Very many thanks for letter received a few days ago. You will no doubt be pleased to know we are once more out of the trenches and back behind the line again for a rest, or should I say training. You will also be surprised to hear out Battalion is no longer in the Warwicks Brigade as we have been transferred to the 11th Brigade. We were inspected by the General yesterday and he told us it was a position of honour as this Brigade is commonly known as the "Stone Wallers" and had never lost a trench, and it was this Brigade that carried out the retreat from Mons. He also told us we were given a position of honour in the great advance that will come off shortly around here and he felt sure we would uphold the Brigade that we are now in. So in future do not put any address except the 8th Warwick or else we shall not get any letter &c. Do not put any Division as we are moved from the 48th to the 4th. This is what comes of being mentioned in despatches. I thought I'd let you know all particulars but you need not tell Mater about it.
You will be sorry to hear our leaves are stopped but I think this is only while we are being changed into the new division at least I hope so, and then I shall not be long until I'm home. Kindly thank Mater for parcel received a few days ago, also thank Jess and John for their lovely parcel and Sarah for her jolly fine parcel received yesterday. The weather these last few days has been awful; talk about rain, it has been more like Winter. I was very pleased to hear Mother and Father had such a nice time in Liverpool and feel sure the change will have done Mother a lot of good. I am writing this in a French house and they are quite decent people and will do anything for us. We have been issued with blue ribbons' for our shoulders, the division colours, and we got the girls here to sew ours on for us. Oh the General told us if anyone asked us which Division we were in we had to hit ourselves on the chest and say "11th Brigade of the 4th Division". Our John knows who they are, so you will see we are Some Battalion now. I wonder what Joe will say to this! Well I've no more news hoping you are well as this leaves me in the pink.
Your loving brother Billie.
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