John - Friday 14th May 1915

Dear Mother,

Thank you very much for your letter.  I am pleased to hear you are keeping somewhat better.  We had a parcel from Sarah and it started off with eggs in it.  When we opened it we had to guess what was in it, but we managed to rescue three from the wreck so that was not so bad. 

We are back in the trenches again and we are not by any means sorry.  It is a treat to get a decent sleep at nights.  All the time we were having a rest we spent every night digging and, when we finished that, we had to lie out in a field in reserve in case the Germans attacked.  We made a sham attack last Sunday just to take their attention off another part of the line, and we hear it has been very successful.  You see how hard we are now, none of us caught cold in the least.  We had an issue of rum one or two mornings and it was most acceptable.  It has rained all the time we have been in here, but we make the best of a bad job.  I have just cooked dinner for two of us, and just to show you how we fare now, this is what it consisted of:- boiled potatoes, beef steak, bacon & eggs, after which we had tea, bread, butter and honey.  All with the exception of the eggs are army rations so we do not fare badly now. 

There is no need to send any more cigarettes or tobacco for some time.  I have enough tobacco to last me two months and we have plenty of cigarettes.  I had some cigarettes from Mr Cooper (Birmingham) and a nice parcel from Mrs Hewitt (Birmingham).  I have nearly a pound of different kinds of tobacco so I shall let you know when I need some more.  Billie also has plenty of cigarettes. 
The S. Pictorial and Birmingham Post arrived safely last night.  Billie is just having a look at them now.  What an awful affair that is about the "Lusitania" I think it will make America buck up. 
You need not worry about the Germans using those gasses; we are all well prepared for them if they start that game here.  We have respirators ready for immediate use and goggles to protect our eyes from injury.  Has anything been heard from Jack Huggins lately?  He soon got in amongst it.  I expect they are not very far from us but there are so many troops here that we don't stand much chance of meeting him.  I have a pal in the Gloucesters and they are only about a mile from here and I've never seen him yet. 

We are expecting a decent rest some time soon, we shall go back to our base when that time comes, perhaps it will be early June but we do not know.  If you could only see us now you would not think we were the "spick and span" Battallion that left England; our buttons are black and our clothes match them.  We are having new togs soon and we shall soon need them very much.  We never have our boots repaired, as soon as the sole is worn out we have a new pair, so you see they look after us very well.  We have a pair of India rubber "Jack" boots for very wet weather. 

I am enclosing a note from school which is very interesting.  I want you to forward the enclosed letter with a 5/- P.O. for the College B&O fund.  I had an appeal made to me the other day.  I usually give it and they stand in need of it this year. 

Well I must close as it is nearly post time.  I expect Jess will be looking forward to her Whit holiday - lucky beggar.  I hope you are all A1.  Thank Aunt Sallie for the bread.  I've had a letter from Joe. 

Love to all. 

Your affectionate son, John. 

Billie - Thursday 13th May 1915

Dear Jess,

Just a line to let you know we are both going along all right.  We are in the trenches again for 6 days I think this time, but don't know for sure as yet.  The weather is very changeable, scorching hot some days and raining and cold others.  It has poured with rain since about 4 this morning and is still at it.  However I suppose it will freshen things up again so we must not grumble. 

Things have been fairly quiet so far, but of course we only came in last night so there is plenty of time yet.  Sorry to hear Mother has been ill and hope by this reaches you she is feeling much better about herself.  Also hope father's cold is better, but he does not get much chance of getting better when he is still on night work.  I bet the garden is looking all right now, and I would give anything to have a look at it.  Tell Sarah her box of eggs came to grief on the road and arrived all smashed but nevertheless we sorted them out and had a fry.  We were pleased to hear Joe has had his teeth attended to, he will feel the benefit. 

One of our aeroplanes blew one of theirs to pieces the other day and brought it down just between the lines. 

I have just written to thank our director for his nice parcel.  How is Thompson getting along with his motorbike?  It will be all right in the fine weather.  Kindly remember me to Marian and all at school. 
Must close now hoping all are well.  It is jolly good of the aunts sending us papers.  Fergie and Jack will be getting a couple of nuts and we won't know them when we get back. 

Well I must close hoping all are quite well as it leaves us in the pink.  Your loving brother

Billie. 

We usually get your parcels on a Saturday.  Don't send any more Oxo cubes as they supply them now.  Also don't send us any more tobacco or cigarettes until we let you know.  Fancy Jack Wightman not being out yet, I should have thought he would have been out before us. 

Billie - Monday 10th May 1915

Dear Sarah,

Just a line to let you know we are both going on all right.  We had a fairly decent time in the trenches only for the awful shelling they gave us.  We go in again on Wednesday for 6 days in and 6 out now and to tell you the truth we will all be pleased to get back in the trenches again, as when we are out resting we have to work like pack horses carrying ammunition &c up to the firing line and then when it gets light we occupy the reserve trenches in case anything happens, and I can tell you it is a rotten job lying out in the field and waiting for the order to move off.  Then we retire to a wood, just over the slope when it is too light, and wait for orders for going back to our billets.  It is usually about 8 when we get back and we are up again about 1, so you see it is not much of a rest, and you run just as much risk when you make these journeys back and forwards to the firing line.  However I suppose we cannot help these things. 

