weeks after she had written, a reply came back. It was not addressed to Lucy but to Mr James Oldfield. It bore the Tunbridge Wells postmark and was dated 15 October, 1914. After reading it James passed it to his mother.
My dear James
Let me offer you my hearty congratulations!
Your mother tells me you intend to enlist on your eighteenth birthday. I admire you, and envy you. I think it will be the best decision you have made in your life.
Men who have served in the military are revered and admired. I am thinking here of my father and Wainwright, my brother-in-law, who served in the army in India and South Africa respectively. I know from my upbringing, that discipline builds character, and active service builds courage. I am also keenly aware past service is a passport into all walks of life. It is a path I never followed and because of this I shall go to my grave with regrets; regrets that I never made the effort, disappointment in my younger years when I was bypassed for promotion, and regret I never experienced the satisfaction of being the victor.
Being in my sixty-second year, I am now too old for active service but I am pleased to say I find myself in demand to serve England in other ways. It is rumoured that if the war is prolonged (I hear talk in the City that the war will not be over as quickly as originally thought), England will suffer from not only a shortage of food, but also a shortage of workers to do the common jobs.
Thousands of men are being sent to fight on the Continent and, as you know, there will soon be another wave of enlistments. These soldiers will not return to England’s shores until the war is over and because of this, there will be a growing demand, on the home front, for those, like me, who are too old to fight in Europe.
Naturally, I have volunteered my services and, because of my previous experiences, I have been offered various positions, from munitions factory overseer to correspondence scribe. I declined these because they are in London. I have, however, accepted a job here in Kent, based in Tunbridge Wells. This means I can travel daily from my flat and will never be too far away from my sister and Wainwright.
As I am neither farmer nor teacher, the role I have accepted may sound a little unusual. I am to organize the enlistment of young women to work on the land doing the jobs usually done by the men folk. These young ladies will be taught how to cultivate the soil, plough the fields and plant and harvest crops. If the project is successful and the war continues, this type of activity will become widespread throughout Britain. I will write and tell you how the work progresses.
In the meantime, I gather from your mother you are currently looking for something to occupy yourself. Perhaps I can suggest a few things. These will not only help Lucy and Pansy but will allow them to contribute to the war effort in a similar manner to my own.
Here is a list:
1) Increase the number of sheep (ewes) you have and buy a ram. Speak with John Fothergill, the farmer who leases the meadow to me.
2) Acquire one or two hand ploughs (again speak with Mr Fothergill) and train both riding horses to work in the shafts. It is essential you take on this chore. It would be too difficult for the ladies.
3) If time permits and the ground is not too hard, plough the back meadow in preparation for spring. Dig up the flower gardens and grow vegetables.
4) Use some of the money set aside for your schooling to stock up on preserves. Fill the pantry, and if you run out of space, store them in the attic – it is dry and clean.
If the conflict in Europe is resolved by the New Year nothing will be lost, and you will have a bountiful supply of provisions.
Dear James, you may think these words are the rambling of an old man but do not take them in vain. The coming years may be leaner than we have ever known. Think of your mother and Pansy. How will they manage when you are away?
I
My dear James
Let me offer you my hearty congratulations!
Your mother tells me you intend to enlist on your eighteenth birthday. I admire you, and envy you. I think it will be the best decision you have made in your life.
Men who have served in the military are revered and admired. I am thinking here of my father and Wainwright, my brother-in-law, who served in the army in India and South Africa respectively. I know from my upbringing, that discipline builds character, and active service builds courage. I am also keenly aware past service is a passport into all walks of life. It is a path I never followed and because of this I shall go to my grave with regrets; regrets that I never made the effort, disappointment in my younger years when I was bypassed for promotion, and regret I never experienced the satisfaction of being the victor.
Being in my sixty-second year, I am now too old for active service but I am pleased to say I find myself in demand to serve England in other ways. It is rumoured that if the war is prolonged (I hear talk in the City that the war will not be over as quickly as originally thought), England will suffer from not only a shortage of food, but also a shortage of workers to do the common jobs.
Thousands of men are being sent to fight on the Continent and, as you know, there will soon be another wave of enlistments. These soldiers will not return to England’s shores until the war is over and because of this, there will be a growing demand, on the home front, for those, like me, who are too old to fight in Europe.
Naturally, I have volunteered my services and, because of my previous experiences, I have been offered various positions, from munitions factory overseer to correspondence scribe. I declined these because they are in London. I have, however, accepted a job here in Kent, based in Tunbridge Wells. This means I can travel daily from my flat and will never be too far away from my sister and Wainwright.
As I am neither farmer nor teacher, the role I have accepted may sound a little unusual. I am to organize the enlistment of young women to work on the land doing the jobs usually done by the men folk. These young ladies will be taught how to cultivate the soil, plough the fields and plant and harvest crops. If the project is successful and the war continues, this type of activity will become widespread throughout Britain. I will write and tell you how the work progresses.
In the meantime, I gather from your mother you are currently looking for something to occupy yourself. Perhaps I can suggest a few things. These will not only help Lucy and Pansy but will allow them to contribute to the war effort in a similar manner to my own.
Here is a list:
1) Increase the number of sheep (ewes) you have and buy a ram. Speak with John Fothergill, the farmer who leases the meadow to me.
2) Acquire one or two hand ploughs (again speak with Mr Fothergill) and train both riding horses to work in the shafts. It is essential you take on this chore. It would be too difficult for the ladies.
3) If time permits and the ground is not too hard, plough the back meadow in preparation for spring. Dig up the flower gardens and grow vegetables.
4) Use some of the money set aside for your schooling to stock up on preserves. Fill the pantry, and if you run out of space, store them in the attic – it is dry and clean.
If the conflict in Europe is resolved by the New Year nothing will be lost, and you will have a bountiful supply of provisions.
Dear James, you may think these words are the rambling of an old man but do not take them in vain. The coming years may be leaner than we have ever known. Think of your mother and Pansy. How will they manage when you are away?
I
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