Orders were received for the Battalion to proceed next day
to Estaires where they were to join 20th Division reserve. Cpl. Norman Roberts (see10th November) wrote to his family with news of his progress,
“We have left the firing line and I am writing this in a dug-out in the reserve
trenches. … I met Jack Lister (the barber’s son in Middletown) the other day.
He was driving a motor ambulance and is attached to the 20th
Division, with which we have been this time in the trenches. We shall be
pleased when we get back to our own division. Our clothes are two or three
inches thick with mud. I expect we shall have to appear immaculate on parade in
the rest billets. The duties in these rest billets include route marching,
bayonet fighting and so on, but I am thankful to say we get a sleep at nights
if we are not on guard. Healthy ain’t it!
Please give my kindest regards to all at Farey’s (another
shell has just burst, I can smell the powder even). They have had us properly
marked … We are stopping here for a day or two to do some work. Then we go on
again. I expect we shall eventually get back to the original part of the line
where we went in the first time.”
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