Rats As Big As Cats

An extract from a letter from the Front written by Private Percy Aust of Neston who served in the Coldstream Guards.

On the day your parcel arrived we had been inspected by Lord Kitchener. It rained in torrents all the day. We have been out of the trenches for a few days. I saw a few of the Wilts Yeomanry there the last time we were in. We had just a few of them in with us to show them how to go on. I was talking to one of them – his home was in Melksham. Glad to hear that Coleman and Farmer have been home on leave. I saw Jack Bull a fortnight ago. He was in the pink then. There is plenty of mud at the best of times in the trenches and you would never believe the number of rats there are, some of them are as big as cats: you have to be very careful of your rations or they will soon see them off for you. It will be a good job when it is all over. I expect there will be something doing when the weather gets finer.

It is interesting to note that Charles Coleman, William Farmer and John (Jack) Bull were all killed in action.

(extract taken from the Devizes and Wiltshire Gazette)