Dear Mother,
I’m having a nice holiday at the school, the course this time lasts for 3 weeks, and we return to our units next Saturday, the 10th. Since I was pretty well acquainted with M/C Guns beforehand, I haven’t had many obstacles, so have been able to devote my time to reading, and any other recreation I felt inclined for. I wrote to Wilfred a few days since, you will think me very selfish for neglecting to do so before this, and I feel a cad about it. I never care to give advice, holding that wisdom essentially comes from experience, that one must fight the battle alone if any success is to be the outcome. Also that it would be an assumption on my part to attempt to guide the faculties God has given another life control of. So I asked Wilf to ask God every night for protection and strength, to trust God entirely, so that he in turn would be trusted by God. I asked him to remember that the most devilish devices German ingenuity could produce were very tiny things indeed compared with the ‘Majesty of God’. I told him that shells had no power to destroy if one concentrated all one’s thought on the glories of the ‘Kingdom of Heaven’. I asked him to fight against despondency, never to let himself go, as I have done, and wish a German bullet would find him, because he was very tired. Mother, I do hope he will understand, and see that I wrote so because I love him. When I knew that Wilfred was coming out I trembled. I shuddered to think that he would have to endure Hell. I was very wrong, Wilfred belongs to God, I ought to be proud that he is doing his little, and I am sure you are very proud of him too. Wilfred, Walter, and I were never successful as the world interprets success, but we can show the world we are not afraid, which surely is of more moment in God’s eyes than anything material. Also, we can make our dear Mother proud of us, which is something worth considering. Goodnight! My love to Maud and Margaret.
Your loving son,
Bob
Dear Mother,
I’m leaving the school tonight, Friday, and because there have been some stirring times lately, which you will have noticed from the papers, I assure you that I have had no part in them and am therefore still enjoying the best of health and spirits. Fortunately the greatness of the British Empire is such that we can sustain many hard knocks. Mr Balfour states that, although our losses in the recent naval battle were heavy, the victory was ours, since Germany can ill afford to lose anything, and it is even now doubtful whether she can support a Baltic fleet, whereas our naval supremacy is unimpaired. So in resigning ourselves to the loss of many brave lads, who died like heroes, we have little ground for uneasiness and much ground for pride. We lament the death of Lord Kitchener, but accept the wisdom of God, in this as in all things. England now perhaps begins to feel the burden of war, and when England properly feels she will be truly great. Lord Kitchener died as we know he would wish to die, so again we have reason for pride. We have great news of the Russians here today, and even greater of the French, although respecting the latter we have nothing official. I’m going down for a swim in the sea this afternoon. Love to Maud and Margaret.
Your aff. Son,
Bob