Private G. Hand, of the South Wales Borders, now in the Duchess of Westminster 's hospital in Paris , writes to a friend in Burry Port. He is well known at Ammanford, having resided for some time in Penybank, and his letter, which is as follows, will be read with interest in the town : -
“I am here like a young colt, feeling quite well except for the old arm. Of course, I cannot throw my arm about just as I like, and I don't expect I will for a while. We are well looked after in hospital. We get everything we want, and as there are 300 of us here, you can guess the work of the sisters and the orderlies.
I must tell you how I got my little lot. I can tell you I am lucky to be as I am because they tried hard to put me out. On October 29 we advanced to take up a position. Well, we got it, but we had to lie in a wood until dark. I had two bullets in by pack as I was lying down. My head was very low on the ground, or I should have had them through there.
When it was dark we left the wood and dug trenches during the night, then lay in them. We were there until the afternoon of October 31, until we were forced out of it by thousands of Germans.
They came along like a lot of bees, but they soon stopped after we tried a little, and gave them a doing. After I had fired a few rounds I got these two. They were only about 6 yards away at the time with only a little hedge between us.
Bullets were flying around like a swarm of bees, and I had to lie in a trench until dark, when I found my way to hospital. Our boys fought back to the same place again, but lost a lot of men, though the Germans lost at least double the number.
Next day, when I examined my great coat I found a bullet hole through my right wrist, another through the right arm, another through the left arm they went through the coat so hey only hit me two out of five.
I call myself lucky.
