I would like to point out that these letters have been filed for the past fifty years and as they have now come forward I have felt that they should be brought together and presented in their entirety. They show the attitudes, the happenings and to some extent what it was like to be an average young man who accepted the call to duty, not to protect his country, but the Mother Country. They cover the whole period leading up to the entry into the Army. The going to and the returning over a period of nearly three years. I have had some reluctance to present these letters in their original form but after consideration why shouldn't affection be shown, why shouldn't fear be shown, why shouldn't stupidity be shown and why shouldn't heroism be shown.
All of these aspects apply to people, particularly in wartime and keeping in mind that these letters apply to the First World War and that we have since had that disastrous Second World War, I hope we never again see another World War.
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Just a hurried line to let you know I have arrived safely. It is a bit difficult writing here with candle light but I will do my best. We had two accidents on the way down. One chap to of our carriage was standing on the platform as we were coming into a platform at 25 miles per hour and he got thrown off onto the platform. I was looking out the window and I wondered what the hell it was? My word dear, I thought he was killed when I saw what it was. When we stopped, we ran back to see what had happened only to be met by him coming back to the train. We could have fallen through the ground we were that surprised. Dear, we couldn't see his feet for blood, so we washed him down and he was allright. There was no way that he would be left behind and he really was only scratched. If it had been anybody else, he would have been killed.
Well Dear it is allright down here, the weather is lovely and the chaps in our tent are nice. I am with a chap named Norris who knows Jess well. We have chummed up together and he is a rider in our squad. My word Dear I have met such a lot of chaps I know, even Officers in the Artillery who I have been to school with and all have a yarn to me. I think I will like it alright.?
Well Love, I hope everything is well with you. I felt very down hearted when we were leaving. My Sister has been down to see me. I was thinking about my little girl. Oh Dot I do love you better than anything in this world. Will try to write tomorrow.
With best love from your own little soldier
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Received your letter today also one from Jess. I was surprised to get one from her. I see that she is getting on allright. Well Dearest, I think I am going to pass out as my throat is very bad, I can hardly swallow anything. I am going to the Doctor tomorrow. I have been treating it but it doesn't seem to be doing any good in fact it is getting worse. I think dear, my throat must be like a lb of steak. I know it feels like it. I wouldn't worry very much if they did kick me out. There have been quite a few put out already. If you get a cold down here, there is no way of getting rid of it. This last couple of days dear, I have just been feeling like getting put out. There will be a lot put out before we go, it is just so cold down here.
We get out of bed in the morning and it is just getting light. We then go out on the Parade ground and as it is so cold, there are always some who faint. I have never felt like it but Dear, I have been that cold I did not know what to do with myself. Well Dearest Tom wishes to be remembered to you. You know that standing up with the pipe in his mouth, has just gone home. He a bad cold and now he has got an inflamed chest, so he won't be back for a good while. I am sorry for him, he was a good chap, we both went to the same school together.
Well Love I must close now, I want to post this tonight as I want to get to bed early. It is only about 8 o'clock and I always try to go early. Well Dearest goodnight for now with lots of love from yours only.
This letter with a big cuddle.
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Received your welcome letter yesterday. I was speaking to Mallett and he wished to be remembered to you. He doesn't seem a bad sort and he was telling me about that time we went to the play and that other chap came out in a rage and woke everybody up and then started to roar about it. Nobody knows why as he had never been engaged. I did get a letter away to Walkers last night.
Don't you think I am a stinker, I haven't been to town yet, however I think I will go on Wednesday night from 5 till 12. I want to have a nice hot bath and a good feed of eggs. I do not know what they are like anymore, it's a real shame! What feeds we will have when I come up on leave, you will have to fatten me up Dear, else I will have to go and stay at the Nicols ( I don't think) I haven't written to them yet and I don't think I will.
Well Dear I can hardly see this paper for dust, it is blowing so hard. It is a very dusty place. We have been very lucky really, as we have had lovely weather and very little rain. We went for a route march yesterday morning for three hours and then got dismissed. We were lucky it was a good day for marching. This morning there is no Church Parade as we were inoculated again. This time on the left side and they really stuck the needle in a long way. It was a bit painful but luckily only lasted a few seconds, so I am now supposed to be fever proof for everything except bullet proof. It is a wonder they can't give us something for that.
Well Dear I just met Frank for the first time for week, he has a bad cold and also his knee is not to good. I do not know how he will last the Training out. He will be very lucky if he does as he wasn't made for a soldier? Love, we are having our exams. We have been through Gun Drill, Squad Drill, and Riding Class. It was very funny in the Riding Test, we had to ride all different ways with our feet out of the stirrups and our hands above our heads, it took some hanging on? Some of the chaps would finish up hanging round the horses neck, others would fall right off. Some of the chaps that couldn't ride lasted better than those that could. I don't know how I lasted out it was more good luck than good riding, anyhow he took my name for it, that was the main thing. If your name was taken it was allright.
Tomorrow we have to go through the Signalling and that is the hardest of the lot, that is were you go out. Well Dearest, I must close for now
PS If you look to nice Dearest, I'm afraid I will get out, ( I don't think)
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Trentham. (Letter written at Devonport.)
Received your loving letter today and read it over about six times. Well dear, I don't feel much like writing tonight as I am a bit down in the dumps. I haven't been out this week yet, it seems strange to be home every night, I think a month of it would send me mad. Well dear, they say, absense makes the heart grow fonder, I think it is right. I miss you terribly but you do need a holiday and in spite of how much I miss you. Don't hurry back. I can wait a little longer but not to long otherwise I will come up and get a job. I suppose your father would take me on. I can hammer nails in and use a soldiering iron, so I think I would do.
Well dear, you were saying about the chocolates, I was just thinking how I could send them, you know I would willingly send them if I could but I think if I sent them in the box they would get so warm it would be better to send them in a tin. Well Dear, if I posted tomorrow night you wouldn't get them until Monday. Never mind, I will think of something and will definitely get them to you. I will make up for the delays to the chocs when you get back. Well dear, I must be closing now and hoping to hear from you very soon and let me know when you are coming home because I want you so much. With best love
Keep a look out for the chocs on Saturday, will post tommorow night.
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This won't be a few lines, as I am going to write you a big long letter, add a little to it every day. I will start from the beginning Dear. We had a great send off dearest. We were up at 4-30am on the Saturday morning and left at 9 o'clock. When we arrived at Wellington, we marched through the town and would you believe, I only saw about two chaps I knew. Then we went aboard and eventually left the wharf at 7 o'clock. We stayed in the harbour all night. By the way dear, did you get the letter I sent on the Saturday? They did not know if a boat would be coming off to get them or not. Well Dear we stayed in the stream all night and then left at six in the morning in a real gale and have been in it ever since. Sunday, there were a lot sick as we were in a good big sea.
Well Dearest it has been like that ever since and we have lost two horses so far and there are some more just about dead. Some of the chaps too have been very bad. We have had a very big head sea and it is now on our beam and we are rolling nearly deck under at times. Some of the horses have been washed over the side. You can't go on deck without getting wet through as she ships a sea right over her. We haven't seen some of our officers since we left as they are all down and out.
I haven't been sick, in fact, I never felt better in all my life. I am eating like a horse and have not missed one meal yet, so Dear I am not doing so bad. Some of the deck cabins have been flooded out, I have never seen such big seas. I wish we would soon run into some nice weather, this is really sickening, blowing a gale all the time. We couldn't sleep last night with the ship rolling so much it would nearly throw us out of our bunks. I am half standing and half lying down Dearest, trying to write this. I want to try to write a big letter Dear, that is why I am starting so soon. We will be going through Bass Straits tonight, so we won't see any more land till we get to Albany. If the weather doesn't improve Dear, we will have no horses left by the time we get there.
Oh Dear, I often wish I was back home and having a little cuddle. I hope that it is all over when we get there, not that I am frightened. I think Dearest, every boy should go that is capable. They can have their troopships for me it is far from comfortable, work from daylight till dark Each man has three horses to look after. I am not so badly off as I am a permanent Mess Orderly for the trip. I get an hour off in the morning and 2 1/2 hours in the afternoon I just have to wait at the table. I tell you, I am some kid you would laugh to see me balancing a plate of soup, it takes you all your time to hang on with out having anything in your hands. It is a darn nuisance Dear, I do not think I would like to take the sea life on for good. I would sooner be with my little girl! I keep your last letters under my bunk and I have a read of them before I go to bed Your watch is keeping good time Dearest, I do not know what I would die with out it.
Today, some of us were standing at the stern, watching the propellers come out of the water and she hit a big sea and the stern went right under. We were soaked up to the knees the next minute you could almost see under the ship. I have just been told Dear there are eight horses down in the hold and our Captain was going to see the Skipper and try to get him to go into Melbourne because they can't do anything with the horses. There are 400 men and 600 horses here and I believe we go within 4 miles of Melbourne and we might get there tomorrow. I hope we do.
Oh Dear, when I get back I will never leave you again, not for anybody. I am allright as I have a cabin to go to anytime in the day, the Plumber here used to be my apprentice?
Well Dear, I will go on again. I go to his cabin every night and have a yarn and of course, a cigarette. He gets them out of the saloon for me and keeps them in his drawer. Love, it comes in very handy, I can have a shave and a fresh water wash whenever I want one and also the occasional afternoon tea.
Well Dear on Thursday night two more horses died and that makes six up till today. They had to put oil bags over the side to keep the sea from breaking over her so it shows you just how rough it really was. Well Dear from then till today there was nothing startling happened only that the sea has moderated quite a lot, and today it is lovely and calm, and it was a glorious morning but it has now started to rain and get quite dirty.
We have just entered Bass Strait, we all thought that we would have been there long ago but she has been going very slow in the bad weather that we have had. The other day we couldn't even see the other two boats at all we were that far apart, Now we are all together again. Dear we can just see the land on the Port side which is Tasmania. We have only sighted on other boat and that is an old tramp and she just went past us at lunch time. She was about five miles away
Well Dear I was up on the mat today. I was sitting in the cabin this morning with a Sergeant and two others, having a good smoke and who should look in but the Major and he wanted to know what we were doing there? We told him that we had been invited in. He then said to take the names of those who had been smoking. We of course denied it but me being the unlucky one I was pulled up. He argued with me and I still denied it and the other chaps stuck up for me and I got off, but Dear it was really a fair cop.
I had to come up today on the same charge and it has been put off until tomorrow.
Well, Love, we had a sad scene here this morning, we buried one of the boys at sea. His name was Merrick and he lived at Ponsonby. They say he bought 3/- worth of tinned fruit and fish and got Ptomaine poisoning. Others say he had an abscess on the brain. He died last night and was buried this morning. All the boats stopped and it was a very sad scene. The Captain read the service and the Bugler played the last post and they fired three volleys over where he was buried. We will never forget it as he was only 19 and his Cousin was on one of the other ships.
Well Love we are through the Straits and in the Australian Bight and going straight on to Albany. Dear I hope it is all over when we get there. It is a rotten life and they are really rubbing it in. T. Morris left his bag on the floor, the other morning and he got 12 extra pickets He slept in yesterday and has to go up again today.
Some of the chaps have lost a weeks pay for hardly anything and some for not shaving Just fancy 35/- for not shaving. Oh Love I wish I was back again with you after this is over. They will have a job to get more men. They treat us like prisoners instead of soldiers We are only allowed to smoke in one place now and that is right in the stern of the ship. Next they will say that we will have to go over the side. You have never seen anything like it. Dear, you might think I am silly but I don't care. I went to sleep on Saturday night with your watch to my lips, I felt so lonely Love, you are never out of my thoughts I wish Dear we were together again. How I long for the time, If I was only returning instead of going I would be quite happy with my little girl waiting for me with a great big kiss. Oh Dear I don't know what I will do without you. I hope we are not away very long I think I will die of a broken heart
Dear we are running into another gale. It is raining and blowing and we also have lots of lighting. We really have hardly had any fine weather so far, We have only seen the sun once!
Well Dearest I was up again today and I fell in. The Major took the Sergeant's evidence and then asked me if I was guilty and I said NO, then he described how he had seen me put the cigarette out and told me that if I didn't own up I would be tried again by a Court Martial, so rather than get to much I owned up, so he fined me one weeks pay for telling lies 35/-, so it will take 35 days to pay off. He then said to Sergeant Moore that he believes he was smoking to, and he was warned.
Dear, if he hadn't of been so smart and told them before, I had a chance I would have owned up at the very first. The Major told me he would have let me off if I had owned up. So Dear, that is what I get for trying to shield another man after him telling them I wasn't I couldn't say anything and he is not the man to say seeing I was smoking too and you tried to shield me I will go half he isn't man enough for that. That shows you dear how easily you can get into trouble through other people.
Dearest, I will not be allowed ashore now till we get to Egypt. They get about thirty up on the mat every day and they tell me if you have been up once, they stop your leave Dear, I believe there is going to be some fun before we leave this boat. They are treating us like dogs and they say they are going to play up after we leave Albany. I will keep well out of it Dear. I won't give them the chance to catch me again.
Well Dearest it is still blowing and we are rolling about so it will be quite funny to get into fine weather again. I wrote to the Forbes tonight and told them to look after you Dear. If we roll about to much more we will go right over, Sometimes she jumps that much you have to knock off writing and just hang on. Love, up till today we have lost 11 horses and I have been looking at some more that will not last too long.
Well Dear, we will reach port at 12 o'clock tomorrow I wish it was Auckland. Oh Dear, wouldn't we have a good time I would squeeze the life out of you. Dearest how I love you, I think of you all the time every day and every night I think of my little girl waiting for me. Dearest, I kiss your watch every night before I go to sleep. Dearest I must close now. I wrote to Norm, May and your Father.
With best love from your own little Boy
PS. Remember me to all. I will write from the next port.
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Just a few more lines dear to let you know how we are getting on. I got as far as Albany in the last letter. Half of the boys got leave on the Sunday morning from 10 to 3 o'clock, the other half in the afternoon. All the ones that had been on the mat weren't allowed ashore, including me. It was very funny, I got all dolled up and we all paraded on the wharf for our pass and they sent me aboard and said I wasn't allowed ashore. I was disappointed, all the chaps that were off in the morning sneaked off again in the afternoon, so when it got dark I walked boldly down the gangway and told the guard I had a pass so I got ashore allright. There was nothing much to see, nearly all the shops were open and I bought some things then returned to the boat and told the guard I had lost my pass. They didn't say anything.
Well dear next morning we went out in the harbour and took on coal and provisions and left at 9 o'clock Tuesday morning. It was the finest day we have had this trip. In the afternoon it rained bucketfulls and we thought we were in for another rough time but it soon cleared again and now it is nice. Still had a head wind and sea but nothing to speak about. We left the Australian Coast today and are now in the Red Sea and going straight to Colombo. One of the boats has left us and gone on to Egypt and we won't see her again. Dear, we have heard a lot of rumours, we have got 200 horses on for England and they say we are going there. I do not think anyone really knows. Well dear I bought a fountain pen on Sunday so the letters will be more plain.
My word, Albany is just like Devonport everybody thought the same. Things are very dear there. Oranges are 2d each so we didn't buy many of them. All the hotels are open during the day and some of the chaps got pretty drunk and they had to send a Picket out after them. On Monday night, some of them are going to be tried by Court Martial for kicking up a row.
Well dear I hope to get a letter from you when we do get to Colombo. Love, I do miss your regular letters, it seems ages since I had a letter from you. Those last ones you sent, I have still got them. I suppose, dear, you wondered what you were getting when you got my last letter. It was the longest letter I have ever written, quite a small book. (By the way dear remember me to Pearl when you see her.) I suppose you took quite a long time to read it? I was making up for lost time.
Well dear it is lovely weather, we are now in the Tropics and it is getting very hot. We will soon be sleeping on deck. We have seen two whales and a lot of flying fish, that is all we have to look at now. We haven't heard any news at all about the war. I often wonder how it is getting on I think they must be still wanting us because that other boat went straight on. It will be two or three months before we go into the firing line. We are not half trained yet.
Love, you will notice a difference in the writing. I am sitting on the stern of the boat writing this and she is rolling a lot and it makes it awkward to write. I suppose dear you notice a difference in the colours of the ink. Well when I bought it, it was black, the heat must have changed it to blue ! It is all out of the same bottle? It is quite funny when you think of it. We put two more horses over the side today that makes 15, the most any boat has lost. Did you get the button dear I told my Sister to send it to you. I threw it to her off the boat. Is she writing to you, she said she would.
I will try to send you a, parcel from a Colombo, you can buy nice things there. Of course I am not getting much in wages now. I do not get any for a long time now, it was just as well dear that I brought some with me. I would have been broke if I hadn't? It will seem quite funny amongst all the darkies. I will tell you all about it dear. Love, I sent you a packet of post cards from Albany did you get them all right? My word dear, won't I be able to talk about a lot of places when I get back.
One thing, I have always got something to think about. My little girl waiting for me. My word dear you will have to come to Wellington for a holiday then dear. I wonder how long it well be Love. Try to send me another photo, I would like two, in case I lose one, but I do not think that will happen. I was having a look at it yesterday and my word dear, It is just like you.
Has Ernie joined yet and that other boy you know, I forget his name? If you hear anything of Cyril and Gibby let me know. I wonder how they are doing? I expect they are in the thick of it by now. I never thought old Gibby would go he was always so quiet, remember when I used to be afraid of him? That Sunday night, when we left him, wasn't he wild? I thought he had tickets on you then?
Well dear, I am not afraid of anybody now I know you are going to wait for me. My word I will be so pleased to get a letter from you. I hope I will get one in Colombo Dearest. I will be quite happy then Dearest. I am just dying to know how you are getting on. I hope dear that you are not worrying about me? I know that you are lonely but we will make up for it. I often think of the morning that I arrived in Auckland, you had been crying. I think Dear you were to happy for words. My word dear I shall never forget that Sunday night.
Well Dear there is no change today only it is very hot, I think in a few more days we will all be grease spots. I have a shower every day and all though the water is not cold enough, it is lovely. I stand under it for a long time. Well dear we had a concert last night and it was alright, we had it on the boat deck. The Major was Chairman and we had some good songs. All the nuts were smoking cigars. Some of the chaps recited and taking it right through we haven't much talent aboard but still it passed the night away allright.
Dear I had a washing day today, I am getting quite good at it. Everything nearly dry, ready for ironing. It started to rain so I had to bring them in. I wouldn't care about washing all day it is far to hot or that. I suppose if you saw the things you wouldn't say that they were very, but it was the that I could do. Dear I did some darning the other day. I do not know how you do it but I couldn't make a success of it. I should have had some lessons? It doesn't look like good darning but it will have to do.
Dear, I have only got a singlet on and the sweat is pouring out of me. We don't know what to do with ourselves most of the time.. How would some ice cream go? I could eat a bucketful. It was very funny the other night. They make ice cream for the Officers for their tea and the Cook left it out side of the galley and the boys pinched it and put the empty tin back. The Darkie took it along to the Saloon and they went mad when they found it was empty? There was a hell of a row about it. I didn't have a finger in the pie and I didn't know anything about it. I wish I had it would have gone down well.
Dear, if I was in Auckland I know where I would be now at 7:30? Well Dear that is the lot for tonight.
Believe it or not I am getting stuck for news. It is still very hot and I do not know what it will be like when the sun comes out. We haven't seen it for 2 days now. One of the boys got sunstroke yesterday. I don't know how he got it as there was no sun shining, in fact we had a good tropical downpour of rain and it lasted for about an hour and we had another one top day. My word Dear it can certainly rain, it just seems as if the heavens have opened up. You would have laughed today. We have all the hatches off and were just in the middle of dinner when it started. You should have seen the scatter, everybody was out of it in seconds. Needless to say we were flooded out. All the chaps that had finished dinner got undressed and went on deck and got a fresh shower, it was just like turning a hose on.
We passed Cocos Island today where the Emden was wrecked. We didn't call in as it was 60 miles away. All the other troopships have seen it. Our skipper wouldn't alter course to show it to us. It would have been worthwhile seeing. Just our luck! My word Dear, it was very funny today, one of the boys laughed and the Sergeant put him up. He got off as they couldn't prove that he had actually laughed at the Sergeant. We are just like a lot of school kids instead of soldiers. You can't move every place you stand in the policeman comes along and tells you can't stand there the only place left to us is a little patch right in the stern of the boat we are like sardines there on the other boats you can go anywhere you like nobody says anything to you. Well dear, it is now nighttime and my worked it is raining in bucketfulls. Dear, I got my pass to visit the plumber's cabin today from 11am till 3 o'clock and 5 till 8 so it will be alright again afternoon tea at 4 for tea and toast at 6 in the morning.
I am writing this in the cabin, sitting on the couch. It is just the thing dear. I wish you were here dear, it is lovely with the fan going, nice & cool. I have just had a shave and a wash so I feel nice and clean. The Bugler is in here too writing to his girl, so there is a pair of us. He is a hard case, I knew him in Wellington Dear. We hear that a German boat has escaped, I hope that she doesn't come our way. It would be a poor look out for us if she did, anyhow I do not suppose the men of war are very far away.
Love, we will be crossing the line on Friday. The Plumber is making a tin suit for Mr & Mrs Neptune. I believe we are going to put some of the Officers in the tub I will tell you all about it. It is a great thing when you cross the line. They say we do not get the real heat till we cross the line my word Dear. If it gets much hotter we will all melt, five minutes after you have a shower you are sweating like a pig, so I don't know what it will be like in a few more days.
Dear, I must send you something nice from Colombo if I get ashore. I think I will manage it all right. Dearest, I hope you are getting on allright, I am looking forward to getting a letter in the next port. I often think of that song "The Rosary", my word dear it always reminds me of you that part, "The Hours I Spent With Thee," they were the best hours of my life. I was very happy then.
Well Dear, we are going to have another concert tonight and all the Nobs are going to sing! I hope it will be better than the last one. One of the apprentice boys lost two of his fingers today. They were putting a dead horse overboard and he got caught in the winch. My word Dear it is lovely tonight not a breath of wind and the sea, like a mill pond. It was lovely watching the sun setting It was as good as I have seen.
I went to sick parade today. I have a cold and a stiff neck through sleeping in a draught. The Doctor gave me 10 pills. Two different sorts. I had to swallow three big ones at a time and suck one of the others every hour. They are the same as we used to get in camp, guaranteed to cure anything. I believe if you broke your neck, they would give you some pills, they are marvelous. I am thinking of getting a few boxes to take to the front, don't you think they would be good? I didn't get any coloured water this time, they must have thought I wasn't thirsty.
Love, the watch is keeping good time, I don't know what I would do without one now. Dear, you will be fast asleep, it is about 12 o'clock tonight by your time we are about 6 hours behind now.
Well dear, we crossed the line today and had some great fun. Father Neptune and about 20 apprentices headed by a piper playing Scotch music marched solemnly up to the bow of the ship at 10 o'clock, to hold the service over those that hadn't crossed the line before. By the way they are not allowed to touch soldiers. They include a doctor dentist and Barber. The first one to be done was one of the boys.
First they open his mouth and give him a spoonful of treacle and mustard, then some oil to wash it down. Of course they don't swallow any of it.. Then one pill, made out of soap and flour. It would be as big as an aspirin. They then have another one made out of suet and soap and then some more medicine made out of dirty water and oil and then a glass of salt water. They did their best to make them swallow it. Then comes the shaving and that is the funniest part of the lot. They have a bucket of treacle and flour and a big mop, and they smother you over with it. Over your hair and your face. They then put the mop on the inside of your singlet and rub plenty around there till it is about half an inch thick. Then the Barber gets to work. He has a razor about 2 feet long made of wood and a piece of canvas for a strap which he hangs around your neck. When he sharpens it he keeps pulling it and nearly jerks the fellow's head off. Then he scrapes all the muck off. After that, he decides to shampoo you and on goes some more treacle and flour. Then they have a tin of flour, and that is thrown all over you, then some oil on top of that then they rub it in with their hands. You have never seen such a mess in your life, and if you kick, the Barber has a stick with a needle on it about " sticking out and jabs that into you. Then they have a big canvas tank of water and after pasting your hair you are dumped into it and two chaps that are in the tank take over and half drown you. They pick you up and throw you in the air and when you come down they hold you under. You are then handed over to Father Neptune and he reads the service over you and that is the finish?
Every sailor that crosses the line for the first time has to go through it. It was the best bit of fun we have had so far. After that was over the Police, and they have about a dozen of them, got a couple of our sergeants and put them through it. They had to handcuff one as he kicked up so much. You might as well go quietly as you only get a worse time for making a row.
Well dearest, I have just finished tea and have adjourned to the cabin. I am afraid I will have to leave the letter till tomorrow, I have run out of news for the present and I will make up some more tomorrow. Love, you can see that you are never out of my thoughts. Every time I have a few minutes to spare I write a little more to my little girl. I know dear that you appreciate a long letter. When you write to me tell me all the news about everything dear, because we do not hear anything at all.
We are another day nearer to Colombo, we should sight land this afternoon. It will be quite a change after being at sea for so long. Love, it will take us another fortnight to get there and we have been going just a month. today I expect we will call at a place called Aden next and that will take 10 days. I believe it is only an island and nothing much to see. Love we will all be glad when we land as we are tired of this. We get roast pork and beans every Sunday and it goes allright. We will miss the good food when we land. Dear, you will see where I told you about the different ink. Well Love, it is blue when you write and goes black when it dries, so it isn't blue at all.
They have a church parade every Sunday. I don't have to go and it only lasts half an hour. They sing hymns. Well Dearest, I will have to leave your letter now and get the boys dinner. It is quarter to twelve. Well Dearest the pork went allright and plum duff with lime juice to wash it down. Love I am becoming an expert at washing clothes. One of the boys asked me to wash two towels today and I got a 1/- for it. I could get plenty to do if I wanted it, they all offer me 6d per piece to do it for them but I can't get the fresh water. It would pay allright if I could seeing I am not getting any wages, it would be pocket money for me, and it is not much trouble and I have plenty of time. Love, I am thinking very seriously of taking on a washer woman job when I come back! Night Love.
The boys got paid today 15/-, poor me didn't get any. That is a pound I have paid off, now I owe 15/-. I will be jolly glad when it is paid off. It is allright to see all the others get it and not me, still I am not the only one. Some of them have been fined more than me. Well Dearest, this is the last night I will have to finish your letter, I will post it tomorrow. If they do not give me any leave, I will take it. I will go up and see the Major about it tomorrow. I will send you some postcards and tell you whether I get it or not.
Love I do hope you are getting on allright and keeping brave, just for your boys sake Dear I am just dying for a big cuddle, Dearest I would give anything to be with you again. Dot, you don't know how much I love you, you are never out of my thoughts day or night. Every night Dear I have a little think and wonder if my little girl is well and happy. Dear, I am only doing what every boy ought to do. Oh Dear I will be true to you so don't worry love. The watch is wonderful and you couldn't have given me anything better to remember you by. Every time I look at it, I think of my Love and Dear, I am so careful of it. Well Dear, I must close now, with all my love from your own boy.
Remember me to all. Oh for a big cuddle.
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We have just arrived here. Dear, we only stayed in Colombo 5 hrs, then they sent us straight on here. We are going to unload the horses I think. They are having a game with us. We have got the guns all cleaned up but we don't know what we are going to do. My word Love, Colombo is a pretty place. There is no wharf there, you anchor in the stream. I will tell you all about it in the next letter. We have to be back there next week. It is a 48 hr sail, back there. Love, we are seeing a few places, Ceylon and India, where next, we do not know. The other boat went to Bombay. I suppose you heard about the rising out here. There is a Martial Law in Ceylon and I think that is why we are going back there. Well Dearest, if we get ashore here, I will send you something. Anyway I will send a postcard when I do send anything. When we do get back to Colombo, that is where I will send something from.
Dear, this is a great place for silk. They make the best in the world so I will try to get you a piece. Love, I wish you were with me you would see some great sights. When we went into Colombo another big boat came in just behind us and she wasn't flying the signal so the fort fired three shots across her bow. We all wondered what was the matter. All the Bun boats came out and they wanted 6d each for coconuts. We beat then down to 3d and 10/- for a box of cigars and we got them for 4/-, 50 in a box. Now we are all doing it in style and walking around the deck smoking. Well Love, Madras is a nice place. We are anchored just outside the breakwater and will go in at daylight.
I suppose Dear you will get a shock to get a letter from India. It only seems last week that I was with you dear, and now I am on the other side of the world. Love there is some talk of us doing some garrison duty out this way. You will see by the letters if you get a few weeks between the letters you will know we have gone on. Love, if we stay anywhere around this way I will write every mail. anyway Love I will write when we get back to Colombo. We heard, we have to be back there next week. There is no wharf there that is why we couldn't take the horses off. You will get a surprise to know we lost just on 80 horses. That shows you how hot it is. Some days we lost 14. Last night 7 died. and I don't know how many today. That is what the Vet told me.
Love this a very big town, one of the largest in India. We were all disappointed when we didn't get leave in Colombo, but when we heard we were coming here, we were all glad. Dearest, we wouldn't mind doing garrison work out this way, it would be just the thing. Love, I can't tell you much about the place because we haven't been ashore yet. I will tell you all about it in the next letter. Dearest I do not know when the mail goes so you might get this the same time as the one I post when we get back to Colombo. Love, I sent you a big letter. I posted it the day we arrived at Colombo so you ought to get it before this one. Well goodnight love
I am writing this one in case we don't go back to Colombo. Will send the postcards if we go ashore. We may only stay long enough to put the horses ashore.
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Just a few more lines to let you know how I am getting on. Dear, we arrived off Madras on Wednesday night and went alongside of the wharf on Thursday morning. Love, I got leave on Thursday from 10 to 3 and had a jolly good time. First I got in a rickshaw. That is a little cart, drawn by a nigger. That was allright. They run all the time and drove up the town. I went right through the nigger part of the town and had a look at their temples that is on the single postcard that I sent you. You will see it again in the book. Then I had a look at the buildings that were wrecked when the Emdon bombarded the town. She stood just outside the breakwater and fired on the town.
Then I went to the YMCA and had some iced drinks. They were lovely. I forgot to tell you dear, we all had to go to the bank and change our money into Indian, it is Rupees and annas. One Rupee is 1/4 and 1 anna is 1d. We got mixed up, it takes a while to get used to the money. Love, when we would have a ride, if the asked for 1 Rupee we would give them 1 anna. They would kick up the devil of a row but that was all they were entitled to. They would follow you for a if they thought you would have a ride. I have seen us spend an hour in a building and when we came out there would be a dozen waiting for us, and then we would get a tram and leave them all jabbering at us.
Then Dear, I went and got you the silk piece for the blouse. It cost 3 Rupees (4/9) and the handkerchiefs 2 Rupees (2/8). Tell me dear, how much they would have cost in NZ. By the Dear, I posted them this morning. One postcard, one packet of cards and the silk was in a two big envelopes, and on the top of them was printed On His Majesty's Service., so Dear if you don't get them, make inquiries. I hope dear, you like them. The handkerchief will do to wear on your head when you go to the play (with the boy) I don't think! Love they were the best they had.
Then love, we went and had an Indian dinner and it was rotten. We had about 6 different courses and in the lot there wasn't a decent mouthful. The only thing that was any good was the curried eggs. Then we had an ice-cream to finish up which was flavoured with mangoes. They brought it in a square lump just the same colour as butter and we didn't like that. The two days I was ashore I never had a decent feed. although we went to the best hotel. They are owned by white men and run by niggers. We were all jolly glad to get back aboard and have a good feed. The only thing that was any good was the iced lemonade. We got some very nice cakes at the YMCA. In the afternoon we just looked about the town. It is to hot here to walk here and we went ashore in our shirts and shorts and Dear, the sweat was just pouring out of us. By Jove dear, you don't know what heat is. You want to come to this country and between the funny food and the heat, you would be dead in a month.
Love, if they had offered me leave in the night, I wouldn't have gone ashore. I could hardly hold my head up with a headache. Everybody was surprised at them letting us go ashore with the hats that they give us. We should have had cork helmets. They are light and have plenty of ventilation. We nearly all bought them yesterday. I got one for 1 Rupee, and they are lovely on your head. I didn't get a headache yesterday. You ought to see me with it on, I am some tourist. Dear, taking the boys all around they were very good. There were very few drunks. I had the Inspector of Railways, showing me around. He was not as dark as the people here and he wasn't white. He was a very nice chap who could talk English as well as I can. He showed us everywhere. They have some lovely railway stations. We went through one of them. Wherever we went, we had a crowd of niggers following us. If we stopped to look at anything we would get a couple of hundred around us. They would salute you, then hit their tummy and point to their mouth and say "Sahib very hungry" that means that they want some money. Some are blind. They have great tales to tell you how hungry the are. Love, sometimes you nearly have to knock them down before they will leave you.
Dear, we went into the market place. It is a very big place. It would be about 100yds square and every time we looked out we would see about a dozen rickshaws waiting for us. They followed us right round the building. They got very cunning in the finish. They would make you pay before you got in and of course they charged us twice as much as anything was worth. Love, this is how you do business in India. If they say a thing is worth 2 Rupees, offer them 1 Rupee and if they don't take it jump down their throat and walk away.. Then they run after you and drag you back and you get it for. Dear you have to be very shrewd or they will beat you for your socks. Yesterday Dear, two of us came down to the wharf in a rickshaw and he wanted 1 Rupee and I gave him an Anna, that was what it was worth and he followed me right up the gangway, begging. Then I told him I would knock him down, so he ran for his life. The niggers out here are very frightened of the white man.. If they don't do as you tell them, call a nigger Policeman and he pulls their licence off their arm and gives them a hiding with a little cane they carry. Then you want to see them run dear, you would die laughing. We had some great fun dear, I wish you could see places like this, it would open your eyes. Love, it makes you feel sorry for them.
I have just finished work and am having my morning cigar. I am just the kid Dear I do not think you could rake up two pound on the ship, even the officers had to borrow money. I have just got 5/- left. I am going to try and get a draw next time they pay out. I still owe them 10/- I will have a couple of pounds back money to draw when we land, so I will see if they will take it out of that. Love, on Friday, we went out to the gardens and Zoo and it was very nice. Some of the Tigers, they just caught this year and they are very wild. We saw all sorts of wild animals, even a rhinoceros. My word they are very funny and the skin is just like leather, it is that thick and tough. My word Dearest, you ought to see the Butterflies out this way they are the prettiest and biggest I have ever seen. Everywhere you go, they are flying past.
Dear, I think all the time I was ashore, I never saw 20 Whites. Of course the are a lot of British Territorials stationed here. They have been here 6 months and they have a very easy time, just a little drill, early in the morning. Dear the trams go right through the Indian quarter. They are very narrow streets, all little brick dens, all packed together and all the niggers squat about anywhere. The stink is awful, I wouldn't go in the place for a fortune. They are enough to give you the fever.
