France
(Ealy Feb)
1917
Dear Mother,
We are having a touch of real winter weather just now. About a month ago we had about 6 in’s snow & it has frozen hard ever since. The weather is clear & the roads are quite dusty but there is still two or three inches of snow left and all water is frozen to a depth of 9 inches. It is all right to have the mud all frozen hard but it is bitterly cold looking over the parapet especially when there is a keen wind blowing across the snow. The second night we were in the trench after the frost set in, the parcel containing the scarf etc. arrived & couldn’t
[Page 2]
have come at a better time. I have worn it almost continuously since. Mr Pratt’s parcel arrived a few days later. He sent a big cake & a lot of other stuff including a packet of jelly crystals which caused some little amusement until Mark got a spoon emptied the packet. I think all the pcls sent me at Xmas have arrived. The parcel of biscuits short-bread etc. landed about a fortnight ago in lovely condition. We have had a fair amount of cake &
[Page 3]
the biscuits were a nice change. You mention some thing about sending a second balaclava but I am not sure whether you said you had posted it or not – at any rate it has not arrived but of course I am not in need of it at present. Your letters 22 & 23 came last night also another bundle of Ensigns. Mr Bagrie had evidently not got my letter when you wrote but it should have arrived very soon after. I didn’t write them quite so soon as I wrote to you because I thought at the time that Albert might have got away wounded & I waited hoping to hear from him. However I only waited about 3 weeks after the advance
[Page 4]
so that the letter should have reached them early in Dec. but our postal arrangements seem to have been a bit upset about that time. About those photos that Albert had taken in Trentham I can’t remember which of the photographers he went to. I think the best way for Mrs Bagrie would be to take the photos to Rogers or any of the photographers & have it copied. It shouldn’t cost much & the result should be just as good as the original copy. Of course once he has copied it he can do any number of prints.
[Page 5]
Bill Millar who came away with us is still going strong. He was right through the Somme business & has not had a scratch. At present he is on a more or less permanent guard job a few miles behind the lines & has been away for 6 or 8 weeks but is still attached to our Coy. Dick Hume joined up about a fortnight ago but is in the second batt. I saw him for a few seconds one day last week. Geo. Moffitt expects to leave for N.Z within the next week or so. He is going back to get a commission & will be coming back again if the war is not over. He thinks Duncan will be going back about the same time. My turn for leave to
[Page 6]
England is coming closer & I might get away any time after the next 4 or 5 weeks. We get 10 clear days in England. I don’t think there is any more news this time. If the writing is any worse than usual you’ll have to excuse me as I have my forefinger bandaged up, & it’s a bit awkward.
Love to all
Len
Ruth’s photo & letter arrived alright. I think she looks a bit like Ewen
[Page 7]
P.S. That photo Mother cut out of a London Paper is evidently the same as one that appeared in the Otago Witness a bit later. I saw it the other day, but although it is a crowd of N.Z’s alright it is not us. Strange to say that is the job I have been on since before the Somme – the cart contains the Lewis Machine Gun with its spare parts magazines etc. We are allowed to put our
[Page 8]
packs, & sometimes our rifles & equipment on top of the cart. It is all right on the march on a a good level road, but it’s no good when we have to abandon the carts & carry not only our packs but the gun & gear too. The picture might just as easily have been of our Coy., in any case it is worth keeping as there are not a great many photos taken of the N.Z. in France. The tarpaulin-covered trucks Mother mentioned are 3 ton motor lorries. There are thousands & thousands of them here.
