France
21st Oct 1916
Dear Everybody,
It is 9.30 & I am only a few minutes finished dinner. As a matter of fact as I write, the good lady of the billet is just clearing away the dishes. I had one of the other officers over for dinner tonight, & he too is not long away. He brought along a very nice packet of mail although they are a fortnight older than some received a few days ago. They are dated 14/8/16 while those received a few days ago are dated 28/8/16. These were letters from the children at Cornation, & it is very nice hearing from them, they remember such a lot of interesting things that all the rest of you forget. I was very interested to hear what Eileen & Rolly had to say about their exams, & am glad to hear that they are getting on so well. Norman must have been too busy with his music to write for there is never a word from him, perhaps next time, eh? Well now I think I had better
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start from today & work backwards to the date on which you heard from me last. That was 18 days ago, I have to keep a roster now-a-days, or I would never know who I had written too, or when. Well then! Last night we had a h_ of a night, for about 3/4 of an hour it simply rained shells. The cause of the strafe being that the British were sending over several raiding parties. I never have in all my life heard or imagined anything like it. The sound of the big guns firing was just like machine guns being fired, there were so many of them & they were firing so quickly. This old house was rattling the same as if it was a long continuous earthquake. I certainly should not liked to have been in poor old Bosches shoes.
However this afternoon he more or less got a little of his own back on us, for he managed to get one of our captive baloons down in flames, quite close to where we are.
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It was one of his planes that did it too, must have come over very high up, it was practically on the baloon before it was spotted; then there was some fun. The plane came in very low & dropped a bomb or something onto it, & it immediately burst into flames, & fell very quickly. The occupants did not attempt to get out until they were within about 200 ft of the ground, then they appeared to have jumped for it. Something must have gone wrong with the parachute for they did not appear to use it. Have not heard yet whether they are still alive or not. Sunday afternoon & not much doing. Heard this morning that the aeroplane that brought down the baloon yesterday was one of
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our own, captured by the Germans some days ago. Fancy the dog having the face to use it against us. No wonder he got so close without having been seen. The pilot in the baloon was killed by machine gun from the aeroplane, but the observer managed to escape all right. There is a bit of cheek today if you like, for we have another baloon up in the very same place, only today there are two aeroplanes keeping guard over it. The weather is very cold again today, a very heavy frost again last night, & if this is any indication of what the weather is going to be
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like I can see we are in for it properly. In my last letter I think I asked you to send me a couple of pair of socks, well send them made of the very thickest wool you can find. In the meantime I am going to send to England for some, just to keep me going until yours will arrive. I have plenty of socks on hand, but they are not going to be heavy enough for this climate. Last week, I can’t be more precise than that, our division arrived back from having taken part in what is now generally accepted as being the greatest battle the world has ever known, & I don’t think that is any
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exaggeration. There are many sad gaps in the ranks of both officers & men, but yet the spirit and moral of the force was never better. The division as a whole is an admirable fighting force & beyond all shadow of a doubt made its presence severely felt in its last sphere of action. General Sir D. Haig’s report will be common knowledge in N.Z. by the time this reaches you, & will be some consolation at least, to those who have lost those near & dear to them. It is an accepted fact here, as General Haig’s report says that the doings of the division have not been excelled by that of any other division during the whole of the campaign.
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There are not many of the old main body men to be found in the front rank now–a–days, & I am sorry to say that out of those of the old O.M.R. who transferred to the infantry there is only Hargest, now a Temp Captain, & Lt. Findlayson left on their feet. The others have all been put out of action in either one form or the other. However the spirit of victory, despite the losses, leave the moral of the force with nothing to be desired. As of old the reinforcements showed a keeness for fighting usually borne by untried troops, this has more or less disappeared, & in its place there has developed a spirit much more to our purpose for our future operations. In almost every mans face there is unconsciously reflected a grim determination that bodes little good to friend Bosche.
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I am still doing traffic control duty here, & there seems to be very little hope of me ever being able to get back to the squdrn. Not that there is much difference in any case, for I have done considerably more work since coming here than I ever did while with the squadron. So far as I can see there is not much chance of the Mtds getting into action over here least of all the 2nd Anzact Mtd Regt. The work required of we officers is such that I do not think we who are so fit for something more active are justified in holding places which could easily
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be filled by officers who are not physically fit to stand the hardships of the trenches. With so many vacancies in the infantry my position here has become intolerable to me & a week ago I sent in my application for a transfer. On Friday last I had a visit from the Adj of the 1st Otago Bttn, which is the one I applied to get to, & he told me that my application had reached them, after having been through Godley’s hands. It reached them as it was bound to do, asking if the C.O. had any objection to my going to his Bttn. Considering he is the man who asked me to transfer in Egypt there was not much chance of him turning me down. As a matter of fact I had dinner with him a
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few days before & he jocularly said to the Adj that he thought McIntyre was having another attempt to get into the infantry. I did not say anything at the time & he did not press the point so the incident ended by the Adj telling him after I had left, that it was my intention. With our own regiment over strength in officers, & the infantry with so many vacancies, I considered it my absolute duty, hence the step. Perhaps you will not agree with me, if not I can not help it, & will just have to plod along the same, convinced as I am that it was the only honourable course open to me. I was a little sorry to leave Maj Jenkins, but very pleased at the opportunity at getting away from Col Grigor. All the O.M.R. are properly fed up of him.
