Very many thanks for your letter received two days ago, also for the parcel which I received from Mother.
We are in the trenches again but thank God we have only two more days of this before we go out 8 days in the village. The enemy is very active here as you will no doubt have seen by the papers, about the heavy bombardments round (censored). They have brought an awful lot of new guns up big and little, also a patent bomb thrower which is very effective, and they fairly do give us something to go on with. However we have the satisfaction of seeing our artillery pumping it into them also. The enemy's air service is also very active here both aeroplanes and captive balloons. Just in front of our lines the enemy has (censored) of these balloons watching our lines and roads.
Tell John, old Chick Cooper got a nasty wound in the thick part of the leg last night by one of the German bombs. I did hear it had chipped a bit off the bone, so he will get to England. We keep getting drafts up, but we are still very short of men and have to do a lot of extra work with practically no sleep since we came, so you will see we do not get much time for letter writing.
I was pleased to get a letter from Joe two days ago, and to know he is out of the trenches resting. They are very lucky to get a rest so soon. We are all beginning to wonder if we are ever going to get a rest at all. There are still no signs of a rest here. and I might add if they do not hurry up and relieve us, there will be none of the old Battalion left. There is one thing and that is the nights have started to shorten a bit. I think we must be very hard up for trained troops r we would have been relieved sooner as the army authorities like to give about three months in the trenches and then a rest. This is the only solution we can come to, unless like everything else connected with the army, they are in such a muddle that they think we have been relived. However when we do get a rest it will take all the chaps some time before they are fit for fighting again, and after we do get it, winter should be practically over.
I was pleased to hear you liked your new house. By the description it must be jolly fine, and I hope it will not be long before I have the pleasure of seeing it for myself. I was pleased to hear all are well at home also at Greenwell House George St. and Catherine St. I intended writing to each of them in turn so you can tell them how it is I've not written just lately. I will also write to John K. while out of the trenches, as I really have had no spare time. Oh I remembered his address the other morning so I put it down in my diary. Let me have our John's full address as soon as you can and I will put it down. It is surprising out here you have no memory for anything.
Well I think this is all the news up to the present, hoping all at home are well also Janey and Thompson, as it leaves me in the pink only very tired, but tell them not to worry about me.
Your loving brother Billie.
I suppose Pater is as busy as ever. I will write to him also to Janey and Sarah or they will be thinking I've forgotten them. Remember me to Mr Ray. You might send me some Horlicks Malted Mild tablets and some more Boots vermin powder. We have a huge success every morning on our hunting expeditions. Kindly remember me to all at Ghyll Bank and at the school. It snowed and hailed all night last night and it was not half cold on sentry. I find I've written this on the wrong side of the paper; this is the fault of the small piece of candle.
Well. Cheer oh. Billie.
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