Cecil Slack's letters: Volume 4

The body of each letter is as transcribed by Lady Joan Slack. In each case the name or initial of the writer is followed by the recipient, the date (where known) and the address from which the letter was sent. For convenience, these have been presented in a common format. CMS is, of course, Cecil Moorhouse Slack.

CMS to Bob; 11/2/16.

Dear Bob,

I note with interest that the Hull Police Force is on your track, and I hope you will continue to evade its numbers. Congratulations on becoming a prefect. Mind you keep Harold in order. I suppose he's an awful nut as he is not in the bottom form. Glad you've taken up hockey and I hope you'll like it.

I believe I was at school with N.F. Smith, but I'm not sure. Sanderson is in this company, but has gone back to Hospital. I shall not be surprised if he returns to England.

I got up this morning at 5.30 for "stand to". It was wet and muddy, and snowing, and dark. It is on these occasions that one feels fed up. At other times it is all right. The way to sleep at night is to get so very tired that the cold doesn't matter.

Is it my blue suit you've bagged? - because it's quite all right for me, and I shall want something to wear as soon as the Battalion is dismissed. I am the Mess President of our company, an always thankless job. But I don't mind at all. I am in great favour at present as I have arranged for us all to have a small mincing machine. We are going to have rissoles etc. and turn the other company messes green with envy. Tonight we are having poached eggs on toast for tea! We had some haddock with our bacon for breakfast, and reserved the eggs.

Tell Mother the tinned haddock was excellent. We have just rigged up a bell from our dugout to our servants quarters. It is composed of a long piece of telephone wire, and a bullet hanging in a Perrier bottle. The only other fault with the place where we are living now, besides the cold and mud, is the latrine, the seat of which is too high. As it is only a thin board, it cannot be used when there is a strong wind blowing.

Our sergeants live in a dugout with an arched roof. Two days ago a piece of shell came through,and knocked a button off a tunic, scraped the skin off two fingers, and buried itself in the sandbag wall. One sergeant was lying down; if he had been sitting up he would have been killed.

Our Company Sgt Major, whose name is Carr, and who is a Brunswick person, fell into a deep shell hole that was full of cold mud, the other night. He was very angry about it.

Your affec. brother,

Cecil.

CMS to Harold; 13.2.16.

Dear Harold,

I was very glad to get your letter a short time ago. I am very pleased that you are having a good time at Hymers. I hope you won your ruler fights.

I hear from Father that you scored a try the other day at football. I am delighted to hear it, and I hope you get a lot more, although of course it depends what position you are playing, doesn't it?

I am going out in front of our trench tonight, about 50 yards from the Germans, to put up some barbed wire so that they will tear their clothes if they try to come for us. I shall have to crawl about on my stomach together with the men who will be with me, and be very quiet.

When it is dark the Germans send up flares like a Roman Candle firework, and it makes the place as bright as daytime, so if you are out in the open you have to stay quite still and pretend you are a rat, or a sandbag, until all is dark again.

I shall be home again for a short holiday about the time that you will be having yours.

There has been a lot of shelling from the Germans today, and we are wondering if they are up to any tricks. They made an attack yesterday, north of us, but were driven off 3 times.

Love from

Your affec. brother,

Cecil.

Retrospective note written by CMS.

"Written the day before the attack near Hooze when the Germans pierced the line and the British lost 800 yards front trench".

CMS to Hilda; 17.2.16.

Dear Hilda,

I got 3 letters at one blow last night - one from you, one from Bob, and one from Norman. You cannot imagine how eagerly we wait for letters out here. The post comes up at night time with the rations, as a rule. Sometimes we miss a night, as the roads are being too heavily shelled to send up the mail.

I see that Rosie is in great form this term. It must be an awful tax on her brain to devise such punishments. What a horrible disgrace to attend a debating meeting in a gym costume! Is your heart broken?

It is very cold here. I am writing wrapped up in a warm coat, two cardigan jackets, two pairs of socks on my feet, a pair of gum boots, and each foot in a sandbag. It is much too cold to wash or shave, but we usually make a great effort, and do this every second day. I have had one hot bath and two cold ones in dirty water since I came up from Rouen.

For the last few days, quite apart from the weather, there has not even been time for washing. Four hours out of the twenty-four is what we have had for sleep. Of course we are asleep the minute we have settled down in our bunk.

Two nights ago there was a great deal of gun and rifle fire about a couple of miles from us - the Germans were attacking. We had to "stand to" namely, be ready, with bayonets fixed etc., for anything at a second's notice. Without the slightest warning, there arose a huge shower of earth 100ft high. Two mines had been exploded 50yds. from where I was standing. Have you ever seen the "Fairy Fountain" at the Trades Exhibition at Hull? It was like that, only bigger, consisting of something a good deal more solid than water.

