Very many thanks for letters &c. I am still all right and out of the trenches again. We are just in cellars in the village for this 8 days and up to the present we are having a fairly easy time. We are really in reserve here. The weather is very changeable, one minute snowing and hard frost, and the next pouring with rain. When we turned in last night it was freezing hard and looked like a snowstorm, but this morning when we turned out it was raining hard, and the roads were in a terrible state, all covered with ice, but the rain soon washed that away. Tonight it is pouring with rain, and so dark that you cannot see where you are going. I am sorry for the chaps who are in the trenches, as they must be in an awful state. I suppose we will be out tomorrow pumping water out.
The Manchester City Battalion are in with us next time for instruction. They are up in the village now and seem to be pretty well fed up with things in general and you cannot wonder at it, seeing we have had nothing but rain since they came up yesterday. There is no sign of us being relieved yet, so I suppose we will spend Christmas in the trenches.
I've just had a letter from Joe. He seems to be in good spirits and hopes to be going back for a rest soon. Fancy the 8th Borders have been in the trenches we once occupied; I wonder if he will see any of our signs we put up. My dug out was called "Sunny Hill" and lots of the chaps left traces of the Warwicks about.
The line here is very active at present, and the artillery are having plenty of work to do for a change. We have had another draft up from the Base. We are fairly comfortable here, with wire netting beds to sleep on and a decent fire going. The only fault is we have to scour round for fuel, as we very seldom have any issued. We have just had a clean new shirt issued, the first army shirt for 4 months when we left Ploegsteert. So you may guess we are not half swanking in these shirts. We have also had another blanket issued, but how we are going to carry all these things I do not know. I also have had a cavalry cape issued, so you see we are getting all the good things together.
Remember me to John and all at Liverpool. The Quaker Oats are ready for supper so I must dry up. I wrote to Janey yesterday, a long letter, and am sending it with one of our chaps who is coming home on leave so she will get it all right. Well I think I've given you all the news up to the present, so must close. Hoping all are well at home as it leaves me in the pink.
Cheer Oh. Your loving brother Billie.
Remember me to all at school.
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