All posts by Elizabeth Hibbett Webb

My aim is to publish, in date order, the letters my father, Private Bertie Hibbett, wrote home to Walsall, almost twice a week, from 1914 – 1918. His self-styled ‘humble scribblings’ give a vivid picture of what it was like to be a Private in Kitchener’s Army but, with their original drawings, sketches and photographs, they provide an important collection of primary source material for social historians in this centenary year of the outbreak of the Great War. As a child I was more aware of the 1st World War than of the 2nd, through which I grew up. My father was Vicar of St Vedast’s Church, Tathwell, Lincolnshire and I was never allowed to forget that my birthday was also St Vedast’s Day, for this was an ever present reminder to him of his dawn sentry duty on Easter Day 1915, at Neuville St. Vaast, Messines. * Like my grandfather, Arthur Hibbett, Chief Inspector of Schools for the Borough of Walsall, my career has been in education; mainly in higher and further education, where I taught courses in historical and literary interpretation & methodology. I have a BA Hons.degree in Theology and History from the University of Nottingham and a Master’s degree in Hermeneutics from the University of Bristol. My first teaching post was at Luton High School, then I became Lecturer & Senior Lecturer in Theology and Religious Studies at the College of St Matthias, Fishponds, teaching the University of Bristol, B.Ed. degree. After my marriage, in 1971, to David Kester Webb (painter, photographer and teacher), I became the first Open University Tutor Counsellor and Associate Lecturer in North Devon, from 1974 until 2000. During that time I also taught Religious Studies ‘A’ level at North Devon College. Kester and I published our book, The Hidden Edge of Exmoor,in 2011 (www.thematic-trails.org). This is the story of our life-time’s climbing exploration of the Exmoor Coast at Sea-level; literally hands on geology. We have two offspring: Rebekah (Consultant in International Development: Gender/HIV/Aids) and Martin Vedast, (Project Manager in Ceramics for Disabled Adults). * NB The name Vedast or Vaast means Foster in English. St Vedast was a 4th C. saint, patron of numerous churches in N. Europe, chiefly of Arras Cathedral. Apart from St Vedast Tathwell, the only other church in the Uk with this patronage is St Vedast, Foster Lane London.

22nd AUGUST 1915: CHURCH TENT A ‘MOTLEY OF COLOUR’ & SISTER’S ‘BRIGHT THINGS’.

August 29, 2015 Elizabeth Hibbett Webb Leave a comment

Pte BERTIE HIBBETT: Ward 6. No 9. General Hospital: LETTER to MOTHER, Marie Neal HIBBETT, 95, Foden Rd, Walsall, forwarded on by Ida to 7, Victoria Square, Whitby. (1). In Red White & Blue. Sunday Aug 22/15

My Very Dear Mother,

MARIE NEAL HIBBETT: 53 in 1914. — MARIE NEAL HIBBETT:
54 in 1915.

Today is Sunday & I have just come back from a beautiful little service inside a tent. Neat little chairs, & neat little forms, scrubbed white, a beautiful little altar covered with a nice plain green cloth. On the altar was laid a beautiful brass cross, & vases in which were some lovely white flowers.

A soldier in khaki rang ‘The Bell’, which was in the form of a bar of iron & to make it ring the soldier smote it with a wooden hammer – quite a good imitation. Then in came some patients in Royal Blue suit, white shirts & wearing scarlet ties, just like me. Yes, in Red, White & Blue, the Hospital Dress. Then soon after, a few nurses (Sisters we call ’em) came & sat down in the chairs, they looked so ‘spick an’ span’ in their caps & aprons so perfectly white. Then in came the organist or rather a nurse who sat down to a fine piano. Then the clergyman, a very gentlemanly M.A., no bombast at all about him. He walked up the aisle to his little stained wooden desk & prepared the service.

Then a whole party of R.A.M.C. Soldiers in khaki came in & we had a good few, ‘a handsome little muster of souls’ altogether. A nice motley of colour – to see the scarlet copes of the Sisters, the hood of the priest, the green & white of the altar, the blue of the patients’ uniform & the khaki of the R.A.M.C.

SYDNEY HIBBETT 20 in 1914. — SYDNEY HIBBETT.
21 in 1915.

The service started with that glorious old Hymnal March ‘Onward Christian Soldiers’ (2). I think of Sydney when I think of this hymn now, praying that he may go ‘Onward’, while he is the indirect cause of me resting here.

The sermon was good & just right for the congregation, about prayer, why some are not answered. Then the climax of the service came, after the sermon we had that hymn reminding me so much of your dear daughter & my affectionate sister.

The Sister at the piano played exquisitely & we all joined in the anthem tune of ‘As pants the hart for cooling streams’ (3) & a sweet voice from one of the Sisters sent me back to the memories of Ida as a nurse.

I spoke of resting here. Well as a matter of fact we have work to do. Just a bit of light duty in the way of house wifery. I was orderly one day, but owing to vaccination & the irritation of sores round the ankle Sister put me on ‘The Bright Things’, as she calls the dinner tins & trays & milk cans.

Well isn’t it funny Mummy, you said I was fond of brightening, when I mentioned Sydney’s bayonet. Well I of my own accord cleaned a dozen or more rusty knives (included in the bright things) which looked as if they had never been cleaned for half a century. Yes Mummy your painstaking & care will – & always will leave a trace in the family.

I was told to pick up all the rockeries around the front of the hut & put them beautifully straight again. Well here again, you can tell the reflection of your nature upon mine – I scrubbed all the stones, they looked so dirty & the result gained great commendation from the Senior Sister.

I will close now. Hoping again that you are enjoying a sunny Sunday like it is here, all together & another nice evening’s walk. I can picture the calm sea & sunset of a Sunday’s evening.