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The last letter from Rothie is dated 28th Aug. & Charl was down on his final leave. You have never yet told me what his address is, but by his photo, (which by the way, I think is simply splendid), I see he is wearing the 9th Wellington Mtd Rifle Badge, is that not correct. At anyrate so far as I can make out, it is one of the Wellington badges. That being so he is destined for Egypt & not likely to see England, for the present at least. In his photo he looks the picture of health, & has filled out considerably. Nothing like a soldiers life to fatten one eh! There is little doubt about it, but Egypt by the time he will reach it, which
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out to be pretty soon now, is by far the best of fronts to strike at this time of year. France is not going to be any cope I can assure you, however, I have no vain regrets at having left Egypt, don’t think it for a minute. I have had enough of desert life to do me all my life. As regards the Mtd Bde, I should not be surprised if they come in for some very interesting work in that quarter. If not there certainly on a front not very far removed from there. It is our one regret that the old O.M.R. is not part & parcel of that Bde. So long as Charl does not come out as reinforcements to the O.M.R. there is not much chance of him being posted to the infantry, it
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certainly not much of a life for a private. In your letter you said he had sold his motor but did not mention how much he got for it. Have had numerous letters from Kate, & on account of the doings on the ___ they are very busy, full & running over was her way of expressing it to me. However she seems to be in good form, & if I am any judge will not have much difficulty in getting her stripes again. That is unless she flatly refuses to accept them, a procedure I have done my best in trying to persuade her against adopting. In a game of this sort one wants to grasp every straw, & take each step as it comes the same as if you knew all about it. From the Hoopers I know you
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have been hearing, for Kathleen told me she had written you, & that she had sent you a map of the frontier. Really they are great, nothing is ever too much trouble to them. Of Mr & Mrs Hooper you will have heard how they are progressing. Although I do not think they will ever be themselves as of yore, I think they are on the high road to recovery, & if they will only go steady for a while will be quite all-right. Poor little Peters, that really was a good one, when he left his team standing to ride after the other horse. I laughed loud over that. I quite understand all you had to say about him Ruth. I am very surprised to hear that about Lilly Lind, I often wondered where abouts she was
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& if by any chance I should run across her. Well Lottie after a considerable lapse of time I had another letter from you, & your excuse is accepted old girl, but don’t let it occur again, see! Perhaps you will be surprised when I tell you that I am pleased you left the hospital, I was sorry when I heard that you had thought of going back to hospital life. Why tie yourself down to these hide-bound folks when there is no need for it. What about coming over to England, I don’t think you would have much difficulty in getting in over here, & I am sure you would like it. Consider it, & having considered it act boldly. However don’t let me influence you unduly,
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perhaps there are many reasons known best to yourself why you should not think about coming. I think Kate mentioned this to you also, I know we talked it over one day in good old Blighty. Now for Balamona folk I was beginning to think I had offended there too, for there has been an absence of news from that quarter of late. However one came to light this last mail & all seems to be going well. You were just back from having spent a few days in Auckland when you wrote Jane, & Jessie was still there. I hope that when you were both finished, you were thoroughly satisfied with the work done. Were this war nearing an end your cue re Bruces place might be worth considering Jane.
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What sort of a purse would one require. You know we have become used to talking & reading of £100000000 these days. So used to them in fact that I feel sure there would not be much difficulty in handling the retched stuff. If when the war is over Jane there is still an opportunity, we could consider about considering it then, what do you think eh! Well this is an epistle if you like, I hope you will be able to wade through it all. Oh! the cake has not come to hand yet, but still I have not given up hope. I also meant to say I had not heard from Orepuki for some time, I guess the boys are too interesting to allow their dad to write. Now I must be off. I am not going to read this over, if there be mistakes don’t read them, see! Au Rêvoir
Your,
Affect Brother, E.S.McI.
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P.S. I guess this will reach you just about Xmas time. If so when having a good dinner, & a good time, have just a little more for me, I will appreciate it all right. I would give a good deal to be able to be present from about the 20th Dec. till about the 20th Jan. I am not greedy but I like a lot eh! I guess it would be some Xmas & N.Y. eh! I am not going to think just yet how I will spend it. Take a pound from the offer Tom, & put 1/2 on either horse as you think best. If successful, from proceeds do the same at each subsequent meeting, if no bacon put me down one in the lost & strayed list.
A Merry Xmas & Brighter New Year to all.
E.S. McI.
