Just a short note to let you know we are still alive and well. There are quite a lot of Northamptonshire lads in this Ambulance, and we decided to have our photograph taken and forwarded to the local paper. The enclosed is the result. It is a great pity we could not have all the boys on, but 8 or 9 were on special duties so that they could not be present. We have done a considerable amount of marching since we arrived in France, but I fancy we are settled down now at this hospital for a month or two. I have been up here five weeks now, a week longer than any of the others. The extra week I was here for instruction, in the Receiving Room. What with entering all particulars of patients coming in and bed tickets, beside patients for casualty clearing station, discharges, etc., there is a considerable amount of clerical work.

When I came up here first, the 2^nd Northants were in this district, and I had many a chat with them, but only on one occasion did I see one from Rushden; that was Charlie Tew. He was in with a sprained ankle. This Division has moved now, and our own is in this area.

One of our boys—Len Smith, of Rushden—had a narrow squeak this morning; he was on police duty outside the hospital when the anti-aircraft guns commenced firing, and a portion of shell about 6 inches long fell about a yard from him, and rebounded over a high wall, where it finished its course against the guard room door.

The German airmen seem to have a great liking for this district. They are over here every day. It is very interesting watching the shells bursting all round the machines. I have not had the pleasure of seeing one brought down yet, but there have been several lately in the district.

One of our section is away for a week’s instruction at another hospital and I suppose an advance dressing station, which is about half-a-mile from the trenches. We are about five miles away, but can hear the guns very distinctly, and at night the sky is all aglow with star shells.

I remain, yours truly, H W Perkins