“I don’t know where the March got hold of the idea that I was also being kicked out. I am a fixture thank Heavens.”
RI MS RCB/A/02
postmarked 8th October 1914, to Gwendoline Bragg
Robert is still training with the King Edwards Horse regiment, KEII. ‘V’ is Vaughan Squires, Robert’s cousin who was with him in the regiment, he’s not been judged fit for active service but, despite rumours to the contrary Robert fit enough (I’m not sure this would have been good news for his mother).
Gammon’s Farm
Dear Mum,
Just got your letter & that nappy silk scarfe [sic] do thank Aunt Jess. I am wearing it now with great gusto. So sorry you are worried about the KEH. The Major thinks that V is not strong enough for active service at least that is what I suppose. The Majors verdict was that V would not make a cavalry soldier. Poor V is much distressed. He is not the only one of course there are many others. I don’t know where the March got hold of the idea that I was also being kicked out. I am a fixture thank Heavens. We may be moving into winter quarters. In which case we will probably get a few more things to make us comfortable but until we do it is not much good sending things. Very Best Love Bob.
Photos courtesy of the Royal Institution of Great Britain. RI MS RCB/A/02
Notes and General Information
At the start of the war recruits joining the army had to meet quite rigorous physical requirements, as time went on these were lowered in order to pull in a sufficient number of men. Recruitment also switched from encouraging volunteers to conscription in 1916
In this case it’s unknown what the problem might have been: Vaughan Squires was an active young man and a good horseman and appears to have joined another regiment later.
By October 1914 the war was only a few months old, the British had only been in action for a little over two months on the Western Front. There had been several battles but the armies had not yet started to dig into trenches and many people still expected that it would be over by Christmas.
