The simple statement in the War Diary, “Weather bad. Trenches fall in almost as fast as they can be rebuilt. Both sides very quiet” surely understates the difficulties which must have been confronting the men trying to eke out an existence in most difficult and miserable conditions. This was made clear by Pte. William Knox (see 1st November) who again wrote to his wife, Ethel. (I am most grateful to Rachael Broadhead and family for allowing me access to William’s letters).
“… Well Dearest Love we have got a Devil of a hole this time. We are in the firing line again. We came in on Wednesday afternoon and we had to walk through mud over knee deep. I can tell you I am about fed up with it. I have never had my boots or clothes off since Friday and we are soaking wet through. Been in ever since last Monday and the trenches where we are now are in an awful state. It is that thick with mud if you stand still for a minute or two it takes you all your time to move. We are plastered up to our eyes in it and it is so very cold of a night we are perished to death. I have never had a chance to get a sleep since last Monday night and I am walking about in my sleep I am that tired. I have heard that we are staying here until Monday night. I hope to God we don’t as I shall not be able to stick it much longer. I expect half of us will be down with pneumonia. We have no dugouts to sleep in as they are all fallen in and our parapets are in an awful condition. We cannot stand up straight in them and it is rotten. We are only 150 yards from their trenches and they shell us often every day. We have had some casualties this time. 10 killed and 32 wounded (it is not known where Pte. Knox had heard these figures but they over state the confirmed Battalion casualties, which, on this turn in the line, would amount to four killed and two others wounded) but thank God I have come through alright as yet. I had to go out in between the two firing lines to cut their barbed wire entanglements and we had been out about two hours when they spotted us and by God I have never experienced anything like it before. But we had to go out again this morning and it was right foggy and we got a damn good haul. We caught sight of a working party of Germans, about 30 altogether, and we got right round them before they seen us. So we had our first experience of a bayonet charge and I shall never forget as long as ever I live. I think I must have gone mad while we were at them. We killed the damn lot of them and talk about scream. Poor Devils but we never gave them any chance. … You say that you were mad because I did not let you know about me having those pains in my stomach. I did not tell you because I wanted to see if they got any worse. I was very bad for three days. It was a case of whether I went into hospital or not but I soon got better again so there is no need for you to be mad about it as you said (as if I believed it). … Tell Kiddie it is not a V.C. I want, it is my ticket. You know what I mean. We are starting on a seven days leave next month but of course it may be three months or more before it comes my turn. They are sending two per Company the first week, then two per Company every day. So you see there will be two coming back and two coming home. We will have a jolly good time of it when I do come home. They have provided us with a good Mackintosh cape like that one you have got. …”
Cpl. Norman Roberts (see 2nd November) also wrote to his family;
The Germans have our parapet well marked with guns and
rifles, which were apparently set during the day. It is most dangerous to put
one’s head above the top. I gave them about one hundred to two hundred rounds
to commemorate the fifth. The part of the line we were in has a decided curve,
and we were often troubled – and I expect they were – by shots coming in on our
flank. It just sounds, when bullets are going over, like a big whip is being
used close to your ear. Whizz-bangs and coal-boxes have also been our portion.
Hundreds of graves are all about us, men having been buried just where they
have fallen. Most pathetic are those graves with a crude cross bearing the
words, ‘An English soldier, unknown, killed in action, etc, R.I.P’.
It is awfully cold and dismal at nights. I would refer you
to Rudyard Kipling for a description of the dawn and the close of the day, when
soldiers stand to arms, to give you a truer idea of something no one but a good
poet can describe”.
The weekly edition of the Craven Herald carried news of the continuing efforts to raise funds
to supply ‘comforts’ for Tunstill’s Company and included also an
acknowledgement from Tunstill himself.
COMFORTS ACKNOWLEDGED
Mrs. H.G. Tunstill, of Otterburn, Bell Busk, acknowledges,
with most grateful thanks, the kindly donations to the “comforts fund” for the
‘A’ Company 10th Battalion West Riding Regiment, as follows: Already
acknowledged, £65 10s.; Mr. R. Mitchell (Gisburn), £1; Mrs. Wilson (Grasmere),
10s.; The Mayor of Keighley (Mr. W. Brigg), £1; Mr. H.G. Tunstill (monthly),
£2; proceeds of concert at Hanlith Hall, £41 10s (see 16th October).
Captain Tunstill writes: “The men are so pleased with the
nice things which have just arrived, and wish to thank very much all those who
have so very kindly sent them. They can do with any amount of warm things, as
it is very cold now, especially at night”.
The following “comforts” have been
sent to him for distribution this month: 50 shirts, 50 pairs socks from Settle;
18 pairs socks, 6 mufflers from Slaidburn and District; 4 pairs socks, 1 muffler,
1 pair mittens, stationery, pencils, bootlaces, boric ointment from “a friend
of the soldiers”; 4 shirts, 4 mufflers, 6 pairs socks from Mrs. Tunstill
(Aysgarth); 226 woollen vests, 60 pairs mittens, 2,500 cigarettes and 20 lbs.
Peppermints, “Victory gums”, and other sweets from the “Comforts Fund”.
Pte. Willie Waggitt
(see 18th August), who had
been wounded on 8th August and had been treated in hospital in
England, underwent an operation to amputate one of the fingers of his left
hand. However, soon after he wrote in cheerful terms to his family, “"I
got your parcel all right. It has been on the way a few days. This is the
second hospital I have been in since I left Woodford on October 30th
but everything was quite good. Thanks very much for your kindness. I am getting
on all right and expect to be home for a few days before long." He would
join Tunstill’s Company early in 1916.
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| Pte. Willie Waggitt |
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