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From Aldershot

Dear May

I hope you are all getting on all right as it leaves me the same. I meant to write to you before, but the last two or three days, we have been out from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. so it was impossible. Well I am getting on topping: today we have been on a brigade field day round a place called "The Devils Punch bowl" It's a piece of land about 3 miles round the top. The top is flat for about 3 yards and then slopes down to an awful depth. A sailor was murdered there in 1756, as he was going to Portsmouth by an highway man. They buried the sailor, and erected a stone telling all about the barborous murder. About 50 yards away there is a stone cross which the highwayman was hung on. The murdered sailor was a Witney man. On another old stone near our camp its got Portsmouth 33 miles, and Hyde Park Corner 36 miles, which shows that we are not so far from the seaside or London. It always seems curious to see such names on a mile stone. Well, there are lots of old events which took place in the Devils Punch-bowl. Its supposed to be haunted. Well we started from Camp with our old brigade, the eight bands. They were, The Royal West Kents, leading, then the East Surreys, Hampshires, and 18th K.R.R. We had to go last because they knew if they had us in front we should march too fast for them. Before we had gone 2 miles 6 East Surrey and 2.R. West Kents had dropped out. They are not used to hard work like the 18th KRR. It was an awful crawl all the way. When we got within two miles of the Devil's Punchbowl the 18th K.R.R. had to attack the R. West Kents, who had white bands round their hats. We advanced in lines like a lot of ants. When we were within 400 yards the battle began. You cannot hardly tell the difference between these hills and khaki. We started with our rifle fire with ball cartridge, and the machine guns started too. The rifle fire was going bang, bang, bang crash and the machine guns were going up, crash, bang, rattle. There was no big gaps fell but 2, a mile away, but there was an awful row. There was a good deal of smoke too.

Our platoon were the reserves, laying down on top of the punchbowl watching the battle in the valley. We had got to make the final charge if we was needed, but we was not near. After an hour the K.R.R. began to advance and we drove them back by our fire, and we were all over the job. The stretcher bearers were all over the place taking away the wounded men and the signallers were behind any bushes and signalling to each other. But the West Kents knew they were beaten and had to give in. So we won. Of course it was all sham fighting, although it's possible to get hurt in sham fighting. We all marched and had our dinner in a big field. We all camped together. We stayed there an hour and a half. Of course all the ladies from the neighbouring villages had to come and have a look at us, as usual. We could hear them saying "Oh, aren't they a fine lot of men". There were about 5,000 of us altogether. Then some more "Don't they look nice. Isn't it nice to see such soldiers. I feel quite nice when I'm near the soldiers". They compliment us well don't they? Then we start for home. I forgot to tell we didn't get our dinner till 3 p.m. The K.R.R. were in front. All the ladies wave their hands and throw kisses. We do the same. Whistling all kinds of the latest songs while we are marching, and singing with the bands. We went 4 miles an hour back. It was a nice steady pace all the way back, but when we were two miles from home we had to wait ten minutes for the other 3 regiments to catch us up. The K.R.R. got back to camp, dismissed, and had been in barracks about ten minutes when the others came straggling in. The captain told us we had a splendid name for marching up to now, and he wants us to stick to it. Tomorrow we are going on a test march. We have to march a certain distance in a certain time, and take in account the number of men that fall out. I thought I would tell you a bit about our field days, as I have not told you much about them. I hope you will understand the writing though. Yes my photos came well. I look a lot older and rather tall, that's all. You will just about have enough to go round, won't you? I've come out a lot plainer and better looking. I have received a letter from Reg Timms, his brother is going to enlist shortly. Tell Aunt I'll see to that allot-ment money. I'll jolly well see as you soon get it. I've talked to him three times about it already. Every time he says "All right, I'll see about it" and that's as far as that. If he doesn't see about it this week, I shall have to see the captain, the captain will see him, and see as he sees into the matter, and then you will have the papers and the money. Tell Aunt I'll keep on worrying them till they do send it. Tell her most of the fellows' parents are gett-ing it, now. In the last letter I asked Aunt to send me 5/-, because we all had our money short in our company this week, and we shan't have it made up till three more weeks, and I've had to borrow 3/- off another fellow out of another company, and he wants me to pay him back this week. Of course I shan't be able to pay him back out of 3/6 this week, so I should be very glad if one of you would send me 5/- this week so I can pay him back, and we've got to get black buttons before Monday, which cost about 1/- and I could get them as well. We can make it straight after. I expect you at Wolverton had a bit of a Zeppelin scare. Tell Dad I will send him a letter next. Give my love to them all. With fondest love

from Albert

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