Read full letter here. Full transcription below.
Dec 18
My dear wee Mus,
This ought to reach you on Xmas day to wish you all a very happy Xmas & New Year. How I wish I was going to be home but I’m afraid that there is very little chance of it. We are on duty again to-day. I motored forward with the General this morning. Hardress & Mouse came on with the horses. It is about 14 miles so it’s some way to come. I shall ride back to night for exercise. It is awfully hard to get enough exercise, we are always running about in motor cars. We have made our day head Qrs in a little inn. Close to the house we were in the other day but it’s a much nicer little place. We have just had an excellent lunch. It is rather monotonous sitting about like this. I wish we could get forward but I’m afraid there is no chance at present. The country is so fearfully deep that our infantry have great difficulty to advance. Then the Germans have most elaborate wire entanglements up in front of their trenches. In one part of the line they have first an entanglement 2 ft high & 20 ft broad, then a deep ditch then a single entanglement 6 ft high. Well that little lot takes a bit of getting through. Particularly when you are being shot at at a range of 100 yds.
We went into Corps head Qrs this morning but they had no news at all. We are hoping to hear that those soldiers who shelled Scarborough have been rounded up but there is no news of it at present. I wonder if they will catch the Dresden. I hope they do. They seem to have been making a great set at England lately I suppose they want to avenge themselves for the blowing up of that Turkish ship. We don’t seem to get much news of Russia, but they seem to realise what the Austrians are doing in the Carpathians. If they get any success then I’d be afraid that the Russians may have to draw back their line a bit so as to get onto more favourable ground. It will be an awful pity if they have to do that, as it will delay things. I hope you have sent Basil & Pokes the cushions as I told them that you were sending them. The air cushion would do splendidly for Brock. No news of my clothes yet. I am going to write & ginger up the forwarding officer. The weather isn’t really cold yet so it doesn’t matter much but I’d like to have them in case we move. I’ll send you back my old British Warm as soon as my new one arrives.
What a pity about my photos. I hope this last lot will come out. If not I’ll send back the camera & get you to change it as it is most awfully disappointing having failures like this. I took a lot of trouble to get some of those photos & now none of them have come out. I have just written a line to the Duchess to wish her a happy Xmas. I won’t write to B as she hasn’t written to me since Nov 9. I have written to her several times & she hasn’t answered any of them. I will write & remonstrate if I don’t hear soon. I only wrote you a letter card yesterday. There was no news & I was in rather late. I wrote a letter to Mary & one to Angela the day before. Safety in numbers!! Poor Angela she sent me a pair of mittens & I hadn’t written & thanked her for them. I want to write to them all at Lenaghan if I have time. I am going to suggest to the Boss that he should look out for a good 4 year old for me. Then he could be coming on for me when we get done this show. Horses will be awfully dear. The demand will be far greater than the supply & the prices will be awfully high. I’d like to get hold of a nice young horse that might win a point to point. What do you think of the idea.
It is horribly cold to-day & blowing like mad. It is trying hard to rain. Percy Hambro told me yesterday, that when I wrote to “Pat’s mother” again to wish her a very happy Xmas for him. Nice of him wasn’t it. Mouse & Hardress have just gone off home with the horses so I’ll have to motor back. I’ll get out & walk a bit up the way which will give me some exercise. Is there any news of Harry going out yet? Make him transfer into the Cavalry. I am afraid there is no chance of leave at Xmas. I do wish they would let us go. If things go on quelling we might get some more leave. Glorious it would be if I could. It is really hopeless to do anything in the way of fighting this weather. Best love to you all dear wee Mus. All my very best wishes to you all for Xmas & New Year.
Your loving Pat.
6 o’c. I got two grand long letters from you to-night when I got back. I have just changed and am going to try & write a few more letters for Xmas. I wrote to the Duchess & the Boss this afternoon. I am so glad you are better. Do take care of yourself. This is such horrible weather. I sent you some circulars of the pt to pt, which I hope you got alright. It would be great fun if it comes off but I’m afraid it won’t, the whole country is like a bog. Best love dear wee Mus. All my very best wishes to you all for Xmas & New Year.
Your loving Pat.
Description: Letter from Pat Armstrong to Mrs Armstrong.
Date: 18 December 1914
Source: Armstrong Collection
Identifier: P6/1209 (54)