NAM.1994-01-248-3
One of three letters written by Emsley to her father from France, 12 Jun, 18 Sep and Easter Sunday. From a collection of papers of Miss Maud Lilian Emsley, Women’s Army Auxiliary Corps and Queen Mary’s Army Auxiliary Corps, 1917-1932. Easter Sunday/ Dear Mamma and Dad/ You will be pleased/ to learn that I have arrived at/ this camp quite safe and sound/ but very tired. I have received/ letters from Anna, Claire & Harold/ but they must excuse me if I/ don’t answer them seperately this/ time. I will try and tell you as/ much as possible about the/ events of the previous weeks./ Last Tuesday, Alice and I had/ been down town & as we came/ back we were told to go into/ the depot & collect our things./ I stayed there, working, not on/ my own work but helping someone/else until after 9pm. On getting/ back to camp I partly packed/ my case ready for going. On/Monday we were confined to/ camp all day except when going/ on a route march in the afternoon./At night I helped to get the YWCA/ ready for some girls who were/coming to spend the night. Next day/ Thursday, we all paraded at 8.45am/ ready for off but we had to/go back as the lorries didn’t come/ so we were not allowed out./ On Friday we had to leave/ our own huts to make room for/ the other girls. In the afternoon/ I helped move our beds which/were being sent to the hospital./We each parted with two of our/ four blankets for the same pur/pose. We slept eleven in a hut/ that night. I went down to/ the army Post Office ? address my letters to the usual/ name and numbers, W.A.A.C. A.M.T.D/ A.P.O.4. Yesterday morning we/ got ready and I had breakfast, after/ which we had to move all/ camp equipment & then parade in/ sections at 9am. Each girl had/ her haversack & two blankets, one/ of which we had to give in. Our/ luggage went away on Thursday/ night, I don’t know where it is/ at present but I expect it will/ turn up. I forgot to tell you that/ on Thursday night we had all got nicely off to sleep about 9.30pm/ when we had to take our luggage/up to the parade ground. Continuing/ the tale about yesterday, well, on/getting into the charabancs we/ had to get settled and then at/ 10.15am we set off. There were/ eight motors in the convoy, in the charge of two men officers of the depot/ and two of our lady officials. The char/abancs/ were covered on top &/ open at the sides & held about/ twenty. During the journey it/ came on to rain and in the/ evening we were caught in/ two thick mists. We stopped/ at 12am for lunch of bread/ bully and cheese and it tasted ever/ so good. We stopped again/ at 3pm for tea & then went/ on, arriving at our destination/ at 2.30am this morning. Something went wrong with/ our car & the driver so the/ officer took charge & we got/ here quite alright. It was a real/ blessing that we had those four/ officers, they did everything/ possible for our comfort./ I am expecting Uncle Clough/ to see me any time now &/ shall be glad./ I hope I havn’t put any-/thing that I oughtn’t to but I/ thought you would be interested/ to know how I got on./ Let Anna have the costume/ I should like her to have it/ Best love to all from/ Your loving daughter/ Maud.
World War One (1914-1918)
