n's Land isn't very interesting, so a periscope is good
enough. I take good care of myself nowadays since the little machine
episode on the road. I expected when I first went up to the trenches
to find them smelling of dead men, and to find No Man's Land a sort of
quagmire covered with dead bodies, but in front of us it is a nice
green field with no dead bodies on it; the only excitement is right on
the right of our line, where there is one dead German in the middle. I
believe a small charge is made for looking at him through the
periscope there.

There's something I notice, and that is that there are certain
magnificent gentlemen, you will have seen, who wear red round their
hats--the Staff. In England you see the red about 60 miles off. Behind
the lines here there is no mistake about seeing it. But in the
trenches, the red is carefully covered over with a nice khaki band.

The Aunts sent me a topping parcel the other night, a pair of socks,
worked by Auntie Lil, that I have on now, a cake, made by Auntie
Agnes, I have in me now, and a book and some chocolate, the last has
been censored and the other is being so. I wrote and thanked them. If
you see them please thank them again and give them my love. Fancy I
have been out here about nine weeks and I am still writing long
letters about nothing at all, and I see no chance of my falling off in
this respect, mother mine, because I know that you like to receive,
even the most ridiculous letters I send. I received letters this week
from David Smythe, who, after being rejected several times, has at
last managed to get into the Black Watch in the ranks. From Eric
Davies, who has now got a commission. From Jasper Holmes and Kenneth
Rudd. I was very pleased to receive them. Roly, I hear, has been
wounded. Pat I have not heard from for some time. I also had a letter
from Miss Crocker from Paris. Ask May to write to Miss Smyth some time
and give her my love, and ask her to write to me and send me her
address. I am thinking of you all to-night, Father in the dining
room, Charlie not in yet; you and May having your supper before you go
to bed, and Amy, probably in bed already, at Ripon. I hope Arthur is
all right again, and Lovel is enjoying himself. Good-night, little
mother; God bless you. I should like to walk in and surprise you all;
perhaps in two or three months I may do so, and find you all out at a
meeting or some other thing.

With much love to all,