[Oct 1915]
D Company 8th Reinforcements
Dear Mother,
You will see by the paper that we are to go to Chch on Sunday before we sail. I don’t know how long we will be there but I expect to be able to have a yarn to some of Uncle Frank’s crowd. If I have the luck to see them. We are all bustling today getting our gear & togs all sprayed with disinfectant & the whole show is being turned upside down. We have had an easy week everything is coming with a rush now & it will be a bit of a relief to get onto the boat & get settled down. I am sending home a lot of stuff – will post them in the leather bag. I have got a few stamps for May but pretty well everyone in the hut is collecting for someone. I will also send my negatives & prints. Have got books for some but there are a few loose ones. Will try to get albums in Well. but if I don’t you might try & get something suitable, it is the only way to keep them. A paste-on book would do but you could see what Suckling has. These cost 1/- for the big one & 9d ea for the small ones, you can take it out of my pay. If you get a chance you could always get more prints taken off but
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don’t lose the run of any of them. I have a full kit now of all I require but as time goes on I’ll require more so you can post odd articles to me – anything that might come in handy or that you see by the paper is useful. It will depend a bit on where we are but clothing & food are always acceptable. Packets of dates or figs & chocolates should go well also soap, tooth powder etc, put in a few pieces of string with each parcel & when I have been going a while you can send writing material & lead pencils but I have a good supply to start with. I think it would be a good plan to send a little cash occasionally in case I get on the rocks, perhaps 1/2 a sov. once in a little while would get through alright. If I happen to get into the Hospital or sent Home to England you can send me a quid or so as I don’t want to miss any chances for the sake of a few shillings. I have arranged for 3/- a day to be paid to Dad & I expect you will draw it every quarter so you will keep enough out of that to pay for anything you send. It is probably the only trip round the world I’ll get & I want all the sport I can get out of it so don’t be afraid to send out anything that might help to make the trip a success. An occasional cheap novel might come in handy too.
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I don’t think there is anything else in that line I can think of at present. I have sent two photos – one each for you & Rodie, & hope they get there alright. I made up my mind to get taken but couldn’t get into Well. during the day so tried one of the camp photographers & he hasn’t made a bad job it. I also have a photo of D Company taken at the Park Upper Hutt when we came through on the big march, I will send it today or else put it in the bag. The Hargests were in camp today & Jack brought in the parcels from you. Thanks very much for the contents. We are being well treated & have cake on the table at every meal. There is hardly a day but one of us gets a parcel of cakes. Several of our old cobbers at Gore have sent us boxes and when Jack H came in today he was laden with parcels that had been left at the shop for us. Miss Russells sent a big cake & some lollies & there were two other boxes of cake & one of lollies. I can tell you we are having a royal time, plenty of fun & no worry. Everyone here is so merry, it would do you good to see us. Jack Hargest seemed to be greatly impressed with the cheerfulness of the men. He says ‘ Jove Len they are just like a lot of
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bally school kids’. We are all looking forward to the trip over & hope to have a lot of fun on the boat. Had a letter from Bert today & he says Herbert wrote from Albany & said they were enjoying the trip immensely & he hadn’t been sick once. I believe it gets very monotonous towards the end of the trip & we will probably be glad to get on to land when the five weeks are up. I don’t think there is anything else to write about. I probably won’t get time to write again before we sail but will send you a few lines from the different ports as we go along & hope to be able to give you a description of Egypt before we find our way into the trenches. It is hard to say what sort of experiences we will have to relate before we get back & I suppose we will have a bit of strenuous work but it’s all in the game & I don’t think I’ll ever regret it. I have good cobbers & we will get fun out of it if anybody does. Don’t worry about us we will be alright where we are. Joey Ward was in camp the other day & says the 8th won’t see any fighting but I think he just a little too hopeful at any rate we are only leaving N.Z. & it will be 6 or 8 weeks before we know whether we will get into the fighting line or not and a lot can happen in that time. Tell May
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to write often & tell me what news there is. Will let you know how I am getting on as we go along & will send photos as often as conditions permit. Goodbye just now
Love to all
Len
8/3400 Pvt A. L. S.
21 Platoon D. Coy
8th Infantry Reinfts
G.P.O. Wellington
[Written at top of Page 1]
Enclose 2 parcel tickets have regd the photos & negatives. We are to sail in the Willochra No 35.
