Lance-Corporal Gutteridge letters
THE OPTIMIST
Lance-Corporal Gutteridge, of the 8th Battalion wrote:
“Just a few lines from a dug out, behind the firing line. We are in the reserve trenches and having a jolly good time.
Spring beds to lie on of a night, made of wire, very comfortable though, no fear of your bed made pinching the bed clothes, as we have not any. The Germans have been rather saucy lately. The have been giving us a hot time, and at the time of writing they are sending over shells, some going too far, and some too short, but one or two find the mark.
They are after our guns.
There is more danger out of the firing line than in it, although they exploded a mine the other night and we had a few killed and wounded, and I hear they suffered as well, but the silly fools did not follow up. It ought to have been us, we would have been out of the trench with fixed bayonets, and after them in for all we could get, but we have not lost the chance yet, and I am sure they will catch it presently.
Well, I am enjoying this life fine. If I go out bullets seem to go away from me, in fact, with everyone here it’s a game of chance; if you are to go west, as our fellows here say, you will go west. If not, you return safe.
Please remember me to the old chums. The District Times arrived in the firing line last night, dated the 15th, good travelling that.”
Source:
Bromley & District Times, 29th October 1915 (page 2)
