Letter to Muriel 24 May 1917 with cover to Miss Muriel Cross, C/O Post Office, Eardiston, Tenby Wells Worcester. Army Post Office R.W.3. postmark dated My 24 17.  Passed Field Censor 2232 stamp and signed A.A. Laporte Payne.

B.E.F.

May 24^th 1917

There are a few minutes spare before I go to another Court-Martial this morning so I am writing to let you know I am still thinking of you and to thank you so much for your letter from Paddington and the box of cigarettes which I am now smoking – one of the cigarettes I mean. You are a very naughty girl you know to send another large box of cigarettes – but it is very nice to have a naughty little girl all to oneself.

This court martial is a horrid nuisance just when I am in the middle of superintending the construction of dug-outs and a telephone system.  It is not pleasant work to do either but they have got to be done.

How do you like your work and surroundings? You are having perfect weather judging by what we are getting here.  To-day is perfectly lovely.

What lots we could do if we were together – we could go to the sea and bathe all day long and eat ices and go for a sail and doze on the beach and all sorts of things. Don’t you think I am ridiculous imagining all these impossibilities.

I know all the places you mention well from Henley days – Maidenhead, Reading, etc.

I should love to see you & Maude all on your own.

Vyvyan Pearse has just written a letter to congratulate me. He says “You are a lucky devil; I must say I admire your choice.”

Give my love to Maude.

Tell her I will write sometime.

Frightfully busy – so please forgive short note.

With all my love dearest & kisses

Ever yours

Archie.

Letter to Muriel 23 May 1917

B.E.F.

May 23^rd 1917

Please forgive a hurried scrawl, darling, as I want to rush a letter off to you this evening. Thank you very much for your two letters.  Our post is very disorganised – your letter of the 17^th arrived before one dated the 14^th.  There was no mail for 4 days, and then 41 bags of mail arrived here for the Brigade, and I know some more are missing.  I have just received a letter from Maude.

It has been wet again the last two days, but it is fine to-day and very hot indeed. It is hard and warm work making dug-outs and burying telephone cable in this weather – for that is what is now fully occupying my days.

Let me know how you are getting on and how you like your work. And please also send me a photograph of yourself in working clothes and don’t forget the clay pipe and a stick I think it is very good of you to go working in this weather.  Don’t get too brown and strong.  I hope you will like your stable companions.

I have no news to tell you at present. We are all trying to work hard.

There is going to be some difficulty in watering our horses soon in spite of the rain we have had recently, and rations have been cut down slightly, but the men still get enough to eat. I hope food problems at home are not worse.

It will be quite a new experience for you, working away from home won’t it? I should love to come down and see you – but I don’t suppose you would want me to get in the way.

If only there was nothing to do now and no war on wouldn’t it be lovely to go off into the country by ourselves with nothing to worry us. The country is looking just lovely now.  I suppose if it were always May we should not appreciate it.

The month has or rather is going very quickly – only another week to the end of the month – and then June. I wonder where we shall be at the end of summer.  I hope the old Boche will be out of Belgium and France.

The Colonel has come back and is in quite a good temper I am glad to say – and he is now working hard. The horses are very fit and I hope they will fulfil expectations.

Are you still thinking of me and waiting for me to come and kiss you again – you have been rather sparing of your paper kisses recently; the last consignment was only two or three.

Has Mrs Cross returned home yet? She wrote me a letter a few days ago.  It was very good of her as I had neglected to write so long, but I am sure she will forgive me.  Mr Cross is going away again too – how empty Benchfield will be!

I must close now.

Hoping you are quite well and enjoying your work.

With all my love, darling and many kisses

Ever     Yours

Archie.

A.A. Laporte Payne letter to Muriel 19 May 1917.

B.E.F.

May 19^th 1917.

M.O.D.D.L.W.

Guess what that means. Only your last delightful letter of the 12^th has kept me from going quite mad.  There has been no mail for 3 days.  I have had no time to write.  It is extraordinarily hot – and there is too much to do – and I have hardly been to bed.  Further the Colonel returns to-day and he is sure to come back in a bad temper to the enormous amount of work he will have to get through – so you can imagine how your last really lovely letter has helped.

Why shouldn’t you call me what you like – are you still shy with me – as you say in you used to be? It is about time you were not, young lady.

We are now where I said I should be going back to after my leave. You may remember it.  Keep your eye on it.

Thank you for drinking my health on Saturday night last. It is Saturday night or rather evening again – and my thoughts are with you darling.

It is a perfect evening – just lovely for you and me alone. Instead of that I am in a tent near a main road – the traffic and the consequent dust is continuous.  Overhead are Boche aeroplanes and the A.A. guns are going all out.  Quite near is one of our captive kite balloons up with two officers in it observing from a great height.  If the Boche send over large long distance shells or an aeroplane to bring it down the unhappy observers have to throw themselves out and hang on to a parachute.  I should not like their job at all.