Pieces of stone and lumps of earth as big, and bigger than a man were falling like hail. Wonderful to say I myself was not touched, although a piece of something, which made a big groove in the side of the trench and the sank in the mud and water, missed my head by a foot. About a couple of hours after this we had dinner in detachments, and those not on duty turned in, fully armed. It was short rest only, for we were soon "standing to" again, and there was another attack on. Things have been like this ever since, but not so alarming. I must not give you any fuller particulars.

In spite of all this, which is really nothing much in comparison to what has happened and what will happen, I am very happy, and should be very annoyed indeed if I got a "blighty". A "blighty" is a wound which sends one to England. This morning when I was on duty it was hailing and raining alternately. It is this sort of thing which helps one to appreciate breakfast. We get plenty to eat, and although the "tea" is dirty, and green, and smelly, it is hot. We shall probably have been relieved by the time you get this letter, and shall be resting behind the front line for a few days.

Much love to you and Mabel,

Your affec. brother,

Cecil.

CMS to Bob; 28/2/16

Dear Bob,

I am very glad to say that it has been thawing for about 48 hours, and I am able to sit down without wearing an overcoat.

I went to Wipers on Friday night. There was a lot of snow about and it was deadly quiet. I wanted to do a bit of "looting" but could not leave the party of men I was in charge of. That day I was on my feet from two in the afternoon till 2.30 on Saturday morning, with 15 minutes for tea. I went out again at 6.0 on Saturday evening and did not get back till 2.45 on Sunday morning, having had no rest during the day. I had a full night's sleep last night. I ought to get my leave in about 50 days time, all being well.

We have not had any of the new gas yet, and if we do our respirators will do their work all right. On Saturday night I was taking a party up to the trenches; a certain part of our way usually comes in for a bit of accurate shelling. When we came to this spot I opened out to about 5 yds between each man till we were in good cover again. I was the last, and had just got to cover when I heard a nasty whistling swish: knowing what it was I ducked immediately, behind the trench wall. Three "crumps" burst just where I had been standing half a minute before. None of our party was hit. About 5 minutes afterwards a stray bullet passed between me and the sergeant, who was walking just behind me, followed immediately by one which just missed my face, and which the sergeant thought had got me.

An hour afterwards I was standing up with the same sergeant talking to him, when I heard a "plonk". He stood for about a couple of seconds and then fell dead, a bullet having gone through his mouth and out at the back of his head. I felt quite sick for about half an hour, and very nervy. It is very bad luck to be hit like this by a "stray".

Will you ask Mother to send me a couple of lamp bulbs wrapped in cotton wool, in a box or tin, so that I can carry the spare one about with me.

Things seem very cheery, from all accounts, at present.

Your affec. brother,

Cecil.

FW to CMS; Feb. 29th. '16.

Dear Cecil,

I meant to write to you some time ago but never managed it and now I can't think of anything interesting to tell you. This place is quite one of the dullest spots on earth.

Dora and I cheered it up a little on Saturday by sledging down a slope in one of the camp's fields. It was really great sport and we wished you could have been there. We borrowed a sledge from some little boys at a farm near, it was not a proper one, it looked like this:

(ink sketch)

It really went most toppingly. We found a slope about as steep as a house side, with a road at the bottom of it and then another slope, like this:

(ink sketch)

After a time we got rather tired of bouncing across the road and only shot down the second half. It was quite a bit of excitement trying to steer the sledge round to miss the telegraph post and not shoot up the bank and overturn.

The miniature rifle range is at the top of the hill and some of the Tommies shouted "Aye, come and look at the village lassies sliding down yon hill." The snow is still here, but it thaws all day and snows at night, so it's no use for sledging now. Dora and I go to the camp Y.M.C.A. on Sundays, to give the men their tea. It is the only day they can take their friends and have tea. It's a most fearful job to get there. There is no road unless we go nearly 2 miles out of our way, so we tramp through fields and a wood across streams and through more fields of mud till we get to the camp, when we do a balance walk on planks floating here and there on the mud.

Last Sunday there were snow drifts hiding the mud, Dora went in her riding boots and I went in Father's gum boots, which were a trifle large and unwieldy, they sank through the snow and stuck in the mud, at least one did, I got my leg out all right but the boot was rather troublesome. We were sorry to hear about Capt Quibell. I hope you have not had any more casualties. The 1/1st East Riding R.E. seem to have done very well so far. They have only lost one officer and one or two men. Father has sent two drafts out to them, as they had several men on the sick list. We've heard from Reggie Gaskell and he seems to have done a good deal of flying and saw England across the water, he was so high up. We should like to hear how the sniping is going on.

