60865: Letter sent by George Sarvent from hospital
Creators: name: Project Team, Great War Archive
Publisher: name: University of Oxford
Year: 2024
Subjects: classificationCode: 430304
subject: British history
classificationCode: 430308
subject: European history (excl. British, classical Greek and Roman)
classificationCode: 430316
subject: International history

description: George Armitage Sarvent 1881-1927.
During the First World War George was a Lance Bombardier (or Bombardier depending on which document you refer to) No. 120790, 244S. Battery, Royal Garrison Artillery. He was gassed and admitted to Ward F3, No.12 General Hospital, Rouen on July 22, 1917. Notification was sent to Lillie who was staying at 'White Rose Cottage, Within Lee, Prestbury, Macclesfield' for the duration. George wrote to Lillie from hospital saying he would send the letter to Legh Place as he expected she would be there. Legh Place was in Ardwick, Manchester.
Some time after George died July 9, 1927 Lillie tried to get a war pension. The letter George wrote to Lillie from Hospital was stamped as being received by the Ministry of Pensions on October 11, 1927. Various documents returned to Lillie are stamped by the Ministry of Pensions on February 14, 1930, before being returned to Lillie. As George was not in receipt of a disablement pension or allowance under the Royal Warrant at the time of his death Lillie was not eligible for the grant of a pension. The Ministry could not regard George's death as being connected with his service during the Great War.
George died aged 46 from 1a) Pleurisy with effusion b) Pneumonicis. This was often attributed, by those who knew him, to being gassed in the war.
A transcription of the letter reads:
No. 12 General Hospital Ward F3 Rouen. July 29.17
My dear love,
How are you, my dear girl, I do hope quite well also the two dear kiddies. I am still here, although I really expected to go out yesterday from what the Dr. said last Thursday. There are two of us in here who came together, we are the only ones left who were here when we came have all go &amp; now he is going to Blighty, in fact 3 out of 4 who were in bed are going tonight or tomorrow. I was feeling pretty fair yesterday and got up after dinner, &amp; was up to breakfast although not unaided to get up. After I had mooched about a little I felt absolutely done in but I stayed up and so I have felt all day weak &amp; dizzy, this afternoon the Dr. came round and examined us &amp; ??????? these other fellows. I told him how I felt &amp; he felt my pulse, then tested my heart again &amp; lungs &amp; said something to the Captain about these gas cases having far different results than expected, it is a new kind of gas &amp; said something about a “Systic circuit” &amp; asked me if my feet were swollen but they are not &amp; said I must be watched for a couple of days. So I am not going out just yet so do write here. It’s lonely nothing coming in, in the way of letters, we are not badly dealt with under the circumstances. Porridge &amp; bread &amp; butter for breakfast, stew &amp; c or meat &amp; rice or other nameless milk puddings, at dinner. Bread &amp; butter &amp; jam at tea &amp; Bread butter &amp; jam &amp; cocoa about 6.30 &amp; some lemonade for night. The days are long reading – my back has felt very weak today. It would be nice if you could just ?? in now and sit by this bedside &amp; talk to me or read or anything else at present. I shall leave word with the sister here if should go before I leave where to send any letters to I had a letter from mother this morning. She says Arnold sent me a parcel some time ago so I think I had better write up there for it.
Down here I am out of it things must be very hot where I was it was warm when I left especially the Wednesday &amp; Thursday &amp; since then firing has increased in density How they all are now I don’t know although I wrote up the other day. I am surprised I did not get a worse dose of gas than I did my eyes could not have been worse.
I am sending this to Legh Place expecting you will be there. You will find it a change but I do hope you do not feel worse for it. My feet for a change are just like lumps of ice in fact have been since I came in here cold &amp; clammy.
 
