but also of Her Royal Highness the Duchess of Vendome, and of His Majesty King Albert himself, your appeal is based on such high authority that it partakes at once of a national character.
We therefore have much pleasure in sending you herewith our cheque for £250 (5,000s), and with hearty good wishes for the success of the Fund.
We are, dear Sir, yours faithfully,
Huntley & Palmers (Ltd)
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