There was quite a large notice in the Times about the Penrhos Ambulance Fund. It said "£650 from Girls' College." I don't know how they managed to get so much. I know heaps of Old Girls who said they couldn't send ,1 each. Dora and I sent ten bob each, consequently I haven't a penny till April 1st! The adjutant's wife has come from Newcastle and knows the William that Betty S. was with. She knew most of the R.F.A. people who were there; Major Harrison etc but didn't know any 4th. E.Yorks. I must stop as I have to meet D. at the station coming from Hull. We're still on fairly good terms, as you will notice, by my going to meet her. I hope the hanky will be useful, I don't mean (I hope you have a cold) we ALL have colds here in various stages. D and I are going to make PLUM cakes next week so prepare for the worst!

Mother sends her love,

Best wishes from

Flossie.

CMS to Kitty Slack; 6/3/16.

FIELD POST CARD.

I am quite well.

Letter follows at first opportunity

Cecil.

Dora to CMS; Sunday 5.3.16.

Dear Cecil,

Thank you for your letter - you seem to be having a very interesting and lively time - I saw Mrs. Fred Till the other day and she said that Jack Oughtred was having rather a hot time in the trenches. Are you in the trenches all day or do you live in a dug-out and go up to the trenches during the day? You seem to be getting quite a big pot in France - I expect you will be a pompous Brigadier General or something before the war is out!!

I believe Flossie told you in her letter about our toboggan - it really was great sport - we asked the sentry on duty outside the camp headquarters to push us off so that the three of us could get on: Father said it wasn't quite the thing to do from a military point of view but anyhow the sentry didn't say anything. The adjutant is a West Hartlepool man and is in the Durham Engineers - well Mrs. Roberts - his wife - went with us - she is quite young and a good sport so we had a good time. It thawed all this week except Friday so we had another day then but the snow had almost gone except in a steep field just behind our cottage.

The awkward and uncomfortable part about it was that a stone wall and then a road ran across the bottom of the field so consequently we had to fall off to stop the thing just as we got to the bottom - Flossie got awfully sick of my huge weight dropping on her. Mrs. Roberts comes from Newcastle - Highbury - I believe it is just outside the town. She knew Major Hanson, the Bartons and Robinson and others of the Northumbrian Field Artillery but didn't know any E.Ys. as they were the other end of town. The only time she saw any was when some of them got lost one night and found themselves in Highbury and asked her and her sister the way. You must have had a very gay time in N'castle if your lot got lost!!

Last week I went to Hull for the night all by myself. Mother was going but was not well enough so I had to go off unexpectedly as we had arranged to have some carpets taken up and other things done in the house. I had a great performance - there were nine workmen in the house during the morning all doing different things.

We went to see "Tonight's the Night" Review the other night - it was the first excitement in the theatre line we had had. It was quite good but rather silly - There were only two decent songs - "They don't believe me" which is awfully nice and one called "I murdered him". Mother and Pater went to see "Peg O'my Heart" in Sheffield yesterday afternoon - Father liked it awfully - it really is one of the nicest things we've seen. The company was exactly the same except Alaric (the silly one we thought was a bit like Billy Keeble). We had great excitement in Silkstone on Friday night - Mrs. Crooks, our landlady, gave a 6d dance for the village people and Tommies in the schoolrooms so we got up a little party to go. Meat pie and teacake supper - great sport - you know the kind of do. They do all kinds of most intricate dances - one, especially, called D'Alberto, makes one's brain fairly buzz - it is a square dance for eight people - something between the lancers, quadrilles, and waltzy cottillion - do you feel any wiser now! Old Lines went - that is Pater's Canadian Officer who says he is 35 - he puffed over a few dances but managed to pull through. The funny part about him is that he imagines himself to be rather deep and he isn't a bit really.

Stanley Aldridge's wife is in rooms here in Silkstone - he told us an awful lot about her before she came and what she would do and what she would find out and goodness knows what, so we rather expected something great. She turned out to be years older than he is - between 28 and 30 I should think and rather prim - the kind of person you immediately feel you want to shock. He had a farm at Bernholme, near Hornsea in pre-war days but his people live in Hutt St. off Spring Bank. He is a great friend of Reggie Gaskell's and loined Pa's lot because he wanted to be with him so now he is awfully fed up because Reg has joined the Flying Corps. Carlin went as a Tommie in the Hussars at the very beginning of the war and was out in France until May when he was wounded and has been at Sheffield until he went away, in charge of the riding section of the East Riding.

