New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-11-27

To the Editor OF The tribune.
Sir: The inclosed letter written TO my
mother by ono Of my brothers fighting with
the British force in France, may interest your
readers. This brother has been in the trenches
since last March and has seen some Of the
bloodiest phases Of the war.
DOUGLAS A. MILwARD.
Greenwich, Conn, Nov IS, 1915.
Monday, October rs, 1915
Dearest Mother: We are still officially In
the trenches, the old English trenches being
now used as sorts Of billets. ut two teams
(machine gum are resting little further
back. We are in a smashed up village so
have the luxury Of sitting on kind OF CHAIR
with ready-msde table 10 write on. We
nave been backwards d forwards from our
own new front-line trenches, the old German
front-line trenches and our own front-iine
trenches, since last Tuesday week. When We
arrived at our. new front-line trench last
Wednesday week to relieve Q very sors!y
tried regular battalion the trench was scarce
ly waist deep, and the Germans only J"
yards away. We fully expected counter
attack, as we had been repulsed that sfssf'
noon and our dead were lying all Over no
place. Thursday morning was luckily mmV'
so we were able to dig in daylight and ya o"
be observed. For three days we didn't %"
anything hot to drink. What little water ="
could get had to be doled out at meal t'mss,
so many sips per man. We took up ""a
position in the same line at dark Thun'N
week, and to start with, had 10 bury osss
Highlander who was lying there. We wor!@
all night and the following morning all Ms
mist lifted, and in q day or two had oeii.
q strong position for the gun and sume'sn'
weatherproof shelter for the team. We WIZ
then relieved by another regiment, and vsn'
back in reserve In the old German ifon' Wv.
Here We spent four nights, using ve1 es'v
dugout, into which we managed 70 sQos'''
eighteen men. That the Germans never "
pected to be shifted from here IS very W
dent, as their dugouts are between "sa"
and thirty feet below ground level, ana se,s.
lutely shellproof The barbed wire IN ".
front Of their trenches was about esn' WV
thick, and horrible stuff, tool
After these four days we went bseh nv
our old position, in the new front hne' .A'
found that the whole trench had been ossy.
ened and improved, although, so fsr 81 Wv
gun position was concerned, nothing mao p ,s
touched. The following afternoon, IN s'a,
ton to the usual allowance Of "wflrs 0sas.
the Germans sent over some very lafge ~
explosives, which gradually traversso Wv
trench. These besstly things gave plenty '.
warning Of their approach, and mere
nothing TO do but lie fat on the oo'.oin
the trench and trust TO luck. -Four OF me- ~.
fell near enough 70 US TO cover US VITA ~,
and make US deaf-one almost on TOP Oh w
Highlander's grave-but, strange 70 So 20.
although one of the other teams gun pos'''
was completely smashed, there was ohiy ".
slight casualty In the battalion In spis y
the accuracy Of the shooting. The gun
ton has been lucky In only getting nVe " "a
casualties this turn, % the battalion nss ~.
a great many killed, including one OF my
Ace colleagues-the frst Prison Comm's''''
casualty. ,,u.,.
The battalion hopes to 60 back to Dn s.,
to morrow, and about time, too! fes's'S..
I had my first wash and shave for we.
beard, can tell you
horribly cold and wet day to-day. ana
though we have a big fire In the CRATE ". 80.
sence Of any doors or windows 70 wv
makes it very cold and drafty. 10.
When you are writing again, Will you pd
include a stick Of shaving sosp' Any oIs.
will do Also, will you send large. 'avs.
table knife and fork. and one Of the TIN op.,
ers, which should be in the picnic pssA.s
I lost my fork and claspknife during the ~
Sance. hope the list isn't too formidso's,
II isn't quite finished. The large mug ~
sent before is losing good bit of It's ena".,
so will you send fresh one, but sms"s,,
I think a pint mug is about correct eoup'.
of candles and a new swab will complete ""
list. Perhaps you will kindly send me
couple of candles every week, as now " ~"
dark so quickly in the evenings, and the !"
ton candles are soon exhausted. a
Must finish of now, or my hands won't nov
The pencil any longer. 4