BX August 25, 1916
Reported Missing But Was Not – Mrs. Post Receives Encouraging News From Son With 58th Battalion – Only Bruised
The following interesting letter was recently received by Mrs. Post, Bowes Avenue, from her son Albert, who is with the 58th Battalion. Albert was some time ago reported wounded and missing, but he was, as the letter shows, in reality never missing at all, and his injury was nothing more serious than a bad bruise. He is at present, he states, enjoying a week rest, the first he has had since Easter; Albert has two other brothers on active service, one with the 126th Peel Battalion, and the other with the 125th Brant Battalion. The letter, written Aug. 6, is as follows:
August 6, 1916
Dear Mother,
I hope you are all well at home. I am quite well and all right. We had little scrap up here since I wrote to you last, and I was reported wounded and missing. I thought I had better write and explain things to save you some anxiety. I was leaving the trench for home when something hit me on the shoulder and caused me so much pain I thought it was a bullet. I went into a dressing station to have a look at it and found out that my shoulder was all right except for a bruise. One of my chums saw me in there with my tunic off and beat it for home, saying that I was wounded. I was left alone and had no one to come home with me, so had to stay there for two hours. We are not allowed to come back alone, as we might get hit and have no one to look after us. At last I get a transport and by the time I got back to my billet, I was reported missing. I was too late to cancel it. My shoulder is better now.
Well mother, I am back behind the line now enjoying a week’s rest with the ----. This is the first time, except when I was in the hospital with influenza, that I have had a rest since Easter. I have been billeted in a dug out in a city unoccupied and have only worked at night so haven’t seen much sunlight. We were all very white when we came out, but are already turning a dull brick-red. I can see pretty good in the dark now. My it’s good to lay on the grass and kick your heels together. I feel like a young colt. Pretty hot sun now. We are in tents and it’s a good deal like old Niagara; wish I was there again. I saw about 50 aeroplanes go over the other day – some sight. I have a good supply of papers to read now, as three big bundles arrived together yesterday. After we all read them we used them for cleaning up our dishes, etc. Last night our blankets never arrived till 2 o’clock, and so I used some papers to lay on, as the tent boards were cold. I was very glad to get the Brantford papers and to see my battalion mentioned. I sent them up to our officer, who is from Hamilton and Brantford. He asked me for some one day. I was at church today for the first time since Easter. It was held in a building. Well, mother, I will close now, with love to all, I remain your loving son.
Pte. Albert S. Post
BX October 27, 1916
Characteristic Cheerfulness – Pte. Albert Post, Lying on a Stretcher Waiting to go to Base, Writes Home – May Make “Blighty”
Cheerfulness is the chief characteristic of the British soldier, no matter what clime he may hail from, or with what branch of the service he is engaged, or what his wounds or discomforts may be. This is the true soldier attitude taken by Pte. Albert Post, son of Mrs. Susan Post, who was recently reported wounded. The one thing that impressed him after his wounding was that it would likely result in a trip to “Blighty” – meaning of course, a stay in England.
He wrote home as follows, while lying on a stretcher waiting to go down to the base:
October 1, 1916
Sunday Morning
My Dear Mother
Well, he’s been and done it. Old Fritz has given me a rest at last. I’ll tell you all about it. I was back from the line for a rest and I woke up last Friday morning and was told we were travelling up the line again on a working party (or to be more correct, on business). Well, I had a lovely ride for a couple of hours in the train, and then I walked the rest of the way. I was about a mile from Fritz when I heard a shell coming, I at once turned around to look for a shell hole, but the shell beat me to it. I heard a nice big bang and felt another in my leg. A piece of shrapnel had struck me and I thought all of Fritz’s old iron had been thrown at me. It sure did hurt. However a sergeant helped me up, and I started out for a dressing station. Gee, I thought that was the longest trip I had ever made. I was scared old Fritz would drop another shell around, but nothing doing. Well, I got up there at length, and took a joy-ride in an ambulance to another station where I was inoculated. After that I travelled some more, and am in a clearing station waiting for the train to take me down to the base. I don’t know if I shall be lucky enough to make “Blighty,” but I might manage it if there is a rush on. Now, you don’t need to worry about me, Mother, as I am not very bad, and am better off for a couple of weeks. Don’t you think I am pretty lucky? I have been out here 8 months now, and this is the first time I have been hit. You must excuse this scribble as I am lying on a stretcher writing this. The Red Cross people are awfully good to you here. Well, Mother, I will close now. Hoping I will be in “Blighty” soon and that you are all well at home. I remain,
Your loving son,
Pte. Albert S. Post
BX August 25, 1916
Reported Missing But Was Not – Mrs. Post Receives Encouraging News From Son With 58th Battalion – Only Bruised
The following interesting letter was recently received by Mrs. Post, Bowes Avenue, from her son Albert, who is with the 58th Battalion. Albert was some time ago reported wounded and missing, but he was, as the letter shows, in reality never missing at all, and his injury was nothing more serious than a bad bruise. He is at present, he states, enjoying a week rest, the first he has had since Easter; Albert has two other brothers on active service, one with the 126th Peel Battalion, and the other with the 125th Brant Battalion. The letter, written Aug. 6, is as follows:
August 6, 1916
Dear Mother,
I hope you are all well at home. I am quite well and all right. We had little scrap up here since I wrote to you last, and I was reported wounded and missing. I thought I had better write and explain things to save you some anxiety. I was leaving the trench for home when something hit me on the shoulder and caused me so much pain I thought it was a bullet. I went into a dressing station to have a look at it and found out that my shoulder was all right except for a bruise. One of my chums saw me in there with my tunic off and beat it for home, saying that I was wounded. I was left alone and had no one to come home with me, so had to stay there for two hours. We are not allowed to come back alone, as we might get hit and have no one to look after us. At last I get a transport and by the time I got back to my billet, I was reported missing. I was too late to cancel it. My shoulder is better now.
Well mother, I am back behind the line now enjoying a week’s rest with the ----. This is the first time, except when I was in the hospital with influenza, that I have had a rest since Easter. I have been billeted in a dug out in a city unoccupied and have only worked at night so haven’t seen much sunlight. We were all very white when we came out, but are already turning a dull brick-red. I can see pretty good in the dark now. My it’s good to lay on the grass and kick your heels together. I feel like a young colt. Pretty hot sun now. We are in tents and it’s a good deal like old Niagara; wish I was there again. I saw about 50 aeroplanes go over the other day – some sight. I have a good supply of papers to read now, as three big bundles arrived together yesterday. After we all read them we used them for cleaning up our dishes, etc. Last night our blankets never arrived till 2 o’clock, and so I used some papers to lay on, as the tent boards were cold. I was very glad to get the Brantford papers and to see my battalion mentioned. I sent them up to our officer, who is from Hamilton and Brantford. He asked me for some one day. I was at church today for the first time since Easter. It was held in a building. Well, mother, I will close now, with love to all, I remain your loving son.
Pte. Albert S. Post
