12th August 1916
Arthur has had a busy time of it for the past two days, backwards and forwards to HQ in the scorching heat, and up day and night organising his new stretch of the Line; a welcome letter from sister Daisy and brother Dickie, currently on holiday together with the family in Painswick. Sister Connie (married to Harry King) has also been in touch: “I thought it rather a sweet letter. They are awfully happy together those two”.
Arthur to Dollie
In the Line. Satur. Aft. 3.30
I’m awfully sorry that I couldn’t get a letter off yesterday. I was very busy for in addition to all that has to be done in the line I had to go down to HQ twice to see Sammy, once in the morning and again at half-past three. I then found that the mail instead of leaving by rations i.e. between half-past 9 & half-past ten in the evening, had to be collected by half-past 4.
Your dear letter of Monday came yesterday: thanks ever so much sweetheart. I am sending them back today with Connie’s. I thought it rather a sweet letter. They are awfully happy together those two. To-day there has been no letter in the fist I love so well, but Daisy and Dick have written a joint letter from Painswick. They seem to like the place.
The weather is still scorching here. We are all working hard. I am up all night of course and most of the day. I generally try to get my sleep between 5 & 10 am – & with luck a doze for an hour in the afternoon. How I enjoy that doze… I try and put out of my head all the organising that has to be done, work and ammunition, bombs and tools, trench reports, situation reports, reports on work and casualties, intelligence reports, plans of my disposition: all the 1001 minutiae that all require constant attention. I turn to you, through God, for all help and comfort, all rest and all happiness…