[Oct 1915]
D Company 8th Reinforcements
Dear May,
As you know we have just finished the trek from Tauherenikau to Trentham & as far as we know it has been a great success & was about the most strenuous part of our training by no means the least enjoyable. The last day we were at Tauherenikau it rained all day & we couldn’t get outside the tent so we had a sports meeting in our tent & wrestled & fought & tumbled over each other like a pack of kids. It was the liveliest bit of sport we had here, no one had time for anything but foolery. We had a medical inspection during the afternoon & three of our chaps were out at the time so we told them they had to report at the Lieut’s tent at 6pm. Of course they strolled up & after waiting for 1/4 of an hour he turned up but he knew nothing about it so laughed at them & sent them back. We were all watching out under the tent & when they came back they were going to play up a bit so we told them it was a newly appointed Lance-corporal next door who started it. He is a big soft coon & they all went in to
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give him the fright of his life. They threatened to do all sorts of things to him but very soon found that he knew nothing about it & began to realise that they had reached the second stage of the joke so to keep it going they said that they had told the Lieut that he had sent them & the Lieut was going to kick up a big row with him for starting these rumours. He got terribly excited & wanted to know who mentioned his name but of course they wouldn’t tell & it finished up with him going to the Lieut with tears just about in his eyes & telling him that he was quite innocent. To mix up matters they had told him another Lieut’s name so that when he went up he had to explain the whole position. I don’t know what happened but he has been very quiet since & I suppose the Lieut is still enjoying the joke. During the evening the Masterton Operatic Society came out & gave us a very good concert in one of the big marquees. At 10.15 we were supposed to have our lights out but our kits were packed & we had to sleep on the floor with 2 blankets a piece so we weren’t anxious about turning in so we blew out the light
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& had a game of no man standing. It was well after midnight before we tired ourselves out & were glad to roll up in our blankets & have a few hours sleep before going on the road. About 4.30 we were out again. The weather had cleared & was looking very promising & we were all feeling anxious to get on the road. Breakfast was on at 6 & by 1/4 to 8 we had cleaned up the lines & were on the road ready for the signal to move. There were 6 companies making a total of about 1500 men & it was a great sight to see them marching down the road 4-abreast. About 9 o’clock we passed through Featherston & received a great send off. The whole population was out in the streets all decked out in their best & they cheered & cheered & handed lollies, cigarettes etc to the men as we went through & every here & there we were met by regular showers of fruit. I’ll never forget it. About a couple of miles out of the town we started to climb over the Rimutakas. It had turned out a glorious day & the rain had settled the dust nicely so we swung in & out round the bend in great style singing & cheering
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all the way. The grade is fairly stiff & we had our full pack on but we didn’t notice it at all tiring. When we had no one else to cheer we cheered across the gullies at other end of the column. The road winds about in great style – reminds me of the Muddy race – but is all the time getting higher & for 7 miles we had a steady climb. Two motors full of Featherston people accompanied us and as we came round one bend we would see them on the next & as we got up they’d throw out a bit of fruit & then dodge along to the next bend. A couple of sporting girls got out & marched at the head of the column for pretty nearly three miles. Towards dinner time we began to wonder how far it was to the top but as we would come round one cliff we would see the front of the line going round the next. It was getting very hot & the end seemed as far as ever at last a great cheer from the front told us that they had actually come within sight of the top. The cheer rang right down the line as it move slowly round the corner. Just below the summit, or rather the saddle, we halted for dinner. It was just 12.10 & although the men were as merry as ever we were all feeling a bit dry. Here we got another of
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the many pleasant surprises that help to make the job so enjoyable. The Featherston citizens had sent up a waggon with boilers etc & as we arrived everything was ready for supplying the whole Battalion with hot tea. Those who had motored up with us helped to dish it out & we just had to send a man from each platoon to get a Kerosene tin full of lovely fresh tea. It was the best tea I ever struck. It was a very pretty little spot with bush along each side of the road & when we halted we fell out & had our lunch under the trees. It was a regular little bush picnic – for over 1/2 a mile there were soldiers sprinkled all along the road with their pannicans of tea & the lunches they had brought with them. As we were to rest there until 1.30 we began to ramble round & amuse ourselves in different ways. Most of the men seemed to fancy bathing their feet in a little creek, while a few of us were busy with our cameras snapping anything that took our eye. At last the whistle blew & we got into our equipment, shouldered our rifles & lined up again ready to finish our march to Kaitoke. You should have heard the cheers as we left the camping ground. We yelled until we were hoarse & they sang “For they are jolly good fellows” as we marched off.
