On YMCA headed notepaper

Pte J.W. Brotherhood No 4564 5^th Leicesters No 6 Base Depot B.E.F.  France

Apl 14^th 016

Dear Rev Walters

            No doubt you are now waiting to hear from me, & perhaps you are also wondering what has become of me since I last wrote you.

            Today, as you see, finds me in “Sunny France”.  To me, it seems a most wonderful country, its villages & towns are most picturesque, & the people seem to be a most wonderful conglomeration of humanity.

            They vary so in manner & dress & speech, that one hardly seems to realise that the many specimens of France’s people belong to one nation.

            Everywhere one meets with an enthusiasm that must be admired.  As with us, so with the people here: – They are out to win & if enthusiasm plays any part whatever in Victory then we are bound to win.

            Well Sir I must not say much about these things, as our letters of necessity must be short & besides, I am not in England now.  We have the Censor here & this one cannot always write as we would, nor would it be wise if one could.  So far I am very well indeed, & I am very much enjoying my life here.  We get plenty of work here, & we have a stern discipline: but it is needed, especially in a foreign country; it helps one to realise what War means, even before one may reach the seat of war

I trust that you are well, & I shall be pleased to hear from you.  I do pray for you in your work, & trust that your ministry may become more & more successful

From your Sincere Friend

J.W. Brotherhood

Pte J.W. Brotherhood 5^th Leicester

To Rev Walters

In envelope addressed to Rev T.W. Walters, Vicar of Whitwick, Whitwick, Leicester-shire.

Letter postmarked ARMY POST OFFICE S.15  18 16 16

Passed Field Censor 2595 in red hexagonal cachet.

NOTES

on the

CONSTRUCTION OF CYLINDER EMPLACEMENTS

——————————————————————————

The type of emplacement constructed must depend on the local conditions.  For example, in dry, firm soil it may be possible to omit wood linings altogether.

It may happen in emergency that there will be no time to make emplacements at all, and the cylinders may have to be placed on the fire-step, and discharged in that position.

Wherever possible, however, the greatest efforts should be made to give the cylinders adequate protection: otherwise, the contemplated use of gas may be disclosed to the enemy by the accidental destruction of a cylinder by a rifle grenade, trench mortar shell, etc., before the commencement of the battle.

The nature of emplacement adopted must be left for local decision: and it will depend on the amount of material available, the nature of the revetment, the width of the trench, the weather conditions, etc.

The accompanying drawings show types of emplacements that have been constructed for recent operations.

CW Foulkes,

Colonel,

O.C., Special Brigade.

April 10, 1916.

Illustrations held with original text.

Apl 10^th 1916.

Dear Alan,

Thanks for your letter which I have lost and cannot refer to in my reply.  I am having a great time – got right up against the second in command and enjoying the consequent warfare thoroughly.  He is a shit of the first order – one of those fearfully conscientious, T.T., non smoker individuals whom any normal man has a longing to kick from Lands End to John o’ Groats.

Hope to get a few days in Blighty next week if leave does not stop; however say nothing about it at home because I am fully expecting leave to stop any day.

Got a damned fine C.O. in the person of Capt Gorden who used to command my old company.  Of course he ought to have at battalion and would have one if he did not consistently refuse to bum-suck.  He is a Dalton-in-Furness man but seems to have spent most of his life in the wild parts of the earth.  We get on very well together – he has a fine taste in whisky.

I hope that leave of mine does come off – there is a hell of a lot I want to do this time – only one thing I am thoroughly funked of strolling about Kendal in officers-rig out.  I really think I shall have to change into civvies when I go up home.  The Mumford who was wounded was my friend from M/C, curiously enough I had just before heard from his wife, whom by the way you met in the lab that day as Miss Cliffe, a few days before it happened.  Our lab boy of these days in somewhere in this corps but I am unable to trace him having forgotten both his name and appearance.

Got a splendid company mess in these days – I have the honour of running it – it costs us about 23 bob per week per head but I feed and drink ‘em jolly well for that.  Really living is much cheaper out here than it is at home.

Nothing more to write about.

Yours

Dick

P.S.  Just heard that Oldham, Hall, Cooper and others of my Manchester pals are all out here somewhere.  I rather fancy they will be with the third army so have not much chance of running across them at present. RMB

Headquarters,

Northern Command,

York.

8^th April, 19116.

My dear Kentish,

I think you might like to see a Memoranda we have sent off to G.H.Q. on the subject of the Command School of Instruction.  Please remember the idea (and I am not ashamed to say so) have largely come out of your head, and are rather in the rough, but time and experience alone will show how long the Course must last, and what we can do in the time.  Since you left us, we have got a “move” on in another direction, and we have now formed a “Northern Cross Country & Physical Fitness Association”.  All kinds of sports, amusements and athletics are developing all along the line, so I think this weak spot in our armour is now removed.

