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My dear ones,

Your parcel of "comforts for the troops" was very acceptable; it was the best parcel I've had yet. And thank you particularly for the identity disc; I'm wearing it always, and thinking of you.

They have sent all our C Coy officers except two away on courses of instruction, so we've had a very strenuous time for the past fortnight : one of us to look after the company's domestic affairs (pay, messing, crimes and prisoners, furlough, correspondence, etc.), and the other to look after it on parade. We take it in turns, and I don't know which is the more wearing job. Also, as they do in the Army, when I could least be spared they sent me into Fermoy for four days to attend a series of tactical lectures, and left poor Purcell to run the whole show on his own.

I think it's time you knew my brother officers in the company. Let me introduce them. First, there's Capt. Phillips, who commands us: a new captain, only promoted since the New Year; aged 28, with a round fat face and thick lips like a negro's - there you have him in a nutshell. Capital fellow, and works like a black. He's making the company very efficient.

Noel Purcell is our second-in-command: the kind of chap who lives in Norfolk jackets with a pipe, you'd say. Very square-shouldered, a topping swimmer and Rugger player, fair-haired and square-jawed, and T.C.D. - that's him. one of the best.

Then we come to the plantoon commanders. No. 9 is run by Studholme, 2nd Lt. I think probably you'd like him almost best. He's an old House man, aged 29, dark, and very quiet - almost timid. Very shy, but very thoroughbred and very fine-natured. I believe he owns half the town of Birr, and his hobbies are daffodils and kittens. Yes, certainly you'd like him.

No. 10 Platoon is my own. No. 11 is little Wilmot's. You'd like him immensely, too. Just a wee little fellow with spectacles, thin ratty hair, and a head like a coconut; a mathematical honours graduate of T.C.D., portentously learned, frightfully serious, and very simple and good-natured. He's getting a transfer into the Engineers, where he right-fully belongs.

Charlie Denroche runs No. 12, about our most popular subaltern, and certainly the one that knows his job best. He's dark and handsome, stroked the Trinity boat at Henley, and played Rugger for them as well. Scouting is his speciality; he's training the company scouts as well as his own platoon's. Another of the best.

So you see I'm in luck's way, as far as the men I have to work with. We're admitted to have the best officers, and we're supposed to be the friendliest company; all the others have their little feuds and splits except us.

There's a course I'm trying very hard to get sent on just now; it's a course of signalling at Waterford. Signalling is my speciality, just as scouting is Charlie's, and I look after the company signal section (also, I've applied to be battalion signal officer).

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