Prisoner of War
The first letter in this section is dated 14th July 1917 from David Henry Taylor to May Muggridge. The last letter is from David Henry Taylor, home in Balham London, to his sister Ethel (Ginger) Linn in the USA, dated 24th Dec 1918.
14th July 1917 Battle and capture
David to May Absendung [= Post] July 14 1917 I hope I was not reported as "missing" as I know you would worry as to what had happened to me and by now Mum should have received my card and should know that I am a prisoner. I was taken on the 10 [...]
17th July 1917 Send food parcels
[Fanny's copy of David's letter to her] [Fanny’s copy of David’s letter to her sent July 17 1917] Copy of David’s letter received last night This is my address 2/Lieut D H Taylor 2nd Kings Royal Rifle Corps Officer Kriegsgefangenenlager Karlsruhe I B Germany Prisoner of War Dear Mum The above is my address [...]
19th July 1917 Train to Germany
David to May Karlsruhe July 19th 1917 2/ Lieut D.H. Taylor 2nd Kings Royal Rifle Corps Offiziergefangenenlager Karlsruhe i. B. The above is my address. I don't think there are any restrictions against my receiving letters, but I shall not be able to write as I did before. The days went awfully slowly [...]
1st Aug 1917 Begging letter to Mum
[Fanny’s copy of David’s letter to her received 4th Sept 1917] David to Mum Karlsruhe Aug 1st 1917 Dear Mum, I hope everything is alright at home but of course it will be 7 or 8 weeks at least before I can hear from you. I am quite comfortable and my head and [...]
9th Aug 1917 Domestic affairs
May to David 18 Manor Road, Beckenham, Kent 9. 8. 17. My dear David, Mrs Taylor and Miss Massey called at the Office this morning, the former looking very bright and pretty, and she gave me your address saying that I was only to write about domestic affairs. She added that you would [...]
13th Aug 1917 Cucumbers and blue tape
May to David 18 Manor Road, Beckenham 13.8.17 My dear David, I last wrote to you on the 9th instant. In future I shall be writing each Monday. My last contained an account of the August Bank Holiday weekend which I spent at Balham, and also mentioned the Bazaar we are going to [...]
19th Aug 1917 A Thousand Years
David to May KARLSRUHLE August 19th 1917 My Dearest, I have been a prisoner now a thousand years and even in that short time the life in France seems to have faded into the dim distant past. Things at home seem to be much nearer and this only makes me long all the [...]
20th Aug 1917 Red Cross to David
Red Cross to David Geneva Aug 20th 1917 D.H. Taylor Kings Royal Rifles Dear Sir, We shall be glad if you can give some news of yourself, as to your health, etc. If wounded, how are you progressing. If you are not well enough to write yourself, perhaps a fellow prisoner would do [...]
20th Aug 1917 May’s weekly dispatch
May to David 18 Manor Road, Beckenham 20.8.17 My dear David, Now for my third weekly despatch. Things are going on as usual, business all day, gardening, mending and bazaar work each evening. Business: We are taking over another company which makes the fifth within the last few years. It has made us [...]