Source 1a
My dear Field Marshal,
I find here a feeling of
relief that the great battle of YPRES is
now nearly over. The Germans are still
attacking in places but the sting is out
of their attacks and though we have
lost ground at many fronts since I
left a week ago the general line has
been maintained. But we have had
huge losses. When the figures are added
up the losses will not be far short of
3000 men in the last fortnight. Sir John
is cheery and confident but he has had
a very hard time and the responsibility and
worry has left its mark on him. He will
try to fine my corps a weeks rest to
get the 8 Div in order and to allow
reinforcements to come up for the 7 Div
which is reduced to under 3000 inf[antr]y. I
hear the I Div is almost as bad.
Source 1b
During the past few days
the German attacks have quieted down
and certain of these corps have been
withdrawn from the firing line either
to rest or to be transferred elsewhere.
Since I have taken my place in the
line between the III Corps and the
Indian Corps we have had no severe
fighting which I am glad of for it
will enable the VIII Div to find its
feet before getting into the thick of it.
So far they have stood the work very
well and notwithstanding the cold
and wet have had no undue proportion
of sick but being green at the art of
holding and making trenches they have
suffered more casualties from snipers
than they should have done. As you
may imagine some of the trenches are
in a terrible plight. There is liquid
mud in them well over the mens ankles
whilst the ground all round is a quagmire
and the country about here being very
low and flat there is no means of
draining them.
Source 1c I have 3 Batt[alio]n of Terries now and they
have been doing good work digging trenches
but I am putting them into the trenches
gradually, a company at a time so as
to accustom them by degrees to the
enemys bullets. The new howitzer
which we call "Mother" has been
doing capital work and has already
accounted for at least half a dozen of
the enemys guns. We shall be glad
when more of them arrive. We also
want the trench howitzer [handy?] as in
places where the opposing forces are only
some 30 to 50 yards apart we have
nothing to compete with the German
trench howitzer which throws bombs
containing very heavy charges of high
explosive and they do serious damage
to our trenches. We are trying mining
but not with very much success up to
date for our inf[antr]y are children at the game.
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