20th July 1916

Chaubattia
Almora
India

My dear Mum & Dad

Very many thanks for your letters received last Sunday & I am looking forward to receiving the next Mail on Saturday evening as the boat reached Bombay at 6 p.m. on Wednesday.

I am glad to say that we have finished Musketry except for two ranges (500 & 600). The Chaubattia range is awful & a good many men of our Company will lose their 1st Class & consequently 3d. a day. I am afraid that Sid Lush will lose his as, although a good shot, he had rotten luck on the “15 rounds rapid”, only scoring 10.

The Range is about as under:-

 

(diagram)

 

& of course you don’t know what the wind is like in the valley between yourself & the targets. I shall be alright for my pay as I only want 8 more points.

I have been able to get a better writing pad, on which I can make use of both sides of the paper.

Isn’t the War news excellent. I see from today’s papers that we have penetrated the 3rd Line & the Dragoons have been at work.

It looks as though we have them on the move a bit now. We couldn’t get a Reuter Summary granted for Chaubattia, so our news is 3 or 4 days later than the English papers as the “Pioneer” is printed down at Lucknow.

I am sending you a copy of the “Times of India Illustrated.” It is pretty nearly full of advertisements, but some of the photos aren’t bad. I don’t know why I haven’t ever thought of sending you one before but I will do so occasionally as perhaps you may find them interesting.

I had a letter from Doff last Mail saying that she & the baby were going to Weymouth & I hope they had a good time there.

It now looks as though the War will end sometime or other doesn’t it. I expect it will take a long time to relieve us wont it, but that doesn’t matter so much when this awful loss of life is stopped.

Lewis Flippance (of Milton) & two of his friends of the 5th Wilts came here last Friday. He was wounded in Gallipoli & the Gulf as well. They are stationed at Alma Barracks Ranikhet. We gave them a good feed & beer with their supper & then took them to the Corporals Mess for the evening & they stopped the night with us & we had a very nice time. I hope to go down to Ranikhet to see them one evening next week but of course couldn’t afford to risk losing 1st Class Shot through sitting up late & walking up from Ranikhet at mid-night.

The Adjutant of the Wounded Depôt is a good sort & doesn’t “crime” a man for not answering at Tatoo as long as he knows he is with our Battalion at Chaubattia.  I’m afraid this isn’t a very long letter as there is not much to talk about.

Dick is well & will be going to Naini Tal for his new teeth shortly.

Glad to say I am in the “pink” & hope you both are.

Best love & kisses to you both, also to Rajah & Herbert.

Ever your loving

xxxx   Jack   xxxx

xx  xx