Private George Arthur Brettingham
PERSONAL INFORMATION
MILITARY INFORMATION
Private, 18th Battalion, Infantry (Army).
RESEARCH INFORMATION
Son of George Brettingham, of Toronto, Ontario.
Letter by Pte. Henry Rowland Barrett referring to Private Brettingham.
Source: The Grand River Sanchem. October 9, 1918.
Letters from Overseas
To Capt. Lyon.
France, August 11, 1918[i]
Dear Sir – Just a line in answer to your most welcome letter of July 17, which has been mislayed, and I humbly apologize for my carelessness in causing such a delay.
I am now of age, as you know, but shall not return to my unit on account of being classed B 2[ii] on a recent medical board, and am now employed in an orderly room in this depot.
I received a letter from home the other day, and find my young sister[iii] has been move from the hospital, but will not be able to do anything for quite a long time.
I saw Jack Renwick; he just left here this morning for the unit; he is with the 58th. I haven’t seen any of the Brock’s lately, on George Brittingham[iv] [Brettingham], who was here some time ago, but do now know where he went to.
We have had our visitor[v] here quite frequently trying to get the troops wind up.
Perhaps I shall be making my tracks to England on leave the end of the month or the first of the next, where I can see life again.
When I said I’d not seen any of the boys, I had forgotten that Fred Harrison passed through the A.S.C. Bakery, and I told him where you [were], so, perhaps, you will be hearing from him.
Well captain, I guess this is all the news for this time. Hoping to hear from you again,
I remain, yours sincerely,
PTE. H.R. BARRETT
[i] On June 31, 1918 Pte. Barrett was taken on strength with the Canadian Labour Pool and was no longer attached to the 18th Battalion. He did rejoin the Battalion January 17, 1919 at Allner, Germany.
[ii] He was classified B 2 as being undersize and debility. These records do not exist but another Board indicated he complained of nervousness and “weakness” and remarked that there was no sign of these conditions no longer existed.
[iii] Helen Barrett, born 1902.
[iv] Lance-Corporal George Arthur Brettingham, reg. no. 739520. This soldier served in the 18th Battalion and was killed in action on October 10, 1918 near Iwuy, France.
[v] The meaning of this oblique reference is unknown.