Love, we haven't received any mail yet. We ought to get some tomorrow. We will be in Colombo again tomorrow night. Oh dear, how I long for a letter from my little girl. If I get a mail, yours will be the first one that I open. Love, if we get ashore at Colombo, I will try and send you another present with what little money I have dear. I will think of my little girl first and myself afterwards. Love when we get to our destination and get our Back Pay I will send you something nice Dear. I would like to buy you such a lot of nice things, but I haven't got the money.
Well Love we won't get to Colombo today, we have got the wind and sea against us. so we won't get in till tomorrow. Dear, it is lovely and cool now. I suppose you would call it hot, but it is cool to us. My word Dear, while I have written these last few lines, the wind has come up and it is blowing a hurricane now. It would be funny if we ran into a typhoon, we do not want to get into one of those.
Love, we went into one of those silk shops and had some great fun. The one where I got the silk, there was four of us in there and when we came out we were asked to go to the police station and when there we went before the Chief Darkie and he handed us a sheet of paper with a list of all the things we had stolen. Towels, socks and I do not know what else and of course we denied it, and for them to search us, but they wouldn't. Then we showed them what we had bought and he asked me for our bills and of course I never thought of picking them up. In the finish we got out of it then we turned round and threatened to pull the place down. It was great fun. When we got outside, the place was full of niggers and you should have seen them scatter. You mustn't show them you are frightened. It was a great bit of fun, I suppose they thought they would get a bit of money out of us but it didn't work. Dear you have to let them know who is boss.
Dear, I have just been along and seen them about my pay. Everybody is getting paid tomorrow 16/- and they are going to give me one too. They are going to keep it out of the deferred, so Love I will send you something and some postcards.
Dear I feel quite happy now that I have some money. Love, I am always thinking of you and how I long for a kiss. I hope Dear you are in the best of health and good spirits. I don't know dear what I would do if anything happened to you. Love, I often wish we were homeward bound, wouldn't I be happy then. The wind has dropped as quickly as it came up, it is like that out this way. I think dear, we will be staying in Colombo for some little time we have got our bunkers on fire so they will have to shift all the coal. It is nothing Dear. It is put in wet and it smoulders away. They say there is not much smoke coming up. I have just been along and can see nothing. so it can't be much. They were on fire in Wellington and they took all the coal out and put more in. Love, I will be quite rich in Colombo, I will have a pound altogether. The only thing dear, if I send everything in a parcel you will have to pay duty on it so you can expect some better stuff when we land for good. They say there is no duty on things if you send them from the base. Love, there is a big steamer in front of us, she must be going to the same place as us.
Well Dearest, I have just about run out of news so I will have to close for tonight. If we don't get there till late tomorrow I will try and write some more. So goodnight Dearest. Love the mail is closing now, We have just arrived so I will get this away. Dear, we have got the boats alongside ready to coal us. I think that was only a rumour about the bunkers on fire. I have been up this morning and can't see anything. By the looks of things, we are not going to stay here very long. Dear, If I get a chance I will post the things I got for you otherwise I will have to take them on to the next port. Love, if I send anything I will send a postcard with it. It is 9-30 so I think I will get ashore today. We are getting paid this morning. Well Dearest I will close now, with best love
From Your Own XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Will try and send everybody a postcard.
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Just a few more lines to let you know that I am still in the land of the living. I haven't felt very well this last couple of days. Everybody has got the tummy ache. There were four chaps sent to the hospital with it and we think it must have been the food. The pain would double me right up and the Doctor gave me some stuff to make me sick. As soon as I took it I was sick, but it was no good as I had nothing to eat and it only made me worse. Dearest, I feel much better today and the pain has just about gone away Love, I just felt like a dying duck. Well Love, I hope you got the silk allright, let me know if you had to pay anything on it.
We have not received any mail yet we will get them in Egypt. My word Dear, I am looking forward to your letters, just fancy, it will be two months since I have heard from my little girl. I had a read of your letters yesterday and it makes me feel so lonely and I often think of the reception I will get when I do get back I wonder if it will be like I imagine. I think it will? They say with separation the heart grows fonder, and that is certainly true. We will have to make up for the time away and that I am sure we will do.
Dearest, we didn't see much of Colombo as we were only ashore once and that was for a route march. It is a very nice place, much better than Madras. It is more like a European town It is very clean and has some lovely buildings. We went ashore in barges and marched right through the town to the barracks. Stayed there for an hour then marched right back to the ship, so dear we did not get a chance to see much. We all expected leave the next day, but they got word that it would not be safe for us to wander about the town so they only let six out of each section go in the charge of an NCO. We balloted for it and of course I drew a blank so I had to stay aboard. Dear I would like to have gone, then I could have got a few curios for you but my luck was not in. Never mind Dear we will be in Egypt next week then I won't forget my little girl.
Well Love, it was my birthday on Tuesday and I spent it holding my tummy. My word Dear I was bad. I got it every night and last night I was as sick as a dog. They gave me some stuff and I was sick again. They then gave me a dose of Morphia and Cloridene and that made me sick again then I slept the night through. Love. nearly everybody is the same and the Doctor doesn't know what it is. I feel grand all day then about tea time I get the pains again. I have hardly eaten anything since last Friday. Love, I would give anything for a nice meal now, ones like we used to have. I am afraid to eat, in case it makes me bad again. Dear I am sick of this life, I would give anything to be back again only for a little comfort. Love, you do not realise what you are giving up till you have had a few weeks of this. By the time this is over I will have had all the soldiering I ever want. Dear, I will be quite happy with my little girl for the rest of my life.
Dear, we have been in a monsoon for two days now, I have never seen it blow so hard, you can hardly walk against it on the deck and rolling, so that the deck is nearly under water. This is the worst we have had since we have left Wellington. Yesterday the spray was going right over the bridge and today it is worse. I haven't been up there today as it is to wet. Down this end this morning, everything was thrown off the tables, you have never seen such a mess in your life. Sugar and butter all over the floor, I do not know how they manage in the cook house, they get a pretty rough time of it.
Dear, two of the Army Service chaps are being sent back. They have been kicking up a row, all the way over. As soon as the boat got into a port they would go ashore and not show up any more till the police brought them back. They would swear at the officers in fact they would make themselves a general nuisance. They were Court Martialed and are going to be sent back to get three months in jail. Dear, it is just what they deserved, nobody has any sympathy for them. My word Dear, it is a disgrace being sent back.
Love, I wonder what you think of me if I got sent back?? I could never face you if I did. They said they weren't fit to go to the front. They will be under guard till they get back and then brought before all the boys in Trentham, it would be terrible. Dear, we haven't any horses now, it is a great relief to be without them in a way it makes the trip much more pleasant if that can be said. It is so very slow, just fancy being two months at sea. It has sickened me and I will never want another. NZ will do me all my life especially Auckland. A chap doesn't know what he has missed till he leaves his friends.
Dear, I hope you are in the best of health, I don't know what I would do if anything happened to my Love. I suppose Frank has been up for his holiday by this time I know how he would spend it if he has any money. Still dear, that is his way of having a good time. I do not think he will have as good a time as I did. It was too short, but lovely. I will never forget that Sunday morning when I came, I can't describe it dear but I am always thinking about it. You were so nice Dear. It will be better though when I come back. I am longing for the time Love, I won't let you out of my sight while I am on holiday, then Dear I will have to start work again. I will have forgotten about the trade if I am away very long but dear I suppose Norm will look after me for a while till I get fit again. Any rate Love the main thing will be to get back safely then Dearest we will make up for lost time. Dear, you won't be able to do any work then you will be out with me, all the time.
We have just past Aden, we are not stopping and we really now in the Red Sea, and Darling, it is so hot, we do not know what to do with ourselves. The weather is perfect, the sea is like a millpond and terribly hot. Since we have been on the ship I have sweated more than I have ever done in my life. Love, we saw land this morning, the Arabian Coast. We will land about Thursday and everybody will be jolly glad we are absolutely sick of this trip. Today Dear, I am sitting outside my mate's cabin writing this. I have just had dinner and do not know what to do to keep myself cool.
I suppose Love you are getting bad weather now as it is the first of August today you will soon be wearing your Summer finery? I wish I was back, to take you out in them Dearest. I have almost forgotten what a white girl is like now I don't suppose we will see many in Egypt so dear I will appreciate one when I come back. I will be so shy Dear!
I see by the order board last night I have been transferred to the ammunition column. There are a lot of us put out. I have been put out for smoking. All the chaps that were up to the orderly room have been shifted. Dear, I am going up to the Skipper tomorrow to see about it. I want an explanation and if he says I was put out for telling lies I will just tell him why I did it: to shield a Sergeant and that is what I got for taking the blame on myself. Dear I hope you do not think any less of me for that, it was what anybody should have done. Well Dear one thing about it is you don't get in the firing line so quick. We supply the guns with the ammunition and when anybody is. hurt we take their place. They kept us away at the back of the guns so we do not get under fire to quickly.
Dear. I will write again as soon as we get into camp and you will then get better regular mail. Dearest, I am just dying to get a letter from you. We will get our mail in a few days from now. A week from now we will be all settled down in camp. Love when I get your letter, I will be able to write you a nice long on all about the place. Dear, you are luckier than me, you have received a letter from me from every port and I have got none yet but will get them all in a heap. There ought to be an answer from that one I sent from Albany dear. Of course the letter travel shorter ways than we are going. It should only take four weeks for a letter to get to Egypt in the mail boat
Dear today is the hottest day I have felt. We are all wet rags. We have some canvas swimming baths on deck and I have just about lived in there all day. Five minutes after coming out, the sweat was just running off you. Dear, we passed the biggest armed merchant boat I have ever seen. Yesterday, there was a man-of war with her. They said it was the Philomel and the other boat was the Empress Of England. She could have put the Philomel on her deck. We nearly lost our eye sight looking at her. She is on guard at the entrance to the Red Sea. We saw about a dozen boats yesterday. It is lovely and cool now and the sun is just setting. If it is as hot as this in Egypt we will all surely die (melt away). You can just ring the sweat out of your singlet half an hour after it is put on. They call this the Red Sea. I think it should be called the Hell Sea it can't be much hotter there? Dear, I will be so glad when we land, we will be ably to find a cool spot somewhere.
Love, you should see the sun setting tonight, it is just a ball of fire and it is so pretty, not like a NZ sunset it is just going over the edge of the water. We saw a big school of Porpoises to day, there are plenty about here. Dear you do not know how I am looking forward to your letters, I am just dying to read them. Dear, I do hope that you are well and happy. I think if you were to come through this part of the world, you would die of the heat. It is Summertime here now.
We are going to land on Friday at Suez, so I will write often then. I went up as I said and I am going to be put back when we get into camp! It is very hot, I will be glad when we land and we then have a 12 hr journey by train to the camp. Dear I wrote to your Mother & Father, you will get them with this letter. I addressed them to your place in case they have come back. Dear I will write to Jess & May when we land, remember me to them. Well Dearest I hope you are in the best of health and still have plenty of love for your boy. Love, I love you better than ever. With best Love
Pat Oh for a little hug and a kiss.
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We went ashore on a route march and came straight back to the boat. Dear, I don't know if we will get anymore leave, so if we don't I won't be able to send you anything. This is a paper that I got upon the ship and posted it ashore. You will find it interesting to read. You will find in it, a piece about me smoking. When you finish it, put it away for me dear. I would like to have a look at it when I come back. Love, this is a very nice place, much better than Madras and certainly cleaner. Dear I will save the news to put in the next letter. So Good-bye Dear
It is hoped that the newsletter cutting will come to light.
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At last we have arrived and jolly glad to get here. I suppose you know, they censor our letters when they get to NZ, so I will have to be careful what I write. So you will know why all the little bits are left out.
Dear, we arrived at Port Jewfich, that is the entrance to the Canal, on Thursday night. and went alongside the wharf the next morning and all the boys left for the camp that afternoon. About 20 of us remained on the boat to see everything was unloaded. We had a real good time, we got plenty of leave and went up to the town of Suez. It only takes about 10 minutes in the train and we travel for nothing. Of course it is very hot there and there is nothing to see. There are very few whites and the place is very dirty. The streets are very narrow and there is a decent shop there. I was only up there once and that was quite enough. We saw a good few English Tommys, they are guarding the canal. In one of the ships at the wharf is a hospital ships all Indian troops. There are some from France and the Dardanelles. I had a yarn to several and there some Turks. They are little men with Chinamen eyes and very intelligent. I had a great talk with one, and he showed me how they carry the knife in the mouth. They don't like using a rifle he said. They weren't any good when you get close. I had some of their food. It is just like a pancake and wasn't to bad. They are very smart and fine chaps to talk to. They can't speak English very well, it takes a little while to understand them.
Well Dear, we stayed till Tuesday on the boat and left at 7 in the morning for the camp. It takes 5 hrs to get here and is a great journey across the desert. You get covered in sand as the train throws it up in clouds. We passed several big towns but they were not up to much. When we got to Cairo we changed trains and it is 10 miles to the camp, and we arrived just in time for tea. The Maitai left for NZ when we were at Suez with wounded. Some of the boys went over and had a look at the chaps. I didn't go over. Some of the them were very bad. Our boat took 15 undesirables back and one has to spent the rest of his life in jail for attempted murder and another had three years. We saw them all come aboard under armed guard. Dear, I suppose you know, all the infantry that came over with us have gone to the front, they need them very badly. All the hospitals around here are full of wounded, they are coming in every day.
My word Dear, this is a big camp, as far as you can see there are tents. It is miles long and right on the desert. We have an easy time. Up at 4-30 and water the horses, then off till 8 o'clock, then groom them till 10-30 and take them to water, then we are finished till 4 o'clock then we water and feed them, then off for the night. We have six horses each to look after. We are not supposed to go out of our tents in the middle of the day because it is so hot. It is Summertime here. and you nearly get roasted. The chaps that have been here for a couple of months are as brown as Maoris. It would be impossible to drill in the sun. As soon as we arrived, we were issued with helmets and short trousers, they are lovely and cool.
It is a month since we have been paid. We expect it any day now. Three Pound five shillings. The day we arrived we got 6/6, can'teen profits. It didn't last long by the time we got some tobacco and iced drinks, it soon went. They sell lovely iced drinks here. There is a place just by our tent, Syrians keep it. It is all soft drinks they make, lovely lemon squash,1/2 piasta a glass, Iced is a penny farthing extra and cigarettes are one Piasta for 10. They are very cheap We are not allowed into Cairo till Saturday. It is their Xmas and they sleep by their relations graves for three nights. What we saw of it as we came through it is a grand place. I must go and see the Pyramids one Saturday and also see all the sights. There is a lot to see here. Some of the Wonders of the World.
Dear we get Army rations here pretty well all the time. Our meat is Bully Beef, it doesn't go bad in stew. It is all weighed out and if there is some left on your plate when you have finished, it is not bad. All the same it is just enough to satisfy you. Well Love, we haven't got a mail yet, they say it is all up in Alexandria, it is really about time we got one every day. They say, it will be here tomorrow. I don't think they have got a very good service if it takes two months to get here. We will all go mad when it arrives. There is mail from here every Monday, so I will write every week. I don't know if you will get them every week or not. I wish we got one every week.
Dear, that ointment that Mrs Lye gave me has come in very handy. Every time you cut yourself out here it festers, it is the climate. I cut myself this morning and now it is festering. I am on picket. We get it every other night 2 3/4 hours on. When the horses get thirsty they pull their halters off and go an have a drink. You never need to worry about them, they all come back again anyway you can catch them very easily.
Dear, we are going to get paid tonight Seven Pound five shillings so I will but all the presents with it. After this we will only get 14/- a fortnight and I won't be able to buy much with that, so Dear I will go into Cairo tomorrow or Sunday I might not send them with this mail anyway I will send you a postcard when the parcel leaves. I will try and catch this mail so you can expect a parcel. I could tell you a lot of things but the censor would only cross them out, so it is not much good writing it.
Dear, I was having a look at an Auckland Star dated 24th June and I saw in it, Stan Collings' death. My word I did get a shock. I was expecting to see him in a few weeks, he must have been buried just after we left. Poor old Stan, we used to get on very well together and he was a real decent sort. I suppose Norm got a shock when he heard about it. I suppose you are getting some big casualties in N.Z. We hear all about the war here, but can't say anything in our letters. I wonder how Cyril and Gibby are getting on. There are a big lot of casualties in the Engineers. I am trying to find out about them. There is a list here of all the chaps killed and wounded.
My word Dear, the Egyptian women here are great. They wear masks over their faces when they are married and you can't see their faces at all.
I went to Heliopolus last night and it is a great city. They have the finest buildings I have ever seen, there is nothing like it in N.Z. There are a lot of hospitals there and the wounded are coming in all day. Last night I saw more soldiers that I have ever seen. The town was just full of them. There is a lot of Australians going to the front tomorrow. I bought you a silk shawl, you will get it with this letter. I registered the parcel so it will be safe enough. I sent two home as well. Nearly all my wages went in presents and a packet of postcards for you. The shawl is made by hand I think you will like it, Let me know if you get the shawl and the piece of silk I sent from India. We have just been to Church Parade Dear, all the chaps go every Sunday. I will send you the receipt for the parcel with this. So if you don't get it take this receipt to the post office. Well Dear I must be closing now, I have to write home yet and it is so hot you don't feel like doing anything. I am sending you an extra card of the landing at the Dardanelles. Remember me to all
No 2 Ammunition Column (Base Details)
Put my number in the left hand corner and give my address to Forbes. Tell them I will write next mail. There are three cards in with this letter I have written your address on them so that they will not go astray.
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Just a few more lines to let you know I am still keeping well. I am just about beat for news, so you will have to excuse a short letter, anyway I will do my best. I have been writing letters every night this week, I will be able to have a spell next week. I will only have one to write, to you. I will never miss a mail. One goes from here every Monday. If they don't hurry up and give us a mail I don't know what I will do for news. They can't keep us waiting much longer, I expect it will take a month to read when I do get it. I went to Abersea the other day to see the dentist. I am going to get my teeth fixed up. They are going to make a start on them on Monday. I will be jolly glad to get them fixed up. I used to get the toothache, every night. Coming over on the boat it used to be lovely. I have only been into Cairo once. I never worry much about going into town, I would sooner get a horse and go for a ride. There is nothing much to do when you do go into town unless you want to drink beer and there is nothing in that. You can't get a decent meal, it is all cooked by foreigners and you can't enjoy it. Give me a good old N.Z. meal, you can have a good fill up. Some of those Saturday night suppers wouldn't go bad now, it has made me hungry writing about it ! I didn't get much tea tonight so I think I will go over to the can'teen and have some eggs and bacon. You get three eggs, it costs 4 Piastas (10d ). The eggs are just like pigeons and they are not cooked very nice. Out here you just have to close your eyes and eat. My word dear, I won't be very hard to please when I do get back a few months of this life soon breaks you in.
Well dear, I am quite pleased tonight. I was sitting outside my tent, when they called out that there was mail so of course I went up and received one letter and it was yours, dated 4th July. This is the first one for just on three months, so you can just imagine how pleased I was to get it. As soon as I looked at it I knew it was from you. The Postman said there will be a big mail next week. By the way dear, you did not say whether this was the first letter after I left? The way it reads, I would take it to be. You will be able to write more after now, you will get my letters regularly. You were saying it was a long time since you had a letter from me. Well it is just as many months since I has a letter from you. Dear, didn't you get the letter I sent you when we were out in Wellington Harbour? You should have got that just after we left. I know it went ashore and a lot of chaps sent letters that night and I sent 18 pages and some post cards from Albany. You would get that about three weeks after we left we knew you would be getting bad weather because we had a gale till we got to Albany. You would read all about that in the letters, I hope you got them all.
My word dear, I see you have been having a good time and keeping late hours. Well enjoy yourself while I am away only don't let anyone run away with you. I am sure that won't happen. You needn't be afraid to say anything in your letters they are not read. They only read the mail from us. I would like to say a lot of things but it wouldn't do. You will have to wait till I come back. Dear I will have to tell Forbes to get on to you if you do not get up and see them more often! I suppose you felt quite happy with your people home again. It is a pity they don't sell the business and come back for good, you would have a much better time and wouldn't get to worry. You did not tell me anything about Norm, I often wonder how he is getting on. I do not suppose he is married yet. Cyril will be coming off soon. I would love to be back for that.
Dear, I am glad to see that everyone is looking after you for me, it is very good of them. and that you enjoyed yourself at the party. You remember that chap that was at the party, I said he was born in Wellington, well I saw him in Trentham, he is in the Red Cross. I was surprised to hear that Jess had been to Trentham. What was she doing down that way? I suppose you have missed her very much. Perhaps she will come back with a Wellington policeman. She must have caught somebody? Dear I am glad my sister wrote. I told her when I was on the boat not to forget and did you give the letters out, I didn't think you could forget that.
I heard from one of the chaps that the Maoris are camped at Narrow Neck and the Devonport people don't like it. It won't be a very nice place for picnics while they are there. I see there are only a hundred left out of the last lot, they got it pretty hot at the front. Dear, the watch is keeping lovely time, I don't know what I would do without one. I will be so pleased to get another photo, the one I have got is a bit dirty, I keep it in my belt and the heat has made it sticky. The face is allright and that is the main thing. Well dear, I must close now.
I am sending a pocket of cards with this letter and one to Forbes. I am in the best of health.
Received a letter from my Sister today. Some of the chaps are going to the front tonight. The papers are very nice. Will send mail every week.
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Received your welcome letter today. My word dear it will soon be time to leave. You will see some of them up tomorrow 40 they belong to the amunition coloum we were told to day that we will leave next Friday we had to give our names in to day, so dear I will land on Sunday morning & if I walk out I will just be in time for breakfast it will be too early for you to come in dear so you can expect me about 8 o'clock if they don't charge too much I might come out in a car. If I have Saturday morning here I will go to some places I want to visit. I have to go to see my old boss. Well dear I don't know when Frank will be going on leave. I don't think he will be getting away the same time as me anyrate if he does he wont be on the same boat so I won't see him much it is just as well.
Dear I left my writing pad in here last night and I haven't any more money to buy another one so I am using this paper. I left a pound at home & now I have just 2/6 and I want to go home on Sunday the whole family are coming to tea so I will have to go, we get off at 12 on Sundays. I will feel quite a hero amongst them. I will have to get some money then we are getting paid on Tuesday 2 pound 1sh. for a fortnight isnt it a lot. My word love when I saw the boys going to night I was quite excited I was wishing I was going too. They have got red and black bands around their hats so you will know them. Dear don't write after Wednesday. If you write then I will get it before I go on Friday. Wont a cuddle go nice dear. I think we will have to spend all our time hugging to make up for all the lost time. Well dear I am too excited to write a lot. I don't seem to be able to put my mind on anything. I must close now dear with best love and a big cuddle,
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Just a few lines to let you know how I am getting on. I was in Cairo the other night and it is a very nice place. You go in the train or tram and it only takes about twenty minutes and you land right in the centre of the town. I was with a chap that new his way around otherwise I would have lost myself. There is plenty to see there but you need to go in the daytime. I could have gone today but I haven't any money. It is pay day tomorrow so it isn't much use going. I will go next Sunday and see the Pyramids., They say, they are worth seeing, it is a tram ride from Cairo. There are not many nice shops there, they say they are all run by foreigners and you have to be very careful where you go, and what you buy. They will pile anything on to you if they get the chance. There are some fine buildings there.
This a great place for ice, everything you buy is iced even tinned fruit. They do a great business at the camp selling iced drinks, they are 1/2 piasta each (1d 1/4) cheap enough. The soft drinks are safe enough, but you do not want to go into the hotels. There are many that are not licensed and they think nothing of putting stuff in your drink and sending you to sleep. One Australian chap was buried this week, he had been hit on the head. He was found down one of the native streets out here. You never want to wander about on your own in the dark, You are quite safe in the main streets.
My word dear I have had my eyes opened since I have been here, I could tell you a lot, but I think the letters are opened and read before you get them, so I have to be very careful what I put in them, so you know why I do not say to much. We get picket just about every other night. Last night I was on Zeatoun beat, that is the best one. There were 24 of us and 4 Mounted police. We visit all the hotels at 9 o'clock and hunt everybody out. We then go through the town and after that we guard the station. Every train that stops there we go through. We landed about 20 chaps that were late. The police their name and they get C.B. We are there in case there is any row. We landed back in camp about 1 o'clock. It is the easiest picket of the lot. There is never much doing. Some nights there is a row. These last few days there had been light wind and you can't see for the dust. You can just imagine, camped on the desert, it doesn't take much wind to make a dust storm. We do not have food in the tents, we have a big mess rooms and they are free of sand. We get Army rations, 1 dry meal a day. The bread is lovely but you need an axe to cut it. It is the hardest brad I have ever eaten.
I am going on sick parade next week, to get my teeth up. When you get to the front, you only get Dog biscuits and Bully Beef so you need good teeth. It doesn't cost anything, so I might as well get them fixed. Dear, I have found out a little news. Cyril Taylor was allright. Last week I met a chap that new him a little and he is back, wounded. He didn't know Gibby. Of course there has been a big fight since. We have a very hard job to find out about anybody here. The only way is to ask anybody that is back wounded. The Casualty list won't be out for a month yet. The NZ losses are very heavy. I suppose you hear from them occasionally. I would like to meet them, wouldn't they get a shock. There is not very much chance of meeting them.
Dear, I have just been for a ride, we can get a horse any night. Eight of us went and we had a grand time. We went across the desert to the Date Farm and my word Dear, it is great there. The trees grow straight up about thirty feet and all the dates hang in big bunches, just like grapes. The branches grow out like palm leaves. The fruit was not quite ripe so we didn't have any. They are red now and you have to wait till the are black. We will have to pay it another visit next week. The place is very well looked after and the trees are in straight lines and the are water courses running all over the place. We went right through it. It is about 7 miles from here then we had a good gallop home past the native cemetery. The graves are very funny just like little houses built of birch this shape ( ). I do not suppose the bodies are put under the ground. There are plenty of horses about here and we have some fun when we are passing them. You have to careful or else you will hit the ground. There are donkeys and goats by the hundreds but we do not take any notice of them. I think they pull bigger loads than the horses. The niggers have very big carts and they pile the stuff up till you can hardly see the poor donkey.
Dear, it gets very tiring here we do not get any drill, just feed, water and groom horses every day. It is starting to get very tame, we will be grooming horses in our sleep. Of course we do not work very hard. We only have about 6 each to look after and it does not take long to fix them up. Of course we have to stay in the stables so many hours and that is the worst part of it. Dear, we went to the Church Parade and the English minister led the service. The N.Z. Boys only looked a handful compared with the Australians. Of course we haven't any Infantry here and there were two thousand Australians landed this week. I would like to go down to Suez to see my Brother when the next lot arrive. I suppose they will be here in another month. Frank will be with that lot.. I hope they come up here for a while I will be able to show him around.
Well Dear, we haven't received any mail yet. I think the postal officials must have all died. They say you only get a mail here, once in three months. I don't think much of the postal service. They certainly know where we are? I was told the letters go to Alexandria and they don't worry about sorting them out. I expect when they do come, there will be a dozen. Anyway I will expect that many. I am just about running out of news, if I don't get some mail soon I will have to scratch for news. I hope you got the registered parcel I sent last mail. You should just get it in time for you birthday. I had mine at sea! You will be getting a big girl now. Well dear, I must be closing, the candle has just about burnt out With best love to all and remembers me to the Forbes.
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Well it is Sunday again and we are still here. I had a letter from my Sister last Sunday and she said the photos arrived allright. She did not have very much to say, they have been having very bad weather. She told me that she had a letter from you. See you keep writing to her. I haven't received any more mail yet. I think the paper must have got lost, it might turn up in the next mail. I could do with some papers to read, that is the only way we get any news I see by the papers the Trentham camp is broken up. We just got out of it in time.
My word Dear, there has been a lot of sickness there. I always said it wouldn't be any good there in the Winter. They never should have had the camp there in the first place. Well Dear, you should see the lovely sunsets here, it is a grand sight every night, and every night it is the same, and every day. There is no Sunday out here of course, we have it in the camp, but in the town everybody works and all the shops are open. The people do not know what Sunday is, out here !
I had a very good time yesterday. Two of us went into Cairo with 2/6d between us, it was just great. We went out to the Zoo, it is the second best in the world. There is every animal you can think of. They even have a crocodile. It was well worth going to see it. It costs 1 piasta to go into the grounds. They are beautifully laid out. There is everything there, except snakes. There are all sorts of eagles, they are huge birds and all sorts of African animals. On the way out in the tram, you cross the Nile twice. It is the dirtiest river in the world and I quite believe it. It is the colour of mud and is certainly nothing to see. We drink the water from it and all Egypt's supply comes from there. It is boiled twice and when we get it, it is lovely and clean and it doesn't matter how hot the day is the water is quite cool.
We went past the Buried City and the place where Moses was found. We did not stay to have a look as the funds were to low, we will see it another time. We finished up with just our train fare home and we had no tea when we got out here. We were pretty hungry and there is no cupboard to go to, so we had to wait till this morning. It was only a shame what I did to the curried steak? We get paid tomorrow so we will all be quite rich again. Nobody has any money or tobacco. I have only had a couple of smokes these last few days. You can imagine how hard I am doing it.
Dear, I was out for a ride the other night and the horse cleared out with me. They only have to see a camel and they go mad. I went a good way across the desert and he finished up all of a sudden and me nearly over his head. I took him again the next night. We went out in the Riding School and he was allright. It is great fun out riding. There are only 20 of us looking after 90 horses. All we have to do is take them out twice a day, ride one and lead two exercising, that is all we do. We have a lot of niggers in the stables they feed and groom them.
We are getting very good food now. There is one hundred pound can'teen profits and it is given out to us in food. We are living as good as anybody in camp. Our cook has only got us few to look after and that is really good. We have been saying it is to good to last, they will rush us away when we least expect it. You do not know which minute you get orders to move. In this life you have to be prepared at all times. Well Dear I have been speaking to a chap just back from the front and he was telling me C. Sinton, from the Bay was shot through the head. You will know about his death before you get this letter. He was only at the front two days. Also Cis Marks, he is in the hospital, wounded, you can tell Norm. I expect Frank will be here very soon. I hope we will be here when he comes, I will be able to get some news. They won't be here very long, the last lot were here 10 days.
I hope I get a letter from you next week. I would like some more news and the new photo. Dear there is mail that leaves N.Z. every week so I am told. Of course it does not get here every week it goes around the world a couple of times first. Well Dear I must be closing now there is no news. With best love and remember me to all. Hoping you are in the best of health
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I received your lovely letter and three papers on Monday and was very pleased to get them. I haven't finished reading them yet and that is the only way we get any news out here. It was very thoughtful of you to think about sending them. I also got the Yachtsman. Thank Norm for me. After I read it I lent it to some of the other boys. There was a lot of good reading in it. I see by May's letter, Cyril has sold his boat. How much did he get? I suppose he will be getting married shortly now? I haven't read the book yet, I have heard a lot about it. I am sure the picture must have been good. I see by the paper, the doctors have been rubbing it in to Bill Massey about Trentham? They should never have had the camp there. I should think Agnes would be excited her boy coming back, she is very lucky getting him back so soon.
Dear, we were very lucky getting out of Trentham, if we had stayed there much longer some of us would have been very sick. I see Frank got through it allright. I expect to see him this month. As far as we know, we won't be going to the front till they come, then it will be any day, when the Infantry come. They take our place and we go on. I suppose Jess was surprised to find I had gone when she came to see me. Do not do her work dear, you will get no thanks for it only give you more to do. She has plenty of time to do her own. I think Chip was very foolish getting married. Now she will be left. I am very sorry to hear of his death. There are not many of those boys left now.
I often think about what you said about the watch. I got some new hands put on the other day and you can tell the time in the dark. That is good as you do not have to strike a match when you are on guard of a night. At the front a match would mean a shower of bullets. so it was a good idea getting luminous hands put on..
Dear, I see that Norm has at last made a start to fix the yard up. It will be all right when it gets dry. The place would be in a lovely mess if it came on to rain you would have sand and tar all over the house and wouldn't you bite then? After reading about the reception the boys got I was wishing I was one of them. My word I bet their chest swelled out. I see they were greatly surprised the crowd of young fellows that are still at home. The only way to make some of go, Wouldn't they get a shock? You would be surprised to see the number of chaps out here that have got cold feet, they are looking for good jobs. We were just telling a chap today that we will but him some socks to keep his feet warm. After getting this far you shouldn't think about turning back. Anyrate Dear, I would like to see some of it now.
Received two more letters from you dear, yesterday and there is another mail just arrived so I may get some more today. That post card I received yesterday is very good. It is quite true what it says, I will keep that one, it is the only one I have seen like it. I am sending you a card with this letter. I do not see Cyril amongst the boys, he must have gone back to the front, I haven't seen him here. Dear, I am quite surprised to hear Norm has got the boat up, I don't suppose he will do much to her till we get back. I see you are having a good time, enjoy yourself while I am away, you want to go out a bit then you will not worry. It will be allright when your Mother comes home. again, you will be able to have a good time then. I see Dear, that it was you that sent the Yachtsman, what ever made you think about it? You will have to shake Norm up about writing, it is about time I had one from him. I have sent him a few also the Forbes. Tell them I have been expecting a letter for some time. If I only had them here now, I would tell them what I think. You shake them up, it is about time they wrote. I am not surprised to hear Earnie is engaged, he was going pretty strong when I was there. and just fancy Jones has joined at long last. Well he used to talk about it enough, perhaps he couldn't get work.? I suppose he is in the Infantry. Tell May, I will write next week. Dearest, I would like to have gone to the yacht social it was just like old times reading about yachting. I am pleased that you enjoyed yourself. I see that the Maoris are in camp there, it will be a bit lively over the shore now? You will be quite proud when you get your brooch fixed up.
Dear we have a good time here, the food quite good and we take the horses out for a ride every morning, ride one and lead two. then we have some gun drill till midday then we are finished for the day. I just got a paper from you today Dear and a Weekly from my sister. My word, I am not doing so bad! I am getting plenty of reading material. If the mail would only keep coming in like it has been it would be allright. I hope Frank got away allright. I will be disappointed if he doesn't come. I am looking forward to seeing him. I am on horse picket tonight so I will have to finish my letter before then. I wish the Censor didn't look at these as we afraid to say much. I would like to say such a lot of things to you but it would only be for your eyes, so I will just have to wait till I get back.
Dearest, the weather out here is lovely I forget what rain is like now, it only rains here once in seven years. Some of the boys want me to go for a ride after dinner to see some of the sights. I don't know what to do as I have about a dozen letters to answer and I will miss my afternoon nap? I will see how I feel after dinner. Well Dear I must close now with best love and remember me to all
Seven small photos in with this also a postcard.
