I am keeping fit and well, having what I want, responsibility and command, and have just got to do my best to get officers and men through, now that the best of our officers are gone. Night and day are the same, the indoor part spent in the most utterly be-shelled and ruined village you can imagine, and every other mark a shell or bullet hole. I had eight of the saddest letters to write home, besides three others of news of the wounded, but have not had time to write a full account to anyone but you, and that not until to-night, when I feel fitter and not so tired, but you will tell all who want to know--all who care for the Regiment and feel for the losses--all they may be proud to hear, that the Regiment did all and more than they could; the officers killed all died most gallantly leading their men, and the men did all that men could do--played up splendidly. I have never known men do so much, and I am very proud of them. In a special order by Sir Douglas Haig he mentioned the Munsters first in order. He said:--"Seldom have troops so nobly responded to such a test of their bravery and endurance."
LETTER FROM Q.M.-SERGEANT WAINWRIGHT, 2ND R.M.F. (SINCE PROMOTED 2ND LIEUTENANT FOR DISTINGUISHED SERVICE IN THE FIELD), TO COLONEL D. G. JOHNSTON, LATE R.M.F.
We were making preparations for spending our Christmas at this place, and giving the men as good a show as possible. On the evening of the 20th December, at 6 p.m., we received the order to march at 6.15 p.m. It was a bit of a rush, but in spite of short notice we marched to time.
The night was very cold, and about 10 p.m. it started to rain, which added very much to the men's discomfort, as the roads were in a fearful state and over ankle deep in mud; about 2 a.m. on the morning of the 21st December we got a two hours halt and rested in a broken-down factory as best we could. Marching again at 4 a.m. we kept on the move until 10 a.m., and were then kept lying about the road soaked to the skin--as the rain had not ceased since the previous night--waiting orders to move on. These orders came about 3 p.m., when we found that we were to go into the trenches.
Early on the morning of the 23rd, the order came that the trenches which had once been occupied by our troops, and were at this time in the enemy's hands (having been lost by native troops) were to be taken at any cost. The attack started at 7 a.m., led by Colonel Bent, Major Thomson being second in command. The following officers were commanding companies:--