Uhrgraben, 16 July
1915
[Friday]
Dear
family,
Yesterday I
received mother’s letter of the 11th. Thanks.
Don’t
always let other people tell you fairytales, and don’t unnecessarily worry so
much. You really don’t pleasure me with that. I rather receive letters in which
you write that you are all healthy and cheerful. But it has to be the truth of
course.
It’s not clear
to me what Heini Mais wrote about not getting into rest. It’s all business as
usual here. Mais and Heede have been marched off to a course which will be
given probably in Haubourdin near Lille.
So, as I
already wrote you: please don’t unnecessarily worry when the mail takes a
little longer now and then. Reasons for which I’ve already written you in my
last letter. Don’t always think the worst.
Up to now
it has all gone well, why would that change in the future?
Parcel-wise
I’ve received nrs 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15. As especially repeat-worthy I can recommend
nrs 7, 8, 9, 11, 14, 15. The Wiener Schitzels arrived in perfect order. I think
you can send any meat or vegetables in that way. The strawberries were perfect
too, just like the cherries.
Now I’d
like to answer the questions in mother’s letter. You are correct in saying that
I had promised, a long time ago, to write about the daily life in the
trenches. But I always pushed that forward from one letter to the next. So it’s
because of my laziness that you don’t know about it yet.
But why
would I not write about it to you, you’re right.
We are
always 4 days at the Prellbock, 4
days in the Uhrgraben (It’s written
with an H), and then 4 days at rest. The Prellbock
is our front line trench, right opposite the English, distance 150 to 200
meters.
A day at
the Prellbock is more or less like
this : 2 hours watch duty at the embrasure during the day, say from 7-9 or 3-5,
depends on when it’s your turn (To clarify: “a day” lasts from 7 in the morning
to 9 at night). At night alternately work and again watch duty, both for 2
hours at a time.
During the
day one of every group (8 men) is on watch duty, at night 4.
Then during
the day someone has to get coffee in the morning and evening, and water twice a
day. When you’re on watch duty you have to observe the English, which is often
very difficult. During the day through a trench periscope, and at night above
the parapet. And with work I mean extending the trenches, digging dug outs etc.
In the morning the trenches have to be swept even!
So you seem
to have a completely wrong idea of the goings on here. If only I could send you
a few photographs then it will all become clear for you.
When we
have then completed our 4 days at the Prellbock we are relived by 5th Kompanie, and move to the Uhrgraben,
which named after the Batallions clock which is situated there.
The Uhrgraben are the reserve trenches, and
are made battle-ready when we can’t hold the front line. In the Uhrgraben we
more or less are at rest, whether there’s a lot of work or not. Work: digging,
picking up duckboards and buildingmaterial in Auchy etc. This time around we’re lucky, we’re building a
new approach road to Douvrin from 7-9 in the evening. It’s not always we have so
little work to do.
When we
then get to Douvrin it’s : drills, swimming, route marches, practice, roll
calls etc. Sometimes an awful lot, usually not so much. We’ve also now have
something like beds in Douvrin.
By the way
we’re not billeted in a school. You’re confusing that with something else. Most
citizens have left Douvrin, and we have settled ourselves in the partly
destroyed houses.
I don’t
have the pillow anymore. If you could send me an inflatable pillow that would
be great.
I really wouldn’t
know whom to send parcels to. We always help eachother. One has this, which the
other one lacks etc. And in case no one has anything we’ll figure it out
amongst ourselves.
I’ve
already received the photographs, and I’ve already written you how happy I was
with them. It’s a shame the Ticka can’t
be repaired. I could have sent you a couple of photographs, especially because
we have a dark room in Douvrin. Please discuss amongst yourselves if you could
possible send me a small camera. The pocket watch format is of course not the
most important. It was just that I was thinking when we already have that Ticka. It can be any small camera, but
of course not too expensive. If you want to buy me such a small camera you can
take it off my birthday- or Christmas account. I also need developer and fixing
salt with it of course, both in powder form.
Please
discuss it, it would make me very happy. Photographs are such a nice souvenir
for later.
The main
thing is that the camera is small and light, that it produces good
photographs, and that it’s not too expensive. I don’t know whether you’ll be
able tofind the ideal one. Have a look around here and there. I hope you don’t
get fed up with the fact that every letter from me contains another wish.
Then I’m
out of butter, and I can’t get it here either at the moment. Father sent me a
case of cigars. I made good use of them even if I don’t smoke them. I have
distributed them amongst my group “für gute Arbeit” [= For a job well done].
They liked them better than all those “Liebesgaben”
cigars [= sent by charitable institutions in their home-towns] But then those
are not of the best quality usually.
Schluss for today, more soon.
With many
warm greetings
Your Fritz
I have also
received Walter Benzenberg’s letter.
The original letter
