Victor Paulin to his Aunt, 1918

Lt VR Pauline

No 91 Squadron

Chattis Hill

Stockbridge, Hants

Jany 17/18

Dear Aunty

I would have written you before, had I received your address sooner, but Mother sent it just the other day, so now I am going to try and make up for lost time. I should have paid more attention to my address book before leaving Victoria, but I did not have an awful lot of time, and Mother came out of the hospital the day before I left, then it was that I commenced to think about these things, when my book was finished no local addresses

were such at all, ~~~~~ ~~~~~ for England,

As she already mentioned, of ~~~ having about addresses at, I must tell you something about myself.

I ~~~~~ my arrival in London, and which given ~~~ and of course, ~~~~~much to day out ~~~~~

[cannot read the page- photo too blurry]

said is now taller than I am. I don’t expect I shall see George until I go to France but I keep in touch with him by letter, and last I heard he was “still going strong.”

I was on another plane leave last week and went up to B’ham to see Ben, who has a chunk of shrapnel in his hips, and also see Aunt Emmy, to say nothing of cousin “Hilda”, who is some “bird”. Grace and Renee are both married, so are not half so interesting.

Oh yea, I nearly forgot to tell you about Stockbridge, it is some “hole”, we are billeted in all the old houses, the one I am billeted in is called “Grosvenor House”, the name is

not too bad, but I wish I could say the same for the “residence.” We have to walk about 2 miles to the squadron over those lovely Roman roads, you know, the kind you read about. I expect it’s a good stunt to get us ready for France.

I have been to London several times now, and can manage to find my way about fairly well, also check up the taxi drivers if they short change me, like they used to.

Hoping to hear from you in the near future.

Best to Uncle and yourself,

Your affectionate nephew

Victor

October 27, 2019 0

WPC Leonard to George Paulin(e), 1918

Letter to George Paulin, Victoria from WPC Leonard, Chaplain to the forces

May 10, 1918,

No 23 Squadron, Royal Air Force

Dear Mr Pauline,

It is with deep sympathy that I write to you about the great loss which you have been called upon to bear in the death of your son while flying.

I can assure you that every member of the Squadron shares your sorrow to the uttermost, and feels for you sincerely in this overwhelming loss.

Your boy made many friends among us, and earned the very highest opinion and admiration as a pilot. He was absolutely fearless, and had he been spared, I am certain would have made a great name.

The Commanding officer, Major Bryant, will probably have told you, as he told me, that he looked upon your boy as his best and stoutest hearted pilot.

It was excess of keenness and enthusiasm which really caused his death, for he was trying to do a difficult climbing turn, when the machine crashed to the ground, killing your son instantly.

We laid him to rest this afternoon in the British Cemetery near St Omer, and as soon as possible a cross made out of a propeller will be erected to his memory. The Co. and all officers who were not on duty came to the service, in which we laid his earthly remains to rest, and commended his brave soul to the keeping of Him who also gave his life to pay the price of a purer and better world.

Out here we begin to understand that death, is not the end; it is but the gateway of a fuller and more perfect life. One day we shall meet again in that promised land where death is swallowed up in victory.

I know that no words of mine can relieve your grief, but I hope that God will comfort you and give you pride in the greatness of the sacrifice which your boy has laid on the Altar of Patriotism.

In deepest sympathy, in which all ranks wish to join,

Believe me

Very Sincerely Yours

MPG Leonard,

Chaplain to the Forces.

October 19, 2019 0

Victor Reginald Paulin to Edith Nickells Paulin, 1918

Letter to Mrs George Paulin from son Victor Paulin, France 22 April 1918

Dear mother,

How are things in old Victoria? Received a letter from Victoria yesterday giving all the latest events, from Nancy Riddell, they are now living at 793 Stillside Ave, wants a snap of me, so I told her to call on you, and you would be sure to give her one. I hope you received the postcards taken at Ayr and the 2 films taken in France while I was in the pool.

I have just returned from Baron von Richtofffen’s funeral, he was the German “star” aviator, and was brought down yesterday by one of the chaps in this wing. He flew a red tryplane. I also went and had a look at that this morning. It was quite a funeral for France, a firing party of Australians, and the pall bearers were officers of the Australian Flying Corps. During the ceremony a formation of our machines flew around the cemetery, everyone was wishing that he had been brought down alive, as he was a brave fellow. I have had him dive on me on one occasion, and am not at all sorry he is out of it, at the same time I have every respect in the world for him, if Idid not happen to be able to dive faster than he on the occasion I mention, he would have “got me” -as the him tryplane is a very frail machine and is liable to break up at a great speed. He couldn’t follow me, believe me, I had “gust up” when I knew that the “star”

“him” was on my tail.

I received a letter from Aunty Nellie, also one from Ben, Ruby and Hilda, everything in the garden is rosy so far as Ruby and Ben are concerned. It appears they have both written me, but I have not received the letters.

Say Mother, did Aunty Floss ever write me? I have never heard from any of our relatives in Victoria, except that one letter from Aunty Doll Aunty Polly. I must have lost a whole batch of mail. I have written about a hundred letters for every one I receive. Expected one from you today, it seems funny that I should receive a letter from Nancy from Victoria, and no other mail with it. Perhaps some more is coming !!!(This letter was dated 11 March)

In case you haven’t received my other letters my address is 23 Squadron, RAF, BED France. I received a letter from Wilf recently, he was in London for a few days. I will get leave in about a month, and will send some more music for Dad, tell him to write a few lines once in a while. I haven’t had a letter from him since I landed in England. I received a Christmas card from him that is all, Well Ma must close now, hope Toby won’t be a nuisance to you, the best way would be to raffle him for the Red Cross!! deducting your expenses.

Love to Dad and yourself, your loving son Vic

October 17, 2019 0

New to the page – VR Pauline’s diary, 1918

New on the web site – Victor Pauline’s diary, 1918

Cathy Jansen has obtained images from the diary of Victor Reginald Pauline from the BC Aviation Museum. They were donated to the Museum by Kathleen Paulin, Cathy’s aunt. The diary has not been fully transcribed yet – a job for later, but I was able to do a few pages as a start.

Notice the early part of the diary, January 1918 when he visits the family of Ernest and Emma Paulin. He talks a lot about his cousin Hilda, and also about Grace, and his aunty Emmy.

August 24, 2019 0