Reggie is at present training about 35 miles behind the line in France and seems to be enjoying it tremendously - when he was up one day he could see England across the Channel and it only seemed about 200 yds away. Did you read in the newspaper about the airman who got lost while he was in the air but knew he had gone over some water and when he landed he thought it was Holland and the found it was Kent.

I'm afraid this is a fearfully disjointed epistle, I keep wandering on and on - you will be frightfully weary by now. Flossie has gone to the Y.M.C.A. this afternoon to help with the teas for the soldiers. They have a kind of cafe from 4 - 5.30 and we have to wait on them. I went as well last week but it was a frightful swizz - Mr. and Mrs. Roberts came in while we were there and ask us to go to a birthday tea party in the officers' rooms. One of us had to stay to try to keep up the family's reputation and Flossie likes birthday cake better than I do so I didn't mind so much. However they came back to the Y.M.C.A. later and brought me the remnants of the party so I had a party on my own with the village schoolmistress, another helper and it was quite good fun. The Y.M.C.A. manager is half potty we think. They have a small platform and he spends his time painting black and white checks on it and told us there were 400 squares to do. He has appealed for exemption to the tribunal on the grounds that he cannot be spared from his duties!

How is Neville Joy getting on? We only read in the casualty list that he was wounded and heard nothing more.

Good-bye and good luck

Love from us all

Dora.

CMS to WHS and WS; 9/3/16

My dear Father and Mother,

Now that we are out of the trenches and in rest huts again and have been able to get a good sleep I am at last able to write to tell you about my doings in the last fortnight. On Feb. 24th we left the rest huts and went into support dugouts for two nights. Then the taking back of our last trenches being about to come off we were moved up into closer support. Our company had a corner of a wood to live in. There was no shelter of any description. We got a few sandbags and stretched poles and mackintosh sheets across. Each man had a blanket. The men huddled up together and managed not to freeze.

There were only 3 officers and we had a broken down smelly affair that had a very long time ago been a dugout. But we found the remains of a dead rat amongst the rubbish, and a cross from a grave, so decided to sleep in the open. So we turned out, rolled ourselves up in a blanket and went to sleep in the rain and cold. We were not shelled until the next day. One of the men was hit by a "nosecap". We moved to another part of the wood, till things quietened down a bit. We spent the next night in the same way but with a little cover this time. We three officers were lying close together to keep warm. We were tired and cross and when one moved it disturbed the whole bundle, and the offender was asked what he was doing. This was going on continuously when we suddenly burst out laughing at the miserableness and absurdity of the whole thing. That night it did not rain but froze hard.

Early next morning the trenches were retaken. It was a wonderful sight; you could not hear yourself speak for the rumble of artillery, and the flashes of exploding shells and different coloured rockets were magnificent. The next two nights we spent in the same wood, but in dugouts, which were flooded. It snowed a miserable wet slush the whole time. Working parties had to go out at night and return wet through to the bone, with nothing dry to put on and nothing to dry by. The next morning our company sergeant major, a very necessary man, and two sergeants, a corporal and a number of men were sent to hospital, and our third officer was not well. That night we moved into the trenches. It was still snowing. There was very little dugout accommodation, and it was bitterly cold.

The next day there was a mutual strafe with trench mortars and "sausages". Our third officer was hit in five places by a bursting "sausage": he was taken to the dressing station, and although his lung has been slightly pierced, he will pull through, with care. This left only Ingleby and me, with the best N.C.O.'s in hospital, and the men absolutely done.

I had also the observation and sniping work to do by day. Two nights running I got only 3 hours sleep, and no rest in the day. The C.O. sent us an officer to help for a couple of hours at night, otherwise we might both have broken down. Snipers were very troublesome by day. One bounder put a bullet a few inches over my back just as I had bent down.

On the fifth night we were relieved. We left the trenches at 10.15 pm. and marched here, arriving at 4.30 this morning. I had breakfast at 11.45 am and am feeling perfectly fit. What are left of the company, namely two-thirds of what it was, the other third being in hospital, are also fit. The men are wonderfully cheery considering what we have gone through. I called at "Cloth Hall" on the way back and have got a few pieces of broken glass from the windows, also a piece of a chair from the Cathedral. I was in the ruins at midnight. The bricks and boulders were covered with six inches of snow, and several times I nearly broke my leg or ankle. It was a sight I shall never forget.

I lost myself in the ruins for about a quarter of an hour, and was unable to find the man who had come with me. I followed footprints, which turned out to have been made by some other inquisitive person. However I found the man eventually. I also picked up a very small fragment of one of the shells which helped to bring down Cloth Hall.

