ࡱ> M  !"#$%&'()*+,-./0123456789:;<=>?@ABCDEFGHIJKLRoot Entry( JrF[_MatOSTF[_F[_MMMN0HND ( JrMicrosoft Works MSWorksWPDoc9qSPmH dnnnn=/dnktԏnT Transcript of a notebook that is in the present care of Newhaven Fort, East Sussex. The notebook contains extracts from the letters of Lieutenant J N Wreford Brown of the 12th Division, 9th Battalion Essex Regiment. A sentence at the top of the first page of letters reads, Continuation of letters from Rowley and begins with the date February 17th, 1918 (La Vente nr Neuve Chapelle). The Letters The Bosche sent over a lot of gas shells today ... The High Command are making no end of preparations which I think is decidedly sound, no doubt the Bosche will launch his push soon and will use tanks. We are in the village lines, having a hot time and all the civilians are clearing out quickly. 5 were killed yesterday. You might let me know when any of the family birthdays come round. Please send me my fleece lining. We get plenty of illustrated papers and the Times daily, which is always a day late. Feb 21 We have just had rather an excitement as two of our planes have just brought down a Bosche one in our lines, the first one I have ever seen being brought down. Feb 27 I believe I told you I had to do 8 days in the line, well it was only 4, on the whole a quiet time, but it was quite long enough, as being quite on my own it meant a tremendous lot of work .... it took me just 2 hours going round all my posts although the actual distance was only about 2 and a half miles. I had to take my servant with me and take a man from each post to visit the next one. The difficulty was getting the rations up to the men as no cooking or smoking was allowed in the posts. I have to employ my 2 stretcher bearers and 2 sanitary men, who have their work cut out. Such a nice parcel from Mr C George of 3 flat ginger bread cakes, one of which I ate and much enjoyed, the other two I gave to an isolated post. We are out in support now for 4 days ... All sentries have strict orders to shoot anyone at sight who could not give our own password which I changed every day. An RE came up to do some job and not having been told of course did now know it, as it was light they did not shoot him, but took him prisoner and kept him till I came along 4 hours later ... My servant fell between the duckboards and the side of the trench and all I could see of him was his head and shoulders and hanging on to the edge of the duckboard. Your blanket arrived the 2nd day and I was very pleased to have it. The men we are getting out now are very hopeless, mostly men from the bases. One man a Jew I got very angry with, as on visiting his post I found him with a rifle cover on his rifle and of course useless in the case of a sudden attack. Of course it was madness, as it was a most dangerous post which was liable to be raided any time, he told me he had been at Calais the whole of the war and the first time in the line. I got your parcel the day I went up the line and found it most acceptable, especially the bread. Please get some flowers for mothers grave for March 5th. I could tell you a lot about the Cambrais show and you would hardly believe it. I enjoyed the bread very much and had it for tea. The Bosche raided one of our posts on 22nd and one of them who jumped into our trench fought 5 of our men, they did not fire at him as afraid of hitting our own men, but they did eventually. He was a plucky fellow. He must have waited, lying out between our posts and our support line, and he was dressed with practically two of everything, 2 shirts, pants, vests !! March 5th I expect you saw that the Bosche made a big raid on the Portuguese and took 500 yards of trench, taking 100 prisoners, they used 3 Battalions in the raid so it was a large affair, we rather thought we would have to go up but did not after all. Expect to get my leave on 11th or 18th, so shall come down to Clifton on either 13th or 21st. We accommodated the men here in an estaminet, a very noisy place. Haig was down here the day before we arrived, inspecting the Brigade who relieved us. March 9th After all I shall not be getting leave as early as I first expected as I am off tomorrow on a Gas Course lasting a week. I may get it after. We have had rather a busy day today as all have been inspected by the Brigadier. It meant getting up at 6 oclock, marching 8 miles in full marching order, packs, etc. and we had to march in three different formations. All went very well and the Brigadier was pleased. The Portuguese have been having a bad time here lately, as have been 3 times raided in the last 3 days. The last time the Bosche came over armed with sticks and took prisoners out of 80 and killed the other 10 who were there. We passed some Indian cavalry today, the first I have seen over here. The opinion