Saturday 1^st. 

            Rode to Tidworth to draw stores from Ordnance.  There was an awfully strong gale blowing with rain & sleet.  I was delayed on return trip by one of the horses balking at every hill and had to pull the brute by the jaw most of the way home.  I was just in time for dinner at 7.50.

Sunday 2^nd.

            We had Church parade this morning but no parson turned up at church so we came home after waiting half an hour.  In the evening I had tea with Mrs. Haking.

Monday 3^rd.

            Orderly officer today all drivers under arrest and consequently very busy.  Rose at 6.20.  At orderly room Maj Brown gave all Lieuts a lecture re duties & I told him he did not give us a fair show as he undermined our authority by reprimanding us continually before the men.  I collected most of the mess accounts.  This is the first fine day we have had at Larkhill.

Tuesday 4^th.

            I rode to Tidworth today for more stores and got very wet it was 6.30 when I got back to camp.

Wednesday 5^th.

            Working in camp all day getting horses shod & wagons repaired.

Thursday 6^th.

            Repacking tool carts and cleaning tools all day.  I rode to Stonehenge this evening and was much interested in the big stones which were about 18 ft long & stand on end with others across the top.

Friday 7^th.

            I rode to Salisbury with all the horses & the drivers, bought a gramophone for the Section & got back at 6 p.m. 

Enjoyed the day.

Letter from Irene at night.

The Signal Co left today for the Front.

Saturday 8^th. 

            Letter from Maud today.

We changed huts & cleaned up the Signal Co’s huts which were awful.  I had a row with Major B, & told him he had better let me get out if he couldn’t treat me reasonably.  He told me he meant nothing personal & said I’d better carry on.

Sunday 9^th.

            I took the Company to church this morning and as there was no parson I read the service.  We moved to new stables today and had to thoroughly clean the old ones.

White & I went for a ride this afternoon.

Monday 10^th.

            On orderly duties & repairing incinerator.  Tiresome day with Major on his car.

Tuesday 11^th.

            Rode to Tidworth for stores & got in the last of them bar searchlights & rods which the O.O. promised to send by M.T.

Wednesday 12^th.

            March out arranged with full equipment.  We paraded & stood waiting for nearly two hours while the Major wandered about dissing everybody.

Thursday 13^th.

            Packing & cleaning huts & cook houses ready for early start tomorrow.  Fine day.

Friday 14^th.

            Sailed from Southampton at 5 p.m. having left Larkhill at 6 a.m. by train.  Had lunch at the Dolphin and then embarked for France at last.

Saturday 15^th.

            Arrived in Havre early this morning, disembarked about 9 a.m. entrained.

Sunday 16^th.

            Arrived at Sailly at 4.30 a.m. did not get to bed till 8.30 & got up at 9.  Straightening things up all day.

Monday 17^th.

            Orderly officer.  Busy looking after the men and billets.

Tuesday 18^th.

            Received orders to go to Bettencourt to fix up some work at the Divisional baths.  Took Maddigan over to work there as carpenter & left him, returning via Quesnoy.  Found there was a lot of work for me at Bettencourt.

Wednesday 19^th.

            Went to Bettencourt and Airaines & bought timber for Latrines at Baths.  Also bought bricks at Quesnoy.

Thursday 20^th.

            The Company marched out from Sailly at 10 o’clock.  Proceeded to Hocquincourt a village near Hallencourt.  We reached there at 2.30 p.m.  I was billeted with Thorne in the Chateau Beaufort in a nice room.  The men were put in Barnes & stables which was rough on them.

Friday 21^st.

            Went to Bettencourt to work on Baths & to Airaines for timber.  Called at C.R.E.’s office to see if transport was arranged.  Found it was not so I had to rustle it myself in Airaines from the Ammunition column.

Saturday 22^nd. 

            Working at Baths Bettencourt had to go to Airaines for timber & had trouble getting motor transport.  Started work on Laundry shed & incinerator.  Lunch at Airaines.  Had a lot of running about & was very tired at night.  Rode back to Hocquincourt at night.

Sunday 23^rd.

