News from a Denaby Soldier

May 1900

Mexborough and Swinton Times, May 18.

News from a Denaby soldier.

Tim Roper, the well-known Denaby footballer, has written the following letter to his mother:

Elandslaagte, 16th April

Dear Mother.

Just a few lines to say I received your letter and am in good health.

I have not received the papers yet.

Tell Mr Weston I got his letter I was glad to hear the footballers were going on all right with the cup. There is another footballer out here with me from Doncaster Rovers.

The Boers sent us some shells for our breakfast the other morning, but our artillery soon let them know they were there, and sent them some shells back.

You should have seen them – they were playing hide and seek from one hill to another as fast as they could go. We are not doing very much at present; we are keeping quiet. We are on a hill and are entrenching it, ready for an attack, for they are expecting Roberts and French getting round the Boers and driving them this way, and then they can look out for it, for they have to cross some flat ground before they can get to us.

They will “cop” it in coming across; I wouldn’t like to be in their shoes. We are working all the time digging trenches and building stone walls for cover; I don’t think we shall attack again. I think they are going to let the Boers do the attacking; I think we have had our share of it. But they won´t attack until they are forced to and I don’t think that will be long.

Give my respects to the footballers and tell them they are not having it all to themselves, as we can have a game out here.

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