Mum, you know I like bread butter pudding, well I had a second serving for Sunday’s dinner & it was so nice, with currants & large sultanas in & custard on TOP, poor Sydney. I hope to rejoin him soon & be proud to live the campaign through, yet above all how nice it would be if Home Leave would buck up in coming eh Mum.

Best love, Bertie.

PS It takes a week for a letter to come from England. So if you wrote last Sunday afternoon I should not get the letter till tomorrow Monday. I went to the 6.30 Holy Communion this morning too in the tent. You can let Ida read this letter if you like. I addressed this Home, as I guess you will be home in a week’s time, the length of time this letter will take. (1)

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(1) This Letter only took 3 days instead of Bertie’s expected week so Ida forwarded it on to Whitby.

170px-Sullivan-1870 — **Arthur Sullivan**.

(2) 19th Cent. Hymn: Onward Christian Soldiers. Sabine Baring Gould. 1865. Music: Arthur Sullivan. 1871.

(3) Anthem: As Pants the Hart for Cooling Streams. George Frederick Handel (5 versions 1713 -1738, for use in Chapel Royal). Words (based on Psalm 42) attributed to John Arbuthnot, 1667 -1735. Scottish physician, mathematician and political satirist, (John Bull series).

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SOUTH STAFFORDS WAR DIARY shows Lance Corporal Sydney Hibbett still in Reserve Camp.

20th – 22nd Ouderdom ‘F’ Hutments, Divisional Reserve.

NEXT POSTS: Apologies for late posting of Letters dated 22nd, 25th, 26th, 29th & 30th AUGUST 1915. (I needed a walking break in the Lake District and will be back to original post dates by end of August).

20TH AUGUST 1915: ‘IN RED WHITE & BLUE’ & ‘BLOOD OUT OF ORDER’.

August 20, 2015 Elizabeth Hibbett Webb Leave a comment

Pte BERTIE HIBBETT, ROUEN: Ward 6, No 9. GENERAL HOSPITAL . LETTER to MOTHER, Marie Neal HIBBETT, c/o Mrs Hardcastle, 7, The Square, Whitby.

In Red White & Blue. Friday Aug. 20/ 15.

Marie Neal Hibbett 53 in 1915 — **Marie Neal Hibbett. 53 in 1915**

My Dear Mother,

Don’t you feel sorry for Sydney? I do – don’t feel sorry for me. (Just gone to put another record on the Pathephone) (1) – ’Cos I am quite happy you know.

I am in No 6. Ward of No 9. General Hospital. Oh! the difference after coming from the trenches – all spick & span neat beds, neat everything and meals served out to us. Porridge for brekker, vegetables with our dinner & cocoa & milk at night.

Pathephone Advertisement 1915. — Pathephone Advertisement. 1915.

All this I owe to Sydney, who I found out consequently, had recommended me for a rest. Twenty of us came down a week last Monday & all had to go up the line again 4 days afterwards.

Thought I was going, but there happened to be a Medical Inspection & I was marked unfit & sent here. All wots up we me is that I’m run down, & blood out of order. So I was vaccinated larst night (2).

If you want to send me anythink it must be in the way of biscuits & chocolate if you like. I ’ope as you are still Enjoying yourselves. I guess Harold has by this time gone to Bedale (3).

Tell me when you go home. I am expecting a letter from you today. So will leave the last page blank until the post comes.

There goes the bugle for letters. We have all the bugle calls (4), in fact everything is done Regimental Style, from Parade Calls to folding the dish cloth neatly into four.

I hope Ida will keep the letters I’ve sent you so that you can read them too.

After Tea. No letters forthcoming today, rather disappointing, hope for the best tomorrow – a letter so enlivens me up. We look uncommonly like Germans with our hair cut short (5). I wonder if you could manage to send me some more hard boiled eggs like Bailey* used to get.

Best love dear Mummy, Bertie.

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Pte Bertie waited 10 days in Hospital before writing directly to his Mother, still on holiday to inform her that he was ‘run-down‘, with ‘blood out of order’. Ailments: ‘facial paralysis‘ from boils on face, neck & head; boils & sores on legs. Treatment: ‘hot fomentations’ ‘vaccination’ & shaved head to get rid of lice.

(1) Pathephone: record player. (2) Harold was new manager of pharmacy/chemist at Bedale, Yorkshire.

(3) ‘Vaccinated’: for what is unclear; could be against trench fever. (4) Bugle Calls: short tune/ military signal to announce scheduled order/ event of the day. List of Bugle Calls with music notation <http://www.wikipedia.org/wikiBugle_call>

(5) Lice & Fleas: an ever-present misery in trench life.

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Meanwhile Lance Corporal SYDNEY HIBBETT was in Reserve Camp.

SOUTH STAFFS WAR DIARY. 1 8th – 20th Aug. 1915.

OUDERDOM ‘F’ HUTMENTS, DIVISIONAL RESERVE.

NEXT POST: 22nd AUGUST, 1915. Tent Service in Colour & Sister’s ‘Bright Things’.

18TH AUGUST 1915: ROUEN ‘IN RED WHITE & BLUE & SMOILE THE WHOILE’.

August 18, 2015 Elizabeth Hibbett Webb Leave a comment

Pte BERTIE HIBBETT, ROUEN: LETTER to IDA HIBBETT, 95, Foden Rd. Walsall.

In Red White & Blue No 6. Ward, No 9. General Hospital. Woden’s Day. 18th / 8/ 15.

My Dear Sister,

I think it time to write to Mum, but somewhat shirk letting her know 1st Hand lest she should think I’m wounded –

Well anyone would think so, if they saw the way my head was bandaged up & my almost second pair of puttees. An’ Oh! Larks – if I appeared in Whitby, just as I am now, they would take me for a Pierrot acting the giddy-goat (1).

