Pte E Cresswell No 22271

2^nd Coy 12^th Labour Batt Devon B.E.F.

France.

Thursday July 13^th 1916

Dear Sister & Brother

            Just a few lines hoping you are in the best of health as it leaves me at present I received your letter but  I am sorry over Mother Allowance I filled a form in when I was at Fort Bowder Nr Plymouth wishing to leave sixpence per day out of my pay and when we left there we had a pay book given us and its entered in to that that I shall only receive sixpence per day so there is some thing wrong some where then you say about Wigston when I was there they asked me about making any Allowance but was led to understand that I could not make one but cannot say about signing any form I think some one else must have signed that so I don’t know how you will go on but I hope to the Lord you will get it, it seems funny entering it in my pay book for me to only receive sixpence per day then not get so you will have to do your best wich I know you will I am alright up to now it was a bit warm were we was yesterday we don’t go out all together I have been going on at three o’clock in a morning till ten then there is another lot goes on we are putting a water main in we have seen one or two battles in the air and I have seen two machines brought down one dropped not many yards from us if you was here at night you would think they was going to blow the place up with the guns bursting away, thunder is nothink in it I hope you will remember me to Mrs & Mr Beckworth tell them I am in the pink I wrote to John but he has not answered it yet.  So this will be all this time from your Loving Brother XX

                        Keep smiling.

No envelope with this letter