Letter from James Tate to his mother, Millicent Tate (née Farren), 6 August, 1916 Letters 1916-1923 James Tate

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 Austrian Centre for Digital Humanities Vienna, AT 2026

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Letter from James Tate to his mother in which he writes about his unit, the 3rd Sappers and the natives helpers. Their task is is bridge building, scheduled for completion by Christmas. He spends time fishing but gave up swimming since he heard sharks come up all the way to Bhagdad.He also mentions that the Ulster Division got "pretty badly cut up" This letter is from the Alec C Tate collection. Tate served with British army in India before he married Millicent Farren and started a family in Whiteabbey Co. Antrim. Their sons, James and William continued the military tradition and enlisted with the British army with James serving as a Second Lieutenant with the Indian Expeditionary Force. James spent the majority of the war in India during which time the Indian Expeditionary Force was dispatched to Mesopotamia. This letter is part of a collection that he wrote to his parents detailing his movements and his day to day experience.

Public Record Office of Northern Ireland Tate Papers, D2859/2/14 https://letters1916.ie/item/2727 English James Tate 1916-08-06 I.E.F.D. Millicent Tate Slieve na Failthe, Whiteabbey, Co. Antrim, Ireland Male World War I (1914-1918) World War I (1914-1918) Personal Relations

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 I.E.F.D 6/8/16 My Dear Mother Thank you very much for your letter of last week. I am very sorry indeed to hear that you have been having such a bad time all round with people going sick and I hope they are all going on as well as can be expected. Things are just going along here same as usual. In fact the days are so alike that I thought tis was Wednesday. It seems that it is Saturday & a mail day so I got a shock. I have got more used to the ways of the 3rd sappers. I was most awful fed up with the whole bussiness at first as I like the madrasses much better than all the other sorts of niggers put together. He always smiles & nothing worries him — also he is not afraid to do hared work now & then. Also of course I was very fed up leaving Prince who was an awfully nice man & a great C.O. However things have more or less shaken themselves down & are going fine. The bridge shows no sign of being finished before Xmas anyway but it is hoped that we get away before that anyway. I have been fishing a lot but have given up bathing till I hear more about it as there is a yarn going that a man got nabbed by a shark the other day near here. Sharks go right up to Baghdad not big ones but quite big enough to take out a nasty bight bite. I see Bundie is wounded & missing they must have had a very warm time at the front & I hope they make good. Judging by the casualties the Water Division must have been pretty badly cut up. Well the mail boat may come anytime now so I will shut up as there is really no news. I am still very well & I hope you are having an easier time than when I heard last. With love to all at home. From you loving son Jimmy Mrs A.C. Tate Slieve —na —Failthe Whiteabbey Co Antrim IRELAND Slieve na Failthe, Whiteabbey, Co. Antrim, Ireland Letter from James Tate to his mother, Millicent Tate (née Farren), 6 August, 1916Letter from James Tate to his mother, Millicent Tate (née Farren), 1 June, 1916Letter from James Tate to his mother, Millicent Tate (née Farren), 18 May, 1916 I.E.F.D. Letter from James Tate to his mother, Millicent Tate (née Farren), 6 August, 1916 James Tate Letter from James Tate to his father Alec C Tate, 29 September, 1916Letter from James Tate to his mother, Millicent Tate (née Farren), 6 August, 1916Letter from James Tate to his mother, Millicent Tate (née Farren), 1 June, 1916