I have a gorgeous Royal blue suit lined with soft white material, having a turned down front, like these fashionable summer suits, a white shirt and a vivid scarlet tie (2).

I am scribbling this on the table in the Ward, where the beds are so neatly lined & made; the tidiness, cleanliness & general smartness of the place, together with the flowers & the sunny beams shining through the windows, are a great help in making one better.

ym34 [1600x1200].jpg.opt610x395o0,0s610x395 — **YMCA Waterloo Hut, London**.

The Ward is in the form of a YMCA hut & is installed with electric light. Oh! all is so spick & span, the effect is marvellous after coming from the muddy, ‘smelly’ trenches & dugouts to sleep in a nice neat bed & have milk pudding & hot milk once again.

I had a nice chat with a nice boy in the ward. He told me all about a charge he had been in (mentioned recently in the papers) & his description of it was indeed vivid; to get genuine tales – & told naturally, hospitals out here are the only places (3).

R.A.M.C. Hut with soldiers & nurses. Hibbett Collection but anonymous. — **DOES ANYONE RECOGNISE THEM? R.A.M.C. Hut: Soldier & Airman (with seated soldier) and Nurses. Hibbett Collection but no names or location given.**

The nurses are dressed in grey & white with short scarlet capes, so nice, but one sister is so fussy & treats us all like little b’hoys, you know – ‘Now laddie sit down – silly boy’ etc. she occasionally pops out. She once said I gave her more trouble than all the others put together – (there’s a reputation for you). But she said to a s’nice sister hardby – ‘He is a nice boy with always a smiling face’. Indeed I could not help but smoile the whoile & then she said, ‘Now sit down laddie, and let me put this fomentation on and smile’, she aptly added. So I did like – see.

The weather all the time I’ve been in hospital, ie Tuesday morning, has been delightfully sunny, but since we came down to the Camp there has been frequent heavy rains – thought the bell tent would come down one night when I slept under canvas, but not a drop came in (4).

Talking about smiling faces – you would also have a smiling face if you saw the poor chap (5) with facial paralysis (where goes the ‘y’?) smile when he hears he is going to ‘Blighty’ & the Doctor puts the Big Blue B on his head board, meaning ‘Medical Board’. Yes he is going, as you say to his little grey home in the west – going West where I hope this letter will safely arrive. (6).

Tell me if you have received all my letters – with their corresponding dates & of course headings.

Ta Ta. Best & kindest regards to Capt. and Mrs Overend* & fam:

Your very affec. Bertie.

PS Tell me too if you manage to read this epistle word after word. I leave it to your wisdom to forward this to Mum or not? I think if you put No 6 General Base, until further notice, letters will get to me. I mun move from this hospital shortly. I hope so & indeed I should be proud to get back to the trenches again & see this campaign to the ‘finis’.

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This Letter is a good example of how Pte Bertie Hibbett relies on his sister for advice – and plays around with Black Country dialect – in an effort to protect his Mother from anxiety.

(1) Pierrot: pantomime character (from late 17th Cent.) a sad clown/ a fool – usually with white face & white long-sleeved clothes. Acting the giddy goat: ‘behaving foolishly’. [Giddy: ‘foolish’ ‘stupid’; ‘capricious/ changeable’ from Latin ‘capra’ goat].

(2) & (3) First-hand information on WW1 Hospitals/ Uniform etc see:The Project Gutenberg EBook Diary of a Nursing Sister on the Western Front 1914 -1915. <http://pgdp.net>

Poem: ‘Early Morning over Rouen’. May Wedderburn Cannon 1893 -1973. selected by Philip Larkin for Oxford Book of 20th Century English Verse. 1973.

(4) No 12 Gen. Hospital was mainly in tents. (5) ‘Facial paralysis’ could refer to another patient but I think my father is the ‘poor chap‘ (face stiff with boils and bandaging) who would ‘smoile‘ if he saw the official ‘Big Blue B‘ on his head board & got a ‘Blighty‘.

MEANWHILE Lance Corporal SYDNEY HIBBETT was still at the Front.

SOUTH STAFFORDS WAR DIARY.

S.W, SLOPE OF HILL 60.

15th Aug. Sun: Old trench between 37 and German trench opposite reconnoitred by a patrol and found to be clear of enemy. Four rounds fired by our trench mortar, enemy replied with 5 trench mortar shells without doing damage. Enemy shrapneled 365 and the Strong point in the wood. Two enemy mortars located. CASUALTY WOUNDED: 7863 Pte A. Leaming.

16th Aug, Mon: Enemy opened rapid fire for about 10 minutes on 35 trench at 12.45 am. At about 5.pm enemy opened rapid fire on our aeroplane. Estimate from volume of fire that their numbers are about equal to our own in the trenches. 17th Aug. Tue: Grenaded and bombed enemy trench. Germans replied with trench mortars into (Railway) Cutting, compelling our working party to cease work. Enemy shrapnelled 35 and 35 support trench between 7 and 7.30 am. Our guns replied. Artillery of both sides damaged 35 trench parapet. CASUALTIES WOUNDED: 9985 Pte J. T. Rowley, 9293 Pte J. Hickinbottom. Relieved by 6th North Staffs about 11. pm.

18th Aug. Wed. OUDERDOM ‘F’ HUTMENTS DIVISIONAL RESERVE.

NEXT POST: 20th AUGUST 1915. Red White & Blue Blood Out of Order.

16TH AUGUST 1915. ROUEN: ‘ALL IN BANDAGE’.

August 16, 2015 Elizabeth Hibbett Webb Leave a comment

Pte BERTIE HIBBETT, ROUEN: LETTER in ink to IDA HIBBETT, 95, Foden Rd, Walsall.

