The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-12-18
HOW TT FEELS TO BE UNDER FIRE

Here is a letter from the viewpoint oi Tommy Atkins himself It is from the hostler of a prominent Liverpool family who is now at the front He wrote to his employers frotn France October 2s, and mingham.
 No. 40505-Drlver C. Pruden, Battery
 R. H. A.. First Cavalry Brigade On
 Active Service. October 2s. 1914.
 '.Sir and Madam: Just few lines in answer to your kind and so welcomed letter which received quite safe yester- day, and that is the only one I have it has been long time, but that &C., counts for change of address. I am sure it is very good of you for a letter seems to cheer one up lot.
 'I am in the very best of health up to the time of writing. although I had a touch of fever once, also very bad eyes but now I am quite well again. thanl, God There is terrible battle raging where we are now. Our battery has been in action for four days and nights They have done some good work, so our general tells us. Of course, we got into some tight corners at times. but gener- ally managed to scrape out alright. You can hear the Germans (coal boxes) com ing. but you have to chance where they drop. One very tight corner we were in was a gentlemans house where there was very large garden; it was at back of some hills. We went in about Il |. been raining all day: we were wet through. We were laying in pools of water. About 4:So a. m. the coal boxes started to fly into the ground. It was very lucky for us; there was a wood nearby. We could not move out os it until it got dark at night. So we were shelied all day and escaped with only two horses killed and one officer. and three men were slightly wounded. I got one through my overcoat and it grazed on my hand.
 That is only one of the times, but all through I have had the best of luck and hope soon to see this terrible war to an end, and get about and have young horses at Trafford. The guns are roll ing now just like thunder. We can't get them out to have fair scrap. But we will have some German sausage soon. l will do as you asked (give them one for yOu1. l get ny WlIe B iettSIS alrlRnt now, and the delay before was the re- tirement from Mons. But we get them now in about seven or eight days. I wrote to my wife sometime ago for un- dervests, but do not know whether she received my letter or not. as 1t is awful cold sleeping out now; there was ice on my coat this morning. the heavy dew being frozen. have always had flannel undervests until I reJoined and now I am lucky to get clean shirt. It Is terrible to see the poor women and children tramping along. homeless and starving, their homes on fire. It fairly tests an Englishman's heart to see it. Now Mrs Butt, I do not smoke very much. and tobacco is so plentiful here, so do moi need any, but you can send me some cakes or biscuits or chocolate if if won't be out of the way for you to send. (You better ask MT. Butt if he has any accounts owing in Berlin. so when I get there had better settle them for him) l hope this letter will find all keeping in good health and business bucking uI bit better. I am sorry to hear that the Hunters have gone. How Is Citizen going on? Now madam. think I have said all l am allowed to, so must draw to a close. I remain yours obediently, "PRUDEN."