            Working at Bettencourt at Baths finished incinerator & boilers and most of the laundry shed.  Rode back to Hocquincourt at night very tired.

Monday 24^th.

            The Company left Hocquincourt at 11 a.m.  The Sappers & Officers travelling by motor busses and the mounted section bringing on the tool & forage carts.  We travelled through Airaines & Amiens reaching Albert at 4 p.m. & billeted there.  Albert has been badly shot up.  A statue of the Virgin on the church tower is hanging head down at an angle of 40 degrees with the tower.

Tuesday 25^th.

            Went out to the first line trenches this morning & saw a lot of firing chiefly at German Air planes, the shooting was very bad most of the shells bursting away behind the planes.  I was given a lot of wire entanglements to erect & some trenches to fix up so this afternoon I took my section N.C.O.’s up and laid out the work.

Wrote to Irene.

Wednesday 26^th.

            At 9 a.m. went with my section to the trenches.  The Germans saw us cross the ridge & commenced shelling us.  They dropped about 10 shells within 100 yds of us, one about 25 feet away.  Weir was hit by a small fragment but it did not penetrate his coat.  One of our airplanes was hit by the Germans and came down in a hurry inside our lines with its engine smashed.  The shelling was kept up so we have to wait for night to work.  Went to the trenches at 4.30 p.m. & commenced wiring.  Stayed to 12 midnight, only one shell came near us but there was a furious cannonade from both sides and the star shells were being sent up all along the line at frequent intervals.

Thursday 27^th.

The machine guns rattled away viciously now & then and the phut of the snipers rifles was pretty constant.  Today Thursday I spent getting revetting material for a new trench we are digging right out in front and at 4.30 p.m. took out the section to continue wiring.  We worked till midnight without any interruption in the way of shell fire.  At 6.15 the big guns along our line fired all at once & it was grand to see the long flash of fire and hear the roar of the explosion & the whizz of the shells.  They went so far that we only faintly heard the shell burst.  The Germans replied quickly & kept it up some time and all night the flares on both sides kept lighting up the scene.

Friday 28^th.

Friday.  All our officers went out to Keats Redan this morning to look over the ground we have to prepare.  We had to travel in trenches for two hours but could not get where we wanted as the ground was covered by the German machine guns.  At 4.30 I took my section wiring again and we had a quiet night getting back at 12.30.

The men get their hands badly cut by the wire while working in the dark and it is slow work and very tiresome.

Saturday 29^th.

            Wrote to Irene.  Letters from Maud & Gerald.

A foggy morning so I took my section out on the wiring till 12.30.  The fog cleared just as we left & the Germans began shooting at once but did not get close to us.  This afternoon at 6.00 we have to make a reconnaissance.

Sunday 30^th.

            Church H.C at 8 a.m.  Heavy bombardment by Germans this morning several horses and one man wounded.

Monday 31^st.

            Went out to Front line this morning then back to get material ready for night work, rested this afternoon.  At 5 p.m. the Germans shelled our front line for 1 hr 35 min sending over about 3000 shells and blowing our wire & trenches to pieces.  The Col of the Essex was killed then a German bomb party came over to our trenches & took a Sergt, Corpl & 11 men prisoners & left their scaling ladders & a note advising the men to quit fighting.

1916

20^th January 1916.  “A” Company proceeded to Sooradavee in order to complete field firing.  Returned 24^th January, 1916.

24^th January 1916.  “B” Company proceeded to Shankargarh for company training.  Returned 5^th February, 1916.

27^th January 1916.  “C” Company proceeded to Sooradavee for field firing and company training.  Returned 18^th February, 1916.

PROGRAMME OF WORK FOR WEEK ENDING   …    …  JANUARY 29^th 1916

Explanatory remarks and meaning of abbreviations:-

1. Principle features of Programme for Second Week are –
2. The Officers: Schemes on Ground, and Commencement of Engineering Course.
3. The N.C.O.s finish Engineering, and are instructed in the First Stages of the Attack Normal.
4. The Attack Normal is the Attack as laid down in ‘Infantry Training’, or distinguished from the Attack Abnormal, which is the Attack carried out from the trenches.
5. The abbreviations denote the following:-

C.I. Chief Instructor; D.C.S.: Disposal of Syndicate Commanders.

