1 182 Siege Battery R.f.a. B.E.F. France. Dear Mother I wonder if Win will get my last letter
all right or will it be censored. I believe now
that I put more than I ought to into it — of course they
were only names to me till I looked at the
map, and another Officer I asked said it was
all right putting them itin — still now on reading
the regulations I think it was wrong — and of
course everyone has to play the game now
no matter how absurd it may seem. Well we went on the same night I wrote
last and got to our destination about 10.0
three other officers and myself having passed
the time in the train by an interesting game of bridge;
that was Friday. I had passed a large part
of the afternoon in an officers hairdressing
place — quite decent. At lunch that day
I met a Lancing man — we met in the
luncheon place, and after a bit of conversation
he said the he thought he knew my face. 2 2.
I sudden flash came across me and I
said — Why you're Morgan aren't you — and
I was right — wasn't it clever of me? Well when we arrived that night we
an officer from the group headquarters
met me and we had a eight mile lorry
ride or thereabouts and I found the Col.
was one I had met at Lydd — a very facetious
old stick — in fact quite mad — slapping people
on the back left and right — I had a bed
that night and, joy of joys, a bath in the
morning. that morning was a beautiful
and the General and Colonel took me round
for a stroll by the battery position and up,
along a ridge where there was a great view. Everything just here is very quiet and one is
inclined think of the picnic and wonder couldn't
one make oneself sufficiently uncomfortable
at home. A few guns go off occasionally
and machine guns — one wag near here
starts playing tunes on his machine gun
every now and then. A good many of
our aeroplanes are about. but I've only 3 3.
seen one hun machine which was very
high up and very quickly disappeared. The paper boy has just been round with
yesterday's papers — wonderfully quick isn't
it. I imagine the Hun here is only
too glad to be left alone. people seem to
think he's beginning to wonder if he really is
so sure of winning after all. Well Saturday afternoon I went down
myself to have a good look round. The
battery position is in a great place. I suppose
about a mile and a half from the German
lines. Another battery had it and put in
a tremendous amount of work on it and
it's really pretty well ready for us —
grand dugouts, gun positions and everything.
It is in a little valley and would be awfully
hard for the Hun to hit — specially as he doesn't
seem to be able to use his aircraft. That night I sent my kit down on a
lorry — of course the beastly thing stuck up. 4 4.
to its axles in mud and we had an awful
job. it took well over an hour and in the
end we had to dig it out — however finally
we got through all right and back again
without difficulty. In the morning I brought
the men down. There was a village near
here — though in plans it's very hard to
find any traces of it. I believe there was
a tremendous battle here — there and are trenches
all about — and graves — I was shown
a German boot. they say a little time ago
the foot was sticking out — but now only
the boot is left. If only war was on
a film or in a book or something — one
could laugh like anything at the puerility
of it all — it's only the realisation of the
facts that changes the comedy to tragedy —
and the whole thing after all for nothing. There was part of another battery
near here and I messed with them
very good food — even the men say it's 5 5.
better than they got at home. All Sunday
we were working cleaning up the old dugouts
etc some of which were filthy. It was
fortunately a beautiful day and I could almost
have imagined I was somewhere in the
South of England say Sussex - the place
is all chalk. Monday it rained steadily
and I had my first small taste of mud
needly to say order came for several batteries
near to move, and that night it was
awful. The battery I was messing with
went and jus just after I went to bed. I
had to get up to take over some ammunition
they had to leave behind. They were working
hard till five a.m before they got away. Now things won't be so comfortable for
me, though certainly I've nothing to complain
of, and I shall be able to settle myself
comfortably into one of their Officers dugouts.
This morning it was still raining fine
but steady. I got the order to go and 6 6.
obliterate wheel tracks etc of the a battery
near that moved last night, it was
a dirty job, this afternoon it has cleared
and the mud is drying wonderfully quickly. I hope the battery comes along soon.
We are all ready for it. Certainly we are
in great luck here for a beginning, a
great position — all the dirty work done,
and the place couldn't be quieter if we were
in Wicklow as it has been so far —
though I hope we don't stop here indefinitely
if they don't move us to some other part.
I should be able to have a great little
garden next year. I am already considering
what to ask Win for — in the way of seeds!!
The weather here is wonderfully warm
almost too warm in fact, but of course
thats a fault on the right side. There's lots more I would like to say but 7 7.
of course I mustn't. I wonder when I'll
get a letter from home. I hope you are
getting mine all right - this is my third since
arriving in France. not bad! what? I really
haven't had very much time as we are
pretty busy here. (Later) I heard a rumour over the telephone from
my Sergt. who away drawing rations - that
the battery was arriving at the rail head tonight
I hope so. Remember I've hardly heard anything from you
since I saw you & Father & V. in
London that time so lets have some news
soon - though really I know I needn't ask as
I'm expecting a whole budget of letters soon
perhaps the battery will bring some tomorrow.
Well now I'll bottle up as I expect you'll have
a job to wade through all this, also there are
other letters I ought to write. Goodnight
Your very loving son Charles 8 Mrs. Wynne The Cottage Glendalough. Co.Wicklow Ireland. CW.Wynne Envelope 9