BATTLE OF THE BULGE

HQ 30th Corps (Rear), S&T Branch, BLA

January 6 I945

Dearest Father,

Your cigars were a most splendid present and are in first-class condition.

I smoked one Xmas night and everyone crowded around me for the

aroma. Thank you very much for them.

We spent a rather better Xmas than the German offensive led us to

expect, and we celebrated in fine style the evening although we were at

our desks during the day. It was a beautiful fine, clear day, but cold

and treacherous to the feet.

The German offensive certainly shook up the_Belgians. I am very

sorry for those who were once again overrun by the enemy — the

atrocities they have committed do not bear reading — they went mad

for revenge shooting civilians on sight. It was fortunate for Belgians

there was a . . .

It is easy to criticise and be clever after the event, and the Americans

certainly have responded with the utmost vigour and gallantry. It is

however, incomprehensible how the Hun assembled without their

knowledge, if it was done under the cover of bad weather - reason more

for expecting an attack.

Taking by and large the effect and the result, it is certainly satisfactory

militarily that we came out as it was much easier to inflict losses on him

in the open rather than in the Siegfried Line —and if you are going to

follow a man into a house the easiest way to do so is to follow him in

while the door is open.

It has certainly stopped unrest in Belgium and reunited the nation.

It has also fetched America out of the apathy she was beginning to slip

into — I do not think that England was free from that tar. The war

seemed so nearly over and shouting was the only thing necessary to

complete it.

I hope that this will arrive on or about the 11th, and so many happy

retums of that day and all other days of 1945.

With dearest love,

ALAN