Joe - Sunday 31st October 1915

"PALS" Plougsteert

Dear Mother,

I received the parcel; everything went down grand and arrived in splendid condition.  I got it today (Sunday).  I think I have received all my parcels as I have had one every week.  The pipe is a very nice one, just the sort I wanted. 

We are just sitting about the room as it is raining hard outside.  I was on Church parade this morning.  I think it is generally held outside, but it came on to rain so hard we had it in A company's quarters in a barn.  The minister had a barrel to stand on and I just thought what a peculiar service it was.  Our batteries were shelling the German positions and we could hear the shells whizzing over, and we were inside a farmyard, so it was a bit mixed up, although we had a decent service.  Communion is held in a soldier's club.  I have been there twice. 

I had a letter from John, and I will be writing to Billie and him.  I would like to see them out here, though there is not much chance of seeing Billie.  There will be some surprises with Lord Derby's letters - if that doesn't get men I don't know what will.  This Balkan business is a bit of a set back but that will soon be well in hand.

The last day in the trenches we had four wounded out of D Coy and one S. Wales Borderer killed by one shell.  It landed right on the cookhouse, so that was rather rotten luck.  We are all in the pink, and not taking any harm; only it's rotten when it's wet.  But I always think we should not complain, when we think of what our troops went through last winter; some of their hardships will never be known. 

I was surprised to hear of the 9th Borders leaving France, no doubt a good number of troops will have to go to Serbia.  I can't understand why they are so short of men on Billie's part of the line and they have to do double duties.  Why, we have thousands of men who have never seen the trenches yet.  I think we have plenty of single chaps to finish this war, but if it comes to the push everybody will have to go. 

Well I think I have given you all the news so must close.  Hoping all are well at home. 

Your loving son Joe

John - Sunday 31st October 1915

Kemmel, NW of Messines.

Dear Janey,

I hope you are all well and that Aunt Joan is improving.  I am writing this in a farm kitchen where it is nice and warm.  I sat up in the loft until I was nearly frozen.  So I am staying here as long as I can. 

Our officer, Lieut. Hoskins, is going up the line early this week.  He is in our Company so we shall lose a good friend, whilst those up the line will gain a friend.  He has been jolly good to us while we were with him, and I should like to go up the line with him. 

It is very cold here, heaps colder than in the wood.  It is warmer sleeping in the barn though, but every day it has done nothing but rain since we came here, and it soak- through your boots no matter how good they are.  I have plenty of warm clothes so you need not worry; only the damp makes its way through everything. 

I must close now as it is dinnertime.  Hoping all at home are well. 

Love to all John. 

Billie - Friday 29th October 1915

Dear Janey,

Very many thanks for papers and letters received during the last few days.

We are still out of the front line and up to the present we are having plenty of digging &c.  The weather is bad, nothing but rain, and it has been so cold and wild too. 

I hope Aunt Joan is much better.  Thompson seems to be having a very busy time of it.  I am pleased to hear all are well and that Joe is better again. 

We go in the trenches again on Monday, so you guess we are all hoping the weather takes up before then.  We have just got a jolly coke fire burning in our dug out and we are all round it trying to get warm. 

Enclosed you will find a PC which I hope will arrive all serene.  I have ordered some more views, which I will send soon.  Father is still kept busy.  Well I think I've given you all the news. 

Hoping all are well as I am in the pink. 

Your loving brother Billie. 

Joe - Friday 29th October 1915

"Pals"

Dear Father,

I thought I would write you a few lines.  I would have written to you before but I knew you always get all the news at the weekend.  You will likely be working as hard as ever, and I hope you are none the worse for all the hard work you have done. 

I heard from home about you hearing that a number of our Regiment had been wiped out.  Well don't believe the least thing you hear because it is a hundred to one it's only a rumour.  We have been having showery weather and the trenches are a bit sloppy, but still we are comfortable.  I heard it was rumoured there was going to be a Zepp raid on Barrow and some of the men did not turn out; well I think the men would be just as safe in the shipyard as anywhere because all the bombs do not hit the object aimed at - very few do. 

A good number of our Battalion have got the sheepskin coats, ours are in the store.  I think it is rather early to start wearing them, better to wait until the weather is colder and we will feel the benefit of them. 

How is Mrs Mayne keeping?  Remember me to her.  The garden will be looking a bit desolate now, and I think you won't be getting so many eggs from our little stock.  I am writing this in the firing line and sometimes all is so quiet you can hardly realise there is a war on and then you hear someone firing, but it is hard to believe that anything serious is taking place. 