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Just a few more lines to let you know I am in the best of health. Those papers you send are very good, I read every bit of them it was very thoughtful of you to think about sending them. Frank will arrive here tomorrow so I think I will go and look him up. He will be delighted to see me here and I will be to get some news. I expect a mail will come with them as they have come straight across. We had the best time seeing all the places on the way over. I wrote a letter Mae tonight and I can't think of her name. I thought of it the other day but have forgotten it again so if I do not think of it tomorrow I will send it to you and you can give it to her.
Dear, I made some more enquiries About Cyril and Gibby. I couldn't find out anything about Cyril but I was told a chap saw Gibby's name amongst the wounded. If this is correct you would know long before you get this if he is wounded or not, so you needn't go by this. They didn't have a casualty list so it is hard to find about anybody here. You get more news about anything than we do. Well dear, I won't be able to write you a long letter this time, I am just lost for news till I get another letter from you. There are another lot of wounded leaving here next week for N.Z, I expect every boat that leaves here will take some back..
I am still trying to think of Mays name. I can't find the letter with her address on, She will think I am a beaut, it must be in my bag somewhere. I will have another good search for it. My word dear, it is getting very cold here in the nights. I wake up doing a freeze every night. You can't have as many blankets as you like. I could do with a couple more at least. We have a buck jumper here and only one chap in the camp has rode it so far. He went out this morning and my word he could ride, he rode it to a standstill. One of our chaps got thrown off three times the other night. He is putting the saddle on it now so I must go out and see the fun.
I suppose Ernie's girl will come out and see you more often now he has gone into camp? It is about time he joined. Dear you will have to shake Norm up about writing. I have been expecting a line from him for a long time now. He is very slow. I don't know what has happened to Forbes it is very mean of them not to send me a line! I know they would expect me to write if they were in my place out here. Everyone looks forward to receiving letters as it is the only way we get any news.
We heard the other day that we are going to the front next week. I expect we will get away very shortly. I believe they are very short of Gunners, anyway Love I will manage to write a few lines when we are when we know we are going and as often as I can when we get there. I only wish we could get a mail as regular as you. We get ours all in a heap!
Dear, I went into Cairo last night and there is nothing to see there. The place is full of English Tommys and my word they do not come up to the NZ boys. They are all very young, round about 17 years and I think they are out here to do Garrison duty. To see them about town, you would take them to be a lot of schoolboys, the way they go on.
Well dear I was in Cairo again today with the wagon, getting some wheels. It was just the thing as it is 10 miles from here and a lovely road all the way. I enjoyed it and had a good look around. We were in the railway workshops as they work on Sundays and every other day. I was a lot of hand grenades. They do a lot of damage when they are thrown into the trenches as they burst as soon as they hit the ground. We have heard that some of our boys, going over to the front the other week, were torpedoed and quite a few were drowned. You would get the news, if it was true before you get this. The 6th haven't arrived yet and they are expected any minute so I will go and sort Frank out as soon as they come. There ought to be a mail arrive with them. I am on picket again tonight, I seem to strike it every Sunday or Monday nights now, four hours on and Dear it takes you all your time to keep awake. Well Dear I must close now with lots of love to all.
Give the other letter to May. Put it in an envelope.
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Just a few more lines in answer to your most welcome letters I received today. I received two from you and a paper yesterday. When I got the paper I knew that the letters weren't that far away. I did not start this letter till the others arrived as I did not have a lot of news. and I was expecting the mail. I also received a letter from Jess and Mrs Forbes. My word dear she was telling me all about you. She said you were getting quite gay, I can see I will have to come back and look after you again. I was so pleased to get a letter from them, I was beginning to think that they had died. You must have had quite a good time staying up there. She said you were like two merry widows, I should have been there to escort you around. I bet you were two giddy little sparks.
My word Love, it was only the other day I heard poor Gibbie was wounded.
I did get a shock when I saw his photo in the paper. Pearl must be broken down over it, remember me to her. The photo wasn't much like him, he died a hero! I hope Cyril comes through allright. Dear, I was so disappointed when the 6th arrived on Sunday night. I went down to the station to meet Frank and some chaps told me that he was in the next carriage so I danced along and he wasn't there. Then I found Rudge Newman from the Shore and he told me all about it. It must have been very disappointing putting him out at the last minute. I hope he gets away in the finish. I suppose he is taking the job at Trentham just to be out of Auckland. I had a yarn to B. Wild. His brother, is in one of the hospitals here sick, not wounded. A lot of the 6th left for the front today. I think Barky has gone.
Dear I am so pleased you are back home again, it will be much more comfortable for you. You will be able to go out every day.! What a time you will have and it will not be so lonely in the house for you. Your Mother will be able to cheer you up when you get downhearted! My word Love, I will have to tell Mrs Forbes to keep an eye on you or else somebody might be running away with you because you will be able to go out so much. Dear there would be a row in the camp if I came back and the bird had flown. I do not think there is much of a chance of that Dear. That was very good of you to send the writing paper and envelopes, we will be very hard up for paper at the front. When we use what we take I must get a stock. They say you get letters pretty regularly.
By the way dear, you ought to get a book of views with this letter. I posted it the other day and also a post card in with the letter. You would not believe how dear things are out here. I bought some chocolate the other day and it was the same price as in NZ. The cheapest meal you can get in Cairo is 7 Piastas (1/6) and it would take about three of them to fill you up. I often think dear how some of those we used to have would go now, especially when I was on leave. I believe I would make a beast of myself. Dear I often think of the times we used to have, we were just like big kids. We will certainly make up for it when I come back. We will be fixed for life then dear.
You were saying I am having to good a time to come back Dear, when my time is up to go back the boat won't go quick enough for me I will feel like getting out and pushing. I wish it was all over now dear. I don't want to be away from you too long. I know it is hard on you to be kept waiting and worrying about me. Never mind dear there is a good time coming. I am looking after myself so don't worry dear. I didn't do so bad today as I received seven letters, not bad for me! I have written to Mr Linder he can send it on to Frank. I guess he will be surprised to get some news from me. I wonder if I would have been invited to the spree, you would have been allright if I had of been there. I suppose dear Hilda will be engaged now that Ernie has gone away. If I am anywhere handy I will look him up. I suppose he will be in the 8th? I think he will find the life rather hard for a while. I think I have got much heavier, everybody says I am looking very well on it.! It was your letter that that put six months life into me. I am allways so pleased when there is a mail in. I don't know what I would do if I didn't have you, I don't think I would be the boy I am! You made a big change in me, I hope to be able to thank you when the war is over.
Well dear, we have got marching orders. We are standing by on Thursday. We were told, we would be going in a couple of days so we will get away any day now. Dear, I am not sorry, the life here is to lazy for me as you do nothing but sleep. Six months here and I would be as lazy as hell. I don't expect you will get a mail as often as you have been. I will write every week if I can but I will have to take paper into consideration. I expect they will have to be short and sweet! We are not allowed to say very much so you can expect to see half the letters crossed out. I would like to know who the censor is so I could square him.
Dear I intended to write a few more pages but I have been sick all day. The Doctor said I have gastritis and he must be right. I am feeling much better tonight so I should be much better in a day or so. I hope we don't go on till I am better. I really think I will be allright in the morning. I have been taking plenty of medicine all day.
Well Dear, I received a Star, Observer and two Yachtsman today, thank you very much. I have been reading them all day. It was very good of you to send them. I also got a Weekly from my Sister. The boys say, I will have to get a special bag for mine. I am very lucky getting such a lot of mail. Love, Tommy Morris wishes to be remembered to you all. Well Love, I must be closing now. Remember me to all and hoping you are all in the best of health.
Very glad you liked the presents.
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Just a few more lines to let you know how I am getting on. We left Zeatoun on Tuesday morning and got here the same day. It only takes 4 hours from Cairo. You see some very good scenery on the way. Camels and cotton fields. I have some cotton I picked the other day and I will send it with the letter. We are just outside the town and we can go in any night. I have been in twice and it is a fine place, I like it very much better than Cairo. It is more like a European town and you can get plenty of fruit. I have had a very good feed of grapes, they are very cheap. There is a big cake shop there and you can go up to the counter and you can eat as many cakes as you can and then you go to another part and tell them how much you have had, needless to say we only tell them, we have had about three? You can spend an hour in there and nobody takes any notice of you. It will do me every time we go into town!
We have go a big lot of horses and mules here. We went out for a route march today around some lake and I enjoyed it very much. Dear, we are all Drivers up here. I have a pair of horses and have to drive in a team and I am getting quite an expert at it. We go for a swim every day and the water is lovely. It is only about ten minutes walk from here. There is a big lagoon and it is quite safe, it puts me in mind of old times in Auckland. The tucker is pretty rough, we get English rations we do not get any butter and nothing but stew. We also do not have the comfort we had in the last camp. Love, we were told we were going to the front before we left the other camp, now we are here I think we are staying for life. Some of the Drivers here came over with the Main body. All our chaps that are Gunners might get away. I hardly think we will go for some time. They will have to draw all their reinforcements from here so there might be a chance yet? I really do not care what they do with us, they have bundled us about that much. We were all inoculated again today for fever. If we get many more, we will have cast iron skins.
The weather here is great every day, if we are here very long we will all be burnt to a cinder. We have to leave our letters open here, so that they can censor them in the orderly room, so I will have to be very careful what goes in them. I would like to be the Censor? Well Love it is your birthday in a few days and I wish I was back so we could celebrate it properly. Wouldn't we have a good time. I hope I am back for the next one. You should get a parcel I sent from Zeatoun for your birthday.
This is a very easy life but you soon get tired of it., everyday is the same. I wrote to Frank last week, I suppose he will surprised to get a letter from me. Dear I suppose you see more of Hilda now Ernie has gone away. I wonder how he like it? I see by the paper McGlasham from the shore, has joined. Tell me which one it was. I will be very surprised if it is the one she used to go with. You know who I mean. Has she started to learn to be a nurse yet. My word Dear, Norm is a long time in writing, I think he must have forgotton about me. You will have to shake him up. I am glad your people are home for good, you will be having a good time. I suppose you spend most of your time up at Forbes. She told me you were both having a gay time.
I was in Alexandria again last night. It is a bigger town than I thought. I was only in one street before I found out that there are plenty of streets there I am off from 7am tomorrow morning till midnight so I will be able to have a good look around. I want to have a good look at the wharf as this is a great place for shipping!
Love, I will get you some more postcards and send them with this letter I am sure you can get some good ones here anyway I will have a good look around. and see what I can get for you. Dear, there was a mail in today. I won't get mine for a few days, they will go to the other camp first.. I do not know how I will get on when the other chaps go away. All my letters will go with them. It will be allright when the letters with the other addresses arrive. They should not be very long now. Dear I bought some very nice postcards yesterday and like a silly fool I left them in the shop. I bought some writing paper, and I thought he was putting them all in the one parcel but he had left out the postcards. There will be something doing when I go into town today. I will blow his head off, if he doesn't give me another set. Love, you get a great feed in town for 2/-, everything is French. I had one the other night and I was that full that I could hardly get home.. To finish up they give you a large plate of fruit. Well Love I must be closing now, I have to get cleaned. Remember me to all.
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A few more lines in answer to your most welcome letters (two today) that I received this week and the post card, which is very nice. My word they are getting some good cards in NZ out now. I haven't received the papers yet. I did get some from home but none of yours. I expect they will come any day now. I see by the paper C. Marks is suffering from shock, he is at one of the hospitals in Cairo. I have just written to Norm, I hope he will hurry up and answer one of my letters. I will have to shake him up. I am surprised to learn that Earnie Madden and Dent have joined up. I didn't think they would come away, good on there pluck. My word Dear, there won't be many young chaps left now, the ones that are, won't be much thought of. Well, I do not know how I am going to fill your letter up. I told you all about the place last week. We do not get any news here so I will have to do my best. I forgot to tell you, I received the Observer and there is some very good reading in it. I also received a Yachtsman and a letter from Mr Forbes. I was quite surprised to get one from him. I see, he has been having a look round the country, you must have had a good time, staying there, while he was away. I expect Hilda was wild, not seeing Ernie before he went away anyrate she will see him when he comes up on leave. Some of the boys were very lucky getting such long leave. We didn't get much.
All we do at this camp is groom and ride horses. Every day is the same. We will all be glad when we leave here as it is to hot and we get eaten alive with flies.
We don't do any work today, just feed the horses. We can get all our letters written today. Dear, we were inoculated again for Cholera, this time we are getting quite used to the needle now. This is the fourth time they will be giving us some to make us bullet prove for the days ahead. This is a great life, we don't get much money, but still have a good time. Two of us went to town last night with 2d 1/2 between us, just our bare tram fare. We have to wait a week yet before we get paid. This a hard up camp, everybody is broke.
I am surprised to hear that girl is married, she seemed very young. By the way, how is Jess? I suppose she will be doing the trick soon. Dear, are Norm and Frank doing anything to the boat this season? I don't think they will be very anxious to put her in the water this season. It needs me to shake them up. I don't expect there will be many boats put down this season. I wouldn't mind a weeks cruise just now I took some chaps out for a sail last Sunday for an hour, it cost 1/- for the lot. There are plenty of boats for hire in the harbour, they are cutters. They had a good time. The nigger wouldn't let me take the tiller for a while, I suppose he thought I would empty out. It was a bit different to sailing a keeler. That day coming up from Drunken Bay, will you ever forget that? It was one of the worst blows I have been in. My word dear, we used to have some good times then, I hope they come again. I think we will have to sell the boat and go in for a launch when I get back. I will be to tired to do the work in a yacht after this life. Is the Calypso sold yet?
Barky was looking very well on it when I saw him. I believe his Brother is in hospital here, sick, not wounded. I wouldn't mind seeing him. I don't suppose Scotty from the bay has joined yet, he was allways talking about it. I think this life would finish him, he would want a holiday after a few weeks work. I see by the paper, there are some more coming into the war. I do not suppose it will make very much difference. I wouldn't be surprised if the Japs put troops into the field. I don't think it can last very much longer! I see the Allies are doing very good, they must be making it pretty hot for the Germans. The only news we get is when the NZ papers arrive, we allways look forward to the mail. Dear by the time I get an answer from this it will just about be Xmas. Doesn't the time go quick, it seems no time since we went for that cruise last Christmas. I don't expect I will have one this year? Have you any idea, when Cyril is getting married? I expect it will come off soon now he has sold the boat. Ask Norm, what he got for her?
Dear I was down for a swim today and it was decent We have a good time down at the beach. Some days we take the horses down and they enjoy the water as much as we do. We are living on English rations, bacon and dry bread in the morning, we never see butter. The food is not half as good as we got at the other camp I wouldn't care about living on Tommy rations for very long, it is pretty rough. Well love I must be closing now, with love to all.
From you own Boy Pat. XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
N.Z. Forces. c/o G.P.O. Wellington.
I wonder if I will be back for Xmas. It would be allright. What Oh, if I am back?
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Just a few hurried lines as I haven't time to write, I only have and hour before the mail closes. We are moving to a new camp, somewhere near Cairo I intended to write this letter down there, but the Postman tells me I will miss the mail if I do, so I am sending you this, in case I miss out. I have never missed a mail yet. Dear, I thought we would have plenty of time when we get there. I was also going to send you a present, but one of my mates advised me not to wait till we get there as he can get the stuff wholesale. I would have got it last night if I had known so Dear don't be disappointed if you don't get a big mail for Xmas. You will get it the next week. Love I am very disappointed, not being able to get everything away, because I know everybody will expect a Xmas mail. It doesn't matter Dear I will make up for it next week. Well Dear it is just on time so goodbye for the present. Remember me to all.
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Just a few more lines to let you know I am still here and in the best of health, I don't think we will go to the Dardenelles when we do move. I see they are landing troops in Salonica so they will get at the Turks from both ends now. Dear, you will never guess who I was with yesterday, Cyril! I went out to one of the camps on Friday night with a chap and I met some Engineers so I asked one if he new Taylor and he said he was in hospital, just alongside of us. The Victoria No 17. I never dreamt he would be here. There is nothing like making enquiries. As soon as I had had my dinner yesterday out I went and found him. He did not know me at first, he said he did not think I would be in that area. My word Love he is so thin, you would hardly know him! He has been there five weeks this time and is nearly better now, He is not looking to bad on it considering the time he has been there. He thinks he will be out in a fortnight. He was quite delighted to see me. He will be camped in a tent so I will be able to go out any night and sneak in. He doesn't get many to see him.
Dear, he was telling me about Gibby. He met the chap that was with him when he was killed. Two of them were out in front of the trench fixing barbed wire and they were just about finished when the N.Z. chap sent up a star shell and lit up the whole place and one of the Turks saw them. The other chap got out of it allright but poor old Gibby got it in the lungs and fell on the barbed wire. They got him out half an hour later but it was to late. He was only shot in the one place. Dear, do not mention anything to Pearl. Dear, Cyril is just as lively as ever he was, telling me all about his exploits and we were talking about old times. I don't think six months holiday would hurt him. It will take him a long time to pick up in this climate. I will try and go out on Monday night again, the tram takes you right to the door. They are very well fed, I got quite hungry seeing the eggs and custards they got. It will be allright when he comes out. We will be able to have a ramble around together. It would only want Norm then and it would be like old times.
Love, I am a full blown driver, I have just had a week out every day with the wagon getting stores. I have a pair of horses while we are here. I used to be pretty tired being nearly all day in the saddle. I am quite used to it now and all though life here is rough one soon gets used to it. I don't think any of the boys here will growl about the food when they get home after dry bread and bacon, we will not be very hard to please. Anyrate I want some of those good old feeds we used to have. They will do me. I often think about those times dear. What a good time we used to have, we will make up for it when I get back. I don't suppose the boys are as thick now, there must be a lot that never thought joining, now it is up to them. The ones that do not go will get a sad run when the war is over. The will not get any sympathy from us.
Love I don't think the war can last so very long now, it might last the Winter out. Anyrate I hope we are home for next Christmas. I would like to be home for this one but there is no hope now. Dear, I wish it was all over and we were back, I have had enough soldiering to do me a lifetime. I know you will be glad when it is all over. You are a little Briton dear, waiting all this time and worrying. Dear, I am looking after myself so don't worry. We will make for it all later on. Love it is a glorious day, the sky is overcast and you would think it was going to rain but it won't, it never does here. It is just like a Sunday in N.Z. everything is so quiet it would be a lovely day for a yacht picnic I would love to have one today.
Love I have not had any mail this week. One was in the other day. Mine must have gone to the Dardenelles, I don't suppose I will ever see it now. The postman was telling me there is another one in, he will give it out tomorrow. Your last letter was dated the first week in September so the ones with the altered address ought to be here any time now. I hope I get some next week, I am just dying for some news. It is a fortnight since I had my mail. I know Dear that you look forward to the letters just as much as I do. That is all we look forward to now, it is the nearest we can get to being together. Dear we will be busy next week getting our Christmas mail away. Our 20/- won't go very far by the time I get some cigarettes out of it and some Christmas cards. It will all be gone in a couple of days. We do not get very much money but we do see life!
Well Dear how is Hilda getting on, now that her Boy is gone, I expect she will be out to see you more often now. I don't suppose she would like it him going? I haven't written to Forbes lately, you can tell them I am still alive and kicking. Well Love, I must close now. I have to write home this week as I didn't write last week. Remember me to all.
Pat. XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX Just one big one.
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Just a few more lines to let you know I am in the best of health. Thanks very much for the papers I got them last week, also a Yachtsman which I got yesterday. I took all the papers out to Cyril. He did not get any mail this time and he was very pleased to get these. Dear, we heard Friday that we were shifting camp so I went out that night to see Cyril. He is up and walking and is looking much better now. I don't think he will be in the hospital very long and I wouldn't be surprised if he gets a trip to some cool climate. He will never get right here. Dysentery is a very bad thing I hope that I don't get it. Well Love I hope you are getting on alright, I am just dying to see you again, I don't care how soon they send us back we are doing no good here. I don't think we will ever see the firing line, we are all sick of loafing about. The Seventh will be here soon and they will go before us.
Love, you will remember Doug Cowan from the Bay. He used to knock about with Frank a lot. Well he has just arrived here with Liverpool's Own. He got quite a shock to see me. I was in town the other night with him and it seemed just like old times to be with someone from Auckland. He wants me to go out to the hospital with him this
week. I don't know if C. Marks & Wild are still there, it would be nice to see them. Doug was telling me Frank has got another girl. Dear, I don't think he will ever settle down to one, he has had enough to pick from. I think I will have to put you in charge of him, he might run away with you, I don't think.
Well love we have had a great journey coming down here. We left the other camp just after tea and it took us four hours just to get to the station with the horses, then we had to hold them till three in the morning. Oh it was a lovely job I could hardly hold my head up it was aching that much. We had to take all our harnesses off and put them in sacks, anyrate I wasn't long getting to sleep when we got on the train. We landed here just before dinner then had to unload the horses. We had some tinned horse for dinner and we really did enjoy it. To cap it all they put me on picket that night. (Oh it was really lovely) We saw a great sight yesterday, the sky was covered with locusts it was really amazing. They are big things and they eat everything green. There is not much about here for them and I bet the poor farmers just love them
Dear, I was speaking to J. Fordyce yesterday and he was telling me Benton has had a new arrival. I suppose they are quite happy now. I got quite a shock as I never thought anything like that would happen. By the way Dear, how are the Forbes getting on? I suppose the baby is alright, I think they should name it after me. Dear, I am sending you all some cards this week. I was going to send you a parcel, but I couldn't afford it. The food here wasn't to good the first few days we were buying our own and when I did go to town I did not have enough money and it is no good getting anything cheap. I will want just about a full pay to get it so Dear I thought I would wait. I know you wouldn't mind waiting a few weeks more so I will wait until we are paid again. I would have liked to get it for Christmas but I am afraid it won't be done now. Love, I didn't know H. White was with the 6th I could have seen him, if I had known. I see dear, you have been to the Dentist again. You must look after your teeth. I have been going to get mine fixed up but can't afford it. The camp dentists are not to good and I wouldn't let them touch mine again.
You were saying dear not taking the photos over to Reads before. Well you know it is better late than never and you do not have much time to yourself. As long as they get them, that is the main thing. When you mentioned about Hooker I couldn't think who it was till I saw the photo in the paper. He was a very nice chap.
Well dear I suppose you are coming out in your Summer dresses by this time. Don't forget the new photo when you get time. This one is fading. If I take it out of my belt much more I won't be able to see it at all. It is going yellow so dear be a good girl and send me a small one because I can look after it better. Love I must have one of you so dear, don't disappoint me because I don't want to be without one of you. When you send me a new one I will send this one back so you can see how it has faded. Keep it as a momento as it has been nearly around the world. Well dear I would like to tell you such a lot of things but can't. I will save them all up for when we meet again and then dear I will have such a lot to tell you.
Today, we were out with the horses, riding one and leading two. One of mine kicked one of the other chaps just under the ankle, it was a wonder he did not get a broken foot. He just fell off and sat on the ground. We thought he was badly hurt but it wasn't that much. His foot is swollen though. Dear, it is a lovely job trying to write letters. This is my third attempt to write this one. We are called out every few minutes during the day and the flies nearly eat you. In the night everybody is making a row so it is very difficult to think what to say. I did not think I would get this far.
Sunday. Dear, I am going out to the hospital after dinner with Doug, so I will let you know how I get on. They are all NZ boys in this one so I don't know who I might see. I will finish the letter in case I don't get back till late. I will leave it open and tell you on the bottom if I see anyone I know. My word Love it is a glorious day just like a Sunday in Auckland when we used to go down to the beach and Norm would be to tired to get up? It is 11 o'clock now and he would just be thinking of getting up? We turn out at 6am on Sundays don't you think that is to early? I don't think I will be very hard to get up when I get back. It will be quite funny sleeping in a room again. Well dear I am afraid I will have to close now as I have run out of news and it is just dinner time.
Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas and a very Prosperous New Year.
Would like to be with you for Christmas dinner. I will think of you at 12 o'clock that day. Didn't see anyone I knew at that hospital.
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Just a few more lines, to let you know that I am in the best of health. Dear, I do not know what I am going to write about this week, it seems only yesterday since I last wrote instead of a week ago. I haven't been out at all since I last wrote, so I haven't a lot of news. The Maoris gave a good concert last night and it wasn't over till nearly midnight, all the Heads were there, it was a great turnout. I saw Jack Creal there and he looked some kid, in his officers uniform. He is with the Maoris. The Australians were quite delighted, they had never seen a Haka before, you could hear them from all over the camp.
Love, we should have got mail this week, but I believe it missed the boat at Sydney. so we won't get it till next week now. It can come as soon as it likes, it is the only way we get any news and Dear we do look forward to the letters. I suppose Earnie and Bert will be over shortly now. They will be surprised to see me here, that is if they come with the next lot. I don't think we will be here very long now. Dear you will not get the letters so regular, I will send as often as I can I don't think this will be another false alarm, I certainly hope not. I am sick of loafing around here. Well Dear, I see they have brought conscription in, my word that will make some of the shirkers join, they certainly will not like that. I expect a lot of them will get married to dodge it. I suppose you are having a good time now that your Mother is home, you won't have so much work to do now and you will have company in the house. It won't be near as lonely for you and you will be able to get out a bit more.
I see, one of my Brothers has gone to Auckland for a holiday. I don't suppose he called on you. My Sister might have told him where you lived? By the way Love, don't forget to send a couple of sheets of blank paper when you write, I will take a stock with me, you can't get paper over there for the love of money We will be going over in a very bad time. The Winter is just coming on and it will be very cold and wet. By the looks of things we won't have a very pleasant Christmas. Bully beef and biscuits for dinner I expect? Dear, I suppose it is all in the game, we knew what we were coming to. I wouldn't mind being out your way for "that" day, never mind , I hope I am there for the next one, won't we have a good time. I hope Dear, you have a good time, this Christmas, it will be a bit lonely for you Love, but buck up there is a good time coming and we will make up for it later on. I do not think the War can last very much longer I certainly hope that way. I will not be sorry when it is over and I am on my way to N.Z. the boat won't go fast enough for me. Won't it be a great day? Love, it seems years since I left
It is a while since I had a letter from the Forbes. I suppose you still go up there. Are there just as happy as ever, they are a great pair, I often used to feel envious of them. I do not think there are many like them. When you go up again just tell Tut to keep an eye on my tools and don't let the damp get to them because the rust will spoil some of them. I expect he is looking after them though? Love, I expect I will forget what they are all for having not used them for such a long while. I will have to learn it all over again. I'm afraid, or else take on driving a cart, I am getting quite good at handling horses now. Well Dear I am afraid I will have to close now as I haven't a scrap of news to tell you. I will write a long letter next week. I expect I will get some letters from you on Monday. Well Dear, remember me to all
T Morris wishes to be remembered to you & Jess.
Dearest, I have just been told that I am going to the Dardenelles tomorrow. I have to get up at 4-30 in the morning. Love I will write as soon I can and as often, so don't worry dear. I am sorry I couldn't send you a Christmas present. We are supposed to get paid tomorrow but we won't get any? One of my mates has lent me a pound so I got a stock of tobacco and writing paper. We will hear more at 8pm tonight so Dear we do not get a lot of warning. He will draw my money. He will not do to bad out of it. Well Love I must close now it is getting late and I have a lot to do so goodbye Dear for the present.
Hope to have some Turkey for Christmas dinner?
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Just a few lines to let you know I am in the best of health. I have received all your letters to date. I wrote to you last week but don't think you will get that one. I posted it on Monday and we left the next night. They have been taking the troops off for a couple of weeks now. Dearest, you will get a surprise to see we have evacuated the Peninsular. I don't know what the people will think, after loosing so many men. I think myself, it was the only thing we could do. The Turks were to well dug in on the hills. You have never seen such a place, it was sheer madness to ever land there. We were all quite willing to stay, we were all prepared to put the Winter in.
Dear, I don't know how we would have got on, we would have all starved. They would never have been able to land stores in the Winter, the least bit of wind and the wharf would have been washed away. I think it was built nine times. Sometimes it would be a week before they could land stores, so you can imagine what it would be like in the Winter then there was the snow. Just that one night hundreds of our chaps went away, frost bitten. The snow took nearly a week to melt and the Turks were going about in the trenches with their boots off! I saw some of them afterwards and their legs were just black and a lot of them were taken away. We never knew we were going till half past four and we were ready to move off at 5pm. We never got much warning. We left for the beach as soon as it got dark. One of our chaps got shot through the leg, on the way down.
Dear, you know the 6th Howitzers, which I was in, well they were firing high explosive shells and one burst as soon as we left the gun and blew the gun and men to pieces. I knew the chaps well. Two were killed, one lost his leg and another was wounded seriously. One chap got out without a scratch. The worst part was that it was there last shot. They were to come away that night.
We went off in lighters and got aboard our boat at two in the morning. It was a lovely night for the job. There was a big moon but it was cloudy so it just suited us. We were jolly glad to get on the boat. It was rotten waiting on the beach as you never knew when they were going to send a shell over. They were shelling us as we were going out and they could see the lighters. We were all underneath the hatches so were quite safe. The steamers stood well out to sea and we were put on an old German boat and she brought us as far as Limnos. We were three days on her. When we left, we were supposed to bring rations for 36 hrs. I was sent on to No 2 Outpost and just got back as the boys were leaving and only brought 1 1/2 biscuits so you can imagine what sort of time we had on the boat. There was no tucker at all for us. As soon as we got to Limnos, we had to send ashore for food. They gave us a few biscuits and bully beef. and we managed to scrape along till we got on to this boat.
Dear, this is a fine boat, the Ulysses, 5000 tons and bigger than any boat that comes to N.Z. We have had a good trip so far. We left Limnos on Saturday night and expect to be at Alexandria tomorrow morning so will just get to Egypt for Christmas. We put into a little Greek island called Milos. We got there on Sunday morning and left again in the afternoon. They have to be very careful on the run across there as there are a few submarines about here. We have lifeboat drill everyday and are not allowed on deck without our lifebelt. This place is not as safe as when I came over before and the boats are running a big risk now.
Dear, I have a Turkish shell and some other things that I will send you when we get to Egypt. I will send it through Cooks, that is the safest way. I picked the shell up in one place and the fuse in another so you needn't be frightened because it is empty. When it goes off, that brass piece flies off and all the shrapnell comes out. The case doesn't break. It is only the high explosive that bursts. Love, I will let you know when I am sending them. I will have to get a box made for them anyrate I will send them as soon as I can. You will have quite a lot of things if you get everything. I also have some badges and buttons that I will send. Love, I intended to buy you a nice present but I don't know yet whether funds will run to it. I expect it will cost quite a lot to send the curios. I expect the box will weigh twenty pounds. If I can afford it I will get a camera. You can get the best Kodak for 25/- I often wished that I had one. I could have got some grand photos on the Peninsular. Love, one of our chaps took mine outside my dugout the day we were leaving so if they come out any good I will send you some. I was reading the Auckland paper.
Dear, I hope you got the last letter I wrote. It was 8 pages and there were such a lot of nice things in it. You were saying in one of your letters to look after myself, well Dear, never fear, I was allways very careful and when we get back to Egypt I will be the same. You need never need worry Love about me looking after myself. I have seen to much of chaps getting into trouble and Dear I never forget you allthough you are a long way away. It is you that keeps me out of trouble. It might have been different if it wasn't for you. Never fear, I will come back to you as fast as the ship can get me there.
Christmas Eve. Well Dear we arrived safely in Egypt and they think we will be here for about a month. I have no idea where we will be going I am sending this Love, with the shell because our letters are censored and they would cross half of this out so I won't send it by post. There will be another letter coming in a day or so. Love, you will find a Turkish coin in the hankerchief. I was with a chap one day and we came across a dead Turk and he cut his pocket out and got a purse with some money in it. I got that one off him. I do not know what the value of it is. Love, you will see five buttons the same and they are off my coat. The other things I have picked up are the two round pieces of copper are driving bands off the Turk shells. and the long one they make nice photo frames. Dear, I would like you to keep the coin. When I come back I would like to have it on my watch chain. Dear, I am sending you all the stuff because it won't cost so much I would like you to send the extra fuse, (that is the brass thing) and the straight piece of driving band to my sister and tell her to keep the driving band and give the fuse to my Mother. You can have the shell and the rest of the things Love, when you write to her don't say what I gave you. just tell her you got one or two things because they mightn't like it, with me giving you the best ones? Love. I will get them some more the next time we go away.
Love, I would love to be back for today wouldn't it be a decent Christmas with my little girl. Love, you might think I am having a good time, well I am in a way, but Love I do get lonely and I would give anything to be back again. Love, I am thinking of you all the time. Every night I lay in bed. Dear, was I was on picket of a night I used to pace the hours away thinking of you. Dearest, I love you more every day I do not know what I would do if I was to lose you. You have made me a better Boy you have been the makings of me. Dear, you used to say, you loved me a lot well Love, you don't know how much I love you, better than anything in the world. Well Dear I must close now I am going in to send the things. Wishing you a fabulous Christmas and remember me to all.
Dear I am just longing for a big cuddle and kiss. I will squeeze the life out of you when I get back. It is 6 months since I have had a cuddle and kiss. I have been a very good boy since I have been away. I allways look after myself.
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Just a line in answer to your welcome letter I received to day dated 15th Nov. the last one was 12th Oct that is just over a month between, of course I will get the other ones I believe a lot of our mail went on to Embros.
Dear I see by this letter you have been sending parcels well I haven't received any yet seeing the way I have been moving about I expect they have been following me about anyrate I think they ought to come back here very shortly up till this last move I received everything safely. I expect you will get a surprise to read in the papers what has happened. I think we were all very lucky to get off safely I was in town last night. Things were fairly quiet considering the number of men that were in. I came home early. I was sick of walking about. Scotty and I went in. You can tell Forbes I met him the night I came back. He was suprised to see me. He is just in the next lines so we are quite close. He wishes to be remembered to them. We never thought we would meet over here. I also saw Earnie to day. I was looking for him all the morning. I was only speaking to him for a few minutes. He seemed just as bad as ever. I wont go see him again. He didn't seem too pleased about it by the way he said would you tell Hilda he will write when he gets time.
Dear you must be having a very good time going out in the car. I hope he doesn't have any more smash ups. I am suprised to hear Norm is yachting again. I thought he would have a rest this summer. I suppose he will be taking you out when there is a picnic on . I hope you don't have any rough trips like we did last season. Dear I have sent the shell and a lot of small things last night, there was in the parcel as near as I can tell you one shell one fuze 3 drivings bands 12 buttons 4 badges & a Turkish coin. That is a near as I can tell you the set of gun buttons are off my coat dear all the small things are inside of the shell so you can get Norm to screw the top off, the money is in the handkerchief. I have sent it through Cooks and it is insured for £3.00. Pinned on this letter is the receipt and insurance paper so if the things don't come in a few days after this letter take it down to Cooks.
