Page:FM Bailey letters from LA Bethell.pdf/2

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My dear Bailey:

I saw today, for the first time that you had been awarded the MacGregor medal: I fear the news is ancient history – but I would add my belated congratulations.

Your mother told my wife you had escaped the recall to India and were training cavalry men in Dublin: I hope you may all get out here soon, and that there may be work for cavalry – instead of this interminable trench warfare. I joined this lot early in November last – and we have been at it all the time – total losses to date 22 officers and 350 men, including wounded and sick. Reinforcements are the difficulty, and we have been drawing on Assam and Burma 7th P. Battalions for the last two drafts. There don’t seem to be enough troops for a real push through – and everybody looks toward K’s new army, of which, I suppose, you are a part.

These, arrived recently, are also Nicolay and Dallas Smith, whom you probably remember on the Dibang. I like them both. They are workmen. Dundas’ brother in the 6th Jats, got pipped through the deltoid in December – nobody thought it was

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going to be anything – but it has since incapacitated his arm through damaging a nerve: I saw a good deal of him at one time and he did very well – mentioned in dispatches etc. He is very like his brother to look at and to deal with.

We are out of the trenches for the moment – but go in again the day after tomorrow. Nowadays, the water is too deep in the original deep sunk trenches for anyone to occupy them – so we occupy built-up parapets above ground level: they are conspicuous, but dry – for which one is thankful. The men stand the cold and wet and exposure very well indeed – better than the plains folk – though the latter, too, are unexpectedly good at it. The French have sent their colonial troops to Africa for the winter – where they are apparently doing nothing. The French infantry isn’t up to much – but their guns, field guns, are remarkable. I know nothing of their cavalry. One never sees it.

Write to this address and tell me all your news: also when you expect to get out – I hope we meet.


 * Yours sincerely.
 * Leonard Bethell

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Envelope addressed to. Captain F.M.Bailey, I.A.