Description
Object description
49 ms letters (125pp) written to his mother and sisters in South Africa during his service as an officer with the South African Infantry (South African Brigade, 9th Division) on the Western Front, March 1915 – August 1917, and with the 3rd Battalion, 2nd Gurkha Regiment in India, September 1917 - September 1918, including his dislike of the winter conditions in France (November 1915 – January 1916), some very interesting notes on his impression of the men of his Regiment and the psychological effects of coming under fire (January – September 1916), an excellent account of his experiences at the Battle of Delville Wood (July 1916), his receipt of the Military Cross for actions during a failed bombing raid on enemy trenches (September 1916) and his experiences on several similar raids, an account of the shelling in advance of the Battle of Vimy Ridge (April 1917), his transfer to the Indian Army following the death of his best friend (May 1917) and subsequent disenchantment with India and the men with whom he served in the 3rd Battalion, 2nd Gurkha Regiment (September 1917 - September 1918). Together with 19 ms letters (61pp) written to his sister Elzabe during his service in the Second World War (October 1941 – June 1944), during which he was briefly attached to the 2nd Regiment, South African Infantry (October 1941 – February? 1942) and subsequent travels in Palestine, Syria and Lebanon (August? 1942 – May 1943), duties in charge of an Italian prisoner of war camp in South Africa (October 1943 – June 1944) where he helped the prisoners maintain a vegetable garden and livestock; a letter (2pp, April 1916) from an Edward Burges to Elzabe describing her brother's exemplary work in the Army; an ms letter (22p, January 1942) from a Christine Macdonald of the Canadian Red Cross, thanking English's sister Maud for her hospitality to the Canadian Nurses in South Africa; 5 ms letters to English from various friends (February 1946 – May 1948); four letters (4pp) from various prisoners of war thanking English for his kindness to them during their internment; his wallet and pay book from the First World War; clippings from South African periodicals detailing his post-military career; and a programme from an Armistice service held in South Africa (August 1919).
Content description
49 ms letters (125pp) written to his mother and sisters in South Africa during his service as an officer with the South African Infantry (South African Brigade, 9th Division) on the Western Front, March 1915 – August 1917, and with the 3rd Battalion, 2nd Gurkha Regiment in India, September 1917 - September 1918, including his dislike of the winter conditions in France (November 1915 – January 1916), some very interesting notes on his impression of the men of his Regiment and the psychological effects of coming under fire (January – September 1916), an excellent account of his experiences at the Battle of Delville Wood (July 1916), his receipt of the Military Cross for actions during a failed bombing raid on enemy trenches (September 1916) and his experiences on several similar raids, an account of the shelling in advance of the Battle of Vimy Ridge (April 1917), his transfer to the Indian Army following the death of his best friend (May 1917) and subsequent disenchantment with India and the men with whom he served in the 3rd Battalion, 2nd Gurkha Regiment (September 1917 - September 1918). Together with 19 ms letters (61pp) written to his sister Elzabe during his service in the Second World War (October 1941 – June 1944), during which he was briefly attached to the 2nd Regiment, South African Infantry (October 1941 – February? 1942) and subsequent travels in Palestine, Syria and Lebanon (August? 1942 – May 1943), duties in charge of an Italian prisoner of war camp in South Africa (October 1943 – June 1944) where he helped the prisoners maintain a vegetable garden and livestock; a letter (2pp, April 1916) from an Edward Burges to Elzabe describing her brother's exemplary work in the Army; an ms letter (22p, January 1942) from a Christine Macdonald of the Canadian Red Cross, thanking English's sister Maud for her hospitality to the Canadian Nurses in South Africa; 5 ms letters to English from various friends (February 1946 – May 1948); four letters (4pp) from various prisoners of war thanking English for his kindness to them during their internment; his wallet and pay book from the First World War; clippings from South African periodicals detailing his post-military career; and a programme from an Armistice service held in South Africa (August 1919).
History note
Cataloguer BEK
