Envelope dated 3rd June 1918

                    To          Lt G.F. Odell,

                                                No. 5   T. C. C.

‘L’  Signals

B.E.F.

 

 

Dear George,                                                                                                     3.6.18

                             Many thanks for letter & book, latter being only two – thirds finished, I carried it in my pocket all through this last do, reading bits when taking turn on the telephone at night, until I finished it the other day.

                             When your letter was written we were having a quiet time. You will have gathered from the paper that since then we have been busy. On Monday last having sent out two men on a line at 2.00 a.m. & heard nothing more of them. I went out myself at 4.30 & worked till 9 trying to mend breaks as fast as the Boche made them. One thing fell two yards off, but only the fuse went off, which was as well. Returning at 9, I found some lorries just finishing packing in the village, & at the Chateau the last of the Signal office staff about to decamp abandoning the xxxxxx. The two men ran in to say they had been driven off the lorry by the Boche, when shots we could hear. So with the Boche having 200 yds start we did a cross-country run to the nearest bridge. He shot too high with his M.G’s so we got clear, & have done a little signalling since. Now we’re out awaiting events, as neither lorry got away, we were completely destitute of kit, & I had to write Ada urgently for a number of things. Fortunately my thin underclothing arrived after the show, & I’ve been able to buy a few things, so all will soon be normal again.

                             Who is Major Brown; is that your O.C ? When did he get a crown? Do you in turn & in consequence get a third pip? Anyway please thank him for his congratulations, though the chit on the paper was mostly off the mark. We had a sight more than 3,000 yds of cable to maintain, but  it wasn’t very close behind the front line, being wholly in rear of bn .H.Q. And I didn’t do much towards maintaining it, as it was mostly the other fellows.

                             Jolly pretty country here, & splendid weather, but am most horrendously sleepy. Maybe it was going short for two or three nights, or maybe something to do with the gas of which there was plenty. You can’t mend lines in a lon respirator very well.

                                                Yours affectionately

                                                          Bert