Shropshire Routes to Roots

Zeppelin raids: Letter describing the horrors of the Zeppelin raids

This letter is dated 1916.

Carissime,

Various things have prevented my writing to you lately. My eldest brother was killed in an attack on the Germans near Delville Wood two months ago. He was leading his platoon when a shell burst upon them and blow them to pieces. What is left is buried behind the Devil's Trench out there. I enclose a Death notice in the hopes that you and some other Catholics may pray for him. He was a dearly loved brother to me, so that I cannot help feeling rather sad at the though of not seeing him again in this life; but one could not wish for a finer death for a good Catholic.

I have been to my home for a month's holiday and only came back a week ago. We were zepped several times while I was there. Many unfortunates were murdered by the burns. I must say that it gave me the keenest satisfaction when those bruites who had been killing and maiming women and children with such diabolical callousness were roasted alive at Potter's Bar. Let me tell you - perhaps you know - that not one half of what is done by zeps is even allowed to be put in the papers and the figures are nearly always falsified.

I was interested to hear about your visit to Ireland. His to Irish affairs, my sympathies are entirely anti-English. The whole future of Ireland must be settled by the Irish - the Sinn Feiners.

Going to England I had an animated discussion about "conscientious objection" with three Bible Bugs who were shud- ding their duty. I have not done chuckling over it yet. So you rather hanken after a religious order? I should think it very well over, if I were you, as I imagine you would have the greatest difficultly, with your marked individuality - to put it mildly - in taking a mould; and a religious simply must do that. Even yours affect in Jesus Christ, Francis Blackwell O.S.B

[Shropshire Archive reference: 1001/38]