Billie - Monday 26th June 1916

Dear Jess,

Very many thanks for Sarah's parcel which I received in splendid condition a few days ago. 

You will be pleased to know we are out of the trenches and these last few days we've had a grand time and the weather has been great - scorching hot - and have practically nothing to do and no parades, we have quite enjoyed it.  We moved up here - just behind the line two days ago. 

I was very pleased to hear Mater was still down with you and having a good time of it.  Tell her to stay a week or two longer as I will not be home on leave for a week or two yet at least, but I will let you know as soon as I know for certain.  I was very pleased to hear Joe is out of the line and I bet he was pleased to get out of that little lot.  Glad to hear Janey is keeping better, also Sarah - she is not half doing some moving and by all accounts is doing jolly well.  I suppose Pater will still be working as hard as ever, and must be feeling ready for a decent holiday.  I had a letter from our John a few weeks ago, he is having to work a bit harder, but he cannot grumble as he had a good spell of nothing to do much. 

Oh the football team was invited to a dinner by the Colonel and officers of the Headquarters and we had a fine time of it.  We also had our photos taken, but we could not get our togs to be taken in them.  However we had the cup and that was the chief thing.  Oh Mr Hoskins was asking after our John, and said I had to tell him he was a long time in writing. 

Well I think this is all at present so must close hoping all are well and with kindest regards to all at Woodside &c. 

Your loving brother Billie. 

Billie - Saturday 24th June 1916

Dear Janey,

Very many thanks for letter also for parcel containing the money.  Also thank Aunt and Jennie for their share and thank Sarah for the parcel she sent from Liverpool which I received in splendid condition. 

We moved from our little town yesterday, and came nearer the line and I should think we'll be here 5 or 6 days.  The weather is dead rotten pouring with rain.  I hope it will soon take up.  You will no doubt be surprised to hear I'm in charge of a gun team now - what! what!  We were all very sorry to leave the place we were in resting, as the people were very good to us, and when we were coming away yesterday, they were all up to see us off, although we moved pretty early and nearly all were weeping as they think such a lot of us there. 

I was very pleased to hear Joe is, or was, out of the trenches again, but I suppose they are on the same game as we are.  They have sent another 2 on leave and another chap has gone sick so I'm 5th, so after this little lot I should come straight away, if they keep on with them. 

Well I think this is all the news up to the present so must close.  Cheer oh, and do not worry I will let you know how we are going on but of course there may be no post while this little lot is going on, so do not worry about me if you get no letter.  At any rate I will try and send Field cards to let you know how I'm going on.  Hoping all are well at home as this leaves me in the pink. 

Your loving brother Billie. 

Joe - Saturday 24th June 1916

Dear Janey,

I received your letter and I'm pleased to hear all are well at Home.  I got a parcel from Liverpool, Jess sent it for Sarah.  I've sent Jess a field card today telling her.  Jess sent me some tobacco, but I broke my pipe so I just smoke cigarettes now.  We have been having warmer weather lately a bit more like Summer.  I expect Thompson and you had a nice time at Eskdale, it will be all right there at this time of the year.  I expect you got my other letters.  You will see we've been kept busy.  John is having to work hard now, he will find a change.  What part of the line is Billie at?  I think you said he was back in the trenches.  John was telling me that Jack Shardlow is in hospital with enteric fever; he has been unlucky in some ways.  Sarah has had some travelling about Scotland, it will be all right in fine weather.  I've plenty of notepaper and envelopes so don't send any for a bit or it will get wasted - keeping it.  Well I have no more news at present so must close.  Hoping this finds you all well at Home. 

With love to all Joe. 

Billie - Sunday 18th June 1916

Dear Janey,

Very many thanks for the letter received a few days ago.  Pleased to say we are still out of the line and having a fairly decent time, although we are having to work jolly hard and do not get much time to ourselves.  However what little we do get we make the most of.  You would be surprised to hear our leaves were stopped on account of leaving the trenches dirty, and mind you we had working parties cleaning them the whole time we were in, and it poured with rain the whole blessed time, and then they stop your leaves, it gives you a lot of encouragement does it not?  However I suppose they will start in a few days again, at least we hope so. 

There are great preparations now for the big move and the time cannot be far distant, and I feel sure if it is at all successful it will be the beginning of the end.  The weather now is glorious again and is quite a treat.  This is a decent place - a little town and the people treat us jolly well.  The only thing is money is scarce, so please send me some more as soon as possible as we cannot draw any for a few weeks here. 

