Mother

Lost some of our chums

August 10, 1916

France

10th August, 1916

Dear Mother,

I am still sailing along well. Have seen a little more of France. The people are harvesting now in many places. There are some reapers and binders about but they do a lot with scythe. Many of the crops are self-sown but they will reap very well. There is much wheat that looks like Federation only it grows much higher. Some plows are horse worked, threshers about as big as a winnower. Women and old men are doing the work – and the youngsters.

All the timber about has been planted in rows. Fruit trees are growing along the road in some places. It has been pretty warm lately, a muggy heat that is pretty distressing to work in, but it’s cool at night – too cool to sleep without blankets and we have none. One great coat is on our bed plus the clothes we have on and a waterproof sheet.

When we can we get straw and make a bed. It’s plentiful – so are sheds, barns and stables etc. There are few horses about. They are probably in use for war purposes.

Rabbits are kept in cages and bred like fowls. We see a few hares running around. We shot a few and cooked them. They are good for a change. I have seen some of our chaps get quail and partridge.

I met G. Low recently. He has been wounded in the eyes. G. Irons, Lockhart was killed by a shell, hit in the head on the 27th of July. Poor boy’s body was buried decently by his chums Frank Crane, (our old mail was injured in the same action, but not badly. (Poziers ??)

I saw W. Davies, Lockhart. He is OK.

We got into a big push for a while and succeeded well, but lost some of our chums. 10 signallers got wounded and sent away, none killed.

We are back spelling for awhile now and probably won’t get into action for awhile.

Love to all, Stid

We are billeted in a chateau, but in the stables

July 14, 1916

14th July, 1916

My dear Mother,

We are out for a rest from the front line after three months. We can get a good look around and the country is in great form. The crops – wheat, barley, oats and spuds, we saw the people planting when we first arrived – are just about ripe. Some people are gathering them. They are mostly only small farms about 20 acres of wheat but the crops are very heavy. There is a lot of rubbish in them which they pick by hand. It’s full of poppies and corn flowers. Most or practically all the work is done by women now.

We have a feeling amongst us that this job will finish shortly so we may be home again soon. It seems ages since we came away probable because we have traveled around so much.

I met Frank Crane recently. He has been in the battalion for some time but I had not noticed him. He looked familiar so I asked him where he came from and we soon got to know each other. I saw G. Low yesterday, too. He is getting along all right. I found L. Newth too. He is a tall fellow now, a first Lieutenant in the 4th Battalion. We spent the afternoon together. We are billeted in a chateau, but in the stables. It’s pretty cold at night and not very hot in the day.

Love to all, STID

Ms. Lindsay (of The Bulletin) met me in Lester Square

June 3, 1916

London, 3rd June, 1916.

My Dear Mother,

Seven of us have nine days leave in London.

Could have gone anywhere with my leave ticket but am going to spend it in the city.

Left the trenches at night and got here the next night at 5 o’clock. Had a lovely trip across the channel. I am getting to like the sea. Got a good bath and a new rig out as soon as I got here. Am staying at Peel House and being well looked after. I got 16 guineas when I arrived. we can buy cheaply at different places for soldiers. Have met a few Australian women who would do anything for us. One lady from a station in the Riverina couldn’t do more for me if I were her own son. The people think a great lot of Australians. London is a magnificent city. There is plenty to see and I’m used to great crowds of people now, although it’s a long time since I’ve seen women who speak English. I got weighed. I am 11 stone 13lbs and on account of the marching and carrying a pretty solid load I am not fat. I puzzles me every time I get on a scale see the beam go up. I’ve been a lot of scales to make sure. I first put it on when we left Turkey.

I feel as fit as a fiddle.

We can get free theatre tickets from the ANZAC buffet. They will do anything for us. Ms. Lindsay (of The Bulletin) met me in Lester Square and is asking me home to tea. It is nice of her. She says any boys who have come from the front are hers – that is Australians. I am going to a Masonic tonight.There are thousands of things to write of; there is such a bustle everywhere – I can hardly settle down to write so it’s only an I am well letter.

Love to all,

Stid

Looking for a shell that didn’t explode

May 3, 1916

My dear Mother,

I got a couple of letters from home during the week.

Mrs Myers sent me some reading matter. That was nice of her, wasn’t it.

The people here just finished putt in their crops and they are growing nicely. They sow much heavier than we do and they come up very quickly like hedges. The soil is soppy wet, 14” deep. I’ve been down that far looking for a shell that didn’t explode and stopped when I came to water. In the little paddocks the grass is a couple of feet high- everything in blossom. The place looks lovely. They get the greatest wheat yield in the world about here. There is not room for a big paddock but every space that is not built on is cropped. All the trees have been planted in rows and are pruned each season for wood.

I have been in the trenches for three sessions.

There are a couple of McCormick reaper and binders near our line and there are single furrow plows everywhere.

I am to get a trip to England next week on furlough. There are not a great many original men in the battalion and we are getting a holiday in any part of England we like – with a railway pass that will take us anywhere so the next letter you get will probably be written there. I have a couple of addresses to go to there that Aunt Grace gave me. We got the english papers one day old here so we are well off for news.

I think the Irish rebels want shooting very badly.