Well I must close now with love to all,
will give you more news next week.
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Just a line to let you know I am in the best of health. I expect you would be disappointed not getting a letter for a few weeks. Well Dear, I wrote every week right up to the time we left Anzac. The last one was a couple of days before we left and I do not know whether you will get that one, they mightn't have been able to get it away. Then there was a fortnight coming over here. I wrote on the boat and finished it here posted it last Monday. Now I find the mail closed on Sunday so you will get that one with this. I really should have registered it as it has some insurance papers in it. I insured the Turkish shell and the curios. I sent them through Cooks. You can get Norm to go down and make enquiries about them. Dear I am just telling you about them in case you don't get the other letter. Send the extra fuze cap and one driving band to my Sister also two gun buttons. Tell her to give my Mother the fuze cap and one button. I hope Dear you like the things, I think Dear you will like them better than some silk. I was going to buy some other things but funds won't allow it. Dear, it is costing two pound to get four teeth stopped. I think it is better to have them done I do not want to loose any. I wouldn't let the military people do them, they made a mess last time. I know Dear you wouldn't like me to loose them.
Love, if I had the money, I would send something to you every week. Dear I found Ernie, and he said he would look me up but I don't expect him he is having a gay time and is afraid I might put his pot on. Just tell Hilda I found him and don't say anything else. I am not particularly anxious to see him anyway. You can tell Forbes that I met Scotty, and we have been going to town together. He was quite surprised to see me. I really met him the first night I was back and of course we had a great old yarn. I have met a lot of chaps I know lately. H. White, 8th Reinforcement came over to see me the other night but I was down at the Dentist so I went over to see him last night. He likes the Soldiering life he said. So far, it has just been like a long cruise. He was saying Norm looks a bit disappointed not being able to get away. Poor old Norm, he would do anything to get away. He is actually doing more good staying at home. My word Dear it will be something like old times when your Cousin comes up. Don't make a mistake and think it is me. I can see, I will have to come back or else I will be loosing you, I don't think!
Dear, I see you have sent some parcels, well I haven't received any yet. None from home either. I believe there is a months mail at Lemnos, so it will be back here any day. I am pretty sure Dear that I will get them allright and I am waiting anxiously for them. I see Norm has got the yachting fever again, it will soon die off. It will be allright if he takes you out. She is a fine boat. I expect Frank will be disappointed if he doesn't get a birth in her. I am surprised at them forgetting your birthday. I wouldn't forget Dear, you must be getting quite old now? I won't know you when I get back. I wish I was going home tomorrow and it was all over, I have seen enough of war to last me a lifetime.
My word Love I have got enough letters and papers since I came back to last me a month. It was very funny today, I just had the soap on my face to shave, and they said I was wanted in the orderly room. I had to wash it all off as I thought I was going up on the mat for something. Instead, I got four letters and six papers and when I was coming back the chaps wanted to know if I had any for them and when I told them it was all for me they all said I was very lucky. I think I get as much mail as anyone. Dear, if only I could get my parcels it would be decent. Love, don't bother about sending me parcels. They are very nice, if you get them! You keep the money and have a good time. With all the letters and papers you send I am quite happy. I think I am very lucky having a girl to send such a lot of things, you look after me very well. Dear, I think you will spoil me when I get back then Dear it will be my turn to give you a good time after waiting so long and being so good to me. You needn't worry Dear, I will be back as soon as I can.
By the way, don't forget to unscrew the top of the shell, there are a lot of things inside. Tell Jess, I will try and write to her next mail. I have hardly had a moment to myself and I have to go to the dentist every night and we are training all day. So you can see we are very busy. We have two hours off at lunchtime so I write a little every day. Tell her I have not forgotton her. I received to postcards allright but not the writing pad. I think I will get it allright and tell May I will write to her too. Dear I have got such a lot of letters to answer, it will take me a week writing all day. By the time I write home and to you there is not much time left for recreation left and to top it off there are a lot of chaps coming round to see me. Love the Auckland boys got a billy today it was decent. It was full of chocolates and cigarettes and also some lollies. It was very nice of the people to send us a Christmas present, we are all very pleased with them. Dear it is New Years Eve tonight and most of the chaps have gone to town. Scotty and I went as far as the dentist, then had supper. He has gone to bed and I am busy writing a few more lines to your letter Love, when I was here before I wanted to go to town everynight, it was agony to stay in camp but since I have been back I don't feel like going out at all unless I get the afternoon off. When we were at Anzac there was no place to go of a night and we got used to that. Some nights we would be in bed by seven o'clock. Now I seem to find plenty to do in camp, in fact I think I am to lazy to get dressed. Love I do not think I will stay up tonight to see the old year out. I hope it brings you and I as good a luck as the old one and we have the next one together.
January, Dear, I received a letter from you last night, just as I was going to bed, so I had to sit up and read it. I also received one from the Forbes and it was such a long one. I will try and write to them today, that will be five I have to answer today. Dear, you were saying I didn't say whether I got the birthday card, well Love I have kept all the cards you have sent but I haven't received the birthday card. It must have gone astray somehow.
Dear I have jus got some ink for my pen but I don't think it is going to be a success. I have been using a lead pencil for so long the ink seems quite funny. Love it was good of you to send the parcels. I received the first one this morning. My word Dear, I did get a surprise when I opened it. The things are lovely, thank you all very much for it. Dear, I have got a tin of chocolates alongside of me now and they are decent. I am also having a cigarette and they are the first decent ones I have had since I have been over here. Love, I am sorry I couldn't send you a Christmas present. I was going to send it the week we went to the front. I was sent without any pay. It doesn't matter Dear, I will send you something every pay, while we are here. I expect we will be here for sometime, anyrate, if we move I will drop you a few lines before we go. Love, I have got a pass today to go to town, but I am not going. I am putting in the afternoon writing as many letters as I can, and I don't feel like going out. Dear, I think I will get all the parcels allright. A lot of the mail came back from Lemnos today. I was down seeing about the cake that was sent from home and I have to go again tomorrow.
Love, now that I am back here, it seems all a dream, being at the front, allthough I will never forget some of the things I saw, yet when you get back here you seem to forget all about it. Love, I am sending you a photo of myself sitting outside of my dugout reading the Auckland paper. It was taken the day we left. I am sending the film to you, so that you can get some printed off. If you like. I have to go and get them tonight. Dear, I expect the one I send you will fade so if you do get a number printed you could send a couple home. Norm or Mr Forbes will get them done for you. Well Dear, I will have to close as I have such a lot of letters to write.
Dear, you can give the Forbes something out of the things
I sent. Any of the curios you like. Of course not the best. Just
please yourself what you give them. Haven't received the pad Jess sent. Thank her for me. I will try and write her next mail. and thank everybody for the wonderful parcel.
Dear, I went down for the photos tonight but the place was closed. The mail closes tomorrow at 9 o'clock so I will have to send them next Sunday mail. I would have liked you to have got them this week. You should get the letter I posted last week, with this one. as they will both go together. It is important that you get that one, as the insurance papers are in it for the stuff I sent.
Goodnight My Dear, XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
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Just a line Dear for the weekly budget and to let you know that I am quite well. Received some more letters this week and papers, also the writing pads that Jess sent. Will write to her next week. I haven't got any more parcels yet, the mail from Anzac is still coming in so I might get them any time now. Dear the things you sent were decent, I haven't finished all the lollys yet I have hardly eaten any during the week, I have been saving them for Sunday, also the cigarettes, they are decent. You can't get any yellow out here, so Dear I am enjoying them. It was very good of you to send them. You couldn't have sent a better assortment of things. I have just finished "The Will in a Well" and it is not a bad yarn at all. Dear, you should see the stack of letters and papers I have in the tent. I have about twenty letters and a big pile of papers, they have all arrived since I have been here. and another big lot arrived this morning from Anzac. They are not sorted yet, I hope my parcels are amongst them and Dear I believe there is a NZ mail in tomorrow so I ought to get a good bag.
I see you have been having a good time lately, my word I will have to hurry up and come back or else you will get tired of waiting and someone else will run away with you. I don't think. I will have to be careful of that chap that went to the Forbes with you. He lives nice and handy? Well Dear enjoy yourself as much as you can but Dear, do be careful I don't know what I would do if I lost you now. Dear if it wasn't for you, I wouldn't have much to care for out here. You were saying I must have been boozed, forgetting Mays name well Dear I wasn't, I don't booze as you call it. I have been very good over here and looked after myself, so Love you needn't be frightened. Beer never worries me in this country. Dear I do not know Mr England and I don't think he knows me. I haven't seen Ernie since and don't wish to. I expect he is having a gay time, I am sorry for Hilda, he is not much class. He wouldn't do me. Love you must have known something when he wanted to go out with you. He wouldn't last a week with you.
Well Dear the weather hasn't improved, it is still very cold here. I never thought you could get weather like this in Egypt however it is better than the heat. I expect you will be quite flash this Summer with all your new things "Some Kid" as Frank used to say. My word, he will be having a good spin now that all the boys are away. I received a short note from Mrs Linder today and she writes very funny, I could hardly read it.
Dear, I am sending the photo with this. If you get any printed off, give one to Frank also sent two home for me. I have sent them two, but I think they will fade. Dear, I don't like putting you to any trouble, you have enough to do writing to me. I will make it all up later Love, you have been good to me, it will take a long time to repay all you have done. I see you haven't been going up, to Forbes very much, My word you will catch it.! I will have to tell them all about you so you had better look out, you naughty girl! Dear, I will not be able to write you a long letter this week as I have run dry of news. I have told you all about this place and I haven't been out of camp all this week
Dear, I have had 2 letters from Reids, so I thought I had better answer them. I wrote a short letter the other night. Dear, I dropped them a few lines when I first came here to let them know I was allright but didn't give them an address so they couldn't write so they asked the Forbes. I see the young girl is working at one of the big drapers, she must have turned over a new leaf. It was about time, she was a real little devil I allways thought she would go to the dogs. Well Dear, I hope you are doing some yachting. You will find her a bit more comfortable than the Mabel Norm will be quite happy sailing in her I received a Yachtsman yesterday and you can see the Mabel allright Dear. Is that some rag Norm has been putting around the bowsprit? I don't suppose he will do anything to her now. Love, I think when I get back there will be to much work to do on her we will have to get the boatbuilder to do the job. I will have plenty of money then.
Dear there was a lot more mail given out tonight and I got some more papers. I have enough papers now to last me six months. The Postman was telling me that there were 200 bags were sunk on the way back from ANZAC. We saw in the papers that a boat was sunk coming back. Love, I expect my parcels will all be on her, just my luck. That will be another one I owe John Turk. Dear, I am very lucky getting as I have. done, still I would like to get all of it. Love, I was wondering if Hilda gets mail as often as you, I mustn't let Ernie beat me, that would never do. Dear, I am going to be a good boy tomorrow, I am going to the Church Parade I am going to have to look out that the sky doesn't fall on me. It is months since I have been.
Well Dear I will have to close, with love to all
How would the pictures go tonight, decent?
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Just a few more lines to let you know I am keeping in the best of health. I haven't received any more mail yet. That NZ mail hasn't come in yet, we are expecting it any time now. Dear, I received some more papers this week, old ones, but no letters. I think I have done very well, but I don't think I will get the rest of the parcels now. I was very lucky getting the ones I did. When you write again Dear, tell me what was in the other parcels. I would like to know. I am sending you some things with this mail also a book of views
Friday. Dear, I will register the parcel. There is a brooch, hankerchief and one ashtray for you and one ashtray for Forbes and there are two medals, one for Norm and one for your Father. I am also sending you a book of views, you should get them at the same time. Dear I received two letters and some papers, last night. I see Dear that you are sending another parcel. There were a lot more came to the Post Office this morning. and I expect mine will be in that. They are not going to give them out till we get to Ismalia, so they will come in very handy then. It is pretty rough in a new camp for a few days.
Dear, I don't think we will leave Egypt again, we will see all the fighting we want down the Canal. It is only about four hours by train from here. I haven't seen Ernie again, he told one of the boys he was going to come up on Sunday, but he didn't. Anyrate, I was down at the Hospital seeing some chaps. When I saw him before he didn't mention anything about you, I had to ask him how you were getting on Dear, I am sorry to hear you have been sick, I hope you are allright again. I can see I will have to hurry up come back to look after you. I haven't seen Cyril since I came back. I have his address, I must write and find out where he is. I expect he is still in Alexandria. Dear, I received a letter from Frank last night, he must have wrote as soon as he got home. He seemed very disappointed not getting away. He wouldn't like it, you not letting him see you home? I told him when I wrote to try and get away in the Artillery, he said in the letter, he will try again.
Dear, you were saying, am I a Driver! All us Gunners have to be able to drive. It is good fun but a Gunner is the best. Since I have been back I have been out nearly every day on horses. Love, I don't expect I will do much riding when we go to the Canal. Us Gunners will have all our work cut out getting ready for the Turks. We will have the advantage this time.
Well Dear, I won't be able to write you a long letter, I am doing this in my dinner hour and will have to post it tonight, so will write you a long one next week. I am sending my Father a nice pair of Sleeve Links. That brooch is the sacred bird holding the Key of Life and the medal is the Pyramids and the Sphinx. That is the man made out of stone, in front of them. Love you will see it in one of the pictures, I have sent you. I went into town tonight to get you something and didn't know what to get. Dear, I didn't want to get silk because I have sent you some. I wanted to get you something you can wear and the brooch was the best I could see. I think Dear, you will like it allright. You want about ten pound in your pocket if you are getting presents. Things are very dear here. I think the prices go up every week. Dear, I don't think I will be able to get anything where we are going, it is only a small place. Well Dear, I will have to close now, with love to all
We are all packed up ready to go to the Canal, so don't know whether I will be able to write you a letter.
How would you like a cuddle? Tell Forbes, I am posting some cards with this.
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Just a few more lines in answer to your welcome letter I received last week. We had a good trip down to here. We landed about two in the morning.. We did most of our travelling in the night time. We didn't get much of a chance to see the country. When we got here we had some stew and tea and that went allright. We slept in the sand and put the tents up the next day. Dear, it is very cold here in the night. We don't get any frost allthough it is cold enough for it. This is not a bad spot, we are quite close to the canal. Dear, it is a small town here, but we are not allowed in it of a night and I don't know why? It is very quiet, with nothing to do. When we have finished work there is plenty of time to write letters as there is no where to go. I don't mind, I got used to that on the Peninsular.
I see Alex hasn't joined yet he must have got cold feet. I must drop a note to Cyril, I have his address and that is the only way to find out where he is. I expect Dear he is still in Alexandria. I don't think he will ever get properly better in this climate, the sand is the worst part of this job. Some days you can hardly see for the dust I expect Dear I have a sandpaper inside by this time, I shouldn't think I ought to get indigestion.
Dear, I have just received a Yachtsman, dated September, it must have been all around the world.. I have had them Dec 6th. Some of my other things might turn up now. I don't think I will get the parcels you sent before the one I told you I got. A lot of our mail was sunk. Dear, I think Norm couldn't have posted the parcel you gave him I expect I will get it with the next mail. Dear I had such a haul when I got here. That case my people sent was here. It was a kerosene case and there were three big cakes, cigarettes and two tins of biscuits and everything was in good condition. I think I was very lucky to get it. Also 1 lb of cigarette tobacco. I wrote home and told them to send some every month, so Dear I am not doing so bad. Those you sent were decent dear I hope you got the parcel I sent last week Dear. I won't be able to send you anything from here, it is just being 90 miles from nowhere being here. Dear, you were saying you sent a photo. Well Dear, I received one photo on the Peninsular from you and that must be the one you were speaking about. I received a pair of mittens today from Mrs Linder, I was very good of her. I must drop her a line. I also had a letter from Frank and he seems very disappointed at not getting away. It was hard luck for him. Ernie is down here, I haven't seen anything of him yet he might find time to come and see me now, It doesn't matter much if he doesn't.
Well Dear, I don't know how much longer we will be away, I hope it is not long. I don't think it can last very long now. What a time we will have when I get back, the boat won't go fast enough. We will make up for lost time then. I don't think I will get I will I forget about you Dear, you must be looking some kid now with all your new dresses I won't know you, you will be that flash! Dear, you can't be more anxious than I am to get back.
You can tell Forbes I met Guy Little down here. I will write to them next week. I suppose they will think I am a nice one, not writing. By the time I write to you and home the week has just about gone. Dear, we have to be so careful what we write. We are not allowed to say anything about what we are doing or anything about where we are going, so Dear it is hard to write a long letter. There is nothing to see here but sand and there is plenty of that. Sometimes we see a big boat going down the canal. It is very funny sometimes to be out on the desert and see a steamer, it looks as if she is sailing over the desert because you can't see any water. We often say look at the boat coming over the desert. Dear, we are not getting to bad a time here, it is a nice place. They are giving us plenty of work. I believe they are going to give us some very hard training here so you can guess where we might be going.
Dear, there is a chap here plays the Cornet and it is lovely to listen to it. He has just given us "The Rosary" and I could listen to it all day. I think it is a lovely thing. Dear we have just been saying it is quite close to Anniversary Day. There is another yachting chap in the tent with me and we have been talking about it. My, word Dear, we would like to be back for it. Wouldn't it be decent, going for a sail. How would a picnic go decent? Dear I hope you get the shell and the other parcel allright, I suppose you will think a lot of them, also the photo I had taken over there. I never even left one for myself, I should have got some more printed off before I sent the film.
I saw Ernie. I was out with the horses and passed him. He was coming back from water with some and he just said good day. Love, I do not think he has much time for me and I don't care if he never comes over to see me. Well Dear I will have to shut up shop. I don't know when the NZ mail goes, it closes here every day and I don't want to miss I, so goodbye for the present and remember me to all.
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Just a few more lines to let you know that I am in the best of health. I received a letter from you and some papers last Sunday dated 15th Dec, Dear, the letters don't take long to come now, just over a month. I bet you felt wild with yourself, when you went up to the Forbes. My word Love, I will give it to you, not going up so often I think you must have a boy looking after you, you naughty girl.
My word you must be getting economical doing all your own sewing. You will be some kid with all your new dresses, I won't know you when I get back, you will be to flash for me? Dear, I think Norm must have got tired, writing that letter, I have not received it as yet. I will put it in a frame when I do get it. Poor old Norm, I don't know how he would get on for writing if he was over here? I don't think you would ever get a letter from him.
Dear, you were saying you wish it was over and I was back again. Well Love in the last few days, I have felt really miserable and I am disgusted with the whole outfit. We are working from daylight till dark. In our tent, there are 9 men and I could eat all the tucker we get. Today for lunch we had a small piece of meat, 1 1/2 potatoes and a small spoonfull of cabbage between 9 of us. If we didn't buy tinned food we would starve Dear, butter is 2/6 per lb and milk 7d 1/2 a tin. Bread is 5 d 1/2 a lb. So you can see we have to pay for most things. The bread they issue for a day lasts for one meal and we get no butter or milk. Love, it won't take much to please me when I get back. I will live on the smell of an oil rag. I would be on the Peninsular anytime. Over there you could get sufficient. Well Dear, the sooner it is over the better, the boat won't go fast enough going back for me. Dear we will make up for lost time then.
Dear, I see May is staying with you, I bet you are having a good time. It will be company for you. I expect she will think I am a nice one not writing. Well Dear, I have all my work cut out, getting your letter away. I started one to Frank last week but haven't finished it yet. We are only allowed one envelope a week, any others we send are censored by our officers. Dear, you know what sort of job it is when you know your letter is going to be read. Dear, if you get a letter in a plain envelope, you will know they haven't given us the other kind. I won't be able to talk to you like I do in these letters so Dear you will know what is the matter. Dear, letters from N.Z. are never opened, we never know when they are going to look at ours so we have to be careful what we write.
Love, I do not expect Hilda is getting many letters and I feel very sorry for her. I don't think Ernie cares very much, he is a rotter. He hasn't come to see me yet? Dear, I haven't received the parcel yet, I expect it will come with the next mail Dear, there isn't a day goes past that I am not thinking of you. Love, you are never out of my thoughts, you have been very good to me. Dear, you needn't be afraid of me not looking after myself, I have been very careful. Dear I shy clear of bad company. Love I am looking after myself for my little girls sake, there is nobody over here can say one bad word about me.
Thursday, Dear I am really homesick, I have had a headache all day and feel really miserable. I wish it was all over and I was back again. Dear it is fairly cold here, we have a good bit of rain today. It has been showery all today. Since we have been here the weather has been miserable. This is a rotten place for a camp, you can't go anywhere. At Zeatown, you could go to town to the pictures to cheer you up, well here it is just like being in jail? Dear I will leave your letter for tonight, I don't feel like writing so goodnight Dear.
Saturday. Dear I must get your letter finished today. There is a mail expected, so I might get some more mail. I am writing a letter to Frank and if I get it finished in time, I will put it in with this letter so it won't be censored. Norm can give it to him. Dear, I have been so miserable this week I have only written your letter and Franks. Dear I am feeling allright today, I think it must have been the weather, it is lovely today, nice and warm. Dear I was over at the Can'teen at lunchtime getting some tinned stuff and I met Ernie there. He was getting some smokes. He asked me if I heard from over the way lately and I told him I heard from you every week. He said he hadn't had any news for sometime? I hadn't time to say much as I was in a hurry to get my dinner. Love, I don't think he writes very often.
It is our half holiday today so I will fill the time writing and doing my washing. Love I am getting quite good at washing clothes. I think I will take it on when I get back.
Dear, the watch has stopped so I will have to get it fixed up. It has kept lovely time and has been very useful. Well Dear, I will have to close as I haven't any more news. Remember me to all
How would a cuddle go. Decent?
If Frank is away, give it to his Father.
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Just a few more lines to let you know I am in the best of health. It seems only yesterday that I wrote, my word the time does fly around. I received a Yachtsman and a Star today and there a some more expected tonight. We are waiting for it now. Dear, I see by the papers they have heard about the evacuation. I expect you all got a shock, it was a trying time for us all coming away. I think it was all for the best. Dear, I see by the papers the Turks are supposed to be coming on Egypt, so I suppose we will be having a scrap here. I think they will get all they want here, we will have the advantage this time. Dear, we have some great arguments here about Auckland, the boys call us the One Eyes, we are to strong for them, we win every time we argue and Auckland is brought up!
Dear, this is the last envelope that I have, so I will have to be careful what I write in the next letter, that is, if we do not get another issue, so Dear you will see I will have to be careful what I say. Our Officers read the letters before they go away, so Dear you will have to excuse me not putting any nice things in it. Dear, I am writing this at the Y.M. and that is allright with the piano going. We didn't get any, more mail last night. I got some papers and that Yachtsman May was writing on. She must have been having a game. I must write to her the first chance I get. My word the Ilex looked allright in the photo you would enjoy a trip out in her. No cuddling allowed, you have to save that for me Love. I haven't heard from the Forbes for some time, you will have to shake them up. They must be forgetting about me.
Dear I bought a Kodak camera the other day but couldn't get any films. When I get them I will send you all the films so you will have some views of the places. One of the Boys gave me a photo taken on the Peninsular. You will see me sitting down. We were waiting for the mules to come with the water The Dugouts you can see belong to the Gurker Officers, that is about half a mile from our guns. We were in a straight line over the hills. The black man you can see is carrying a wounded Gurker away to the beach. Dear I will never forget the times I had on Anzac however I am glad I was there.
Dear, we have a bathing parade twice a week, we go down to the salt lake (I can't spell the name) and it is decent. We were there today for a swim, it is not far from here. We have been having a good lot of drill now. We go out on the Desert every day for training. It is a change after being in action. Dear, it will soon be Winter again. I wish I was back again for it, remember those nights we used to have Love, I wish I was having them again now, it is rotten being so far away from you. I suppose it can't be helped, we will make up for it all later. Dear, I love to think of those times and the ones that are to come.
Saturday. Dear, I have just received your letter and was so delighted to get it. I wasn't expecting one this mail I thought you would be away. I am so pleased you had a good holiday Dear. I did laugh when you said the tent leaked. I could just imagine a lot of girls in a tent, it would have been real funny if the tent had come down on you. Dear, you were saying it was quite a change to sleep on a soft bed after the hard ground. Well I forget what a soft bed is like now. When I get back, I think I will have my bed on the floor, that is if you will let me Dear.
I received some letters from home, also one from Jess today. My word Dear she will think me a nice one not writing to her. I must drop her a line next week Love, today I went over to post office to see if your parcel had come yet and it wasn't there. There are still some more to come yet. While I was there I saw a case addressed to me so I brought it over. It was from home and it has two lovely cakes in. I am going to them for tea Dear. I have been eating lollies and chocolate and Shortbread all afternoon so I had to put it away as it was making me feel sick? After tea I am going to a concert at the Y.M. that is, if I do not have to much tea? Dear, I am disappointed not getting your parcel. I haven't given up hope yet, it is a nuisance the way they keep us waiting for parcels.
I hope you are feeling fit again, after the holiday, I bet you had a good time Love, you did not do to much swimming. When I got your letter saying you were going out there I worried for a while because I knew you would go out for a swim and it is such a dangerous place and I thought a lot of things. Dear, you allways want to be careful and never go out to far if you don't know the place. Dear, I think if I had been there you would have enjoyed the dances. Well Dear, I must close now. It is just on 4 o'clock and we have to take the horses to water. Remember me to all with love.
A cuddle would go allright. Dear I allmost forget how to now Dear?
The coin is a Malime and it takes ten to make 2 1/2 pence I have had that one ever since I have been here. It was over on the Peninsular with me.
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Just a few more lines to let you know I am in the best of health. There hasn't been any more mail yet, it will be another week before it comes. I wrote to Cyril the other day to let him know where I was, so when he comes down he will be able to come and see me. I also wrote to Norm and Jess, so Dear I haven't done to bad this week. I told Norm all about the Peninsular, so I expect he will show you the letter.
I have just come off 24hrs guard and it has been raining all day. There is one thing about this place, it doesn't get muddy because it is all sand. Dear I bought a camera the other day, a Kodak, the same size that I sent you. The last one I can't get any films. I sent to Cairo and there is not one in the place. That is a nuisance but I believe they are getting some in shortly so Dear I will send you the photos that I take. You will be able to see all the places that I go to I often wish I had bought one before and you would have had a nice collection of the places that I have been to. Well dear it is our picture night tonight Tuesday. I wish we were going tonight, we used to go pretty regular? Wouldn't it be decent? Love I wish those times would hurry up and come again. You have waited a long time, but we will make up for it. Dear you have been very good to me.
I don't think there will be any fighting down here, I expect we will go to France. Dear I hope it is soon all over, I am just dying to get back to Civil life. It will seem quite strange when I can go out when I please, that is more than I can do here. We are not allowed out at night time I suppose they think we will loose ourselves in the large village. You will get a good idea of the place when I send you the photos.
I suppose Hilda has heard from Ernie, I don't suppose he had mentioned me, I haven't seen him for a good while. He isn't a Fitter over here he is just a common soldier. I expect he thinks he is one above me and that is why he doesn't come over. Dear it doesn't worry me, I don't care if I never see him again. Dear, I expect Norm had a good trip away in the yacht, I haven't received the letter yet I expect he must have died in the attempt. You will have to shake him up. I have been waiting for a letter from him ever since I have been here.
Wednesday. Dear, I met Ernie today when we were watering the horses and I asked him to come up after tea. I went down to wash a shirt and of course he came just before I got back. I thought he wouldn't come so soon. He told the boys he couldn't wait and will come tomorrow night. When we were at water I had to sing out and he asked me if I had any news lately. I told him I had some letters last week and he said he hadn't had any for a lot time. Anyrate I will see what he has to say tomorrow night.
Dear, I got quite a surprise today, there is another mail in. I received a letter from you (11th Jan) also some papers. There will be some more in tomorrow. Dear, I feel wild about your parcels. I don't know how many you have sent, I have only received the one at Christmas time. I can't make out what has happened to them. Love, allways make sure of the address, you should stick a tag on them on them as well. Some times the paper gets ripped. If the parcel got as far as our Post Office I would get it allright.
My word Dear, you must be flash now with your dress, I won't know you when I get a back. I expect Forbes would have a good time away in the boat, his Brother used to be very flash, I suppose he is still the same. I allways likes Tut the best!
Dear, you were saying when I get back I will bless you because you will want to be with me all the time. Well Love I don't think that will happen because I will want to be with you all the time, don't worry it will take a lot to make me tired after being away from you for so long. Dear, I will feel quite shy. Dear, you were saying you expected a letter in the mail that was coming in that week. Well Love, I told you in the letter just as I was going away that you would not get one for a few weeks because I couldn't post one till I got to the Peninsular. Dear, I know you would worry but it couldn't be helped. I never miss a mail, if I can help it. When we are on the move I can't write. Then Dear I expect you would be thinking I had deserted you. Never think that Love, the longer I am away the more I love you.
There is a service on in theYMCA. It is a lovely job trying to write and they do not mind us writing when the service is on. It seems quite funny writing letters while a church service is on, it is all a soldiers life. We get in some funny places Dear. I see an A. Lye is coming, I suppose he thought it was about time he joined. Well Dear, he shouldn't as he has no ties to keep him back. Dear, you were asking me if I had any plaster left, no I have used it all. I gave some to T. Morris, he has had a couple of boils on his b.t.m. and it cured him allright. I think Dear, I used the last peice before I went to the front. Tommy says it is great stuff. I saw him the other day and I told him you and Jess wished to be remembered to him. He is looking allright on it and he is in the same lot as is Brother and I suppose he looks after him.
My word, won't we have talk when I bet back, I think we will be up all night. The first night Dear I think I will have to put the question then (Eh What) I wonder what you Father will say. I don't think he will mind do you Dear. I don't think I told you Dear, one day when we were out at the Pyramids I had my fortune told and he told me I would be back 1 August and would be married 15 months after getting back? I don't think he will be far out, that is if all goes well. Well there is one thing he did say, I told him if he couldn't say the exact time I landed in Egypt, he would not get any money. He said it was five months and he was right to the week, that was at Christmas time. I hope the rest comes true Dear.
Love it came out on orders the other day, all the chaps that had been to the front were to get a weeks holiday now. They have cut it down to a day. We leave here at 6am and have to leave Cairo at 7pm. It takes 3hrs to go up. I expect we will be going next week and there are only three allowed to go at once. I want to go up to get some things for my camera and have a decent feed. It gets very monotonous down here and it will be a change to see some life. I will have to wait to pay day, I spent all the money I had getting the camera. It only costs 18 Piastas that is 3/9 return, so I think I can manage it when I get paid. I will have two pounds? I will try and get a pounds worth of films so with the rest I will have a nice time Dear. I will be going with a very nice chap on Friday.
Well Dear Ernie hasn't put in an appearance yet, I think he must be frightened. I waited in all night for him last night, so Dear, I won't ask him again. I was speaking to a chap that knows him and he was telling me he was a driver. Dear, it is a lovely night it is a full moon and a sail would be decent tonight. These sort of nights remind you of home. I think I will go for a walk before I go to bed, it is too nice to stay in. (How would a little walk go Dear decent?) We had some sports on Wednesday and you should have seen some of the Officers jumping the horses. Some of them ought to be riding wooden ones. Well Dear, I think I will have to be closing now, as I have run out of news, so goodbye for the present. Remember me to all.
Dear put number in corner as usual.
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Just a few lines to let you know I am in the best of health. I haven't had any mail this week but I believe there is one expected any day. I haven't received the Yachtsman with Norm's photo in yet, it is the first one to go astray, it might come with the next mail. I met R, Marks the other night and he was looking alright. I was giving him a rub about when he was on leave. You told me you saw him. Ernie came up last Saturday and we went over to the football. He didn't have much to say. He told me he went out to tea when he was on leave but he was very quiet. We have been having lovely weather lately, just nice and warm. We used to go for a swim twice a week but it has been cancelled now and we will have to go in our own time.
I have taken a few photos, so I will send them to you next week. I want to print a few off first. I haven't had a letter from Forbes for a long time, I wish you would shake them up. I won't write till I get one from them, they have got more time than me. Well Dear, I suppose the yachting season will soon be over now. I suppose you have been out in the Ilex, a trip away would just be the thing! I suppose I will forget how to sail a boat when this war is over? I hope I get back for next season. I don't want to put another Summer in this country I will be a grease spot if I do. Dear, I suppose my Sister still writes to you she often speaks about you in her letter. By the way have you been out to the Johnstons lately? You will catch it when you do.
If you don't get any more letters you will know we are not allowed to write. I expect we will be issued with cards I wrote to Cyril last week but haven't had a reply yet. I hope he received the letter, he would be a bit surprised to hear from me again. I expect he will be better by now. He will be coming down here any time now. Ernie was saying Hilda was miserable while you were away, I expect she would be glad when you got back. Dear, you might let me know if Dunsford is married yet, I would get a great shock if he came away. I don't think he could pass the test. Well dear, I don't think I have any more news this week I will write a long letter the first chance I get. Hoping you are all in the best of health and remember me to all.
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Just a line to make up for the letter I sent last week. I don't know what you will think of me, writing such a short letter. I didn't have a green envelope so I had to be very careful what I wrote. Our Officers read all the letters that are in plain envelopes and they know who wrote them. Dear, it took me three nights to write that letter because Love I knew you would be disappointed. Love you would realise it is horrible when you know it is going to be read. I didn't want to disappoint you because I have never missed a mail if I could help it.
Dear, I was invited out to a monotor last Sunday and had a great time. The chaps showed us around everywhere and we had tea onboard. My word I did enjoy myself. They are coming out to see us tomorrow so we will show them around the camp. Dear, you remember me telling you that I wrote to Cyril a few weeks ago, well I was speaking to chap last night and he told me Cyril was down here, so I went over and saw him. He has been here three weeks and only camped a hundred yards from me. Dear, I hardly knew him he was looking that well and fat! He was like a skeleton last time I saw him. He is very fat in the face. We had a long yarn. He told me to tell you one of those apple pies you used to make would go decent. Love it is only a shame what I could do to one now, I haven't tasted a pie of any sort since I left! Dear, you will have to make me a lot when I get back I'm afraid I will make a beast of myself. Love I had a terribly big dinner today. I will just tell you what I had half a potato, five harricot beans, some of the other chaps had a small piece of meat with theirs. Dear, it is marvellous how we live on such little food. Some mornings I only have one piece of bread and jam and a cup of tea. I often think of those suppers we had, I would smack my lips if I had one now. Dear, we will make up for them when I get back. I hope it won't be long now? Love, I am just dying to get back to my little girl and have a big cuddle.
