The collection consists almost entirely of correspondence predominately relating to Ifor L. Evans detainment in Germany during the Great War (1914-1918); letters and postcards between Ifor, his parents (Mr W. J. Evans and Mrs M. Evans) and grandmother; letters between Ifor, friends and others; correspondence between Ifor's parents and a range of individuals, mostly with regard to Ifor's situation; a series of letters to Mrs M. Evans from Mary Harold of Brae-Maray, Maeduff. The only material which is not correspondence is a loose selection of newspaper cuttings containing articles on German prisoners of war, as well as a few odds and ends (see series ILE/5 Miscellaneous for more details).
Correspondence between Ifor Leslie Evans and his parents (with one sent for his grandmother) during World War I while Ifor was detained in Germany. The vast majority of the series is made up of letters and postcards sent by Ifor L. Evans.
Letters and postcards sent by Ifor back home to his parents (with a single card to his grandmother) during his cycling trip through Germany in 1914. Everything in this series was written and sent prior to Ifor's arrest on 07 August and imprisonment in Nuremberg.
Mary is writing about communications being cut, she mentions that not even the solders can write back home and mentions that some families with relatives imprisoned in other parts of Germany have had no word for 3 weeks. She attaches two newspaper cuttings on the treatment of prisoners in Germany, one mentions the temporary cutting of communications from the camp as a result of infringement of the regulations at Ruhleben camp by some prisoners.
She writes that she sympathises with Mrs Evans having her only son taken from her and that she knows she sympathises with them also. She hopes their sons have met each other. She writes that as Ifor is musical he must have taken part in the xmas performance. Mrs Darnell says that she is getting regular postcards now and her boys are well though they long for home; it is especially difficult for her eldest who had just become engaged shortly before leaving home.
Thanks for letter received today. Returning a card instead of a letter as it is more certain to be received. 3000 marks is wanted to release ILE from confinement. ILE is well and cannot complain about his treatment, but he longs to be released. The prisoners are allowed to walk in the court every day for 3 hours and they can get supplies from the prison or the town. The Consul takes care of them. Please greet his parents.
Sent from Sinaia. Ifor has no news except that he has diarrhoea and the weather is overcast. He is expecting to see Mr Vaitila Bratiaun(?) and will then have a better idea of what his plans for the next 2 to 3 weeks will be.
Acknowledging receipt of Mr Evans letter of 8th instant on behalf of the Chancellor of the Exchequer. He writes that the Foreign Office is doing everything in its power via the American Ambassador, to ensure the safety of British subjects stranded in Germany.
He writes that as soon as he received his letter he immediately wrote to Dr Hampe. He asked him to look into the fate of young Mr Evans and as soon as he hears anything from him he will send a telegram straight away. M. Mackeprang also fears that the war will end all international unions.
A reply to a recent letter from Mr Evans. He finds it incredible that his son should be treated so, but recommends against publishing the letter as that could only spread ill feeling, which should be avoided. Mr Hoyle is sorry to hear that Ifor has been moved and suggests that Mr Evans next course of action should be to find out where he really is. He recommends trying the American Consul in Nuremberg via his counterpart in Rotterdam.
Thanks for postcard of ILE's father that he received today. Unfortunately ILE is being held as a prisoner of war for 5 weeks now. Remainder partly unreadable - something about Prussia. Please tell parents not to fear for him.
Sent from Nuremberg. Writes he was pleased to get his letter yesterday and write he was sorry to hear of poor Harry. He then explains that the picture on the card depicts one of the gates of the town. Ifor will be departing for Regensburg today at 2.00pm. He asks for any news about war between Russia and Germany.
He hopes to learn that ILE has been freed. He was sorry to hear ILE was still being held by those damn Germans. ILE is a brave boy for telling his parents not to worry about his fate. This does not surprise the writer in the least about ILE. He will not let himself be beat down. He knows that to fight these enemies, he must preserve his physical and moral strength. He is also helped by the fact that he is not alone. He and his friends mutually support each other. One has inner resources to fall back on when one is young. ILE will be freed and the writer hopes that ILE's mother will not have long to wait anymore before this happiness will come to pass. The writer has received good news from George [his son]. Nothing dangerous. Georges would have preferred to have been an interpreter, but the medical service is one of the few services where one is not allowed to change one's post once assigned to it. There have been many ill this last month, but he is in good health. He hopes to talk to her again soon about ILE.
