10 C.C.
France
15.3.18
Dear May,
After two months in dock & another few days in a C.C., I landed back here at 10 C.C. a couple of days ago, & was promptly dumped into Hospital forthwith, & am now waiting to be sent to the Base for a Medical Board. There is no denying the fact that the Passchendaele mud got the better of me. I felt myself cracking up and after we’d been 5 or 6 days in mud nearly to our waists, I said if I ever got out of it I’d spend the rest of my days in Hosp. & I can see it is coming true. If I could have got out then I might have been set but you know the position we were in & we had to hang on by
[Page 2]
the skin of our teeth, & every rifle counted. It was a bit disappointing to have to give in to it, especially as I had had such a good spin & had never had a scratch nor a days sickness during my 26 months service. Anyhow it is some satisfaction to think that old Fritz never got one onto me. I don’t know how long it will be before I go before the Board but if anything comes of it you will hear about it long before this letter arrives. If they think the trouble is only temporary I’ll get a spell & then go up the line again, but if I am bad enough I’ll get N.Z., so in either case their verdict will be a bit comforting. I only hope I get as fair treatment there as I have had here. Our Dr here is a white man, treats us as we reckon a soldier should be treated. He is the only one I’ve met who has had sufficient sympathy & knowledge to win respect & good opinion of his men.
[Page 3]
I hope you are not worrying about my condition as there is not the slightest reason why you should. This trench fever is not at all dangerous only it takes months to shake it off. Several times I’ve thought I was getting right but it comes on again. I am out of Hosp. today & hanging around, but soon knock up if I exert myself. Fortunately the weather just now is lovely so that filling in time is not a bad job. I see by a recent paper that the American Drs have discovered that Trench Fever is spread by lice. Personally I think the part they play in it is very small but any how I heard the theory 18 months ago & now the Yanks have “discovered” it. It’s not the yanks’ fault but rather their misfortune that the papers should credit them with being the
[Page 4]
discoverers or originators of of things that were known & used long before Wilson started sending notes to the Kaiser. But the London newspaper is the greatest disappointment we have yet met with. It contains a few distorted facts & prejudiced opinions, & a multitude of sweet nothings. It’s nearly all dregs and froth. News this time is pretty scarce. Dick Hume shifted up here a few days after I did & will probably be here for a week or two yet, but is looking well. I notice a Craig in the Arty has been killed but have not been able to find out if it is Herbert. I have lost his No or would write to the Records Office. There was a Lieut T. Hartley in the same list. Have had no mail from N.Z. but landed a pcl from Dorrie today. I’m afraid Ode’s duff has gone west, hope someone got a Merry Xmas out of it.
Love to All
Len.
