No. 61289 Pvte. J. Hall. N.Z.M.C. 36th Reinfts.
Ewshot Barracks,
Fleet. Hants. England
Aug. 7th. 1918
Dear Bill
I suppose you will be wondering how I am getting on and where I am at the present time but you would hear from Mary probably of my arrival in England. I had a fine trip across Europe in coming over from Egypt. We were glad to get away from Egypt with its sand & flies, and blazing sun. We had a good deal of sickness there chiefly Dysentery. We didn’t see much of the better class land of Egypt (along the Nile Valley) except when coming through we saw some of it under irrigation; we came through at night so we were
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travelling in daylight for only about an hour in the early morning. We crossed over the Mediterranean from Alexandria to Taranto in the south of Italy travelling from that Port by way of the East coast railway through Italy and passing over to the other side of the country close by Genoa and following the coast round to the south of France and continued on through the middle of that country finally pulling up at Sherbourg on the north coast where we camped with the Tommies and Yankies for a couple of nights before crossing over to England; we were 7 days & 7 nights in the train & slept on the bare floor of the trucks with scarcely room for a mouse to breathe between each of us; yet, I preferred
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travelling in that fashion to anything we had on board ship; the boats never agree with me. I enjoyed the Continental trip very much considering the various discomforts and it was a trip that I want forget in a hurry especially coming through Italy which is a perfect garden from end to end of course there is some evidence of neglect to be seen here and there but that is not to be wondered at considering that all the male population of military age are away from their homes; we saw Grape-Vines all the way through the country and various other kinds of fruits chiefly Almond Nuts and Olives. The holdings are nearly all very small about 10 acres more or less; they have their grain crops in long narrow strips
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from about 1/2 chain to about 2 chns. in width between the rows of fruit trees; the harvest was in full swing when we came through, they were doing the cutting mostly with the hook and in some cases they were using sythes; we saw a good number of soldiers coming home on harvest leave (2 months). Fri. 9th We passed many an interesting old village on the top of a hill with a Cathedral in the centre, the big round Dome being very conspicuous every Town or Village seemed to have this very noticeable object in the middle of it, it would have been a treat to have got a look around some of these City’s and see some of their historical sights. we passed through a very long tunnel near to Genoa so I was told as I happened to be asleep at the time; The trains on this section
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of the line being all draw by special Electric engines; then I was told we passed through an Electric Station covering a few acres of ground, but I didn’t see that either, however, I must have woke up shortly after for I saw part of the City at least with several Factories lit up with Electricity and going strong as in the daytime (this was about 2.30.am.) we passed by one large gun factory and there we could see dozens if not hundreds of newly constructed “Field Guns” I never could find out what Town this was; we seemed to have the misfortune to pass through most of the bigger places by night and then of course Bill Massey’s tourists are not entitled to much information regarding military matters anyway.
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We passed through the famous “Monte Carlo” and several other seaside resorts between Italy & France such as San Remo. Menton, Cannes & Nice. these City’s are not very large but flash indeed; the public gave us a great reception from the windows, balconies, etc as we passed through; we got a good view of some of the ruggid mountains which extend from the lower Alps to the coast. France was less interesting than Italy until we got about halfway up the country then we ran into some better looking country and then again in the north of France is more like the south of England. We landed at Southampton and came straight through to this camp I noticed some pretty good crops of wheat on the way up.
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We are well quartered in this place it is supposed to be the best camp in England and if we got nothing any worse we wouldn’t have much to complain about; we were put through some Gas Mask drill then sent away on Draft leave for 5 1/2 days that 2 weeks ago to day. I went straight through to London first and caught the late 10.30pm train for Newcastle, arriving there at 5.20am. I went out to Whitley Bay in the forenoon by Electric train; Uncle Willie was much delighted to see me he is a very fresh and active man for his age (75 years) and he enjoys taking one out for a walk around the Bay. He shows a good deal of resemblance to our Father in different ways. I managed to get him round to the
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Photographer’s and had his Photo taken he said he hadn’t it taken for about 30 years before. I hope to get some good prints to send over to N.Z. though I will have to wait a while I’m afraid as the Lady who took the Photo said she wouldn’t be able to have the Proofs ready before three weeks time so goodness knows when the Photo will be finished. She said it was impossible to get labour. These, two young ladies seemed to be running the show themselves. Well, now Whitley Bay is a very pretty little Town and very much patronised by visitors from Newcastle and surrounding places. Uncle Willie told me that he had received a handsome present from Andrew and Yourself; he says he finds it rather difficult to make the business pay at the present time owing to
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increased rates, and rent and it seems that Boarding house keepers are not allowed to raise their Tariffs since the commencement of the war which I think is surely a gross injustice. He says that Aunt is not a very good manager in the way of making ends meet, she is very kind and liberal in the way of feeding people and she is a splendid cook too, she has a Niece of hers with her helping her in the house, I am sending you a few postcards of the Bay I stayed with them two days & nights then went on as far as Edinburgh saw some splendid country between there and Berwick the potatoes & wheat particularly catching the eye there was also some splendid hay crops being taken off.
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I stayed an afternoon and night in Edinburgh then left by an early morning train for Selkirk where I arrived about 9.a.m. Selkirk is a nice little Town on the side of a hill and reminds me of an up country Town in N.Z. Willie Waldie lives in this town, he is married with 5 children & had been in the army now for several months now he being in the Medical Corps and is stationed at Oswestry as an Hospital orderly; he was home on leave when I was up there he & his wife were over at Askirk that day that I called so I saw the most of the family Maggie was also at home having her summer holidays so Andrew was the only one whom I
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did not see, he is a Bank Manager at Leven on the north side of Lock Forth somewhere. Mrs Waldie is 80 years old past and she is getting pretty frail but she can move about pretty well yet. Willie took me along by the Church for a walk and I saw the head stone there with inscriptions of our foreparents on it, it is a rough faced stone but the writing is deeply imprinted and plainly visible there are some very ancient Tombstones there dating back to the seventeenth century. I saw one very old one there it must have been to the memory of a bushman for it had raised on the face of it:- a man’s face, a pair of leg bones crossed, an axe, and a saw. I don’t remember the date on it if there was any
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there at all. I really forget now well, now I didn’t have very time to stay in Askirk. I had to leave again the same night as I went there so I hired a car and went round by Lillie’s leaf and there saw John Gray for a very little while only, and then went on to Hawick to catch the train for London coming by way of “Carlisle” on the “midland” railway of course I had to travel by night both ways so I didn’t have a chance to see what the country was like. I have written to Andrew and am going to write to each one of you as fast as I can get them written so the news will be much the same in each. I will have to stop now hoping you are all keeping well as I am at present. Yours,
Bro.
John Hall.
