COU-20

16^th Batt. Roy. Ir. Rifles (P)
Seaford Camp
Sussex
22/VIII/15

Dear Mr Elliott,

I find it is becoming increasingly difficult to find the time to keep up correspondence with anyone. Weeks go by without ever a chance of writing even a single letter. Today is the first day I have had for a fortnight, & I have only got a chance today because I am recovering from concussion of the brain, the result of a bad riding accident. I am lying in the sun trying to write & receive visitors for the doctors would not allow anyone to come near me. Consequently you will find this is going to be a very scrappy letter.

I continue to like my work immensely although I would be glad if some were removed. In addition to my company, I have the machine gun section to train & I am Intelligence Officer. This latter job has produced an awful amount of night work, spy-hunting. So far I have been exceedingly successful & have got extra work to do in consequence. However, I like it. From certain omens I gather that we are shortly going to have another change of station & then we are going to the Dardanelles. Of course this is conjecture but I can place quite substantial evidence behind it. Until we came here & were inspected by Sir A Murray⁸⁷ & Lord Kitchener himself it was never intended to use this Division for anything but Home Service. Personally I have come to the conclusion long ago that the training of the U.V.F. must have been an absolute farce because the men did not know anything whatsoever except the most elementary drill. Of course it would be rank heresy to say so here, but it is no use closing one's eyes to the fact.

What little I have seen of the country here is very fine. The villages are very quaint old world places & teem with historic associations. Our camp is pitched on the site of an old Roman Camp, & when digging trenches we often turn up old coins. Brighton of course is a great attraction to the gay young subalterns though I have not been there since we came here. Eastbourne I like very much it is so much pleasanter than Brighton.

I must close now. I am very weary & the doctor's great purpose is to make me sleep. One will be round presently & I don't want him to think I am abusing his relaxation of discipline.

I will try to write again before long. Please remember me to the staff & to Mrs Elliott. Are you quite well yourself? I imagine you on holiday just now. Lucky people to have a few days all to yourself.

Kind regards, & good wishes

Sincerely Yours,

T. Coulson Capt.