The Letters of Arthur Martin-Leake August 1918

Read by Nicholas Blatchley

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1/8/18

My dear Mammy

There is a good lot going on everywhere just now & we come in for our share of it. We began work here when we were only in a half finished state & this made things rather awkward. Luckily the weather has been fairly fine, as our huts leak like sieves.

A large number of wounded have been through & we have set in pretty well except when the brasshats pay us visits & upset everything. Our officials…are the absolute limit & I wish the Boche would catch the lot; work would then get on all right.

The fighting seems to be going very well & great progress is being made. The Boche is getting more than he ever expected & the tone of the prisoners has changed completely.

Uncle William’s death was expected after your previous letter. He seems to have had a very peaceful end.

Please thank Steenie for the letter. I will write to him first opportunity.

Best love & hoping you are all well.

Y[ou]r affect[iona]te son

A.M. Leake

{87200}

 

August 1918 marks the end of Arthur’s wartime letters. At this point, “His six-month contract, signed with the RAMC the previous March, expired on 3 September. Arthur did not wish to renew it.  As soon as he could, he packed up his belongings for the last time and headed home.” Ann Clayton: Martin-Leake Double VC, 1994, Leo Cooper.

This page was added on 08/08/2018.

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