Letter from Terrence Duffin to Edward Duffin, 3 December 1915 Letters 1916-1923 Terence Duffin

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A letter from Terence Duffin to his brother Edward. Terence writes describing the wet and muddy conditions in the trenches. He writes of the General who inspires him with confidence and mentions Captain Day who is the new Brigade Major. Although he qualifies for leave in January but is not sure he will get it.This letter is part of a rich correspondence between various members of the Duffin family, a large prosperous family living in Strandtown, Belfast. Several family members served in the war, including Major Terence Duffin, who served as a staff officer with 107 Brigade, and later with Royal Irish Rifles; Major Charles G Duffin MC, Royal Field Artillery; and their sisters Emma, Celia and Dorothy who served as Voluntary Aid Detachments (VADS) in Egypt and France, and with the YMCA.

 Public Record Office of Northern Ireland Duffin Papers D2109-A, Duffin Papers D2109-A https://letters1916.ie/item/707 English Terence Duffin 1915-12-03 Headquarters, 107 Bde, B.E.F. Edward Duffin Male World War I (1914-1918)

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 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 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 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 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 Terence Duffin Letter from Terrence Duffin to Edward Duffin, 3 December 1915Letter from Terence Duffin to Maria Duffin, 29 February 1916Letter from Terence Duffin to his sister, Dorothy Duffin, 12 November 1915Letter from Terence Duffin to his father Adam Duffin, 10 November 1915Letter from Terence Duffin to his mother Maria Duffin, 26 November 1915 Headquarters, 107 Bde, B.E.F. Letter from Terrence Duffin to Edward Duffin, 3 December 1915