The Polish Connection 22

January - February 1917

I am very pleased to report that the House of Commons has finally made it seem as if we women might be getting the vote in Parliamentary elections after all. Herbert Asquith, the Prime Minister, said that he had been against it before, but seeing how the women have pitched in to help the country keep going since the war started, he had to change his mind.

But there are other problems we now have to face. German U boats are destroying about 300,000 tons of our shipping a month. 230 ships bringing food and other supplies have been sunk. We have had to start rationing certain things. But it is also happening on the Isle of Man.

Dear Barbara, Rebecca and Beth,

Thing have become somewhat worse around here. Because some of the prisoners
and internees took advantage of the good nature of the islanders and asked them to do favours for them, such as sending letters that wouldn’t go through the censors, there has now been a new government directive.

Our diet, which up until now has been quite liberal has also been cut back. I suppose this reflects food shortages in England and all over Europe so it is not really surprising. We can now have the following:

Bread 8 ozs

Flour ¾ oz

Salt-cured Herrings 5 ozs

Meat (fresh or frozen) on 5 days a week 6 ozs

Meat, (tinned) on 5 days a week 3 ozs

Codfish (or Herrings) on 2 days a week, 2 ozs

Margarine 1 oz

Tea 3/8 oz or Coffee ¾ oz

Sugar 1 oz

Milk (condensed) 1-20th of 1 lb. tin.

Salt ½ oz Pepper (black) 1/72 oz

Oatmeal 3 ozs

Syrup or Jam 1 oz

Split Peas or Beans or Rice 2 ozs

Fresh Vegetables 10 ozs

Writing it out like this makes it sound quite good – quite a balanced diet with a fair amount of protein. But the things that are hardest are the small amounts of coffee and tea and there is no fruit allowed at all. Our diet a few weeks ago was almost twice this. But those of us who do a day’s work do get given four ounces of bread and one ounce of cheese in addition which is our packed lunch for when we are out working.

Love,

Peter

Here is my latest letter from John.

Dear Barbara, Rebecca and Beth,

We have just had a rather unfortunate accident in the regiment when one of the drivers was killed in a road accident. He was in a private car at the time having got a lift to Kyrenia, a town on the other side of the mountains. The car apparently skidded on the mountain road and went over a cliff. He was killed and five other passengers considerably shaken up. His family want him sent home for burial but the Government will not pay the cost, which seems a bit mean since they brought him out here. If not, he will be buried here, in the
military cemetery. I know it is only one man dying here, and not in a war situation, but we are very sad all the same.

Thank you for my Christmas package and card. I hope you all had a good Christmas.

Love
from John