Your obedient servant,
JEREMIAH LEE,
_Sergt. R.I.C._

_February 28th, 1915._

I had a hurried ride yesterday in a piercing wind to see my 70 or 80
horses. In the afternoon, just as we were starting off to the
trenches, we were stopped and told to wait whilst the Gunners tried to
cut the wire in front of the German trenches with shells. Such a
course of action may lead to heavy sniping, as you can quite well
imagine. However, we got in all right by eight o'clock, and I wandered
round my trenches until between 12 and 1 o'clock a.m. This morning we
received a notice that we were to be withdrawn to reserve to-morrow or
the next day, owing to more troops coming into the line. I had to take
the General round who succeeds me in these trenches. He seemed such a
nice man. We are supposed to leave to-morrow night if these people can
get out from their trenches. The enemy is shelling us now, and as it
is a particularly clear day they are using it to the best advantage to
try and destroy us. I must turn our guns on to them if they go on like
this. I only wish we could swamp the brutes with numbers and get the
war over. I am not disturbed about Russia. If we can get the
Dardanelles open, we can easily send her ammunition and equipment for
her spare men, and so end the war more quickly; but, failing that, I
think Russia will easily foil Germany, and spring at her again and
again until she is worn out. I had a letter of congratulation from
your sister Mabel. Very kind of her....

IN TRENCHES.
_Ash Wednesday, 1915._

A wet, muggy morning. I have been waiting for 3 hours to accompany the
General round the lines since 6.30 a.m. At 9.30 I telephoned in, and
found that he had gone to some other duty and forgotten me! However,
it cannot be helped. He and I are really very friendly. More fighting
on our right, with very heavy big gun fire. I expect the brickfields
at La Bassee are again being a scene of mortal combat. We were ordered
last night to try to ascertain if the Germans still occupied their
trenches as usual; so we crept out and looked about, and found
everything much the same. As to the khaki-coloured shirts, would you
have them put away by sizes, please, when th