Fondest love &amp; kisses for you darling &amp; the two Kiddies
 
Yours George
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
George Armitage Sarvent 1881-1927.
During the First World War George was a Lance Bombardier (or Bombardier depending on which document you refer to) No. 120790, 244S. Battery, Royal Garrison Artillery. He was gassed and admitted to Ward F3, No.12 General Hospital, Rouen on July 22, 1917. Notification was sent to Lillie who was staying at 'White Rose Cottage, Within Lee, Prestbury, Macclesfield' for the duration. George wrote to Lillie from hospital saying he would send the letter to Legh Place as he expected she would be there. Legh Place was in Ardwick, Manchester.
Some time after George died July 9, 1927 Lillie tried to get a war pension. The letter George wrote to Lillie from Hospital was stamped as being received by the Ministry of Pensions on October 11, 1927. Various documents returned to Lillie are stamped by the Ministry of Pensions on February 14, 1930, before being returned to Lillie. As George was not in receipt of a disablement pension or allowance under the Royal Warrant at the time of his death Lillie was not eligible for the grant of a pension. The Ministry could not regard George's death as being connected with his service during the Great War.
George died aged 46 from 1a) Pleurisy with effusion b) Pneumonicis. This was often attributed, by those who knew him, to being gassed in the war.

A transcription of the letter reads:
No. 12 General Hospital Ward F3 Rouen. July 29.17
My dear love,
How are you, my dear girl, I do hope quite well also the two dear kiddies. I am still here, although I really expected to go out yesterday from what the Dr. said last Thursday. There are two of us in here who came together, we are the only ones left who were here when we came have all go &amp; now he is going to Blighty, in fact 3 out of 4 who were in bed are going tonight or tomorrow. I was feeling pretty fair yesterday and got up after dinner, &amp; was up to breakfast although not unaided to get up. After I had mooched about a little I felt absolutely done in but I stayed up and so I have felt all day weak &amp; dizzy, this afternoon the Dr. came round and examined us &amp; ??????? these other fellows. I told him how I felt &amp; he felt my pulse, then tested my heart again &amp; lungs &amp; said something to the Captain about these gas cases having far different results than expected, it is a new kind of gas &amp; said something about a “Systic circuit” &amp; asked me if my feet were swollen but they are not &amp; said I must be watched for a couple of days. So I am not going out just yet so do write here. It’s lonely nothing coming in, in the way of letters, we are not badly dealt with under the circumstances. Porridge &amp; bread &amp; butter for breakfast, stew &amp; c or meat &amp; rice or other nameless milk puddings, at dinner. Bread &amp; butter &amp; jam at tea &amp; Bread butter &amp; jam &amp; cocoa about 6.30 &amp; some lemonade for night. The days are long reading – my back has felt very weak today. It would be nice if you could just ?? in now and sit by this bedside &amp; talk to me or read or anything else at present. I shall leave word with the sister here if should go before I leave where to send any letters to I had a letter from mother this morning. She says Arnold sent me a parcel some time ago so I think I had better write up there for it.
Down here I am out of it things must be very hot where I was it was warm when I left especially the Wednesday &amp; Thursday &amp; since then firing has increased in density How they all are now I don’t know although I wrote up the other day. I am surprised I did not get a worse dose of gas than I did my eyes could not have been worse.
I am sending this to Legh Place expecting you will be there. You will find it a change but I do hope you do not feel worse for it. My feet for a change are just like lumps of ice in fact have been since I came in here cold &amp; clammy.
 
Fondest love &amp; kisses for you darling &amp; the two Kiddies
 
Yours George
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
George Armitage Sarvent 1881-1927.
During the First World War George was a Lance Bombardier (or Bombardier depending on which document you refer to) No. 120790, 244S. Battery, Royal Garrison Artillery. He was gassed and admitted to Ward F3, No.12 General Hospital, Rouen on July 22, 1917. Notification was sent to Lillie who was staying at 'White Rose Cottage, Within Lee, Prestbury, Macclesfield' for the duration. George wrote to Lillie from hospital saying he would send the letter to Legh Place as he expected she would be there. Legh Place was in Ardwick, Manchester.
Some time after George died July 9, 1927 Lillie tried to get a war pension. The letter George wrote to Lillie from Hospital was stamped as being received by the Ministry of Pensions on October 11, 1927. Various documents returned to Lillie are stamped by the Ministry of Pensions on February 14, 1930, before being returned to Lillie. As George was not in receipt of a disablement pension or allowance under the Royal Warrant at the time of his death Lillie was not eligible for the grant of a pension. The Ministry could not regard George's death as being connected with his service during the Great War.
George died aged 46 from 1a) Pleurisy with effusion b) Pneumonicis. This was often attributed, by those who knew him, to being gassed in the war.