I shall be sending this on to you, together with a piece of the glass. We are due for a month's rest, and there is just a chance that we shall get it. All leave has been stopped for a fortnight and has not yet recommenced.

It is rather a funny coincidence that Father should again be at Colwyn Bay during the zeppelins' visit to Hull. I am very glad they left you alone in our side of the city.

I hope the short rest at Colwyn Bay has done Father good, as I am sure he will need it.

I asked Mother not to send any more socks for a time, but a "sausuage" blew up our Officers mess kitchen,which had just been evacuated by our servants. I had two or three pairs of socks drying, and they were spoilt. The strain of the last wet spell has told on the others. One pair per week for a short time will be sufficient.

A "sausuage" is a thin metal cylinder, two feet long, with a base of about 4" across. It is shot into the air to a height of about 300 yards, till you can hardly see it. It then begins to drop on you. It is great sport dodging them. One happened to be in the air, which I didn't see. A few men near me saw it, and they were waiting to dodge round a corner. I just bent down near a traverse, and waited. "this way Sir, this way, this way, come this way" "Stay there, Sir, stay still". It was coming right for the spot where I was. I wondered whether I should be blown to pieces, or just badly wounded. It was most exciting. Then with a loud bang it dropped two yards from me, behind the trench. A rifle by my side had a solid piece of metal knocked off.

Things like this tend to relieve the monotony, but we were all very tired and jumpy, and were glad when the proceedings ended.

Thank you very much for the two parcels recently received. You can imagine what effect a letter or parcel from home has in circumstances like this. One feels quite merry, and comfortable for the time being.

Love to you all,

Your affec. son,

Cecil.

P.S. I have told you this at length, because, by the time you get it, we shall be very comfortable; and we shall never have similar experience, unless the war is still on next winter.

CMS to Mabel; 11/3/16.

Dear Mabel,

I suppose you have been having a good deal of snow lately. Do you go sledging, or won't Rosie let you? We have had quite a lot, and one night we slept out in it, with nothing but a blanket over us. It wasn't proper snow as there was a lot of rain with it. It wets one much more than ordinary rain, or snow. I was at Wipers a night or two ago and am sending you and Hilda two small pieces of window from the Cloth Hall. The Cathedral ruins were covered with snow. It was midnight and very awesome. I got lost there for about a quarter of an hour.

The trenches we have just left were only 30 yards from the enemy at one place. I saw a Hun's face for about 3 seconds. This is the first I have seen at close quarters, except those of prisoners. He looked rather like Norman. I took two "lives" the other day, namely, a couple of rats which I shot with my pistol. I don't think I have killed a Hun yet. I have had three hot baths since I came out, and three cold ones. Sometimes we go for two, or even three, days without a wash or shave, either because we have not time, or because it is too cold.

At night time the scenery looks like fairy-land. The ground and trees are thick with snow, and the lights that are always going up make things look beautiful.

13/3/16

I have been up to the trenches again today, and rode on horseback part of the way, and managed quite well. We go to the trenches again tomorrow night for six days.

Your affec. brother,

Cecil.

Dora to CMS; Friday 17.3.16.

Dear Cecil,

Florence and I have been making some very treacherous cakes and they haven't turned out as well as they ought to have done - I don't know why - I expect it is because we are not nibs in the cake-making line but of course we blame the beastly old oven which really is the limit. Mother has given us a few more things to add in the parcel to help the cake go down - if it is really very bad I should bomb Old Hunny Dear with it. Ma and I have been awfully careful in the packing so I hope the things won't be bashed.

The last bit of snow has just gone today and we have got the first sunshine since a week last Monday - it is positively heaven out to-day. Last week we had another razzle in Barnsley - we went to see Vesta Tilley - Flossie and I hadn't seen her before - in fact I believe it was only about the third time we had been to a music hall - have you seen her ? she is jolly good and absolutely looks a boy. Someone told us she had £100,000 in the bank and earned £300 a week - now if you want to earn money after the war you know what to do - dress up as a girl, sing "kitty", or something choice like that on the stage, and there you are!!

I went to Hull for the day last Wednesday for my music lesson - the Zepps seem to have done more damage than last time but Nurse Waddington said there were fewer casualties. I saw Bob on your mo-bike and it seemed to be in quite cheerful spirits.

I hope you will like "The Knight on Wheels" - we have all just been reading it and it is rather a jolly book.

Love from us all

Dora

CMS to Dora; 19/3/16

Dear Dora,

Thank you so much for the chocs and coffee and honey. They were delicious. It is a most welcome change to have a little honey, after the monotony of ration jam and marmalade. We had the coffee one morning at 5.30, just after "stand to", and you can imagine how we enjoyed it. Sometimes we get tins labelled "coffee au lait", or "cocoa au lait": they make quite nice stuff, but not a patch on what we got from that tube you sent me.