————————-

MONDAY.

8.15 a.m. Commandant’s Levee.

8.45 a.m. Nos 1 to 4 Synds. –       Lecture on “Advance Guard Attack”, by C.I.,

Followed by Scheme on Ground.

8.45 a.m. Nos 5 to 8 Synds. –       Lecture on “Types of obstacles and methods of

                                                            wiring”, by Capt. Grove-White, R.E.

2 p.m. No 1 Syndicate –                 D.S.C.

No 2         “                –           Machine Gun.

No 3         “               –          Bayonet fighting.

No 4         “               –          D.S.C.

3 p.m. Nos 1to 4 Synds       –         Drill.

2 p.m. Nos 5 to 8 Synds       –        Drill.

3 p.m. No 5 Syndicate         –         D.S.C.

No 6       “                  –         Machine Gun.

No 7       “                   –           Bayonet fighting.

No 8        “                 –           D.S.C.

5.15 p.m. Conference of Instructors.

6 p.m. Lecture – by Brig. General A. Montgomery, B.G.G.S., 4^th Corps, – “Battle of

LOOS”.

TUESDAY.

8.15 a.m. Commandant’s Levee.

8.45 a.m. Nos 1 to 4 Synds. –       Lecture on “Trench Orders”, by Commandant.

9.45 a.m.      ditto                 –           Practice Relief of Trenches.

11.30 a.m.    ditto                 –           D.S.C.

8.45 a.m. Nos 5 to 8 Synds. –       Lecture on “Reclamation of fallen in trench,

construction of Machine Gun Emplacement, Loopholes, Dug-outs”, by Capt. Grove-

White, R.E., followed by Practice.

2 p.m. No 1 Syndicate –                 Machine Gun.

No 2         “                –           Grenades.

No 3         “               –          D.S.C.

No 4         “               –          Bayonet fighting.

3 p.m. Nos 1to 4 Synds       –         Drill.

2 p.m. Nos 5 to 8 Synds       –        Drill.

3 p.m. No 5 Syndicate         –         Machine Gun.

No 6       “                  –         Grenades.

No 7       “                   –           D.S.C.

No 8        “                 –           Bayonet fighting.

5.15 p.m. Conference of Instructors.

6 p.m. Lecture – by Major Stansfield, D.S.O., The Yorkshire Regiment, – “Infantry of

                                                            the 7^th Division at LOOS”.

WEDNESDAY.

8.15 a.m. Commandant’s Levee.

8.45 a.m. Nos 1 to 4 Synds. –       Lecture on “Outposts”, by CI., followed by

“Outposts Schemes”.

8.45 a.m. Nos 5 to 8 Synds. –       Lecture on “Consolidation of captured position”, by

Capt. Grove-White, R.E., followed by Practice.

2 p.m. No 1 Syndicate –                 Machine Gun.

No 2         “                –           Grenades.

No 3         “               –          Bayonet fighting.

No 4         “               –          D.S.C.

3 p.m. Nos 1to 4 Synds       –         Drill.

2 p.m. Nos 5 to 8 Synds       –        Drill.

3 p.m. No 5 Syndicate         –         Machine Gun.

No 6       “                  –         Grenades.

No 7       “                   –           Bayonet fighting.

No 8        “                 –           D.S.C.

5.15 p.m. Conference of Instructors.

6 p.m. Lecture – by Captain Grove-White, R.E., – “Battle of Loos, from the point of

view of the Royal Engineers”.

THURSDAY.

8.15 a.m. Commandant’s Levee.

8.45 a.m. Nos 1 to 4 Synds. –       (i) Lecture on “Meaning, function, and organization of a defensive line”, by Capt. Grove-White, R.E.

10 a.m.          ditto                             (ii) Lecture on “Organization of working parties,

siting, laying out, and digging trenches, parties moving on to work” by Capt. Grove-

White, R.E.

11  a.m.      ditto                   –           Syndicates are shewn:-

• Organization of working parties.
• Working parties moving tom their rendezvous.
• Working parties drawing tools, and moving on to tasks,

8.45 a.m. Nos 5 to 8 Synds. –       Lecture on “Attack Normal” by C.I.

