1 21 July 1916 My pr I have just got your extra nice letter. You by all
means tell the family or any one you like, provided that it
does not lead to an appeal which tho' kindly intended
would make me very angry, & would almost certainly do
more harm than good. Anyhow I would not attempt one
myself nor any explanation. If one year's intercourse
cannot absorb one from their kind of misunderstandings I'm
hanged if it is worthwhile attempting any reconciliation. I am not sure now who has done this stupidity, whether
G.C. Wrawfor or so I think Genl P. to via Sir G.. Perhaps
it is as well. All of them have behaved in a peculiar way,
but I like them too well to cause them the great
distain which they would feel if they knew. Old fat S rather enjoys stirring up mud & began to
run me down for being too polite to the Corps etc at
dinner. 'You ought to be firm'. The thing that I had not
been firm about was in not protesting against Div H A 2 being moved at 1 days' notice, as if it didn't care what
happened to our battalions & men who had to march but
protested about our precious selves who have motors &
lorries. G also supported old S that I ought to protest
against the inconvenience but C who is a soldier at any
rate, said that if we did not move to the new place
someone else would & that we should then be between
2 stools, so I carried my way but not pleasantly. Old
S is as selfish as they make them & pampers selfishness in others,
& will get promoted in consequence. Perhaps he earns it for it
must be unpleasant I think you have caught the newspaper optimism. If
you get the chance tell Sredward that in my view the
situation is much more critical than it has been for a
year past & that partial success now means another
year's delay & then equally no progress at the present
rate of preparation. I would go further & say that unless
the nation is prepared at once to redouble its efforts, making 3
the whole empire work at full stretch & no half measures it is no good going on. I look upon our present action as absolutely inadequate
& think we shall get into a worse instead of a better position
if things drift on, & that unless we can make our minds
at once to tighten up every screw it would be better to
finish at once. I have less confidence in the Government
now that ever before & really think that unless Sredward
does what he told you he can do he had better let them
give terms which I understand are now obtainable dictatable. As you know I am not a pessimist but as things
stand now it seems to me that Balfour is trying to make
the nation face what we are really up against instead of
mistaking our costly success was taking the most patriotic
course. The present policy of partial effort will mean a
far more inconclusive finish when than is now possible
when every one has come to the end of their resources,
except our Yankee cousins. Some of our men will be in the trenches again tomorrow
and it is only a matter of days before we follow. I cannot of
course tell wh you what part of the country we are in, but
it is more fertile & the people nicer that I had been led 4 to expect I had tea with the sapper Craig yesterday . He is a
nice chap & seems fairly satisfied about Charles being all
right. He was left for 8 days in our old area when the
Division moved & & spoke guardedly but very strongly about
the difference between our men & theirs, & there is no
doubt in my mind that we shall get a cannot expect
anything from future elements in comparison with the original
new armies who were inspired by partition. The swarms
of unwilling conscripts will undoubtedly swamp the old
type by being saved till the end instead of being
mixed with them in moderate quantities earlier. I must not let this letter end without lifting up
the wrap curtain a little to the p v, to let her peep under & see
what a very different bw is behind thanks to her help.
She knows this jolly well but never objects being told !
It is a beautiful summer day when we could have a
great romp, I don't think the weather will matter
much when we are together again. I'm glad your work
is a little less & that the money is coming in for you
must need it all. By the way some of our Ulster Div men
may now have been transferred to other Divisions but you
will of course look after them just the same. Your b w WB Spender