‘All in Bandage’. Rest Camp. Aug. 16/ 15.

My Dear Sister,

I did envy your capital heading – ‘The Little Grey Home in The West’ (1) and don’t you think you were the only one who thought it was their own original idea.

Got such a long epistle from Dodger to us both on his doings during the first week at Whitby. Sorry Sydney cannot read it. Got it the same day yours arrived here so they are forwarded on to me.

Anyone would think I was wounded by the way my head is bandaged up all over with hot fomentations (2) – & on my legs. I might say I have another pair of puttees (3) ’cos of the bandaging.

‘Unable to sleep at nights through heartburn’ sounds like reading from one of those cases in Dr Williams ‘Pink Pills for Pale People’ which are popped under the front door eh! (4)

Glad to hear from you at last & more still to hear that you are having a good time – & with the jolly gal who dreams & walks in her sleep to greet those ‘B’hoys who are not’, as so beautifully pictured, at Home Sweet Home with their only sister eatin & relishin & patronising her dainty dishes & fine cookery. My advice is – tell her to go on dreaming such dreams, but don’t get hurt again.

But let’s keep up to the highest matters & do & die eh what! – Yes indeed, whateffer & we shall, afore England’s under – but that will never be & we shan’t die. Q.E.D. see. (5)

Ta Ta. Bertie.

PS (In pencil) Have written to 3 Hibbetts – one in Whitby, one in Yorkshire, one in Staffordshire. (6)

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(1) ‘Little Grey Home in the West‘: WW1 popular sentimental song. D. Eardley Wilmot. 1911. Sung by Australian baritone Peter Dawson; recorded 1912. Youtube.

(2) Hot fomentation /poultice: ‘hot moist substances applied to body to draw abscesses’ treat inflamation & reduce pain. VAD nurses taught to use these in WW1. (I remember my Mother using hot saline solution & bandaging for sceptic fingers & whitlows).

(3) Puttee/ from Hindu ‘patti ‘(bandage): canvas/ cloth binding, wound in cross-over pattern round leg from ankle to knee, for support & protection. (4) ‘Pink Pills’. Cure-all medication/energiser/tonic (iron oxide & magnesium sulphate) for blood & nerves; produced, 1890 by G.T. Fulford & Co. under trade name ‘Dr Williams’. (Often suggested by my Dad as a joke when we were off-colour as children).

(5) Q.E.D. Quad erat demonstrandum: Latin from the Greek ‘which had to be proven‘; traditionally placed at end of mathematic/scientific proof or philosophical argument.

(6) Basil in Whitby; Auntie Pattie (Miss M. Hibbett) in York & Ida in Walsall.

NEXT POST: 18th AUGUST. 1915. ‘In Red White & Blue‘

14TH AUGUST 1915: No 6. GENERAL HOSPITAL, ROUEN.

August 14, 2015 Elizabeth Hibbett Webb Leave a comment

BERTIE HIBBETT: 19 in 1914. — **BERTIE HIBBETT.**

Pte BERTIE HIBBETT: Y.M.C.A. (1) POSTCARD to Mr BASIL HIBBETT c/o Mrs Hardcastle, 7, Victoria Sq, Whitby, Yorkshire. (Censor M. Davey)

Basil Hibbett Age 18. 1916. — Basil Hibbett in 1916. Age 18..

YMCA PC.

Date 14/ 8/ 15. 8 am.

Got your interesting PC last night which was forwarded from the Front to me at No 6 General Base, Rouen (2). Am looking forward to your long letter & tell me if you get my letter I wrote on the 12th.

Best love to Mum & all of you. Bertie.

6 pm. Just got a letter from you & Ida as I am off to post this lovely sunny evening.

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SOUTH STAFFORDS WAR DIARY

S. W. SLOPE OF HILL 60.

13 th Aug. Fri: Enemy shrapnelled our working party in 37 new Communication Trench, slightly damaging the parapet. Our Artillery replied damaging enemy parapet. Vicinity of 35 support shrapnelled by enemy without doing any damage. CASUALTIES: WOUNDED: 8079 Pte W. Aldridge; 9055 Pte B. Chamberlain; 9067 Pte E. Jones accidentally wounded.

14th Aug, Sat: Suspicious noises reported under 35 Trench about 2 am. Nothing further heard during the day. CASUALTIES: WOUNDED: 9582 Pte W. Ellis; 9647 Pte B. G. Humphries; 8839 Sgt. W. J. Callow; 91 85 Cpl. H. W. Green, slightly wounded remain at duty.****

Lance Corp. SYDNEY HIBBETT: FIELD SERVICE POSTCARD to Miss I. N. HIBBETT, 95, Foden Rd. Walsall.

I am quite well and am going on well. I have received your letter dated Aug 9th. Letter follows at first opportunity. Sydney.

Aug. 14th 1915.

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(1) Young Men’s Christian Association. (cf Letter 20th Feb. 1915. Saffron Walden ‘YMCA Hut Opened’, one of nearly 300 in first year of War). Note Red Triangle symbol in photo below.

Y.M.C.A. Trench Dugout Cafe. — **Y.M.C.A. ‘Red Triangle’ Front Line Hut.**

(2) B.E.F. ROUEN: No 6 Gen. Hospital is not mentioned in ‘A Little Book of Words & Doings’ for 10th Oct 1915, but like No 9. & No 12. Hospitals, No 6. was in the vicinity of Rouen race courses. cf Great War Forum, ‘Old Sweats’ online. <http://www.worldwar1.com/dbc/ymca.php>

NEXT POST: 16th AUGUST 1915. All in Bandage.

12TH AUGUST 1915. HOSPITAL ROUEN: BOILS ‘UNFIT FOR ENTRENCHING’.

