The Letters of Arthur Martin-Leake July 1918

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4/7/18

My dear Mammy

Am afraid it is some time since I’ve written. chiefly for the want of any news. Nothing but the ordinary routine work here & plenty of it.

Things looked quite promising today for some rain, but now, evening, it is clearing so am afraid we shall not get any. The country is very dry & some rain is wanted badly.

The socks have arrived, many thanks to Bella. Am glad to hear that you have a good crop of hay, expect you must have had more rain at home than we have had…

Best love & hoping you are quite fit.

Y[ou]r affect[iona]te son

A.M. Leake

{87193}

20/7/18

My dear Mammy

The news is excellent & the Boche has evidently taken a bad knock. This may make a great difference to the war, at any rate it will help to depress the Boche people much. The Americans have evidently been well in the show & fighting splendidly.*

Nothing in any way extra going on here & we remain pretty quiet. Frequent thunderstorms & heavy rain with fine intervals when it becomes very hot.

Hope you are all quite fit.

Y[ou]r affect[iona]te son

A.M. Leake

{87197}

* This may refer either to the Second Battle of the Marne (25 July – 6 August 1918) or the Battle of Soissons (18-22 July 1918), both of which ended in heavy German defeats.