You ask me whether we are in the trenches all day or just go up at night time. Yes, we are in the trenches for 6 days and 6 nights at a time, and the dugouts are in the firing line, communication trenches and support trenches. Today is our fifth day in, and we shall be relieved tomorrow night. It has been beautiful weather this time, and much warmer. I told Flossie in my letter to her a few days ago about crossing a part of the trench which had been knocked down, and about my boot sticking in the mud.

When this particular part of the trench was blown in one of our men was blown up onto the ground behind in full view of the Hun, and his leg was broken. A little fellow near bye (sic.) rushed out to get him in, and his equipment was hit by a sniper and set on fire owing to his cartridges exploding: he threw his equipment off and went on, and pulled his man to safety in spite of two more bullets from the sniper. He has just been awarded the D.C.M., and neally got the V.C. He is a very small boy called Vary. He is only about 5ft high, and had a lot of trouble in getting into the battalion. He only succeeded after trying three times.

I was in Poperinghe for a night several weeks ago, and went to a show called "The Fancies" run by some officers who have been at Pop. for some time.

It is an excellent show, all the men having beautiful voices. There were also two French girls in it, called Lanoleen and Vaseline, but they were quite ordinary, and were only in the show because they were feminine gender. One of the songs was one of those you heard in "Tonight's the Night", "They'll never believe me." I think it's ripping. It was sung by an officer with a glorious voice, and one of these French girls.

We are living very near the "International Trench" which I daresay you have read about in the papers. I have paid two visits to it and have seen some most awful sights. There are dozens of dead men, British and Hun, lying about, in various stages of decomposition, and all rat eaten.

Norman Ingleby and I were walking and creeping along up to our knees in mud and water when we came across a head sticking out. We found it belonged to the body of a dead Bosche, and on top of him was lying a dead Scotsman with a horrible rat-eaten face. After some hesitation we crossed over these bodies and went on a bit until we came to a worse sight, which made us feel horrible, and which we did not attempt to pass. Here and there a dead hand or foot could be seen sticking out, and we were very glad to get back to decent trenches once more. There are a lot of bodies buried in and about our trench, and just outside our dugout a pair of boots are sticking out. There are feet inside them.

I sniped 3 Huns yesterday, two of them being kills. In one case the observer saw the blood spread over the man's neck. It is awful when one thinks that these men have a mother at home and a wife or sweetheart. You must think I am awfully cold-blooded to be able to write about it. But really the only pleasure I get from it is the satisfaction of getting a good hit, knowing that there is always someone trying to do the same to me.

I am enclosing the two pieces of glass from Wipers Cloth Hall which I told Flossie I was sending. I haven't been able to get any helmets yet. I saw a Hun Sniper's helmet this morning 400 yards away, and I also found a bit of coloured cap in the International trench, but it was falling to pieces and was not worth bagging.

Leave, which has been stopped for 3 weeks has just started again, except for the poor infantry!

I was hoping to get home again for a few days about the end of April, but don't know when I shall now. If I don't get it soon the War will be over. The feeling out here is that we shan't go through another winter campaign.

There was quite a nice air battle yesterday morning, thirteen aeroplanes plugging bullets at one another and trying to dodge the aircraft shells. There is one very cheeky Hun plane which flies up and down our line very low down and although we shoot at him he doesn't seem to mind a bit: I think he is armour-plated.

Have you a good recipe for rissoles? We have got a mincing machine in our company mess but our cook is not very intelligent and our rissole dinner a couple of nights ago was rather a failure. If you know how to make a good rissole, as I am sure you do, would you let me into the secret? I am writing to Mother asking her to let me have a recipe too. I shall either make some myself or superintend our cook's work. When he tried the other day his hand were very dirty to begin with but were quite clean, except for little pieces of meat, when he had finished. We are quite casual about things of this sort, however. When I told him a few truths about himself and what a dirty thing it was he seemed quite surprised.

Neville Joy's wound was only slight. He was hit by a small piece of "sausuage" in the shoulder, but did not have to go off duty. Our transport officer was hit the other night by a stray bullet.

I went out riding about a week ago and managed not to fall off. The gee got quite excited about a motor-car, but I gripped hard with my knees, and waited, but nothing happened.

When we were out resting a party of us went to a village inn one night for a little dinner. We went into a room where one officer was sitting reading. He heard my name mentioned and asked if I was at Rydal. I at once recognised him as a fellow I was at school with. This is the third Rydal boy I have come across out here.

Yours sincerely,

Cecil.

