I am beginning letter No. 2, so that, although you will not get it for
a few days, I may add to it occasionally and despatch it to you when
it reaches a decent length, and before it reaches the colossal and
iniquitous verbosity of my former screed--a monologue on the Great
European War.
I finished letter 35 last night. To-day we again spent in improving
our billets. The sailor is always known as the handy man, but I doubt
if he would have a look in even with amateur Tommies like ourselves.
We made scrapers for each barn door out of nothing, mats to scrape our
boots on out of straw, roadways over muddy places out of brushwood and
tins, &c., and incinerators out of mud. We could easily make bricks
without straw.
The G.O.C. inspected our billets this morning and complimented our
arrangements, and seemed highly pleased with them. The men are
extremely smart at present; the easy time and change of circumstances
seems to have returned to them all the original keenness we had rather
lost during our rather boring time during the last few months.
We had our first shot fired in anger yesterday. A Taube flew over a
mile or two up and a long distance away, and a sentry, to show his
appreciation of its attentions, loosed off his rifle, much to his own
surprise and his neighbours.
To-night I invented a new dish--an omelette made of scrambled eggs and
minced bully beef. It was very good. To-day we route marched, and
inspected gas helmets and ammunition this afternoon. To-night we are
making a savoury--it is still in the making. Its ingredients
are:--Cheese, butter, eggs, mustard, pepper, and a little brandy to
act as vinegar. It is a recipe of our own and I hope it turns out
well.
To-night is a time of great excitement. A post has arrived--a letter
from you written last Thursday to Sutton Veney and from Father and one
from Win. Your parcel has not arrived yet. I did not get a tin box, as
we are not in Egypt. I have no new uniform.
I am keeping the knife, fork and spoon. I am enclosing a 10s. note to
pay for it and the knife (slight pause). The savoury was good.
(P.S.--Later, note not enclosed.) Please tell Father he is very
generous, but I have plenty money, as Miss Jennie would say. I think I
must be awfully extravagant. I spend a lot of money, but I always seem
to have plenty. I generally buy good things and few.
Can you send me a pound tin of solidified methylated spirits for
"Tommy's Cooker." (No substitutes.) Cost 1s. Yesterday I took a
fatigue party of 30 men over to a large town near here--(I wish I
could give you its name)--to unload stores for the division. We
marched there, and the men loaded and unloaded, while their officer
betook himself up to the town and purchased tinned fruit, potted meat,
&c., and executed all sorts of odd commissions for various people.
I went and lunched at a French Cafe. I got a great shock, when I
entered, the outside, as it seemed a common eating house, but then I
went through the kitchen into another room, where there were two large
tables round which were seated English and French officers mixed, and
they brought us our food without one having to commit oneself too much
in French. We did not know what we were eating, but it was very good.
I had a Trinity Hall man on my right and a Caius man on my left, both
of whom knew several friends of mine. One of them was a captain, and
in his battalion was Kenneth Rudd, a great friend of mine at Jesus.
We returned in waggons, big motor transport waggons. We finished
loading, and then I asked the A.S.C. officer which waggons to put my
men on, and he told us the empty ones in front. There were about seven
of them; they all go in a long train following each other, a few yards
between each one and the next. However, when we were nearly settled
the train moved off and left us behind, and I was then told that the
empty waggons were going in quite another direction. According I got
only one waggon and pushed the thirty men into it and rode in front
myself. We got stuck once or twice, and all had to help to pull it
out, and also had to help another waggon which was stuck; the road was
so narrow and muddy that we could not get it out, and so had to leave
it for the breakdown gang.
At night we had a practice alarm and got all the men out with all
their kit packed, and the officers with their valises packed up, all
in 20 minutes. At 11-0 at night the men were all asleep, and it took
them completely by surprise, but I am afraid some of the officers
cheated and had most of their things ready beforehand. My platoon was
the quickest in the battalion--14 minutes, though they were rather
hastily dressed and sleepy. To-day we route marched, and are now
awaiting a battalion alarm, time unknown, where I know of at least one
officer who has cheated again.
A new major, a regular, has just come to us--he is to command our
company. Any food would always be acceptable, especially good solid
cakes.
I am afraid this letter is almost as long and almost as boring as the
last. I will close it to-morrow. Tell me if they are too long, and
please tell everyone that the post is the real excitement of the day.
Good-night, little Mother, sleep tight and go to bed early and don't
get a headache. God bless you.
The new major is to be second in command of the Battalion, and Major
Morton is coming back to us.
To-day being Sunday we had very little work to do, only inspection of
men to see if they were clean and shaved, of rifles, ammunition, gas
helmets, emergency rations, &c.
I must close now, as I must go to bed. I will try and write
continuously, and send each letter off when it begins to get too
bulky.
Good-night, Mother, and love to all.
From your loving Son,
ALEC.
11TH SUFFOLKS,
B.E.F., Monday, January 17th, 1916.