Andrew Richard Buxton. 3rd Rifle Brigade

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11 a.m., Monday, 17th.

"My gramaphone which has done such good work here, was yesterday done in. I had lent it to certain Officers, who yesterday had a direct hit on their mess, burying everything. Lat night things were being dug out, and the works of the gramaphone were found knocked right out of the case, and practically undamaged, the case being smashed to bits. The Records were, I expect, all smashed, except that they found one called, 'Red, White and Blue' unbroken.

Unbreakable colours !"

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1 p.m., 19-4-16.

"There is a small canteen in the camp here (Bulford Camp) which I have just been asked to run, and which has taken up a lot of time yesterday and to-day.

Accounts have hardly been kept, so it is very difficult to fix up. As I am now running the Coy. mess and the men's pay, I have pretty nearly got back to the land of business. Time in trenches is not long with plenty out in huts."

[marina]

I forgot the gramaphone and records! And now the account books!

Marina

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To his Mother.

Huts,

9 a.m. Wednesday, 26-4-16.

"My Coy. went to the trenches on Sunday, so I am in the strange position of being left behind for the time being with another Regiment in the same Brigade as we. A very nice lot of Officers, many of whom, of course I have seen several times. They have one mess for all four Companies, which means about thirty Officers.

I have now got accoints completed and in order, which is a great satisfaction. The canteen (a Brigade affair) itself I cannot get good yet as timber is scarce, and all available stuff goes up to the front line trenches first, which is quite right, so that the indent I have put in for it has not yet borne fruit, nor my request for sanction to remove six G.S. waggon-loads of bricks, to make a floor with, from broken down houses in a town near by. This is not a permament job. I shall only be here a few days longer, the Regiments carry on as they come in..........

Our A.A. guns brought down a Bosch aeroplane on Monday about 6 a.m. falling a few hundred yards from here; the pilot and observer both killed, and the engie of the aeroplane breaking away, and falling some way off the framework. They had one of our Lewis guns and our ammunition - confounded cheek ! and a camera, not with the ordinary range-finding window, but with sights like a rifle.

We let off 12-inch guns most days from near us, and a proper row too. I watched one yesterday from about fifty yards off firing on a certain target they had knowledge of in Comines. One of our aeroplanes was doing the observing, and 'wirlessed' to the gun the accuracy of the shots. Just before firing of one round a Bosch aeroplane appeared, which meant necessity for very rapidly lowering the barrel, and covering all up ! The aeroplane was obviously out to find the position of this gun.

How awfully interested you would have been to have seen it. It seems, though, so strange to see guns firing from the middle of peaceful cultivated land, and to picture what it may mean the other end - from experience of Bosch shells - demolishing a house or blowing up a gun, or landing e of a lot of men. Six of our aeroplanes now going over high up, looking beautiful with the sun on them, just like silvery minnows, three abreast, then three behind, going towards the front.

One of the Master of Trinity's sons has just joined us............I can't believe that a double 'first' man should ever go to the firing line. There must be olots of work 'behind' in England which requires such men...........The Y.M.C.A. huts do splendid work in every way, including excellent Services."

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To his Father.

Huts,

2 p.m., Thursday, 27-4-16.

"The evolution in gas-helmets to put on versus gas is wonderful; yesterday I saw two new types again, one to be adopted for general use, and the other, a more elaborate one still, for machine gunners, etc. There are helmets for horses, and now helmets for pigeons, not for individual pigeons, but to put round baskets where they are !

The Doctor of the Regiment which I am left with has gone on leave, and a very nice Doctor has taken his place, having come from the 'back' dressing station of this part. The arrangement is that a hospital with forty beds in Bailleul, then a dressing station, then 'advance' dressing station near the front. For these three they have eight Doctors distributed, 4,3,1 respectively."

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To his Mother.

Huts,

2 p.m. Monday, 1-5-16.

"............I have now been here two days with again a different Regiment, for the purpose of handing over canteen. This is going swimmingly, and I am particularly joyed to have accounts all worked out (!) and in good order. About 940 francs profit made in 13 days..........

So ripping being with the Officers of these Regiments and getting to know them. All such good fellows."

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To his Sister Rosamond.

Wood [Ploegsteert]

May 2, 1916.

"What ages since I wrote you, due to really hard work on Canteen Accounts. It was very hard work to think out a system, but now I am glad to say I have what I think is a good one. I was gratified to be congratulated on it and the work done, by the Brigadier.

We have had quite exciting times lately, as the Bosch have been decidedly worrying all down the line, and have amused themselves by letting off Chlorine gas. All needed helmets.

I have just had a wire 'Gas alert cancelled,' which means that the wind has shifted, so I hope for a peaceful night to-night.

The shelling set fire and burnt down the Y.M.C.A. near here, which is a great pity."

