Saturday 23rd October 1915

Billets at Estaires

The weather remained fair and the Battalion again provided large working parties in support of the Royal Engineers.

J.B. Priestley described his billet in a letter home, “At the present time we are billeted in a fair-sized town, three companies of us in an old and very rickety flour mill. In order to get to the spot where I sleep, I have to go up three flights of rickety stairs, dodge under a quantity of beams and I’m ‘home’. This place is full of all sorts of troops including large numbers of Gurkhas, Sikhs and other Indian troops.”

Pte. William Knox (see 20^th October) also referred to the billets in a letter to his wife, Ethel. (I am most grateful to Rachael Broadhead and family for allowing me access to William’s letters). “… We are out of the trenches. As yet we do not know when we go in again. We have moved to another place. We are billeted in a great big flour mill. It is a very big town. I have given Jim McMath (Pte. James McMath, see 20^th October) his cigarettes and he thanks you very much for them. He said he thought someone would take pity on him and send him something and he wishes to be remembered to you. … it is rotten walking where we are now. The streets are in an awful state, so very greasy you take one step forward and slip back two …”.

The Halifax Courier published a report on a letter written by L.Cpl. Herbert Bowker (see 10^th September); “In a letter home (Bowker) says that his impression of war after a lengthy experience at the front, part of which has been gained in the thick of battle, is that it is a terrible thing, though he has no occasion to grumble, as they could not be more comfortable under the circumstances that prevail; in fact it is splendid the way they are looked after. Then there is plenty of adventure, a love for which flows in the blood of every Englishman, and is especially a characteristic of the men in khaki”.

Pte. William Hissett (see 23^rd September) was admitted via 2^nd Canadian Casualty Clearing Station to 26^th General Hospital at Etaples, suffering from an infection to his middle ear.

Sgt. Arthur Manks (see 18^th October), who had been wounded five days previously was evacuated to England; on arrival he would be admitted to hospital in Boscombe, Hants.