France
17/12/16
Dear Everybody
Sunday again & I am sitting in a cold old billet about a mile behind the line. We have come out for a rest after spending 8 eventful days up there. I have been amusing myself for a while with a very fine Gramaphone the Col. bought for the Coy. some splendid records too, he is very fond of music & realizes that the men are too. At the moment one of the men is playing beautifully on a piano, also provided by the Col. for the use of Coy’s in turn. The player is an young fellow Sheean, & he plays beautifully, & by the hour too.
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In the few minutes he has been playing he has managed to gather practically all the men in billets around him. I never met such a number of men so passionately fond of music. It was a happy thought of the Col. & the men do appreciate it. Since writing last events have moved rather rapidly in our little world. Whilst in the line we had in this Coy. a very unfortunate bombing accident resulting in the death of the Sgt who was handling the bomb, & the wounding of two officers, one the Coy.
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Commander & the other a Subalterm. The unfortunate Sgt was only back a couple of days from a school of instruction, & just last night Col Charters told me his report had come to hand from the school, & that he had received a (Very Good) in all subjects. The Coy Commander Capt Beris by name was only slightly wounded in the arm & leg, but Lt France was pretty badly hit in the thigh & both arms, not dangerously though. I was in the support lines when the accident happened, some 300 yds behind the front line. The Coy Commander
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was able to walk down & told me what had happened. I went up straight away & there found poor old France half dazed having his wounds bound up & the Sgt lying dead in the cook house. There was no time to waste & in a few minutes we had done what we could for France & sent him off to the dressing station. The Sgt too we sent back as soon as possible. This left us with only another Lieut & myself in the Coy. Since joining the Batt I had been acting as 2nd in command & now found myself in charge of the Coy. Two days
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afterwards we were relieved in the front line & when coming down I met Col Charters. He then told me that I was to take over the 4th Coy, & I have been running it ever since. Since taking charge of the Coy I have been pretty busy getting a grip of things in general, consequently have not had much time for writing. In taking over I found the Coy in a pretty bad condition & the Col intimated as much, & asked me to pull things up a bit. I am pleased to say that up to the present things have improved considerably & that I am meeting with, just that support that is required
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from H.Q. & from the N.C.O.s & men alike. They are a fine lot of men & appreciate much more a definite system of routine, than being allowed to run along much as they pleased. The old Coy Comm. was an R.C. & a red hot Home Ruler & was not beyond airing his views; you know the rest. When joining the Batt I little thought that within a fortnight I would be a Coy Commander. However I feel much more satisfied & at ease than I have done for many months. It is something to have something definite in hand & a goal in view. To have a C.O. who holds out a helping hand & an Adjutant
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one does not hesitate to appeal to when in doubt. I see plainly now why I was not put with Hargest’s Coy & though a little disappointed at the time, am reconciled now. I suppose you know by this that he is a Temp Major, was promoted shortly after arriving back from the Somme. His is a most remarkable position, there is not one like it in the whole of the N.Z. Division. His rank at present really is a 1st Lieut. but in consideration of the splendid work he did he has been given his present rank. He is second on the list
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for a confirmed Captaining & I am next, what do you think of that. Hargest is a little indisposed just now & keeping to his bed. They are very careful of him & do not let him take many risks from a health point of view. We had some very interesting little incidents while in the front line. At times old Bosche’s artillery fire would become very intense, & then ours would open out & close him down in a very short space of time. One night, just as we were having tea Fritz opened out with numerous guns of all calibre, & sent
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shells of all descriptions. Amongst them were a good number of Tear Gas, needless to say we wept copiously. This is the first time I had met with it in action, had been through it for instructional purposes. Fritz commenced about 6.30 & at 7 he did not show any signs of easing off, & we did not know what the devil was happening, so we rung up H.Q. & asked for retalitation. At 7.10 our guns opened out, Oh! it was great music. In a few minutes Bosche had had enough & closed down. However at 9 o’clock he sent over a few more in quick succession
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but nothing happened. Through it all we did not have a casualty, despite the fact that he plastered both front line & supports. The Tear Gass is awful stuff, has no other effect but makes the tears simply flow from your eyes. Of course we had our goggles, but foolishly did not put them on soon enough. They are absolutely effective. The gas hangs about for such a long time, next morning it was plainly felt, but not bad enough to make us wear our goggles again. The day we came out Fritz had another straf at us, but not just on our sector, this
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he was a little more fortunate & inflicted one or two casualties. The sector I was in the line was only 80 yds apart, but it has been made so hot for Fritz that he does not hold it very strongly. As for fighting from it, this he rarely does. As a matter of fact our patrols have been into his trenches frequently & they report them in a very bad condition. The mail has just come in, & I have received a fine fat parcel from Kate for Xmas. It contains a beautiful cake & a tin of Coffee & milk. This reminds me, you remember the tin of cocoa & milk you sent me, it was very acceptable during our turn in the line.
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The parcel from Kate is all that has come for me in todays mail. However I can not complain for I received my N.Z. mail several days ago, as a matter of fact the day after we came out of the line. By having them addressed c/o of Hoopers I get them about a week earlier than other people. The best news we have on hand just now is that we are going into Bde rest for some considerable time, & that we will be here for Xmas & N.Y. We knew the rest was coming off but did not realize until lately that we were going to be so lucky as to strike it too Xmas & N.Y.
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This next business is I believe to be part of our routine whilst we stay in this part of the front, & a very good idea it is too. We are at present following with intense interest the political situation in Blighty & the military situation in both Greece & Roumania. From Blighty we are looking forward to good results on account of the change of Government. Of the position in Roumania we can say very little, but it can hardly be worse. However it appears to me to be only a phase, & we must wait a while to see if Bosche can hold what he has gained.
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We also are in possession Germanies peace proposals, & enjoy reading them very much. For cool cheek I think it is the primest we have had during the war. The new French advance at Verdun is the best answer that could have been given, & it came off just at the right time. Well now I am as cold as a frog & it is approaching mess time so Au Rêvoir for the present. Latest mail to hand is dated 22nd October, & quite representative of N.Z. A good letter from Roland, to which I hope to be able to reply some day.
Affect
Brother. E.S. McI
