To his mother Charlotte Capell
19th Jan. [1915]
My dear
A word of thanks for your letter. I am well; the weather is springlike,
& we are not unduly "straffed".
A fresh lot of men here, save for Roffe & myself. Officer:
Capt Dickinson, "one of the best", – in fact the best. As sergeant,
– the decent little busman chap who was away with me just before
Christmas.
I insist on having the Raemaeckers cartoons! Thanks for the
"Spectator". But the "Saturday Review" makes me ill. I would as soon be a
German as an Englishman of the "Saturday Review" sort. How flattering to
Generals & suchlike big-wigs, the dogma that out here all is self-sacrifice
& efficiency as opposed to the self-seeking of politicians! – –
Really the English military big-wig is as bad as the German, (& not so
learned). The reason I intend sticking here as long as I can is that at
H.Q.s life is unendurable because of the endless "cleaning up" fatigues
– spotless uniforms (no matter what dirty job you have been on),
"kits" geometrically arranged in long rows with scrupulous uniformity, &
squads of men engaged incessantly in picking up match-ends etc. in the
hospital precincts! – – Life here is a relative holiday, despite the
incessant clatter of the bombardment. Really our unit has never been so
fussy; & this, despite our happy relief from the old C.O. & s.m. –
The reason seems to be that the hospital is next door to the A.D.M.S. (if
you know who he is!), – & next door but one to the general.
The socks in the parcel are fine: likewise the pants, which are really
better than the silk ones, which get torn to shreds. It is a luxury to
have a nice new pair of puttees, too. I will write to Aunt Carrie.
I much appreciated a long letter I had from Uncle Evans.
Goodbye, my dear. Put a pot of anchovy paste in, when you are sending
me something, will you? (but don't send me another parcel for a long time
yet). Your Richard