WORLD WAR ONE NORTHAMPTON INDEPENDENT SOLDIER NEWSPAPER ARTICLES   

       CORPL. F. BIRD of the Northants Yeomanry, Dec 1914

                                    “We have just arrived from the trenches.  Went in Thursday night and came out last night (Monday,

                            December 14), so we are having a day in bed today, and we can with it too.  We were within 150 yards of the

                            German trenches, and both sides were firing day and night, so you can tell we had a lively time, bullets flying

                            in all directions.  They made me duck a bit at first, but I soon got used to them, and did not take much notice

                            after we had been there a few hours.  Our squadron was lucky.  We had three fellows and one officer wounded,

                            but none of them seriously.  I daresay they are in England by now, for they were sent home.  It is awful in the

                            trenches, up to our knees in mud and water, and raining most of the time.  I had the pleasure of shooting a

                            German the first night we were there.  I have read in the papers that the Germans can’t use a rifle, but you have

                            only to pop your head above the trench in the daytime and you soon get a bullet in it.  They can shoot as well as

                            we can.  Our fellows are very excited just now.  They have just brought five days letters and parcels in.  I think

                            everybody has got something.  We all look forward to letters and parcels, it seems nice to hear from home.”