Dear, there was no mail last week I believe it missed at Australia so we ought to get a big one next week. It seems quite a long time since we had a mail, so Dear, I am looking forward to it. Dear, I hope you are still shaking Norm up about writing letters. I was telling Cyril that he had started a letter to both of us and he said, he hadn't received his. I suppose we will get them someday, poor old Norm! He is no hand at writing letters, I forgive him. I suppose Dear, Hilda is hearing from Ernie. I saw him today when we were taking the horses down to water and I sang out to him. Love I have promised to give Cyril all the Yachtsman, so dear they are coming in very handy. He was saying he hadn't seen one for ages.
Well Dear, we are not allowed to put in our letters where we are and I don't know what is the reason, we are in the same place as I told you in the other letters. We are all tired of it. There is nothing to see and nothing to write about, so the sooner we get shifted Dear the better. Anywhere out of this country it is just to hot here in the Summertime.
Love, I wish I was with you again you don't know how I miss you, you are never out of my thoughts, Every time I am on night duty I just think about my little girl all the time. Dear, I am on tonight from 2 to 6 and I have to post your letter before 9 am so Dear I think I will have a sleep now and finish it then. It looks very much like rain so I have been writing as much as I can, now because I won't have any time in the morning and if it rains while I am on I won't be able to do any writing. Dear, It is 9 o'clock now so I will get a little sleep so goodnight Dearest.
Well Love it is just 2-30am Sunday morning and I am here till 6am so I will go on with the letter. I am writing this by lamplight and haven't got all the sleep out of my eyes so Dear you will have to excuse bad writing. It hasn't turned out a bad night it is as black as ink but not cold. Love this is a rotten job and it is always my luck to strike a bad shift. It makes a long day when you have a picket to do. We get it once a week. We don't get any time off so it will be five tomorrow night before I get a spell. We have to turn out to work just the same in the morning, so Dear it is no go. Of course when you are in the Army you have to put up with these things.
My word dear I will have to hurry up and get back I don't expect I will know you? Love you will be that big, I long to be back again. Love I will send a few photos with this letter you can look on the back of them I will write what they are, the ones of the Peninsular. I want you to be very careful of them I borrowed the film from a chap so I won't be able to get any more. Dear I am sending the films to Cairo to get some printed for myself so then I will send them out to you. You can do as many as you like Love, you can get a book and put them in. Forbes will print them off for you Love. I am sending you one of an aeroplane that took the other day. I got another photo of one yesterday but haven't developed it yet. I think it will be allright. Well Love I will have to close now hoping you are all in the best of health and remember me to all. Dear I love you and would like a kiss right now.
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Just a line to let you know I am in the best of health. I am in Asia now, that is across the canal. I have been sent over here for duty for two weeks and it is an awful place. I will tell you all about it when I come back. We are 12 miles out by ourselves and Dear it is lonely I am in at one of the posts 2 hours from our camp. I am waiting for mail. It is a good job riding in this half way and a chap comes the other half. We haven't had any mail for nearly a month now so this one should be a good one. Dear, we are not supposed to write while we are here, if I had of known I was coming in I would have written a big letter. I am going to give this to the chap and he should be here in a few minutes, so Love you will have to forgive this short note and expect a long one next time. The chap didn't have any paper so I am writing this in a note book. Dear, we haven't seen any Turk yet and I do not think that we will. Well Dear I will have to close now with love to all.
This letter was just three small pages of a little note book.
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Just a line to let you know I am still jogging along. There is a big mail in and I got the papers yesterday, five yachtsman and a lot of others, so dear I will have a lot to read The letters should have been out today. I hear the wagon only got as far as Ferry Post and that is seven miles from here so it won't be able to come out till daylight. They would never find us in the dark. so Dear I am anxiously waiting for a letter as it is over a month since we have had any mail.
Love, I couldn't help laughing when I read about the cruise. As soon as I looked at it, I knew it was Norm before I saw the writing on the bottom. Dear, I see he is just as late as ever. The boys must have thought a lot of him as cook? Dear, you ought to get him cooking for you, he would save you a lot of trouble. Dear I wouldn't mind some of the dishes they had as we are not living to well. Love, I was sent to Ferry Post on Saturday and I had to wait for a chap with the mail. He comes half way so I wrote a short note while I was waiting. I didn't know there would be a mail else I would have written a long letter, so Dear you will have to forgive the short note, it was better than none at all. We never knew till that morning that there would be any mail going away.
I expect Dear you will wonder what I am doing in Arabia. Well Dear, we have been sent over here to look after some guns. Till they come out is a very lonely place. There are only a few of us and we are camped in a hollow miles from anybody and a month here we would all go mad. We have all our water, brought out on camels?
Dear, I told you I met Cyril, he is somewhere over here, he left a couple of days before me. I do not expect I will see him again till we go back. Ernie is here, in the same camp as me but in another Battery. I also met H. White, the dark one, while I was riding home, he is looking well on it. Dear it is very nice and healthy out here as we are very high up. In the mornings the air is just nice and cold but it gets very hot in the day time. I wouldn't like to be here in the Summer, we would all melt.
Dear don't be surprised if you soon here from me in another country, so if you don't get any mail for a while you will know we are on our way somewhere. else, so don't worry Love because I will write as soon as I know there is a mail going. Dear, I never miss a mail if I can help it. I know you are just as anxious to get a letter as I am. I am that anxious that I would like a letter every day. Well Dear, I must close for tonight, so goodnight Dear.
Wednesday. Well Love I will make another start, I am back again at the base, we came through yesterday. I had one letter from you while I was out there, a chap brought it out. I was telling you that a big mail was coming out, well we passed it on the road when we were coming in, so Dear it will be a day or so before it comes back. The rest will be back shortly.
Friday. Well Dear you will get a surprise to know that I am in hospital. I came in yesterday. It is nothing serious Dear. Before I went over the Canal I had a heat rash on me and the doctor didn't treat it right. When I came back I went to him and he sent me over here. I am not in bed all the time. I go for a walk in the daytime and I have some ointment I put on twice a day. I came in yesterday morning, it is not to bad here. I had chicken and blancmange and jelly and this morning I had porridge and eggs, so Dear I am living high. Big guns wouldn't have woken me last night. Fancy sleeping on a soft bed, the first time for twelve months! It was decent. The orderly woke me up with a big plate of porridge this morning and Dear, I forgot to tell you I had beef tea for supper. So Dear, you needn't worry I expect I will only be here for a few days anyrate. I must get better next week, you can guess why Dear. My legs are the worst. I have been doing a lot of riding lately and my legs rubbing against the saddle have chaffed them. If it hadn't of been for my legs I wouldn't have seen the doctor.
Love, he has just been round. It was funny, because the orderly got on to me this morning and I had used the box of ointment he had given me yesterday so I told the doctor and he said there is plenty more, so use as much as I like. Dear I don't want to be here any longer than I can help as I am not used to having nothing to do. Dear, there is a chap next to me that is going back to N.Z. in the next boat. He has got bad eyes. The sun out here plays up with them. I was telling him, he is a lucky man. Dear if I was going back, I wouldn't sleep for weeks thinking about my little girl. Dear you have been so brave waiting so long. Dear, I will never be able to do enough for you when I do get back. Dear, you tell me in your letters to look after myself, well Love you can trust me I do that. I know this is an awful country, you would not believe what it is like unless you saw it Dear. I haven't mixed with any women of any sort since I left N.Z. There is only one for me Dear, I am true to her.
Dear, I am sending you some photos with this letter. I am writing on the back what they are. I took all, except three of the Peninsular. The one of Plugges Plateau where the cross is, our guns were up there for nearly 5 months. Dear I would like you to look after the three as I want to get them enlarged when I come back. I will send you the films out later on. Well Love I must close now, with love to all.
Dear, I don't think I told you I got another letter. That is two. One from Frank. There are more to come yet. I see Frank is going to Sydney?
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A few more lines towards the weeks budget. I am still in hospital and expect to be out any day now. I have just been reading a lot of your old letters Dear, before I burn them. It doesn't do to carry them round with you seeing I will be in the firing line very shortly. Dear I enjoyed reading them again, I laid on my bed and took my time over them. I am going to keep the last ones till I get another mail. I like to have some to read. Dear my letters must take a long time to get back, over two months. The first ones I sent from Anzac, you should have had them early in January, unless the boat got sunk, a lot of the mail used to get lost on the way back.
Dear, I see you have been keeping very late hours. My word I will have to get onto Forbes, you will be loosing all your beauty and Love, I can't allow that I want to see you looking nice when I get back. Dear, I don't think it will be long now and then Dear we will make up for lost time! Dear, I won't be able to see enough of you after being away for so long and Love I have a lot to thank you for.
Tuesday. Well Dear I asked the Quack to let me out this morning and he said I had better stay for another day. I am sick of this and I would sooner be working. Love, it is great here, the number of chaps that go before the Board, there are several that only landed last week and they are going back as unfit in the next boat. Some chaps have the habit of not being able to keep out of the hospitals, the further I am away from them the better. Love, I think the biggest majority of chaps that go back have never seen the firing line. A lot of them get cold footed when they get here Dear, I would like to go back to N.Z. but not while I am well. I want to see things finished first, that is what we came for.
Dear, I received a letter from Frank the other day and he was telling me that Scotty from the Bay and not to let the Germans know. My word, I think it is about time he came. I don't know however he can hang around, he must have good nerve. Dear, I am putting a letter in the envelope and I would like you to send it to my Sister. We only get one green envelope a week and I send that to you There are some things in hers I don't want them to read here so I would like you to send it to her. Love, I expect this will be the last letter you get for a while, you will know before this reaches you where we are Dear. If ever I send you a Field Service card, you will know we are not allowed to write. Love, if you ever get some films wrapped up in silver paper, don't open them, give them to Norm to be developed They will be photos because I don't expect I will be able to get them done where we go to Dear. I will try to get you some of the trenches.
Dear, I don't know what has happened to the parcels you sent, I have only received one so far. I don't know what could have happened to them, I don't expect I will get them now. Love, it is a nuisance after you going to the trouble of sending them perhaps we will have better luck next time. Dear, make sure you tie them up well, and put the address plain. I am giving you a lot of instructions in the letter because I might not be able to send another letter for a good while. Dear, that was very good of you to take the photo to Cyril. I expect he will be married by this time. She is a nice girl but I do not like the colour, it wouldn't suit me Dear, What do you think?
I see by your letters, you are doing it flash riding about in motor cars. Love, you will have to take me out when I get back. If I don't hurry up you will be getting to flash. Dear, you will be some kid! Love, as long as you don't let anyone run away with you it will be allright, Dearest I don't think you would do that because you wouldn't have a cold footed boy. Dear, I was lying in bed the other night thinking of the day I arrived in Auckland on leave. Love, I will never forget that. I am allways thinking about it. Oh Love, I try to imagine what it will be like when I get back after being away for so long. And Dear I won't be able to sleep for weeks before we land. My Sister was saying, not to worry, she will look after you. I wish we were both in the same town. By the way, have you seen Johnstons yet, she won't know you when you go up. Remember me to her if you ever see her. She was very nice when we were there. I expect she is wondering what has become of you Dear. I haven't got that letter of Norms yet or one from the Forbes. I thought would write a letter more often. I think I have only received two letters from them. I do not think Tut is that busy that he couldn't find time to write a few lines, even a post card would do Love. I think they must be forgetting about me! Love I am glad we are getting out of this country I don't care where we go as long as we get away from the desert and the people here are very bad, it is no place for English people. Dear, some of the things you see here nearly make you sick. Love, there is no one more pleased than me to get out of it. Love, don't take any offence but do be careful of returned soldiers. If you have seen as much of them as I have, you would be careful who you mix with. Some of them can tell nice tales Dear, not that you would mix with them but I think it is only right that I should tell you. Trust no one, and believe nothing what they say because there are so many going back that haven't been wounded at all.
Well Dear, you will soon be having Winter again and we are just starting Summer. Remember those big fires we used to have, my word Dearest I didn't like leaving it some nights and then a great big supper. Some toast wouldn't go bad now. I do not think I would ever get tired of it.
Saturday. Dear, I received three letters today from you I am so pleased you received mine allright. I see you got the ones I sent from Egypt first, that shows you how long it takes a letter to come from the firing line. Dear I am wild about Jess, she had no right to read your letters, in future you will have to keep them away from her. It is just like her, cheek! Dear I couldn't help laughing when I read when I read about N. Law just fancy her telling you she met my Brother. She must have thought it would make you jealous if she had of said an older Brother you might have believed her. My word Love, she can tell lies, you don't want to take any notice of her.
Dear, I will go up and see Roy McGlesham tonight, his crowd are here. Dear, you made me laugh, telling me about Scotty Dear, I don't want you to have anything to do with him, he is a waster if there was any man in him, he would have come away long ago. He ought to be ashamed to go about the streets. Well Dear, I hope you got the curios allright, it would be a nuisance after bringing them back from ANZAC. Love, I am sending you 32 films with is letter you can get them printed off, I can't get them done here because I think this will be the last mail you will get for some time. It is very good of you to send some home. Well Love I will have to close as I do not want to make this to big as I will not be able to get the photos in. I took all of them myself.
Remember me to all With best love. .
I am pleased you got the address. Tell Forbes I will write as soon as I can.
Dear, I am sending my Sisters letter in another envelope. I happened to get another one. Love, you can let the Forbes print some off, but keep the films and don't finger them more than you can help because they will show. Those white marks won't come out in the prints.
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Just a line to let you know I am in the best of health. I met Cyril again the other night and I gave him some papers and the Yachtsman. He wishes to be remembered to you all. He is looking fatter than ever. I was telling him about the Ilex cruise and he had a great laugh when I told him about Norm being late. I wonder, will he be late for his wedding? Well Dear, it is getting awful hot. We don't do anything in the middle of the day, in fact we do very little work now. I suppose they are giving us a holiday before we go into it again. I won't be sorry when I see the last of Egypt. I wouldn't like to put a Summer here. Dear I hope you received the curios allright and the photos I sent last week. That shell will be a great curio because we have finished with The Peninsular.
Love I see you have had a visitor staying with you. I expect you had a good fly around, she would be good company for you. I suppose Hilda would be jealous because you wouldn't see her so often. Does she get many letters from Ernie? I haven't seen him lately. I suppose he is getting along allright. Dear, you can expect the letters to stop coming any time, so don't be surprised if they do. When they do stop, it will be a few weeks before you get any, so don't be disappointed, you will hear from me as soon as I possibly can. Love Cyril did have a quiet wedding he must have been frightened to let anybody know I wonder how they will get on now. I think he will see he has made a mistake.
Love, I haven't got a great lot of news this week so you will have to excuse the short letter. It is horrible trying to write in the daytime with the heat and you also get eaten alive with the flies. The ones we have here bite you! Love, we have just been down to get all our clothes disenfected. We put them in a railway truck and they bake them. Then we had to have a disenfected bath! It is to kill all the lice, before we move off. Dear, they're a nuisance, you can have a bath every day and you still get them on you. They live in the sand. Love you would laugh to see us every day with out singlets off having a delouse? It is only since we have been here that we have been worried with them.
There were two chaps shot somewhere about here the other day for deserting. They were Tommys. We had it read out to us. One of our chaps has been away for six weeks. I don't think they will catch him now. Dear, it doesn't pay to try and get away, they have the best of you every time. I don't know what they want to join for? Dear, I expect Bert will be here soon now. I would like to see him if I can. I expect he will get a surprise to see me. You can tell Forbes, I have been out with Scotty for several nights. He comes over nearly every night to see me. It was like old times to be with the boys again and I have also seen Cyril quite a few times. He is generally busy when I go over. I suppose you know he is a Sergeant again. Well Dear I will have to shut up shop for this week, I have run out of news, so Dear excuse the short letter. Remember me to all Dear. I expect to go anytime now.
Love I forget what a cuddle is like now? We had a big pay today 6/- in English money.
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Just a line to let you know I am in thew best of health. I haven't had any mail for a few weeks. I believe it has all been sent to France so I ought to get a few letters when we get there. Dear, we have been five days at sea and we will get to Marseilles tomorrow morning. We had a lovely trip for the first three days and then ran into heavy weather. A big lot of chaps have been sick. We had a glimpse of Malta and we all thought we were going in there. We went up to the entrance and they signalled to us to go on. Dear, I would have liked to have had a look at it. It is a hard place to get in as you can't see the entrance. Dear, we had two destroyers with us till we got to Malta. then they left us. I suppose we were past the danger then. Dear it is not to pleasant, roaming around out here. A boat was lost just before we left, so dear our mails won't be to safe. I expect you will know if any gets lost.
We have got all our horses aboard so you will see we do not get much time to ourselves Dear, I won't be sorry when we land. These boat trips are not to good. I believe we are going for 2 1/2 days train journey so that will be nice. It will be a change to the desert. Dear, Ernie is on this boat but I haven't seen much of him Dear, It was great the night we left, we burnt all the nigger can'teens down. They had charged us double for everything so we got our own back. It was great fun! We left at 10 o'clock at night and got to Alexandria at 9 am the next morning. We were packed like sardines, there is not much pleasure travelling with troops.
Dear I had several long yarns with Cyril about old times and you and his girl. He left the night before me and I went over and said goodbye. I will meet him when we land.
Dear, if I ever say in a letter I am sending you will know they are films. Don't open them get them developed. We are not allowed to have a camera over here.
Love the weather is much colder now. I expect we get cold in France. I hope Dear we will not be there very long. I am just dying to get back to you, I have had enough of this life. It seems years since I have had a good cuddle. Dear, we will make up for it all when I get back and I hope that will not be very long. Love, I can hardly imagine what it will be like to be in civilian life again, getting good food and nothing to worry you. Dear, I allmost forget what a good meal is like now. Love I often picture myself having some of those suppers. I think I would make a beast of myself. Dear, this is the only privilege a soldier has, is to growl. Dear, I have just heard that we have gone 17 miles from 12 o'clock to 5 o'clock and that is a little over 3 mls an hour. So love we are in pretty heavy weather. Love I was in hopes of seeing Mays Brother. They were due in Egypt just when we left I do not expect I will see him now. They might come on over here. I expect we will go in training again so I might see him. Well Dearest I will close for tonight so good night Dear.
Saturday Night. Well Dear, we have not arrived yet we are going up the coast of France. We sighted it just after dinner. We will be a day late getting in. My word it has been blowing very hard and the wind is icy cold I hope it is warmer when we land Dear. We will notice the cold for a while after being in Egypt. The coast is very hilly, looking at it from out here, some thing like the NZ coast to look at. We will hang about outside all night and go in the morning.
Thursday. Well Dear, we have arrived at last, five days late. All the chaps had heard that we were torpedoed. We are at a place called? Have arrived here this morning after 2 1/2 days train journey. Dear it was lovely travelling through France, it did our eyesight good to see some nice green fields and the people were very nice. It was a tiresome journey in the train. We only stopped twice a day and then we would get a hot drink and some biscuits.
I don't think I will see Cyril again for a while. They have gone on to another place. We will only be here a couple of days, this is a very pretty place. We are not allowed in the town. Dear it is very cold here after being in Egypt. We will soon get used to it. It is better than the desert. Dear it is lovely to see all the trees in blossom again, it is a long time since we have seen anything green. Love, I received two letters from you today and two from home also 14 papers. The chaps wanted to know if I was going to start a bookshop. Dear, they are allways giving me a rub about my mail. Love, I am so pleased you received the parcel allright. I have been wondering all the time if you would get it allright. I am glad you were pleased with it. I won't be able to send you things from here. We won't be allowed.
Well Dear, it won't be long before it is over, now that the Colonials are here? I hope it is right what you said about July, any rate Love I hope to have the next Xmas dinner with you! I am surprised at Bert getting engaged. I never knew he had a girl. Dear, we will have to be in the fashion when I get back and get engaged too, that is if you will have me. I think that will be allright Dear, don't you?
We haven't had a pay for a month and we are all stoney broke. I don't suppose there is another lot landed in France as pennyless as us? I believe we are getting a pay tomorrow then I will have a feed. Dear I don't know how often a mail will be going, I will write as often as I can and when we get in the firing line I will have to be careful what I write, so don't be surprised if you only get short letters. They will all be read. Well Dear I will close now with Love to all.
A cuddle would be decent Dear?
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Just a line to let you know I am in the best of health. I wrote last week, so I hope you get it allright. Dear, I arrived here one day and was in hospital the next. When I came out of hospital in Egypt, I was not quite better and coming over here on the boat, the heat rash came out again. Dear, you needn't worry, it is nothing serious. The Doctor saw me today and I am going out tomorrow. All our boys are away from here so I will go up tomorrow. It will be a long trip by myself. Dear it is rotten being in here I am the only NZer. The Tommys get on my nerves of course. I am not in bed at meal times and that is great. We have little tables to have our meals at, 8 at a table. I don't know where some of the chaps have been brought up, you would think that they were a lot of pigs, the way they eat. Dear, I am very thankful I am in the NZ troops. The Tommys would send me mad. Love, we had a lot of rain the first few days but the weather is lovely now. I bought a lovely pair of boots off a Canadian for 15 Francs, that is 12/6 they come up to my knees. They are fine chaps, there is one in Hospital, a Sergeant and he has the D.C.M. We have some great yarns. He goes about 14 stone and talks real Yank He likes the NZ boys he says the glad the Colonials are over here. Dear, this is a lovely country, what I have seen of it, still Love, I would sooner have Auckland. I will never leave it again when I get home. Well Dear I will close for today, so bye for the present.
Dear, I arrived this morning at the base, all our boys have gone, so I don't know how long I will be here. It took me two days to get here from Hospital. I am sick of train journeys. There are only some of the men that B. Golder came with. He is here so I will have some company. I have been with him all the morning. You can imagine his surprise to see me come in here. Of course I can't tell you any names of places. Dear it is a real treat to see some NZ boys again. I feel quite at home again. It is funny how I should meet Bert again. I believe he arrived in Egypt the day I left. He told me you were down to see him off, Dear, I hope I get back to the Battery soon because it will mess my mail up if I don't. I don't want to loose any of it. Dear, it is all I look forward to. Love you were saying that it was going to be over in July, well I don't think it will be finished as soon as that, but I hope that I will be home for Christmas dinner. Dear, I don't want to put a Winter in here it would be a wee bit to cold for me. My word, I am surprised at Bert getting engaged, I told him this morning. There is one thing Dear, I am not afraid of you running away. I hope Dear you won't have to wait to much longer.
Sunday. Well Dear, the mail closes tomorrow so I will have to get your letter finished. I am out under the trees with Bert and Bill Erhart from the Bay and we are all busy writing. Bert is writing to his Mother. We went and had tea together last night, fried eggs and they were real decent. Dear, I am glad they are here, it is miserable when you don't know anybody Dear, Bert was telling me you are looking very well and you are getting more plump? Dear, don't get to fat, I can see you will have to do more work? You must be having an easy time now that your Mother is home. By the way Dear, I haven't received from Norm or Forbes yet, they must be writing long ones. I suppose I will get one some day. Dear, I think Forbes must have forgotton all about me. The weather here is very nice and I hope it keeps warm. It would be very muddy here when it rains. Things here are very dear. Oranges are 1 1/2 francs each and not very big ones. I suppose things are the same in NZ. Well Dear, I will have to close now, there is no more news and we are not allowed to tell you anything. Remember me to all with love.
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Just a few more lines in answer to your letter I received yesterday. I have just gone on for my 24 hrs and I will come off at 8 o'clock tomorrow night. I am on every other day. I was going to start your letter during the day. I was sitting at the table in my house? I had just got the heading finished when a shell burst just outside so I shut up shop and came to the gun. There is more shelter here, you don't want to run any risks. We are living in houses that have been shelled and it is great. Half the walls have been broken down and there are big holes in the roof.
Dear, I can't tell you when we came up here, but you can tell by the letters it is awful to see the towns all smashed up by shells. A few people have ventured back and set up little shops where you can get a meal, not five minutes walk from where we are in action. You can buy beer, it is a penny a glass and would take a month to get drunk on. The people here make their own and it tastes like ginger beer. Love don't think things because I am telling you these things, if everybody drank as little as I do I am afraid the hotels would all have to close down. I have had one glass in a week and that was because I was so thirsty. We are not allowed to drink water unless it has been boiled. We get three pints of tea a day and that is our allowance. Dear, food hasn't been too good but I expect it will get better. Some of the boys that have just come off are going out for a raid around the gardens when it gets dark. One of them knows where there is plenty of rubarb and carrots so we are looking forward to a good feed tomorrow.
Love, I was very disappointed last night, our mail came out and I waited till they had gone through it and there was none for me. You can imagine how I felt but I knew it wasn't your fault. If I didn't get any mail for a month I wouldn't worry because Dear I know it would be allright however it makes you mad when you know there is mail for you somewhere and you can't get it. This is the first time mine has gone wrong. I don't know what they are doing with it anyrate Love there was one for me. One of our chaps saw it and brought it over for me afterwards. I received the photo of my dugout allright. You were speaking about some photos, well Dear I haven't received any. I see by the date I haven't had the letter you sent the week before, so Dear the other photos must have been in it. Dear, you were saying to tear the horrid one up, well you needn't be afraid it will go in my little book with the one of yourself and Rene. I expect they will turn up allright. I haven't had any from home for a month and only two from you, they have gone astray somewhere Dear, I received a parcel from the Forbes yesterday, we have to sign for them so they can't go astray. Very well. My word it was a great parcel. A tin of biscuits and lollies, and some tobacco. Tobacco is very hard to get up here you can only buy French stuff here and it is really horrid. To strong. We get an issue once a week, 2 pkts, and I can smoke them in a day. Love thank them for the parcel I will write to them tomorrow if I get a chance.
Dear, we have had some great experiences since we have been here. I have seen one of our aeroplanes chasing a German. We see them shooting at them everyday. We have also had two gas alarms and we had to get out one morning at 3 o'clock. It was very nice putting your helmet on in the dark. Of course we carry them round with us the whole day and sleep with them alongside us. As it happened we didn't get any. It only takes a few minutes to get as far as us and we get plenty of warning. They have steam whistles in the trench to give us warning. Dear you are absolutely safe if you have your helmet on. Gas is as common as dirt here they let us have it whenever the weather is favourable, we give them the same. Dear, we have got some great names for the German shells these are the sort they send over but haven't found us so far. Coal boxes they are 11 " and big bangs. When they come, you only hear a whizz and bang. I saw two Australians caught on the road the other day they took them away so we do not know if they were killed. Crumbs Dear, they burrow underneath you and give you a passage in the air? so Dear it is very exciting all round. Love, you can read what you think to Norm and your people, just to let them know what it is like here. and at the same time ask Norm if he has posted that letter you told me wrote about six months ago. My word I will have a bone to pick with him when I get back.
Saturday. I have just been watching them shelling one of our aeroplanes. Sometimes you see them fire a hundred shots after one. I wouldn't care about being up in one. Love, it is allright here till they find you then you don't wait to see what is going to happen, you get for your life. You soon know when they have found you out. One of our other batterys had two guns knocked out, but no casualties so you can see, you do not wait to see if they are going to knock you, you just get out.
Well Dear I hope you are getting on allright and in good health. I do not think it will be very long before we are back anyrate I hope not. I am just dying to get back to you Dear, I have had quite enough of roaming around the world but of course I wouldn't go back unless it was finished because I might have to go away again. Dear, we get a hot bath once a week up here. One of the chaps keeps the boiler going in an old house and that is really decent Dear. I had one today. You appreciate them after not having hot ones for so long. Love we had rubarb for dinner with no sugar, it wasn't to bad, a bit sour. Well Dear I will have to close.
With love to all. From your Own
I am dying for a nice cuddle !
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Just a line in answer to your lovely long letter I received yesterday. Dear, I arrived back yesterday and the letter was waiting for me also one from the Forbes. I am so pleased that you received the presents and you liked the brooch. Dear I didn't know what to get you. Love, you were asking me if I met J. McLeod. No, we do not see many infantry at all, I think they are all in the trenches now, I haven't heard where they are.
Dear, we will be moving up any day now, I know when, but it wouldn't do to put it in the letter. We can hear the guns going all the time from here, so Love we are not far from the firing line. I suppose you know we get billeted out. We live in hay lofts or anything with a roof on it. It is great, you would think we were farmers.
Dear, I am having the day off today, I went to the doctor this morning with a sore throat and cold and he gave me some pills and light duty. That means, you don't do anything, so Dear I will get all my letters done because I won't have much time before we move. Dear, I can see I will have to stop sending you photos if you cry over them! Dear, try and be brave I know you have to put up with a lot Love, there is a good time coming. My word Dear, I will give it to you, keeping such late hours you naughty girl., you will be loosing all your beauty and will get as thin as a rake and you know Dear, that will not do. I expect you will be wondering why you did not get a letter last week. Well Dear, I was at a detail camp with Bert and they wouldn't let us send any green envelopes. Bert told me one of the Sergeants reads the letters, so Dear I didn't write. I don't like the idea of them reading your letters, they know who writes them. One thing Dear you never need to be afraid of yours being opened. They never trouble about the incoming mail.
Love you would be surprised to see how dirty the French people are, they are like pigs. I never thought they were so dirty. They throw all their rubbish outside the door I don't know what it will be like in the Summer time, it is quite bad enough now. I just smells like a dirty farm! Dear, if you had your place as dirty as these you would get six months without the option I suppose Love you will be surprised to hear we are in France. We are "Masseys Tourists" now. They are letting one man go to England every five days and you have eight days there and free railway tickets to go anywhere you like. I expect my turn will be in about three months time so Dear I will have enough time to save up a cheque. You can leave here in the morning and get to England the same day. Love, I think I will go when my turn comes., it will be a cheap trip and it might be the only chance I will get of seeing it. Love, I would rather have the eight days in N.Z. wouldn't we have a great time, the only thing, it would not be long enough and Dear I wouldn't like leaving again. The parting would be too much. I want it to be finished before I come home because I wouldn't like to have to come away again. Love, I want to settle down when this is over and keep my little girl from crying her eyes out. What do you think Dear?
All our mail goes to England first, I believe there should have been one in today, they say it will be here any day now. Dear, I received a nice long letter today for the Forbes. They said a lot of nice things about you, I must try and write to them this week. Tut was telling me that Rene is looking after you and watching my interests so Dear you will have to be careful or they will be putting your pot on and then Dear I will be getting a divorce and what will you do then? I don't think that will happen. Bert showed me a photo of his girl, she doesn't seem anything startling, I suppose you have seen her? I seem to know her face. Love he didn't like me giving her a rub about her. He told me you were looking very well.
Dear, it is a miserable day here today. It has been raining since last night. I am on horse picket tonight and that will be decent as the mud is up to your knees. My word I am glad I have got the high boots. I came out with them on this morning and I made the chaps quite envious! I could have sold them a dozen times. I think Dear they will be worthwhile keeping, it seems to rain a good bit here. Dear, the mail hasn't arrived yet. I would like to get it before we go into the firing line. Love I would like to write to the Forbes but I feel to lazy so will send them one next week. Love, Ernie is living about 100 yards from here. I saw him the day I came back. I just said good day. He seems to have got a swelled head. Getting into battle, he will get that knocked out of him when we get up to the line.
Well Love I will have to close now I haven't any more news. We are not allowed to say anything about the war. Remember me to all, also Forbes and May
A cuddle would be decent Dear?
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A few more lines in answer to you letter I received last night dated 14 March. It had been down to the Hospital that is why it has been so long getting here. I am still one short, the next one I have is dated 28 March so that is a fortnight difference. It is a letter with the photos in, so I expect it will be here anytime. I also received a lot of papers. There are four Yachtsman here so it goes right around. Dear, I have got enough papers to last me a month so I will have plenty to read for a while.
Dear, I was standing out on the street the other night, waiting for the mail when who should come past, but Ernie. I think he must be blind so I called out and he wished to be remembered to you and asked me if I had heard from you lately. I was only speaking to him for a few minutes, he allways seems to be in such a hurry, he must think I am going to eat him. Love, don't say anything to Hilda, I don't wish her to tell him anything about it. I also received some letters from home and I see my Brother is working for the Admiralty so I might see him when my trip to England comes off.
I am so glad you are having a good time, Forbes are very good taking you around with them. Dear as long as you don't get making love to the boys I won't grumble and I know you won't do that. Dear, I will make up for it all later on. Dear, I am sorry the photos got spoiled, I hope you send them later on. My word you are a naughty girl, running around half dressed, it was just as well it was the Forbes that came down, you are getting a big girl now.
Things have been very quiet this week, we have a good few shells over. I think I told you one of the chaps on our gun was wounded by a shell. The weather is not to good now. Today it is very cold and miserable. I would like to be by a big fire cuddling you, it would be decent. You won't be able to get me away from the fire of a night, my bones will take a lot of warming up again.
Dear I had a letter from May yesterday, you remember they asked Forbes for my address. Well I think it is the sillyest letter I have read for a long time. I think she is getting light headed. She was saying she was engaged to a farmer but thinks he is going to come away. She said if she is married when I come back she wants you and me to go to her place in the country for a holiday. She expects we will be married when I come back, what do you think of that Dear? She said that you remember her allright Dear, If she only knew what you told me I don't think she would want us to go to her place? Dear, she means good it is not bad of her to ask us. I wouldn't care to marry her, there would be to many doctors bills?
Well little girl I hope you are keeping well. Forbes were saying I won't know you when I get back. Dear I don't think I will have much trouble when I catch a glimpse of you .I would know you if I was away for another ten years Love, I don't think I have altered much, I expect I look a bit older and Dear, just a little bit grey and I think that is worrying over you ! Dear, you are never out of my thoughts I am allways wondering if you are well and happy. Love I don't want you to get downhearted. If ever you are like that you want to get dressed and clear out to Forbes. There is nothing to worry about I will come back safely to you, I know that. Love I am much browner and I never felt better in my life. Your letters allways cheer me up, they are as good as a dose of medicine. Love, I saw some nice hankerchiefs up the town the other night, so I will buy you one when we get paid. and I think that will be tomorrow. We haven't had one for five weeks now. It will be right from the firing line. I will send Mrs Forbes one to Love, I would like to send you something nice but things are very dear here. Money out here is like diamonds. A small orange costs 2 francs. If I have enough money to spare I will give one of the boys that is going on holiday enough to get me a fountain pen. I know Dear, you would prefer letters in ink. I must start and put a little away for my trip. I expect it will be 3 months yet so I have a good while to wait yet. Dear you might tell Forbes I received a Herald dated 27th March and thank them for sending it. I also received all the papers you sent, last night. Love, when you write to my Sister send her my address and tell her how you address the letters. They have been getting mixed up with it. I sent the correct address months ago and they haven't seemed to take much notice of it. Your letters are right. You can tell her that I told you to send it. I wrote to them today and gave it to them. I am asking you to send it in case they don't get this one. Dear, I don't suppose you will get all the mail I send, it goes to England first I expect some will be torpedoed so if you do not get a letter dated every week you will know it has been lost. Love I allways look at the last letter and see if there is a week between the dates and Darling I know you write every week so I can soon tell if any goes astray.
