“Owing to increased activity at the front, I hear our letters are to be stopped and only picture, field, and plain postcards can be sent.  Therefore you must not worry if you only get such. If I can get a letter through I will.  I do not disguise the fact that things are warmer, for you can read that in the papers, and anything may happen any day.

“Thanks for the shirt, laces, brush, cards, and notebook which I received this afternoon; I had just returned after taking a party to another village on fatigue.  The P.O.’s have arrived regularly, thanks, dear.  I had a good lunch to-day, steak and chips and fruit after, at a little cafe where we went this morning.  It was O.K.

“As you will have noticed in the papers, our artillery has been very active along the front, and it’s when the Hun replies that most of the trouble comes in, for the Huns won’t take it quietly for a minute and will send some souvenirs across.  It remains to be seen what will happen.

     “I like my platoon very much, and I have had a very happy
     time these last few months.

“I often think of the time to come, apres la guerre, when we shall have the old tea-time chats, a smaller house and less running about for you, of the time when I shall take up my Church secretaryship again and also my work in the City.  I wonder what they will put me into?

“Well, mother mine, don’t worry about me.  I’m all right and will be home sooner than you think, even if I last the war through and—­I might, you know, unless I get wounded.  And if I get that I shall be home sooner, and if I get the only other alternative, well, dear, it’s merely a reunion with the others, and a matter of waiting for you.  But it remains to be seen.

     “Well, mother darling, I must now close.  I’ll drop you both
     a line every day, so don’t worry.”

The next line that both received was from a hospital.

One Young Man Gets a “Blighty”

CHAPTER XIII

ONE YOUNG MAN GETS A “BLIGHTY”

Sydney Baxter’s Division was on the left flank of the British attack at Gommecourt, which met with great stubbornness on the part of the enemy, and resulted in heavy losses.  He writes: 

     “I was in charge of the ‘Battle Police’ that day, and we had
     to accompany the bombers.  We started over the top under
     heavy fire and many were bowled over within a few minutes.

“Lanky of limb, I was soon through the barbed wire and came to the first trench and jumped in.  Some seven of us were there, and as senior N.C.O.  I led the way along the trench.  One Hun came round the corner, and he would have been dead but for his cry ‘Kamerad blesse.’  I lowered my rifle, and, making sure he had no weapon, passed him to the rear and led on.