over here is that the Bosche offensive will not come off or at least not on the Western Front, but I think it will and that he will try 5 or 6 small attacks like ours at Cambrais. At any rate whatever he does we are well prepared and he will lose thousands of men like he did at Verdun and what we did on the Somme. March 14th I turned up at this Gas School Sunday just as my Battalion were going up the line and judging by the papers they have been raided fairly often since. Coming through the village where we were billeted a Bosche plane dropped about 12 small bombs killing 2 Portuguese, 1 bomb dropped 40 yards from the building I was in. I hear they shelled the town again last night with very heavy stuff and did a lot of damage, the sentry near the house we were billeted was killed, all the town people are clearing out rapidly and it is a wonderful site seeing them walking along the road with their bundles under their arms. The Hospital where we had daily concerts was heavily shelled and the school next door had 15 French children killed in it. The Gas School is not half bad fun and quite interesting, about 40 officers from different units in the army and same number of NCOs. We have 8 American officers here who are very good fellows and frightfully keen. I am much afraid unless I get leave directly after this course I shall not get it at all, now things look as if they were moving. My servant is suffering frightful pain across the eyes, probably due to gas poisoning, as after the attack we were in, 4 or 5 days after, men were gassed from wood which they used as fuel which had come in contact with the gas. March 16th My Course came to an end today (Sat) and I quite enjoyed it and it was really next best to leave. On reporting to our Details, I saw our Colonel, and it was arranged for me to go up to the line with rations, now I get a chit to say he wishes me to stay behind with him, needless to say I am not sorry, the week I have been on the Gas Course our Battalion have been having a very lively time. The Bosche launched a daylight raid on us which we managed to drive back, he is using a lot of smoke now to conceal his movements, of course it is nothing new and we also do it sometimes. We hear he has got what we sent off from Avonroute? (tanks) in front of our part of the lines ... Things are starting to hum round and raids are quite a daily occurrence now, we generally manage to take 7 or 8 prisoners. If ever I get my leave now I will bring back a Bosche rifle, but Im afraid leave for some time will be off. Streams of civilian are still coming away from villages. Our Guards from Walen? (Portuguese) have been doing extremely well and have been having a hell of a time, not only in the line but more especially in the reserve billets, where it has been so hot etc. they are lying out in the fields in preference to being sheltered. We rather expect the Bosche to use gas very soon, things rather point that way. March 21 We have a very pleasant surprise last night as we were relieved, we expected to have to do at least another 5 days. In none of our raids have we been successful in taking any prisoners, but one night the Bosche did 24 raids all along our bit of front and they were repulsed and we took 6 prisoners. The Corps commander was very pleased and wrote to all COs wishing that all ranks be told that they had done exceedingly well. In a raid, a sergeant of ours was taken prisoner, but managed to get away, although unarmed, he took of his steel hat and killed both the Bosche who were escorting him. I never thought we should get out of that section alive, the shelling was terrific and of course the Bosche have every trench taped. We lost our Company Sergeant Major and the Company next to ours lost theirs. One Company HQ were knocked out and 4 servants killed and wounded. Now we are in rest billets 9 miles from the line. I took a route which was a mile longer, but as I hoped I managed to get a lorry which took my 41 men. They were as pleased as punch of course and saved us 4 miles, and as we had to do a mile through gas. We were all a bit tired. A prisoner we took informed us the offensive starts on 29th inst. The 3 towns which we used billet in are practically empty and were about the size of Weston. March 23rd You must not expect a letter for some time as I am frightfully busy and shall be for some time to come. We are living now in the most critical stage of the war and in my opinion the next two months will decide the ultimate result. We know nothing definite what is happening south, although we get wild rumours, naturally all which concerns us is the sector where we are for the moment !! At present we are a travelling circus and I am thankful I have a comfortable pair of boots. I spent this afternoon taking a party of officers and runners