July 12th, 1915.

All is so quiet here that there is no news at all. We have a little excitement occasionally but sleep and write letters all day as a rule. We are just going to have lunch and after that I have to go to the waggon line for a muster parade for the pay master. So I decided to begin this note now in case the mail should go before I have it ready It has been windy and cool here for almost a week and does'nt seem like July at all. It is almost football weather.

Next Day.

I did'nt get back in time for the mail yesterday so I'm finishing this today. The Major arrived back early this morning and after having a turn at the F.O.O., I'm going back with my old nags again. The Bosches are shelling the village about 200 yards away. We hear the "through freights" coming a long way off and the spent splinters drop around in the road and through the trees. I believe we are going to have some excitement one of these days. Here comes an ambulance down the road. I guess some of the poor natives must have got hit. They generally kill a few women and children every day. Here they come up the road now to wait until the shelling is over.

We just had a few shots at their trenches and hit the parapet with one shot. It I a very dull sort of light today and I expect the german planes will be around soon as they like to get up against the diffused light of the sun where they cant be seen. Ell has gone for a walk to get some engineer's stores and Mac for a ride. I will be glad to get some more riding again. This sedentary life is very wearisome.

I went for a walk last night. It was a glorious night, cool, lots of stars and the occasional rattle of the old machine gun in the distance. Mac and I sat up talking about the war in general and the German people. We decided that the people themselves are largely to blame for having allowed themselves to be governed in such a way that they have become slaves.

Then I went to bed and Ell gave me his views. He looks at it as an act of Providence to put the British people "through the fire" and bring them out as the chosen race of civilization. The Germans, he contends have had their hearts hardened so that the Anglo Saxon may be the better tested. I rather agree with him but at the same time I think that the States as the other great English speaking race, will still have to go through the fire before they can share the peace and prosperity of the new civilization. However, this is only a theory and wont help much just now.

You asked about poor old Bob. I was'nt on him when he was killed. He and "Captain" were both standing with their heads to a hedge and a shell burst on the other side of the hedge and killed Bob. I was over at the guns talking to the Major at the time and Boswell met me walking back. Both horses had been wounded the day before so I was walking as it was only about 400 yards.