1 In the Field 26.1.16 Dear Father Please pass cheques
herewith in payment of accounts
enclosed. Receipts may be given
to Emmie. I duly received yours of 21 st inst.
yesterday with enclosure. I
note with much interest the
dizzy heights to which Bennie
has attained. I hope he continues
to do well. I was exceedingly
sorry to hear of Matt's death. I
expect your were cut up about
it. I will try & write a note to
the Surveyors Institution some time
& tell them of a matter that would
no doubt interest them. which About a month ago two fellows
dropped in to see me 'professionally'
in my Coy. H.Q. in the Front line.
One was the Liason Gunner for
the day & the other was the O.C.
2 2.
the Coy on my left. We both
belonged to different Brigades. I
don't recollect that I had ever
met either of them before. But
the nature of our business brings
us in touch with a surprising
number of people many of whom
we only know by their Command
or occupation. (e.g. O.C. Trench
Mortar Battery. Liason Officer.
F.O.O. O.C. Flank Coy .etc.) It was in the middle of the
night & we had tea & other
refreshment & things were
quiet, & as usual we got chatting
after we had transacted our
business. Sociability as I
understood it before the war is
a pale shadow when compared
with the Comradeship of the front
line trench. You would love this
side of it. Best of men. Thought
quick & clear. Judgment swift 3 3.
Wit sharp. Expression forcible
rather than polite, but tact is
always of a high class in a
successful officer. No tact. No
cooperation in a good guiding
light for any officer. Well -
In the course of our chat, we
discovered that all three of us
were members of the Surveyors
Institution. Both the other fellows
were P.A.S.I men. One of them
is the son of a big London one
time Auctioneer & Estate Agent -
Harrington's. (I think that is right)
The father sold the business &
then changed his name to Cook.
Very decent fellow the son. I have forgotten the other fellows
names but I meet him occasionally
when I dine out round the
Batteries. This of course only
happens during our tours out. We are expecting Horace 4
4
(Major Haslett, I beg his pardon)
to re-join us today. He will take over my job as Acting 2 nd
in Command. Woods is on a 2 1/2
months course in England. The
2 ndin Command job is a delightful
one. I have had a most perfect
rest at it this joyous month past. Owing to the effect Horace's
rejoining has on my position
I couldn't say very much when
I was asked by the C.O. what I
thought about it. I am however
doubtful as to its advisability
in view of the wet & exposure &
cold & muck. His lack of proper
eye focus also is a very serious
drawback as regards observation
or in the very rare instances in
which it could arise in his position,
self protection. It has been
entirely the C.O.'s effort which has
is bringing him back. He 5
5.
hated to think of him in a Clerk's
job and I know he will do all he
can to make things easy for him.
This he can do all right as long
as Woods is away, but if he comes
back Horace will have to take a
Coy. or leave us. I don't think
even the C.O. believes he could
stand Coy. work. Horace I know
was himself most anxious not
to take over the job of 2 nd in Command
& wrote to this effect to the C.O.
putting it quite clearly that he
hadn't the experience & saying
he would be delighted to serve
under me. But the C.O. with his
cast iron ideas of Justice said
NO. I saw Horace's letter to this
effect. I have Mother's letter of
11 th Oct before me but there does
not appear to be anything in
it requiring reply. 6 6.
I had a very interesting letter
from my good friend Maj
Byers of Knock Church on
Theological subjects in reply
to a letter I wrote him. I am in the best of health
& form. Drop me a line when you
find time. Your affectionate son W. Montgomery 7 H.H.Montgomery Esq C/o W m Montgomery & Son
2 Wellington Place
Belfast. Post Stamp marked Field Post 26 Oct 1916