Additions will be checked before being published on the website and where possible will be forwarded to the person who submitted the original entries. Your contact details will not be forwarded, but they can send a reply via this messaging system.
please scroll down to send a message
Pte. Ralph Henry Samuel Bullus
British Army 6th Btn. Wiltshire Regiment
from:Nunney, Somerset
Ralph Bullus, born 3rd June 1896, volunteered at the start of the war and served in France and Flanders throughout. Wounded and captured in the German spring offensive 1918, he was taken P.O.W and enterned in Germany until repatriated by the red cross in January 1919 and taken to Blackfriars Hospital London for treatment of wounds. He lived out the rest of his life with his family in Nunney, Somerset until he died in 1969. He was my grandfather and we are very proud of him. Below is an extract from a letter he sent to the hospital in London and published in the Somerset Standard newspaper at the time;
"Private Ralph Bullus, of the 6th Wilts, from Nunney, writes to Mrs Milne-Redhead from King George’s Hospital, Blackfriars, as follows:- I am safe back in the dear old country once more. We left Germany about the ninth of January under the French Red Cross people. They handed us over to our Red Cross about ten days after, to a hospital in the South of France, and I was very thankful for that day. The French Red Cross seems so poor to our own. Having stayed in the Field Hospital for three days we got transferred to the Base Hospital at Rouen, staying there a few days. We left Rouen on last Tuesday night, going by train to Boulogne, arriving there in the morning. We were then put on the Hospital ship and sailed for Dover, landing about five o’clock. We then had the pleasant train-ride up to Charing Cross, getting there about nine. It was a fine reception; we could not eat much or drink as we were filled with joy. I am now in King George’s Hospital. I am expecting every day to be transferred nearer home. I have booked for Bath; I hope it will go through alright. This is only a clearing station here for the wounded P.O.W. I am fairly well in health, but my leg is still very bad. The fracture is set in a bad position, and some short stiffening knee – all this is through German treatment. I was in a good hospital – I mean as a hospital, but the treatment they gave for a fracture was absolute torture. I entered this hospital on May 2nd, last year. They drove two nails into my knee, put my leg on a board at the side of the bed, attached two strings to these nails, and hung about 25lbs on them. This lasted for about a month, then while I was having the leg dressed one morning one nail broke off in my leg. They put me on the operation table, took it out, also the sound one, and then drove one clean through my heel; all this was done without chloroform of any description. I had the sand sack on the nail for another two months. Then the nails were taken out. I am now in bed, but am going to try my luck with crutches. Madam, I am now sending you my very best thanks for all your splendid kindnesses. I was on the point of death three times in Germany, and had it not been for the splendid parcels I got, I certainly should not have seen old Blighty again. I sent all the acknowledgement postcards back; hope you received them. The last Frome parcel I received was the beginning of November. Then when the armistice came, all the parcels were collected together and we had anybody’s. I also thank you for the memo cards; I received quite a good few, but not the later months. I hope all the Nunney prisoners of war are safely back. My first letter came yesterday from home. My brother is now enjoying his two months’ leave. Well, I believe the Germans paid very dearly for us lads; they had it in the March offensive. I shall never forget it. I am lucky to be alive. We had the odds of 111 to one against us, but we hung on to the very last. My battalion lost very heavily. I had an officer come to see me; he had such a list of the dear lads that have been missing since last March. I was able to tell him the news of three – two killed and one wounded and P.O.W. I am afraid most of them are killed. I would have given the world to have been in this last offensive of ours. By what I can gather from the lads it was fine sport; it’s a pity they gave in so soon. Well, madam, I expect you feel greatly relieved with the strain of all the parcel work off your mind. I am sure us P.O.W’s can never repay you for your kindness and strenuous work. I am patiently waiting now to get my transfer. I hope it won’t be long, as I have to go through another operation, and I am getting tired of this lying-in-bed sort of life."