I wonder where you are now. Have you left to work on the land?  I do hope it will be fine weather for you – it is so awful when it is wet.  At any rate it will be warm and that is something.  Look after Maude if you are with her.

I am glad Mrs Cross is having such a good holiday. Please give her my love and also Mrs Lowe and thank her for the delightful present of ‘heaps’!!

The mare is rather tired. She was out until 5.30 a.m. yesterday morning and has not had much rest poor thing.

Everything is a bit upside down at present so you will forgive scrappier and scrappier letters won’t you darling?

And so the war goes on. Suppose it never ends – But it must one day mustn’t it?

The trees are full out now and the country is looking just lovely, except up in the scarred and torn front line and along the dusty traffic routes.

The officers are in a terrible way. It is getting difficult to get whisky and other drinks now.  I don’t mind at all as I never cared very much for whisky and hardly ever touch it – and the wines the French are selling now are pretty bad – so I drink tonic juice when I can get it.  it is much better don’t you think so?

Your cakes were lovely, darling. We thoroughly enjoyed them.  One fellow came in to tea promptly to have some – and the doctor wants me to send his love & thanks – but I told him certainly not.  They are all married on Headquarters except the Colonel who is still unattached – at least he was before he left – and myself.

Nothing but interruptions – phone going all day long. Please do this, please do that – why wasn’t this done – please explain that &  so on.

Well I must close now.

With all my love my own darling

And many many kisses

Ever your own

Archie.

Message from Army commander to 51 Div 19 May 1917

MESSAGE AND SIGNALS

To 51^st Division

Day of month 19

Third Army wire of last night begins aaa Convey to 51^st Division my congratulations on their great gallantry at ROEUX and CHEMICAL WORKS on 16^th May aaa GENERAL ALLENBY aaa

17^th Corps

May 19^th 17

Dear Father

At last I am going to try to write a few lines; we have been in the trenches for nearly three weeks, & now in reserve expect to go out on Monday for a rest so have not had a chance before.

First of all I must thank you very much for your parcel received yesterday.  I never had one come out at a better time we were short of food & no smokes so you can guess I soon reduced it in size; we finished the cigarettes, chocolate, cake, biscuits, & paste you could not have sent a nicer assortment.  I will let you know how I like the jelly next time I bet it is jolly good.  I only used the Harrisons once as we left for the line & I forgot to bring it with me so I am well supplied at present.

I have not had a shave for a week, & about a fortnight since I had a wash so you can bet we look bright articles but I hope to have a good scrub soon; that was very nice soap you sent in your previous parcel.

Well Dad I was very pleased to receive your letter & paper also one from Jess.

I am glad Albert Taylor is well I suppose he was home for a few days leave. What does he think of the war; fed up I expect.

I hope you will have a good time at Southend should just like to be coming along with you.

How did Ethel enjoy her holiday in Yorkshire I expect she is looking quite sun-burnt.

Well I think I must finish now just going out to do a bit of digging.

Glad you are all in the best of health.

Au revoir

With much love from

Your devoted Son

Message from Corps Commander 18 May 1917

GSO1

S.G. 259/189

Divisional H.Q.

18^th May 1917

The Divisional Commander wishes to express his sincere appreciation of the resource and bravery shown by all which lead to the great defeat of the enemy on the 16^th May.

He has great pleasure in communicating the following message from the Corps Commander.

G.O.C. 51^st Division.

“Heartiest congratulations to you all on fine work on 15^th and 16^th and especially to General BURN and 152^nd Infantry Brigade whose tenacity and pluck saved an awkward situation aaa The Division may well be proud of their latest achievement”

CORPS COMMANDER

Laurence Carr, Major G.S.

for Lieut Colonel,

General Staff

51^st (Highland) Division.

FIELD SERVICE POST CARD

To T. Smith Esq., 24 Palmerston Rd., Bowes Park London N 22 England.  Postmarked Field Post Office 68. 18 MY 17.

I am quite well

I have received your letter dated 9^th May

Letter follows at first opportunity

Signature only. A. Smith

Date May 16^th 17

A.A. Laporte Payne letter to Muriel 15 May 1917.

Belgium.

May 15^th 1917

Lady mine,

My sins of omission are many and days have gone by and you have had no letter from me. You will forgive me won’t you dearest?

First of all thank you so much for your long letter of May 9^th which has just arrived, and also for the two parcels which I have not yet opened as we have been moving in – but as I believe they contain something for tea I shall open them as soon as I have finished writing this letter.  Thank you too for the post-card.  It was not at all dull to get word from you & news of what you were doing.  When are you off to work on the land?  I hope the weather will be better than this.  It has changed quite suddenly.  To-day is dull and cold and threatening to rain; but before that we did have some lovely weather.

