Saturday 3 August
M---, Somme, France
Letter No 92

My dear mother,

I got your letter dated July 16th two days ago and was very pleased to hear all the news which you gave. I am quite well again now; diarrhea is a very common ailment out here, but it doesn't last long as a rule. Of course if there was "tummy" trouble going anywhere I should be bound to get it. I hope the weather keeps fine at home for the boys; holidays are miserable in wet weather. We have had heavy rain here yesterday and today altho' the bright sunshine earlier in the week did promise a fine spell of weather. I don't know why I was sent down the line earlier than the others; the fact that I changed my platoon may have had something to do with it. No! I have not seen Rees again as he is up the line; I am not likely to run across him as he is in a different Brigade - same Divn of course. He was sick with something or other and managed to get excused duty. The name of the place you mention is the right one, but its nearer 7 than 9, don't you think? Tell Dad that with luck I may be on the way for a Comm by Christmas! - Sept is too good. You see there is miles and miles of red tape entanglements to be passed before the goal is reached. The parcel arrived a day before your letter, as I told you; the good things you put in it were not "half" appreciated.

It rained almost all day yesterday, so in place of the usual outdoor training we had lectures on various subjects in the billet. We started off with musquetry then a LG lecture followed by an interesting talk on "Gas"; our platoon officer concluded with an instructive lecture on the use of "Ground Observation" and gave us a rough idea of how the Army Intelligence Staff at GHA make use of all the reports. Discussing the subject during the afternoon with one of the older men in our platoon who had seen inside the lines, he was able to give me a few confidential particulars which goes to prove that our Secret Service is "second to none" for all that is not boasted of. I wrote a letter to Isa after dinner and generally passed the time during the afternoon. The rain gave over a little in the evening so I went for a stroll over to the "Y" at Q--- with another chap in our platoon. Before turning in we had a good old "sing-song" and rough and tumble. When it is wet and they are not playing cards, we invariably play tricks on each other for something lively to do. I have just had my face smothered in jam because I was the means of making "fatty Brown" drop his duff in the dirt.

With that I must conclude as a wasp is hankering round after a little jam that I have omitted to wash off my neck and I don't fancy being stung. So tootle loo for now,

With heaps of love and xxxxx from your affectionate old Dinkeydoo!