Billie seems to be having it rough, although he is in good health and that is the main thing.  The King was very near our part of the line yesterday; we sent him a guard of honour from the trenches.  I think this winter will test the Germans, they seem pretty well fed up; all their troops will have had their fill of the trenches.  Well we go out of the trenches today, so we have four days in billets. 

Well I must close, hoping this finds you and all at home in the best of health. 

Your loving son Joe

"A Plea from the trenches"

This is the text of the poem included with Joe's letter: 

Having read an English paper the writer was prompted to write the following lines and has called it

"A Plea from the trenches"

Away out in Flanders,
By compass norlwest
There's Tommies aye thousands
who're doing their best. 

There's thousands more wanted
Now where's all the boys
Who profess to be British
And the Hun do despise. 

If you'd only seen
The damage they'd done,
You'd surely be vexed. 

The more men we get
And the shorter the war,
Surely that's satisfaction
That's worth fighting for. 

For the homes of old England
come Harry and Jack,
Get the little job over
And the pack on Your back. 

We've tried to persuade you
To do your own share,
And pull at the wheel
With the boys who are there. 

Compulsion is imminent
With us you'll agree,
If you don't do a bit
For the land of the free. 

There's plenty of men there
Who've left comfort and home,
It's just as much your job
And still you lie prone. 

If the Huns come to England
And blow up our towns
Would you still shirk your duty
And stand there like clowns ?

We ask you this question
The answer is plain,
Now don't let us have to
Implore you again. 

You may play at your football
And many such games,
Still a thought about duty
Never enters your brain. 

There's nothing to fear,
Every Christian knows,
We can't escape death
When our time comes I s'pose. 

You sing Rule Britannia
And God Save the King,
Britannia won't rule
If you stop there and sing. 

Just singing the song
Won't break down the Hun,
Now take up the rifle
And join in the fun. 

Don't delay till tomorrow
It may be too late,
Come join us today,
And decide Fritz's fate. 

To be called a shirker
Is indeed a disgrace,
Come join the new army,
Have not that in your face. 

I'll detain you no longer
With this little plea,
But roll up in thousands
And do your duty. 

Joe - Thursday 28th October 1915

Ploegsteert. 

Dear Thompson,

I think it is your turn.  Perhaps you will be away when this reaches you, you put some late hours in now. 

We are in the trenches again but I think we go into billets tomorrow.  We have an extra dry place to sleep in when we go into billets.  A great many of the dug outs of course are not very dry when we have rain, but we dropped on one of the driest and we were jolly comfortable, because every night we could keep a fire burning.  We cook our own grub, rations are dished out every day, so we can cook grub to our own taste. 

John and Billie seem to be going on all right.  I think this winter will test the Germans all right, they seem pretty well fed up.  We have plenty of artillery out here now and plenty of men.  We just do four days in the trenches and four out.  I think this is for the winter.  You should see a lot of our Battn with their fir coats on, they look like a lot of Teddy Bears, but they are grand coats. 

Tell Janey yes I do like Horlicks Malted Milk tablets so they can send me some.  I am writing to Father today too; it is time I wrote to him for he never forgets any of us.  I have piles of letters to write but we don't get much time for letter writing.  I am enclosing a piece of poetry a Sergeant over our section made up, while we were in the trenches.  I think it is jolly good; he may send it to some of the papers. 

I was the first to be wounded in the Battn but I wasn't long in getting right again.  I hope your people are all well.  Captn Blair has made a good name for himself, it was hard luck on Clem Mossop who went out with him; he was soon killed after distinguishing himself. 

I have just had dinner, we fried some beef, and it was champion.  Of course there is nobody here to ask us how we like our eggs boiled.  Well I must close hoping all are well at home. 

Your affectionate brother Joe

John - Thursday 28th October 1915

Kemmel near Messines

Dear Jess,

I received the parcel safely last night with one from Billie so we are well off now.  We enjoyed the apple cake very much last night after dinner.  Billie will give you all particulars with regard to our move.  We are in a nice warm barn; it was lovely last night - we all slept like tops.  Things were very quiet; the only thing that disturbed our sleep was the rats squeaking. 

I was awfully sorry to hear that Aunt Joan was so ill and hope she will soon be better.  I shall write to her as soon as I get an opportunity.  I am feeling rather cold so I shall finish this later . 

I have just had dinner and I feel rather warmer than before.  It is a rotten day, quite the worst for the last few weeks.  We miss our little stove now.  It rained nearly all the way here yesterday but I did not get very wet, my cape kept it off my beautifully.  Well I must close now, hoping all are well and that Aunt Joan is well on the way to recovery. 

Love to all John.