August 4, 1918 The Methodist Manse, Ballinasloe, Ireland

Bill writes to his mother in Teeswater from the Methodist Manse at Ballinasloe, where he is filling in for the minister and preaching several sermons. It is the 4th anniversary of England’s declaration of war on Germany. Bill hopes to become a Methodist minister when the war is over.

 

 

August 22, 1917 Cable to Bill’s Brother Orville Skilling

Bill sends a cable home from England to reassure the family. Tomorrow I will be posting his long letter refered to here which gives details about what has happened to him.
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February 24, 1917 Quiet On the Western Front

Bill writes a long letter to his father John Skilling in Teeswater, Ontario from somewhere on the Western Front. He goes into a lot of detail about the pay system, frustrations with sending cables and remarks several times about how quiet it is there. Unknown to Bill, his brother Harold has been shot in the abdomen during the Battle of the Somme. Someone had already written their condolences to him “on the loss of his dear brother” before he learned the truth that Harold was in hospital in England.

 

 

October 22, 1916 Lark Hill, Salisbury, England

Bill writes to  his sister Maude from Lark Hill and describes his accomodation and training.