August 12, 2015 Elizabeth Hibbett Webb Leave a comment

Pte BERTIE HIBBETT: A Little Book of Words & Doings (1).

‘ Went for a Rest to Base at Rouen, Medical Inspection. After 4 days I was stated unfit for Entrenching. Sent to 12 General Hospital & 9 Gen. Hospital with boils (2). Fine sunny weather. Lovely wards at No 12. Two Irish sisters at No 9. Fussy little elderly sister. Fine time at YMCA Huts – attended Bible Class in afternoon. Good food at T.B. (3). Learnt chess at YMCA with Ruberry.’

FIELD SERVICE POSTCARD to Arthur Hibbett Esq. c/o Mrs Hardcastle, 7, Victoria Square, Whitby, Yorkshire, England . Same FPC to Ida Hibbett, 95, Foden Rd Walsall.

ARTHUR HIBBETT: 56 in 1914. — ARTHUR HIBBETT:
56 in 1915.

I am quite well. I am sent down to the base. Letter follows at first opportunity.

Bertie Hibbett Aug. 12th/15.

Rouen. 1915. PC to Ida Oct . 1915. from Bertie Hibbett. — **ROUEN. PC to Ida Hibbett from Bertie Hibbett. 11th Oct 1915.**

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Lance Corporal SYDNEY HIBBETT remained at the Front.

SOUTH STAFFORDS WAR DIARY. S.W. SLOPE OF HILL 60.

11th Aug. Wed: Very quiet day. Aeroplanes of both sides very active. CASUALTY: 8825 Pte S.J. Parkes slightly wounded. Remained at duty.

12th Aug Thurs. Enemy grenades fell short of 37 trench. Enemy working party observed and bombed opposite 36 trench. Sounds of enemy mining reported by listeners in defensive mine in 37 trench but could not determine in what direction. Hill 60 trench mortared from 37 trench. CASUALTIES: WOUNDED: 7886 Pte S. Noble. 9415 Pte W. Pearson.

(1) Note Book most probably begun in Hospital at Rouen. Aug. – Oct. 1915.

(2) ROUEN: B.E.F. General Headquarters in France. Many R.A.M.C. Stationary & General Hospitals. Main point of Red Cross casualty evacuation to England (getting a ‘Blighty‘ – See Bertie’s question on PC to Ida, 11th Oct. 1915 above). No 12 Gen. Hospital Rouen held 1,350 beds in tents. No 12 (and possibly No 9) were in vicinity of ‘champs de courses’ (race courses), cf ‘Great War Forum‘ ‘The Long Long Trail’ and ‘Old Sweats‘ online.

(2) T.B. (Territorial Base).

NEXT POST: 14th AUGUST 1915.

10th AUGUST 1915. “EARL CARDIGAN IN FROCK COAT, FANCY SOCKS, SWAGGER CANE & CIGAR ASTONISHED THE ENEMY”.

August 10, 2015 Elizabeth Hibbett Webb Leave a comment

SOUTH STAFFORDS WAR DIARY

YVES CANAL TRENCHES – RAILWAY DUGOUTS.

9th Aug. Mon: Furnished Working Parties to RE. CASUALTY: 6443 L/ Cpl J. Williams wounded. 10th Aug.Tue: Ditto.

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Pte BERTIE HIBBETT: A Little Book of Words & Doings.

“Aug. 10th 1915: Last conversation with Capt. Cozens* (Tim) on leaving Railway Dugouts. Not been five minutes with him before a whole crowd was round him. Talked of a Charge in which Earl Cardigan (1) , dressed in civvies with frock coat, fancy socks, swagger cane & cigar astonished the enemy. Offered Tim a State Express cig. Harper* and Serg Major Gee* whom I saw also. All three killed while I was at Rouen. Aug – Oct 14th.“

Lance Corporal SYDNEY HIBBETT: FIELD SERVICE POSTCARD to Miss I. Hibbett, 95, Foden Rd, Walsall.

Field Post card from Sydney Hibbett to Ida Hibbett. 10th Aug. 1915. — **Field Post Card from L/Crpl Sydney Hibbett to Ida Hibbett. 10th Aug. 1915.**

I am quite well. I am going on well. Letter follows at first opportunity.

Sydney. Aug 10th/ 15 .

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On Tues, 10th August, 1915, Pte Bertie Hibbett was sent down to B.E.F. Base at Rouen for a Rest. He had been ‘recommended for a rest’ by R.A.M.C. since 25th July. His feet were considered unfit for the march from Wulverghem to Ouderdom Divisonal Base, Ypres Salient, so he went by ‘ambulance’.

(1) Earl Cardigan, 1872 – 1961: George William James Chandos Brudenell-Bruce, 6th Marquis of Ailesbury, styled ‘Earl of Cardigan’ from 1894. Boer War awarded D.S.O. (Distinguished Service Order). WW1 mentioned in Despatches/ awarded T.D. (Territorial Decoration). Knight of the Garter/ St John; J.P; Deputy Lieutenant of Wiltshire.

(2) ‘Swagger cane’. A short stick (not cane) made of rattan. Symbol of one in authority usually military. e.g. Roman Army centurions in Punic Wars. 264-146 BC.

NEXT POST: 12th AUGUST 1915.

8th AUGUST 1915: YVES CANAL RAILWAY DUGOUTS: NO SMOKING ON SUNDAYS.

August 8, 2015 Elizabeth Hibbett Webb Leave a comment

SOUTH STAFFORDS WAR DIARY

YVES CANAL TRENCHES – RAILWAY DUGOUTS R7. R8. (1)

3rd Aug,Tue: In Brigade Reserve. One platoon and one Machine Gun R7. One section R8. 4th Aug. to 8th Aug: Furnished Working Parties to RE. CASUALTIES: 5th Aug: WOUNDED: 8397 Sgt. J. W. Barber. 6th Aug: KILLED: 8835 Pte J. Harker. 8th Aug: WOUNDED: 9612 Pte W. Bradley, 9082 Pte C. Mocroft.

