Original Letter
France. 26th Sept. 1917.
My Dearest Mary:–
As ever was I had two letters this afternoon and great was and is my rejoicing. I have told you that all I look for during the day is your letter, and to-day my impulse was to cheat by shoving the clock ahead, wasn’t it silly, but then, I am silly about you. Last night I was wakened about seventy five times and to-day I am très sleepy. To-night Turkey is going to take the calls and I am going to sleep the sleepy of the just. This new home of ours is just a little draughty and I caught a cold – nothing a numero neuf won’t cure. There is one feature of being in the Orderly Room one gets a little better bed – or rather a better place to lay down Last night Miller and I had a lovely bed.
You haven’t said anything lately about the lonely island in the Seine where seed was never sown. I like to fool myself you know. Are you keeping it as a surprise? Baby. Mine. You are wonderful that is not propos of anything I am just generalising.
To date only two of your letters have been opened by the censor. Now why should they want to read your letters. I mean – why wouldn’t they want to read yours – they are lovely reading and I adore them but why should any one else want to?
Dearest, I just adore you to-day worship you – all I hope for is the speedy arrival of the day when we shall be together again for always. Is it possible that there can be so much happiness in the world? I know there is because I have had a foretaste – only a little stingy taste but enough to know what life will be for us afterwards. Your own Ross.
lonely island in the Seine
- Note
- This is an allusion to the lines:
O lonely island of the Rhine,
Where seed was never sown,
What harvest lay upon thy sands,
By those strong reapers thrown?
from “The Island of the Scots” by W.E. Aytoun
Lays of the Scottish Cavaliers and Other Poems (1849)
Ross and Mary seem to have a private joke about these lines, related to birth control (coitus interruptus presumably) and the possibility that Mary may be pregnant.
This allusion first appears in the letter of Sept. 22, 1917. - Contribute to the Project
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numero neuf
- Note
- Is this a reference to Ross's apartment in Rouen, No. 9 Route d'Elbeuf (which he mentions in the letter of August 30, 1917)? In this case, he seems to be saying that he just needs to go back to a warm apartment with Mary for a snuggle.
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Turkey
- About Sergeant Lawson Turcotte
- A fellow NCO in Ross’s battalion. Of all the men in the battalion, Turkey seems to have been the one Ross worked with most closely in the course of his duties.
Does anyone have any more information on this person?
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Miller
- About Miller
- Ross mentions Miller frequently and it sounds as though he is one of the NCOs working with Ross and Turkey in the Orderly Room.
There are, unfortunately, five Millers listed in the Calgary Herald as returning with the 50th Bn. It is hard to know which one he is.
In his letter of Nov. 8, 1917, Ross says that Miller is "not twenty yet" and spent nine months in the line and was wounded twice before being assigned to the Orderly Room.
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War Diary
General training carried out until 4.00 P.M. Night working parties of 9 Officers and 560 Other Ranks working in forward area. No Casualties.
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