Love I had to stop writing as the worms were biting and I had to have something to eat. I have to be careful and not have to much. We have only one loaf left for tea for 8 men. We get 2 lb of butter once a week so the rest of week we go without. We have got a good substitute for butter now. One of our chaps was over at the Sergeants mess the other day and they had a big bowl of dripping cooling, so he brought it over here so when there is no butter we have dripping on our bread and Dear is not that bad either! Love, I hope you don't start giving it to me when I get back instead of butter. Love I will give you our days menu so you will know what not to give me. Breakfast, one slice of bacon which just covers a quarter of a round of bread, Dinner, stew made with fresh meat and dried potatoes and carrots which have to be soaked for about a week and tea, bread and marmalade jam. I don't think the army makes any other jam. Of course we all love it. Dear you remember how I used to love it in N.Z. I could eat it out of the tin, I don't think! Of course the menu varies. For a change it is Bully beef and biscuits and that is our food all the year round so you needn't wonder why we get sick at times. Dear, I am not growling about it, I can't help laughing while I write this. I am just telling you to let you know how flash we are here. I spend most of my money feeding my face. Love, when we get paid again I am going to lay a stock of eggs in for breakfasts, they will be nice with the large ammount of bacon we get Dear. The eggs we get here are the same as N.Z. only very dear.2 francs each. The only ones we could get in Egypt were about the size of a bantems egg. We used to get 6 at once and they didn't even taste like an egg. Dear, when I get back you will have to stop me eating to much or else I will make myself sick? I can live on the smell of an oil rag now.
Well Dear, I will have to close now. I left the letter yesterday in case I got some more mail but none came. Love I have written a good long letter this week so it will make up for the short ones I have been sending. Well Dear I will close now, hoping you are in the best of health.
Remember me to all especially Hilda.
Dear, if they were only real ones.
You should have seen us running for our lives. I mustn't tell you when. It was very exciting. We were cramped but nobody was hurt. I am just dying for a cuddle?
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6/6/16. (This letter damaged by bomb blast.)
Just a line to let you know I am in the best of health. I have received all your letters up to date. I was very pleased with the photos. I liked that one of you, just your head and shoulders. It is very faint, I hope you send me another one. Dear, that was great, writing our names on the cake, I could just about eat the whole one now. You asked me to destroy one. I haven't done so yet, but I will today. Love I am sending this paper as a souvenir. I only bought the pad the other day and put it in a drawer which was done by a shell. The razor strap that I got Tut to get me is cut in three peices. Nearly all of us lost our gear. I had left my tunic inside and you ought to see it now. I will send you my tobacco pouch, it has a bullet hole tight through it! Love they bombarded us for five hours and all the damage done was one man wounded in the leg and the building was knocked down. We were very lucky getting out safe! I could tell you a lot of things about it but it wouldn't do, so Dear, you will have to wait till I come back.
Dear, you were saying you generally start writing early, well I can beat you, it has just gone 3am. It is quite light now. I am sitting outside of the building writing this. I haven't been to bed yet. There was an attack on last night and of course I had to stay up all night and shoot. I went on guard at 12 o'clock for 2 hrs but one of the boys is sick. He had been vomiting all night, I expect he will go to the hospital today so I am doing his shift till 4am so Dear I will not get much sleep. I have very little sleep for a week now, so Dear I am getting used to it now. I have been up two nights running now, nearly all night. Love, you will understand why I didn't get you letter away last week. This is the first chance I have had, so I am making the best of it. Love, the weather is wretched if they call this the Summer, I do not want to be here in the Winter. It is showery all the time. Well Dear, I will have to close for a while, I can hardly keep my eyes open and it is just about time for me to go off, so Dear I will try and get some sleep in during the day.
Well Dear I had three hours sleep before breakfast and I feel tip top now. Instead of going to bed again I will get on with your letter. I have been on duty on the gun for three days and nights. I hope I get more sleep tonight. Every night we have to turn out two or three times. When we get action, you can't lay back and rub you eyes. You have to make one bound out and on to your gun. You don't get time to put any clothes on, you have to get the first shot off in a few seconds. It might be the cause of loosing a fight if you don't. Ernie might mention something about us in his letter about us. He will know. I am the layer on the gun now. It is very funny, the chaps are very jealous of me. We had laying tests, and the nearest anyone could get to me was 10 seconds difference. It makes me laugh to, I like to beat them because they are jealous.
Dear you will have to be content with a short letter this week because I want to get it away. I received a paper from Forbes yesterday. I never received the letter Norm sent, it must have been lost on the way. I believe there was a lot of mail lost at Christmas time. Well Dear, I will have to close now with love to all.
Posting parcel this week. Tobacco pouch and film. Be careful with them.
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A few more lines towards your letter .I haven't had much time this week for writing. I have been working day & night, I expect we will be settled down again next week. Anyrate I hope so. My Sister sent this writing pad, I got it a few days ago. It just came in time. Well Dear I don't think I will be able to write you a big letter this week, I am not in the writing mood. I want to write but don't seem to be able to think. Dear, I think I must be loosing my brains. Love, the watch is still going as good as ever, I will have a history by the time I get back, I wouldn't loose it for a fortune. I don't know what I would do without one now.
Dear, I haven't heard anything about Bert since I have been up here. I think he is still at the base. He is just as well off there. I wonder how he will like it when he gets up here. The first time he gets under shell fire I expect he will get a shock. You wouldn't believe how used to it you get! I am an old campaigner now. I received my baptism at Anzac. Over there we used to get machine guns on to us. There is none of that here we get shelled much heavier here. Taking the two places I don't think there is much difference however we would sooner be here. Dear, you ought to see my posi it is like a palace. There are only two of us in this room. We have two spring beds and a flash table. I am sitting on a big armchair writing this. Dear it is the nearest thing I have had to home since leaving NZ. Every night some of us go and buy eggs so we have eggs and bacon for breakfast every morning (some good eh!) Dear, it won't allways be like this I expect we will have a lot of suffering to do yet Dear. I hope the war is over before we have to do any more.
Dear, I do not expect to see Ernie any more till we go back. Now we have shifted, he might tell you about something we did under heavy fire. We got great praise for it. It was read out to all the NZ troops. I can't tell you what it was. We didn't think much about it we were just doing our duty. and we would do it again if we had to. Love I have just been over for a hot bath in an enamel bath. just fancy, it seems a dream. It is the first time I have had a bath in an enamel one since I left Auckland. I think Dear, yours was the last I used. We have got the afternoon off today. We have got a job that we can't do in the daylight. It is a nuisance working in the nightime but Dear it can't be helped. If you was to get out in the daytime it would be finish! The weather here is still very miserable, it has been raining all day. I don't think they can have any Summer here, it doesn't seem much like it. Dear, I sent you a card by this mail, I hope you like it, they are very dear here. It is funny, everywhere we go, the people think the Colonials are made of money. I suppose it is because we get more than the Tommy's They get 1/- per day. Often we get stuck up by the Tommy's and asked for money. We tell them what to do with it too.
Dear, I see by the Observer you sent me that E. Madden is a Lieutenant. He will be some kid now. Just before I came away I was speaking to him and he said he would come only for his work. There are a lot of the boys have left better jobs than he will ever have. He is like a lot more who wouldn't come till they got a good job! I am quite content to remain a common gunner. We do the work and they look on. It is good sport sending shells over to the Fritz, I suppose we make a few of them run for their lives. I would like to see them when we open out. Things have been very quiet these last few days perhaps there is some truth about them giving it up. I wouldn't mind if they chucked it up tomorrow. You wouldn't see me for dust getting back home again, then Dear we would make up for lost time. Dear, at the lunch table today we were all talking about what we would do then and what we would have to eat. One chap said he would live on Plum puddings. I said I would have apple pie three times a day and toast with plenty of butter on for supper and if we had marmalade jam put before us we were all going to jump in the air and throw it out of the window! So look out Dear I think we must all be getting mach-noon. don't you?
Well Dear I will have to close I haven't any more news this week. Hoping you are all
How about a cuddle Dear? I hear there is a big mail in. I expect that I will get my share.
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A few more lines towards the budget. I have received a lot of papers this week, but no letters. I expect them any time now. I really wish Dear, they would hurry up and come. The weather is much better today, it has been very bad for a fortnight. It is miserable out here when it is wet. Dear, I am shifted back from the firing line for a rest. I don't know how long will be here but I don't think it will be for long. They say a month, but I don't think they will let me stay that long. Love, I would just as soon be up there.
Dear, we are billeted out with French people, they treat us allright. I am the only soldier in this house, it is great Dear. I am having a lovely job trying to write this, it must be visiting day. There are a lot of women here today and they are talking nine to the dozen and I can't compete, that is, in French. These people can't make us out, they think we are a lot of wild men. Last night I bought some eggs and they gave me a big plate of chips (Tres Bon ) very good. They are very good to us, we get supper every night and a cup of coffee in the mornings. It is black I didn't like it at first, it is not so bad now. Love, they haven't offered me any frogs yet, I don't think I will try them. Dear, I will be a Frenchy if am over here very long. You will not be able to understand me when I come back, I will talk French to you. What I have seen of the people here, they are not very clean, they don't seem to bother much about washing themselves. I don't think you will find one bath in a days walk.
Dear, I see in the Auckland paper about the Russians arriving in Marsellais, well we were there before them. I don't know why they do not publish it, they seem to fond of holding the news back. I forgot to tell you I met H. White, the dark one, up town. He has been up the trenches. They only go up for eight days so they don't have a bad time. Dear, according to the papers I don't think the war will last much longer, I think this Summer will see it out, I hope it does. I have seen so much to last me a life time. Love, I wonder, how is Frank getting on. I would like to meet him over here. It would just be like good old times. I wonder, how does he like soldiering? Dear, if you hear anything about him you might tell me, I would like to know how he is getting on. Love, I was reading the paper this morning, and I see where a girl, Lou White was shot in Nairn St park and the fellow was put in jail. I would like to know what was put in the papers. Love, I used to know her before I met you. I suppose it was jellousy. Dear if you don't remember about it Mrs Forbes will tell you, she was away in Dunsfords boat a few times. Love, I hope you do not think things I have never seen her since I met you. When I saw it in the paper I was wondering what it was over. I see she is paralysed over it .Dear, I feel sorry for her she wasn't a bad girl. If the fellow wanted to try his hand at shooting he should have come over here and he could kill as many Germans as he wished.
Well Dear, I hope to get the parcel I sent last week. I wouldn't be surprised if some of them are no good
Dear we are quite used to the gas attacks now. We had one last night. We are allways ready for them and get good warning whenever the gas comes over the ground, it turns everything green and black so it must be very strong. I haven't smelt it. I believe two good sniffs and you are finished so Dear you have to be very careful. Then there are the shells they send over, we call them tear shells they are harmless. They make you cry. The vapour gets in your eyes and you can't see. We wear goggles for that, so you can see Dear we are pretty safe against these things.
Dear, it is very cold and miserable tonight. I think there is a storm coming. it is starting to blow very hard. I don't think we are going to get much Summer. Love you were saying you haven't had a letter for sometime. Well Dear, I write every week regular so it is not my fault. I get your mail pretty regular. I have been expecting some letters these last few days, I am just dying for some. Well Dear I will have to close. Hoping you are all in the best of health and remember me to all.
Buck up little girl, we will soon be home You have been very good to me. I will be able to repay you then Love. How would a big cuddle go Dearest?
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A few more lines towards the budget. I had a lovely big mail yesterday, 5 letters. Two from you, one from Norm, one from May, and also one from the Forbes. There were also two from home. It was lovely getting so much mail. I also had one from May Reid, and she was telling me that her intended was coming up on leave so I suppose she will be looking forward to a good time. She was also telling me that her young sister has gone to the dogs again. She is playing up worse than ever and her Mother has told her to get out. Good enough for her to. I allways said she would be no good. I feel sorry for the Mother, she is not a bad sort. Well Dear, I nearly fell through the floor when I got Norms letter. I must try and write to him this mail. He said he was as pleased as a dog with a tin tail to get my letter. I think Dear he has a lot of time for me. Him and I are good pals I think I like Norm he has allways treated me nice. We will be related some day Dear? I wonder, will I suit him as a relation.
I am very pleased you Dad sacked Kearn he was allways on the drink when I was there. There might be an opening for me when I get back? I don't think they found any fault with my work before.
Dear did Mac ever go away, the one that was working for your Father. I suppose young Jack is working much better now that your Dad is there, he is a decent Kid. He only wants someone to look after him, I think he will turn out allright.
That letter from Anzac took a long time to reach you. That was the last one I wrote from there. Perhaps one of the Turks got it and hung on to it for a while. Love, you were asking me who addressed the letter from Egypt, well if it was mine nobody has ever addressed any for me. Dear I must be some writer when I like. Love you must be like me and get a big swag of letters then none for a few weeks. I did not get the parcel with this mail I expect it will turn up any day now. It will come in very handy. Love you were saying you would like to send me something every mail. Well Dear I do not expect you to send me any parcels because they cost to much and you want all the money you can get. Dear, I am pleased with all the mail you send, I would sooner have that than all the parcels. It must cost you a small fortune for stamps. You spend quite enough money on me as it is. Love, my Mother has sent four cases of stuff since I have been in France and I haven't received any as yet. Won't I have a feed if I get two at once. The last one they sent was decent. There were two big cakes in it and plenty of lollies. I will eat till I nearly burst.
Dear, I haven't seen anything of Ernie for a long time, I don't think he can write very often. I wonder what you would say if you didn't get a letter every mail. I see Norm has had a letter from my Brother. He has never written to me yet and him being so close. It only takes a few hours to go to England from here. If I knew his address I would write and shake him up! The least thing he could do is drop me a few lines. When I do see him again I will tell him what I think of him!
My word Dear I will have to look out. Norm's friend will be getting in on me and then what would I do. Dear, I will have to write and ask Norm what he means, bringing him home so often. He might give me a kick, eh, Dear? My word Dear, you can beat me at writing letters. You allways write more pages than me. I could fill a dozen pages every week on my doings, but it is not allowed to say where we are and I think it is a lot of rot because the Germans know which front we are on. If you see in the papers where our infantry are you will know we are there too. I am allways with them.
Forbes wrote a nice letter which I got with yours Dear, You ought to see what they write about you, they think a lot of you. I don't know how you would get on without them now Dear. They look after you allright. If anything happens to you I will blame them, because I left you in their charge. They tell me I will not know you when I get back! Leave that to me Dear. I do not think I will have much trouble in recognising you Dear.
I am putting Norms letter in with this one. I suppose you can recognise the envelope, it is the one you sent.
I am going back to the firing line tonight. They sent for me today, so my rest didn't last long. Not quite a fortnight Dear, I don't mind going back I like sending the Germans a few souvenirs. It is a lovely day today, just like a Summers day in N.Z. This weather allways reminds me of home Dear. I wish it would hurry up and finish I will try and write to May next week, I have a lot of letters to answer. I will do that as soon as I can.
Well Dear I will have to close now as I have run out of news.
Hoping you are in the best of health and remember me to all.
Did you get the parcel? I Love you Dear. XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
I don't know how you would get on without them now Dear.
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A few more lines towards the budget. I received too letters from you this week and dear they were so nice I would like to get one like them every day you. You write such decent letters to me dear I feel like a too year old when I get them, dear you don't know how we appreciate mail that and getting home again is all we look forward to love I will make it all up when I get back so try to stick it out a bit longer dear. I am glad you enjoy yourself. Have a good time love but don't let any one run away with you I am not afraid dear and you needn't worry about me. I have looked after myself and can till I get back to you which I hope won't be long now - I am just dying for a cuddle. I will forget how to squeeze if I don't get back to you soon dear. I am afraid you will have to give me some lessons that is if you are not to shy. Dear I don't feel much like writing tonight. It is just on 12 o'clock. I am on duty till 1:30 then sleep till 3 then bed again at 4 so dear we are kept going. They let us have a sleep in the daytime now so it is not so bad, when I get back love I will sleep for a week it will take a long time to make up all I have lost so dear you will have to do without me for the first week. Love I was up the town yesterday and Mr H. Scott. We had a great yarn you can tell Forbes that he wished to be remembered to them. I couldn't stop very long with him we were both on business coming home and I thought I would like some peaches so I went in a shop they only wanted 6d each so I bought an orange 2d it is just eating money. I bought some peaches for 2 1/2 one day when I was having a rest of course everything is much dearer up here, the people take the risk of being shelled out so they shove on the prices. I suppose Jessie is getting a big girl now I laughed when you told her there wasn't many boys like me, love if it comes to that there are not many girls your age that can keep house like you have done dear you can cook a meal with any married woman love I think I am very lucky. Dot nothing seems to much trouble for you to do. I don't know how I would get on without you. Well dear I am going to bed now for a while so I will close for tonight. Good night dearest.
Well dear I was going to finish your letter yesterday but I have had a awful headache we were shooting all night and next day Oh my poor head. I have been in bed all day today and feel much better now it is my night off tonight. I am not going out because I am late with your letter. Dear I received another nice letter from you yesterday. That is three this week so you needn't be afraid of me not looking after myself. There is no need for you to worry because I am going to be good for you, because, dear, I love you better than anything in the world and I am going to come back to you safe and sound, then we will make up for all the good times we have missed.
Love you will have to excuse me not writing a long letter this week this week I feel rotten I thought I was going to go made yesterday. My head was that bad, oh love I wish it would end. I am dying to get back to you, love I want you badly if anything happened to you I would go mad love, I am no coward but I would give the world to be with you again. Dot I am in a funny mood tonight if I only had my little girl to comfort me oh what would I give. Dear you were saying about Alf. Love I am not jelous I can trust you I will never be afraid of anybody running off with you I know you will keep true to me so never fear dear I can trust you. Love it is quite right what you say about returned soldiers it is not the clothes it's what's in them. Dear I didn't know Tom Fordy was back I heard he was sick in Egypt. Love do you know what is the matter with him. Dot never fear I will be just the same when I come back in fact better then ever before because I have been away that long from you love I have go a lot to make up. Well darling I will have to close now remember me to all with best love and kisses.
Dear tell May I am not well enough to write her letter.
Will do it next week for certain. Dear if I was only homeward bound
to your love. Dot I love you and will keep true.
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Just a line towards the budget. I received 10 papers the other day - not a bad mail I think. I will have to start a paper shop, Dear whenever there is a mail in and the boys see me coming they say finish mail here comes Pat. They reckon I get it all, anyrate I get my share. I have been very busy since last I wrote. Today is the first day I have had any time to myself. One night I was shooting all night we never got to bed at all that night. By jove the sweat was running off me it is hot work when we get going dear. I don't mind staying up all night as long as we are doing some good. Well dear I will have a job to get a big letter off this there is no more news than when I last wrote. We have had one of our boys killed. A fine chap he only lasted an hour. A shell got him, also one wounded in the leg, three of us were standing together and he was the unlucky one. He will get a trip to England. Dear that is twice the chap next to me has been wounded. The other poor chap was coming over a paddock and we never found him till we heard him groaning. It was to late then he would never have got over it as soon as he got hit he must have been unconscious. Well dear I suppose it is all in the game things have been pretty busy on this front lately.
Dear I can't seem to write this week. I can't think of anything at all. I have been expecting some more of those photos of you and Forbes that one of you by yourself is very good only the print was to light. Love I destroyed the other one. It wasn't that bad your a naughty girl getting your photo taken in bathing togs. I will have to smack your btm when I get back. Dear I haven't seen anything of the bay boys for a long time now. I hope they are all right it gets pretty hot at times here. Love you might give this other letter to May. I wrote it a few days ago I am not writing home this week I have been too days getting this far with yours. I will write to them next week. Jack will be quite delighted working in the country it will just suit him working for your Dad he ought to be getting handy with the tools now. Love it will be the middle of Winter now in N.Z. by jove I would like to be sitting along side of the fire now with you that is what we would be doing now if I was back. No such luck eh dear anyrate I hope we are doing that next year. This time, wouldn't it be decent why I will be quite shy I don't think, I often wonder if I will have the luck to be back for Xmas, if I am we will have such a big feed I will make up for what I missed last time. Dear you will have to look out then or else I will be eating you out of the house because I am going to have such a lot of nice things dear you won't be able to hold me the first week it will seem strange getting back to civilization again. Well love I will have to close I am absolutely stuck for news so dear I know you will excuse the short letter this week. Hoping you are all in the best of health so remember me to all.
Dear I love you more than anything in this world.
How would a cuddle go (decent)
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A few more lines toward the budget. My word it only seems like yesterday that I posted your letter. My word the days do go quick. I feel as if I have been in France for years. The other night I was coming home from leave and I ran into Barney Wild he was just out of the trench and was guarding the railway, we had a yarn. He said all the Bay Boys were allright he was looking very well on it. I also met Doug Cowan yesterday, the big fellow from the bay, Frank's mate, I told him about Frank joining. He has been looking all over the place for me. My word Dot it does your heart good to meet some of the old boys again. Dear I think when we get back we will have to have a concert. Wouldn't it be decent for all the boys to get together again wouldn't we have some experiences to tell each other. Dear I received too letters from you yesterday also the papers I see it has in them about us landing in France. I bet there was a rush for the papers when it came out. Love I expect you were wondering if I was all right, I would sooner be here anyday than in Egypt it was to hot there and to much sand. I think I would have died if I had to say there another summer. Love you wouldn't believe what the heat is like you are nearly roasted alive and the flys are something awful.
My word love I did get a shock when you said you had started work I suppose it will only be till your Dad comes back again my word you will be some kid now working at the office I see you don't start very early you will be getting the sack coming so late. Dear don't get making love to any of the men at the shop, that will be no good for the business, you mustn't keep the men from working. Dear you were saying you hope we have as good times as we used to, well love you needn't be afraid of that, I will want to be cuddling you all the time you know dear we will have a lot of cuddling to make up, look at all the good times I have missed being away we will have to make up for all that when I come back, it won't do for you to be working at the office then because you will have to keep me company else the boys might lead me astray (I don't think I am to old a soldier to be led astray now. Love never worry about me I always look after myself I have done so right up till now and dear I don't think I will have any difficulty to keep good for the rest of my stay in France. I am sending you a card with this letter I bought it up town the other day you can get some very nice ones here but they are very dear the people think we are made of money.
Dear did A. Lye go up to my sister's place? I expect it would be to far she lives out of the town a bit I expect Soldiering would seem a bit strange to him for a while but he will soon get used to it. Love I sent out a field post card the other day just to let him know I am allright he was very disappointed about Albert not coming away with him it would have been allright if they had both come together I often think it would have been decent if Frank had of come away with me it is nice to have somebody from the same place for company. Well dear I will have to close now they won't issue us any more green envelopes. I don't know how I will get on when I finish the stock I have. Dear I won't be able to say much then because our officers read them. Hoping you are all in the best of health and remember me to all. Love I am just dying for a cuddle.
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A few more lines towards the budget. I haven't got any more mail this week yet. I expect there will be another one in soon. I wouldn't mind if letters came every day. Dear I am late writing again this week, we have been very busy and things have been lively. We are in a hot spot now. Talk about shells, they send them over like rain. Some of us dived into a hole the other day and we thought the dirt was never going to stop coming down on us. When the shell burst the dirt went up about 100 feet. It is a great sight to see a big one burst, you don't want to be to close to them. Dot we lost another man yesterday, a piece of shell went through his head. Death was instantaneous. He was only 20 and a fine chap, we have a fund now and anybody that gets killed we put a headstone on the grave, we are allowed to spend 4 pounds on it. They are buried in a cemeteary right away from the firing line. Love, I don't know what is the matter with me lately I can't seem to write at all, you will be thinking I am getting tired of writing Dot and you wouldn't believe how hard it is to write when we are not allowed to tell you what is happening if we are I could write about 14 pages.
Tuesday, well Dot I have missed the mail so will keep this letter away till later in the week I will make this a long one. I would have got it away on Sunday but I had to put it away and do some work. I was left going till late in the night then I came out for a weeks rest at the horse lines yesterday at lunch time. I was to tired to do any writing and they put me on picket last night so dear this is the first chance I have had to get on with your letter so I will try and write a long one to make up for it. Dear I never miss a mail if I can help it this is the first since I have been in France so I haven't done so bad. It is decent being able to come out for a spell. The continual banging of the guns gets on your nerves. After we have a big shoot you are quite deaf for a day after, sometimes my ears feel as big as my fist and it is a big strain on your nerves. One night we were in action and a shrapnel shell burst just in front of the gun and all the bullets came over our heads. My word I did cuddle in behind the shield. You don't take much notice of them when you are shooting. It is when you are doing nothing it gives you a fright then. Love, I could go on writing for a week if we were allowed to say what we liked. My word we see some great sights at times, I suppose you saw in the paper where five German ballons were burnt by our aeroplanes. Well I saw that it was a great sight, our planes went across the line and were being shelled all the way and all of a sudden the ballons were on fire and there was a cheer all along the line. Now whenever our planes go up they haul the ballons down. It is funny to see the ballons they keep going up and down all day. I have seen 9 up at once. The other day I saw our planes shoot a German plane down. Dear I think the most exciting thing I have ever seen is a duel in the air, you are spellbound wondering which one is coming down. Dot I could go on telling you these things for a week but will have to save them because we mustn't say to much in our letters.
Thursday. Well Love it is my birthday today my word if this lasts much longer I will be an old man. This is my second since I left N.Z. I hope I have the next over there I will have to celebrate it then to make up for these, I suppose Dear you are beginning to think it is never going to end I often think that I see by the papers the heads think it will be over very soon now. I hope it is I would like to be back for Xmas wouldn't we have a good time then you wouldn't get much sleep I would have you out all the time. Well Dear how is the office going I suppose you will be getting some good at the work now especially the phone ringing up all your friends you will be wearing it out and then you will get the sack and what will you do then, I would like to see Cyril he is here somewhere. I have seen a lot of his mates they say he is getting on all right. I expect he will be doing the trick when he gets home again. My word it will be up to Norm then, perhaps that is what he is waiting for. I think Love we had better make it a combined one the three of us together wouldn't it be great to go away in the yacht for our honeymoon. I don't think. My word the time is going quick it only seems a couple of days since I came down here but it is nearly a week. I won't be sorry when I go back on Sunday. You soon get sick of being down here. I always feel more at home when I am on the gun. I am very interested in the gun work.
There is a mail just in I have just got a letter from home so I will get the rest tomorrow. I am looking forward to a big mail this time. It is a fortnight since I had any, we generally get our mail every fortnight. It has been coming pretty regular lately. God I will have a job to write your letters when I run out of these green envelopes. they won't issue any more because some of the chaps have been putting things in that they shouldn't. The white ones they are censured by our own officers. Dear you know what it is like writing when you know they are going to read them. Love by the way things are going I hope I won't have to write many more letters. I think we will be on our way home before Xmas then dear I will have a holiday in some nice quiet place, lately I have been feeling run down and a fortnight away in the boat would do me the world of good now. You can't beat the sea air to fix you up. I never felt better in my life than when I used to go away in the boat. Dear I think the cause here is the food, we get the same every day and being a little love sick makes you miserable at times.
Well Dot I have just received four letters, only one from you. I expect the other one will come today. I generally get too of yours together. My word Forbes won't like shifting after being there so long. I expect they will be wild about it. Dear I hope you got away for the holiday and had a good time. It is not very often you get the chance to have a trip when I come back I will take you to Wellington for a trip. I don't think Norm would mind. You were saying I will see plenty of girls here, what I have seen so far don't come up to my Dot up here it is only the poor class they haven't the means to shift out. Love I can't help laughing at the way you are selling your name. I think one way is as good as another. You will be getting quite flash. Well Love I will have to close now hoping you are in the best of health and remember me to all.
From your Own Boy Pat XXXXXXXX XXXXXXXX
(if they were real ones wouldn't it be decent. It will take us 6 months to make up for all the kisses we have missed.)
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I received such a shock the other day. Too engineers were up here seeing a chap and I asked them how Cyril was getting on and they said he was in England wounded. He was shot by a sniper. I believe he is not very bad. If it is true you would know about it long ago. I think when he gets better they ought to send him home. He has had a lot of bad luck. Dear last time I saw him in Egypt he was looking very well as fat as a pig. Dear I hope he gets over it all right. I think another big blow would just about kill Perl. I often feel sorry for her. Love there has been no mail in this week I think I told you I got a lot of papers last Sunday. I am up in the firing line again I came up last Sunday I expect I will be up here three weeks it runs out a spell every three weeks things are much quieter up here this time. Last time we hardly got any rest, we were shooting for a week continuously, it was nothing to fire too or three hundred rounds straight off.
My word dear we had a great laugh the other day one of those papers you sent said all about the big shoot in camp of 24 rounds. There was a colour in the paper it was the best thing we have read for a long time even our officers were laughing, they thought it was great, to shoot at the target four miles away. Dear what would they think if they had to shoot 200 rounds off in the dark at the same range. Dear we have been having glorious weather this week it reminds you of summer in N.Z. the air here is so nice and fresh. You might ask Norm does he remember Charlie Mann off the Heartseas, he was with us he was wounded badly the other night him and another chap my word dear it doesn't take long out there before you want new men they seem to go away one or too a week. It is a cruel thing this war.
I sent a field card to B. Golden the other day as far as I know he is still at the base. He is just as well to say there it is not all beer and skittles up here it gets very trying on your nerves, although for my part I would far sooner be up here than in the rear once you have been in the firing line you can't seem to keep away. Well Love there doesn't seem much chance of it finishing yet. I hope you are not getting tired of waiting if I had my way I would come back tomorrow if it was over, I would like to see it out now. Dear we will make up for it all when I get back you will be well repaid, my word I would like to be back for your birthday love I will be thinking of you that day. I expect you will have a party what a time we would have if I was there. I suppose it can't be helped I hope to be back for your next one, my word you will be a big girl now it seems years since I left you.
Dot I don't suppose you have had any news of Frank yet he is a nice one not dropping any of us a line. I suppose he will be over here by now. It would be great to meet home here you might remember me to Linders if you see any of them. That friend of Norm's must have jumped when he stole the tart I bet you had a good laugh at him. I will have to keep my eye on him. He might want to run away with you and then what would I do. Love it would break my heart, I am not afraid of anything like that happening because you have been to good. My sister hasn't had any news from my brother for a long time he must have gone away in one of the boats, you would think he would write to me it only takes a few hours for a letter to get here, I suppose he thinks I am not good enough to write to. We never had much love for one another. I suppose Forbes are wild having to shift after being there so long it will be decent if they don't go far away I hope they are looking after my tools and not letting them get rusty. You might ask first to give them a rub with some oil if they are dirty because I wouldn't like them to get spoiled. Love you were saying about my clothes don't trouble about them because I will get all new ones. They won't be worth wearing after being away so long. Well Dot I will have to close now there is no more news this week. Hoping you are all in the best of health and remember me to all.
From Your Own Pat XXXXXX XXXXXX
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Just a few more lines to let you know I am in the best of health. I couldn't get your letter away last week. There has been no mail going away because we are on the move. We have been going for six days now. We are going on to another front. I suppose you knew where we were before. We came past where Bert Golder is camped this morning we were in the train. I didn't see anything of him. Dear this country is lovely. They are just cutting the crops now. We do all our travelling by road. There is one good thing about the Artillery, you don't do much walking. We will be going for a few days yet. Love it is a treat to be out of the firing line for a while. Nothing to worry about it is just like travelling through N.Z. in the summer. Tonight we are camped in a valley and will sleep under the trees. It is a glorious night dear. I am sitting on the side of the hill on picket watching the horses till 10:30. Love nights like this always remind me of when I used to rush up to meet you, I wish those times would hurry up and come again. We did used to have some good times then, I will never forget them. Love I don't expect we will get any mail till we get to our destination. Dear I think I must be to greedy I am always looking for letters. I will soon have to leave your letter it is getting to dark to write. Love I intended to send you a birthday card last week but couldn't get one we have passed through several towns but never stop. So dear I will just have to wish you the best of luck and health and plenty of hugs and kisses and dear I hope I will be back very soon to give you some. Dear this is our picture night I wonder what you will be doing now. Love there is never a night goes past that I am not thinking of you and wondering what you are doing so even if you don't get a letter you can always rest assured that I am thinking of you. Dear if you don't get a letter you will know I am on the move on in some place where I can't write.
Thursday. Well Dear I received a nice letter from you yesterday. I see there is another one in between to get yet I haven't the one you wrote when you came back from the Thames. We are all one short so I expect it will come any day now. My word I am surprised at Scotty joining at last. I think it was about time I suppose Dear he was frightened of conscription and just fancy Jack trying to get away the little beggar there is one thing he is game and I like him for that. Darling you were saying if I will let you will you need never worry about that I told you before I left and I will never alter my mind I think you have been to good to me dear, it will take a lot of repaying all you have done for me you are the only one for me love. It is funny you got the post card and not the letter I sent when I was with Part. I can't make it out I don't think I said anything that would make them destroy it, it was in a plain envelope.
Love I met C. Jones last night he said he had a letter from you and Hilda. He is looking much better than he did in N.Z. He wishes to be remembered to you. Dear I laughed at what you said about the coat I know what they call them (you naughty girl, I can see I will have to hurry back and take you in hand or else you will be getting a real hard case that trip to the Thames couldn't have done you any good. I will have to talk to that girl. Love don't be surprised if you don't get a letter for a week or to, things will be very busy. I might only be able to send you a field card, but I will do my best. I am telling you now so you won't be disappointed, we never know when they will stop us from sending mail for a few weeks. I don't suppose you have heard anything of Frank. I would like to hear from him and let me know how Cyril is I expect they will send him home this time. Dear I met Tom Morris the other day and he was quite pleased to hear you were asking after him and he wishes to be remembered to you and Jess. Well love I will have to close now, I haven't any more news and I can't tell you what is going on so goodbye for the present and remember me to all.
From Your Own Pat XXXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXXXXX
How would a big cuddle go dear, decent eh.
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Just a hurried line before we go into the firing line, we only just knew that we are allowed to send another mail so I haven't much time to write. We have been out having a spell before we go into the hottest part of the line so Dear I must drop you a line before we go up against it. I received 2 letters yesterday and some papers today. Dear I have got a lot of mail from you lately. I think I am very lucky I get so much as anyone. I am surprised at Scotty coming away I suppose he knew he would have to sooner or later. Love the King said he has a big surprise for the N.Z. boys after we finish up here I hope he is going to send us all home. Wouldn't it be lovely. I received a lovely box of things from home yesterday everything that you could think of was in it. Love it is very good of you to send an enlargement home they will think a lot of you for it. I wish I had of known about this mail before I write a few lines home I have got till two o'clock to finish yours so it doesn't leave me much time. I sent you a field card last week when I send them you will know I can't write a letter we are not always allowed to send letters and where we are going I don't expect we will be able to send letters. Dear I think we will be to busy to write you will hear all about it when we come out for a spell.
