Gore
16.2.18
Dear May,
Still no mail from N.Z. so as I have a few enclosures to send I might as well scribble a few lines now. I am up & knocking about again but the Dr. says I am still weak. Yesterday I was transferred from our little room to the marquees so I am evidently getting better. Strange to say the bed I left was taken by our Coy Sgt Major, Len Bigwood of Mataura. He is suffering from the same complaint. I think it is a mild form of what they call trench fever. My only regret is that I didn’t have it bad enough to get to Blighty. Now for the enclosures. Most of them explain themselves. There is an odd stamp or two, a couple of fairly typical photos from Flanders & a 2 1/2 d note. I see the English people are talking about issuing a 5/- note & seem to think it will be a great novelty but out here it is nearly
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all paper money from 1/2 franc (5d) upwards, but these 25 centimes notes are rather rare. In fact I am not sure that I have seen one before. I have often meant to send a 1/2 fr note but the chief difficulty is to get a clean one, and at present even dirty ones are beginning to get scarce. However I will probably be in Con. Camp soon & will be able to make a draw. The two photos are no especial interest but are just the sort of sights that are common up there. One gives you an idea of the sort of country we had to advance over, or rather through, & the other is a rather tame photo of the mules in difficulties. This is probably a photo taken on the road & as the mules are harnessed it must have been some distance back. When the roads get too bad for the limbers they pack the stuff forward on other mules (including the poor old infantrymen). I have often seen a mules head apparently floating on the mud but as we get closer it looks up at us, a slight ripple on the slush is the only result of its struggle.
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This morning I posted a pcl containing a “Chronicles of the N.Z.E.F” & a little paper called “The Illus. War news”. The latter has a few rather good views that I have not seen in any of the other papers. The sketches in it are poor but “The Path of Duty” & the picture on page 18 are good. The latter gives some idea of fate of a village that has been unfortunate enough to get in the way. I notice that the Australian off. photos are usually much ahead of the others. Their photoger seems to get well in among the sights. That dud of ours (Malcolm Ross) describing the Passch stunt referred to “roofless houses & leafless trees” in the vicinity. The houses are not only roofless but wallless & floorless, & the trees are branchless & almost trunkless. I can’t believe that the man was ever past Ypres, if he got that far. He is the biggest washout that ever left N.Z., & that’s praising him. Weather is still fine but had a fairly stiff frost last night.
Hooray for now
Love to All
Len
[Written on back of Page 3]
Have just heard that Capt. Bob Fraser is now O.C. of our Coy.