around the posts we should have manned, in case of the Bosche breaking through. We are back again with Walton. It is a sad sight seeing these refugees going along the roads ... All leave is off !!! March 31st Easter Sunday, 2 oclock in the morning, received telegram from war office. To : Major Wreford Brown, Press Bureau, Whitehall Regret Lieut. J N Wreford Brown Essex Regiment admitted to Red Cross Hospital Rouen March 29th from shot wound neck severe. Visit not possible. Secretary War Office (telegram original in notebook) Letter 29-3-18 (original in notebook) For the day, Public Schools Hospital Rouen Wounded slightly in head, back of neck. We had had a bad time of it. After we had been relieved at Bois Grenay (?) we were rushed up in motor buses at 7 oclock in evening to the Somme for arrival at 9 oclock, the whole Brigade and were two days rations (iron), after two days rest we marched to Fricourt we were then sent to Contaaison then back to Albert where we spent night, we then took up a line behind Albert. I was sent with my company to help Norfolks who had a gap in their line, we held the railway embankment. The 30th Brigade on our right started to retire, we extended as far as we could to cover gap but in half an hour there was a general retirement all along. We had no reserve of S A left except what we had collected from casualties. We hear that French army Corps are ready to counter attack. Yours Rowley. April 1st 52 Welbeck Street London We arrived last night at 12 oclock crossing via Havre and Southampton, it seemed a long journey as we left Rouen at 1.45am. This hospital is very comfortable and nice and I am lucky to get here as they are full as you know. They X rayed me at Rouen hospital and discovered the shrapnel there, so when they have more time will get it out. It causes little discomfort and feels only like a stiff neck. I am allowed up and hope to get down to see Willie although I am afraid he is on duty. I want to get hold of some hair brushes, boots etc. which I left there. I am afraid you people in England little know what is going on in France now and if you read the papers you will know less. The result really rests with what the French can do. I believe they have a fair size army helping us, but as regards our position it is somewhat worse than we were at Mons. We have to thank ourselves for our Staff which through out was rotten. Take our case which was no different to any other unit. No spades, no ammunition and two days iron rations which we had to make last four days. We had no water carts but that was hardly to be helped as we came all the way in moor buses from close to Armentieres, but even then they might have remedies by sending up some in petrol tins. In the Advanced Casualty Clearing Station which I went to first they had 9000 wounded all lying on the ground. We stayed there the night and were the lucky first thousand to get away. They were erecting tents as fast as they could but they only got ? the same time as we did. The Bosche captured whole C.C.S with Doctors and Nurses. I will write you a letter telling you fully my experiences of the 5 days and what I hear from other units around us, but I want to see Willie now. April 3rd ... I expect you will have seen Evelyn (WB) by now, who will have told you I am quite fit. I am at present in the predicament of only having what I stand up in, so could you manage to send out some of my things from .... I rather think all our officers kit was captured by the Bosche. April 2nd Telegram To Major Wreford Brown, Press Bureau, Whitehall Lieut. Wreford Brown transferred England hospital. Letter dated 30-3-18 I am being sent over to England tonight. I was to have been operated on this morning, but the M O has just told me owing to so much gangrene in the operating theatre they are only operating on the very severe cases and as I am only a slight one am being sent home. I will let you know what hospital I get sent to. Your affect brother. Rowley. April 7th ... This place was a private nursing home before the war and Miss MacLaw who runs it was through the Russo-Japanese War and has seen a good deal of service. Everything is done very well here and you are freer than at Sister Agnes ....... The Hash Brigade has left Colchester a week now, where to I dont know, but they have had a lot of trouble with troops there as some of the Queens and Durham L I went on strike and marched through the town shouting out that they wouldnt go to France without having their Draft leave. They knocked the K P M off his horse and bayoneted his clothes and some of them lay down on the platform at the station and refused to get on the train. In the end some of them had to be forced into the carriages. I dont expect I shall be kept here long. I will let you know when I leave and come down and see