Pte BERTIE HIBBETT : LETTER to IDA HIBBETT, 95, Foden Rd Walsall.

Paddling (Summer Holidays). Sunday Aug 8/ 15.

My Dear Sister,

I was really expecting a letter from you when I went to the pile of letters & parcels this morning but the only thing for us was a huge neatly wrapped up box of good things from Whitby.

I have just enjoyed the cake, forgive me dear Ida, I do like some good cake & a hot drink of tea, so I got a mess tin of water & made some tea from Mother’s she sent. I also tucked into the apricot & had a slice of cucumber on a tea cake.

Sydney digs out farther down the line. We are in some dugouts along the . . . (words crossed out)

censored . . . and end missing.

Sydney & Bertie Hibbett. QMS Cadets with Basil & parents. 1911. Photo: Harold. Hibbett. — **Sydney & Bertie Hibbett. QMS Cadets with Basil & parents. 1911. Photo: Harold Hibbett. 65 x 65 mm**

A.H. Hibbett: Family Photograph Album.

‘This photograph was with me when I saw Ypres Cloth Hall shelled to the ground. Railway Dugouts, Yves Canal Railway Embankment’. [Kept in his Little Khaki Case].

Ypres Sept 5th 1915 small file — **” YPRES: Les Halles (The Markets) apres le bombardment par les Allemagne. La Guerre 1914 – 1915″. L. C. H. Paris. PC sent to Ida Hibbett, September 1915.**

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LETTER to MOTHER & FATHER in Whitby, Yorks (first page missing/ address on the back).

Mount Pleasant, Railway Dugout Sunday Aug 8/ 15.

. . . How long is he (2) staying in Whitby?

I see you have to do with a pencil now on holiday & I wonder if you are writing again this afternoon. Glad you like the house. I fancy it is in the Square where Miss Foster* took apartments. Have you heard from her lately? How do you get on with the landlady? Sorry the weather is not so ‘nice’ as it should be.

Whitby. Watercolour. A.H. Hibbett. from PC — **Whitby. Watercolour. A.H. Hibbett. (8″ x10 “). 1920s (cf. PC. The Linden Series).**

I have taken some sheets from the note pad & Sydney has the pad in the box.

We had cold meat (mutton) today & if I had been early enough to go & see the parcel I should have had some cucumber with the meat. Well I can enjoy it between a slice of bread & butter. We expect to be in the trenches tomorrow.

Harold & Miss Bore* I hope are enjoying a really good time & I hope Harold feels comfi within hisself like you, knowing he deserved his holiday.

Don’t let the holiday be spoilt by thinking of us too much. I am feeling better today thank you Mummy. Yes I am so sorry about poor Jack Wade. “Blessed are they that mourn for they shall be comforted” (3) – but we must mourn properly & it must not have any taint of selfishness .

Saltwick Bay. — **SALTWICK BAY, Yorkshire.**.

Whitby I daresay is quiet now – is it bracing & are there rough seas? You will spend one or two days at Salwick (4) & Goathland & have a wash in the sea & get brown eh!

Send us PCs of the places you go to & we can then hang them up in our dugouts.

I went digging again this morning in a trench round a lovely French house & got some flowers to decorate ‘Mount Pleasant’ – & I have Miss Bore’s PC of Sutton Park hung up & the one of our house again.

I daresay you have received my letters which I told Ida to forward to you. Tell me if you have them as I acknowledged the ripping currant bread, I did enjoy a good tea a week last Saturday. I can picture you all going shopping in Whitby for the contents of this last parcel. What a big one, how neatly it was packed & wrapped up. Convey my best thanks to Harold for the handsome, useful, solid, substantial case & such fine cigarettes. (By the by I do not smoke on Sundays, just to make a difference to weekdays). His gifts always seem to come the day after I write a letter to him.

**8th August 1915: Thin/ Flimsy note paper.**

Can you read this letter dear Mummy? I wrote on both sides on some sheets & found that it made the writing indistinct. I am looking forward to the lovely book of yours & the surprise – a bit of chocolate in me mouth now.

They want me to go for my rations now so will finish this when I have been. I should like this letter to go today but if I enjoy a good tea I might tell you in this letter how I liked the cake.

– Have come back – decided to tell you in my letter to Basil which I shall write in a day or so.

I read the lesson you had today, the one you will likely hear tonight, if you go, will be about Jeremiah (4) having his hand withered at the altar. Sydney told me I had missed Holy Communion when I went digging this morning. Sydney went & it was held in a cowhouse I believe.

Tea is on the boil in the brazier. Are you having a good tea? I can see you all round a nice table with white cloth on. I told you about the empty bed in Harold’s letter.

Best love to all Bertie.

PS Enclosed see the flower we often picked on holidays. Our Chaplain says it is Meadowsweet.

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1) Ypres/ Yves. The city with its Cloth Hall (Medieval market halls for sale of quality woollen/ woven cloth/ a major commercial centre) was under constant bombardment throughout 1914 -1918. (2) Basil. (3) Matthew 5.4. Beatitude. (4) Salwick or Saltwick Bay: famous for its geology, fossils and ammonites.

(5 )1 Kings 13. 4: Lesson 10th Sunday of Trinity: Bertie mistakes Jeremiah forJereboam c. 922 -901: first King, Northern Israelite Kingdom (10 tribes). When he refused to believe a prophet’s warning that his ungodly altar would be destroyed by the House of David (3 southern tribes) his hand was withered as a sign. cf 2 Kings 23, 13-16.

