Below is a transcript of a letter from Noel Downing to his sister Mary Downing, dated 23 Oct 1916. Noel has taken up his commission as a Second Lieutenant in the Welsh Guards and is back in France. He would only have been with his new platoon a few weeks.
Welsh Guards B.E.F.
23/10/16
My Dear Mary
Thank you very much for your letter. Are you aware that Daisy Hatton scribbled all over the back of the envelope. I’ve just had a very amusing letter from her about Willie & Ernest Harrison, I think the plenty of whiskey story is one of the best I’ve heard of him.
I cannot gather why Mr Foster is a missioner or what he is doing in Hagley but anyhow I hope he was a success, if he came to get money I don’t expect he was. From your letter I judge that you have been kept busy at the hospital, the new matron sounds a bit comic. I am getting on all right with the platoon, tho’ I was trembling in my boots all morning as we had a General Inspection and I was warned that the old boy might ask me some of their names & other awkward questions. He went round the whole batt. & as he finished each platoon he mentioned various items of their kit, which had to be got out for his inspection. My platoon had to show water bottles and entrenching tools. I found the latter were in a filthy state but luckily they had plenty of time to spit on them & clean them while he was going round the other companies, so when he came back everything in the garden was lovely!
You asked me if I would like some solid ink. I [am] afraid it would be no good for my pen as it is self-filling. The solid ink has to be put into the pen doesn’t it & then fill it up with water? Please thank Daisy for her letter.
Yrs Ever
Noel
Letter from Noel Downing Oct 1916 – page 1
Letter from Noel Downing Oct 1916 – page 2