you. April 11th Have just had rather a painful interview with a mother of an officer in my Company who wanted to know, if I had had any news of him as he is missing and it appears that the whole of the Battalion were cut off and missing, the Norfolks did a bolt and we were cut off. There is one of our officers in hospital wounded, who I intend looking up today ... This new advance at Armentieres is of course where we were and is most interesting. Estaire which the Bosche has now, was our rest billets and a town the size of Weston with quite nice shops; we were there when we had orders to move south. What is so serious is that the River Lys runs along a line, Estaires, Bac St Maur and Armentieres; before we left , we quite thought he intended attacking here ... I still think the Bosche will take Amiens, which will be nearly as bad as if he had Paris ... I am taking the Bartlett girl to the theatre on Saturday. It seems rather awful to be amusing oneself now-a-days, in this crisis, but I feel I shall be out again very soon and treat it as a tonic. April 16th Grove Military Hospital. Tooting. Waw. ... I have developed Chicken Pox of all things ! Dont know how many people I have given it to as I have had spots for a week. It was awfully comfortable at Welbeck Street and I was very sorry to go although they told me I must come back there when free from this. This place is pretty boring but I am lucky in having 4 officers here, so we manage to play Bridge which helps pass the time. The war news is a little better. May wants an account of my time during part of the offensive, so am writing it out. April 20th 1918. Grove Military Hospital. Tooting. (He talks about the place not being quite as good as Welbeck - but he has met an officer from his regiment who was able to tell him what happened in the fight after he was wounded - he thanks his sister for the socks she sent - he used them not as socks but as gloves - he was sitting in front of the motor bus that transported him and his men to the Somme and the weather had turned old - he eventually gave the gloves to one of the runners he came across in the front line who was freezing and he gave him a sip of brandy from his flask as well which I have kept since 1916, when I filled it at Litfield. Conditions in France before this show was ever so much better than when I was out before. Officers baths were quite unheard of, also for washing their clothes. The reason that we had to stay in the line longer than our time, was that the Staff thought the Bosche would make an attack ... (he talks about regular raids by the Bosche) ... Letter to Ethel Grove Hospital Tooting Dear Ethel, I believe I told you that after leaving the line at Bois Grenier at 12 midnight we marched to La Gorgue close to Estaires, my company happened to be the last to be relieved, but through taking a longer route I got the whole of my company on to some motor lorries at Bac St Maur and arrived an hour before the guides which were to have met us at Estaires, but we did not mind that as after we had been relieved we did about a mile and a half out of the trenches at the double as besides sending over a lot of mustard shells, they also shelled us heavily all along the road, when we lost all our signallers. After spending the day at La Gorgue we got orders at 3am to be ready to move at 4am. My company struck lucky as we were practically at the rendezvous while the other companies had some way to come and in consequence were late, and got well strafed while for once we were complimented and I am glad to say thanks to our company cook the men had a good breakfast, which is more than we did as except for a bit of cake we had nothing. We marched via Merille to I think Cassel where we arrived at about 4pm, it was quite a nice place and as usual we immediately prepared for a good meal but as luck would have it at 8pm we had an order to move at once, just as our dinner was ready, so each took a sandwich and in ten minutes we were on the road again and at St Sylvestre Cappel we embarked in 90 busses (the whole Brigade) except for two buses colliding and smashing up we arrived between Doulons and Bouzincourt at about 10am next morning, when we rested for two hours and had some hot tea and cold bacon, while there we saw about 50 tanks coming back and any quantity of guns. At about 1pm we had orders to move to Fricourt (see orders attached) and on arriving there saw no signs of any Boche or the 30th Division and another Division which we were told were on our left. We then marched through Moricourt but although there was a fair amount of shelling going on, we had orders to return by same rout to Albert. On arriving there some where about 12 midnight in turn told that the Brigade would be close billeted in one street, up to the time of coming into