Alma Russell Letters
Letters of British Columbia men on active service with Canadian and British Expeditionary Forces, 1914-1918. Learn more.
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tickled to death, even General French has sent Congrats. As for the Colonel, he is almost delirious with joy. Ivan Kinlock is a Bomber, and was one of my Bayonet men. Bill Casey, is back and was in charge of the machine guns, and made such a noise with them, that the Germ could not hear a thing. Looking back it seems like a dream: all the wise guys said it could not be done, and if we had not had such exceptional scouts, I doubt if it could. Sergeant Myerstein, a B.C.L.S., of Victoria, is a wonder at scouting. He could steal the laces from Fritz' boots without him knowing it. The men were wonderful, and not a slip occurred in the whole thing. I got a slight scratch in the thumb, and the Doc sent me out to have about a gallen of anti-tetanus shot into me, so I will appear on the casualty list as wounded.
I told Mrs. Garrard to warn you. The Brigade goes back in a few days for two weeks rest, and I go on leave in a week, and I think the attacking party gets five days extra and the leave is now nine days. "Two weeks in Blighty", ye gods. Well, there is nothing else to gas about, and it is tea time.
Much love, Your loving son, Raymond.
P.S. Please do not publish any details, or anything at all about it, or let any reporter read it.
"Blighty" means "England" from a word the Hindu troops use "Billatee" meaning "Homeland".
BC Archives, MS-1901 Box 1 File 10 / RUSSELL, Alma M., 1873-1964. Victoria; librarian. / Selected letters from Sergeant John Raymond McIllree, 1915.