Joe - Tuesday 29th February 1916

Dear Sarah,

I was pleased to receive your letter. I had a parcel from Janey so you can thank her for it as I wrote to her last week. 

I think we will be leaving here shortly as everything points to a move.  We are having fairly decent weather now, all the snow is clearing away and the weather is much warmer. 

You can draw some of my money from the bank and get Jess a decent present from me, just get what you think best.  I would like some good toffee andsome more chutney please.  I had a parcel from the Mayoress; it contained socks, muffler, mitts and helmet.  I have a lot of this sort of stuff now.  I suppose I can thank Miss Mulcaster for these.  You can tell Janey the parcel was a very nice one, all the cakes were lovely, quite a few remarked how nice the mince pies were, you can send me some often. 

I haven't had a letter from Billie for sometime, but I may get one soon.  I heard there were about 9 divisions came out this last few days and there are 25,000 men in a division, so you can see there are a good number of troops out, so Billie shouldn't be long in being relived now.  I hope you had a nice time at Letchworth; it would be a nice outing. 

Well I have no more news at present so must close.  Hope this finds all well at home. 

With love to all Joe

Billie - Sunday 27th February 1916

Dear Janey,

Just a line to let you know I am all right.  Very many thanks for the lovely home parcel which I received last night.  It was quite a treat and I quite enjoyed it especially the meat and brown loaf.  The milk tablets are also great; you might send me some more of those as they are good to have on sentry at nights. 

We go in the line for our last night this spell tomorrow, and we will not half be pleased when we get this little spell over.  We have had the worst time this spell we have ever had.  It has snowed practically the whole of the seven days we have been in and it has been so cold that half our rifles would not fire, so we would have been in a nice state if the Germans had only come.  It is a downright shame that half of the rifles in our Battalion have been condemned long ago and yet they will not issue us new ones.  I have got a fine rifle.  I got it when I was in dry dock, and I mean to take care of it. 

We have just had a draft up and they a lot and no mistake.  We all think it is not right to send chaps who have just been in the army three months and had such little training.  They have only been up a few days and they have wounded three of our Battalion already so you can guess we do not place much confidence in them.  On sentry one night I don't think there was one who could get his rifle to fire, and the rifles they have were obsolete in the army for the last six years, and yet when Kitchener's men came out they all had brand new rifles and bayonets.  It is quite time this matter was seen into.  We either must be short of trained men and decent rifles or else the heads are not playing fair.  The rations also have been awful lately, and yet they tell us we are playing a winning game.  Well I suppose these things will be seen into when we do waken up. 

Well I must close as they are calling for letters, hoping all are well as it leaves me in the pink. 

Cheer oh.  Billie. 

All leaves are stopped. 

Joe - Friday 25th February 1916

Dear Janey,

I received your letter and the parcel from home and I think it is your turn for a letter. 

We are still back resting, but I heard today that all leaves have been stopped.  This will likely be on account of the German threat to sink all ships on 1st March; the channel will likely be cleared.  We are having very cold weather, hard frost and snow, but a chap who just came off leave last night said it was colder in England.  I would say we had 12 or 13o of frost the other night. 

I am expecting a letter from Billie anytime now.  You can please send me some more chutney and rum butter.  I have plenty of tobacco but you might send me some good cigarettes.  John will likely be having a good time at Barrow although I think it will be a very bleak place, but still he can stick the cold.  I had a letter from Miss Muncaster and she mentioned the socks.  I was talking with Miller Irven and he told me he didn't get over to see Mother, but was talking with you.  I was also talking with L. Hodgson; it was the first time I have met him since we came out. 

Well I have no more news at present.  Hope all at home are well. 

With love to all, Joe

Billie - Wednesday 23rd February 1916

Dear Jess,

Just a line to let you know I am all right. 

We are back in the trenches again and up to the present we are having a rotten time.  We have moved about 100 yards to the left where some of Kitchener's men have been, and if that is a sample of the new army's work I am sorry for the army.  It seems as though they have let everything go to wreck and ruin and, instead of keeping the dug outs in repair, they have let them all fall in and have put a piece of corrugated iron across the trench and we have to sit on the firing platform with this for cover.  We had the first dose of this last night and I think it is the worst we have ever had.  Of course we cannot do all the 8 days in but do 1 day in support when we spend the whole night doing sentries, and when resting under the glorious new army style of dugouts.  Then the next day we are in the front line and spend all day and night in these and after that we move into the village and have one night's sleep perhaps.  So you will see we are always on the move. 

