Monday 28/2/16

D Coy 25

Leic Regt

.

Dear Sir,

            I now take the liberty of writing this letter to you hoping to find you all in the best of health and spirits.  Well I cannot very well say it leaves me the same as I am at present suffering from boils on the inside of my thighs so I am far from being in good spirits as they are not nice things to have when you are at home where you can by and ease them so we have to by as we can in a barn but we do not mind that a bit as it is preferable to the trenches any time.  Well [no] doubt you remember me writing to you but it was many months ago before we went up in the Ypres salient  as they call it out here.  Well since then we have spent nearly four months in the Ypres salient and we spent six days in Ypres itself being billeted in the Barracks which is far as I could see then was about the only place left standing but they had been knocked about and had got several rooms with shell holes through the roof.  At that time the Cloth Hall was nearly down to the ground and the spire of the Cathedral was on its last legs in fact it was a wonder how it stood as when we looked at it we passed the remark that a good shove would send it over but still it defied the best effects of the German gunners and up to the time we came away it was still there a mark of their Kultur.  Since then we have been in action at Loos and we made a name for ourselves doing the charge (although we were not the first over) at the Famous Hohenzollern Redoubt.  This redoubt had changed hands several times being held by the Guards but they has to retire back so it lay to us to retake it which we did and what was more we held on to it but we suffered heavily over it.  Well after that we had ten days rest or suppose to as the General came and spoke to us and told us a good tale and they sent one or two on leave and we all expected to be going home on leave before going in action again.  Next morning the first of our supposed rest they had us out doing Batt Drill at seven o’clock in the morning that was the first day rest and it was the same for nearly a week and then leave was stopped.  The next week we were reviewed by the King and while we were cheering him he had the misfortune to have his accident which you have no doubt heard of.  Well we moved from there and shortly after we were in some trenches not far from Neuve Chapple and we only used to have twenty four hours in the firing line at the time as the trenches were full of water coming right up our thighs and me being on the small side it came over the top of my rubber boots which we were supplied with.  Well we did not have a very long stay in this part of the line but the move come as a surprise to us.  I here was not much doing up these trenches and though it is hard to believe when we were being relieved at night the chaps used to get out and walk to their posts on the top of parapets sooner there walk up trench through the mud and water and it was very rare you heard a shot come over and I don’t think all the time we were up there our losses amounted to half a dozen so that will tell as we never went up the trenches in the Ypres Salient without we had fifty or sixty casualties during the time we where up through we used to do eighteen days at a stretch.  Well we came out of these trenches for our six days rest and then we went in for a further six days but we only do one night and then the next night we were relieved by some of the New Army and we had one night in our old billets and then we marched away to an unknown destination although rumours were rife some said we were going to Servia then Egypt and such like.  Well we were moving all about the country for a month and then early in the new year we entrained for Marseilles so they said but we were not sure about that and we were residing in Cattle Trucks for three days and nights when we arrived at Marseilles.  Well our first impression of it was not a great I can tell you as we arrived early on Sunday morning and we had got to help unload the Transport wagons off the trucks and then march to the Camp which was about six miles away.  Well we had a rough journey to the Camp which was situated on a hillside over looking the sea and we had to march all along the sea front and it was a very rough night and the wind blew the shingle in our very faces and it cut now and then.  Anyhow we got to the Camp at last and we were under canvas and we were soon down on the bare ground and asleep.  When we wakened it was a lot different and the sun was shining grand and we could ly in the tents and see the ships coming in and going out as it was quite a novel sight to us after being in the trenches.  Well of the City itself I will not say much although it is a very wicked place but all reports are as a rule.  Well we seen men of all nationalities and colours during our stay there.  We had a very easy time as we done very little work of a morning and then we were allowed out of camp from two o’clock till nine so we had plenty of time to look round.  Well the change was something to talk over and it was that warm the chaps even bathed in the sea and hardly a week before we had been up to our knees in mud and water and in the same country and it made us think of the trenches we had left behind us as we thought.  Well we have about a fortnight there and then we had the order that we were going on board the ship the next day that was Thursday night and we marched away from the Camp early on Friday morning and we were all on board just after eight.  Well we were all looking forward to a nice voyage and we had each got a bunk to ourselves and I was soon under the Blankets.  When they came round with orders we had another surprise as they told them all they had got to be off the ship again early next morning.  When morning come a great many who had expected being on the way to Egypt were more surprised than us as they were asleep when they come round and told us on the night.  Well we marched off the ship and back to the Camp again and then after having a week there we entrained again up the line again so you can tell we have been about France pretty well.  It is just twelve today by the date since we landed in France and I think our only grievance is about the leave.  What makes it worse is this you pick up the local papers and there you see Pte So and So as been on leave and then when you run your mind back he had only just joined it the time we came out here but of course he belongs to the New Army and that makes the difference as they are getting their leave every three months and us poor Terriers who come out to bear the brunt of the fighting while they were living in luxury in England well it seems to me as though we are not known as there is over two hundred of our Batt now who are still waiting for a leave as for myself I think I shall get one if the war keep on long enough.  I cannot say where the fault lys or whose fault it is that we are not getting our leave but they ought to look after us better than they are doing over it.  Well you can publish this letter in your Magazine if you like but keep back what you think fit by what I can see I think there is going to be a big move on but at present I cannot say whether we shall be in it or not but I expect it will be so.  Well I should be very pleased if you would kindly send me a Magazine now and then as I like to hear about the old Place.  Well I hope you will excuse the writing and mistakes so I will now close.  With Best Wishes to you All

            Yours sincerely

            Pte. W. Cooke 2557

5th Lincs Regt.

In green envelope addressed to The Rev T.W. Walters, The Vicarage, Whitwick Leicestershire.  England.

Letter postmarked FIELD POST OFFICE 138  2 MR 16.