1914 A copy of letters received from the Front, written by Arthur Ramsay Stanley-Clarke, 2nd Lieutenant, Ist Battalion, Dorset Regiment, who went to the Front on 22" October 1914. To A Mother Are they praying for us at home? Are they meeting together in prayer? Or going on still in the same old way As they did when I was there? We thank them for all their letters We thank them for all their care But oh! just tell them dear Mother Weare needing so much more prayer Will you ask them to gather together To meet at our Father’s throne That we may be kept from faltering When we feel we are standing alone. There are moments when courage fails us When dangers around us stare Oh tell them again dear Mother We are needing so much more prayer.$8.8. Squirie 11 p.m. (22 Oct. 14) Dear Father, We have started without any further excitement than that which I mentioned in my Post Card - of course our destination is unknown ~ but at all events I expect that I shall do noble justice to a good night. The two missing Subs. caught another train and came on. General Pink took a fond farewell of me and Bullock was awfully good - you might have thought I was his son. Poor chap, he was absolutely on edge when we went off - it really is very hard on him. Iam afraid to tell you how many men there are on the boat on account of the Censor but there are quite a lot. I shall write a diary ina letter form and send it to you as the Censor allows - but I shalll try to write every day just to let you know how Iam getting along. I found the green scarf waterproof (as a cap cover) after all so don’t worry. Next time you send anything to me you might send me a very small pocket bible as I should like to have one. Now you must not worry ~ play golf etc. as usual for I'll be frightfully cross when I come home if either of you seem to be slacking. Don’t worry, I shall take care of myself for your sakes, and God will watch over me. He will decide what is good, and I feel no fear nor any worry, Iam in His keeping. Remember me to everyone. Iam going to have a hot bath and then to bed. Le Havre 25 Oct.14 Just a line to say we are moving on we do not quite know where. Fred came over last night and passed through here but I did not see him - two other people who joined up to us told me. Address your letters "Expeditionary Force, 1st Dorset Regt, 5th Division’. Hope you and Mother are fit - Iam beginning to speak French well! Ina frightful rush as the train is just moving. Will you get another bottle of Malted Milk Tablets and take them out of the bottle and post them separately in matchboxes. If one goes astray I shall get the other. The French papers tell us much less than the English. Love to Aunt and the children.Army Base P.O. 26 Oct.14 Another line which I hope you will get. Please excuse the writing but the train is very bumpy. There are four Captains here who would like sleeping, caps like mine and also four pairs of fingerless gloves knitted, if you have time will you make them? Do you know, the other day 1 acted as interpreter to four other Subs. and made some French soldiers understand what I wanted - so you see I ama bit of a linguist! I left my sword at a small cottage opposite No. 3 camp at Le Havre, it belongs to a lawyer and I gave the sword in charge of the housekeeper as no-one but I was carrying one. They say it gives one away too much and that the Germans always bring down anyone carrying one so I thought discretion was the best part of valour. The country we are passing through looks very like England and the Autumn tints are very beautiful. Thad my first meal of bully beef today, and it was very good. We are a frightfully cheery lot and one would never believe we were off to fight. We have not the slightest idea where we are going and we live in expectation. I hope you have received my other letters sans accident. I shall begin from now and number each letter so that you will know if you do not get one, this will be No. 1. Please remember me to everyone. 26 Oct.14 Ihope you have been getting my letters allright. I have written several times (every day) since I left home but of course I expect only some of my letters have reached you. Do you know I have not had a bath since I left home! And we are beginning to talk of baths with bated breath, as a sort of wonderful thing. It is very difficult to give you any news till | finally reach the Battalion as one does not quite know what the Censor will object to. Now however I am in this country I know far less than I did in England as the French papers tell one nothing except "things remain unchanged. There has been advance at some points and loss of ground in others". We have heard this for the past month and I think it very creditable that they keep things so quiet. I hope you and Father are keeping fit, remember me kindly to everyone, must stop now as I want to post this before we move.