1 Always
the same
address France 10.3.1916. My Dear Mrs Bell: I have to thank you for your parcel of
good things safely received and for the letter
of the whole family which I should like to
answer individually but under the circumstances
I am afraid I can only manage
one. it was a great treat to get
Lily's & Dawson's Mr Bells &your own— And Dawson's Kettle gave me something
to keep as a motto for the rest of the day.
The parcel arrived in perfect condition— which
is more than could be said for it
an hour afterwards. The two eggs were
intact— thanks to food packing — one of them
I ate at breakfast the other I gave to my
servant for which he respectfully said 'Thank
Ye Sor' The oranges were a treat and
the cake as good as ever, so please
accept my thanks and go to sleep tonight
with the assurances that you have once
more done your bit in the great war! I was sincerely sorry to see that you
have been poorly and trust that by this
time the pain which you mention will
have moved away. The weather has been 2
very trying and you must be careful to
keep free as possible from colds until the
warm weather comes. Well I am writing this far from where
I wrote you before and we are on the march
for somewhere down the line. We left on
Monday and I think this is Thursday although
really I scarcely know the day of the week. We
stop in little villages at night and tonight
we are lying in barns and all sorts of places.
My particular place of repose is in a
little room off the kitchen in a farm house
among some seed potatoes and the prospects
are better for a good nights sleep than for some
nights past. The men have marched
well all day and not one in my platoon
have asked leave to fall out. Tommy is
a gentleman on active service, depend
upon it, and with all his faults it is a
pleasure to be with him. I am after
giving them their weeks wages, a good
feed and a foot inspection and now
they are settling down for a sleep. Breakfast
is at 5,30 in the morning so we shall be
up with the lark and on the road before
the sun is high. The journey is
being made through very muddy roads 3
and sleep is falling nearly all the
time just to keep things cheery. We
have not an idea of where we are
going or where the journey will end but
we are in good spirits and there is not
a grumble anywhere . Oh, it is a queer
old life and ordinary life will never
be the same again to anyone who comes
through these times. Things which appear
important in ordinary life days seem very
insignificant and petty now — I am
feeling a bit stiff about the shoulders with
the weight of the kit but I will get a
sleep & wake up alright — I am very
glad to know that all old friends still
remember me and certainly I often think
of them. I shall not forget the kindness
you & yours have always showed to
me & I look on your home as though
it were my own. When we get through
this scrape we will warm up at the home
fires and in the meantime do what we
can for the good old cause. The Huns have
been here but by the grace of God as
Cromwell said they'll never be here again. With affectionate regards to you and Mr. Bell
, Lilly & Dawson
I am yours cordially J. Cordner