WWI fine letter dated August 2nd 1914 from a Royal Artillery Officer, Noel Preston writing from Bulford Camp, Salisbury, describing the mobilisation and the earliest stages of the outbreak of the conflict: ‘...everything is ready or at least we fondly imagine so...on the other hand when I compare the chaotic confusion in which we started for South Africa with the orderly & well thought out mobilization we have just completed I feel far more confident... the idea of the Germans would seem to be as follows – to hold the Russians back with a few corps & endeavour to crush France in two months, then face about & deal with the Russians...if the Germans do this it will be the most remarkable feat of arms ever performed...’ Together with three further letters written by the same Officer during the War itself – by now attached to the fledgling Royal Flying Corps – dated April 17th& December 24th 1916 and July 31st 1917 respectively : ‘...it was a great victory. The whole affair went like clockwork & the guns of all sorts & sizes played their part so well that our losses wer every small. The whole business has put our infantry in real good heart which will mean a great deal in any subsequent operations. The Boche isn’t half the man he was & seems only too glad to surrender...