My Dear People,
Just a few lines to let you know I am quiet well, & doing alright. Things are getting quite pleasant here now the weather is not nearly so cold & we see a bit more of the sun. It is quite daylight now when we get up at about a quarter to seven & does not get dark till about six at night.
Anyhow this camp will do me alright, but I am anxious to get to France. The Officers tell me I will have to wait & go with our own men. All the 10/32 are here & they will have to go before we do. So it will be a few weeks before the 11/32 go over, but they have promised to let me go with the first draft. Although I am having quite a nice time here & know well enough that France is absolute H***. I cannot feel satisfied here.
The 12/32 arrived here last night, they had a long trip over 9 weeks the same as us. I expect they will be about the last reinforcement we will get according to the figures of enlistment that I see in Australian papers. I saw in the Record a great account of the Honour Roll at Mt. Bryan & also one for Mt. Bryan East. Quite nice to see our names showing. Frank Richards has arrived here from Hospital he looks jolly well but his knee is a bit stiff. He is working in the cook-house. He tells me that Mat Griffen is in France. Wally Arnolds wrote back & said he had met him over there.
By the way, they caught our old troopship the Afric & torpedoed her as she was going back to Australia. It was just as well there were no troops on her or things would have been a bit mixed. It is a pity for such fine boats to be sunk as the Afric was a fine cargo boat.
I did not go to Church this morning but went to a Lewis gun demonstration instead. This gun can get rid of bulletts at a wonderful rate & it is very easy to handle & fire. It rained a little here the night before last so I suppose the rainy season will soon start.
We had quite an eventful day last Tuesday as the King reviewed us at a little camp called Fovant about three miles away. You see the King was reviewing a division of Tommies before they left for France so he came & had a look at us. It was the first time I had seen the King. He is only a small man & looks rather worried with his responsibilities. Of course he was accompanied by a swag of big bugs but they did not stop with us very long. Of course we all "presented arms" to him.
On Wednesday I went up to London on escort duty. I had 4 soldiers with me & brought back 3 birds for the clinks. I should have had 4 but one had to be charged in London so I could not bring him. We had a very nice trip but we were only in London 2 or 3 hours. I saw a few flying machines that day they just look like big dragon- flies spinning along in the air. There is an Australian mail to come in within the next day or so. We have heard over here that since the new Submarine orders they do not publish the dates of mails leaving Australia. There is one to leave here for Australia within a day or two.
Well, I must close now, hoping you are all well & that things are going alright at home. I have got rid of my cold now & feel very well.
I remain,
Your Loving Son & Brother,
Tom
