France
8-7-1918
Dear May,
Am not sure when I wrote last but I think the time is about up again. I have left the base & am up the line but have not yet joined my Batt. Last Sunday I went over to see them but there are very few there now that I know. I met Bob Fraser for the first time & had a yarn to him also Helm Hume. Billy Hume is with the 10th Coy & is looking well. Bob McKay is going strong but as his crowd were in the trenches I didn’t see him. Mark has been here for a week or two but moved out
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to another camp yesterday. I don’t think I told you that Bill Massey & Joey were here last week. They got a very mixed reception but everyone was so anxious to hear what they had to say that there wasn’t a great deal of interruption. One of our planes flying overhead opened out with its machine gun (a common way of signaling) & old Bill nearly jumped off his perch. Of course everybody laughed & he was bombarded with interjections. “Got the wind-up, Bill?” “Where’s your tin hat?” “Carry on Bill you
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might get a V.C. out of it.” When things quietened a bit he tried to retrieve his reputation by saying that he went to bed the other night & slept right through an airraid, but someone spoilt the argument by asking “how much it cost to get like that.” Altogether we had not a bad bit of entertainment but I don’t know if we are any better off for it. I am still waiting for leave, as usual. Yesterday I put in for leave either to Blighty or Paris. The O.C. promised to do his best but he is only allowed a limited number of passes, & there are crowds of applicants. There is a bit of N.Z. mail in today but so far I have drawn
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a blank. About a fortnight ago I posted to you a tin of war souvenirs, coins etc, also a few illustrations from papers. I hope they get a safe passage. Hope to have more news when I get leave.
Love to all
Len
Enclose a cutting re cakes, rather amusing isn’t it. I can easily prove that is all rot, especially about soldering the tin.
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P.S. This is a letter I wrote over a month ago & must have forgotten to post it. I have just dug it up.
