#1 Huts3, 25th Coy, 5 Bat MGC Clipstone Notts 22/1/1917 Dear Pollie, Very many thanks for cakes, baccy & pipe,the cakes are fine, also baccy & pipe, as I can not buy any here like it. Your letter & parcel arrived together on Thurs. night & I would have wrote sooner, only I have been very poorly. I have had a very sore throat, & gatherings on my feet & legs. I have been nearly past myself with chilblains on my my feet I reported sick on Fri & Sat, but you might as well save yourself the trouble, they brought a man in on Fri on a stretcher when I was there he lay 1 1/2 hrs before any-one came to see him. I have not had my photo taken yet, as I have been out very little lately, but will send one as soon as I do. I was very sorry to hear about Evelyn being poorly & sincerely hope she is much better now. We are clear of that emergency draft now, & we will be going to fire out course this week most likely. We have been through the gas test. You go into a chamber with a gas helmet on & they turn a cylinder on with the same gas they use at the front, you are in it for about 3 minutes & you can see it turning your buttons. black. The work here is all done at the double, it hardens you. There are 5 or 6 to a gun team you go into action, No 1 runs 6 yards with the tripod which weighs 4 stone & sets it. No 2 follows up with the gun which only weighs 28 lbs and fixes it on the tripod No 3 runs up to No 2 with the ammunition. No 4. 5 & 6 are spare men, all knowing each-others work. No 1 sits behind the gun, it does not matter whether it happens to be in a pool of water or not, he has to get down, same with No 2. we all get turn at it. I am going to try & get a bit of leave before we get on draft as I wont get it afterwards. Trusting you are all in the best of health & hoping Evelyn is much better & thanking you once more for parcel. I remain. Your loving Brother. Frank These are for Evelyn XXXXXXXX

#2 25 Coy, 5 Bat MGC Clipstone 1 March 1917 Dear Pollie, Just a few lines, I enclose photo, which we had taken outside the hut, see if you can pick me out. How is Evelyn keeping, alright I hope. I have been poorly lately, but am much better now. You will be surprised to hear that I leave here for France to-night (Thurs), there are about 1500 going to-night: I should have went a fortnight past Sat. I was pleased to hear that Andy is likely to get a further extension, & Sincerely hope it comes off. I am going to get my wish after all, as I have always wanted to go to France. Trusting this finds you all in the beast of health. I remain. Your loving Brother. Frank. Envelope : YMCA Dated 8.15 pm 1 Mar 17 Addressed : Mrs Kirkwood 260 Alexandra Rd Gateshead on Tyne Durham.