November 25, 1918 East Suffolk Hospital, Ipswich

Ray writes to his mother about his progress and ability to use his arm now. Ray has met a fellow from Lucknow who was not as lucky as he was.

November 18, 1918 Canadian Red Cross Society Report

The Red Cross writes to Ray's mother.

November 9, 1918 East Suffolk Hospital

Two days before the Armistice Ray writes to his older brother Bert from hospital.

October 30, 1918 East Suffolk Hospital, Ipswich

Ray writes a second letter to his mother telling her how he was wounded. M.G. stands for machine gun and S.B. stands for stretcher bearer.

October 14, 1918 Canadian Red Cross Society Report

Another report from the Red Cross to Ray's mother in Teeswater and a letter from a nurse.

October 6, 1918 Ipswich and East Suffolk Hospital

Another cheery letter from Mrs. Money to Ray's mother.

October 26, 1918 East Suffolk Hospital, Ipswich

Ray writes his first letter home since being wounded.

September 12, 1918 Letter From The Canadian Red Cross

A Red Cross worker writes a report to Ray's mother about the shrapnel wound in his right shoulder.

September 30, 1918 Report From Canadian Red Cross

A volunteer from the Canadian Red Cross writes to Mrs. Jackson about Ray's slow progress. He was hit by an explosive bullet and suffered from a high temperature a week after.

September 22, 1918 East Suffolk Hospital, Ipswich, England

A volunteer writes to Ray's mother as he is "helpless with his right arm and hand". She adds a heartfelt plea in a post script: " May God soon end this awful war for we anxious mothers."

September 7, 1918 Mason Ward, East Suffolk Hospital, Ipswich

A volunteer writes to Ray's mother from the East Suffolk Hospital in Ipswich, England where he was transferred on the 6th of September 1918.

A water-damaged photo of
Ipswich and East Suffolk Hospital
1918

The Second Battle of Arras August 26 - September 5, 1918

Here are some details about the Second Battle of Arras where Ray Jackson was wounded:

http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/feature/hundreddays?filter=month&month=8

August 30, 1918 Letter: Captain J.C. Little to his Wife

Ray's Captain writes to his wife about the battle of August 30, 1918 in which Ray Jackson was wounded. The letter was published in the Teeswater News on October 10, 1918. This was likely the Second Battle of Arras and part of the Hundred Days Offensive that led to the Allied Victory in November 1918.

Two days after this appeared in the Teeswater News, Captain Little was taken prisoner of war by the Germans, and was not repatriated to England until December 12, 1918.

Extracts from a letter written by Capt. J.C. Little to his wife dated August 30, 1918 and printed in the ‘Teeswater News’ on October 10, 1918.

“This is absolutely the first chance in a week and a half that I have had to write you. We have moved about eighty miles from where I wrote you last and have been over the top four times. The poor old battalion is just a shadow of what it was. With my usual good fortune I was put in charge of the evacuation party. We had to evacuate all the wounded and, believe me, I don’t want another three days like it. I just had six hours sleep in three days. In our company every officer that went in was wounded, and all the N.C.O’s but three were either killed or wounded. The company came out 28 strong out of 110. We advanced seven miles however.

Our brigade was the hardest hit of any. Two of our Company Commanders were killed. ‘A’ and ‘B’ Company Capt. Parsons (our O.C.) and Major Graham of ‘D’ were wounded, not badly though. The second in command of our Company was on leave and will be back today, and another officer, Capt. Baxter, of Chatham, who used to be O.C. of ‘C’ Company, arrived from reserve this morning, so we are alright again. The N.C.O.’s are going to be the hard proposition.

My bedroll, with all my belongings, has not turned up since I left the Corps school, so I have been sleeping in and wearing the same clothes for three weeks and you can imagine how uncomfortable I feel.

We are not likely to be in action again for months at least, as it will take all of that time to get us into any sort of shape again. At the end of the month I ought to be due for leave as my six months in France are up on September ___.

Could you let Father know I am alright, and as soon as I get back out, I’ll write a decent letter. By the way this paper and envelope is just what I took off a ‘Heiny’ prisoner; that is how I am able to write this as I have none of my own.”

Report on the battle in which Ray Jackson was wounded
From The Teeswater News
October 10, 1918

August 31, 1918 Notice from the Field Hospital Somewhere in France

Sometime between the 26th July and 30th August 1918 Ray was sent to the front. A postcard is sent to Ray's mother notifying her he has been wounded on August 30, 1918.

July 26, 1918 Somewhere in France

Ray writes to his older brother Bert who is in training in London, Ontario. He hopes Bert gets exemption and is able to look after things at home on the farm. He mentions his cousin Wilbert McLachlan from Firdale, Manitoba.

July 18, 1918 somewhere in France

Ray writes to his younger brother Jud. Only the first page survived.

June 9, 1918 Somewhere in France

Ray writes to his mother from the French barnyard where he is billeted.

May 20, 1918 Somewhere in France

Ray writes to one of his cousins about the likelihood that his older brother Bert will be called up for service now.

March 19, 1918 Somewhere in France

Ray writes to his grandmother about the weather, the French countryside and some Teeswater news..