Sunday 15th November 1914

J.B. Priestley again wrote to his family. He assured them that he was himself feeling rather better after his recent bout of illness (see 11^th November). However, he remained contemptuous of the doctor he had seen, referring to him as “an ass”, who prescribed only “medicine and duty” and referred to the death of one recruit who had died just hours are having seen the doctor and being sent back to duty.

He also relayed information which he had received from ‘a reliable source’ that the Battalion would move on Wednesday (18th November) to Oudenarde Barracks at Aldershot. He reiterated his belief that he would be home on leave before the end of the year; “I feel sure we shall get leave at Christmas or New Year, and I shall come home, of course”.