Palestine
23/1/18
My Dear Folk
I daresay it is time I dropped you a line or two again but as there is not much to write about you cant surely expect much of a letter. Since writing last we have moved forward again and are at present in much better surroundings than we were back a bit. It is over ten days since we shifted but other than a few inspections by one or two of the heads & an occasional visit from our friend Jacko’s aeroplanes there has not been much doing. So far the most danger for us has been the shell casing from
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our own gun fire, when the enemy planes are over this comes pretty thick over us & it is surprising how there is never anything hit by the falling pieces. The other day we had a hard trying ride away up into the hills but it was interesting so in a manner that is compensation. What a difference there is in the nature of the country we passed through by the way going of practically sandy soil then through the beautiful rich flats passing by the way many young crops & plenty of orchards with here & there a tree bursting into bloom. The last part of the journey though was amongst very rough country it being very high and a mass of rocks in some
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places rising as if by steps cut out by human hands. Strange to say, & it speaks for the patience & perseverance of these people, where-ever there is a piece of free ground it is cultivated & in growing crop at present. It is marvellous where they perch themselves & teams on little plots that they can hardly turn the bullock, teams & ploughs on & approached by mere goat tracks. The view we had from the top was a very decent one & for miles could be seen the little villiages of the inhabitants built as it were on the very rocks themselves. However only a few of us remained there, the rest returning with the horses & here we are doing our job & getting as much
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football as the time off our other duties will allow. As a matter of fact it is a case of going every day & if it comes off there is to be a series of matches amongst the different units of the NZ’s. Needless to say, yours truly, is going strong & at present shows signs of being very fit. Today our Regiment played against Auckland but it wound up a draw which is not very satisfactory for either team but we should have won. The last few days we have had bags of mail & I am pleased to say I have all yours up to 18th Nov and a cake as well. As yet I have not received the Oct mail but I believe it has gone to Davy Jones because we
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know some did go that way some time ago. Never-the-less we still have hopes of getting it as we are led to believe some of the mails, were saved. Lotties letter of Nov 16th tells me she was still in Featherston at that date & did not seem at all struck with the place I can quite understand that it would not be much of a place for Nurses. However I suppose long ere this she has left the sunny ilse’s. You seem to be getting along alright with the boys at Orepuki. My goodness one never thinks of them getting any bigger & I suppose by this time they will be getting quite independant. I am sorry to learn that the McNaughtons are having such a
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bad spin Jack must surely have gone back in the people’s estimation to be beaten by such a big majority. Poor old Annie must have had an awful fall & I hope she gets over it alright. The weather has been glorious here lately after having it rough for a day or two on our arrival here it cleared up again but we are still expecting some heavy stuff yet as the season is not yet over. Not very far from us is a huge distillery easily the largest establishment of its kind that I ever saw. Speaks well for the brewers about but there is crowds of them. I have had some of the wine but not enough to make me see strange
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things a very little of it goes a long way especially the sweet wine I prefer the other myself but for all we are allowed it matters little if we never saw any. Of Kate or George I have not heard for about three weeks but last news was good so I can only hope it is the same now. Now I think I must ring off as there is nothing fresh & the bed is ready to turn into am going out to do a few hours piquet about midnight and it going to be quite frosty. It was a white one last night. Strange I was thinking of Mrs McNay a few day ago & could not remember if she were still alive. What a ripe old age she
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lived to be she must have been the oldest of any of the old people round about. Must stop hoping this finds all as fit & well as it leaves me. “Cheerio!”
Your Affect Brother
Charlie
E.O.E
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Just had a big piece of cake before turning in its the one you sent for the 6th Nov & is lovely. Ch.
