1 10 Nov 1916 In the Field 30.10.16 Dear father & Mother I thank
father for his letter of 26thinst.
& mother for hers of 26thinst.
I haven't got the soda bread & 2
bottle of lemon cheese yet. In
fact as you will see from the
Certificate enclosed herewith our
parcels are not reaching us as
they should. You may take it
that I acknowledge receipt of all
parcels from you & Emmie & in
fact everybody else. Once or
twice I have when writing Emmie
asked her to advise you that I
had got a parcel from you. It
is possible that she may have
forgotten to tell you when she saw
you. ask her about it. I have got that Acetylane
Syrup, the one you recommended 2 2
I am writing by it now. It is
just the very thing I was
looking for. I have ordered those Trench
card things & Tin holders direct
from Moore & Coates. I am very much obliged to
father for bothering with them
especially when he is so
busy. This fountain pen is
absolutely finished. Major Haslett hasn't turned
up yet but he might be here
tonight, as a reinforcement
officer is notified to reach us
tonight. Meantime I am having
a delightful time as acting 2nd
in Command - the best job in
the regimental side of the Army. I had a very straight heart to
heart talk with the C.O today - And &
he has promised me that when
he leaves this Battalion, he will 3 3
fix it that I get a good job.
He won't of course let me go
before that except possibly
temporarily. I told him that
soldiering is I hope only an
incident in my life that I
have seen all I want of the
regimental end of the achievement
& would now like to do a bit
in the side that I would be
better fitted for viz. Staff. I,
as the C.O says know this end
of it fro A to Z. I know it far
beyond the point of boredom. The C.O.'s leaving the Battalion
depends on when he gets a Brigade
this I think must certainly
occur before the Spring. I have the knowledge & I
don't see why I shouldn't
personally benefit by its being
put to its best use in the
country's cause. The C.O has 4 4
been exceedingly nice about it.
He told me he had been thinking
of my position for some time
back particularly as it became
affected by Horace's return, and
that even if I hadn't spoken
to him he was going to see both
the Bridadier & the Major General
about it right away. In fact I
think he is seeing the Brigadier
about it at this very moment. I wouldn't leave the little
devil even if I were only in
command of a platoon & of course
as he knows that, it made it
easy for him to have Haslett
promoted & made acting 2nd in
command during Woods absence
on his 2 1/2 month course & thus
in his opinion increase the
efficiency of hisBattalion by
having both of us instead of
only one. His argument 5 5
to me in the beginning of the
having Horace back business
was that Horace was senior
to me, that it wasn't his fault
he was wounded & that he
was both fit & keen to return &
therefore he would return. All
of which I most cordially agreed
with possible excepting the 'fit'
part. The C.O. & I discussed
all this as far back as 7thJuly.
Later of course I got my A.S.O.4
that influenced him further to
give the majority to Horace. I tell you all this just in case
you might happen to hear the
matter discussed. Horace is in
the devil of a stew about it. I am very sorry to hear that
the Salvage business isn't going
on as you could wish. What is the
good of it if it can't be pushed. About knitted things - Socks 6 6
Socks Socks. I wouldn't let
anyone bother about sweaters at
present. One can't have too many
socks in winter. There is nothing else new
here that I can tell you. I
am in the best of health & form
and very much looking forward
to taking Horace to dine at a place
where he can crack bottles to
'wet his crowns'. I haven't dined
there f'in town' for quite a
long time now. no money.
But Horace will make that all
right for once anway & then
we expect a few more Military
Crosses to be announced shortly;
so this will tide us over for quite a
bit. We got 4 more military
medals for N.C.Os & men within the
last week. Some beribboned
Battalion this. Your Affect. Son W.T Montgomery 7 Certified that I have received
no tobacco from either England
or Ireland since 25thAugust
1916 when I was last in Belfast.
W. Montgomery Capt
9thBatt.R.I.Rifles
30.10.16 8 10 Nov 1916 F.H.Montgomery Esq C/o Messrs Wm Montgomery & Son 2 Wellington Place Belfast. Wm.A. Montgomery Passed Field Censor 2188