While the Battalion moved into the right sub-section of Calonne, taking the place of the 8/Queen’s Regiment, Sherriff headed in the opposite direction, as he told his mother:

‘I am writing this letter back at the old Farm House where I was before, as I am back again for a short time at my old job of training recruits. I am hoping it will be for about 8 or 10 days.’

Whereas on the previous occasion he had speculated that he had been posted to the duty on account of his seniority in the Company, he felt there was a different explanation on this occasion, as he told Pips:

‘I think the reason [is] that I was laid up with my neuralgia for a day or so – this complaint is a great nuisance as it makes you feel temporarily quite unfit for work’.

He went on to tell Pips that he saw no sign of any leave on the horizon, but was hoping for the best. In the meantime he was still curious to know how things were going at the office, and often had talks with Reynolds [who had recently been posted to the Battalion] about it, although ‘he has dined in a rather different lot to mine’.

In the letter to his mother he asked how everyone and everything was at home. He was sorry to hear that puss was ill, but glad that the chickens were ‘going strong still’, and sympathised with her that she had to combine looking after them with her duties at the hospital. He was also pleased to hear about the improvements that were being made to Rossendale [the family home]:

‘I am sure it is well worth it – when we settle down if we decide to keep the house I should like a nice brick wall built round the whole of the garden and get it covered with some sort of creeper, but… as I hope we will be able to take a house well out in the country it would not be worth the expense’.

[Next letter: 8 April]