COU-37

B.E.F.
23/8 16

My Dear Mr Elliott,

Everything has been so topsy turvy with me recently that it has not been easy to compose myself for writing. When the Division moved up from the Somme we were all under the fond illusion that we were to rest and refit while drafts came out to us to make up our depleted ranks. Instead of doing our journeys by train we began an extensive walking tour which under other conditions might have been enjoyable but the heat was rather overpowering and our men carried all their worldly possessions on their backs. In consequence all the pleasure was absent. We marched for about 10 days, resting only in one place for more than one night and when we did get that one stop we thought that we were surely at our journey's end. Everyone was dispatched in haste to look for suitable training grounds but by the time they had returned we were again under orders to move.

The Division has been in the trenches now for about a month. Trench life in Flanders is much as it was at the Somme with a few variations but on the balance I believe our fellows will prefer this. When the rain comes of course Flanders becomes a land of swamps and streams so the mud will be a desperate drawback.

I am about six miles from the line and go up into it only about 3 days in the week. Going into the trenches like that is not a bad break in one's work and I do not get so horribly homesick as the other fellows do because my visits to the trenches always mean a little pleasant excitement in what would otherwise be a monotonous week. The German airmen are rather better here than they were in Picardy and certainly more daring. They pay us a visit occasionally and the other night appeared in the dark and dropped bombs near our camp. Goodness alone knows what their objective was but they did no damage whatever except to a horse or two in the transport lines of the Field Ambulance not far away. These visits are very rare however as both our guns and airmen give a very warm reception to any stray visitor.

How are you all at Holywood? I hope you are well. When you last wrote me you were not at all well yourself but I hope by this time you have almost forgotten that. Early winter is always troublesome to you is it not? Still I hope you are going to get free from ill health this winter.

Rheumatism is going to be a trouble in this very damp country. Already my shoulder which troubled me last winter is giving me trouble but I am thankful to say the horrible nervous trouble I developed after the battle last month is gradually going away. I don't think however that I could endure another similar experience.

Will you please remember me to Mrs Elliott and to your boys. Is Miss Elliott¹⁰⁸ still away from home?

With kind regards to yourself .

Yours very sincerely,

T. Coulson