September 19th, 1916.
Dearest Mother:
I've been in France 19 days, and it hasn't taken me long to go into
action. Soon I shall be quite an old hand. I'm just back from 24 hours
in the Observation Post, from which one watches the effect of fire. I
understand now and forgive the one phrase which the French children have
picked up from our Tommies on account of its frequent
occurrence--"bl---- mud." I never knew that mud could be so thick and
treacly. All my fear that I might be afraid under shell-fire is
over--you get to believe that if you're going to be hit you're going to
be. But David's phrase keeps repeating itself in my mind, "Ten thousand
shall fall at thy side, etc., but it shall not come nigh unto thee."
It's a curious thing that the men who are most afraid are those who get
most easily struck. A friend of G.M.C.'s was hit the other day within
thirty yards of me--he was a Princeton chap. I mentioned him in one of
my previous letters. Our right section commander got a blighty two days
ago and is probably now in England. He went off on a firing battery
wagon, grinning all over his face, saying he wouldn't sell that bit of
blood and shrapnel for a thousand pounds. I'm wearing your tie--it's the
envy of the battery. All the officers wanted me to give them the name of
my girl. It never occurs to men that mothers will do things like that.
Thank the powers it has stopped raining and we'll be able to get dry. I
came in plastered from head to foot with lying in the rain on my tummy
and peering over the top of a trench. Isn't it a funny change from
comfortable breakfasts, press notices and a blazing fire?
Do you want any German souvenirs? Just at present I can get plenty. I
have a splendid bayonet and a belt with Kaiser Bill's arms on it--but
you can't forward these things from France. The Germans swear that
they're not using bayonets with saw-edges, but you can buy them for five
francs from the Tommies--ones they've taken from the prisoners or else
picked up.
You needn't be nervous about me. I'm a great little dodger of
whizz-bangs. Besides I have a superstition that there's something in
the power of M.'s cross to bless. It came with the mittens, and is at
present round my neck.
You know what it sounds like when they're shooting coals down an iron
run-way into a cellar-well, imagine a thousand of them. That's what I'm
hearing while I write.
God bless you; I'm very happy.
Yours ever,
Con.