30th

Dear Jinny

Thanks most awfully for your letter which I got today. You do indeed seem busy at the hospital, however you are doing your little bit which is tophole. How you stand washing up dirty plates I can’t imagine, as if there’s one thing puts me slick off it – a plate all over butter & Jam; hence you have my sincerest admiration and sympathy.

Many thanks for Marjory’s love; I wrote to her yesterday – ha ha! – and sent her some, but you can give her some more when you see her.

We are out of the trenches for a day or 2, but go back again very soon. Same old story, they said they would keep us out 3 weeks, but they are going to keep us in barely one! Never mind, it’ll all come out in the wash- We had a comparatively easy time this time, very little shooting or excitement. All that heavy fighting you must have read about at La Bassée was next door so to speak & we could hear it all going on, but they contented themselves with opening a very heavy fire on us while that was going on, but did’nt actually attack- Mr Funk had to walk about a road behind the firing line, seeing everyone was ready, but very few bullets were coming our way fortunately, & those were only stray ones. Still it’s their dam stray bullets that do all the harm sometimes.

We had 4 German aeroplanes flying all over us yesterday, doing what they liked. Our anti-aircraft man blazed away at them but though he went pretty near, he never actually bagged one. At last some of ours flew up & they all cleared off & I dunno what happened. It was a lovely bright winter’s day & those air people must have been quite frozen, as it was freezing on earth. Yes send out the hair stuff, & I do hope it will make me ‘air grow. Lovely weather, but this afternoon it has clouded over & looks like snow. But we have been having gorgeous frosty clear weather most days, & I expect we’ll be skating before long.

Our aeroplanes have been buzzing about this morning too, 3 biplanes up together. I  must try & get into the Flying Corps someday. I started chillblains this time in the trenches, but they are better now. Yes, rather the rucksack thing is splendid & exactly the size shape weight colour and material that I should have chosen myself.

TelI Ben the 2 watches arrived safe & are the buzz & go like hell.

Well Jinny I must end up. Tea time, & Genl Joffre & French are coming to tea, I met them on the road this morning & they said they might look in- They asked after you, & said they were glad to hear you were washing your country’s plates.

Send a cake along, the last one was much appreciated.

Tons of love

from

Ted

Drake-Brockman tells us the Garhwarlis marched from Richebourg St Vaast to Vielle Chapelle on the 29th