Lydd. June 30, '16. Dear Lindley. You are as ever a good correspondent. I have had 4 letters from you though none other [?] Pentralew & only one [?] nice. Letters mean a good deal just now. I [?] I have to thank you for lard & water [ & punch?] - both most acceptable. If military life means all kinds of discomfort we are getting it now - it only remains to be under fire but that is a good big remainder. The ground here even more than at Otterpool throbs continuously with the great bombardment. The howitzers fired here about 2 miles off on the practice grounds & which are I suppose 6 in weapons make less actuall [sic] concussion though more noise than the big guns at the front. This is a better camp than Otterpool because it is not on clay. There is shingle under about 2 in of mud but it is astonishing how much mess 2 in of mud can make when it rains every day & it is continuously churned up. There are 12 of us here looking after the greater part of the fn [?] known as the first draft. Our hours are strenuous - we get up at from 1:30 am to 2:30 am