David to May June 14th 1917
I have just received your letter enclosing copies of those others about Bert. Thanks very much for sending them. I haven’t the least doubt at all that Cp Yeoman’s account is the correct one.
Hebblethwaite you see, being a Captain, was not even in charge of Bert’s platoon, and could only get his information secondhand.
Obviously the private and L/Corporal sat down side by side and wrote practically the same letter and probably got others to help them, as their letters might almost have been dictated by the way they are written.
Obviously too, they saw Hebblethwaite before writing their letters and very likely showed them to him afterwards before sending them off.
The corporal on the other hand writes his in his own way and seems to have his wits about him being very definite over everything. Moreover he and he only would be responsible for knowing what happened to the men in his section and would have to give an account of them and he naturally would know whether Bert was buried or not.
In these affairs the various sections get scattered over such a wide front that it is impossible even for the platoon commander to be in touch all the time with the whole lot and the corporals are the only people who really know what happens to individual men..
This morning we went for a walk and run for about 2 or 3 miles and then went to a rifle range for the remainder of the morning.
The post corporal has just come for the letters so I must stop. Will write more tomorrow.
David
June 14th 1917
My Dearest,
I have just got two letters 9th and 10th.
You poor little girl, what a horrible time you are having. I have longed to comfort you.
I am not at all near the war at present, but all the same I shall have to be taken to the quietest of quiet places when I come home.
I do like getting letters from you written “on a Sunday too” as then there are no blank days without a letter at all.
Must stop.
Goodbye
David