Letter to Mother: 30th June 1916

My dear Mother

There is as usual little news. We are living like rabbits in a warren, all sitting round the entrance to our burrow. The burrow is 24 feet below ground and looks like a pine log hut from the inside. It is rather damp. There is a certain amount of noise going on all round, but it does not worry one much down below.

The weather has been beastly again lately, an awful lot of rain. Our main amusement is walking over in the fine intervals and watching the big guns firing.

Best of love to you all 

Yr loving son

Cuthbert

Letter to Mother: 18th June 1916

My dear Mother

I suppose the Russians will stop soon, they cant go on like this for ever. We are back in the chateau for a bit. A Col Archdale was lunching here a coupe of days ago, he was with john in Bangalore I believe, any how he was with him recently in France, and had a good word to say for him. The weather has at last changed and we have had 3 fine days, though it is still cold. I got another parcel today and a couple of books, they always come regularly now.

With any luck I might get some leave next month for August.

There is as usual no news.

Your loving son

Cuthbert

Letter to Mother: 11th June 1916

My dear mother

The Russians have made a good start if they can only keep it up. I believe this is not their main push. The weather has been foul this week, everything deep in mud. Chamberlayne sufddenly turned up here the other morning and stayed to lunch, I hadn’t seen him for year; he was just as cheerful as ever; he is quite close here now. We have just got an issue of cheap spring rat traps, and set three in the loft above my bedroom. We caught 17 during the course of the evening and could have got many more if we had the energy to keep resetting the traps. Twice we caught 2 in one trap.

Please send me out another pair of boots, I think I sent or brought a pair home from Egypt, anyhow I want an old pair of square toed greased boots, and not my ordinary polished mufti boots.

The parcels post is a little disorganised at present, they take a good many days coming. I got a pair of socks from Mrs Arthur James yesterday as a token of her affection. Tell Dorothy to push along with the books, and send a t least a couple each week.

I got a note from Archie the other day asking me to assist him in getting an inspectorship in the Qr.Mtr Genls Branch, but of course I can do nothing as I don’t know anyone at home. It is only when he gets out here that I can be of use.

Your loving son

Cuthbert

War Diary Entry: 24th May 1916

Several heavy showers. Motored into Divn Hd Qrs just before lunch about a court martial on an officer for drunkenness. Dent and Lindsay left for home for an investiture.