Harrogate Herald - 3rd March 1915

Dear Dad, I received letter No. 16 yesterday, February 24th. Was pleased to hear Sergeant Judd had called. I've been up to his Company four or five times to have a chat, but have not been able to catch him yet. [See Billy Bell for complete letter]

Harrogate Herald - 8th December 1915

Lance Corporal "Billy" Bell writes us an interesting letter, but for obvious reasons we have been obliged to eliminate a good deal of it. He says : 

I must aplogise for being so dilatory with my letter thanking you for the Heralds which come so regularly. But I am a poor correspondent at the best of times. I see by the paper that you have been able to have some skating. Well, we get skating here during all the winter, but it is in the everlasting mud. Most of us have got the usual complaints - wet feet and sore heads; but if one went sick there would be the inevitable "No 9" waiting him, so we keep on smiling and singing (that is, if our lips are not too dry and our breathing apparatus not altogether clogged). We are having nasty weather, and it never seems to stop raining; but I hope to get rid of this cold before long, because it affects one's temper, and I usually try to be amiable. Well, our Company arrived at this town (----) a fortnight ago, and we hope we can stay on all the winter. Most of us have found very good billets, and we detest to be moving about at Christmas-time. Staff Sergeant Judd's company's park is adjacent to us, and they seen to have a nice easy time. In fact th???? ???? a company magazine and have a very good band. The bands play them to church on Sundays, whilst we look on enviously and wonder why ammunition columns have most of the fun and supply columns most of the work; but don't think we are grumbling, because ours is the happiest company in France. At present our journey is much longer to the refilling point. Our railhead is (-----), about four miles from (----), so we do not finish work much before dark. We have not found time for a football match for three weeks, so we must be busy. My last few games were at (----), where we beat the 1st Grenadier Guards 7-1. also played No. 7 Hospital at Rugby against a field ambulance team, who whacked us 35 points to nil. We hope to be able to play soon, as there are some good teams challenging us, including 51st Company (my original company when I left England). I think I have exhausted my stock of news, except that I was made Lance Corporal over two months ago. It was this fact that reminded me it was time I wrote you. Again, many thanks and kind regards.