France
Sund. 17th Sept. 1916
Dear Everybody.
You see I am again in France, for keeps this time. Before this reaches you you will have had a cable notifying you of my having left England on the 15th. I had a very quick move from Tidworth. Had known for about 10 days that I was to go out, but did not expect to get such short notice. I was sitting reading in the lounge about 3 in the afternoon, a thing I had not done in Tidworth before, when the telephone bell rang & McI. was asked for. It was H.Q. ringing up from Sling, & the message was this, “Report Assistant Embarkation Commandant
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Folkstone, forthwith. Train leaves Chring Cross 9.37 tomorrow morning.” Short & sweet, eh! However I simply said it couldn’t e done, & he replied, “Well any time tomorrow, that is unofficially.” that put a different complexion on things. I could have got away from Charing Cross at 9.37 A.M., but it meant an awful rush, & I would have had to look up an hotel at 11.30 at night. However I got the time I wanted, & I rung up Hoopers, needless to say I was to spend the night there, & they would ring up Kate. I left Tidworth 7.35 P.M. 13th Sept. arriving Waterloo 11.30 P.M. Much to my surprise, Kate & the two girls, Hoopers, were there to meet me. We arrived Blackheath
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12.30 A.M. Next morning Bunnie Hooper run up & found out what time the trains left for Folkstone. I thought it would not be till 2 o’clock, but he said 11.45 A.M. from Victoria St. This meant a bit of a bustle, for it was then 9.45 & I wanted to go to H.Q. in London. Anyhow we managed it, after dropping Kate at Waterloo, for she had to be on duty at 1 o’clock. Kathleen Hooper and I arrived Victoria Station 11.35 only to find that no trains went from there to Folkstone at all, but from Charing Cross. Here was a go indeed, only 10 minutes to get back to Charing Cross, managed it however, & only to find that the boast train had gone at 9.37 & that the next did not go until 11.45 the next day 15th Sept.
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I straight way reported to the R.T.O. & made things all right. Had lunch in town that day, went to a Theatre in the afternoon, & stayed the night with the Hoopers again. Managed to catch the train on the 15th all right, & we eventfully left Folkstone 2.30 P.M. arriving France 4 P.M. Stayed there at landing port for 3 hours, & came on here where we are now, arriving 9.30 P.M. We could not get our kits up the first night, so had to dig round as best we could. I managed to find Cap, Grenfell’s bed empty for an hour or two at least, & just turned in. He appeared on the scene about 12.30, & enjoyed the situation as much as I did.
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Nothing would do the old man but I would stay in his bed for the night, this I refused to do, so he did the next best thing, turned out a stretcher, dug up some blankets out of his stores, & I was set up for the rest of the night. Yesterday was rather a quiet day did not do much in the morn. but take up my bearings. At 1.30 a draft of all arms left for the front line, & one or two of the officers that came over with me the night before, were moved on. When my turn will come I do not know, but I am quite prepared when ever it will be. Today we are in receipt of news of an advance of from 2000 to 3000 yds on a fron of 6 miles.
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We have no official news, but we are pretty sure the N.Z. division took part. At what cost the advance has been made we have yet to learn, but cost what it may it has been very successful, & likely to have far reaching effects. Today we expect to hear of more important points falling into our hands. There is no doubt about it now, we have the Germans properly under the whip, & it is only a matter of time. My address now will be
Otago Mtd. Rfls.
New Zealand Expd. Force
B.E.F.
France
Again Au Rêvoir
Your
Affect Brother
E.S. McI.
[Written on back of Page 6]
Address mails etc.
16429 Tpr C.C. McIntyre.
10th C.M.R.
N.Z. Mtd Brigade.
Egypt.
