Pte W Cooke 2559

15 Platoon D Com

5^th Batt Leic Regt

B.E.F.

France.

Wed 5/5/15

Dear Sir,

            I am writing these few lines to give you in answer to your most welcome letter to me which I received this morning having come out of the trenches last night for our rest.  I hope this finds you all in the best of health as it leaves me the same at the time of writing this and thank you very much for your kindness in sending me the book as there is some very interesting news in it besides the names and photos of several of my old mates.  You are quite welcome to the use of my letters if you think they are interesting and I will try and make them all the same if you think they are good enough to be read.  Well we are having lovely weather here and it is getting that hot I shall soon have to leave some of my things off and the fields are so green going up to the trenches and as we have not been in the firing line we have not had anything to do during the day and anyone would not think that the war was on in this part as you never hear a shot during the day from a rifle then all at once you hear our big guns boom out three shells together and then it brings it all back to your mind and then all is quiet again till darkness comes and then we have to start and unload the carts that brings the rations up as they cannot come in the day time for fear of being seen and giving the position away and then we should soon be shelled out.  Well I have showed one of the Boys from Whitwick his photo already and that is Fred Ducker and he was very pleased to with it but you have made a mistake Fred is in the 5^th Leicesters and St. John is in the 7^th Leicesters but I expect you have found the mistake out by now.  Well I have not got much to tell you this time but we have been very lucky as we have only lost one man killed and one or two wounded and they were not serious so you see we are still in luck and we must thank God for it as it is him who rules such things and we must put our trust in him.  The night they buried that poor chap I was on guard and I seen them conduct the service and the Brigade Chaplain was there to read the Service and as it was at night it was very impressive and the chap’s Brother was there to see him buried as he was in the same Company and if it is any condolence to them at home we are able to write and tell them that they are buried as well as possible and they put a cross up on there grave with there name and rank on and on some of the graves there mates have placed globes and wreaths in remembrance of them and some of the graves are very nicely done up and when they come up to the trenches they bring flowers and place on so it shows that they think of those who are gone.  Well I think I have told you about all this time so just remember me to all the old friends at Whitwick and I shall be very pleased to have my name put down on your list of members and I am looking forward to the Magazine coming.  Well I think I shall have to close now as I have told you about all the news that I am allowed to send and I will try and put more in next time I write which I am hoping will not belong so will now close with my Best Wishes to you and your Family and Friends at Whitwick.

I am

Yours truly

W. Cooke

5^th Leics Regt.

P.S. We have a service on the day we go in the trenches by the Chaplain and he is going to have a confirmation held in and I shall be confirmed out here if I can.

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

Letter postmarked FIELD POST OFFICE I.M  5 MY 15.

PASSED BY CENSOR 405 triangular cachet in red.