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With Zenith at Easneye

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Huts,

5 p.m., Thursday 4-5-16.

"You will like to see, and please keep for me, a nice grateful letter from a friend of the mother of a young Sergeant of ours who was killed about a month ago......... The death of that Sergeant is particularly sad, as he was only nineteen, and had a mother and five sisters, and so was the only main in the family.

The letter is as follows :

Dear Sir,

I cannot refrain from writing to tell you of the very great comfort your letter has brought to Mrs. Shuttle. You must have many such letters to write, I know, but you would be rewarded if you could see the difference this letter has made to this one poor mother.

She had been so afraid, as her son had so lately joined the 3rd Batt., he would be so little known to his Officers that no one would write to her about him, but now that the letter has come giving all the details which she longed for, she seems wonderfully comforted. She is a good woman, and most fully appreciated all you said.

May I add my heartfelt thanks to hers ?

Yours Truly

(signed) M.C. Wilson.

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This letter refers to :

Sergeant E.G. Shuttle

3rd Rifle Brigade

Agrd 19

died 20/3/16

Number B/592

Son of Mrs. J.K. Shuttle, of 2, Wellington Road, Wokingham, Berks.

Maple Cross Cemetery Sp. Mem. D.12.

Andy

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After a refreshing ten days leave in England he writes :

11 a.m., Wednesday, 24-5-16.

".......Got to Boulogne easily yesterday, and on again after two hours wait, working by the old time, as the French have not adopted the new. Got to the railhead (1) about 1 a.m. after the usual very slow progress, the train taking six hours.

There I went into the small house where I stayed close to the station on my way to England ; there were Officers in the two rooms available, so I had, till they got up for the leave train about 4.30, to sleep on the floor, which was decidedly cold work, but had a good few hours sleep on a bed afterwards, after which the woman of the house gave me some breakfast."

(1) Steenwercke.

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10 a.m., Thursday, 25-5-16.

"I stupidly missed the post yesterday due to keeping my letter till I had met Arthur (1) and so be able to say we had met.

My arrangements yesterday were altered because of a draft of over forty men who were arriving last night, and whom, being at the Transport I could more easily meet than any other Officer. I therefore did not ride up with the Quartermaster, but sent a notice to A. by him to say I would walk in his direction after lunch, and if he did the same we would meet.

You can imagine how strange it seemed meeting him here, but how really splendid to have it so.

............He has also been very busy with Sunday Services, and evidently splendid ones. I met last night Rev. Reid (2) the Wesleyan parson, who said he was at one of Arthur's Services last Sunday, and was delighted at how splendid it was............

I go up this afternoon to where A. is, and shall be there for probably a fortnight or more, quite near him............

Pigot very warm, and saying how useful A. will be. He congratulates me on 'not having stopped one yet !'

(1) His brother Arthur, who had just gone out as an Army Chaplain, being attached to Andrew's Brigade.

(2) Killed the same day as Andrew, and buried within a few yards of him.

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To his Mother.

Huts,

11 a.m., Saturday, 27-5-16.

"I forgot what I have written, but I know I only sent a 'deaf and dumb' card yesterday. Since I got here Arthur has fixed up in our "A" Coy., but not the actual one I am in, as I share a small one with the O.C. of "C" Coy.......... A contingent of men from the Fleet here yesterday to see the life, which is interesting; all fitted up in London with khaki, but retaining their ship badges on caps........ Since writing this I have had orders to take command of "C" Coy., as from May 24th. This is owing to Tatham having left it. It is, I suppose, by way of being permament, so that after a month I may please you by becomming Captain."

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Toi his Sister Rosamond.

B.E.F. [Ploegsteert]

May 31, 1916.

"I have been turned on to a bit of trench-making, which has meant late hours to bed lately. An interesting but hard bit of work last night trotting round after seeing my bit of work started behind the line, seeing how trenches, etc., go - all very rough, long grass and self sown corn, shell holes, and unused trenches. The Bosch machine guns were too active to be pleasant, but I got through all right, and learnt a lot that I wanted to know. My Word ! If you had been with me, what would you have thought ? So absolutely lonely in a way, except, of course, for the Sergeant with me. On a trot like that it is strange to feel that if one were shot, on certain bits of the journey, one would never be seen or heard of again, except for the man with you. Some of our machine guns firing over where I was, plenty of Bosch ones too, as I say. I came on a party of "D" Coy. who had just had two men hit by a Bosch Maxim."

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To his Mother.

Huts,

4.30 p.m., 31-5-16.

