Sampson Collins Richards had a grandson who was in WW1. Walter Thomas Short. I found this letter in his army records .. a mother writing to her son when he asked for her permission to sign up. I laughed and cried. Sadly Wattie never come home.
Dear Wattie,
Tis with much pleasure we sit down to answer your kind and ever welcom letter hoping to find you in the best of good health as it leaves all but myself and i have been very sick since last saturday. I do not get the doctor the old man come home last saturday and he doctored me up with hot brandy and i never put a thing in my mouth in the line of eatables for over a week but i am up again and eating a little but i never feel hungry what i do eat i force it down to please them. Well Wattie when Janey read your letter to me asking for my consent to go the war a cold shiver ran right through me and i went quiet cold. I could not get myself warm again until the old man gave me some more hot brandy. Well Wattie i can tell you it gave me a great shock. I have been ever since Wednesday thinking what to say. Well Wattie both me and dad have come to the conclusion to say Yes because it is better for you to go and in your name than Collins, what you say. Well Wattie as you have made up your mind to go it is no use of tyring to stop you althrough we dont like the idea of parting with you but if its your luck to go we must live in hope of you returning to us. I also hope that the war will be finished by the time you reach home. Anyhow it will be a good trip for you. Dad is leaving for Selwyn in the morning he will be there a fortnight. I do not know whre he will go from there, we have Hannah in here very sick. She do not like the idea of you going to the war. Well Wattie there is one thing i will tell you and that is not to loose my ring. you know i would not like to loose it as my mother gave me that when i was 27 years old although my mother never writes to me i think of her just the same. Wattie take it were ever you go and dont part with it for my sake. Well Wattie as i am a bit shaky on it and my head is very dizzy so no more from your ever loving mother, father, brothers and sisters.
Wattie it is hard for me to write this letter and say yes for you to go to war but i supose you are doing it for the best.
Dear Wattie,
Tis with much pleasure we sit down to answer your kind and ever welcom letter hoping to find you in the best of good health as it leaves all but myself and i have been very sick since last saturday. I do not get the doctor the old man come home last saturday and he doctored me up with hot brandy and i never put a thing in my mouth in the line of eatables for over a week but i am up again and eating a little but i never feel hungry what i do eat i force it down to please them. Well Wattie when Janey read your letter to me asking for my consent to go the war a cold shiver ran right through me and i went quiet cold. I could not get myself warm again until the old man gave me some more hot brandy. Well Wattie i can tell you it gave me a great shock. I have been ever since Wednesday thinking what to say. Well Wattie both me and dad have come to the conclusion to say Yes because it is better for you to go and in your name than Collins, what you say. Well Wattie as you have made up your mind to go it is no use of tyring to stop you althrough we dont like the idea of parting with you but if its your luck to go we must live in hope of you returning to us. I also hope that the war will be finished by the time you reach home. Anyhow it will be a good trip for you. Dad is leaving for Selwyn in the morning he will be there a fortnight. I do not know whre he will go from there, we have Hannah in here very sick. She do not like the idea of you going to the war. Well Wattie there is one thing i will tell you and that is not to loose my ring. you know i would not like to loose it as my mother gave me that when i was 27 years old although my mother never writes to me i think of her just the same. Wattie take it were ever you go and dont part with it for my sake. Well Wattie as i am a bit shaky on it and my head is very dizzy so no more from your ever loving mother, father, brothers and sisters.
Wattie it is hard for me to write this letter and say yes for you to go to war but i supose you are doing it for the best.
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