I met one of the Wilds yesterday the one in the Artillery. He is looking well on it. My word the weather has been awful lately raining cat and dogs. Love they have taken all our blankets away from us. Won't it be lovely when we get wet sleeping in our wet clothes. I suppose Jack will be some kid now with his badge. I get he was disappointed not getting away. Dot I can see I will have to hurry up and come back they say you are getting a hard case. I will have to look out or else you will be bossing me around. Love you were saying if I will have you, well love never worry about that, you know what we said before I came away: you're the only one for me. Well dear I will have to close now and excuse short letter will write a long one next time. Remember me to all dear and heaps of kisses and Love.
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Just a line to let you know I am in the best of health. This is the first chance I have had to write lately we have been very busy. Dear Earnie is only a few yards from us. I was having a yarn to him just now and he said he hadn't wrote for five weeks. I wrote to you just before we came up here so I haven't done so bad. This is my last green envelope so dear you will have to expect shorter letters now. My word dear we have been going some lately. I suppose you have read all about it and where we are my word our boys have done well we have driven them back a long way. I was up at our front line today running mines. It is awful. Some of the old trenches are full of Germans. Love I won't be sorry when it is all over and I am back with you again. I suppose you are just as sick as I am of the war. Cheer up dear it will soon be over. I haven't seen anything of Bert. I wonder how is he getting one. Love I am sending a few lines home I will put it in with yours so dear you might send it on for me. I haven't any envelopes at all.
Dear I have just received six letters two from you two from Forbes and the rest from home. Darling I was so pleased to get your letters last night was the first decent sleep I have had for a week and they brought my letters in this morning so I read them in bed and they were lovely dear you write such nice letters my word I don't think there will be much left of either of us when I come back we will squeeze the life out of each other darling that will be real happiness then I often lay in bed and think of the times we used to have and the times we are going to have. Won't it be a great meeting dear. I will be quite contented then and so happy dear. Forbes said some nice things about you and they hope I will settle down in time. Dear I will never leave you again you can't imagine what it is like being over here and away from you.
Dear we have captured a lot of ground here and enormous lot of prisoners. It is awful to see a big battle. I can't tell you anything about it. I will have some tales to tell you later on. War is a awful thing. Dear I will close now. I haven't much news and I want to write a few lines to Forbes yet we are having a spell for a little while this is the only chance I get to write is when we have a spell dear I will send you a field card when I am to busy to write. The weather is wretched today raining and cold and miserable and up to your neck in mud. I haven't heard from my brother yet I wrote to him. He might be away somewhere. Well dear I will close now hoping you are all in the best of health and remember me to all and heaps of kisses.
From Your Own Boy Pat XXXXX XXXXXX
Love I would like to be by the fire now having a nice cuddle wouldn't it be decent.
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Just a line to let you know I am in the best of health. I have received all your mail up to date. I was having a read of some of our letters last night in bed. It was the first night I have taken all my clothes off since we came up here so you can see we have been going some working day and night. I have sent a few hundred iron rations after the Germans in the big push. You can't realise what it is like out here after the attack I was sent up to the first line and all the way up it was nothing but shell holes. I saw one trench half full of German dead. We must have mowed them down. It was great to see the prisoners. They would give you their socks some of them were made to carry wounded. I saw some of our chaps carrying a stretcher and the square heads just rushed it, they wouldn't think of our chaps carrying it. They looked quite happy I suppose to poor beggars were glad to be taken prisoners. I saw a doctor we captured offer a chap a cigar and a few minutes after there was about a hundred around him, it was very funny. You couldn't help laughing at some of the things some of the prisoners said the British don't know what it is to be in a bombardment so you can see it must have been terrible for Fritz. We just blew their trenches to pieces. Dear when I get back I will tell you all about the big push we are going slow but sure.
We had very bad weather for a few days but it is lovely now and the ground is drying up. When it rains it is up to your neck in mud. It is lovely I don't think. Love you were saying not to get struck on the French girls, well where we are now is miles from any town and there are none that can come up to my Dot so never worry dear your the only one for me. When this is over and I get back what a time we will have. You would laugh to hear us talking at times like a lot of school kids what we would like for dinner. I was saying I would like roast lamb and potatoes and kumeras and apple pudding. Dear if that was put in front of me I would make a beast of myself. Love don't take any notice of the clean paper, we are firing every 2 minutes so I am writing in between the shots. You should see us up here we washed ourselves twice and had one shave in eight days we look like a lot of bushmen. I haven't had a bath for nearly a month and expect it will be another month before I have one. That is nothing in war time. I suppose you think dear I am a dirty pig. Our water is all brought up to us so we can't afford to waste any. I will make up for it when we go out for a rest. Well dear how would the pictures go tonight, decent. I don't know what day it is and I am not to sure of the date. Out here you never take any notice of the days - all days are the same.
Well dear I received your papers today. I suppose Norm will sail in the Ilex this year. I am afraid I will miss this season boating. I would like to be back for a sail this summer, it would be decent dear. I suppose there is no such luck. I saw a lot of shore boys names coming with the 19th Rein. There is a lot of good reading in the papers this mail. I see where G. Madden has wrote to the paper they must be having a rough trip. He will be some kid now with his stars up. Dear have you had any news of Frank. I would like to hear how he is. If you see Mrs Linden ask her. I would like to know if he is allright. Love I am going to have something nice for tea. I gave one of the drivers 5 Francs that is 4/2 to get me some plum duffs so he got me two. They are very small one just make a nice meal. They are in tins. Well dear I had a duff for tea it was decent. I was to full for words it was very rich. The first duff I have had since Xmas so I enjoyed it.
Well love this is my third day on this letter. We don't get much time to ourselves up here tonight is my night on so I will be shooting from 2 till 4 and then do a picket on the gun as well, so there is not much sleep tonight. I get tomorrow night off providing there is not much doing. Dear we are living in the ground again. We have dug a deep trench and burrowed in the sides. It doesn't make a bad bunk, the only trouble is it is a bit damp but we soon get used to it. I can sleep anywhere now. Love when I come back I will sleep in all day. It will be decent getting in between white sheets again. Well love I will have to close now it is getting dark and I have run out of news. Hoping you are in the best of health and heaps of love and kisses.
From Your Own Pat XXXXXXX XXXXXXXX
Love we have had great success lately.
A cuddle would go decent dear.
Buck up dear we are giving them beans.
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New Zealand Post Office Telegraphs
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I suppose you have been wondering why you didn't get a letter last week. Well dear we have been very busy up the Somme. We had four attacks there and we were on the move all the time. I wrote to you just before we were moving the last time we went into action just Fleis on the Saturday night. Sunday morning they shelled us very heavy, smashed our gun, and wounded four chaps. Then we got to work and fixed the other guns up. In the afternoon we started to attack. So having no gun we started to carry out shells to the others and then the fun began. Old Fritz started to shell us again with 6" shells and of course I must stop a piece from hitting the ground with my foot and found it was harder to stop than I imagined. Then it was finish the big push for me. Love I can't help laughing. I had a very uneasy feeling that afternoon. There was a bale of sandbags on the road and every time I went past there I fancied I saw someone sitting on it and sure enough it was just there where I got the smack. When it hit me I stood looking at my foot then it started to hurt so I tried to hop along to the dressing station then the chaps ran out and gave me a hand. The doctor was there and he fixed it up and told me I had a nice Blighty. They left me there all the afternoon because they were shelling very heavy. They supplied me with smokes so I had nothing to growl about.
Love before I go any further I must tell you about it. Don't worry dear because I am not wounded badly. A big piece hit me but my shin is that tough it didn't go in. There is a little cut. They are going to put the exrays on when the swelling goes down to see if there is anything in it. I don't think there is myself. Of course there is a nice bruise there but that is nothing. Dear there is one good thing there is no pain. The boys laughed this morning. I hopped out of bed when the nurse wasn't looking and tried to walk but couldn't manage it. It was to sore to stand on so I hopped back to bed again. Love we get up to some great jokes. Well little girl I will go on with the story. I expect you will like to hear all about it. Well I was put on a stretcher and carried about three miles through trenches. There were four wounded chaps and some German prisoners so they carried some of the fellows, six of our boys carried me and I thought I was never going to get to the end of it. I felt a bit uneasy with the shells wizzing about. They stopped at a dressing station and my foot was fixed up again. Then I had a ride on a horse wagon. Then dressed again and had a feed, then a motor wagon to the next place and stayed there for the rest of the night. What was left of it. Left again next morning in the hospital train for Etaples. That is where I met Bert Golden. I believe he is up the line in a ammunition column now a chap told me when I was up the Somme it took all day to get there, then I rested a few days. It is a nice hospital there then left again for Le Havre, 18 hours train journey and went aboard the boat. When I was carried off the train an officer asked me what I belonged to and I said N.Z. so I was put aboard the Maheno I was quite pleased. She is on that run now but is going back to N.Z. this month.
We had a very rough trip across the channel. Our boys treated us grand. They piled the food into us till we nearly busted. Well dear we were put off at South Hampton then had two hours in the train and landed in this hospital at Oxford just a week all but a few hours after being hit and here I am now. Dear I have been in bed just over a week and haven't felt tired yet. I can sleep half the day and all night without waking up once. So Love I must have a lot of sleep to make up yet. Of course dear you read all about the N.Z. boys at the Somme we did great work. I heard poor old B. Wild was killed just after the first advance on the other boys yet dear the N.Z. suffered we lost very heavy. We were coming out for a rest on the Tuesday after I left for 2 weeks then going in again for three. I don't think there will be very many left when we finish up there. Dear how we work is, so long in one place then a rest and go to another part of the line. We will go to a quiet part after this. We were three months at Armentiers. We had a good time there. The line was fairly quiet except at the finish we did a lot of raiding then.
Dear this is a nice hospital. My word it is grand being in between white sheets again and to get good food. The nurse comes around in the middle of the night and tucks you in. The first night I had a hot water bottle. It was decent. Love I told you a good while ago I wrote to my brother. Well he never answered it of course. He might not have got it so when I got here I sent him a card saying I was wounded. He will get it today so he might come up and see me. I hope he wasn't going away. I will go down to Portsmouth for my holliday. If he is there I would like to have Xmas here. Wouldn't it be decent. Well love I will close now. I will write to every one now. Hoping you are all in the best of health (dear I love you so much).
From Your Own Boy Pat XXXXXX XXXXXX
I won't forget Iris when I get better. I told my sister before I came away if anything ever happened to me to send you a wire because they would get the telegram. I hope they sent you one.
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A line in answer to your most welcome letter I received to day. I have been expecting one for a few days now. I got four one from Forbes my word they are very happy & they send such nice letters. I see Tut has been away in one of the boats my word wouldn't it be nice to have a trip just you and I love. I am sorry to hear you are in the
miserables poor little girl it dosen't matter cheer up dear. When I come back I will take you away from it all and we will make up for lost time what a time we will have dear
you can have me all the time & for ever then, dear that is all I have to live for is my little girl so try to be a brave little girl because I love you better than anything in this world. Dear my wound has healed up nicely but my foot is still swollen of course that will take time to go down, the doctor has marked me up convalescent so I will be going away any day now to the convalesent home, you have a good rest there & plenty of good food, from there you get a fortnights holiday so I expect it will be a long time yet before I go in the firing line again, well darling I am in no hurry to go back some of the others can have a turn now. I think I have done my bit don't you dear. Well love I went to the pictures to day with my mate. They were very nice then we had tea together, tea and cakes we only get bread & butter here. He had no money so I paid it cost 1/4 in N.Z. you! w!ould get the same for 1/-. My word dear things are dearer than N.Z. here, it is a shame how they have to put the prices up I expect they are pretty high out there now. Well dear I will close now good night my love how I long for a cuddle. xxxxxxxxxx
Well dear it an awful day raining cats and dogs & cold & miserable so I don't think I will go out. I think winter must be setting in love I expect you will be wearing your summer things now oh how I long to be out with you wouldn't it be lovely dear & what a time we would have. I would be quite happy then. Love you were saying you were so miserable & tired of it all, well love so am I absolutely sick of it, all I think about is my little girl dear if anything happened to little Dot I would go mad, life wouldnt be worth living if you went out of my life I love you so much, you are never out of my thoughts day or night dear. Love what is this yarn that Scotty got hold of about the ring perhaps he was only trying to bluff you, you k! no!w dear what agreement we came to, love if I came back tomorrow I would buy you a lovely ring dear perhaps it would have been better if I gave you one before I came away then you wouldn't have some of these fellows pestering you. I can trust my little girl it doesn't matter how long I have to stay away I know my little girl will wait for me, love I often think I have got the right girl you the right boy we were made for each other dear ours will be a happy married life. Darling I think this is the biggest test a girl can go through. I have been away nearly 2 years & to know my girl has been absolutely true is lovely. Forbes said you are as true as the Union Jack. Dear they tell me such nice things about you my word they like you Dot. I think we will have to live next door to them what do you think dear. You were saying your not love sick what about me dear I have got it very bad. I think dear we have both been always the same right from the first love we were meant for each other, what do you think love. My word love I have often thought about Alf that chap that comes with Norm. I hope he doesn't annoy you dear if ever he does I know you will tell me, then he will have me to reckon with when I come home, dear you said he hadn't a girl so look out he doesn't try to make love to you because you never know dear. Love don't take anything out of that it is only a little advice because I know a little more about men than you do I know dear you don't mind me telling you. Love he would never have any hope whatever because we love each other too much and I can trust you. I will never be afraid of my little girl you are as true to me as if I was home. Well dear I am going away to morrow convalesent to Hornchurch. I have absolutely no idea where it is, there are a good few N.Z. boys going down. We go from here to London then catch a train at another station so I will get a glimpse of London, so that is as much as I can tell you about it dear. I will let you know all about the trip in the next letter dear. Dear I think I w! il!l just about be back in France for Xmas. I will be awful landing there in the middle of winter but I suppose it can't be helped. Oh love I hope it is over soon. well darling I will have to close now. I want to have a bath before going to bed. Hoping you are in the best of health & don't worry dear & remember me to all with heaps of love & kisses.
I will always be true to my little girl
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A few more lines to let you know how I am getting on. I am out of bed this morning and can walk on my heal but not very far. I can get along allright with sticks. I have put in for a pass for this afternoon but don't know if he doctor will let me go out. Motor cars come right to the door every afternoon so he might let me go out in one. It will be decent if he does. I am tired being down. It is a fortnight yesterday since I got hit. Love they took the exrays photo and there is nothing in my foot. The bones are bruised a bit but that is nothing and the wound is nearly healed up so I am getting on like a house on fire. Of course it will be a while before I can walk properly but I don't mind it is better here than out in France for a chance. Well dear the matron came in a few minutes ago and told me I can go to church next Sunday so I said I would have went today but I haven't any sticks so she went out and got me a pair so I am allright now. I didn't get a pass, I am going to get one tomorrow.
Love I got such a shock yesterday my brother came down to see me. They sent the card to Scotland so he came straight down. He went to London last night and to Portsmouth today. He is coming back on Tuesday and going to stay a few days. He is only supposed to be away four days. He says he is not going to hurry back. Dear he was telling me he hasn't had a letter for 19 weeks. They are mislaid. He didn't get the one I sent from France. He gave me a pound to go one with till he comes back. He is going to take me out then so love I am looking forward to it. Dear he is stationed at Edinburgh so I will go up to Scotland for my holiday. My word love I would give anything to have you here. Wouldn't it be lovely to come up there with me. Love I would give you the best time you ever had in your life. It doesn't matter love, I will give you the best time anyone can give when this awful war is over. I will never leave you again. Dear I hope you didn't hear about me being wounded till after your birthday. That was the only thing that was worrying me because I know if you heard you would worry and it would spoil it. Love I saw Cyril's photo in the paper yesterday. One of the chaps lent me a weekly.
I had one letter from you the day I got hit. I expect I will get a bundle next time they will send it all one I will have quite a big mail then I hope it comes soon. Dear we have a new doctor today and he is packing a lot of the chaps home. He hasn't come to me yet. I wonder will he send me away. I wish he would book me for N.Z. Wouldn't it be great to be back for Xmas. I think it would be to good to be true eh dear. My word love you must be making a lot of money now you will be coming out flash don't get making eyes at the boys because that won't do dear. Well Dot it is a lovely day. It will be grand out this afternoon. I wish you were here love to take me out. Wouldn't I feel proud going along with my little girl. I expect you are as big as me now you would have grown a bit by now.
Well love I have been out. This is not a bad town. It is very pretty. There are no trams they use motor buses. It is great they have women conductors. I went as far as the bridge and sat down there all the afternoon. It was lovely. My word I was tired when I got back. It is hard work getting along with crutches and I will be on my feet in a few days. I can get along a little way on my foot. It is a bit sore to walk on. I expect I will be out of here in another week. By the way dear, I will send Iris something when I go to London and get my pay. Love anything you ask for I will only be to pleased to send if I can.
Saturday. Well love I will finish your letter today. I have had a very good time this week. I went to the pictures twice with my brother. My word they were lovely. He arrived here on Wednesday and left yesterday. Dear he gave me a very good time. Dot I expect I will be going to a convalescent home in a few days. We have the head nurse back again. She is a bitch. She is trying to get us all out all out. All the nurses hate her. She asked me if I was marked next. The doctor told me yesterday I could walk about here without the crutches so in the afternoon I went out without them. I hate them when he comes. This morning I won't tell him I was outside without them. He would go off. Love I walked slow and got on decent. My foot ached a bit but it's allright the wound has healed up the foot is still swollen. It will go down in time. Well love it is a lovely day just nice for a picnic or a walk. How about coming this afternoon dear. Love I was just thinking I will have to get my Xmas mail away in a few weeks. Love I will be wild if I can't get to London for my money in time. We don't get a penny of our wages till we get out of hospital and go to London. So dear if I get out in time I will send Iris something for Xmas. Well dear when you get this it will be summer and lovely weather. Wouldn't I like to be back for this summer. Dear wouldn't we have some great times and some nice big cuddles ah love. Well dear I must close now hoping you are in the best of health and remember me to all with heaps of love and kisses.
From your Own Big boy Pat XXXXXXX XXXXXX
Dear if you were only here wouldn't it be lovely.
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(Xmas letter to my dear little girl Dorice McLeod)
A few more lines in answer to your most welcome letter I received the other day. I sent one letter this week and a post card of the camp. I see this morning there is another mail on Monday so I must send you a few more lines. Love I would write everyday if there was a mail because I know you look forward to letters just as much as I do. Dear I haven't seen Earnie's name in any of the lists, so I suppose he has gone through allright so far. I think my luck must be out. Cyril Taylor went from here on leave just a few days before I came in a chap was telling me he thought he was booked for N.Z. so if he is I might see him because he will come back here anyrate dear you would know if he is going back. I hope he does get a trip out of it, he deserves it.
Love I don't know what is the matter with me lately I got in the miserables I think we both must be lovesick. Oh dear I wish I was with you again. I would be quite happy and contented all I would want then would be love and I think there would be plenty of that what do you think dear. Nothing else would matter. Oh it would be heaven. Love don't think while I am in England anybody will run away with your Pat because they won't get a lookin. I think to much of my little girl for that, so never worry dear I have been true to my little girl all the time I have been away and intend to remain so your the only one for Pat. Well dear I see Doug Cowan has been wounded in the head. I would like to come across him for his cousin Jack ONeal I expect you would know a lot of the boys. Love I hope you didn't cry when you heard about me. It was nothing. The one I got just a nice Blighty. Dear did my sister send you a Telegram. I told her to if anything happened to me because they would get a cable. Well dear I think I am getting a job here. I went to school with the head man of this camp. He stopped me the other day and had a yarn. he said I had done my share out there. Some of the boys told me I was a fool for not hitting him up for a job, so I made up my mind I would, but I haven't so far. I met a chap I knew going back to N.Z. and he saw them about me getting his job, so in I went and they took my name and said it would be allright they will let me know when I have to go, start at nine in the morning and take any messages to headquarters. It is not far then do a bit of writing they said it is a nice easy job and sometimes go to London and meet the train and bring the chaps out here. Oh dear I hope I get it. I have no wish to put the winter in France and Dear I would be quite safe for my little girl. I think I have had my share in the firing line. Love when you see some of the chaps that have got good jobs here it makes you think some of them haven't seen the firing line so love you don't blame me trying to get a job here. I think I deserve one if anyone does.
Well love I am going into town today to get you a nice card for Xmas. I won't be able to get anything too dear because I haven't the money. I drew my first pay for 2 months yesterday 7/6 and out of that I have to pay 4/6 for my watch. It is being mended so you can see how I am holding. We get 7/6 a week here. Every night I get a cup of tea and cakes for supper that is 6d. Then smokes so the pay doesn't go far. Dear I sent a cable home saying a slight wound and for some money. I went up to the office this morning and it has arrived so I can get it when I go on leave so dear I will send you something nice then to make up for Xmas. It is better late than never. Well love I will have to close for today. It is dinner time and this afternoon I will go to town so goodbye for he present dear, heaps of love, I wish I was taking you out this afternoon.
Well dear I will get a start again. It is a awful day raining cats and dogs. It has rained every day since I have been in this camp my word it is worse than N.Z. for rain. I suppose the next thing I will wake up one morning and find the place snowed up. We will be able to go snowballing then. I am afraid it will be a bit cold for this chicken then. Well love I went to town yesterday. It is about a mile from here Rompford and it only had one street. I didn't think much of it so we had tea and went to the pictures. C. Chapman was on, my word isn't he great, it was great. I forget the name of it. He was working in a piano shop you might have seen it, dear I had a great laugh. When we came out it was pouring with rain so we had to tramp home through it. We didn't care, we had a cosy bed when we got home. My word it is lovely to know you have a roof over your head. Dear it is better than sleeping in the mud on the Somme we used to doss anywhere. I wonder how are the boys getting on out there. After I left it has rained nearly all the time. It must be awful up to your neck in mud.
Well little girl if I was in N.Z. today I would be sitting by the fire now. I often think of the Sundays we used to have together when it was weather like this. I used to nearly get drowned going out but I never used to mind the weather because Dot always gave me a good time. Love I will never forget the times we used to have. Remember when you used to wave out of the window when Norm had gone out, naughty girl. Dear I will never forget one minute of the times we had. Many a night in France when I have been trying to keep awake on sentry I used to dream of my little girl. Dear you don't know what it is to be a soldier. I think every one of us when on sentry dream of someone when you have to stand in the one place for hours. It is nice to have a good think. You seem to be home having the good times again. Oh dear it is lovely to dream. Love many a time I have pictured myself getting on a car and going out. Then I would hear you running down the passage and we would have a lovely cuddle. My word dear it seemed real. When I get back I will be able to talk for a week. Dear I will have to lookout you don't get tired of Pat when I get back I will be chasing you all the time - cuddle I won't be able to get enough. I will be squeezing you in front of everybody.
Love I got some Xmas cards and now I just have enough left to get the watch so I am broke till Friday. Once I got in the shop I had to buy enough for everybody. My word love I would have liked to have been there when you dressed up in Mrs Forbes wedding dress. I would have called a parson in and done the trick then. So dear you won't have to tempt me to much when I get back for a while because I want to get a nice place for my Dot and I won't want her to want for anything. Dear we will have a long talk about it when I get back. Love I am going to buy you such a nice ring when I come home. Love you were saying did I mind you going out, not at all dear have a good time. By all means dear I don't want you to sit at home all the time. You will be losing all your colour if you do that. No my dear I want you to enjoy yourself. I can trust my little girl but do be careful dear and don't let anybody get on the best side of you. Love sometimes I feel a little afraid of Alf. You can never tell what they are up to. Dear if he wants to take you out, go out sometimes but keep him in his place. Never give a man any encouragement. Dear I can see things different to you. Don't trust him to much because I wouldn't put it past him to try and make love to you. He seems to think a lot of you and after staying at his place his people might encourage him. Love never trust a man, if anything was to happen to you it would break my heart because I love you so much. But dear I can trust my little girl. Dear don't be offended at what I have been saying because I am not a bit wild if he likes to buy you things. Let him and have a good time, but keep him at arms length. Dear that is a little advice and I know you don't mind me giving you some and love I know there will never be anybody but Pat for you dear our love is to strong to be parted. Well love I will close now. Hoping you are all in the best of health and a Merry Xmas and a very happy New Year and love may we have the next one together. Heaps of love and kisses and oh for a big cuddle Decent. May this coming hear bring my darling the best of luck and her little boy home again.
From your Own Boy Pat XXXXX XXXXX
Dot I love you. I'm in Love with Dot.
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A few more lines to let you know I am getting along allright. This will be the third letter I have wrote to you in to weeks. So dear I am not doing so bad. I would write every day if there was a mail. Love I didn't know this mail was going today or else I would have wrote before it closes at 2 o'clock and it is nearly 12 now so I haven't much time. Dear if it is only a few lines I know you will welcome it. Well dear I have been to London twice. My word it is a great place. The first time I went with a party to the Cloth Workers Hall. It was a great turn out. We had a good dinner there, then saw all the silver plate then a concert. The Master shook hands with us all and we had plenty of smokes. It was a real good turn out.
Yesterday we went in to the Lord Mayors Day. There was a big procession. It was very nice but Oh dear I felt so lonely. I was thinking of my little girl all the time. Dear I don't know what is the matter with me lately. It doesn't matter what excitement I have I don't seem to be satisfied some days. I feel like running back to France. I don't seem to get so miserable out there. I think it must be seeing so many women about and to think you are so far away from me. Dear I am true to my little Dot. After the procession my mate and I wandered about the town. We were lost all the time but finished up just near the station. I could hardly walk. I was that tired and was jolly glad to get home again. Love I took a lot of photoes so when I get them fixed up I will send them out to you. By the way dear, you never told me if those ones sent before came out weren't they any good and you didn't like to tell me. I would have liked that one of me with the gas helmet on to come out. What made me think they didn't come out was some others I took didn't come out. They were a bad lot of films so yours might have been the same. I hope we have better luck in the lot I took yesterday.
Dear London is a great place to see. The thousands of people would open your eyes. I went along to London Bridge and it was just one mass of people. My word you do have a job to find your way about. There are that many people there. You can hardly see which way to go. I wouldn't like my little girl to be there by herself. Well dear I haven't wrote to Jess yet. I will write next mail to her. I haven't received her parcel. I expect the boys in France had it. It is the rule if anybody gets wounded we keep there parcels so they must have got hers. I wrote to the Post Office and told them to send all my mail on here so they won't get any more. I had to parcels from home this week so my mail won't go to France at all now. Dear I have received all your letters but not the papers. The boys keep them but now I will get the lot. Dear I see H. Golden in the casualties list communication column so I suppose that will be Bert. It said wounded in the back. You will know if it is Bert he didn't have a very long spin. I believe old Taylor has gone back to N.Z. I heard he went on leave and then to the boat. Dear I wonder will he tell you any of the yarns we used to have. We often used to speak about Dot and his girl. I suppose he will get married now. I hope he is not permanent injured. I don't think he will be. My word dear don't you wish it was Pat coming home. No such luck just yet. Love I would sooner go right through it than get injured for life.
Well dear I don't know what sort of a time I am going to have on leave, but oh dear I wish I was going to spend it with you. Wouldn't we have a lovely time. I will be wanting you all the time. Dear I suppose I will be getting in the miserables but I will try and have a good time. Dear a chap was just saying what a good time he is having and another one said he would give them a 100 pounds to put him on the boat so I said I would walk home and so I would dear because I love you better than anything in the world. Well dear I will close now hoping you are in the best of health and enjoying yourself.
From your Miserable Boy Pat XXXXXXX XXXXXXXX
So try and be a brave girl I know it is hard. Dear you were saying you are getting thin in the face. My word that won't do. You will have to eat plenty of duff and don't cry so much because dear that makes you thin and I want my love to keep nice for me. Wouldn't a cuddle be lovely dear.
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1.15 - 1.30 Reception by the Master and Mrs. Horne.
2 - 3 Company's Plate will be on view upstairs
2.25 Master's Address in the Livery Hall.
2.30 - 4 Musical Entertainment.
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A line in answer to your most welcome letters I received this morning. Dear we have been expecting a mail for over a week now and sure enough it came this morning. I got too nice letters from you and read them about a dozen times. My word dear I am supprised at you coming home with four men (naughty girl) it was just as well Norm was there or I would have been feeling jelous especially if Alf had of been there by himself. Because I don't know him and he might try and take my little Dot away from me. He hasn't any chance. I am not afraid of her. I can trust you dear although I do feel very miserable at times. Oh Dot you don't know what it is like to be away from your little girl and to know there is a young man going up to her place. Dear it cuts me like a knife. If you only knew how I felt at times. Love if it was the other way around you would feel the same as I do. It is only because I am in love and they say people in love are always jelous of each other. Dear I tell you everything because you tell me just what is happening. I know little Dot never keeps anything back from me.
Well dear I couldn't help laughing when I read your letter you said my sister wrote and asked you the date of your birthday and you didn't know what to do. Well dear I wrote to her and said to ask you when it was and to buy the best thing she could get for your 21st because I didn't have enough money here. She said in her letter this morning what she thought of getting you. I hope dear you liked it. I always get mixed up with the date and forgot whether it was on the 3rd or 23rd October and dear I couldn't let your 21st go past without thinking of you. I hope it was on the 3rd because you wouldn't have heard I had been wounded then. My word love we never thought that I would be in the hospital that day. Well dear it is a month you and I will never forget: your birthday and my Blighty and I was in the midst of a big battle that month and dear I lost some of my best mates that day on the 1st. Dear you were saying Iris said she is going to have me and you Alf. Well dear I don't know what you think about it but if I have any say in the matter I am going to have you. There will be no other girl in it for me and Alf can have who he likes. Love when I come back I wouldn't be able to live without my little Dot. Never be afraid of me falling in love with anybody over this side of the world. I have always been true to you and of course I am yours body and soul for ever dear.
Darling you were saying you told me in your letter about Cyril. Well today was the first time you have mentioned it. I was told yesterday that he has gone back to France. I have heard so many things about him. Don't know for certain where he is, anyrate dear you will know so tell me all about it. Dear I told you I was going to see about getting a job here. Well I have altered my mind. There are such a lot of rotters here and I don't wish to mix with them so I will go back and do a bit more. Dear I have been in the miserables all the time I have been in this camp. There is no where to go and I feel as if I want to do some more. Of course dear I would rather go home but I think that is out of the question just yet so dear I think I will go back. Love I am not a hero but I am game. I am not frightened of the firing line.
Oh dear it is lovely here tonight. A chap is playing the piano. He just played the Rosary. Dear I would listen to that all night. I have heard it dozens of times and it always makes me think of the times we used to have. The hours I spent with thee dear heart it is quite true. I will never forget them as long as I live. Dear the weather here is awful. We have hardly been able to see our hand in front of us for three days now. It must be a London fog. There is no sign of it lifting. Dear I don't think you would like this art of the world. I know I wouldn't like to live here. I don't think I would see the winter out.
Love I must tell you what I did yesterday. My mate and I went to London. We went up to Hyde Park and the sights all the swells ride about there see the women riding about on horses and swanking it was great of course they are all the big buys and thousands of people walking about it is the place to see the fashions and see the high healed boots. I was wondering how they would walk. It was great. After that we wandered all over the place saw the Kings palace some good, went to Picadilly Circus in fact we went all over the place and had a ride on top of a bus. Love I am not kean on London. It is to big for Pat. If you were only here dear it would be lovely. Wouldn't we have a great time. Love what about spending our honeymoon here some good eh dear. Well darling I will close now for tonight it is bed time so good night my own. Pleasant dreams. XXXXXXX
Well dear I will make another start. I got such a pleasant supprise yesterday. I was just coming down after having a wash and who should I meet but Doug Cowan the big chap that always used to be with Frank. He has been looking for me and I have been looking for him. He saw my name in the paper so we had a great reunion. He was telling me that Jack ONeal was wounded in the arm and went back. He wouldn't come away. He was killed a little while after. He said when his father died he left him 20,000 pounds. Isn't it a shame after just getting the money left to him he was killed. Dear I was supprised to hear Joe Mallet was wounded. I haven't heard anything of him at all. I expect he is allright now. My word dear it has been very cold this last to days. It is quite cold enough for snow. I have been doing a freeze. Love I will be sending you something for Iris when I go on leave. I am afraid you have got me thinking I don't know what to send her. Dear I wish you were here to pick something for her. My word love wouldn't it be a glorious holliday if my little Dot was here. I would give you a lovely time. Love it was very good of Mrs Forbes to wash my clothes. She shouldn't of done it because they won't be any good after being away so long. It is only the tools I want them to look after. Dear I would have liked to have been there when you were going over them. I bet you both had a laugh, naughty girls.
Dear you must be like a mother now looking after Iris and doing all the work. Love you are a girl in a thousand I think Pat is a very lucky boy getting such a good girl. Darling I don't know what I would do without you. We will be so happy and I will be very good to my little wife. Dear all I look forward to is going back to Dot. What a time we will have. Oh Dot I love you. Well Dear I will have to close for this week. Hoping you are well in the best of health and remember me to all. With heaps of love and kisses.
From your Own Boy Pat XXXXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXX
A cuddle would be lovely dear. I am just dying to squeeze the life
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A line to let you know how I am getting on. I expect dear you will be thinking me a nice one not writing last week. Well I didn't forget about you. I often wished you were with me. Dear you were never out of my thoughts all the time I was on leave I don't think. I was out of bed once before eleven o'clock what do you think of me dear. I don't feel much like writing letters today. I was in the train all last night coming from Scotland and again today for four hours. I have just arrived here so dear I am not wasting much time because I don't want to miss another mail. Love I laughed when I was in Scotland. I was staying at my brothers girls place and of course I had to show them your photo and when I told them you were Scotch they said I can't go wrong as long as I have a Scotch girl and they said I will have to bring you over for our honey moon what do you think of that dear. Some good eh.