Last night it was hard frost, and then turned to snow, and it has snowed the whole day, so you may bet we were very pleased when we moved into the village tonight.  However we have done it once so can do it again.  In spite of the rotten time we are having I am in the pink, and I am only looking forward now to my leave which will be in about 6 week's time, as they have cut the leaves to 4 a week.  Well I think this is all the news for the present so must close, hoping all are well at home as it leaves me in the pink.  Tell the boys I will write to them as soon as I get time. 

Your loving brother Billie. 

Billie - Sunday 20th February 1916

Dear Sarah,

Just a line to let you know I am going on all right and having a fairly decent time of it this time out.  We have been working nearly every day, but they have built a concert room here now and we have had a troop of entertainers from the RAMC and pictures every night, and I can tell you we all fairly enjoyed it and no mistake.  It was quite like old times. 

We were in the pictures last night and we were just interested in a picture when we were all ordered to stand to.  When we got outside there was a terrific bombardment going on, and we had to pack our kit up, roll our blankets in bundles and don fighting order.  We stood to for about an hour when we were ordered to stand down but no man had to leave his billet, but nothing came of it.  The line has been fairly active around here just at present, and I can tell you it has been fairly warm, however I think that before long we will be relived, and after we have had our rest the winter will be over.  We go in the trenches again tomorrow and we only hope the weather will keep up the same as it is today.  The whole time we have been out of the trenches it has poured, until today and it is just like Spring. 

We had a Zeppelin and some aeroplanes over here last night dropping bombs but they did not do much damage.  I was pleased to hear all are well at home.  Thank Jennie for her papers.  Well I think this is all the news at present. 

With love to you all. 

Your affectionate brother Billie. 

Joe - Friday 18th February 1916

Dear Mother,

I received the parcel all right and thanks for same.  Thank Aunt Eliza for the cake.  I will write to her sometime soon. 

Well, we are still back at the rest camp and having a fairly decent time of it.  I had a field card from Billie; he has got my letter and is writing soon.  John seems to be still having a good time.  I hear a few of our chaps have got commissions; Tom Ramsey has put in for one. 

Father will still be as busy as ever; I will write to him soon. I haven't much to write about, I hardly know what to put down.  I have plenty of money and socks &c.  Well I must close.  Hope all at home are well. 

With love to all Joe

Billie - Monday 14th February 1916

Dear Janey,

Very many thanks for home parcel which I received last night.  I was pleased to hear all fare well.

You will no doubt be pleased to know we are out of the trenches again and back in the village for 8 days.  I do not think it will be very long before we have our relief here, as all along the line they seem to be relieving troops who have been in the line any time.  Just on our left some of Kitchener's were relieved and they have not been in the trenches as long as we have.  However I do not think it will be long until we get a rest. 

I was quite surprised to hear Joe was so far back resting.  I hope they are being moved to Africa as the fighting there will not be anything like what it will be out here in the Spring.  I was surprised to hear Miller had been at home.  It does not half seem rotten that chaps who have only been out three months should have their leave before chaps who have been out twelve.  However as long as I have not had it I have it to look forward to. 

I had a letter from John and he seems to be having a nice time.  Mr Hoskens often asks after John and says John owes him a letter so tell him when you write.  The enemy opposite us have been relived and they are a spiteful lot of bounders we have got against us now.  The weather is jolly rotten still, we have had snow and frost, and now it is blowing a gale and pouring with rain.  However we have one consolation, we are not in the trenches. 

I had a large parcel again last night from the Director containing a large cake, cocoa du lait, soap, chocolate sweets and a lot of other little things, it is jolly decent of him.  I suppose Thompson is as busy as ever.  Fancy our John being made a Mason. 

Well I think I've no more news so must close.  Hoping all at home are well as it leaves me in the pink.  Love to all. 

Your affectionate brother Billie.