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This letter is from Frank's friend Jack Endacott to Frank's sister Edie (my Grandmother). There is another letter from Jack Endacott published on this blog on 19 September 1939. It is interesting to have another view from a territorial soldier posted to a different area of France - their experiences appear to be very similar.
16/12/39
1438475 Gnr.Endacott
169 AA Battery RA
60th AA Regt. R.A.
British Expeditionary Force.
Dear Edie and Ernie,
Very many thanks indeed for the lovely parcel which I received today. It is so jolly decent of you and you may rest assured was very much appreciated. The cake looks so nice I do not want to cut it! Which reminds me I believe that I have omitted to thank you for the little cakes which you gave Olive to send on to me. Really you know we fellows over here don't deserve the kind attention which we are getting. Life was a change, it is no use saying otherwise, but I am now quite settled down and I expect Frank is also. I do wish I could meet him or 'phone as you suggest, but for all I know he may possibly be many miles away from here. I had a chance to attend one of those concerts last Wednesday, but mainly because I didn't fancy the long journey in the back of a lorry I gave up my ticket. I thought it just possible that Frank may have been there and I should have seen him, but learned later how hopeless it would have been!
I heard from him last month and he appeared to be quite comfortable, sleeping on a camp bed not a common li-lo like me! Surely he should have a stripe for the job he is doing or of course, maybe he doesn't want it! Has the Louise affair broken down completely? He didn't mention her when last writing and I must say I have thought a lot about it. By the way do you realise that you packed my parcel in a Siemans Lamp box ex the North Met? and to think that I am using Exram paper on the walls to keep the whitewash from coming off onto my clothes!! It seems to indicate that our travelers are not doing their stuff! Olive, I suppose, tells you all my news, and I'm afraid there is very little to add, except that we now play football every afternoon. This is not so easy as it sounds when you realise that we play upon a ploughed-up field!!
I do a 'guard' about once in six days and we have the next day off. I was on last night - was it cold and black! - so instead of going out I am spending my time 'knocking' off letters by the fireside. There are sixteen of us in the 'stable' and we have, without doubt, the warmest and most comfortable billet of the sections.
Please thank Anne for her jolly Xmas Card - I have stuck it up on the wall. I shan't know her I expect when next I see her - bless her. Well, thank you both once again and I will take this opportunity of wishing you all a very Happy Christmas and Prosperous New Year. (I have recollections of last year) How is Mr. Faulkner? Please give him my best wishes etc.
Yours very sincerely,
Jack
xxx *
p.s. I don't bother to read back my letters so please excuse errors!
* For Anne, Mrs. Brown!
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I felt proud and yet awkward when one Sunday in December 1939 two lovely village girls, Mauricette the grocer's daughter and Yvette Perot a farmer's daughter apparently were thrown out of the little Catholic Church having a row and fight over a certain solder which was me! I must say Yvette won. How times have changed! I did date her, but her grandmother chaperoned us when we went for walks down to the river. Yvette was studying at Brussels University, but some weekends she came home to help her Dad on the farm. It is hard to believe but she used to plough acres of land with five big horses. She was no doubt tough, but also beautiful, she had the most fantastic smile you can imagine. I remember it to this day. However, on a certain Friday the Grandma released her hold on Yvette and permitted me to take her out on my own, but fate stepped in, I was at war on duty in connection with the Artillery!
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