10 a.m.           ditto                             Demonstration and practice of extended order drill,

                                                            extensions, and signals.

2 p.m. No 1 Syndicate –                 Machine Gun.

No 2         “                –           Grenades.

No 3         “               –          D.S.C.

No 4         “               –          Bayonet fighting.

3 p.m. Nos 1to 4 Synds       –         Drill.

2 p.m. Nos 5 to 8 Synds       –        Drill.

3 p.m. No 5 Syndicate         –         Machine Gun.

No 6       “                  –         Grenades.

No 7       “                   –           D.S.C.

No 8        “                 –           Bayonet fighting.

5.15 p.m. Conference of Instructors.

6 p.m. Lecture – by Lieut Col Tudor, C.M.G., R.H.A., – “Battle of LOOS from the point of view of the Royal Artillery”.

FRIDAY.

8.15 a.m. Commandant’s Levee.

8.45 a.m. Nos 1 to 4 Synds. –       Laying out, digging, and completion of tasks, with

                                                            entrenching tool.

8.45 a.m. Nos 5 to 8 Synds. –       Lecture on “Fire Control, and description of

                                                            Targets,”, by C.I.

10 a.m.      ditto                     –           Extended order drill, signals, fire positions, fire

                                                            control, and description of targets.           

2 p.m. No 1 Syndicate –                 Machine Gun.

No 2         “                –           Grenades.

No 3         “               –          Bayonet fighting.

No 4         “               –               ditto.

3 p.m. Nos 1to 4 Synds       –         Drill.

2 p.m. Nos 5 to 8 Synds       –        Drill.

3 p.m. No 5 Syndicate         –         Machine Gun.

No 6       “                  –         Grenades.

No 7 and 8 Syndicates –     Bayonet fighting.

5.15 p.m. Conference of Instructors.

6 p.m. Lecture – by Major Fuller, The Oxfordshire Light Infantry, General Staff, 7^th

Corps, “Sir John Moore’s School of Instruction Shorncliffe”.

SATURDAY.

8.15 a.m. Commandant’s Levee.

8.45 a.m. Nos 1 to 4 Synds. –       Lecture on “Revetments”, by Capt Grove-White.

9.45 a.m.      ditto                 –           Ceremonial Drill.

10.45 a.m.    ditto                 –           Construction of Revetments.        

8.45 a.m. Nos 5 to 8 Synds. –       Extended order drill, and fire control.

9.45 a.m.      ditto     –                       Ceremonial Drill.

10.45 a.m.     ditto     –                       Fire Control, and description of targets.

The rest of the programme is missing.

On YMCA headed notepaper.

23261 Cpl R.P. Rice

Reply to F Company 3^rd Bat Leic Regt

Stationed at Hutments, Patrington

Nr Hull

Jan 27^th 1916

Dear Mr Walters,

            I must apologise for not having written to you before, but with having so many duties to perform I find very little time for writing.  I was stationed at Leicester for nearly six weeks & enjoyed the time there very much indeed.  We left there for this camp on New Year’s Eve, so have just been here four weeks.  The camp is situated 1½ miles from the village of Patrington & 16½ miles from Hull.  From our parade ground we can see, on a clear day, the shipping on the Humber, but the nearest sea-side village is Withernsea about 5 miles away.  It would be very nice out here in the summer but we find it rather bleak & desolate just now.  Of course we are in range of the Zeppelins here & at night there is not a light to be seen, & it is very difficult to find one’s way about the camp.  Most nights a British aeroplane carrying searchlights can be seen passing over the camp.  The work here is very interesting, and one hour every day is spent on trench work & bayonet fighting.  This reminds one very much of what the real work would be like.  At present we are taking a course of musketry, & next week we are expecting to go to Strensall for a week’s course in field shooting.  We are living in huts & are quite settled down to the life now.  At first we found it exceptionally rough, sleeping on the bare floor & packed out so that one could hardly turn.  It is a bit better now, & we can get about the camp better.  When it is all wet the mud is terrible, but still we smile through it all & really I have never felt better in health.  There is a beautiful old church in the village, which we all attend in the morning, & when possible I go in the afternoon, when the evening service is held, as it cannot be held at night because of the lighting restrictions.  I shall be very pleased to hear from you, & I sincerely hope all is going well with the Church work at Whitwick.  I hope Mrs Walters, yourself & the children are quite well.