NEXT POST: 10th AUGUST: Field Post Card.

2ND AUGUST 1915: TRENCH 32, HILL 60. ‘THE TREES ARE NOTHING BUT TRUNKS NOW’.

August 2, 2015 Elizabeth Hibbett Webb Leave a comment

SOUTH STAFFORDS WAR DIARY.

S. W. SLOPE OF HILL 60.

2nd August, Mon: Mine explosion heard in the vicinity of St Eloi. Enemy trench mortared 37. Rifle fire much heavier than usual before daylight.

Enemy working party observed in same position as yesterday, was dispersed by 3rd Staffs Battery. Between 9.20 and 10.00 am enemy shrapneled 35, 36 and support trenches, parapet damaged in three places. Wind S.W. CASUALTY: KILLED: 8768 Pte J. Field. Relieved by 6th North Staffs about 10.30 pm.

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Pte BERTIE HIBBETT: A Little Book of Words & Doings.

‘Bank Holiday’. In Trench 32, Hill 60, Listening Post with Charlie Harrison* (brother killed later – Oct 13 th). Sent souvenir card to Ida. Mother, Dad & Basil on holiday at Whitby. Received PC of Bombardments when at Railway Dugouts’.

LETTER to IDA HIBBETT, 95, Foden Rd, Walsall.

Bank Holiday (2). Anniversary of Declaration of War. 2/ 8/ 15.

My Dear Sister Ida,

Just come off fatigue – last journey through woods with big bag of coke.

Sanctuary Wood Tree Trunk. — Sanctuary Wood Tree Trunk with bomb crater.

The trees are nothing but trunks now & last night the sun, setting like a ball of fire, looked mystic as it shone through the straight tall trunks, some broken half way down (3).

I have just had a peep into my khaki photo case – I see your smiling face looking up as if at me with my hands folded at the back of my neck & Mother’s prophetic look as if she would miss her two sons sometime.

Then I wanted to feel cool, for it is hot again today, & so I looked at Sydney, Basil & me peeping out of the tent.

**Hibbett Heads: Sydney, Bertie and Basil. Abergele 1914.**

We have been thinking of you & those at Whitby, Sydney and I.

Ida, it seems as though Mother & Father will return to see the beds Mother got ready, in case we had leave, untouched – but I heard that leave has been extended & there will be a likely chance of everyman getting home. Sergeants first & married men next (4).

I had dinner of my own cooking recipe:– boiled some potatoes (found while on digging night shift) for 1/4 hour then put some bully beef in & let boil, then some pea soup – served, tasted & liked it. – Another journey on fatigue after – and now I will finish my epistle.

How dost thee like the card – just for a moment of August 1st – in the trenches? By the by you can tell Mum that we got her parcel in the trenches too. About the socks – well when I got Mrs Barrans*’ pair I gave them to Sydney as he needed a clean pair badly & so Sydney has given me his he received on Saturday. Tell Mrs Barrans how greatly indebted I am to her & they will save my life (5). Yours, dear Ida, are so nice & soft & I felt a difference immediately.

Well I am going to have a ‘faire un petit somme’ (6) now so Good Luck to you & hope you’ll keep ’appy all alone in 95.

Best love Bertram.

PS You can send this to Mother if you like & tell me if you got & forwarded the one yesterday to Mum.

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A Note on Hill 60 Trench Numbers:- Pte Bertie Hibbett records he was in Trench 32, Hill 60, Listening Post on Aug. 2nd ‘Bank Holiday’, but the South Staffords War Diary makes no mention of Trench 32.

On 17th July, the Diary states the 1/5th Staffords took over the sector, described by J.D. Hillis of 5th Leicesters as ‘containing trenches 35 at ‘Bomb Corner’, 36 and 37 up to the Railway‘ – and their support trenches and that they were in Trench 38 on July 28th. Since the Diary also records that from 3rd – 9th Aug. the Staffords in Brigade Reserve, ‘furnished working parties to the R.E.‘, it is likely that Pte Bertie Hibbett, mining surveyor apprentice, and his Listening Post pals had already been ‘furnished’ to the R.E. in Trench 32 (cf 1st Aug. Letter to Ida).

(1) Parapet: J.D.Hillis records ‘Our parapet in this area was one’s trench, for digging was impossible, and we lived behind a sort of glorified sandbag grouse butt, six feet thick at the base and two to three feet at the top, sometimes, but not always bullet proof‘. <http://www.genealogy.com/leicestershire/salient.htm >.

(2) August Bank Holiday was 2nd August in 1915. (3) Cf. Bertie Hibbett’s poetic description of Audley End Walk, Saffron Walden ( Letter to Ida, Dec. 1914). (4) Home Leave: ‘unmarried privates last of all!’ (5) Socks: ref. to Pte Bertie’s sore ‘trench’ feet. (6) French for ‘Have a little nap‘.

NEXT POSTS: 8th AUGUST 1915. ‘Paddling Summer Holidays’ and ‘Mount Pleasant Railway Dugouts‘.

1st AUGUST 1915: WHIZBANG DUGOUT, FRIENDLY FIRE & FAMILY HOLIDAYS.

August 1, 2015 Elizabeth Hibbett Webb Leave a comment

SOUTH STAFFORDS WAR DIARY.

S.W. SLOPE of HILL 60.

1st August 1915: Howitzers shelled Hill 60 with good effect. Our 50 lbs Trench Mortar fired twice at Hill 60 & was damaged when firing the second bout, was repaired regimentally and in action again. Enemy fired 2 trench mortar shells at 37 trench without doing damage. Reserve dugouts in the Wood shelled. At 12.30 pm one of our own shells burst on parapet 35 trench, at 1.30 pm another of our own shells struck 35 Support parados. Belgians only gunners firing at the time. Enemy working party dispersed by our shrapnel. Wind S.W.