the town it had been heavily shelled and the streets were in a frightful mess with dead mules, civilians and men lying about, but extraordinary to relate while we were there not a shell came over. My company were all in one large stable and our 4 officers and myself were in one small bedroom which had only recently been occupied and although the house had been shelled and had all the windows broken, it had any quantity of new clean linen which we found most useful for sleeping on and also later in tearing up and using for putting our two days rations in, which eventually had to last us for four !! After 5 hours good rest we had orders to move and I am glad to say I took the precaution of making all my men fill their water bottles from a tap. My company were the last company of the Brigade to leave the town and as no one knew if the Bosche were in it or not, I took the precaution of detailing a rear guard, we then took up the line as per orders. Nothing happened till about 11am when we first saw the Bosche coming over the ridge. The country round Albert is very like Dundry ? and if you imagine you were in the Lea Woods and Bedminster was Albert it would give you a good idea of the country except you would want to continue your on the Lea Woods ridge. We had spent our time fully occupied in digging ourselves in with our entrenching tools as we had no picks or shovels, this as you know is a slow process and at the best of times unsatisfactory, but at any rate gives you a little head cover. By about 1pm the Bosche were under rifle fire although we reserved our fire and all the artillery we had was two batteries of 18 pounders whose range was very limited and they were of little use. At 4pm most of the bridges around us had been blown up but on questioning an RE who was coming away from Albert he informed me they had had to leave 3, and on of them they were still at. He seemed more engrossed in getting away with a perambulator which contained two cases of champagne. By about 8 oclock the whole of Albert was in flames and it burnt the whole night and was still burning at 12 noon the following day. I took my company down to reinforce the Norfolks who as usual had the wind up. I had luckily just sent out a patrol to get in touch if possible with the Norfolks and it was just as well as otherwise we should have had some difficulty in finding them. When we did arrive we found them in a state of wanting to run, although the position was not so bad if one knew where any one else was. We were one side of a railway embankment and the Bosche was the other. We had an enormous brick factory which we made our headquarters and why they did not shell it I dont know, as if the chimney had fallen we should all have been buried. Our artillery kept on firing short and as we had no line laid to them, it was some time before we could get in touch with them. As we were dug in on the brow of a hill we could not move during the day and if you did you got sniped at by machine gun bullets which the Bosche had mounted in the houses at Albert. We managed to get a dixie o tea to each platoon during the night but one lot were unfortunate in that just as it was dished out the Bosche came over, and it was all upset and the dixie unfortunately lost too. The 2nd attack they made that night they had the cheek to put a machine gun on the railway line, which in the counter attack we captured in which we made the Norfolks corps turn out and they did quite well too as we drove them back. At stand to in the morning we moved our headquarters to a big bank about 10ft high which was about 100 yards away from the embankment and brick factory , it looked quite a good place, but we were sniped whenever we moved by trench mortars and machine gun bullets. Communication with our men was of course quite impossible . The day passed without any event of importance and the night was fairly quiet. The Bosche kept on calling out in French dont fire or if you dont fire on us we wont kill you. In the morning we had orders about retiring at about 10am it looked as if the Norfolks were going to run and it was as much as I could do to stop them. By this time the enemys trench mortars were very active and our bank which was a very straight one was a favourite target of theirs and I was hit by one at about 12. The only news I have heard of my company was from an officer of the company who was wounded and got away. His story was the Norfolks bolted and most of the company were killed or captured and only 22 men with one officer got away. Up till April 1st the Battalion has not suffered very heavily but now has. Your affectionate brother Rowley April Feeling pretty bad again - high temperature. May 1st 52 Welback Street (He talks about how glad he is to be back here again) About 15 officers (naval) turned up