Transcription

8th Queens
B. E. F.
10. 10. 15.

My dear Father,

Very many thanks for the Coat which arrived to-day & is the very thing. It is beautifully warm & far too hot to wear to-day – not that I want it as it is very fine, but when it is cold it will be ideal & it can be made lighter by taking out its inside.

There is a tremendous noise of shelling going on in the distance to-day but as it is Sunday it probably means nothing unusual as the Hun makes it a practise to stir up the British on their day of rest. However we seem to be stirring him up fairly severely in return. I heard to-day that for 3 months the Huns were supplying Armentieres with electric light from Lille without knowing it. They must have been fairly sickish when they found out. Apparently the electric mains were under both lines of trenches & they didn’t know it.

There is some excitement on at the moment as Archibald is busy on a Hun Aeroplane. I have seen them try to hit lots but never one touched. I saw a whole squadron of 14 French Aeroplanes the other day & the looked very jolly with the sun on them. I think they were out on a bombing excursion but of course I could not see what they did.

I was very interested to hear about Marlow & Seer Green (if that is its name). When at Herly I saw the name of a Captain J. Pears in the 6th Oxford & Bucks LI as being wounded & I wrote to him in the chance of his being able to let me know something. I have had no reply & it may be that he is not going to write but if he does I will let you know anything I hear. He may be a relative.

In this place we can get hot baths in a brewery. These are a great blessing for the men, but I have not faced one yet. I manage pretty well with a canvas bucket in the tent door.

Poor old Fox has not got the West Kents after all as they have sent out a senior officer from home. The Brigade & everyone are very sunk & so is he as he was just getting into it. However I hope it means that he comes back to us but I am not sure.

Love to all

from Jack.