How did WW1 soldiers send letters home?
In 1917 alone, over 19,000 mailbags crossed the English Channel each day, transporting letters and parcels to British troops on the Western Front. Soldiers wrote letters in spare moments, sometimes from front line trenches or in the calmer surroundings behind the lines.
Why were soldiers encouraged to write letters back to their families?
Soldiers were also encouraged to write letters to friends and family in Britain. Most men decided it would be better to conceal the horrors of the trench warfare. As a result of the Defence of the Realm Act that was passed in 1914, all letters that the men wrote should have been read and censored by junior officers.
How did soldiers communicate with family in ww2?
However, it wasn’t always available between families and troops so mailing letters was still the most popular form of communication between families and their troops. Mail served as a way for the troops to get caught up on what was going on at home. V Mail was a way to quickly deliver a lot of mail to troops.
How often were letters sent from the trenches in WW1?
Letters from the Trenches. Twelve and a half million letters were sent to the Western Front every week. In 1914 the Postal Section of the Royal Engineers had a staff of 250 men. By 1918 the Army Postal Service employed 4,000 soldiers. Letters only took two or three days to arrive from Britain.
Was the letter censored in the trenches?
The letter was not censored. The soldiers at the front need more rest. While in the trenches the water is over our knees most of the time. The war is going to last some time yet, and might be another twelve months before it is over. The war has only just begun and its going to be a war of exhaustion.
Did Sam Atherton send letters home from the trenches?
‘Heartbreaking,’ letters sent home from the trenches by Sam Atherton are set to go to auction, along with a trio of medals, unless the young war hero’s relatives can come forward. Home U.K. News Sports U.S. Showbiz
How many letters were sent to the Western Front in 1914?
Twelve and a half million letters were sent to the Western Front every week. In 1914 the Postal Section of the Royal Engineers had a staff of 250 men. By 1918 the Army Postal Service employed 4,000 soldiers.