Well they have hauled us back to the line again after a very brief time in the training area. I enjoyed very much our time down there although it was so very busy.  We marched up here and arrived late last night.  It is an awful job moving.  Leaving a place you have to see that it is clean and that nothing of the thousand and one things you ought to have are left behind by the empty headed men.  Then there is all the watering & feeding of horses on the march and the rationing of the men.  My little unit consisted of more than 60 men and half a hundred horses, and 10 vehicles – and I was all alone.  On arrival the first thing is to find out where the bivouacing place is and then how to get your column in.  Then the horse lines have to be put up – posts found and dug in and ropes put up – then the horses watered and fed and groomed.  Places for the harness, cooks, telephonists, forage, food, stores, etc all have to be found.  You see there is plenty to do.  After all is finished you have time to get something to eat and then flop into bed.  This has been the routine for the last few days.

Alas I am sorry to say one of my horses died last night – a good horse too – and they are so hard to get now. It was one of the signaller’s horses and got colic very badly.  Poor old thing.  I hate having horses bad.

I am writing this on a bully-beef box, and it is starting to rain so you must please forgive writing and blots. We have no furniture at present and we are living in tents.  The cooking is done in holes in the ground.  It is delightful – especially after our chateau and comfortable billets.  My own gees are looking well.  I have found them a shed of sorts.

Don’t alter the address from France to Belgium.  It is all the same.  Letters come out in just the same way.

We have got our work cut out here. Conditions are very similar to this time last year.  I do hope it will be fine for the next few weeks.

How are you keeping, darling? Quite well?  I am very glad you are quite contented and happy now.  That is all I want.

Are you looking forward to my next leave? I am.  I am living for it.  The memory of your kisses and sitting on your lap is a very delightful one – only it makes the time of waiting worse.  How do you like being engaged.

Your girl friend seems to like being married – but I don’t think I should like to be married to someone 20 years older than I am – would you? Both ought to be young together, don’t you think so?  I am sure you can’t be foolish at 50.

You seem to be a very busy person now. Don’t overdo it.  I should love to hear you read minutes.  I used to for the Cambridge Philosophical Society to a lot of *** professors and dons – and I used to be frightfully nervous.  I was so tied up once or twice in making minutes of some **** paper that I used to go and beg a précis from the man reading the paper and left out the discussion altogether.

Is Mrs Cross back yet? Then give her my love.  I really must find time to write to her soon.  I hope Mr Cross is better.  Give him my kindest regards.  Finchley is the same I suppose.

Mind you have your photo taken in your working garb. I must see what you look like.  What ages it seems since I saw you.  I remember you were delightful that evening  we had together in town when we had dinner at the Savoy and afterwards went to High Jinks.  I shall never forget that week.  I hope you have as happy a memory as I have.  How is the singing getting on?  Next time I have got to cut out all the foolish things we did and sit properly and listen to you sing and play the violin.  I wish I could be with you now to kiss you and hold you tight.

Wouldn’t it be nice to be able to make country excursions alone together now, and go on the river. I like punting on an easy stream – it is so comfortable to be in a punt.

I won’t be so serious next leave. I will be absolutely mad and silly.  I wonder how you will like that.  I must close now I think as I have got to go to ‘stables’, and then out to see about things in the line.

Please forgive this disjointed letter – the beastly telephone as usual has interrupted letter writing.

For the present goodbye, darling

All my love & kisses

Archie.

Dick-Cunyngham letter to wife dated 15 May 1917

Monday

My own darling one,

I fear I didn’t get back from the Railway Cutting last night in time to catch the mail. We went up to old Hd Qrs to take over the battle front, and after going forward to see Burr we got back for lunch and came back here at 5 p.m.  It is quite nice to be in a hutment and camp & I slept in a tent last night.  Fear it wasn’t much sleep as I didn’t go to bed till 11.30.  Was fussing about some shelling on the front about 2.30 – and got up at 4 a.m.  Walked round our new line with C.R.E. & Intelligence Officer.  Since we have been in we have advanced our line in 2 places without opposition & consolidated.  I had a wonderful view this morning of Bosche Land crawling round newly made trenches, and really enjoyed it got back about 9.30 a.m. ready for breakfast & a bath.  It was very hot going round and luckily my thin ‘breecks’ & shirts arrived last night also the cigars.  My darling one they look excellent & shall enjoy one after dinner tonight.  The socks & other band came this morning – so I have been lucky in letters and parcels.  How sad about the Colofinos – Darvel Bays or perhaps I will go back again to the old Cresus from Robertson – the Colonnade Cheltenham at 30/- a 100 – they were always good & I don’t know why I gave them up.

