6th March 1916
Dollie has written to Arthur about his recent letter being defaced by the base Censor – he is fed up that his letter has been damaged but admits the man is only doing his job, for everyone’s good; a sunny day with occasional hail, and the entire battalion have been for a route march – the ploughed fields were hard going; tonight there is to be a battalion boxing match – organised by Arthur.
Arthur to Dollie
Billets, Mon. after: 4.30pm
… Thanks awfully for your dear letters of Friday & Saturday. I was awfully bucked to get them. God bless you. I’m just about getting fed up with the Censor, dear. It’s just as much my business that no information as to our movements should leak out. Rather more so, for it concerns me very much more than it does him. However I suppose he’s paid to do his job & let us pray that he does it to the best of his lights, for the good of us all. Anyway, dear, I think it better, don’t you, that I only write on the one side of the page: so that, if anything is cut out, it won’t ruin both sides.
You’ll know, of course. By now that we are miles from V- (Verdun) hundreds of miles away. So you mustn’t worry, dear, or have any foolish ideas that we are mixed up with things over there.
To-day, dear heart, has kept pretty fine. A day of great clouds & sun with an occasional shower of hail. We went for a route march en batailon, & did some manoeuvres on the way. Rather fun, but very heavy going over the plough land.
The CO is better but not yet altogether fit: he has a touch of bronchitis. Beresford is still on the sick list, but he is practically all right again. This evening at half-past five we are having a battalion boxing competition that Thomas & I are getting up. So I’m pretty busy. This afternoon I’ve been pretty full up, dear heart, with CO’s orders & one thing or another. Lloyd rode over to F- to the new canteen & bought me some baccy.
Well, lover mine, its nearly 5 so I hope you’ll forgive just this short note. I’m keeping you dear letters to answer to-morrow!