Letter to Rev Walters from A W Hanson

2^nd October 1916

Rev^d T.W. Walters.

Rev^d Sir,

You will think me very unkind for not written to you for so long but since I came back from leave I have been very busy working until eight and nine at night and have had very little leisure time. Things also have been very quiet. I am pleased to see we managed to upset the Zepps when they come over our country.

Yesterday we had our Harvest Festival and the services were very nice. I don’t know whether I told you that we have built a church of our own here, which was a much needed place. I suppose everywhere is dull and uninteresting at home, I can tell from letters I have that little is happening.

I trust yourself family are in good health, I have had a bad cold for some time now.

Must close with kind regards to Mrs Walters & yourself

Yrs obediently

Albert Will Hanson

In envelope addressed to Rev^d T.W. Walters, The Vicarage, Whitwick, Nr Leicester. Angleterre.

Letter postmarked ARMY P.O. 2 A 4 OCT 16.

PASSED BY CENSOR 1573 in hexagonal cachet in red.

Printed Christmas card from A.W. Hanson.

In envelope addressed to Rev^d T.W. & Mrs Walters, The Vicarage, Whitwick, Nr Leicester. Angleterre.

Envelope postmarked ARMY P.O. 2 B 18 DEC 16 and on back COALVILLE LEICESTER 21 DE 16

PASSED BY CENSOR 3483 in oval cachet in red.

Notebooks of W. Allason.

Oct16

All the notebooks were written on the right hand page and additions, photos, cartoons or other documents were added to the left hand page.

2^nd 0ct. 1916. We reached our destination about midnight. A Zeppelin was reported about and the lights were lowered. After having tea we moved on to Les Lobes. I found the Mess personnel standing outside an estaminet. The Billeting Officer stated it was the only possible Mess and the owner refused to let us use a room. I went in and found two large rooms either of which would have done excellently, she remained adamant both rooms were required for her trade with the soldiers. She would not even permit breakfast to be cooked while we looked round. I informed her that as her rooms were so precious I would take care that no soldiers went in and placed a sentry on the door. As they sell beer costing 2^d for 5^d this did not please her. She complained my action had lost her much money but Area Commandant took no notice, the other estaminet profited.

On the opposite page is a sheet of newspaper, “Daily Sketch, Blinded Hero weds V.C. General’s Daughter”

I found a more complaisant Estaminet owner down the road and later on moved a Gunner 2^nd Lt. who was monopolising a house to his own cheek another Gunner 2^nd Lt. was doing the same further down the road and it was suggested that they might join forces – Instead the evicted Gunner moved in the opposite direction somewhere.