Uncle Harry has written a most hilarious letter – I think they are all glad the old Buffer passed away – a most merciful really. Darling one the two bands you have sent are going on to my great coats – the smaller letters will look much better, but I think when we have got them to the General’s liking – you had better have them done at some needlework shop & the order for some 2 dozen will be given.

Curious things these stylo pens are – Waterman now won’t write well & so this one has come up to the scratch and is now very nice.

I believe really I should also keep within my bread ration. 2 slices toast for breaky – 2 for lunch and 3 for dinner.  How’s that?  Within or over?  This does not include biscuits or any cake I may have.

I think Thresher & Fleurt had better make me 2 more thin cotton khaki shirts & ½ dozen collars to match. I will send home my flannel ones & hope I may never see them again and not have to send for them this winter.

We are having heavy thunder showers which are nice and cooling, but my office hut leeks, must consult Whigham & have it put right at once.

My darling one I sincerely hope you didn’t face Aunt Monty. How could you manage it.

Darling one I must stop and attend to business, I swore I wouldn’t do any writing until I had written today. God bless you my darling & keep you safe and well.

Ever your own devoted Hubby

Jimmie

With envelope addressed to Mrs J. Dick Cunyngham, 28 Coleherne Court, South Kensington. London S.W. 5.  Endorsed On Active Service.  Signed Dick Cunyngham.  Passed by Censor No 2014 cachet.  Postmarked FIELD POST OFFICE H.15 dated 15 MY 17

COPY.

SPECIAL REPORT upon silent raid carried out on NED TRENCH on the 13/14 May, 1917

—————————————————-

At 10-30 p.m. the COVERING PARTY left our trenches at N.5.c.05.05. and 10 minutes later the ASSAULT and BLOCKING PARTIES followed.

After the parties had got clear of our wire, O.C. Raid detailed two men to enlarge the gap in our wire to facilitate the return of the parties.

At 10-40 p.m. 2 Very Lights were sent up by the enemy from N.11.a.1.4. and N.11.a.9.9. approximately.

The Covering Party took up its allotted position at and about N.11.a.15.67.

The Assaulting and Blocking Parties passed through the Covering Party, and through the gap in the enemy’s wire, the last man laying a white tape through the gap to aid the withdrawal. The parties entered the enemy blind trench at N.11.a.17.58., worked in an Easterly direction, and reached the E.F.L. at N.11.a.32.55.  At this point the Assault Party got into the enemy trench, and the Blocking Party took up its position behind the enemy parapet.

To guard against the possibility of meeting an enemy trench patrol, the bay of entry (provided with an island traverse) had been noted as a favourable place for attack, and provisional dispositions had been made previously in the event of such a contingency arising.

The Assault Party had not moved out of the bay of entry, when a trench patrol was heard approaching from the East and the Party was immediately reorganised in accordance with the prearranged plans and took up their respective positions to await the patrol. (See attached plan).

The trench patrol consisted of 3 men. Nos 1 & 2 were allowed to pass point “Z” and Sergt WRIGLEY of “A” Party pounced upon No. 3.  No. 1 did not give Sergt J. SLATER of “B” Party an opportunity of scuppering him, but bolted across country in the direction of the enemy Support Line.  No. 2 turned about and fired his revolver at point blank range at Sergt. WRIGLEY.  Sergt. WRIGLEY was not hit, and in the anxiety to get away with the prisoner, No. 2 was lost sight of.

The Assault Party and prisoner immediately withdrew from the enemy trench and returned to our lines, followed by the Blocking Party, the Covering Party bringing up the rear as arranged.

The whole of the Raiding Party regained our trenches at 1-0 a.m. without suffering any casualties.

During the whole of the operations the 170^th Machine Gun Company co-operated with indirect fire of short bursts at intervals at points behind the enemy front and support lines, and their fire was carried out most effectively and without any possibility of raising the enemy’s suspicions.

The Raiding Party had withdrawn about half way across NO MAN’S LAND before the enemy sent up a Very Light, and then only from N.11.a.9.9. (approx) and the enemy did not open fire either with rifle or Machine Guns.

The following conclusions have been drawn:-

1. The enemy front line is very thinly held at night.
2. There was no sentry group at N.11.a.45.63. where one had been located previously by reconnaissance.
3. The regular movement of the enemy trench patrol suggests that the enemy travel trench is in good condition and well duckboarded.
4. With reference to the absence of M.G. fire, it is possible that the alarm had not been raised in the enemy lines, for on the morning of the 13/5/17 on the approach of one of our aeroplanes, M.G. fire at it had been so heavy as to call for special comment.(Sgd.) C. Oswald Dean.I Officer.14/5/17.
5. “D” Battalion.
6. Lieut.