14.3.17

Dearest Mother &Ethel & Dad

Ladies first Dad for I love you all.

And before I go on please cut out most of my address. Make it thusly Major G.T. 78th Battalion C.J. France
so now you can save ink & time & can therefore write more often.

First I got a parcel containing biscuits from Ethel, also note paper both of which went down into an aching void.

Second I got a parcel of underwear from the Suttons. Very acceptable.

Third . We had a longer rest than usual during which I got straffed
once by the O.C., we had a field day under Brigade Supervision, a sports day for the Brigade and the inception of a Courts Martial against another A Co officer and the decoration of two A Co officers with the M.C. and two more with the M.M. for bravery on our raids. I also saw Gordon G and had an awfully pleasant ride with him to the place I was billeted in in December where the fat old dame and her chunky niece nearly fell on my neck and killed the fatted ham & eggs bread coffee & fruit then met several Wpgers of the 107th as we were riding back. Since then G has been very busy with some Gas casualties and I have not had time to look him up again.

Do not even think that Brew Smith could not have been a good soldier.
[page cut by field censors]

Mjr Shipman is said to be coming back to the battalion the Damn Fool after taking what he did then to return. I'd rather enlist as a private than come here again. Too bad about his property. I rather expected some such affair. You know it had started when we left Wpg and this is only the appeal coming off now.

As for the Hun and his methods. They used to sound ghastly to one but they are all in the game now. Only the game is played differently from what it was at first. For instance an Engineer was telling me that he had been on [censored] when the Huns pushed the British back about a mile. [censored] that was about a year ago. I don't think they could do that anywhere on our line now. For instance where we are we have fired at least 100 shells of all kinds to his one.

[rest of letter missing]