28th May 1916
“To-day is a day of very good news. First of all I’ve had two letters from you. Then Edouard [Noel] & Wilcox have left for leave, so I shall be next! And we’ve just carried through a bold & dangerous operation very successfully & received praise from everyone from the Commander-in-Chief downwards. The job done, we shall probably go back further to rest.”
Arthur to Dollie
Billets, Sunday night 9pm
To-day is a day of very good news. First of all I’ve had two letters from you. Then Edouard [Noel] & Wilcox have left for leave, so I shall be next! And we’ve just carried through a bold & dangerous operation very successfully & received praise from everyone from the Commander-in-Chief downwards. The job done, we shall probably go back further to rest.
Let me just explain briefly, darling mine; I’ll write fuller later on. Our lines here were in places 700-800 yards away from the Boche. It was decided to make a new line about 400-450 yards out in front of our line; our brigade – the 167th – was chosen to do it. Each battalion was given a definite frontage for which it was responsible. The CO chose me to go out with the RE officer & choose the line to dig & mark it out. That, dear, is what has been keeping me so busy at nights. I’ve only had one nights sleep since we went “up” last about a fortnight ago.
Anyway, dear, after all our preparations we went out on Friday night – the whole Brigade – & dug ourselves in right out in the open. Last night we went up again & dug support lines and communication trenches. It was rather unpleasant for they turned machine guns & field guns on to us. We were awfully lucky – they had prepared for 600 casualties in the Brigade. We expected about 150 – 200 in the battalion. We actually had less than 20! Unfortunately one officer has been killed – Knight – an awfully good chap.
Anyway, little one, the job is done. It has been hanging over us for a long time. Everyone is fearfully bucked with us. Edouard is bringing you all messages for me. I’m so excited at the prospect of leave soon that I can hardly sit still, much less write…