I intend to speak to the N.C.O’s under instruction at York School on Morale etc. at the end of the current course, but on future occasions will do so at the commencement.

Best of Luck

Your ever,

G.J. Scovell

P.S. I will write to you later about the pin.  We have nor been able to find it yet.  I expect it is hidden away in one of those socks!!

Lieut Colonel R.J. Kentish D.S.O.

Army School,

Headquarters,

3^rd Army, France.

On Y.M.C.A. headed notepaper.

April 7 1916

Reply to F Company 3^rd Bat Leicester Regt

Stationed at Patrington

Nr. Hull

Dear Vicar,

            You will think I have been a long time writing to you but I do not have much spare time.  I hope you are getting along well at Whitwick.  I think of you and our church on Sunday mornings about 8 o’clock, at that time we are just having breakfast, we fall in for church parade at 8.15 A.M. then our service does not interfere with the other service as we are out of church again by 9.30.  It is so different from the ordinary service as we have no choir or organ but the Batt band goes with us.  It is a splendid band.  They have their service here in the afternoon instead of the evening.  I am able to get then but the worst part of it is we cannot get back in time for tea so I have to go without.  The vicar here is a fine chap he is getting up a class for confirmation, he is amongst us nearly every night.  We have just had a church hut put up so that we can receive Holy Communion, we could not before, that service is held every Sunday morning, one week by the Vicar of Patrington and the next by the Vicar of Winestead  at 6.45, I wonder what some of the Whitwick people would say if they had to get up and clean buttons boots and shave (which we have to do every morning, in the army) and the be there for that time, I know you would not get many there.  I get the magazine sent from home so you see I can keep in touch with our old church and if I cannot be there I know what services are being held I look at it every day.  The picture of the church makes me realise how far I am from home.  The word “home” sounds like a sacred thing to we fellows living in huts, more so when we are fetched out to sleep in a field like we were on Wednesday night thanks to the Zepps.  We had the Zepps 7 nights running.  I know that would upset you people at home.  I shall be thankful for a whole night in bed without having to get up and dress about 10.30.  I see they keep sending men to France from here, they have sent three or four hundred while I have been here.  I expect they are thinning the men out at Whitwick now and more will have to go yet I am sorry to say.  I expect I shall be ready for France just after Whitsuntide, but I shall see you before I go there.  Well I will wish you Good Night, hoping you you’re your family are all well.  I am first class.  I am

Yours faithfully

No 25739       J.W. Weston

In envelope addressed to Rev. T.W. Walters, Vicarage, Whitwick, Nr Leicester.  England.

Letter postmarked PATRINGTON HULL 8 AP 16.

Leicestershire Yeomanry

British Expeditionary Force

France

Ap 1^st 1915

Dear Vicar,

            Thank you ever so much for yr kind note & ****** Easter card which I think is v beautiful also for your kind wishes.  We are still in the same billets but working v hard as now that the ground is drying we are expecting to have to move to the front at any moment & I am afraid the Cavalry will have a v warm time if ever the German line is broken.  I am afraid it will be a long time before I get leave again as all leave has been stopped since the 28 of Feb.  The weather here is dry with cold East winds & frost at night.

With the dearest regards to Mrs Walters self & kiddies.

V sincerely yrs

Holley Burkitt

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

Letter postmarked FIELD POST OFFICE C 7.  2 AP 15

PASSED BY CENSOR No 1733 square cachet in red.

April 1^st

Thursday

Dear Sir,

            Thanks for your card I received it with great pleasure I guess you have heard that our Batt has been in the trenches But we are now away from the firing line for further instruction in holding our own and some have been inoculated.  The next time you hear from me we shall have had some more of it.  They shelled us out of our barn which we had slept the night hitting it and making the tiles rattle.  I knew it was Holy Thursday today because the French people went to mass quite early this morning.  We had a good experience for the first time shells bursting all about us all day.  I should like you to see the ruins out here I have seen a church blown down.  All that remained standing was the crucifix.  I don’t know if there are many lads left who ought to at Whitwick.  The other night as I was doing my turn at the telephone I heard to shells pass over the Billets where we are now I don’t get on very well in speaking French.  You help the country one way and I am out here for another I hope you still have your class as usual.  Our Capt makes a good Vicar.  You can see them shelling the aeroplanes in the air.  I am sending you a piece of palm I had given to me.  I think this is all this time.

From One Your Boys

Signaller F.W. Ducker.

There is no envelope with this letter.

There is a Field Service Post Card postmarked FIELD POST OFFICE 138 27 JY 15 on which was said I am quite well. I have received your &c.  Letter follows at first opportunity.  I have received no letter from you for a long time.  Signed F.W. Ducker 27.7.15