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Date: April 2nd 1918
To
Mother
From
Cuthbert King Mathews
Letter

Rouen 2.4.18 Dear Mother, I am afraid you will been in an awful state of anxiety wondering what has become of me; but the fact of the matter is that ever since the German offensive started we have in back of it with no mail going out at all. However yesterday a small piece of H.E. struck me just above the eye. Unfortunately the wound is too small to get me across to England but at the same time it will give me a week or so of rest. We had an awful scrap on Easter Sunday & Monday right on the main road from Amiens to St Quentin attacked & captured a wood which we went through & took up a position on the far side. The Boche has three field guns about 300 yards away & when my machine gun fellow was knocked out I took his gun & opened up on them. They must have discovered me for they started firing point blank at the wood which cut us up badly. There is hardly any of the Brigade left in my own troop. The officer both sergeants & one corporal went during the first day. I was in charge of the troop with a Lance Corporal to help me, we both came away together. It will take a long time to reorganise us. I hope they will soon take this troop more in hand. We have not got enough men up there to handle it. The same lot have to go in time after time, they are getting fed up with it. Thanks very much for the last parcel which I received the day we went up. The load was very welcome as rations have been very short. We have had no mail since, so I escpect there will be quite a lot accumulating somewhere. I have lost all my kit, razor and everything so when I get back to the regiment, I shall have to get you to send me some more stuff. I will let you know what I want. I dont think it will be any wise for you to write to me here as I don't think I shall stay very long. What do they think in England of the German push? It probably seems worse to us [?] than it really is. Lots of love to all Cuthbert

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