Transcript of letter to Elsie & Jack March 1917

• May 22, 2018 20:11:05 Thomas A. Lingner

  Thursday

  1st March 1917

  My dear Elsie and Jack

  
  

  Very many thanks for the parcel and its varied and welcome contents. It was delivered to me in my dugout up in the trenches not many hours before we were due to come out for rest. The load we carry is just about as much as we can manage and I could not have carried that splendid parcel, so after extracting one or two things I did it up and returned it to the postman. I am now in rest billets and if anything is left of the parcel it will travel up in my pack next time. The candle is the admiration of all and is reserved for my next dugout. When I tell you I had to spend two nights without means of a light - and in the front lines too - you will understand how delighted I was to receive this giant. Please give me the particulars as to where this sort of candle can be purchased and the price as many fellows want to get similar ones sent out. After the two nights I mentioned I managed to manufacture an oil lamp out of a cigarette tin, pencil case and a rifle rag (the 4 by 2 variety Jack will know about). This last spell in the trenches (different ones this time) has been the worst. There  has been no rain but the thaw has produced a sea of mud. Of course we wore trench waders and it was just as well as the mud in places was halfway up the thigh. It was just like the café au lait you sent me and where very deep and thick it was very difficult to get along. Several men got stuck altogether and had to be hauled out. Several waders were lost altogether and I know of one man who came back from a patrol with one foot absolutely bare - sock as well gone! It has its funny side but really is no joke. There are pits and deep places under the mud and water and one has to be very careful, especially at night. Where we are now the Germans are very annoying with their machine guns and snipers both by day and night but they haven't score off us by these means. We are lucky to have found out the places they snipe. There are places of course where one can be seen in passing, and snipers watch these places for a head and then poop off. You soon find out the dangerous spots by hearing the whirr of a bullet whenever you get near it, after that you make a mental note of the spot. The Germans also have a nasty habit of sweeping up the front line with machine guns at odd times during the day and night. Last time we were up we did not experience quite so much shelling as before at the other place. I cannot of course tell you where that was but the Germans have had to clear out by all accounts. The news today is good isn't it? - of course the papers we get contain news a couple of days or so old. I am terribly out of touch with the news of the world at large as I never could interest myself in an old newspaper. I just read the war news. I only see a paper about twice a week. FB? Is going to send me out the Saturday ??? so I shall be alright in future for reading matter.

  
  

  Friday

  I commenced this yesterday but could not finish it. There are a hundred and one things to do in rest billet and it is surprising how little time one gets to oneself. I must write home today so please forgive this brief letter and you will of course see my letter home. I was not comfortable enough to write letters when up in the trenches so a card or two had to suffice. Letter writing I find has to be left mostly until we get into billets. We spent exactly half of last month in the trenches. Will write again as soon as I get level with other letters. 

  
  

  Much love to you both. Hope you are well and getting on A1 at Bowes Park.

  
  

  Yours affectionately

  
  

  George

  
  

  I am feeling absolutely fit after this bit of rest

  
  

  • Revert to this revision
• May 22, 2018 20:08:28 Thomas A. Lingner

  Thursday

  1st March 1917

  My dear Elsie and Jack

  
  

  Very many thanks for the parcel and its varied and welcome contents. It was delivered to me in my dugout up in the trenches not many hours before we were due to come out for rest. The load we carry is just about as much as we can manage and I could not have carried that splendid parcel, so after extracting one or two things I did it up and returned it to the postman. I am now in rest billets and if anything is left of the parcel it will travel up in my pack next time. The candle is the admiration of all and is reserved for my next dugout. When I tell you I had to spend two nights without means of a light - and in the front lines too - you will understand how delighted I was to receive this giant. Please give me the particulars as to where this sort of candle can be purchased and the price as many fellows want to get similar ones sent out. After the two nights I mentioned I managed to manufacture an oil lamp out of a cigarette tin, pencil case and a rifle rag (the 4 by 2 variety Jack will know about). This last spell in the trenches (different ones this time) has been the worst. There  has been no rain but the thaw has produced a sea of mud. Of course we wore trench waders and it was just as well as the mud in places was halfway up the thigh. It was just like the café au lait you sent me and where very deep and thick it was very difficult to get along. Several men got stuck altogether and had to be hauled out. Several waders were lost altogether and I know of one man who came back from a patrol with one foot absolutely bare - sock as well gone! It has its funny side but really is no joke. There are pits and deep places under the mud and water and one has to be very careful, especially at night. Where we are now the Germans are very annoying with their machine guns and snipers both by day and night but they haven't score off us by these means. We are lucky to have found out the places they snipe. There are places of course where one can be seen in passing, and snipers watch these places for a head and then poop off. You soon find out the dangerous spots by hearing the whirr of a bullet whenever you get near it, after that you make a mental note of the spot. The Germans also have a nasty habit of sweeping up the front line with machine guns at odd times during the day and night. Last time we were up we did not experience quite so much shelling as before at the other place. I cannot of course tell you where that was but the Germans have had to clear out by all accounts. The news today is good isn't it? - of course the papers we get contain news a couple of days or so old. I am terribly out of touch with the news of the world at large as I never could interest myself in an old newspaper. I just read the war news. I only see a paper about twice a week. FB? Is going to send me out the Saturday ??? so I shall be alright in future for reading matter.

  
  

  
  

  
  

  • Revert to this revision
  • Show revision
  • Compare to current version
  • Compare to previous version
• May 22, 2018 20:02:32 Thomas A. Lingner

  Thursday

  1st March 1917

  My dear Elsie and Jack

  
  

  Very many thanks for the parcel and its varied and welcome contents. It was delivered to me in my dugout up in the trenches not many hours before we were due to come out for rest. The load we carry is just about as much as we can manage and I could not have carried that splendid parcel, so after extracting one or two things I did it up and returned it to the postman. I am now in rest billets and if anything is left of the parcel it will travel up in my pack next time. The candle is the admiration of all and is reserved for my next dugout. When I tell you I had to spend two nights without means of a light - and in the front lines too - you will understand how delighted I was to receive this giant. Please give me the particulars as to where this sort of candle can be purchased and the price as many fellows want to get similar ones sent out. After the two nights I mentioned I managed to manufacture an oil lamp out of a cigarette tin, pencil case and a rifle rag (the 4 by 2 variety Jack will know about). This last spell in the trenches (different ones this time) has been the worst. There  has been no rain but the thaw has produced a sea of mud. Of course we wore trench waders and it was just as well as the mud in places was halfway up the thigh. 

  
  

  • Revert to this revision
  • Show revision
  • Compare to current version
  • Compare to previous version
• May 22, 2018 20:00:09 Thomas A. Lingner

  Thursday

  1st March 1917

  My dear Elsie and Jack

  
  

  Very many thanks for the parcel and its varied and welcome contents. It was delivered to me in my dugout up in the trenches not many hours before we were due to come out for rest. The load we carry is just about as much as we can manage and I could not have carried that splendid parcel, so after extracting one or two things I did it up and returned it to the postman. I am now in rest billets and if anything is left of the parcel it will travel up in my pack next time. The candle is the admiration of all and is reserved for my next dugout. 

  
  

  • Revert to this revision
  • Show revision
  • Compare to current version
  • Compare to previous version

Description