Yours very sincerely

Reginald P. Rice.

In YMCA envelope addressed to Rev. T.W. Walters, M.A. The Vicarage, Whitwick, Nr Leicester.

Letter postmarked PATRINGTON 28 JA 16.

c/o Y.M.C.A. Hut

Woodcote Park

Epsom

23/1/16

My dear Mr Walters,

            Again I take up my pen to write to you trusting that you will not think me at all impertinent.   However, I plead the same excuse, that I consider myself in your congregation.  I was, as perhaps you noticed, at home about five weeks ago, and attended morning and evening services at Whitwick.  I might say that out of the whole week-end those three or four hours were the happiest I spent, and I look forward with great pleasure to the time I shall be able to come again.

I have been removed from the place at which I was when I wrote my last letter and am now at Woodcote Park Convalescent Camp, and about two miles out of the town of Epsom.  The men here are made up individuals of nearly every regiment in the British Army – Canadians, Australians, New Zealanders and Britishers.  On the whole, they are an exceedingly nice lot of men, and they look upon our hut as a great boon.  It is worked by an excellent staff of ladies, and they endeavour to provide the best of food for the convalescents, at the least possible price, as well as to make the building as comfortable and homely as is possible.

In the camp, the recreation of the men is amply provided for, and a large recreation hall has been erected, capable of holding about 1000 or 1500 men, and excellent concerts are arranged.  Last week Madam Ada Crossley came down and brought her concert party and such people as Miss Carrie Tubb and M^r Ben Davies come to give their concerts, which they do absolutely free of charge, I believe.

The men maintain very good spirits, and I think this very remarkable.  They have endured every hardship, been wounded – almost done to death some of them, and the majority are now far from well, but they are quite jolly, and are as ready to enjoy themselves as are the soldiers in training.

It is most interesting to hear the men relate their experiences at the different theatres of war, and in this way, one learns more in a half hour than a month of news-paper reading could teach.  One incident interested me considerably.  A sergeant was telling me of a night on which very severe fighting took place.  He went into the trenches with his men, and one of them was, in the sergeants own words “A religious sort of chap”, who knelt down to pray when he entered the trench.  As he was praying an enemy shell fell in the trench and did not explode.  He explained that this was an extremely rare occurrence, and added that he should, all his life, believe that “the lad’s prayer had been answered and that God had stopped that shell from bursting”.  Had the shell burst, it would have been responsible for the deaths of many men.  You will form your own opinion, but personally I agree with the sergeant, and believe it is another proof of the Divine Presence with those who are fighting for us.  Another thing which struck me forcibly was the fact that one never sees a crucifix shattered even in the most bullet swept districts.  One particular case was related to me which will probably interest you.  In a certain village there was a crucifix; on each side of it was a house and beside it a pile of stones.  Violent firing took place.  The houses were completely shattered and the stones scattered in every direction.  The crucifix, on examination was found to be practically untouched.  Bullets has passed through the wooden standard, but the figure was as it was before the first shot was fired.

I am quite well, and enjoying the work immensely.  I trust you are in the best of health and that the Church is progressing as well as ever.  I read with great interest the events which take place and are reported by the local papers.

I should esteem it a great favour if you would forward me a copy of the Parish Magazine and I enclose 1½ in payment for same.

Trusting I have not wearied you by the long letter.

Believe me

Sincerely and respectfully yours

Cecil Brown

(Coalville)

In YMCA envelope addressed to The Rev T.W. Walters, Whitwick, Lester.

Letter postmarked EPSOM 26 JAN 1916.9.15 AM

O 1/3

1^st Infantry Brigade Headquarters,

S.A.O.E.F.

Mex Camp. ALEXANDRIA

January 23, 1916

Lieut-Colonel Purcell, D.S.O.

