28th December 1915
Arthur is overwhelmed by the amount of Christmas post finally catching up with him and despairs of finding the opportunity to write back; a recce of the front line trenches [the Breslau & the Goeben] that they are to move up to in a few days time; no news just yet of Arthur and his 1/3rds being re-united with the their old HQ.
Arthur to Dollie
Tues. even. 5.10pm
A big budget came in to-day. I don’t know how I shall be able to answer that all till we come out again. First of all, & prized beyond all were two dear letters of yours of the 23rd & 24th – and a postcard from the “Troc” [Trocadero Club]. God bless you, dear. Everything would be fearfully dull, if it wasn’t for your dear letters and the news they bring of you, my sweetheart. Then there were letters from Evie & Edgar, & Nannie & a Christmas card from Connie and Harry [King].
To-day has been quite fairly fine. This morning I went up to see our new bit of line that we shall be moving into in a few days time. It is part that was won in the September push & my bit embraces two old German communication trenches named after the Breslau & the Goeben! One goes up through miles of communication trenches from Vermelles. They were “pipsqueaking” a bit when I was up there but no damage done. I got back to lunch at 2. Then slept for an hour and a half.
No news yet of our rejoining our HQ but I hear things are beginning to move at home. Please God, they may move quickly. We leave here to-morrow about 4am! & move up into Vermelles.
Let me answer your dear letters. First of all, about my address. The address is the same, little one, i.e. 1 / 3rd London Regt, T.F. British Expeditionary Force (or just BEF) France. They don’t want the Division put in now. For the rest, although we are separated from HQ who are back at Vaudricourt, teaching drafts, and although we are under the CO of the 23rd for orders – we are the 3rd and it will not be long DV before we shall rejoin HQ and the Divisional Commander will get the d-g he deserves for messing us about…
I’m glad, dear, you were able to find something for your dear Mater from me. I was more than content to leave matters to your choice & feel more than satisfied as to its result! Thanks awfully! …