April 14/18

Dearest Mother & Dad

April 15/18

Dearest Mother & Dad.

I had just started this letter yesterday when the time for "stand-to"came on. After attending that duty & returning to the Dug Out - in fact just as I got in I received orders from Battalion A2 to proceed at once to the 4th Divisional Wing C.C.R.C. for an indefinite time but as a temporary matter. So as the rations had just come in I took the opportunity of going out in the timbers as far as the Transport Lines where I arrived about ten P.M. - carrying with me a parcel which I opened on arrival & found it to contain the pair of boots & some candy. I put them on at once & found that they fitted me beautifully.

My Battman Teddy Lofthouse (age 35) had in the meantime gotten my kit from the Quarter Stores & laid out my bed on the floor. After eating chocolates & acid drops & sandwiches I fell into bed & slept until 8.10 this morning. Got up - had breakfast & packed my bag & flitted for here on horse back. The horse thot I could not ride & started in to prove it by kicking & bucking & side stepping but I managed to get my feet locked under him & my hands clutched in him mane & stuck on like a fly on Tanglefoots. Riding hard I got here about eleven & found all arrangements at a stand-still myself in danger of going back to the battalion. But orders for men that were required so they decided I might stay for lunch & return on receipt of orders for which they wired. This afternoon I was informed that I was to stay here for a while. So there you are & here I are. But you'll know before this letter reaches you for I shall cable if it proves to be long.

In the meantime I feel very much peeved about it - still the C.O. may have considered he was going me a favour so I shall not say anything more about it. Of course I am well away from the Front Line & may be considered lucky from that point but from another point it almost appears like a slap at my ability in the line.

It isn't more than a few days since I wrote you last at least it does not seem like it though we had several moves since my last letter. We spent two days in the frontline then moved to support for - days then down here. It has been awfully interesting especially the matter of reconnoitering new localities. It was always interesting to watch the enemies lines for movements and to see how long one could carry on without getting under cover where Fritz was shelling and also to anticipate the kind of quarters and dug outs we were to have many new ones to which we might be going.

We have been very lucky recently as to casualties - absolutely no one napooed and only one man accidentally shot in the hand being mistaken for a Hun & while he was out on patrol.

There is nothing to do here in the evening but write so you will hear from me often.

Give my love to everyone & keep all of it yourselves.

Affectionately
Gordon