1 3/12/15 Hd. Qrs 107 Bde B.E.F. My dear Edmund We have just finished with
the cold spell, and the snow which
was quite heavy has disappeared,
also the frost — it has now been
raining steadily for two days &
the result is better I'm afraid than
described as far as the trenches are
concerned & you are either up over
your thighs in water or up to your
knees in thick mud — fearfully
hard to walk through even, let alone
live in — I often wonder how the
men can stand it — However the
'Bosch' must be as badly if not
worse off in their part of the line, which
is all we have to comfort ourselves
with! Even though out here 2 ophone sent out & now can have
music in the evenings! Our General is very cheery
and a splendid man all round
who inspires you with absolute
confidence — You know that he
has little to learn as a Brigadier
— he has been extraordinary lucky
to have come right through the war
without a scratch especially as
he has been through almost every
fight of importance you could
mention. Capt. Day our new Brigade Major
is a good fellow too — an Irishman
from Clones, who was prev-
iously the General's adjutant &
has been with him from the
start — With two such experienced
men we should be all right! I hear of big changes in
— the 15th Batt. The Colonel has
gone home — Gordon is now in 3
command and the Adjutant
has reverted to Qr Master. You never know whether
your next step will be up or
down! Possibly my next step
will be down — I wonder I have
held my present job even as long
as I have! The General goes on leave next
week and Day shortly after
him — I qualify about Jan
1st but it does not follow that
I get it. I had rather a sad
letter from poor old Gen. Coachman
yesterday. He is at home with
nothing to do and apparently
feels it deeply — It was rather
unkind letting him keep command
even out here and then ordering
him back. I have had no letters 4
for some days but we have
been told that mails both ways
will be uncertain till after Xmas. I got my winter flannels
safely and was glad to have them. I could do with a decent
pipe as I broke one and the other
is somewhat far through — You
might post me out one. Glad to hear Olive will be
home for Xmas — I had a line
from her and also from Emma. Best love to all Ever your loving Terry