RA mess
Ipswich
6 November 1915
Dear Father,
Mail day seems to come around very quickly, but the ones we receive do not seem to come at all regularly. There is very little to write about this week, as nothing new in the way of work has turned up.
On Tuesday evening we went to the Ridleys for dinner. Their son Bob was at Jesus with us and coxed the Varsity crew two years. We had a very pleasant evening, and we met a staff captain there who was very interesting to talk with. We did not get home till midnight, so were not too keen on turning out in the morning.
We had a map reading exam on Friday, and I managed to pass out, but I am afraid Bee has to have another shot at it, and I would not mind having to go through it again, as I am a bit hazy about some of it. Two men went to the front this week, and four more went on a course to Lark Hill. We also have about four men waiting for marching orders. E.S. Kidd (the Captain of Varsity cricket eleven) has just come back from Lark Hill, where he did most awfully well. He has been recommended for a captaincy, and I shall be very pleased if he gets it. He is very clever and not at all uppish.
We had about eight wet days over the weekend, and one day I got a proper ducking out of the battery, my coat was useless so am getting a new one out of the people.
On Tuesday last, the 4th Battery officers paraded in the riding school, as it was raining. We did some jumping, at least I didn't, as my horse would not look at it. One man who has gone out to France took two priceless tosses. I thought the second one had laid him out. He parted with his horse at the top of the jump and did a volplane through space until he collided with Mother earth.
The instructor gave me a go over on his horse before we broke off. It was a beautiful jumper and simply flew it. I was quite surprised with myself being able to stick on without stirrups as had never tried jumping without them before.
Walford
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11th November
It was a very busy morning, rushing around after kit, which took a bit of collecting, as you are never quite certain what you want. We left much of the moving warfare touch [?]. But I packed in a bit too much, and the Colonel asked me a small problem on the No. 3 dissector [?] It was the first time I had seen one so of course I was floored pretty badly and had to admit it. The signaller's job in this affair is merely to get his communications in order at short notice. The Brigade staff have a telephone [?] cart, which carries their wires on and they have four horses and can lay their wire very quickly. Their job is to link up batteries with Brigade HQ. The Colonel did not seem to mind the running over crops or cultivation. But now there is no ground about that is not cultivated in some way or other. The morning passed off without much comment but I fancy the Colonel is a man who thinks a lot but does not say much. I went down to the Mine [?] with Hyland of the 48th and had a bath, which was very refreshing
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11th November
It was a very busy morning, rushing around after kit, which took a bit of collecting, as you are never quite certain what you want. We left much of the moving warfare touch [?]. But I packed in a bit too much, and the Colonel asked me a small problem on the No. 3 dissector [?] It was the first time I had seen one so of course I was floored pretty badly and had to admit it. The signaller's job in this affair is merely to get his communications in order at short notice. The Brigade staff have a telephone [?] cart, which carries their wires on and they have four horses and can lay their wire very quickly. Their job is to link up batteries with Brigade HQ. The Colonel did not seem to mind the running over crops or cultivation. But now there is no ground about that is not cultivated in some way or other. The morning passed off without much comment but I fancy the Colonel is a man who thinks a lot but does not say much. I went down to the Mine [?] with Hyland of the 48th and had a bath, which was very refreshing
8 wet days over the weekend ... love it.
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