O/C Depot Battalion, South African Contingent,

Aldershot,

ENGLAND.

With reference to your private letter to the G.O.C., I am directed to inform you that Lt-Col. Helbert has been written to regarding your promotion to Lieut.-Colonel and he has been asked to do everything in his power to expedite gazettal.  The G.O.C. suggests however, that you see B-Genl DORAN personally in this connection.

With regard to the 12 Officers which you still require Lieut.-Col. Helbert has been instructed to cable at once to South Africa to ascertain definitely how many Officers are there for this Brigade and how many can be sent immediately.  On receipt of the reply he is to cable its contents here when the G.O.C. will take steps without delay to fill all existing vacancies in Commissioned ranks.

The delay which will necessarily occur owing to the necessity of sending from here to you those promoted to commissioned rank to fill existing vacancies cannot be avoided although it is much regretted by the G.O.

I enclose a roll of the Officers who were left behind under your command which shows a total of 9 Captains, 14 Lieutenants, 7 second Lieutenants, 30 Officers in all, to these have been added 6 second Lieutenants, whose promotion to that rank was recommended some time prior to the Brigade leaving Bordon.  Will you kindly let me know by return of post whether these promotions have been approved of, if they have not kindly represent the matter as an urgent one to the Brigadier-General, General Staff, Aldershot, who was written to on the subject about the 26^th December.  The original recommendation for these promotions having been forwarded to the G.O.C., 16^th Division, at the time when the Brigade formed a portion of that Division.

With regard to the appointments of Second in Command, Adjutant and Quartermaster, you should deal direct with Brigadier-General, General Staff, Aldershot, notifying me a soon as possible for the information of the G.O.C., what has been done in the matter.

J. **** Baker

Major,

Brigade Major.

NOMINAL ROLL OF OFFICERS WITH DEPOT BATTALION.

——————————————

1^st SOUTH AFRICAN BRIGADE.  DEPOT BATTALION.

Officer Commanding, Lt,-Col. J.F. Purcell, D.S.O.

1^st REGIMENT.                     2^nd REGIMENT.                                3^rd REGIMENT.

Captains.                               Captains.                                           Captains.

Woodhead, H.                      Symes, H.C.                                      de Jersey, F.H.

Whiting, E.                             Macdougal, Ian                                 Montgomery, H.

                                                                                                            Tomlinson, L.W.

                                                                                                            Lane, A.B.

Lieutenants                           Lieutenants.                                      Lieutenants.

Roffe, –                                   Lagerwall, F.A.                                 Healy, J.W.T.

                                                Cochran, F.E.                                   Langdale, G.H.

2^nd Lieutenants                    2^nd Lieutenants                                2^nd Lieutenants

Brown, A.H.                           Tatham, E.V.                                     Phillips, E.J.

                                                Cochrane, J.E.B.D.                          Ellis, P.H.

                                                Bru-de-Wold, T.W.                           Crudas, N;

4th REGIMENT.

Captains.                               Lieutenants.

Mowat, G.                              Graham, R.D.

Ramsay Rae, H                    Bayly, Z.B.

                                                Micklem, T.N.

                                                Gemmell, D.

                                                Taylor, J.S.

                                                Davies, J.

                                                Benny, F.E.

                                                Norton, M.L.

                                                Duff, C. de V.

No 4564 Pte J.W. Brotherhood

Signalling Section

3/5 Leicesters

Bulwell

Notts

Jan 20^th 016

Dear Rev Walters,

            I have just been wondering what the future holds in store for us as a nation & also individually, because I think it is possible for one to form a just conclusion.  There are days ahead of us, but what kind of days will they be?  Days of Peace & Happiness, or days of darkness & despair?

            It seems to me to be fare presumption to suppose that victory will eradicate all evils, or even bring a new-soul to England.

            What I think is this: the soul of England will be richer clothed, it may be in garments of blood but also in garments of an imperishable nature.  She will be clothed with honour, & shielded by Freedom.

            Nations rarely seek honour to the sacrifice of wealth, or sacrifice blood to bring freedom to others.  The sacrifice of life & blood is far richer than the sacrifice of wealth.  Wealth perishes.  Honour ever lives, it knows no death.

