Hubert Ward Letter to Joseph Boyce - August 3, 1915
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August 3, 1915 3rd Cavalry Field Ambulance 1st Cavalry Division British Expeditionary Force August 3rd 1915. Capt. Joseph Boyce My dear Cousin Joe My mother very kindly sent me on your letter of June 29th. Your words of sympathy and affection touched us deeply, and I write to thank for the fine tribute you pay to my Father’s memory. We still feel his loss most acutely, and Mother is almost heartbroken. I never knew a better man than Father. We were all united to him by the strongest affection, and in everything he was our guide and skipper, and never did guide or skipper steer his
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[Page 2] crew, with more skill, devotion and love. As you reminded us "God has taken him from our homes, but never from our hearts." Everyday I recall how after six months terrific fighting when most of my friends has been killed or wounded, I at last was given 72 hours leave in the United Kingdom. I hastened to Ireland to see Father and Mother. I knew Papa was far from well. I pictured to myself how I would cheer him up, how pleased he would be to see me, how he would listen to my experiences and ask me to repeat them, and how we both would feel it so hard to say good-bye. At length I
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[Page 3] reached Dundalk. The blinds were drawn, the house was quiet. I rushed to Papa’s room fearing to believe what I thought most probably and there I saw him - dead. Mother told me he died two hours before my arrival. He never knew I was coming home - I had no opportunity to wire, and I wanted to give him a pleasant surprise. I cannot describe my feelings of grief and sorrow, for never since the world began was there a more devoted Father. He is now safe in Heaven with Grandfather and Kathleen and from his throne he will look down upon us with the same affection and love as
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[Page 4] he did when he was with us. Many time I wanted to write and tell you how much I appreciated your letter to me last winter - but as your know it is hard to write letters on active service. I always write to Mother - everyday. It cheers her up for sometimes she worries about me and I keep her informed daily that I am quite well. During the winter we were not too busy and had little fighting in December and January. It took us all our time to look after our horses; they were up to their hocks in mud. Indeed the mud was so bad, it prevented
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[Page 5] either side attacking. In February and March I was in the trenches as Medical Officer to the 5th Dragoon Guards. It was very cold, terribly muddy and extremely uncomfortable - but the fighting was not heavy. We came out of the trenches, had a three weeks rest and went back again in April to remain in the trenches for five weeks. All the fighting I had seen before was nothing compared to the fighting of those five weeks. The Germans began their use of asphyxiating gas. The memory of May 13th and May 24th will long remain. On the 13th we were subjected to a terrific
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[Page 6] bombardment - for over 24 hours. All our trenches were blown in and we had to retire to less advanced and very hurriedly constructed trenches. There were no communicating trenches and here my dear friend Lunan was killed. He was with that glorious regiments the 9th Lancers. He took up his position with "A" squadron. News came that there were wounded in "C" squadron trenches. To reach the wounded he had to cross some open and very dangerous ground - but he never hesitated. With his RAMC orderly he ventured on that journey; he just reached the parapet of "C" squadron when he was shot
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[Page 7] thro’ the heart. That night with a companion I carried him down to the churchyard of tSt Jean N-E of Ypres and there we buried him in a big shell hole, and put up a wooden cross with his name on it to mark the place. But May 24th was much worse. Poisonous gas came over from the German trenches in great volume. It reached us in dense clouds. Several men had lost their respirators, and all inventions hatched by Satin and straight from Hell asphyxiating gas, is with one exception the worst. To see those men gasping and struggling for air, unable to hold a rifle,
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Page 8] their tongues out, their eyes glazed, their ears and faces blue; to have the medical knowledge to understand that those even slightly affected would later on be struck down by the heart disease that inevitably follows; and all the time to hear the German shells around you and feel certain your line is broken - all this is a position so frightful that it can never be forgotten. Why the enemy did not get thro'on May 24th I don’t know. Had the positions been reversed, had the British stooped so low, as to poison their foes with deadly gasses, and had their line been broken, our cavalry would have swept
