Transcription
8th Queens
B. E. F.
9. 5. 1916.
My dear Father,
Very many thanks for your letter & the cigars – the latter are A1 & the former delighted me, as it shows that you can now write. The envelope was a great effort, if written by your left hand, but it is so similar to your usual writing that I imagine you can now use your right hand a bit. We returned last night to find a very subdued & quiet Bosch opposite – very different from the noisy & blatant Hun, who has been there lately. He hardly fires a shot & we got practically up to our Headquarters last night without any visible signs that there is a war on. We had rain yesterday & more to-day – evidently that is what the country required as it is getting quite green again & the effects of the gas are wearing off. The strafing has done no good to our cabaret where we live, as it shed a number of tiles & now the wind makes it decidedly draughty. I went round the line this morning, very unpleasant owing to the weather which makes the walking very greasy & difficult. The C. O. returned for lunch to-day, & very disappointed that he missed the show last Sunday week. Mother says that she will no doubt hear from L. Cpl. Cheeseman of other little shows we have been in. As a matter of fact we have been in one & you have heard every word about all I’ve seen, though he will probably have a lot to say which is absolutely untrue. All these fellows lie like troopers when they get home just to increase the family’s admiration for them. I have just seen a letter from him to his Mother which is waiting here to be censored, so he evidently is not coming home. He’s a pretty fair rotter anyway.
Love to all
Jack.
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