            But what England has done is a true test of what she is able to do; & what England is able to do will reveal the elements of what Her “Soul” consists of.

The “Old Book” has a double application when it says ‘No man liveth unto himself”. There is always a 2^nd considerate & sympathy.

I think life is hard & cruel where there is no victory to cheer, or defeat to rally us.

The standard of one’s life should never be judged by the peace one enjoys, but rather by the foes conquered, & the victories won.

And that is how England will be judged in future days, the England of tomorrow will not be the England of today; every victory makes her stronger; every sacrifice stimulates Her to greater endeavours.  We do not shed blood for nought!  We harbour not the lust of greed, but the love of righteousness; & by Her sacrifice England has an Heritage in every land.  Therefore England‘s soul grows stronger; richer in power; & more resolute.

England has not a new soul, but greater ideals; the old soul has had a revelation, & revelation brings experience, & experience, generally speaking brings power.

Therefore will the days that are to come bear comparison with the days that are past?  Will they bring a new & greater dread, or will a new world burst before our eyes, & world of beauty & grandeur?

I think the spirit that is now developing will bring a limitless power & freedom to the sons who have fought & worked, & to the daughters who have loved & wept.  No true son of England is afraid of the future days.  We wait for it as we wait for the Morning Sun to rise & drive away darkness.

To the future we say “All Hail” We welcome thee as the new-born day; to the past we say “Farewell”.

There are scenes in these days that make us shudder; but the future shall give light to our eyes, & joy to our souls, & there shall be sung songs of exaltation such as the world has never known or heard before.

Sir, the day is breaking.  And we would re-echo “Break Divine Light.”

What a light it will be.  Soul-filling enraptorum.  Europe’s “Sentinel” re-echoes the question of the ages – “Watchman, what of the night?  Behold the morning cometh.”  There is a rift in the Lute.  There is breaking on our ears the music of a distant song.  Not a song to quicken the steps of the defeated, but a song of Victory & of Hope, a song that shall give step to the mareking hosts, who, having delivered freedom from bondage, now return home to peace & happiness.  The future days, in my opinion, will bring to us a greater spiritual experience.

There are men in the trenches, who have witnessed scenes of horror.  They have watched, nay, taken part in the struggle between life & death, Hell & Heaven.  What will their experience be?

Methinks that the soul-struggle is terribly great when one fights for humanity.

Life to such men will have a deeper meaning.  A new seriousness, will enter in into them, & they will regard life as a sacred possession & home as if it were heaven.  The cry is going forth today – what will the churches do with the returning millions as they gather home from the Battlefield?  But a greater question to my mind is – what will returning soldiers do with the church?

To the church that accepts the new experience of her followers there will come a blessed ministry, not from the pulpit alone, but from the Pen.  The whole church will be inspired & invigorated.  But what of the church that ignores the cry of her followers, & who refuse to accept those visions which have been given?  What of such a church?  She will be shunned.  Hated.  Despised.

The church that accepts the new-found Doctrine of Humanity is the church of the future, not that the “Old Doctrine will be despised, nay, they will be loved more & more, but we shall read the Human in the Divine, & realise that every man is worth saving.

Our heroes will not shun the ministry of church, but will rather seek to enrich it.  Visions always enrich, and life without vision is like Heaven without God.

The church will embrace her returning sons, & Her returning sons will offer of their best to the “Great Cause” that has tended & cared for them, & offered such a welcome within Her borders.  The church will adapt herself to the new conditions as She hears of the new experiences of Her followers, & after having heard such experiences She will break away from Her former self & embrace a Freedom Divine.  The Old trammels of Bigotry will be cast off, & an evangelation of the masses will be the result.  Just one other thought.  The future days will reveal a united humanity.  What I mean is – A man will value a man.

Robert Burns has well said – “A man’s a man for a that”.  No matter how men may differ, the soul is ever the same.  The one interest of men will be, how they can best serve God, King & Country, & especially each other.

