Cocks letter diary, 1916-1919 / Verner Cocks - Page 290
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[Page 290]
They did 24 hours in & 24 hours out & were hampered by much shelling & Fritz planes which used to fly low & fire on the bearers (who were forced to move about amongst working parties & other troops) & drop bombs. We are out of it now & never want to go back to that spot again. Old hands declare that "the Somme" was a picnic to this - it would be hard to imagine anything worse. Left the war yesterday - you should have seen the troops marching out - muddy - some with no putties - ragged - some with rifles some without - others only half equipped & we were the same. We boarded a train & Fritz shelled the station as we pulled out.
Four more days & we got to Paris for ten - how does that hit you? Will probably not write again until our leave is over so tell everyone letters are off for a long time. Remember me to everyone - How is Bill's farm yard.
While up in the trenches we couldn't get a bath & all got "chatty" - quite a common condition in military life. The only way to keep them under is by a series of regular "chat" hunts - once daily. It is quite a common sight to see chaps sitting down studying the seams of their shirts. "How are you getting on" says one "twenty seven" says the other - the record is 59 in one hunt. Another method suggested is to turn your shirt inside out. Long route marches & no rations will kill anything.
Good bye for the present - will write to Dad next. Jack sends kind regards to all.
Love from your loving Brother
Verner
PS. We are billetedd in a barn & are pretty warm in the straw.
Rec'd another parcel dated 19/7/17 cont'g sundries.
4.