yesterday all having taken part in that last naval sow (at Zeebruge and Ostend) ... the Ostend affair seems to have been rather a fiasco. May 11th I went before the Medical Board last Thursday and was given a month longer in hospital here. I am feeling far more fit now and my leg is alright which is good, but now I have caught a cold. When King Edward was operated on for appendicitis, Miss McCaul got al the nurses, and the operating table was the one that we have here, it has a plate signed by the king on it ..... I saw the Americans pass through, they were quite a smart lot, but looked more horribly bored. The Ostend show seems to have been a great success this time and the navy men here are very delighted. July 4th Officers Convalescent Hospital Moffat This place is very nice, it was a Hydro and has 220 bedrooms, all full up with officers. Food not very good. ( He comments about the poor food an how he misses his friends at Wisbech St - they were all good to me). I arrived here with that Spanish Flu and felt ill for 3 days, but am alright now. The Links are fairly good, a lot of blind holes, lovely views. July 24th I expect to be leaving here about Aug 3rd Aug Moffat I had a letter from France and they seem to think the war will be over in three months ! I doubt it, another year I think ought to finish it. I have just come back from the golf Links. I played a Major MacPherson who was quartered in Newcastle some years and new Claude very well. I was playing very well. Aug Sep Moffat Officers Convalescent Hospital I have been hard at work this last fortnight helping with the harvest as labour is very scarce here and the old farmer I have been helping has only had three boys of about 12 years old and one or two women. I start about 9 oclock and work till 7.30 and have my lunch with the farmers, where I live on the fat of the land - cream and plums, a feast for a king. My boils are ever so much better this week. I think half the trouble is due to lack of proper food here and I should be as right as rain in France. (He mentions here about there being 98 officers but only 1 other has helped with the harvest). September 13th. To Clifton on leave. To Felixstowe Sep 30th 3rd Essex Regiment ... it is quite nice here, we are all in a hotel and have our men here too. Very different to the old days. Except for the late adjutant to the 9th I have no met anyone I know here yet. I am feeling much better thanks to all the good food. Oct I have been made Assistant Adjutant here, of course it entails a lot of London work. The news about Armistice is good, but one can never trust the Bosche and he may be putting the Austrians up to it in order to save time for them and the hope is that we may draw our troops from there. I am on the permanent Establishment here which probably means I will be retained for about 18 months. Nov 1918 We have had a lot of deaths here from Spanish flu and we are having a funeral a day. We have a house left entirely for flu cases. The hours here are fairly long 7-15 - 8-15 8.45 to 1. 2 to 4.30. 6-6.45 and a visit each time from Mess to Orderly Rooms. An officer home on leave from our 1st Battalion said things in France are very changed now. Each Battalion ha its own cyclist company attached to them with a squadron of Cavalry so they are really a small Brigade themselves. We are getting a lot of Labour Corps and Army Service men, whose chief aim is to avoid getting sent overseas, desert when possible. Nov 22nd ... It was really a marvellous sight watching the submarines come in. Nearly all our officers went down to L (? Harwich) and watched them from the fort there. Strict orders were given that there should be no demonstration and should be received in silence and the Garrison went so far as to stop all firing on the range (which is fairly close) in case they might think we are firing on them. None of the Germans were allowed to land but were sent back in their own transport the same day. I am going to London on Wednesday next for this Victory Ball at the Albert Hall I expect it will be rather a wonderful sight. We have had a good deal of work here lately, what with a draft of 30 officers being sent to France and having all their Territorials thrust on us. The rumour that we might go to Dover court (?) is we hear quite wrong and just as likely that they send the Battalion to Timbuktu or France !! At any rate we shall never be disbanded and all the work of demobilising the Essex will fall on this unit and so my job will go on indefinitely I expect. Dec It is quite news to me about the 30 Divisions going to Russia. I knew they expected trouble there, and wan to stamp it out before it goes through Europe as it would be a bad thing if Bolshevism spreads and I am afraid we are in for a lot of trouble in England, in fact we have just received a