Palestine
15/8/17
Dear People
I am writing this early this a.m. the hour is about eight thirty, you will be saying surely there is not much doing, but such is not the case. The last week has been a very busy one out of five nights three were spent out of camp we went out just about dusk & returned as it was breaking day or perhaps a little later each morning. Last night I went back to a station a few miles back to bring up some reinfs & on arriving back found a very welcome budget awaiting my return. So far as this mail goes I think the reinforcements arrived before the main body however they got here all safe & that is gratifying. All up to 27/5/17 from N to B arrived also I from each of Kate & George both from France. They were both in fine spirits at time of writing as also were the home folk but evidentally have the same complaint, too much rain & cold weather. Sorry to hear that you Jessie have not be quite so good as usual but hope that you made a complete & rapid recovery. Kate spoke
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of Ernie having had a few days leave in Eng but arrived just the day before she left for France. She did not say what date it was but George wrote on the 21st July & said that he had seen Ernie before that but not since coming back from his ten days furlough but had heard that he had been wounded a day or two before that so that I gather that it must have been some after getting wounded that he died. I am eagerly awaiting another letter from Kate or George to get some of the circumstance in connection with his last few days. Perhaps when Kate was over there at the time she would probably have been with him at least we hope such was the case then we will get fully what we all dearly wish to know. We hear today that there is something doing for us in particular perhaps not many hours distant but whether there will be anything of a serious nature one cannot say. As we are now up against the enemy it is hard to say what might or might not happen within the space of twenty four hours we may be here & twenty miles or more away by night fall. At any rate I feel within myself that we have got
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got the enemy on his toes here just now but never-the-less when the time comes he will give a good account of himself & let us know that we are not going through without some opposition. So Mr Massey & Sir Joseph have arrived home what a great tour round they have had. I expect there will be much talking & big things doing in Politics when they get fairly going again. You have had a visit from G.H.E. since he arrived safely back in N.Z. I am pleased to hear that he has made a good recovery & I daresay is just the same old stick. Am also more than pleased to hear of his progress evidentally the trip home is the means of a great number of the returned getting over or stalling off a great deal of their troubles. Just ask Lin to send a reminder sometime when he has a few spare moments. The letters from Coronation I also received last night & am pleased to hear all is going well with you it must be a draw back getting to school the way the trains are running but I suppose by this time there will be an improvement.
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You Rolly will have to be more careful getting about with horses or one of these days you may have a nasty fall. I hope that your arm is not giving you any trouble now. It was rather a calamity losing one of the dairy herd. Now I think I will have to ring off for the present my store is about exhausted. It is just as warm & dusty as ever about here although some parts are showing a little more green I suppose it is on account of the heavy dews & some foggy morning we had some time ago. Will be doing some throat gargling in a few minutes so use your imaginations a little & picture the crowd at it. Must stop. Hoping this finds all in the best of health & spirits as it leaves me the same. Tell anyone that if they don’t hear from me it is not because I have forgotten them.
Ever Your Affectionate Brother
Charlie
P.S. You were wondering if I had a camera of my own but sorry to say I have not, I obtain these few snaps from a chap with us. Ch.