I saw 115 big shells drop round one of our guns recently. Some did not explode and I lowered an ordinary shovel down the hole. It made 12” to water. How much further it went I do not know. They make a very violent explosion when they go off.

Best love to all, Stid

The farmers are finishing sowing wheat

April 25, 1916

April 25th, 1916

My dear Mother,

I am getting along well. Had several home letters lately and one from Mr Ogilvie.

The big wheat yield is good, isn’t it! We got a Sydney Mail with a photo of a big stack of wheat. It’s a decent change after the season before.

I’ve been in France for about a month. It’s a lovely country and very heavily populated.

The farmers are finishing sowing wheat and many crops look splendid. They are mostly small paddocks. Many are only five or six acres but it’s all cultivated with a single furrow plowsmall harrows and drills with four chutes. Women are plowing and sowing.

it has rained every second day with five or six straight for a change, but it is the wet season now. All the fruit trees are in blossom, all the timber is planted and they prune the firewood each season. I could count as many villages as we have houses at home. Most of them have big buildings. All the farms have mileage pits. I could tell the age of farms by the number of silos and each is a bit bigger than the last. They build almost every farm house the same – the same four buildings all joined with a 20 yard square patch in the middle where all the stable manure input in winter. When it dries out it is put on the ground in springtime. There is a lot of smell that comes from the piles. We are billeted in a farm. There is a McCormick R.B. here too.

We have had two periods in the trenches. We get as long out as we spend in the firing line and get a good hot bath and change of underclothes when we come out. We are much better off here for comfort than we were in Turkey and so far it has not been nearly as strenuous.

Some kisses for Nona.

Love to all

Stid

Moorhouse is nearby

March 13, 1916

Ismailia.

March 13, 1916

My dear Mother,

I got letters from Claude, little Aunt and home yesterday.

I was very sorry to learn that you had a nasty fall I hope you soon get well and strong again.

It must be good to get a good season and have fat stock again.

Gavin Lowe gave me some home papers

Moorhouse is nearby. George Moncrieff is getting along O.K.- also W. Davis and Roy Orme. Lockhart is well represented here.

We got to look into our kit bags with all our private odds and ends that were left in Cairo when we went to the Peninsular. We can sleep in pyjamas for a change. We get to swim daily in the lake that the Suez Canal runs through. It’s a treat to be clean again.

Ismailia is very pretty with palms and creepers and bamboo. There are some carved stones and a little sphinx in the gardens. Some of the boys just brought in a little desert dog puppy they found in a burrow. they want to make a mascot of him. He is such a pretty, fluffy little chap.

Love to all and tons of kisses for Nona.

Boggy roads in Lockhart

March 1, 1916

My dear Mother,

I got 3 letters from you during the fortnight and a couple from Little Aunt. They were very welcome too.

I am getting along all right. Very glad to hear you are likely to get a good season.

I was talking to G.Lowe a few days ago. He was pretty interested in Lockhart having boggy roads. It’s a good sign in a wheat growing district.

I met a G.Aspinall; I went to school with him in Echuca. I have met a lot of young men I used to know – more than I expected.

Jack Chanter sends his best.

Regards to Dad.

Saw Young W Davis. He wants you to tell the Dr that he is doing well.

There are many sides to this business and it’s very interesting and I have the privilege of being a lucky chap so far. I see a lot that is strange to me. There are humorous pieces at times, too, but it is pretty serious business. It will do a lot of good to those of us who are fortunate enough to go right through.

We have had a good many issues of Ciggaretts? since we have been here. Shows somebody is looking after us.

I like the boom of the man-o-war guns.

Love to all remember me to Mr & Mrs Wormald

Your loving son, Stid

X XXX XXX XXX X XXXX

Date estimated (two letters in same envelope, other had date of Sept, postmarked Dec)

I will keep an eye out for Verdi

January 11, 1916

My dear Mother,

I got a pile of letters from you and the kiddies today and was very pleased to get them.

Sorry poor Harry has passed away. I will keep an eye out for Verdi.

I am in Egypt again, doing well – only got here yesterday.

Glad you are getting a good season. Will write again. Haven’t been able to post for some time. Unavoidable.

Love to all Stid.

Near Ismailia

January 5, 1916

My dear Mother,

An officer is going to Cairo so letters go too- in five minutes.

I am near Ismailia on the canal. It’s pretty dry.

I met Norman Ogilvie and Stan three brothers Hore and R.Orme while in Cairo.

I’m glad Fell got on so well in his last exam. Will write again soon.

Whysacts sent me a nice Christmas billy.

Love to all

Stid.

Sheepskin vest

December 8, 1915

8th December, 1915

My dear Mother,

I am getting along well.

There is much to interest me here. The work is very interesting. I’m getting to know it too, and the more I see of it, the better I like it.

Our officer is very keen and a good fellow as well.

I got a note from Norman Ogilvie today. He is not very far away and I am looking forward to meeting him.

I am glad you are having a good season. Isn’t it godsend after last year’s drought.

I got a nice parcel from Lockhart containing a sheepskin vest among other things. It came in season. The weather is getting cold now and we had some snow last week. The water in our bottles froze solid and we had pretty cold feet. While the ground is solid it is not too bad, but when it thaws it is sloppy.

Love to all, Stid