defence scheme in the event of an attack from London, it seems awful as they have to get here first and I dont see what an unarmed red flag party could be able to do even if they wished to come here. Evelyn must be quite ? about even a chance of his cadets going to Russia, as the government would consider them far too valuable to send them out as a unit, and even during the Bosche March offensive they never sent any of them, when as you know they were sending out all they could possibly lay hands on. Dec 23rd ... I was very sorry not to be able to get away for Dicks wedding. We are making great preparations for the mens Xmas dinner and we are spending 200 pounds so they should to have a good time. 12% of the men are on 12 days Christmas leave. I was offered a job as Adjutant to the Bat going out to Russia, but refused. I dont fancy Russia at all and besides I dont think anyone who goes there will ever return and the cold must be terrific. I have not been feeling very fit again lately. Jan : at Dovercourt. Feb : Warley. It is pretty hard work here from 9 to 7 and we demobilise about ? a day which is considered good work. I was sent here with three other officers. Feb 7th ... London was in a terrible state, with the tubes on strike and no means of getting about. I am glad the Government have at last taken a firm stand and will not give in this time. I was rather afraid I might have to go back to Dovercourt, as 2 of the 4 officers sent have had to be returned and 2 regulars sent in their place, but the Major who is in charge here came in and saw me this morning and told me he could not spare me and asked which other officers I suggested staying. I have come across quite a lot of men from the 9th who were taken prisoner on March 27th. They all thought I had been killed and were very astonished at seeing me again. They told me they had been treated well, the food was bad, but it was only what the Germans were feeding themselves. We have had 120 sent to our 14 Battalion at Yarmouth. May 1919 ... I was given rather a nice job on Friday as I had to take a hundred cases of German bullion from Parkestone away to London. It was worth 980,000 pounds and of course I had to take an armed guard of 12 men with me and as the boat was late I had to sleep the night on board with my men and go up to London by the early train the next morning. I am glad to say I did not lose any and after handing it over spent a very enjoyable weekend at Bushey. I met a very interesting Naval Captain who had just returned from Hamburg where he had been on commission. He said the Germans were in a most frightful state for food and would give you simply anything in exchange for soap or fat. The following are what they were offering the men on his boat for the various things per pound weight : Bacon 55 marks Fat 50 marks Soap 50 m Chocolate 25 m Cigarettes 10 30 m Tea 30 m You can get 55 marks for an English pound note. He said it was quite pitiful to see well dressed people of good social position coming down to the Quay and bartering with our sailors. All tea they boil 3 times and the sailors dry their own tea leaves and sell them again for 15 or 20 marks a pound, it seems the general opinion in Germany is that if we make the peace terms too hard and ask for too big an indemnity, that they will all emigrate and they are quite candid about their coming over to England and making another start. They have no rubber and the only cars which he saw (which only numbered 3) all had wooden tyres with springs underneath. You see no dogs in the town and milk can only be got for the children and that requires a certificate from the Doctor and that has to be renewed weekly. They seem to hate the French more than we, and say French no good. The Americans they talk of as their friends and they think if it was not for them that the French and ourselves would quite cripple them. April 26th. 6th Batt Essex Reg The Cedars West Ham .... at the fancy dress at Bushey, I met a boy, who was an original 9th Essex and a great friend of mine. A job which I was hoping to get for some time has just come along and I am wondering if th 3rd Batt ill let me take it. It is Adjutant to a large disposal Camp at the Crystal Palace, it is a much better job than this with plenty of work to do, which I want as it might lead to something. ENDS WORDS 6500 W',),5557D`Vgm{v{v{rn{r{n{n{r{( Y[+-PRqq !XZ\dfHJ U W D F m o GI{}!acHJLXZ*,:<H!J! # #f$h$$$$$$^&`&&&q's'''''''*(,(_(a() )*),).)V)X)))++-+,,,,,,,,,,..4/6///333333355555-5/5`5b5555555 7 7777h:j:l:x:z:;;;;>>>>>@@@@ A AmCoCDDDDDDDDDDEEhGjGIIKKKLLPPATCTVVXX\[^[\\^^______```` ` `;`=`?`Z`\```DaFaHaRaTacccccddddd5e7e9eDeFeqeseeefffffWhYhMiOiQiwiyi{iiiiiijjjjjkk/l1l3l=l?lnnnnnqqrrrrrrttv v vvvvxxxx!x#x2x4xxxxxxzzz||||!|}}46GWctɃ˃Vgikmym ',5@K`dirzm  Times New Roman =/=/dCompObjU