HMS Bacchante, armoured cruiser, (1901-1920), Courtesy of wikipedia
Author of Letter: Noah C Draper, 30 yrs old
Dated: Feb 16 (1917)
Mailed from: H.M.S. Bacchante
Attached to: HMS Bacchante
Profession: Farmer, Temporary Sailor
Rank: Ordinary Seaman, Royal Naval Canadian Volunteer Reserve
Addressed to: Mrs. N.C. Draper, Keswick, Ont.
Relationship: Wife
Writing instrument: Fountain Pen with Black Ink
Writing Paper: 1 sheet 9" x 6" medium weight, smooth, linen-look, folded into a 4-page booklet form. Noah hasn't numbered the pages, and he's using a form he's used often before where his first page is the front "cover", then he's opened it and written on the right side, then moved over to the left side - turned the page sideways - and written there, and finally, he's closed it and written on the back. For clarity, I'm posting the pages in the order they were meant to be read.
People mentioned in this letter:
Ethel* - Ethel Isabel Draper, 27 yrs old, Noah's wife of 6 yrs
Eva - Evaline Amelia Perrault*, 40 yrs old, one of Noah's sisters (out West)
Mother - Sarah Sophia Deverell* Draper, Noah's widowed mother (out West)
Alice - Alice Alma Prosser*, born June 1915, daughter of Ethel's sister Sadie
Places/things mentioned in this letter:
Bacchante** - HMS Bacchante
Birkenhead - Town across the River Mersey from Liverpool, England
Liverpool - maritime city in northwest England
tobacco**
fruit cake**
Word or Phrase Use:
Legend:
* Look under the Categories/Labels in the right side column for more posts on this
person/place/thing, or use the search box in the header at the top of this page
** see History Notes below
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| will be fowarded on to me. There was about 20 out of our hut drafted on here & the rest will soon be sent some where else, I have been here 2 days now commisioning ship & it is some job. I can tell you. Well I will be glad to get to sea again to feed the fish Ha Ha. there is agreat deal of confussion connected with taking on stores & it takes a couple of days at sea before things get in proper working order again, I got a letter from you Eva & mother, Wed. before I left Chatham they were |
| all well, but I suppose you have heard from them since the 17th of January. that was when mine was writen. but one is glad to get mail even if it is old, so dont forget to write often, well I hope Alice is better by this time, am shure you must be having a fine time, but you know, Ethel you have a home of your own, & friends in the West who will be glad to see you at any time, dont let expences stand in the way of your enjoyment of life, as we only live once and when we die we will be a long time dead. Ha. Ha. |
| to morrow is my after noon out so will try & see something of a new town am only about 5 minutes ride out of Liverpool so will go over there mabey tomorrow, afternoon, dont think I will come in untill Sunday morning at 7 a.m. have never stayed out overnight yet so think I will have a change and get a feed. I hope that box comes along before we leave port, but I would not send anymore tobacco if I were you. a good rich fruit cake that will not dry out is as good as anything. Well I guess I will close forthis time so Bye Bye. Love to all. N.C.D.. XXXXX |
History Notes
There are 3 History notes for this letter of February 16, 1917:
History Note 1 - HMS Bacchante (see image at top of post)
Noah is finally on board a ship, HMS Bacchante, which is taking on stores before heading out to sea. The Bacchante was built for the Royal Navy and launched on Feb 22, 1901. She was a First Class Armoured Cruiser, Cressy class, which provided naval gunfire support to Anzac troops during the Gallipoli Campaign. She remained in the Mediterranean until late 1916 before returning home to England.
History Note 2 - Fruit Cake
Rationing during wartime meant butter, eggs, and sometimes sugar, were in short supply. Due to their longevity, fruit cakes were often sent to the troops where they would store them in their ditty boxes and treat themselves, and sometimes others, to small portions at a time - a piece of home for comfort.
I searched my cook book collection and in my Five Roses Cook Book, 1915, Lake of the Woods Milling Company Limited, Montreal, found this wartime recipe for Fruit Cake that doesn't use butter or eggs:
History Note 1 - HMS Bacchante (see image at top of post)
Noah is finally on board a ship, HMS Bacchante, which is taking on stores before heading out to sea. The Bacchante was built for the Royal Navy and launched on Feb 22, 1901. She was a First Class Armoured Cruiser, Cressy class, which provided naval gunfire support to Anzac troops during the Gallipoli Campaign. She remained in the Mediterranean until late 1916 before returning home to England.
History Note 2 - Fruit Cake
Rationing during wartime meant butter, eggs, and sometimes sugar, were in short supply. Due to their longevity, fruit cakes were often sent to the troops where they would store them in their ditty boxes and treat themselves, and sometimes others, to small portions at a time - a piece of home for comfort.
I searched my cook book collection and in my Five Roses Cook Book, 1915, Lake of the Woods Milling Company Limited, Montreal, found this wartime recipe for Fruit Cake that doesn't use butter or eggs:
 |  |
History Note 3 - Tobacco
Noah has mentioned Tobacco and specifically Player's Navy Cut Cigarettes, their cost, etc, in WW1 Letters Home - Jan 25, 1917
The Morning Leader, Regina, Saskatchewan, Sep 7, 1911