A man will value his neighbour, not merely as a neighbour, but as a valuable unit of his country, & of the District in which he lives.  A deeper unity will enthral the human race.  Not a unity that will bind, but a unity that will give liberty to thought & freedom to speech; yea, the poor shall meet with the rich, & the rich with the poor, & each class will recognise that neither are dispensable, but that both are valuable units in the life of the nation, & that both are needed to carry on our National Programme.  United we stand.  Divided we fall.  And should we fall, our loss would be greater than our gains, & we should be plunged into the very jaws of Death.

But Sir, We have sought & found liberty.  Our men have bled & died for freedom.  The Empire has given of its best, & we through that sacrifice have gained liberty.

Shall we lose what we have gained?  Or shall we cement those bonds which so closely bind us together?

Thank God for the vision of a brighter future.  There are wonders untold is store for us, & the one just conclusion we arrive at is – that a new England is rising up, & a generation of patriots is taking the place of pessimists.

Edge of page torn off. ***** ***** con***.  We **** to live.  And who but those that come after us will better appreciate the sacrifice that has been made?

There is a great deal more I should like to have written, but what I have written is what I believe.  Sir you may differ from me in many things I have said, & if that be so I should like to hear what your views are, as they would help me very much.

But upon one thing we are agreed.  We win.

Please accept my best wishes, & I do pray that your ministry will be very effectual.

            I remain

                        Your very sincerely

                        PTE J.W. Brotherhood.

In envelope addressed to Rev T.W. Walters, Vicar of Whitwick, Whitwick, Leicestershire.

Letter postmarked Bulwell Nottingham 21 JA 16.

Jan 18^th

1916

Dear Sir,

            I am just sending you a line to say that I am quite well & I hope that you are the same & I am also writing to you to ask if you would kindly remember me to all the Bellringers & I hope that they are all quite well & I shall be very pleased to receive a line from you just to hear you & all at Whitwick are getting on.  I was very sorry to learn that Lily had gone away from home but I hope that she will on all right & I am also pleased to tell you that promoted to Corp^l & am glad to say that I am going on well & I often think about when I was at Whitwick when I used to come to Church & I also hope  that I shall not be long before I come again to see you & all & all at Whitwick & I have also sent you my address so you may send to me which is now Corpl Adams B Sqn Lei Yeo B.E.F. & now I think that I have told you all this time hoping to hear from you soon

I remain

Yours truly

W Adams

In envelope addressed to Rev T.W. Walters, Leicester Rd, Whitwick, Leicestershire. England.

Letter not postmarked

Pte C Priest 10080 A Compy 6 Leicestershire Regt British Expeditionary force.

Dear Sir,

            Just a few lines to you to ask if you would call round our house Mrs Priest and see if you can do anythink for her as she olly get 27/Shillings a week and she cant live on it and I wish you could see what you can do for her by getting here a little more as there is 5 Childing and they take a lot of keeping as I am been out to the war 11 months and I cant get home and she is the olly one who as wrote and I ant had a letter from know one in the Village and she cant live as thinks are now and I hope you will do your best for her and I should like you to write me a letter for I should bee pleased to here from you and we have had a lot of rain here and I hope you are having some nice weather there so I think that is all this time from yours truly Mr C Priest lives at No 9 South St Whitwick and I hope you will please write back to me.

In green envelope addressed to Mr. Walters, The Vicarage, Whitwick, Leicestershire.  England.

Letter postmarked FIELD POST OFFICE 111.  15 JA 16.

Fred Wilson

Dear Sir

            Just a line to tell you that I am going to France on Tuesday next.  I am very sorry I have not wrote of late as I have been in Training very hard, but you know the old saying that it is better late than never, I am going to join the Hood Batt in the Base Camp hoping to find all the old boys out there.  Give my kind regards to all at Whitwick, I wish you to go and see Mrs Amos Allen 32 Silver Street, how is the Men’s Class going on I wish to be remembered to all of them, I hope this letter finds you all in the best of health, as I am A.1 befor I leave for France, I have been to Church every Sunday only when I have been on duty, that kept me away,  I will now close with all best wishes from one of the old boys.

I am yours ever

L.S. Alfred John Wilson P.T.I.

I will write again as soon as I get the chance in France (So Good Day Sir.)

There is no envelope with this letter.