Well love I will now tell you all about my 14 days holliday. I am going to leave nothing out because you will think all the more of me if I tell you everything. Well I left the other hospital and arrived in London in the night. Some of the boys wanted me to go out on the drunk with them but no thank you so I went to the play. The Girl from Eiros, paid 7/6 for a seat and never heard a word so I went home disgusted to the Y.M.C.A stayed there the night and left next day for Oxford. I didn't like London to much mischief there. When I was in hospital at Oxford a young lady used to come and see me then when I went on crutches she used to take me to her place for tea and they invited me up for my holliday so up I went but didn't stay at there place. Dear I don't know what you will think when you read this letter but dear I have been absolutely true to you. I did all this for a purpose. I knew if I got going about with chaps I would very likely get into trouble and I had no wish to do that. So dear I thought the best plan was to go up there. This girl used to work at the hospital. Dear I had a real good time up here. We used to have some good talks together. She knew all about you when I was coming away she said she didn't know you but she was sure you had a good boy. Love she was a good friend to me. Dear I told her one day I wouldn't leave you for the best girl that ever walked. I haven't seen a girl yet that I would love better than my Dot.
I forgot to tell you the night before I left for my holliday I had a letter from my brother saying he was shifted back to Portsmouth so I didn't know what to do. I wanted to see Scotland and I didn't want to go up there and not know anybody, so away I goes for Portsmouth when I got there the policeman wouldn't let me off the station. He said he would arrest me and I had better take the next rain back so I draged him up to the head office and they gave me a pass. When I met my brother he blew my head off for not going to Scotland so he said I had better go the next day. Portsmouth is a horrible place full of sailors and bad women so back I went to London and caught the flying Scotsman. It leaves at 11:30 at night and gets in at seven in the morning. It is just over 400 miles. Some going eh hear. When I got there I didn't know which way to go so I went to the Soldiers Club and had breakfast and got cleaned up and found out the way so off I started. His girls people have three shops in Edinburgh. He told me which one to go to, so dear in I stalkes and soon as she saw me she said who I was and how much like my brother I was. Then she draged me off to there place. Love after dinner she took me around to the other shops and I saw aunties and grandmothers and everybody else there were four daughters and they nearly run me off my legs. Love there is one thing I can say is the Scotch people give you a good time and make you feel at home.
Dear I told them before I left that they have made me into a Scotsman so hear you have got a scotch boy now. Dear I would never remember the names of the things they used to give me to eat. Sometimes when they would talk I wouldn't understand a word they said. Dear I couldn't help laughing one of the first things they said was have I got a girl, then they wanted to know all about you now they can't get it out of there head that I am engaged it was no use me saying I wasn't. Dear when they were taking me out they would say what will your young lady say. Dear I know you wouldn't mind. Love I have done a thing that very few in this war can say and that is I have gone straight ever since I left N.Z. Dot, and it is you that has done it. Dear you have made a man of me. Love everybody says how big I am. They said I was much bigger than my brother. Dear I don't think I am that big. Love I seemed to be big along side of the Scotties. I felt quite tall up there.
Tuesday. Well dear when I went to bed last night I thought I was going to have a good sleep but I didn't. There are no beds here, you sleep on the floor. It was to hard for me after being in a nice bed. Dear I think I must have turned over 100 times in the night. My word dear the floor was hard. Dear I don't know what is the matter with me. This morning I was sick five times. I was taken up to the doctor and he gave me some medicine. I think dear there is something wrong somewhere. One night in the play I fainted. They had to carry me out into the street. I wish dear they would send me home. I am sick of the whole concern. Love I would give everything I have to be back with you. Wouldn't it be lovely. I would be quite happy then. Dear I got a supprise last night. I was writing your letter and who should come in but B. Golden. He didn't notice me so I taped him on the back and he got such a supprise so we had a long yarn. He was saying he was lucky to get over here with his wound. It was just a scratch. He is looking well on it. I am going to see him after tea and I want to be nice and quiet this afternoon to write your letter. Love I was a bit disappointed when I got here. I expected some mail but there is none yet. There has been a N.Z. mail in while I was on leave. I don't know what has become of mine. I wrote away to our post Office yesterday so I expect they will send it up here in a few days. Love I am just dying for some letters. I hope you are getting on allright and keeping well.
My word dear it is getting very cold here. We had a little snow last week but now it is thick frost. You will be getting lovely weather. Wouldn't it be lovely if I was back to take you out. Love I hope it won't be very long now. Well love there is everything in this letter what I did on leave I never left one thing out. Tell me dear, what you think of me. Love I would have told you a pack of lies that I was out with boys but that was no good. I always tell you the truth because dear you can trust me to look after myself. I will never do anything silly as long as I have you your the one to keep me straight dear. Well dear will close for this week hoping you are all in the best of health and remember me to all.
From Your Own Boy Pat XXXXXX XXXXXXXX
Dear I haven't forgotten Iris. I can't think of anything nice that would do. I will send her something. Dear did you like the birthday present. I would have liked to have seen it. A cuddle would be lovely dear.
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A line in answer to your most welcome letter I received today. I wouldn't help laughing when you said the water mellon laugh I showed it to the chap next to me. He thought it was great. Dear it is a good photo of you. You must have been very happy that day. It is some photo. Dear I will have to hurry up and come home or else I won't be able to hold you. Love you are getting a harder case every day naughty girl. Who is teaching you? You were very quiet when I left. Well dear have a good time and enjoy yourself but do be careful. What would Pat do if anything happened to you. Well dear you will be supprised to know I am in hospital again. I have been in four days I think I told you I fainted in a play when I was on leave and when I got back here I started vomiting so they banged me in hospital. The doctor said I have gastritis. I feel allright now. All I have had is milk today. He put me on fish, so love I am going to have a good feed tomorrow. What ho dear. I have never felt hungry since I have been here. I will be allright in a few days.
A chap came in this ward the other day with meningitis. Now we are isolated for 10 days of course they took him out again. Dear excuse the writing. I am in bed writing this and there is not to much light. Love I saw by your letter Joe Mollet is killed. Well it is his brother Joe is in this hospital he came to see yesterday that the one that came with the 6th. Love the other night I was in the Y.M.C.A. writing a letter and who should come in but B. Golden he didn't notice me so I went up. My word he did get a shock so we had a great yarn. Bert and I used to muck about together till I came in here one day. I saw some chaps running past training and who was there but Taylor. I sang out but he didn't hear me so I will try and see him when I get out, I hope he hasn't gone away by then I would like to have a yarn to him. Dear Bert was coming up to see me today but I suppose he was turned away. Nobody is allowed in here now.
Love I am so pleased you liked the broach. My sister sent me a catalogue showing which one it was. My word don't go and lose it. You had a narrow shave with the bangle. Next time I give you a present it won't have to be jewellery you will be getting to flash. Love I think the next one will be a nice ring that will be your present when I come home. Of course dear that is if you would like one and I think you will (of course). Love I see your new brooch in the photo it looks very nice. You can see the gun very plain. You will have that many brooches now you won't know which one to wear. Dear you must be some kid hen you are dressed for church. When I was in Scotland they asked me if I was going to church and I said if I did the roof would fall in. I think you are the same dear. Love we are having miserable weather here it was snowing for a while yesterday and it looks miserable outside today. I haven't seen much sun since I came over. I wouldn't live here for anything the climate is to damp. Give me N.Z. it is the best little place I know of.
Dear I received a letter from May today. I wondered who it was from. I wasn't expecting one from her. She is having a good time at Waihi. When is it coming off I think it is about time Norm made a move perhaps he is waiting for me to come back then have a double one. I think May is very patient not many girls would wait like she has anyrate dear it wouldn't suit me. I don't know what you think about it. I suppose they soon will do the trick some day. Love it would look bad if the youngest was to make the first start and if he doesn't hurry up you will have to lead the way. Dear I haven't received Jesses parcel yet. I don't see how it could have gone astray. I have got a lot of parcels since I have been in England but not hers. I had a letter from one of the boys in France and he hasn't seen any so I don't know what could have become of it. It might turn up yet anyrate. Love I will live in hopes.
Dear I see by your letter you have sent one for Xmas. I won't get that for a few days yet. It is very good of you to send one. Love I don't want you to send one becuase you don't have much money and you need it all for yourself. As long as you write nice letters I am quite satisfied. Love you remember I said I would send Iris a nice present. Well all the time I was on leave I worried my brains what I would get and in the finish I bought nothing. I saw some nice bags in Scotland so when I go back I will get her one. When I come out of here I will get at least seven days off. I haven't got much money left now so I will have to be careful. I think I will manage allright. I will stop at my brothers girls place. That won't cost anything so I will be allright. My word dear I wish you could come to Scotland with me. It is such a nice place. You would like it. Well love I must close now. Hoping you are all in the best of health and remember me to all with heaps of love and kisses.
From Your Own Boy Peter XXXXXX XXXXXXXX
How would a nice big cuddle go (Decent).
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A line to let you know I am still alive & kicking. I am still in the hospital. I thought I would be going out the other day but the doctor has decided to have a go at my ears.
Dear I don't think I told you about them before. Well last August I got concussion in the head. One day we were shooting & I thought my head was knocked off & after that I had a ringing in my ears & I got quite deaf. I could hear anybody speaking! If they spoke loud. Well dear when I came to hospital they treated me for three weeks, the deafness went away but the humming sound is still there. As soon as my foot got better they discharged me & said they could do nothing to my head. It would go away in time on its own, so love when I went convalesent I reported it to the doctor he laughed so I asked him could I have my ears suringed out , so they tried that & it was no good so out I went on leave. A few days ago I complained to this doctor & he is giving me medicine. Today he asked me was I alright and I said the row in my head hasn't stopped for four months so he is goung to see what is best to be done. I expect love I will know tomorrow what they intend to do. I don't thing they would send me home with it. There is a chance of being sent back but I don't think so. I wouldnt be suprised if they gave me a base job. Dear I was speaking to a chap yesterday & he had the same thing. He was going to be boarded but went on the drunk & missed it. He said it took seven months to go away. He said the cold weather is very bad for it, love if they were going to send me home I'd walk to the boat from here. Wouldn't it be lovely too good to be true I think, of course you never know your luck. There is one thing they can never send me back like this dear. I am fit now except my head, it is nothing much, it will go away in time. There is one thing it never worries me it is just a humming sound in the ears. My word dear you must be some kid now in all those flash things. You will be too flash for a common soldier. I think love you will have to keep that blouse May gave you till I come home seeing you look so nice in it. My word if you get coming out like that somebody else will be running away with you so there is nothing else for it but me to come back. What would I do dear if someone else ran away with you. Dear I was going to write a nice long letter, I thought I would get a start tonight, just as I got started I found out the mail closes at 9 in the morning so I haven't much time, I was wild. I was going to write a lot of letters dear, you will be the only one to get a letter this mail. Love when you write to my sister don't mention anything about my ears. I will tell them all about it next mail. It would only worry them & they would wonder why I didn't tell them. Love why I didn't mention anything about it before was because I didn't think it worthwhile. I thought it would soon go away.
Dear you said did I know Cantell, yes I knew him very well. He was killed, he was a mate of B. Solders. We have had a very heavy fog here for a week now. I believe you can't see your hand in front of you in London. The frost has been on the ground here for a week it looks great all the trees are with ice. My word dear you wouldn't care about living in this part of the world it doesn't get a look in with N.Z.
Love I was saying today if I was in N.Z. I would be getting ready for the Xmas cruise. Wouldn't it be lovely, it nearly makes me cry to think about it. Dear boating wouldn't worry me for a good while after I get back. I will be wanting to cuddle my little Dot all the time. I really think you will get sick of me. I will be wanting you all the time. You won't be able to do any work because I will be taking you out all the time dear if you don't look after me I will be going on the drunk all the time. I don't think I have been a very good boy since I have been away. If all the boys drunk as much as I do all the hotels would have to shut up, they would go bung. Love I received your letter saying I had been wounded. Poor little girl I hope you were brave. You must have got a terrible shock. I would have sent you a cable too but I didn't have enough money & I knew my sister would let you know as soon as she got it. Dear the only thing that was worrying me was was I didn't want you to know before your birthday because I didn't want to spoil it. I was quite pleased when I got your letter saying you heard just after it. Dear I bet you wern't as happy as I was, just after I was hit when they cut my boot off & I saw what it was I could have thrown my hat in the air. I was all smiles to think I was going to Blighty. Love you can think your boy was very lucky to come out of that battle. I couldn't have got a better crack. Bert was luckier than me he just got a scratch. He didn't think he would get over here with it. He was telling me the other day if that is war he doesn't want to see any more, he didn't last long, Dear everyone says I have been very lucky I have had a very good spin in the firing line. My word dear you got a nice lot of presents. I bet you were all smiles that day. I was saying if I didn't hurry back I will be too old to get married. Just fancy dear 26 in July. I will soon be an old man. Love tell Forbes I will write next mail as I missed this one. I received their letter alright. Dear the Xmas parcels will be here any day now. I would like to know what Tut put in the paper about me. Well dear I will close now hoping you are all in the best of health. Dot I do love you. You are the only one for me.
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A line to let you know how I am getting on. I believe there is a N.Z. mail in but mine hasn't arrived yet. Dear isn't it a nark all the Xmas parcels haven't arrived yet. I think they are in London. I haven't got any yet. I expect I will get them any day now. Dear Father Xmas came around & left us all a present. I got a fountain pen & two packets of cigarettes some chocolate also a nice little pad to hold writing paper. We had a very nice dinner, Turkey wines & trifle & duff. I got out of bed to have mine, the Nurse let me.
Dear I saw Bert Golder the other day. He has gone on Xmas leave for six days. He has a lot of friends in London. I bet he is having a good time & me in hospital isn't it rotten. Dear on Xmas eve the doctor came around to see me. I was nearly mad with these pains in the head. I might be alright for a week then I will get an attack, it is awful when I get them. I am feeling pretty good today. Love this morning when he came around he had a talk with me & said they can do nothing. I want a good holliday, he said he will send me back to N.Z.. He said it's a thing that will take time & will go away on its own, the drums of my ears have been weakened & they must have a good rest. Love I feel alright bar this humming sound in my ears, so dear you needn't worry that you will see a wreck when I come home. Love I have to go before a board yet, that is two doctors so they may not send me back but if the doctor that comes around the ward says you will go back it is pretty certain. I expect dear it will either be six months holiday or back for good. Love it will be very hard if I have to leave you again. All the same love we must look on the bright side of things, even a holiday would be better than none at all. Oh dear what a time we would have if I get home for Easter. If Norm has the boat down we must have some picnics. Love when he told me this morning I could have thrown my hat up in the air. Of course dear if I am going back I will be well on the way by the time you get this.
Love I would like to get back in time to get some of the summer and also to see you in that nice blouse May gave you. My word love you will have to have all your swanky things on that day because I will want a nice cuddle on the wharf dear. Love you will have to have good corsets on that day else I might squeeze the life out of you. O dear it is lovely to know there is something to go back to. I am so glad I left a little girl behind to welcome me home.
Thursday :- Well dear I will have to get your letter finished today, the mail closes tomorrow morning. Yesterday I went a motor trip to Salisbury. We went to the Soldiers club then were shown through the second best church in the world. I was built in 1248. The work inside was lovely. There were 30 of us in a big motor bus & coming home you couldn't see your hand in front of you with the fog, it was awful, we would run into the side of the road & to finish up we pulled up about 6 inches of a lamp post my word it was exciting. We wern't sorry to get home & cold I was nearly frozen. Love I wont go any more of those trips. Dear I am expecting some mail today so I will not close your letter yet. I received one of your parcels yesterday. It had biscuits, sardines & paste. By the note Jess sent she said there were two parcels. Thankyou very much for sending it dear, it was just the thing If I had of been at the front of course. Here we get plenty to eat. Well dear I can't tell you how I got on in this letter the doctor told me again this morning I am going to be boarded. I believe they are sitting on Sunday so I will let you know for certain in the next letter. Of course if I am going back I will be on my way before you get this. I will try & send a cable home if I come & they will let you know. Well love the doctor has just filled in all my paper and he said it will only be a holiday & I am going before the board tomorrow at 2 o'clock so I won't be able to tell you how I get on till next mail if I get 6 months in N.Z.. I don't think they will want me any more because I think it will just about be over by next summer. Dear I will tell you what I want you to do if hear of me coming back & landing in Auckland and I want you to ask your father can you come down home with me so you can get your things ready. I know how long it takes a girl to get ready for a holiday & I couldn't think of going down without you . Of course you could stay at our place and I would have to stay at home for a while & I couldn't do that unless you were with me. Well my love I will have to close now. Hoping you are all in the best of health & hope to see you very shortly.
I am sending you a photo of the Wont a big cuddle be lovely dear
tanks that is a good one of them I couldn't sleep for a week
so dont lose it. The wheels are before we got to it.
When you write put your address on the back so they will be sent back. Tell Forbes.
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A line to let you know how I am getting on. Well dear I received another parcel from you that makes two from you, one from Jess and one from Forbes. I haven't had any from home yet I expect they will turn up in time. Anyrate I hope so. Dear I haven't had any letters from you this week. I don't suppose there will be a mail in for a few days. I wish dear it would hurry up and come. I am always looking for letters. They can't come quick enough. Love I think I get letters more regular than you. I can't make it out you having to wait three weeks for a mail. You ought to get them more regular than that.
Well dear you will be supprised to know I am in another hospital. I arrive here last night. I am just outside of Southhampton. When I saw the Colonel he said he would send me here to see a specialist so I saw him this morning. He didn't tell me anything. He had a look inside of my ears. Now I am having drops put in one ear. I brought some papers up to give him. I think they were my board papers. It looked like them. Yesterday when the doctor saw me dressed up he asked me where I was going. When I told him he laughed and said do they think they can cure you up there and much as to say they can't. Love I don't think they can myself as the other doctors said it will go away on its own, but will take time. Love I feel sure I will get sent home in the finish. I hope I do. I am just dying to get back to my little girl. Love you don't blame me do you. I have had my share of it and it wouldn't be any good going back like this. I would never stand the row again unless I got better so dear you will just have to keep trusting a little longer. I expect they will keep me here a few weeks. Love I wish they would hurry up and tell me one way or the other. I would be so happy if they sent me home. My word I don't think I would sleep all the way over on the boat. I hope to be able to let you know very soon what it is going to be so don't worry to much dear. Everything will come right in the end.
Love I spent a few hours in Southampton on my way up here it is a very nice place. It seemed quite nice getting in a big town after being in Codford. That is only a little village. Today I went up the town there are two shops, Y.M.C.A and a few dogs. It was just like being in the King Country. Oh it is a lovely place of course it is very pretty here. I don't know why they put all our hospitals away in the country. I suppose it is to keep the boys out of mischief. They would never hold them in the towns. I heard C. Taylor has gone away for 3 weeks leave. Lucky dog. I saw Bert, he didn't have a very good time while on leave at Xmas. He as bad. I think he has the Flue. Dear this is a awful place for colds. You wouldn't live here at any price. You never saw such a place for fogs. You can hardly see your hand in front of your face some days and it is always bitterly cold. My word a lot of our boys will die here this winter with pneumonia. This weather would kill anybody.
Well dear I hope you had a good Xmas. I suppose Norm was away in the boat. You will be able to have some picnics this summer. Do be careful dear. I don't want anybody to run away with you what would I do then. There is no chance of that is there dear. I am not afraid of my little girl. I had a letter from my brother the other day. If I go back to N.Z. he said he will come down to see me off. That is very good of him. I would like to see him again. I wouldn't be supprised if he gets married to a nice little Scotch girl. She is very nice, you would be able to learn Scotch then when she came out. I like the way the Scotch people talk. You ought to hear the nice things they say when I told them I had a Scotch girl. Nothing like Scotch is there dear. My word dear you must be a big girl by now. It is nearly two years since I saw you. Love we have a lot of lost time to make up. Look at all the nice cuddles we have missed. Have you forgotten how to cuddle nice. I think I have. Dear it won't take long to learn when we are in each others arms. What a day dear don't you or I will ever forget. The day I land home again won't it be great dear. I expect you are flash this summer with all your nice clothes. Love I would give anything to see you. I hope you are not to flash for Pat. Dear I will squeeze the life out of you. Love we will have a nice little holliday then because you will deserve one and I am sure your people would let you come with me. I will look after you well. What a time we would have. I will take you everywhere. Dear it will be like a honeymoon. Oh love it seems allmost to good to be true.
Dear I am going to have some supper now. Cocoa and bread. Nothing like we used to have. Weren't those glorious days. I will never forget them. We were quite happy then dear and to think this dreadful war spoiled it all. Dear I am not sorry I came away when I did. Nobody can ever say that Pat stayed behind dear I did my bit. My word love if you could only see half I've seen you would be grey haired now. Dear it is funny us soldiers seem to lead a happy life never worry about tomorrow many a time we have said to each other well we will be lucky to last out the day. Dear you seem to get it just when you are not expecting anything. I believe the 18th have arrived. I would like to see West Forbes. They never told me what he was in. I heard he was in the infantry. If I get allright I expect I will run across him. Well love I will close now hoping you are in the best of health and remember me to all. Heaps of Love and kisses dear.
From you Own Boy Pat XXXXX XXXXXXX
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A line in answer to your two most welcome letters I have just received. My word dear I think it is just as well Alex has gone away after meeting you . I see he is still in love with you so I will have to look out. Fancy dear him saying couldn't you be the same as before, my word he has got a nerve after being away from you for over 4 years to think he had just got to hold up his finger & you would run to him! , Love there is only one boy for Dot & one girl for Pat and nobody else has got a chance. Our love is too strong dear. Love it is funny you putting in your letter that you hope we will meet soon. I think there is every chance of that happening. I have been here a week now & there is no improvement whatever. I know dear they can't do any good it makes me wild at times to think the way they mess you about. Some chaps seem to be able to get back to N.Z. & nothing wrong with them. I don't know how they manage it. This is the third hospital I have been in & all the doctors have told me I want a good rest that is the only way I can be cured. I expect I will know something definite from this one in a few days. I am no better now than I was four months ago. There is one dear they can never send me back to France like this, I could never stand the row. Even now if I bend down I get light headed. I think they will send me back in the finish. Dear you needn't worry about this, the ! co!ntinual banging of the gun has made the nerves in my head weak & there is a humming sound in my ears all the time & all the medicine in the world wont shift it. It wants rest & quietness, so dear I don't see how they will do any good here, anyrate dear don't get downhearted I think the only thing they can do is send me home because this cold weather shakes me up.
I see dear you are going out to work again. My word you will be getting a proper slave. Love when I come back I won't let you go out to work then. I expect you have got quite a big banking account by now getting those big wages. Dear I had a nice letter from Forbes today. My word they are a great pair. I hope we will be as happy as they are. I laughed when they said Tut was minding the baby. At first I thought it was theirs. Dear I am sending you some real photos of the tanks. You can get a good idea of how the ground is cut about. Dear I will write on the back of them & there will be six altogether so see you get them. I am also sending you a photo of myself taken with my camera in blues it was taken the other day in one of the wards I was in at Codford. I took it at Xmas. It has come out well. My word dear you must have quite a stock of souveniers by now. When I get back you will have to drag everything out I have sent you & then I will tell you their history. You remember the things I sent you from India well you will laugh when I tell you about them. There is quite a romance about that stuff. . I won't tell you now because you wouldn't understand it but I thought I was going to spend a night in jail over it. I had some great experiences up there. Well dear I think I will sign off for tonight so goodnight my love xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Sunday night :- Well dear I will finish your letter to night, the mail closes tomorrow. I don't know what I am going to write about, I am just stuck for news, Dear I think it is about 40 degrees below zero outside. My word it is cold. If you were living here you would need the hot water bottle. Your feet get just like blocks of ice. I don't think I have ever been as cold as I have been since being in this country. Love I think I must be getting cold feet. You know you can very easily get them in the army. Dot I wish they would hurry up & do something with me. Dear I am just dying to get back to you. Oh love what a time we will have when I get back. Dear I have just had supper, cocoa & a round of toast, it was decent. I often think of those suppers we used to have. Love we were quite happy then. I don't think we knew when we were well off. Oh for those times again dear I hope they are not far off. I will never leave my little girl again. We will be the happiest pair in N.Z. Dear it was quite right what Alex said, I will be a lucky man to have such a good girl. Love I don't think you will ever regret having Pat. I will be very good to you, I think dear we are well matched. Well dear I will close now, hoping you are in the best of health & remember me to all,
Pat xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
dear I would just love a big cuddle
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A line to let you know how I am getting on. I haven't received any more mail this week yet I hope some more comes soon. Well dear I am afraid this will be a short letter. I haven't a scrap of news this week. Dear I haven't heard any more about going home. I haven't been boarded yet. The doctor came around this morning and I was wild. I wasn't feeling to good so I said I have been five months like this and had no cure yet and I am about sick of it. So he said he will board me dear so I expect I will go up on Tuesday.
There is something I can't write down just now it wouldn't do but I will tell you all about it afterwards. Love instead of getting better I am getting worse. I am sick about three times a week regular. I never used to be like this. Today I have been feeling like a washed out dish cloth. I have never been like this till I got concussion. Dear they will have to send me home in the finish but when I don't know. It might be months yet so dear buck up, your Pat will be home sometime. I am absolutely sick of this. I had better not say any more. Well love we are having awful weather we have had no snow here. They get very little here but the cold is awful. All the ponds about here have been frozen solid for a fortnight. The other day it was raining and the ice was hanging off the roof about six inches long. Everything is frozen. My word dear I wouldn't care about living here. I would just love a little N.Z. sunshine now. It would be lovely. Dear I think I will be in good hands when I come back. You will have to nurse me back to health again. I think one week with you nursing me would do more good than they could do here in six months. What do you think dear.
I haven't heard from my brother for a while. He is very slow at writing. I had a Xmas parcel from Mrs Linden and one from kids. They took a long time to come but I didn't do so bad after all I had quite a number. I had a letter from B. Golden the other day. He is in Codford Hospital and been operated on. He didn't say what for. He didn't look to well when I was there. Love this country is enough to make anybody bad. I don't know how the N.Z. boys stand it. My word I am suprised to hear Norm having a row with Alf. I wonder what it was over. I will ask him when I come back. I supose Norm is having a good time in the boat now. Lucky beggar. Dear I often wondered if Mich Haddon ever came away. I see he hasn't. I suppose he is engaged now. I hate the sight of his girl. I don't know how he can get on with her. Dear as soon as I hear anything about going home I will let you know. I am sending you a book by this mail. It is called "Fragments from France." There are three in the set. I will send you the others later on. So dear take care of this one. They are real good. You will have a good laugh when you look at the pictures. Well love I am only writing one letter this week. I don't feel like writing home this week. I haven't any news to tell them. Well my love I will close now. Hoping you are in the best of health and remember me to all.
From your Own Pat XXXXXX XXXXXXXXX
Excuse short letter dear. I am just dying for a cuddle and kiss dear.
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A line in answer to your too welcome letters I received early in the week. I received a letter from my sister and she said they had a cable to say I had Gastritis. I expect it was sent from the hospital of course you know dear what is the matter. They thought it was Gastritis but it turned out to be concussion. Well love I suppose you are wondering how I am getting on. Well I am just the same as ever. I have only had milk for 10 days. Nothing to eat and I was sick again the other day. I told you dear I was shifted to another ward. Well I am back in my old ward again. They couldn't do nothing with me there. I believe I am shifted back here to be boarded. Even when I get boarded they might not send me home. I might be put on a perminent base job that means I won't go to the front again so love I won't be so bad off. I supose it will be just my luck to be kept here. So dear if I don't get back you will have to buck up and behave for a while longer. Everybody here thinks it will be over very soon. I can't see it lasting through the summer. The Germans are on there last legs. The sooner it is over the better.
What a day it will be when we all get home again. Love I will never leave you again. We will be quite happy then dear. I will go mad with excitement to be with you again. Love you remember me telling you if you hear of me coming back to get your things ready to come home with me. Well dear that stands good for when I come back. If I land at Wellington I will come up and bring you down so love it doesn't matter where I land I will take you down home. Dear I don't think your people will mind and I won't be able to stay in Wellington without you. So dear that is my plan of campaign when I get back. I don't know when it will be. I hope love sooner than we both expect. What a time we will have dear. It will seem then if it has been worth being away.
Well dear we have been having some very cold weather. We had snow here a few days ago. All the lagoons about here have been frozen for weeks. It is great to watch the people skating. I believe in London the snow has all tuned into slush and it is up to the top of your boots. It must be awful in some parts of England. I bet it is cold in Scotland. Love sunny N.Z. will do me. They can have this part of the world for me. Dear you were saying don't fall in love with any of the girls here, well dear I wouldn't change my little Dot for the best girl that ever walked. I am quite satisfied and am sure I will be the happiest man in N.Z. when I come home. That is if you haven't got tired of waiting dear and I don't think that will happen. You have waited a long time now dear but I don't think you will have to wait much longer now. Anyrate I hope not. I am just dying to be back with you again. Love I wouldn't sleep all the way home. I would be counting the hours. Oh love what a meeting it will be just fancy after 2 years love I can't realise what it will be like. It will be lovely dear.
Love there are some things I want to tell you but it wouldn't do to put it in a letter. You never know who is going to look at them. You will be supprised when I tell you. Dear I haven't heard from my brother for a while. I expect he is to busy writing to his girl. I had a letter from her the other week. She is a very nice girl not any bigger than you. By the way dear, don't send any more papers. It is a waste of money. I haven't had any since I have been in England. I expect they send them to the hospitals. Well love I will close now as news is short and I hope I have something definate to tell you next mail. Hoping you are all in the best of health and heaps of love and kisses for yourself.
From your Own Boy Pat XXXXX XXXXXXX XXXXXXX
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A line in answer to your two most welcome letters I received yesterday. I see dear you are down in the dumps. My word it won't do for you to be like that when I come back. Poor little girl you have been a long time without your boy but it won't be long now. I might be back as soon as this letter & then look out. I expect to get away in a few weeks now. I this camp I am in, us chaps that are waiting for the boat are just walking about like toffs. We are not allowed to do anything at all. My word dear won't it be a great day when I land back. What a hug we will have. Oh it will be lovely to be back with my darling little girl. I won't want anybody but you then dear.
I was up in the Y.M.C.A. this morning and who should I meet but Bert Golder . He is still not looking good dear. I thought I was shaky but he is very bad. I think he will be sent back unless he improves a lot. He seems to be following me about. He gave me a photo to send to you so I will post it with my letter. Well my dear we are not getting very good weather here. I was snowing hard last night. It is very cold to day. I wouldn't like to live in this country.
Dear I told you about my holliday in the letter I wrote from Scotland. I have strict orders I have to go up there for my honey moon, what do you think of that dear, they were chaffing me all the time about Doris. The girl my brother is going with said I have to take her out one night when she comes out. Dot they are the biggest sports of girls I have come across yet, My brothers girl is just about the same size as you. You would get on well together. She said she is going to tell you all about me when she comes out. So I will have to look out then eh dear. They treated me just like one of their own. When I offered them the money for my board they asked me if I wanted to insult them. What I have seen of the Scotch in N.Z. & Scotland they will do me.
Dear I used to get up to some great tricks. Some nights I would come home late after being at the theatre & I would go in where two of the girls slept & pull all the blankets off onto the floor. Dear you should have been there we were always up to some larks. They were real good sports. I hope my brother brings one out you will like her.
Well dear I think I will put in for a weeks holliday to go down to Portsmouth to my brother. I can get some more if I want it so I will go away. I might just as well be out on leave till the boat goes & loafing about here. Dot I am pleased Norm sold the boat, she was never any good after being on the beach that time. If I was him I wouldn't go in for another one till after the war in case he is called up.
Well dear I have just been and had a nice hot shower & it was decent. I feel tip top now. My word dear you will have to wear all those nice things when I come back. I expect you will be quite flash then. I think dear out of all the things I have seen you in you look best in a dark skirt & white blouse. Dear don't forget about coming away to Wellington with me, you will just have to come. Well love I will have to shut up shop for this week as there is no more news, hoping you are in the best of health, & will be with you again very soon
I had a letter from Forbes yesterday From Your Loving Boy
What a big cuddle we are going to have will you cuddle me like you used to?
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A line in answer to your most welcome letter I received on Saturday. My word dear I nearly fell through the floor when I read about you nearly getting drowned. Dot I don't know what I would do if anything happened to you. It wasn't nice of you to say you wouldn't have cared and I could have the girl here. You know as well as I do that the girls in this country don't worry me and if every boy has been as true to there girl as I have been the girls in N.Z. would have nothing to complain about. Well dear I won't say any more about it because I know you can trust me and I want to write a nice letter because little girl you want something to buck you up. I often get that miserable I feel like doing anything but I always think of my little girl. You should have heard the chaff I had to put up with in Edinburgh. They were always telling me I was love sick and I believe they are right. Dot if it wasn't for you I wouldn't care whether I was alive or dead. Dear you will have to be very careful when you are swiming and not get out over your depth and never forget that you can trust your Pat. There are things I can't talk about in letters but dear I will open your eyes when I come back. Dear what I have seen of men I don't think you have got such a bad boy after all. So dear buck up. I hope to be with you just as soon as you get this letter. Of course I don't know when I am leaving here but I expect it will be in the next boat. All I am doing here is waiting for the boat.
What a time you are going to have then. Dear I won't let you get downhearted then. Well dear we are having rotten weather. It has been snowing on and off for three days now. It has been snowing hard all the morning. Everything is covered outside and it is very cold and miserable. Bert went into London on Saturday and Sunday to see his relations. He took his mate with him. I thought he would have asked me to go but he doesn't want me now so he can go to the devil. He always used to say he would take me in if ever we were near London. I can do very well without his company. Keep this to yourself dear.
I stayed home the weekend. I was that miserable I could have eaten anybody. I have got over it now dear. Love I am going to put in for 14 days more leave tomorrow and go down to Bill at Portsmouth. Have enough money. I might just as well be out enjoying myself as sitting here all day with the miserables. We leave our address and if the boat is going they send a telegram. I wish you were here dear. We would have a good time then. I would take you to all the good theatres. I think I spend most of my money there. I like going to them, it keeps you out of mischief.
My word I am supprised at Mick Haddon getting engaged. I never did like her. I think it must be a case of have to. In a letter I had from Forbes he said they had a rotten time away with them at Xmas. They were like a lot of kids and saw some of there carryings on. One trip I was away with them, that satisfied me though it was the limit. I am supprised at Forbes still mixing with them. Dear, I hope I don't see anything of them when I land. I only want to see my little girl. I won't have any time to talk to anybody else. Can you imagine the meeting. My word love I will squeeze the life out of you so you had better have tin ribs on that day or else you won't have any breath left. With all there talk about this country I am quite satisfied with N.Z. You don't seem to have the same freedom here although there are some very nice places but none of them come up to our country and the weather here is just rotten. I don't think the sun ever shines. All the time I was in Scotland there was never one real clear day although the weather wasn't so bad. Dear I just got a chap to take my photo writing this letter so when I get them fixed up I will send you one. I have a lot I have taken all over the place so I will have quite a collection by the time I come back. Well dear I will close hoping you are in the best of health and by the time you get this I hope to be nearly home.
From your Own Boy Pat. XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
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