CMS to WHS and WS; 20/3/16

My Dear Father and Mother,

have been unable to write sooner owing to having such a lot of work to do when in the trenches. But I have a bit more time today. It is too dark for any more observation or sniping, and I am off duty till 2.00 am.

This is our sixth day in, and we are to be relieved tomorrow. There has been a complete change in the weather, delightfully warm by day and quite mild at night.

We are not far off the retaken trenches (we had nothing to do with either the losing or retaking, but were just waiting nearbye).

I have paid a couple of visits to the "International" and surrounding trenches and have seen the most awful sights, which I will not describe to you.

On Saturday I wounded one and killed two Huns, and on Sunday I wounded another. It sounds pretty awful, but it has to be done.

I rode a horse for about 8 miles a week ago and managed to stick on in spite of slight friskiness over motor lorries etc.

I don't remember whether I told you how I met an old Rydal boy when I was in Boulogne. I met another when we were last out resting. A party of us went to a village estaminet for dinner, and in one of the rooms we went into there was an officer sitting reading. He heard my name and when he saw me asked if I was at Rydal and I at once recognised him as a fellow I was at school with. This is the third Old Rydalian I have come across out here.

I am still hoping to get home during the school holidays. If leave starts again soon, as I expect it will, I shall probably manage it. I nearly got a blighty this afternoon when a small piece of shell came straight as a die for my face, just like a beetle or bluebottle gives you a "smack" when you are motoring. Fortunately it was a googlie and swerved round, hitting a sandbag behind me. It was of course going very slowly for a piece of shell and I only saw it because I happened to be looking in its direction, but I am very glad it swerved.

Thank you very much for the parcel received two days ago. I had a pipe in one of my coat pockets, probably my great coat, with a silver bowl arrangement on top; it was a pipe I used sometimes when motoring. Do you think you could find it and send it to me?

Our company mess cook is not an expert at his job, and his attempt at rissoles was rather a failure. He says flour is needed to make a true rissole. Is this correct? Could you let me have the recipe for a rissole, and for anything else that could be made by means of our mincing-machine.

You may have seen in the Hull papers that one of our men has just received the D.C.M. He is a small boy about 5'1" high. Part of the trench had been blown in and a man had been blown up behind into the open, with a broken leg. This small person scrambled out to him and had his equipment set on fire by a sniper's bullet igniting several of his cartridges. Two more shots were fired at him but he got his man in. He was recommended so I understand, for the V.C.

We have just got over the worst part of the day, namely, the morning "stand to", an hour before daylight. I mean worst as regards feeling fed up. Our transport officer, Ferraby, brother to the two at the Newlands links, has been wounded, not seriously, by a stray. We have just got two new officers in our company, which will make things a bit easier. There are still rumours that we may be getting the Divisional rest which has been due to us for some time.

Love to all,

Your affec. son,

Cecil.

FW to CMS; March 21st. '16

Dear Cecil,

I meant to write when we sent the parcel, but hadn't time. Thank you very much for your interesting letter. We do like reading about what you're doing, only next time you have to cross where the parapet is blown down, go the long way round, because we want you to come back for a game of tennis, if the weather will ever permit, this year. Really I think we've almost as much mud here as you have! and we've only seen the sun once these last three weeks. We all went to the station this morning at 8.30 am to see a draft of 16 men off. It always rains or snows when-ever any of our men go and it did this morning, they were quite cheerful, though.

We should like to have a relic of Wipers very much. Dora had a letter from Emma Blamires saying she is working fearfully hard for her tripos, which comes off next term. Dora wrote to Miss Hovey to see if she would give a reference, in case Dora suddenly goes into a hospital. Miss H. said she would be delighted, I haven't asked her yet to do the same for me. Dora and I feel fearful slackers here, we really hardly do anything to "help things on" (not that we ever do!) Hope you'll like these photo's, we all look more merry and bright than beautiful! The other one is the Adjutant's wife, a girl from Newcastle, she's very jolly only just 24 and she goes route marches with us. I think Mother looks most coy doesn't she? The Adjutant's wife, Mrs. Roberts has two brothers near Wipers, called Herries, one is in the Tynside Scottish and the other is in something Scottish too. I can't think of a thing more to say at present, my brain is getting mouldy here, also my writing.

Love and best wishes from all

Florence.

CMS to Dora; 30/3/16

Dear Dora,

Thank you awfully for the cake. It was ripping. I'm sure I don't know why you call it a treacherous one. You can generally tell whether a cake is good or bad out here by the length of time it stays on the "table". I have known an unpopular cake with us for as long as 6 days, in spite of visitors to the dugout. This one lasted under 24 hours, without visitors.

