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Description: Letter from Pat Armstrong to Mrs Armstrong
Date: 21 February 1915
Source: Armstrong Collection
Identifier: P6/1210 (36)
Feb 21. Hd Qrs I Cav Div.
My dear wee Mus.
We have had rather an amusing day to-day. It was a glorious sunny day just like spring. The General & I left here about 10 o’c & went up to Church with the 1st Bde. We saw Tommy Pitman who was awfully pleased at getting his C.B. We then went on into Bailleul & saw Gen Poultney who commands the 3rd Corps. The Gen talked to him for some time. I had a long talk to Pembroke his A.D.C. They had no news. They have got Saxons in front of them (IV & VI Div) who are very peaceful & never attack or make themselves unpleasant. We then went over to the II Corps to see Gen Fergusson , who was out but they hadn’t much news except that they are sending the 9th, 13th & 15th Inf Bde to take over the line now held by the 28th Div. Everybody is very fed up with them & they say that their staff work is absolutely rotten. We then went on to Steenwerck to try & see Col Shay who was the General’s Bde Major in Africa but he was out. Then we went on & had lunch with Gen Capper. We had quite a cheery lunch & left about 3 o’c & went on to Estaires to the Hd Qrs of the VIII Div. The Gen went & had a long talk to Gen Davis. I saw Hugo for a few minutes. He was looking awfully well & asked for you. It is splendid he & Archie both getting Brevets. He had to go away soon after we arrived so I didn’t see much of him.
Gen Davis took us round the wash house which really is an awfully well run show. They have got a big spinning furlong & when the men come into reserve they go there & have baths. They have got about six great big tubs that hold about 10 or 12 men. The men go in & tie up their clothes with their identity discs & their under clothes are thrown in a pile. While the men are having their bath their clothes are taken away & Keating’s powder is put in all the seams & the clothes are all ironed to kill the bugs. Their under clothes are taken away & disinfected & washed then the men get new ones. Of course they have all been worn before by somebody else but they look beautifully clean & fresh. The dirty clothes are then washed & got ready for somebody else. They have got about 120 women there washing cleaning & mending clothes. It really is an awfully well run show & all seems to go so well.
On the way back we called on Gen Rawley & then went on to Cav Corps. I saw Grace, he was looking very fit but doesn’t like having had to leave the old 2nd Bde. He has been made a Brevet Major & is doing G.S.O II at Corps. Of course it is a good job but it’s not so cheery as the 2nd Bde. Paget in the 11th Hussars has gone from Corps to be Bde Major of the 2nd Bde & Cecil Howard has taken his place at Corps as G.S.O. 3. Great alterations! Fairy has gone from the 2nd Bde to be Signal Officer of the III Cav Div & Denis Bingham in the 15th Hussars has taken his place. So the little family party has been rather broke up.
Rattle & Geoff are the only two left now. Both very worthy but neither of them great staff officers. We heard at Corps that the 16th Lancers have had rather a rotten day. The Germans mined 50 yards of a trench & blew it up at 6 o’c this morning. They had four officers killed one missing & one wounded & 50 men killed & wounded. Nash, Beech, Cross & somebody else killed. Campbell wounded Evans wounded or missing or both they didn’t seem to know. Dreadful isn’t it. Poor little Jim Beech I’m awfully sorry about him. It’s dreadful about them all but I suppose if there is a war there must be casualties “c’est la guerre” as they say. They have had to make new trenches 40 yards behind the blown up ones.
We heard this morning that two German submarines believed to be U19 & 21 were caught in nets somewhere near Dover. What truth there is in it I don’t know. It won’t appear in the papers in any case as I believe that the admiralty are keeping those things pretty quiet. I believe they have put away several submarines lately & haven’t said anything about it. When the Germans find that they don’t come back they will get tired of sending them out. I hear that the boats are running again alright. Gamble the vet on Hd Qrs came over last night & said that the old boat went along at a great bat. It would be horrible if they stopped as it would mean no letters or papers or anything. And one’s letters these times are the only interest of the day. I always look forward to getting my mail.
The Gen, Home, Fitz & Hardress go up to Ypres on Tuesday. Mouse & Bob Leny [?] go to Poperinghe. Percy & Wilfred stay here & Percy goes up every day from here in his car. I stay here till next Saturday & then go up & Hardress comes back. We each do 5 days there. The 1st Bde go in on Tuesday for 5 days & then the II Bde. I think I told you that my cap arrived quite safely about 4 days ago. You can’t have got my letter by the 10th. I’m sorry that you didn’t know Mrs Howard. But she knows you & you may run across her again sometime. Who is Major B whose wife has a hat shop? I can’t make it out.
Markey sounds rather a rotter the way he goes on at Hythe. These lads just joined & don’t seem to realise the seriousness of this show & are inclined to look at it as a jolly. He may find it d—d useful to him one day to know how to handle a maxim. And if he doesn’t learn now it’s so much good time wasted. Ginger him up & don’t let him make a mess of things. If he is sick let him go sick but not be sick one day & dancing the next. If he’s able to dance he ought to be able to do a maxim course. Say that to him but on your own not from me.
I’m looking forward to hearing what Lady Ierne says to Ione. I like her awfully & am sure she will be nice, but I don’t like him at all. I don’t think he can be a nice man. Hardress doesn’t think much of him. I got him talking about him one day. It is 11.30 so I’ll turn in & I have no more news. Best love dear wee Mus.
Your loving Pat.
P.S. What about repairs to the house. Roof etc if tiles come off. Make the old man do that if possible.