The East Anglian Royal Engineers and the Rats

Friday 5th February 1915: Sapper F Parker of the 1st Field Company, East Anglian Royal Engineers serving with 2nd Division tells us: “We have moved further along the firing line, shifted yesterday. There has been some very severe fighting about this part recently, so it seems as though we are in the thick of it now”. We gather they are at le Quesnoy.

“Our Company has relieved some more Royal Engineers who are going back for a rest. We are having better weather now, thank goodness. I very often sit in my abode of love and think about you all at home and wish I had a bottle of good old English beer by my side. The stuff we get out here is rotten trash, like weak water. Most of us as a rule drink coffee with a dash, and the French know how to make it. It’s very good”.

“Our batteries are always around our neighbourhood sending over presents for the Germans, souvenirs as the French say. It’s a fine sight on a dark night to see the flash and the illuminating rockets going up. We had some visitors last night in our “bedroom”, some nice sized rats. You can hear them skipping round and feel them when they run over your feet, but we don’t object to that, as long as they keep off our faces. I am thinking of training some of them. I give you my word they are very active, so don’t be surprised to see me appearing on the stage at Bedford with my wonderful long-tailed pets”.

Source: Bedfordshire Times 12th February 1915