Pte Brinley Richards, an employee of the Ammanford Foundry, who is now undergoing training with the Royal Welsh Fusiliers at Seaford, writes to a member of our staff as follows :-
Things are going on very well here just now, only the weather has changed, and we cannot do a great deal of work, although we have to drill out in it until we are we to the skin.
We get three parades a day – one at 6.15; 9.30; and – 2.15 until 4.30, and a night march every other night for about two hours. Sometimes we get one all night. But as I say, the weather has changed and we cannot go out much in the rain.
I do not know what they are going to do with us. I expect they have something in their heads which we do not know, nor will know for a while. It is not likely they will keep us here without finding something for us to do.
We have heard it said that we are going back to Eastbourne as they have a large drill-hall there. I hope that is right. Eastbourne is a fine place. Our experience there was quite a holiday. It is just like Blackpool , only not so large – but more “swankie.”
It will not be long ere we shall be ready to go out to the front. If the weather had kept a little better we would be out there in about a month. I expect it will take us a little longer now. We have had a some really fine training and we feel like going now if we had the chance more, than ever.
The captain the other day wanted to know how many were willing to go back to Wrexham to train, so that we should be able to go straight away. What do you think! We all put our hands up. He did not expect that. So now we have all got to stop here. I expect they will now send each company back in turn.
As I am in ‘A Company' I shall be among the first. When it will come off I do not know as they have such a lot there as it is. We are all willing to go anywhere.
Here we cannot by anything, either for love, or money, as the shops are so full that we have to wait almost an hour before we can get served with, say, cigarettes. I have been for days without a smoke.
We have to be in bed by 9.30 p.m., and after a long march there is not much chance of going out to by cigarettes. So now I get them from a few friends. A soldier's life is a fine one when you get used to it and is quite a change from civilian life.