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[Page 9] thro’ and turned their flanks. To relate all my experiences from that time to this would be far too big a task for a letter. Now I am about 2 miles from the front line having a rest. We sometimes come under shell fire, but not often as the great majority of shells go over our heads or else fall short. About three days ago we had a bad time. We have lost a few trenches but have taken them again. Not content with gas, the enemy are now using liquid fire. They shoot boiling oil upon us from their trenches. All last night I watched the fight. Our guns bombarded them
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[Page 10] well - thank God. They sent over a gas but we were ready with respirators and when at last the gas had reached our trenches they put lights into it and it all went off in flame!! It was inflammable!!! The ground was all on fire and the trenches were lost for a little, but no German entered them and they are now in our hands again. Never have we fought such an enemy, never have we battled against such barbarism. There is no limit to his lowness, and no means to which he will not stoop so long as he makes head against us. All the tortures of science are called
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[Page 11] to his assistance in his effort to advance. But thank God he will advance no further upon this front. The news to-day from Russia is depressing. Warsaw gone! the Russians retiring; our armies held up in France, Flanders, and Gallipoli. This is the effects of Prussian militarism and organisation but it is only the first phase of the war. Slowly but surely the pendulum of victory shall swing in our favour, the tide of our success is already coming in. It is true our casualty lists are big and will be bigger, but in them we read a message from the dead which strengthens our determination never to give up until we win.
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[Page 12] The great words of President Lincoln which I learned as a school boy, spoken on the field of Gettysburg which you no doubt proudly remember, are true of us to-day. "It is for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us, - that from these honoured dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion and that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain". It is in that spirit we fight and shall continue fighting until victory is won. For myself I am thank God quite
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[Page 13] well. Never have I enjoyed better health, and this life agrees with me very well. About a week ago my name appeared in the London Gazette as being promoted to the rank of Captain, with promotion to date from April 1st (rathe a foolish date but very good all the same) - so I am now Capt J. H. Ward R.A.M.C. (Royal Army Medical Corps). Of course my first thoughts were thoughts of sorrow that Papa is not alive. It would have pleased him. I am still with the same unit, my address is still 3rd Cavalry Fd. Ambulance 1st Cavalry Division. British Exped. Force. When I was at home last, at Mother’s
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[Page 14] request I had my photograph taken. I have written home and asked them to send you a copy. I sincerely hope all your folk are very well, enjoying good health and very happy. I trust America will not be drawn into this war. She is more useful to the allies as she is now, and any nation is foolish to go to war without knowing what it means. President Wilson I admire very much, and I know he will mantain the position and dignity of the United States. I will now say au revoir, and with love and best wishes to all believe me Your affectionate cousin Hubert Ward.
Details
| Title | Hubert Ward Letter to Joseph Boyce - August 3, 1915 |
| Creator | Ward, Hubert |
| Source | Ward, Hubert. Hubert Ward Letter to Joseph Boyce. 3 August 1915. Boyce, Joseph Collection, 1844-1913. A0161. The Missouri History Museum, St. Louis, Missouri. |
| Description | In this letter, datedAugust 3, 1915, Hubert Ward wrote his cousin Joseph Boyce of St. Louis concerning his recent military experience with the British Expeditionary Force. Ward discussed visiting Dundalk and the death of his father as well as his encounter with chemical warfare and recent promotion. |
| Subject LCSH | Great Britain. Army. British Expeditionary Force; Great Britain. Army--Cavalry; Great Britain. Army. Royal Army Medical Corps; World War, 1914-1918--Chemical warfare; Lincoln, Abraham, 1809-1865.; Wilson, Woodrow, 1856-1924.; United States. Army--Promot |
| Subject Local | WWI; World War I |
| Site Accession Number | A0161 |
| Contributing Institution | Missouri History Museum |
| Copy Request | Transmission or reproduction of items on these pages beyond those allowed by fair use requires the written permission of the Missouri History Museum: 314-746-4510 |
| Rights | The text and images contained in this collection are intended for research and educational use only. Duplication of any of these images for commercial use without express written consent is expressly prohibited. Contact the Missouri History Museum's Permissions Office at 314-746-4511 to obtain written consent. |
| Date Original | August 3, 1915 |
| Language | English |