You will no doubt be pleased to hear one of our aviators blew one of their aviators and machine to pieces.  We are just preparing for going out again tonight, don't know whether it is digging or carrying goods to the trenches.  You will be pleased to hear I had a fine parcel from our director yesterday.  It came as a surprise to me and it contained 100 fags, 1 box of good toilet soap, 12 dozen candles, a tin of chocolate and a tin of toffee &c.  So you see it was jolly good of him, don't you think? 

Well I think I've given you all the news up to the present so must close, hoping all are well at home, also yourself. 

Your loving brother Billie. 

Kindly remember me to May and Teddy, also to the girls.  Please excuse the short letter as we have little or no time to ourselves now.  Has May heard from Jack yet?  I hope so, but tell her not to worry as I suppose he is in the same boat as us and has no time for letter writing. 

Friday 7th May 1915 - Lusitania Sunk

At 14:10, the RMS Lusitania was sunk by German submarine U-20, with the loss 1191 lives, including 128 Americans. 

Billie - Wednesday 5th May 1915

Dear Jess,

Many thanks for the lovely parcel.  We got it just in time to take into the trenches.  We fairly have lived this time.  We are pleased to hear that father's cold is better and that all at home are well.  John and I are both in the pink.  We have had rotten weather this time in the trenches, rained every night so far and is starting again now so I will adjourn to my dug-out. 

I had a letter from the young married chap I used to work with at Launders and he has joined the ranks so that is two from our branch, but of course he is not out here yet.  I had a letter from F. Gibson last night and a box of 100 fags; I reckon it was jolly good of him.  We have not seen anything of J. Huggins as yet, but of course we may drop on him later on.  Things are going on as usual in the trenches again - shells every day.  We are going out tomorrow night all being well so we will let you know when we get out. 

We were pleased to get Gus's little letter, he is getting a nut.  You might send me some more paper - another writing tablet as this is just about finished.  You might also send in the next parel something to make a drink of as the heat is terrible. 

Well I think I've told you all the news so must close hoping all are well at home.

Your loving brother Billie

Tell Janey I will write when we get out of the trenches.  I suppose Jackie will be getting worse than ever.  Remember me to all at Liverpool. 

Billie - Sunday 2nd May 1915

Dear Sarah,

Many thanks to both Jess and yourself for the lovely parcel which we received yesterday.  The tinned goods are quite a surprise and I will bet you they are a treat.  We are saving them for the trenches as they are easy to carry.  John is going to write to you tomorrow. 

We had a lovely rest this time and only went digging one night and we have rested the other time.  The weather has been a treat - scorching hot - and we are all sun burnt.  We have a bathe every day in a pool not far from our huts.  We are billeted in huts not far behind the firing line and there is a village on our left which the enemy shell every day and they set the church on fire yesterday.  We go in the trenches again tonight for four days again so will write from there.  Our 5th Battalion caught a sniper behind our lines in the trunk of a tree, he had any amount of ammunition and a couple of rifles.  He was not many yards from our ration farm and had been popping our ration farms off every night so it is a good job they got him.  He was dressed as a peasant so that will give you some idea as to whether the people around here are in league with them or not. 

We were very pleased to get the aunts' parcels and we appreciate their kindness.  They will no doubt have received our letters.  Some of my letters must have gone astray as I have written you quite a number of letters in the last few weeks. 

Well I think I've given you all the news, hoping all are well, not forgetting yourself. 

Just been to church service in the field Love to all

Billie. 

Remember me to the girls. 

John - Sunday 2nd May 1915

Dear Mother,

We received our parcels from Sarah and Jess quite safely yesterday and the contents will come in a treat for the trenches. 

We go in again tonight and we don't mind it in the least now.  We have got quite used to it now and we would as soon be in the trenches as out.  Last time we were in we had a very quiet time.  The weather was just lovely and we all enjoyed it very much.  We saw one of the finest feats of pluck that has been done in this war.  One of our aviators dropped a bomb on a railway junction and got hit in doing so.  He came just over the German trenches and right over our heads.  He was severely wounded and we all thought he was going to drop.  However he stuck it until he got back to his headquarters, he handed in his report and then he died.  We all feel very sorry that we have lost such a brave man. 

We had our letters from Janey and Gus.  I am writing to Greenwell House today.  Billie and I are both A1; we have had a lovely time out here for our rest.  We found a nice deep pool and had a swim once or twice.  On Friday we had to march about 10 miles for a hot bath.  It was very decent when we got there and we all had a clean change of underclothes.  It was very decent stuff too.  You can send me a new pair of socks in the next parcel.  By the way we can't send parcels free of charge and we have great difficulty in sending any.  I will write to Sarah from the trenches. 

I must close now as I have to go on "Church" parade shortly.  Hoping all are keeping well.  Love to all

John.