Letter Home - 2 October 1915

RA Mess
Ipswich

2nd October, 1915

Dear Mother,

There is little news this week, and am afraid there will be less every week now until we move from here. We are all quite broken into the place and its ways, some of which take some understanding. This week has slipped by very quickly: I suppose it is because the routine of work is always the same and also because one does not get much time to sit down and think about anything.

I discovered the other day they are trying to teach the officers here in three months what in peace time takes three years – sort of explained a great deal to one who is in the place and trying to get hold of things.

On Friday, or Thursday rather, we went out on horses with prismatic compasses and tried to find our way by the map and to sketch the country. I'm afraid we did not know much about it, but I suppose it will come later. The best part of the whole business was that we were out for a ride, instead of being in the riding school.

We were out with our battery today, and I had to ride one of the centre horses. It was rather exciting work as we missed several posts by inches. Most of the horses were strange to the work.

Walford.