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Sunday 22 April 2012

Letter Home (Bertie) 22nd April 1917

15th Battery RFA

22nd April, 1917

Dear Mother and Father,

Same old story since my last letter. We have moved some distance since I last wrote and are back with our Infantry again. It has been about the most miserable weather you can imagine. Our efforts at our last place were awarded with great success. I walked with our Major over the ground we had captured the day after the show and saw with our own eyes the work our own battery had done and we were very pleased. Of course, one battery is only a pinprick in a show these days. Trones Wood last year was nothing like as much shelled as this place. It is lovely to think now that we have nearly double the artillery that the Hun has. We saw holes that you could have lowered your sunbeam into 15 feet down without touching the sides. There must be hundrds of Huns buried in their dugouts 30 feet down. But one does not feel sorry as it was at this place, Vimy, that the Hun gave us such a bad time last year. I don't know whether you remember me saying that we had been rushed up into action in the open at two hours' notice, just as we were preparing for a horse show. Old Hindenberg will never forgive his army for losing that place. Well, the night before we marched, it snowed like fun and then broke into rain. It rained solidly for four days all the time we were on the move, which was very unpleasant as had no cover at night. It was bitterly cold also and the poor horses had an awful time as the lines were in ploughed fields and you can guess the rest. Odd ponies had to be shot where they stood. But it is fine again now and you soon forget all this once your blankets are dried.

We are at present in the open, but it is not taking us long to get underground. The more he shells us, the quicker we get down. I think a few shells over these people who don't believe in fighting for their country would soon bring them forward. There is a battery very busy shelling one of ours just on our left just at present. The men are all away from it but their hits are gradually making more dust. I am afraid very few of them will have blankets tonight. It is not a bad spot though. He had the luck to get 13 horses and one man with one shell last night, but I bet we are accounting for a good many more than that behind his lines,. What annoys him most is to have his own gun firing gas shells at him from gun pits that he built.

Have had two mails since I last wrote. Walford and I are living together at present and are very fit. We are in good form.

With very best love to you all,
from your loving son,
Bertie

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