28 July 2015

66 - Prellbock, 28 July 1915




Prellbock, 28 July 1915
[Wednesday]

Dear family,
Since I last wrote you I received mother’s letter of the 21st. Furthermore parcels nr 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33 34 arrived, together with the large parcel containing the camera. Many thanks for everything.
Thank Aunt Lise for the cigarettes from me please.
The camera isn’t that big at all. I have packed it in a cigar box, together with the cassette and the films, and can take it along very easily that way. I have already made some photographs with it.
When we get back to Douvrin again I’ll develop them there if possible. Can you please send me developer and fixer in powderform. And when they have it, a red lightbulb for my pocketlight and a spare battery. If you can’t find a red lightbulb please then send me – this is how it’s written in “the handbook of photography” that Uncle Otto once gave me - a piece of red culluloid which I can then put over the lightbulb. I’ll then send you the developed films and you can have prints made from it.
I can also develop them here in the trenches if you can find me two very light bowls. We’ve got the perfect dark room here in the tunnel.
I hope to be able to send you some nice photographs, so you can see what it actually looks like here. The camera seems to be very good. It’s very nice weather today, so maybe I can make some more photographs later today. I’ll also photograph our Leutnant, when he isn’t looking. I’ll have more opportunities to photograph in the Uhrgraben then here at the Prellbock.
By the way I’m now the only One-year-volunteer from Barmen left. But, as I already wrote you, I’ve become friends with Otto Mertens from Solingen, also a high-school graduate. We two are our Leutnant’s special friends. He always calls us Max und Moritz. [*1]
You can write either Einj. or Musk. [One-Year-volunteer or Musketeer] on the envelope, it doesn’t matter which one you use. The others also writen Einj.
I liked that story about “Laba See”. So now I’m in the Navy too. [Play of words on La Bassée – just north of the Prellbock - : Laba See = Laba Sea]
The boiled meat you send always arrives in perfect order, just like the beansalad. Please try the same with other vegetables, but nothing too fancy. After all you have to keep some for yourselves. It’s the vegetables I miss the most. Or is it diffcult to get the tins now? Here they’re all collected, because there’s a shortage of them in Germany.
I also long for preserved fruit, at the moment it’s very difficult to get here. We do cook rhubarb once in a while though. I’m surprised every time that it is still available here at this time of year. And it tastes very good too.
Once the plums are ripe it will all be better. I’ve seen some beautiful Reine Claude in Auchy.
I am at the end of my wisdom again. The English, or rather the Scots which are now opposite us behave themselves very well. [*2] They don’t seem to have enough ammunition. For one English shot they get 5 German in return. It used to be the other way around.
On the whole it seems the most dangerous phase here in the West is now over. You hear all the time about troops from the East that have supposedly been shifted to the West.
Once Iwangorod [now Deblin/Poland] and Warsaw fall, many more will come here, and we’ll advance again.
But enough for today, I’m on dry land again [Have nothing more to write].
Please send me some writing paper.
With many warm greetings also to all acquaintances and everyone who asks after me
Your Fritz


[*1]  Max und Moritz :
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Max_and_Moritz




[*2]  2nd Bt. The Highland Light Infantry (Scottish)  relieved 2nd Wortcestershire Regiment (English) in the trenches at Cuinchy (= opposite Auchy/Prellbock)  on July 26th 1915.
They reported "quiet days" for 26th and 27th July. 
On the 28th "The Germans shelled our saps and caused casulaties amongst our working party"



The original letter:

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