Please thank your Mother very much for the other cakes and sweets. They were appreciated immensely. I set them out on a beautiful fruit dish, for when your parcel reached me we had just come out of the trenches and were living in what was once a beautiful chateau. It is chiefly sandbags now, but a lot of the furniture and decorations remain.

We had our meals in a big room, in which there were half-a-dozen comfortable armchairs and a fireplace. It was simply glorious sitting round the fire in the evenings. There was a pretty young cat too, and a clock on the mantlepiece.

31/3/16.

We also had a vase on the table with cherry blossom in it.

Ian Hay has been round this district and has written a good deal about it in an article of his called "Carry On", which comes out in Blackwood's Magazine. It is a continuation of "The first Hundred Thousand", and will probably come out later in book form.

He writes about the chateau where we were. He calls it "Hush House". There is a lake attached, upon which there is a boat and a swan. I have just finished reading "A Knight on Wheels" I think it's a topping story. Thanks awfully for sending it. I have been living in the trenches now for five days with a Canadian battalion; our Battalion is shortly taking over from them, as we are leaving the salient for a time. I have been sent on in advance to find out a few things about the Hun in this part of the world and how he treats us and how we treat him, etc.

It really seems as though we might get a little summer at last. This morning I was sitting outside in the sunshine, cleaning my rifle, without a coat. There is a slight chance of leave in three week's time, so don't be surprised if you find me coming over some day to give you that promised mo-bike lesson.

Yours sincerely,

Cecil

CMS to Bob; 30/3/16

Dear Bob,

Leave has started again, so you can get the bike cleaned up, and the carburettor in order, etc. There are eight or nine to go before my turn comes and as there are four days between each departure, I ought to be coming in about 36 days time. You don't know you're coming home until you're actually given your ticket. You may be in the trenches, or you may be shivering in the rest huts when a chit from the Adjutant comes, which says that the Orderly Room wants to know your destination at once. You immediately comply with the Orderley Room's wish, and begin to pack your things. However I am anticipating, as leave will probably be stopped again several times before my turn comes. But I may, with luck, get home before the tennis season is over.

As I said yesterday in my letter home, I am with the Canadians at present: my parcels and letters are being brought to me when the battalion comes up tomorrow night.

I was out in No Man's Land last night, quite an exciting little game. At one time I thought I was on to something: I had been lying still listening for a few minutes when I imagined I heard a slight noise on my right. I looked in that direction and saw something white gleaming. I thought it was the face of a Hun on the same game as myself. So I quietly drew my revolver, and slowly and quietly stalked it, to discover that it was a human skull. I looked around for its cap badge but could find nothing. When we were coming back, and were about 10 yards from the home trench an intelligent sentry shot at us. Of course they had all been warned, but this one wasn't taking any risks. He said he thought we might be the scouts coming in, but wasn't sure. Fortunately he was not a first class shot, and he did not take aim.

Your affec. brother,

Cecil

CMS to WHS and WS; 29/3/16 (post marked 31/3/16; received 5/4/16)

My dear Father and Mother,

At present I am living with the Canadians, the 2nd. Division; I have been here for 3 days and shall spend 2 more before the battalion comes up. The idea is that I have to get to know this part of the line, as we are moving from our late position, and coming here for a short time. It is a much quieter spot. I think we are only coming here for a short time and are then to have our overdue rest., after which we go to an even quieter spot.

I am just recovering from the most horrible cold I have had for a very long time. I did not catch it in the trenches but away back in the rest huts, in a draughty mess-room. I was probably a bit low owing to recent exposure, and the cold fairly ripped along. Last night I took a strong dose of hot physic and some aspirin, wrapped myself up in 3 blankets and awake this morning practically cured. The weather is still hesitating between summer and winter. Last night it snowed: today the sun is beautifully warm. A short time ago, just after leaving the trenches, our company was billeted in an old chateau, called by Ian Hay, "Hush House". It is now, or was, a beautiful place, with magnificent furniture. Of course it has been badly shelled, and is blocked up all over with sandbags.

I slept on a spring matress. We had our meals in a fine room, in which there were some magnificent ornaments and most luxurious armchairs. and a FIREPLACE. You may imagine whether we used the armchairs and fireplace or not. Ian Hay has written a good deal about the country we have been in, in Blackwood's Magazine, under the title of "Carry On". It is a continuation of his "First Hundred Thousand", and will probably come out in book form later on.

Capt. Robinson our chaplain, asked me to Poperinghe last Saturday, where we went to a sort of pierrot show, run by soldiers living round about, and where we had a most excellent dinner.

Love to all,

Your affec. son,

Cecil.

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