Pte BERTIE HIBBETT: LETTER to Arthur & Marie Neal Hibbett on Holiday in Whitby, with Basil and Harold & Hilda (fiancee). Censor J.O. Allday

Basil, Ida, Mother and Father on Holiday at Whitby. 1915. — **Basil Hibbett, Hilda Bore, Mother and Father on Holiday at Whitby. 1915. Photo: Harold Hibbett.**

Whizbang Dugout (1). 9th Sunday after Trinity. Aug. 1st/ 15.

My Dear Mother & Father,

You were quite right Mummy, I am a bad writer & I ramble on anything.

I really do not know how to begin this letter, for one reason the last two parcels you sent us so close together were splendid. Sydney & I enjoyed a ripping tea yesterday (Sat). I made a full mess tin of half the tea you sent us both. I did relish the currant bread which was in excellent condition again, plenty o’ currants eh! – & the pineapple was very cooling & refreshing.

Well I have a limited amount of note paper & have had to borrow this off Sydney – so please forgive me not saying all that I could say about the fine parcels if I had the paper. I must thank Basil for the delicious choc. & the cakes & hazel nuts were very good Mother. I do thank you for the useful bit more cash.

Now on Friday I was thinking of you, all the time I was on sentry at night & when Sydney passed me on his rounds we had a chat about you being all in bed.

Yesterday I had another look at the photos of us all at Abergele. Ida still smiling (I do hope she is keeping comfortable at home all on her ‘ony own’). I had a peep at Dodger with Sydney & myself in that tent.

Whitby from the Sea. Linden Series Post Card. — **Whitby from the Sea. The Linden Series Post Card. No 118.**

Dodger! will he go bathing before breakfast as he loved to do at Abergele? Yes for a good number of years the holidays have kept an unbroken record.

My thoughts go back to Uffington (2)

Ida and Sydney. On holiday with cousins at Uffington. — **Ida Hibbett riding in a hay-wain with Sydney behind (in a jersey) on holiday with cousins at Uffington, near Stamford.**

days when we had jerseys & Dodger the little scamp, deserving of his nick-name, let out the pigs & chased them through the rose garden. I hope he will have a jolly time at Whitby to rest his ‘weary brain’ after the ‘rotten’ exam.

GoathlandEd290912 — **St Maty’s Church, Goathland , North York Moor..**

Think of us both when you go on Goathland Moor (3) & have a turf-cake & tea (4) there won’t you?

Dear Mother, those at Ashton won’t so enjoy a nice holiday – I do hope that Jack Wade* will turn up safely (5). ‘They’ do say the Turks are going to be turn coats (6).

– I will pop a little chocolate in me mouth & conclude –

Ida, I dare say, has told you all about the mistake in the Field PC. I cannot tell you in detail, but Cope*, Harrison*, myself & another were down to go for a Rest. Harrison has gone & we are going but I do not know when. I got to know after I made the mistake, how queer wasn’t it? & the very day you told me in the letter – with the parcel of tomatoes. I did like the mixed fruit by the by.

Well I hope you are having fine weather this Sunday. Jolly hot here & I have been on fatigue most of the time. Not had time yet to read the Lessons for the day (7).

Best love to you all & Harold & Miss Bore*.

I will write to Harold soon.

Yours affec. Bertie.

Little Khaki Case — **Bertie Hibbett’s little Khaki Case.**

PS I read Basil’s mile long letter & was greatly interested in it indeed I was. I will write him soon. I looked at the Intercession Service Paper (8). I have got it in my case Mother.

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(1) Whizbang: small high-velocity shell making whizzing sound in flight and a bang when it hit. (2) Uffington: a village near Stamford, then in Rutland. Home of Uncle Tom & Hibbett cousins.

(3) Goathland Moor: spa village near Scarborough (North York Moors National Park). Church of St Mary. (Station / steam trains used in TV Heartbeat, film Harry Potter).

(4) Turf Cake: (‘Fat Rascal’) traditional Yorkshire recipe for scone/rock cake: made with left-over pastry /currants. (5) Jack Wade* missing on Eastern Front. The Campaign in Gallipoli (peninsular to west of Dardenelles) began in April 1915, in an attempt to attack Germany ‘by the back door of Europe’. It was a disaster: landings (often in wrong places), mountainous terrain, heat exhaustion, disease, lack of food & supplies, caused deaths of thousands. Many missing with no known grave.

(6) Ottoman Empire had entered War on side of Germany in August 1914. It declared war on all Christians except those of its allies. Genocide of Turkey’s Armenians (Christians since 4th cent) began on April 24th and was increasing in August 1915. Useful website :<http://wwwjewishvirtualhistory.org>. Turncoat: one who changes allegiance.

(7) Lessons for 9th Sunday of Trinity. Book of Common Prayer, 1662. Mattins: 1 Kings 10 v1- 25. Evensong: 1st Lesson: I Kings 11 v1-15; 2nd Lesson: I Kings 11, v 26f. (Stories of Queen of Sheba & Wisdom of Solomon).

(8) Intercession Service Paper. A United Service of Intercession was held each Wednesday during WW1. (nationwide?) (According to Walsall Observer & South Stafford Chronicle, West Midlands).

NEXT POST: 2nd AUGUST 1915: ‘The trees are only trunks now’.

The WW1 Letters and Drawings of Private Bertie Hibbett, 1/5th South Staffordshire Regiment, to his family in Walsall, will be posted again, one hundred years on, from August 1914 to November 1918, by his daughter Elizabeth Hibbett Webb. The first posting will be the Recruitment Postcard sent by Queen Mary's Grammar School Headmaster to the Hibbett family on holiday in Abergele, Wales.