28th November 1915
Arthur makes the effort to get up early for Mass but finds no one at the church; later he attends a requiem for a 13 year old girl; Arthur is now attached to the 47th Division; an inspection by the Divisional Commander – who leaves the men waiting in the bitter cold for his arrival; a divisional route march is planned for Tuesday – Friday; there is a hard frost every night but the days are fine.
Arthur to Dollie
Billets, Sunday even: 9.50pm
… I’ve been fairly busy to-day, and its very late now but I could not go to bed without thanking you for your two dear letters of Thursday & Friday. God bless you, sweet darling. I was longing to hear from you …
Yes dear, pro tem “47th Division” is right as the address – but perhaps you had better write “attached 47th Division”…
This morning I was virtuous and got up at 7 – brekker at 8, to go to church at 9. However when I got down there, there was nothing doing, so I had to come back & go again at 10.30. Sung Mass. Incidentally too a Requiem Mass for it was the burial of a girl of 13. On my way back I met Lloyd & Ochs. I went with them to draw some money both for myself & the Company.
Lunch was at 12.30. Lloyds brother, who is a gunner in the Division, came along. Quite a decent sort of chap. We paraded at 1.15 for an inspection by Major General Barter, the Divisional Commander. He didn’t turn up till 2.30. It was very cold waiting. He seems a good fellow, unlike the Brigadier – who is the reverse. The GOC spoke a few words after the inspection, welcoming us to the Division. After parade I paid out the Company.
There are a lot of company matters that have been taking up my time. I am also anxious to go through my kit – which I hope to do to-morrow! No other news, little one save that we are doing a divisional route march from Tuesday to Friday. Continuous schools of instruction in various things are going on. Wilcox, my second in command, had his name forward for promotion to Captaincy. The weather is bitterly cold & fine. It freezes hard every night…