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Most of them followed us to the top of the hill & there was more cheering & as far as we could see, as we followed in & out round the gullies, they stood there waving & we stuck our hats up on our rifles & just about shook the hills with our cheering & singing. You can’t imagine how we felt. It would do you all good to see us. If fellows could only realise how much enjoyment there was in the work there would be no trouble about getting volunteers. Going up hill was lively enough but once on the down grade they started to sing & whistle & never stopped all the way. Of course on route marches we can make as much noise as we like as long as we keep in step & I can tell you we took full advantage of the privilege. About 1/4 to 3 we got out onto the flat & after going a mile or so we came to Kaitoke the place where we were to bivouac for the night. We were marched into a paddock & arranged round the four sides & had our “bedrooms” allotted to us. While the cooks were busy we all went to the river for a splash & then filled in time with hop-step-& jump, wrestling etc until tea was ready. I must admit we were rather disappointed here. We can smile through anything except short rations & now for the
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first time since coming to camp we knew what it felt like to finish tea & still have a good appetite left. However it didn’t trouble us for long for as soon as it got sort of dark we spread our oil sheets & 2 blankets on the grass & were soon fast asleep. I woke again about 4.30 & as we were to get out at 5 I yielded to the temptation to get up early & get a snap or two before everyone was up. Breakfast was on at 6 & we were told to make up lunches out of it as it was pretty scarce we packed the lunch in with our breakfast & trusted to luck for our midday meal. After loading our blankets onto the baggage waggon we set out again at about 8 o’clock to do the next stage of the journey. By the way it was here, at Kaitoke, that we struck the man who charges 6d a pannican of milk & 1/6 for a water bottle full. It is absolute robbery but the men were dry & even if he doubled his charge he would still do good business. However we all felt that he was taking a rather mean advantage of us & he is the only person we met on the journey that we didn’t cheer. The road in to Upper Hutt is very hilly but there is very nice bush most of the way. It was a roasting morning & we felt it very hot & were
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getting a bit dry when they called a halt for 10 mins. Just then an old chap came along on his way to the factory with a cart full of milk. We rushed him with pannican in one hand & money in the other but he just pulled the lids of his cans & said “come on boys” & we dipped out and drank as much as we could & he wouldn’t take a cent for it. We climbed up the wheels & swarmed over the tail board until you could see neither horse nor cart & all the time the old chap looked on smiling & even tipped up the cans & poured the milk out when it got too low to dip. By the time our spell was up we had just about cleaned his cans out but he was a real white man & seemed to enjoy it as much as we did. You should have heard the whole battalion sing “For He’s a Jolly Good Fellow” and cheer as we marched past him & his empty cart. The poor old chap was that happy that he didn’t know what to do as we cheered & cheered. He fairly blushed & I reckon it was one of the proudest hours of his life. I took a photo of the crowd rushing the cart & will send copies later. As we got near Upper Hutt the people all came out & there was more cheering. At about 12 o’clock we marched into Maidstone Park
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where we were to rest for a while & have our lunch. Lunch however was beyond recall but there was a small refreshment room on the ground & while the supply lasted they did great business, however the authorities turned on tea & dry rations so we fared fairly well. The park is a nice place & we spent a pleasant couple of hours there & got a few snaps. About 2 o’clock we took to the hills & did a few miles cross-country work & landed at a place called Wallaceville at about 4pm. We had a swim & a fair tea, which by the way we had to partake of in semi-darkness as we were playing night attack & were allowed no lights of any sort. We drove a few poor cows out from under a row of trees & spread our blankets out for a few hours sleep. About 20 to 2 AM word was whispered round that we were to make an attack at dawn on the enemy’s position about 5 miles away. We dressed quickly & rolled our swags & about 2.30 we were marching silently along the road. By four o’clock we had taken our position & began our attack which lasted for about an hour & a half. It was great sport watching the enemy’s rifles flashing in the dark & I was rather glad it was only blank
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ammunition that was used. After the attack we crossed the hills & came out again on the road about 2 miles above Upper Hutt. It was only about 6.30 but breakfast was not ready so we went for a swim. It was cold but very enjoyable. After breakfast we had most of the morning to ourselves as it was only 6 miles to Trentham & we were timed to arrive at mid-day. From 8 till about 10.30 we had sports meetings in every corner of the ground, officers & men all joining in the games. Cock-fighting seemed to get the best hearing & we had some real good sport. I am sorry to say I ran out of films or else I could have got some good snaps. At 1/2 past 10 we all lined up for the march into Trentham & set off with two bands blowing away good-oh. We soon stepped out the 6 miles & then sticking our heads in the air we tramped into the camp in great style. Three or four big officers were at the gate inspecting as we marched past & I think we made a good job of it. They tell us we are the best disciplined lot & easily the best from a physical point of view so far & all the rest have had at least 5 weeks more training that we have. Only one man failed to finish the trek & he had just come in from sick-leave the night before we left Tauherenikau.
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Now that we are back here we have stacks of room & all conveniences but in many ways I like Tauherenikau. I am satisfied that although the camp here is nearly ideal the place is not at all suitable & can never be thoroughly healthy. It feels quite damp & muggy after being up above. Since arriving here we have spent most of our time at the range but have finished our shooting now & will be marking for the rest of the battalion for a few days. Next week we received the finishing touches & embark on Sat, 13th. We are hoping to make a good showing as we march through Well. as that is what the public judge us by. I think I told you that we expect to go to Persia. Mother’s letter & the hankies arrived tonight. Thanks for the latter. They were the only things I needed that I had not received. Hargest had a letter from the Gore Ladies’ Pat. Com. asking for our address as they were sending us a Kit. I don’t know what it is to contain – it’s a pity they don’t do things at the right time as we are all full up now. However I suppose they mean well. Re the underclothing that I left at home I will wire for it as there is hardly time to write. I will probably send the underpants back but I am supposed to have it all here for Kit inspection.
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The trouble is there is no room in the Kit. I enclose a panorama view of the march that I got from one of the camp photographer. I have a fair number of my own but won’t have proofs ready for a day or two. Altogether I have about 60 camp photos so far. Will have to stop now
Love to all
Len
P.S. In case I forget later never on any account put any of my letters or portions thereof in the paper – neither with or without my name. If I have any news for anyone else I’ll write to them but I could never write a proper letter unless I was sure there was no chance of it being published. I don’t suppose there is much danger but I want to be certain before I leave.