"............I have been detailed to dig a certain line of trenches, and have about forty men each night, working from 9.30 p.m. for about four hours. It means a lot of organization and arrangement, and material for riveting, foot-boarding, etc. I started the men on a rough field of self-sown stuff, I think rye, about two feet high, which I suppose has had an undisturbed life behind the line for two seasons. I have not always stayed all the time, but have had another Officer up with me to carry on, but it has meant very late hours to bed. Last night I spent two and a half hours with a Sergeant of mine showing him various trenches, and exploring parts I did not know behind the firing line with a view to knowing them, should we have to reinforce any time. Very interesting, but rough going. A lot of the trenches had been very badly crumped in, and above ground full of roughness, shell holes, long ragged grass, self-sown crops, and old unused trenches. The land is cultivated anywhere where not visible from the Bosch lines, and so sometimes, when there is a hill, pretty close up, but it is strange indeed otherwise.........."

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2 p.m., Thursday, 1-6-16.

"A lovely day and all well. At 9 p.m. I went with Arthur to take a funeral of an Artillery Sergeant. Such an impressive Service, with about six Officers and seventy or eighty men all standing around. Arthur took it very nicely, with the aid of an electric torch."

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To his Sister Dorothy.

B.E.F.,

Monday, June 5, 1916.

"I have just had tea, Arthur having come in and had some too, having had a trot round certain trenches. It is splendid having him here. He is doing A.I., and is very fit........... Out here there has been a ghastly fight, which will continue for a long time near Ypres. You have doubtless seen its 'belittlement' in the papers."

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Letter from his Sister-in-Law Esme to Andrew.

June 1, 1916.

"I can't tell you what it means to me to have you and Arthur together, and I did so appreciate your writing to me as you did. He told me in one of his letters how very thoughtful and careful of him you were that night when you returned at 3 a.m. and found him awake and gave him an extra blanket abd cocoa.

So like you Andrew !"

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To his Father.

4 p.m., Thursday, 6-6-16.

"..........I do not know if I have told you the names of the Officers of this Coy:

1. Lieutenant A.W.S. Brown

2. 2nd-Lieut. R.E. Vernede

3. Lieutenant A. Douglas, Lewis gun Officer.

4. 2nd-Lieut. Chamberlain.

They are all excellent fellows, and I feel I have got to the best possible Coy..........

I spent an interesting walk round from about 9-12.30 last night seeing the work, and finding valuable old trenches in long grass both in front of and behind our line. They would appear to you as rather deep drainage ditches, and not much of a trench, but their value lies in their being unseen by any form of observation, owing to the long grass, etc., covering the sides. Our own trench is a semi-brickwork sort of thing, visible to all the world, and if the Bosch intended to come, would be the first shelled to destruction. It might therefore easily prove of great value to have these trenches to shove men into where not seen, and splendid field of fire...........

We had more rain last night, which was bad for the men, many of whom have to sleep in the trench without dug-outs or cover, except for waterproof sheets, etc., across the trenches."

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Our old friend Robert Vernede cops up in the last post and is now part of Andrew's life.

His brother Arthur writes on June 6, 1916.:

"Andrew and I are not together just now, but only about twenty minutes walk apart. He is extremely busy and has a big resposibility in taking over a Company. He is splendid with both his Officers and me."

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B.E.F., Trenches,

1.30 p.m., Friday, 9-6-16.

"..................The men work splendidly. and both ourselves and the other Companies have been congratulated by the higher authorities on the excellent work done lately in trenches. Since I wrote this Arthur has dropped in for lunch, also Rev. Reid the Wesleyan parson in this Brigade."

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June 9, 1916.

"I never felt more fit in my life. It is amazing how frightfully fit I always feel in the trenches, due, I think, to the life being free from formalities of paprades and other miseries (or such is my opinion) ! From time to time working with the men or trotting round exploring old trenches and generally a simple informal life in any dress, except that steel hats and gas helmets must be worn, is highly congenial..........

Arthur is reading out the news and says 40,000 Austrian prisoners. The Ypres affair is a very big thing."

[marina]

That was a surprise to see Robert' name on the officers' list. Hope he pops up some more - would be interesting to know what they thought of one another.

Marina

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B.E.F.,

1.30 p.m., Tuesday, 13-6-16.

".........At noon a memorial service in the open here to Kitchener, and these are held throughout the whole Army.

Arthur took it splendidly as it was difficult to know what to make of it.

..............He followed what he knew was going to be the St. Pauls Service and gave out that he was doing so, having the same hymn's, etc."

Marina,

It is nice to see Robert back !!

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2.15 p.m.

"Have just had a wire to be shown to all Companies saying that we have re-taken all that we intended in a counter-attack last night. The firing all night was intense and I wondered greatly what was happening. We first heard that the Bosch had Ypres, but the news is now the other way on ! We took 100 prisoners. Trenches very much damaged owing to our fire. This is very good. I was very anxious as to what was happening."