Letters From the Front

Dated: March 12, 1915

No. 2 Field Ambulance, Mar. 12, 1915

My Dear Mother and Father and Winnifred,

Your letters February 22nd, 3and 27, came duly to hand and will answer all in one. I have just bought three sheets of paper and two envelopes from an old couple across the street. Paid four cents for them. I am writing this in an ambulance on which I travel. They are motor driven and run quite smoothly. Enclosed are some letters which I received from different persons. Note the one I received from a Miss Marsh whom I never saw or heard of in England. She evidently belongs to some society organized for the purpose of writing to soldier’s at the front. She asks to know what things I need etc. She says they just take the soldier’s number and each lady has so many soldiers to correspond with. I have answered her letter to thank her for the interest she has taken in our behalf and asked her kindly to send me some chewing gum which I hope to receive in due time.

            So cousin Dr. Harrie is in Servia. I wouldn’t mind if I were with him. His work there will be appreciated and I am sure I could greatly assist him in relieving this distressed people. I cannot tell you where I am or write about the war in detail , this precaution is taken so as to prevent the Germans getting useful information. I can talk as much as I like about the weather, the grub and our apartments.  The weather has been quite chilly and very foggy. The grub is not bad and we usually get one good square meal a day. My quarters are in a brewery and I have not any Ostermoor mattress to sleep on. Yet all is well and things going fine.

            We have had good success this week. Our guns have done tremendous execution among the Germans. The village in which we are located is all battered to pieces, the enemy having passed through in retreat. The artillery roaring day and night shakes the windows in the houses. The heavy guns roaring this morning at 5 o’clock woke me up and I couldn’t sleep any more. One can hear the shells whizzing through the air and see  the flashes of the same at night. There are graves and trenches near by and crosses are erected over them. The British must have given the enemy a bad pounding in retreat. I receive 20 cents extra a day in allowance. I suppose you get the news through the papers. Remember me to all the friends at home. With much love and kisses,

                                                                                                                        Clare

P.S. Yes I enjoyed seeing those historic places immensely.