Letter from Cedric Campbell Holding to Mr Henley, 9 October 1916.

[*PR82/8*]
Belgium,
9^th October 1916.
Dear Mr Heney
Per last mail I received
a letter from Father, in which he gave me
particulars of my sister Elsie's Wedding,
and therein mentioning yourself being
present, and asking me to write you as
you would appreciate a line from me.
Naturally I would have liked to have been
present, but it's one of the many misfortunes
one meets in life. Judging by Father's
description the Wedding passed off very
successful, and I am sure they will both
be very happy in the future, and will
look forward with interest to their Honeymoon,
the only thing their residing so far
away. Regarding myself I am getting
along A1, and much prefer being over
here than Cairo (as Father terms it the
land of "Sin, Sand & Sorrow".) there's quite
a contrast -, continual Rain Storms take
the place of Dust Storms, in fact it never
seems to cease, and at times the mud and 

slush is over ankle deep - Returning from 
the Line all hours of the night, pitch dark,
& entering the Stables its awful and our Harness
gets in a dreadful state & of course we have
to set to & polish it, and to make matters
worse we have Mules to deal with, not
Horses, and I assure you they can frisk
like L. still they are good workers. Xmas.
is upon us again, and I can hardly
realise it will be my second one spent away
on A.S. A percentage of our boys have
had furlough to London, but up to the
present I have been un-successful. I
must confess I'm getting very weary of
this life and won't be sorry when I
see the Porpoises again cutting capers
at the bow of the Boats Compass "Eh"-
our Boys as you will have heard ere
this have achieved more than what
was expected of them. We have done a
good deal of travelling about, practically
seeing the whole of the British Front.
"Fritz" is receiving ex an exceedingly.
rough handling at present - thank
goodness we have the upper hand & 

the boot is on the other foot.
Well I must say Aurevoir
with Kindest Regards & Best Wishes,
wishing you the "Compliments of the
Season."
Yours Sincerely,
(No 9568) Cedric Holding,
No 1 Section,
2^nd D.A.C. 2^nd Div:
F.A. - A.IF.
abroad.