I was very pleased to hear from Sarah's letter that Joe was once more out of the line, and I only hope that he is kept out for some time.  You might kindly thank Billie for her letter and photo which we all think is a treat.  We have had two jolly fine dinners just opposite our billet - quite a treat - talk about enjoying it.  I think this is all the news, hoping all are well as this leaves me in the pink. 

Your loving brother Billie. 

Oh enclosed is a dark red rose and a pansy given me by one of the girls here.  We do get on all right here.  What! 

Joe - Sunday 18th June 1916

Dear Jess,

I received parcel and thanks for same.  The tomatoes were squashed and one or two were the week before.  I sent the card that Coopers enclosed and the same the parcel was damaged some of the envelopes were spoilt as well.  I wrote to Janey yesterday so she will be sending my letter on. 

20th June 1916

Well we are on the move again further to the south of France.  We are a good distance on the right of where Billie will be.  We have had rather warmed weather lately, but it is not like Summer.  We are in a fairly decent sized place, billeted in empty houses. 

It seems rather queer that John should be relieved by an officer of the same name, or pretty nearly the same.  I was pleased to hear Mother was still at Liverpool having a good time; the change will do her good.  I received the cards Mother sent.  Syd seems to have had a good time on leave, he would have liked to have seen you all.  John seems to be kept busy.  I heard that women were going to start working at Lowca on shells. 

It was sad about Bob Skinner and Alec Johnson.  I thought Bob would have pulled through all right although I think his wound was more serious than at first thought. 

We might not be able to get our letters away for a day or two as we are on the move.  Well I must close with love to all.  Hoping this finds you all well. 

I remain, Your loving brother Joe. 

Joe - Saturday 17th June 1916

Dear Janey,

I received your letter all right and am pleased to hear all are well.  We are on the move farther down the line.  We've had two days' marching and we aren't finished yet.  I got Sarah's parcel also the one from Liverpool but I've only had time to send a field card so far to Sarah and Jess.  Syd has landed back and seems to have had a good time.  I've broken my watch glass already.  I was pressing the cover down, it used to spring up, and I just pressed it into position and it broke the glass so if you can get the right sized glass and a new protector you might send them on, my watch is an Ingersoll Midget.  If you can't get one I'll get one out here.  Wilson Grahame wishes to be remembered to you.  I had a letter from Billie and the photo is splendid.  I can't put Billie Nixon now, so don't think it is our Billie.  You had better tell Billie to change her name. 

I was surprised to hear Ralph Turner is heading out for the front already, although troops do nt get much training now.  We are having moderate weather, too cold for June and plenty of rain and we've had extra hard training, in fact it was inhuman the way we've been dogged about all weathers; the men were absolutely walked to a standstill, even some of our officers said it was too much for the men, but some Generals have no feeling, they just think about themselves.  You talk about economy, why we have wasted pounds of corn, trampled through fields of it for miles.  English farmers would go wild if it happened on their farms.  You can't very well manoeuvre out here without going over crops, but it does seem a shame and there is often quite a lot wasted that could be prevented. 

Well I've no more news at present.  I had a letter from Sarah today.  Hoping this finds you all quite well at home. 

With love to all.  I remain your loving brother Joe. 

Billie - Thursday 15th June 1916

Dear John and Jess,

Very many thanks for lovely parcel received a few days ago.  Everything arrived in splendid condition except the tomatoes and someone had taken the trouble to stand on them so they were rather squashed, but we cannot help these things can we? 

You will no doubt know we have been in the trenches again, and a jolly rotten time we had as it poured with rain the whole time so you may guess we were in a nice state when we came out.  Well you will be pleased to know we are out now, and a few miles behind the line and up to the present we are having a decent time of it and only hope we are here sometime.  The people here are quite decent and will do almost anything for us.  I'm sitting in a house now using their ink and yesterday we had divisional colours given to us to sew on both sleeves so we got some of the girls to sew them on, and they quite enjoyed the fun of it. 

I had quite a nice parcel from Sarah yesterday containing sweets and fags and the fags were handy as we were just clean out.  I can just imagine I see John escorting Pater round St John's Market, I bet he would have a time.  You will no doubt be surprised to hear all our leaves are stopped, but think it is only on account of moving, as we have changed into another Brigade and we are now in the 11th Brigade of the 4th Division, but when writing just put 8th Warwicks B.E.F.  I will let you know if the leaves start again and when I think I'll be coming. 

Well I think this is all the news, so must close.  Hoping all are well, as it leaves me in the pink. 

Your loving brother Billie.