The Battalion remained in training.
2nd Northants reported that in their sector of the front line (shortly to be occupied by 10DWR), “Trenches again in a very bad state, falling down and much water lying about which is virtually impossible to drain”. This damage to the trenches would require working parties to help rebuild the defences, as referred to in the continuation of the letter written by Pte. William Knox (see 1st December) to his wife, Ethel, (I am most grateful to Rachael Broadhead and family for allowing me access to William’s letters).
“I will now try and finish this letter. (2nd December) It is raining heavens hard again today so we are not doing anything today. … You would laugh if you could see us now. We are at the rest camp. We are doing recruits drill again. It is as bad as when I first listed. We go for route marches and have Swedish drill and we can show this lot how to do our work too. We are far ahead of them … We are nearly all in billets. The chaps that come from Bradford or Huddersfield or Halifax are having parcels sent them this Christmas, but us from Sheffield never have anything sent from anybody. I don’t think the public cares a damn for the lads from the city who are risking their lives every hour.
The Sergeant has come round to warn us to go to the trenches tonight to build the parapets up as they have all fallen in with the rain. It will be a very dangerous job especially if it is very light. That is if the Germans let us have a few of their machine guns on us but I shall keep pretty low down”.
2nd Northants reported that in their sector of the front line (shortly to be occupied by 10DWR), “Trenches again in a very bad state, falling down and much water lying about which is virtually impossible to drain”. This damage to the trenches would require working parties to help rebuild the defences, as referred to in the continuation of the letter written by Pte. William Knox (see 1st December) to his wife, Ethel, (I am most grateful to Rachael Broadhead and family for allowing me access to William’s letters).
“I will now try and finish this letter. (2nd December) It is raining heavens hard again today so we are not doing anything today. … You would laugh if you could see us now. We are at the rest camp. We are doing recruits drill again. It is as bad as when I first listed. We go for route marches and have Swedish drill and we can show this lot how to do our work too. We are far ahead of them … We are nearly all in billets. The chaps that come from Bradford or Huddersfield or Halifax are having parcels sent them this Christmas, but us from Sheffield never have anything sent from anybody. I don’t think the public cares a damn for the lads from the city who are risking their lives every hour.
The Sergeant has come round to warn us to go to the trenches tonight to build the parapets up as they have all fallen in with the rain. It will be a very dangerous job especially if it is very light. That is if the Germans let us have a few of their machine guns on us but I shall keep pretty low down”.
No comments:
Post a Comment