Land of Milk & Honey
18/12/17
My Dear People
It is time to let you know of my doings again seeing that I am again in a new theatre since last time of writing. I was then near Jaffa & only a few days after we had quite a new experience, it happened that we mounteds had to do a turn in the trenches. The night we took over the front line trenches, our horses of course had to be left well in the rear with only a few men to care for them, was the best we had out of the seven or eight days we had there. The first day we were subject to heavy shell fire but had very light casualties, the same night it commenced to rain & for the remainder of the period it rained both day & night making it very miserable. In some parts of the trenches the water was ankle deep so for lying down & having sleep was out of the question & for a period of about thirty-six hours the majority had to stand this with wet clothing & the shells coming over at times the situation was a very disagreeable one indeed. It gives us some idea of what life in the trenches is like under those conditions & needless to say we don’t envy the boys in France who have that sort of thing many many times worse than what we had it. Personally I was lucky as I only got wet about the feet however I managed to keep
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the upper portions dry I don’t know but I did and was one of the few fortunate in that respect. However the experience was good for us & we appreciate more fully the worth of the infantry since. We were all very much pleased the night we were relieved luck coming our way that day as it came fairly fine & we got things fairly dry for our shift which happened to be in a backward direction. When we picked up our horses & moved off it was about nine so we had a cold dirty ride before us in many places it was like a stubble paddock in Southland after a heavy burst of rain. About one a.m. we landed at our destination & for a couple of days had decent spell getting shaved washed etc, the which, we had been without for about ten days in most cases. After that another day saw us moving again still further back to where we are now somewhere between Jaffa & Gaza with Jerusalem away to the east. Since getting here we have been having a pretty good time although our surroundings are not equal to those further north. This southern portion although very rich country, of a grand undulating character, is practically bare, only a villiage on a nob here & there, not even a tree to break the distant view. There is not the amount of plantation or settlement here there is further up where it is just a mass of both orchards & villiages also a greater number of Jews & some foreign peoples.
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On Saturday night I had a little shock on returning to the bivvy, after being absent for about an hour, in the shape of a fire on a small scale. I went away leaving the light burning expecting my partner in the firm to be back in a very short time but it happened we both were out visiting with result as before stated. Luckily our neighbours came to the rescue before a great amount of damage could be done & our stock of household goods etc was none the worse. I am pleased to say I was the only loser but I lost all shaving out fit as well as writing material & a letter I had written that afternoon. However as the canteen is here and one or two have gone to Cairo today I should be set up again in the course of a few days. Strange to say that was the only hour since or before that there was not one of us about the bivvy. Long ere this the capture of Jerusalem will have reached you & with us you will rejoice over the fact that the famous city is in our hands. Of course there was no NZ troops in action for that we being in another quarter but the morning before we left the trenches that was the good news we got. Some of the boys were lucky enough to get over & see it which I hope we shall all do in the near future & under more peaceful conditions. According to their
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accounts it is a very decent place & they received a warm welcome by the people. Our boys went over to & represent our little isles at the hosting of the flag & the entry of British troops into the city. After being so long away from canteens etc we had a great day on our arrival here when they was a few stores about for about a couple of days it was get in & get all you could. My word Xmas is approaching & one can almost say it is here, a week today & if we are left alone until it is over we should be able to enjoy it so far as possible under the conditions. It is just three days over twelve months since I joined the Brigade before the El Arish fighting last year. Few of us thought then that in twelve months we would be this far advanced into Palestine. It is a treat to be on a good hard going again but when it is wet we would prefer the sand the mud here gets so hard & sticks like glue to horses & clothes however we don’t look forward to much rain & let us hope we don’t get it. I got the Otago Witness of Aug 28th yesterday so have had a good read of it & observe the conditions on the whole are favourable. We are expecting a mail any of these days & know one is on the way hope it comes soon. I had a letter from Kate a few days ago & they seem to
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be having a very strenuous time when she wrote but she expected to be going on leave any time so that should do her a deal of good. Now I think I must stop for the present. Since coming out I have felt in great form & have been living pretty well bar the few days in the trenches. Hoping this finds all in the best of health & spirits preparing to enjoy the Xmas Season.
Your Affect Brother
Charlie.
P.S. I received while up north you tin of lump sugar & tobacco all in good condition. Kind regards to all. Having Rabbit for tea “What Oh!” Ch.
