24th June 1916
Despite rumours and fears the mail is still getting through to Arthur; conditions where they are at the moment are terrible: “…there’s a great battery just behind us here that makes an awful crash every time it fires, & it’s been firing nearly all day. The noise goes right through one’s head, & seems to split it, the whole place jumps in the shock of the discharge”; the Company is supplying another working party tonight; Arthur has managed to make contact with a padre and hopes he will return tomorrow as it is Sunday.
Arthur to Dollie
Billets, Midsummer Day, Satur 4.30pm
Your dear letter of Wednesday came this afternoon, you darling. I just live for you & your letters. If you could only see the eagerness with which I long for the mail & the joy when I find there’s a letter for me…
We’ve been doing nothing since I wrote last, dear. There’s a great battery just behind us here that makes an awful crash every time it fires, & it’s been firing nearly all day. The noise goes right through one’s head, & seems to split it, the whole place jumps in the shock of the discharge.
To-night I’m supplying a working party of an officer & 100 men. D. is taking them along. He is still here but I don’t think his nerves are up to much. The weather to-day has been rather strange, gloriously fine at intervals, but generally rather dull & occasional torrents of rain. What it is like at home, dear?
The padre came along to-day from the First Line Transport. He is going to try & get along to-morrow.
Darling of my heart, I wonder what you’re doing now – its just about a quarter past five – a Saturday afternoon in June. Two years ago no-one dreamed of war. Please God, this time next year we’ll be living our lives together, happy in each other.
Evie [Noel] has just been in – looking very fit; rather sunburnt…