France
23.5.17

Dear Dad.

I am writing this out in no mans land about 200 yards in front of our front line trench. This sounds exciting, but there is not anything doing in the daytime, although it generally gets a bit exciting at night. We have got a small hole in the ground & have made an emplacement for our machine gun with sandbags.

Of course we are cut off from everybody during day light. They have to bring our rations up at night.

We are being relieved tonight. I am glad to say & it is about time after five days out here with only about 2 hours sleep in the 24.

However we have a certain amount of amusement in sniping at Boches, we can watch them marching around behind their own lines.

We took over a portion of line to give the infantry a rest. We had left a few men back to look after the horses about 8 km behind.

It is getting late so I will finish this tomorrow in the reserve. I don't know whether you will be able to read this but sitting in the mud at the bottom of the trench isn't conducive to good writing.

24.5.17

Hurrah! We are out at last & I had an excellent wash & shave this morning, the first for six days. We looked like a mob of wildmen I can tell you.

I wonder if you could send me a barrel for my Onoto fountain pen. I have for the cap, nib & nib holder but the barrel and plunger are missing. I think they are all made the same size so that there shouldn't be much difficulty in getting one. Siss sent me some ink tablets which I am using now.

I was glad to hear that Diamond had been down to Thornhay for a week end. I wish I had been home. The garden & everything must be looking nice now after the spell of good weather.

We are camped on an estate. They say that the Duke of Rutland owns it, which must have been very beautiful before the Boche got hold of it, for there is a little fancy grotto with a spring in it and various stone bridges that look like rustic work. There are also many fine trees & a lot of lilac out in flower.

Thanks very much for parcels. Hoping everybody is well at home.

Much love

Cuthbert

P.S. Could you please send me a stout pair of leather gloves (not gauntlets) suitable for working in & also handling reins.

CKM