Ww1 Narrative Letter
It is about 6 o’ clock in the morning, and we are in the rest trenches due to continuous firing from a rifle gun and a machine gun. It’s been going on for approximately four hours. There is a short silence and another splutter of about 20 rounds. I turn to my side while sitting in the trench and in doing so, I dislodge some dirt from the side of the trench which of course falls into my ear and mouth. I am going to take a nap, but, I will be fully dressed because the situation I am in demands for it.
I wake up to gun fire. Then I go to examine my rifle and see if my ammunition is okay. I think about being in charge of my platoon. I look up my orderly roster and find out who are the orderlies for the day. I should have done this last night, only the excitement of writing to you, my one and only, distracted me and continues on today. Honey you don’t have to be worried because I am being fairly well fed. This is a days ration for a British soldier,” 20 ounces of bread or 16 ounces of flour or 4 ounces of oatmeal instead of bread, 3 ounces of cheese, 5/8 ounces of tea, 4 ounces of jam or 4 ounces of dried fruit ,½ ounce of salt, 1/36 ounce of pepper, 1/20 ounce of mustard, 8 ounces of fresh vegetables or 1/10 gill lime if vegetables not issued, ½ gail of rum or 1 pint of porter , 20 ounces of tobacco, 1/3 ounces of chocolate - optional, 4 ounces of butter/margarine and 2 ounces of dried vegetables”. There is meat available for both the German and American soldiers in the trenches, but only when a lull in the battle allows it to be delivered from the field kitchens. Today we are having a day in bed. We were within 150 yards of the American trenches, and both sides were firing day and night, so you can tell we had a lively time, bullets flying in all directions. They made me duck a bit at first, but I soon got used to them, and did not take much notice after we had been there a few hours. Our squadron was lucky. We had three fellows and one officer wounded, but
I wake up to gun fire. Then I go to examine my rifle and see if my ammunition is okay. I think about being in charge of my platoon. I look up my orderly roster and find out who are the orderlies for the day. I should have done this last night, only the excitement of writing to you, my one and only, distracted me and continues on today. Honey you don’t have to be worried because I am being fairly well fed. This is a days ration for a British soldier,” 20 ounces of bread or 16 ounces of flour or 4 ounces of oatmeal instead of bread, 3 ounces of cheese, 5/8 ounces of tea, 4 ounces of jam or 4 ounces of dried fruit ,½ ounce of salt, 1/36 ounce of pepper, 1/20 ounce of mustard, 8 ounces of fresh vegetables or 1/10 gill lime if vegetables not issued, ½ gail of rum or 1 pint of porter , 20 ounces of tobacco, 1/3 ounces of chocolate - optional, 4 ounces of butter/margarine and 2 ounces of dried vegetables”. There is meat available for both the German and American soldiers in the trenches, but only when a lull in the battle allows it to be delivered from the field kitchens. Today we are having a day in bed. We were within 150 yards of the American trenches, and both sides were firing day and night, so you can tell we had a lively time, bullets flying in all directions. They made me duck a bit at first, but I soon got used to them, and did not take much notice after we had been there a few hours. Our squadron was lucky. We had three fellows and one officer wounded, but