8/2/16

Dear Mother:

I seem take at a raw end for something to do for 15 minutes till the lunch is ready so will begin a letter even though I have nothing much to add to my last one.

You saw that the Zep's were in Staffordshire just 10 miles from Mabel & the kiddies so Basil writes. They seem to have done much damage. They were evidently trying to drop bombs on the munitions units in the Midlands but I believe they got none of them. I am short of Chaplains just now through sickness, leave etc. so that my work is increased a bit. I had a good [?] though in the 1st B[?] when I had it all to my self nearly.

I saw the nose of a shell this morning that is reported to have come through the roof of a hut & through a mans bed during the night. It was found under his damaged bed in the morning. Nobody hurt.

Mabel seems to have been very happy at the hospital and I am sure thousands of others are learning the joys of being unselfishly useful in England at this time. Mabel is quite keen & hopes they will have surgical cases when she goes back again. Isn't it nice of them to volunteer their services by tens of thousands. The women in war time are splendid.

I heard a good louse story yesterday. A Tommy found a louse in his moustache. He picked it off & holding it up said What a deserter eh, Go back to the Barracks, so saying he opened his shirt & tucked it in.

This son of one of my Chaplains was killed Sunday week & I have felt so badly about him. He was the apple of his eye.

I haven't had a funeral for two weeks.

This a dull letter I am afraid but there is little to say. I have 5 week night services & any number on Sunday. Texts last Sunday "He that Sinneth against me wrongeth his own Soul."

Your loving

Will