The first of eight letters of correspondance between Percy Coleman and his mother, Lizzie, beginning 13th December 1917. 

Y.M.C.A. with the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force

December 13th 1917

Dear Mother,

            Just a few lines hoping to find you all quite well as it leaves me the same at present. I have not received a letter from you since I came in Palestine so I don’t know how you are all getting on. We have had a rough time lately and had a lot of rain and now we are up the country a bit it is getting very cold. Dear Mother we are only about 3 or 4 miles from the firing line so I expect by the time you get this letter we shall be in it. I wish you would send me a few woodbines and a pipe as soon as you can. Just a small parcel and put this address on it Pte PW Coleman 33859 D coy 1/5 Highland L. Inf. Egyptian Ex. Force.

There are fields of oranges just where we are now but we don’t get much chance of getting many or get them every day. Everything seems different out here but you soon get used to them. I shall have to close now.

                                    From your Loving Son,

                                                            Percy

Y.M.C.A. with the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force

Dec. 27 1917

Dear Mother,

            Just a few lines hoping to find you all quite well as it leaves me the same at present. I received the letter what you sent me with 4s/6d in but don’t send any money as it is no good to me out here ---- I have had no other letters. We are having some dreadful weather lately something like you are having at home, and the ground is so bad that we can’t get anything up. We was in action with the Turks just before Christmas, and Christmas Day was the worst I have ever spent and shall never forget it. Just before we came into the line we was staying in an orange grove and there was thousands of lovely oranges and lemons but you soon get sick of them. Dear Mother I hope you all enjoyed your Christmas at home. I expect Nibby had a good time I shall have to go.

                        From your loving son,

                                                Percy              

Y.M.C.A. with the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force

Jan 3rd 1918

Dear Mother,

            Just a few lines hoping so far you all quite well as it leaves me the same at present. I have just received a letter from Dad and it took 5 or 6 weeks to come, so I shall be expecting one from you very shortly. I hope Tom is getting on alright at work, I expect he is still at Chalk End, tell him to stick it and don’t join up unless he is over 18 years old.

I am getting used to this country a bit now and I have seen as much of the Holy Land as I want to. Dear Mother I wish you would send me some shag and fag papers if you have not sent them but only make a small parcel, we are not getting any fags at all just now so a bit of shag from Mill Street will come in handy. I shall have to close now.

                                    From your loving son,

                                                            Percy