My Dear People,
Just a few lines to let you know I am quite well. Since writing to you I have received 6 letters - one for Siss (April 4th) one from Kath (March 29th) one from Aunt Bessie (April 8th) one from Nell (March 31st) and two from Annie (9th and 21st of April). I was very pleased to get these letters and to hear that you are all doing well. I also got my Records and see that there had been a lot of socials etc. around there lately.
I was surprised to hear of the rumour that John Best was married, but I hope that it is true, and if it is I wish him the best of luck. I was sorry to hear that Ralph Thomas had lost his leg. I did not know he had been wounded as badly as that.
I got a letter from Mat Griffen. He is in hospital in England, wounded in the elbow, very near the same place as before. He does not expect to be laid up very long with it this time.
I went and saw Buzz Simmons about a fortnight ago. He looks well and hardly knew me. He was mending boots and says the job will do him - better than carting ammunition.
Kathleen says Mrs. Siegert wanted to know if I had heard anything of her boy George, but I have not been near his Battalion so I have not had a chance to make any enquiries. "Missing" is a very unsatisfactory return in a casualty list. I feel sorry for anyone who has their soldier laddies reported that way. If they are not reported Prisoners of War within 2 or 3 months, there is very little chance of them being heard of again. So I am very much afraid that little Georgie was killed. I see by the Record that Augie Pohler was given a great reception home. Hilda is evidently doing well too with her reciting etc. By the way I hear that she has got herself a returned soldier boy - is that so?
I am very glad I did not order a French tart for John Best if that is his game. Frank Richards and Harry Tralaggan are quite alright. Wally Arnolds is having a spell out of the line this trip, he well deserves it as he has done a lot of line work.
We got some Christmas parcels yesterday and some shirts and socks from the Australian Comfort Fund. It was rather late for Christmas parcels, but they are just as welcome. We often get tobacco, cocoa and milk etc. from the Fund.
I will close now hoping you are all well.
I remain
Your Loving Son and Brother,
Tom.
Showing posts with label digger. Show all posts
Showing posts with label digger. Show all posts
Dublin; February 20, 1918
My Dear People,
Just a few lines to let you know I am quite alright.
I am leaving Dublin for London to-night. I should get into London at 6 o'clock to-morrow morning & will be back at Hurdcott tomorrow night. My leave is up at midnight to-morrow.
I have enjoyed my trip immensely and find Ireland a very nice place. You see they hardly know there is a war on over here and in England things are pretty different. In English towns you can hardly see your hand in front of your face at night, but here there are no lighting restrictions.
I am enclosing a P.C. with a packet of shamrock seed. They tell me they will not grow out of Ireland, but try them and see.
I am also enclosing an account of a breach of promise action. I have been told that during Shrove-tide it is often the custom between farming families to arrange weddings without consulting the wishes of the chief parties at all. The father of the girl paying £200 or £300 to the father of the boy, who must have a pretty decent farm and stock etc. If there is more than one boy in the family, the money is, I believe, divided among them and helps to start them in life. I expect Mum and Dad would have heard of this from their parents, but I did not know about this before. They also tell me that the priest's wedding fees differ according to your means - a poor man paying £5 or £6 and a wealthy man perhaps £20.
I have collected a nice lot of views and souvenirs of Ireland which I will pack and send them to you when I get back to England. I will try and send them by different mails so that some of them should reach you.
Hoping you are all quite well,
I remain
Your Loving Son and Brother
Tom
______________________________________
Newspaper clipping
A £400 Nest egg
Limerick Breach of Promise Action
Deal for a fortune
A commercial transaction says counsel
***********
Today at Nisi Prills, before Mr Justice Moore and a city common jury, a case of Reeves vs Kennedy was heard. The plaintiff, Mary Reeves, an infant, suing by her father John Reeves, a farmer of Ploughlands, Croom, Co Limmerick, sought to recover £700 damages for alleged breach of promise of marriage from the defendant, James Kennedy, a farmer of Ludden, Ballynesty, Co. Limerick. The defence was that the promise, if made was subject to a condition which was not fulfilled - namely the payment of a fortune - and that the promise was mutually rescinded.
Mr Serjeant Sullivan and a Mr Patrick Kelly (instructed by Mr P. G. O'Donnell) appeared for the plaintiff and Mr P. D. Fleming K.C. and Mr James Comyn (instructed by Messrs. W. Leahy and Son).
In stating the case Serjeant Sullivan said that the plaintiff was a very charming girl her parents occupying a good position as substantial farmers. Then defendant occupied an equally substantial position and was a most eligible partner for the lady. He had a farm absolutely unencumbered with supercilious relations (laughter). Not only had he a fine farm in the Golden Vein, but he was the owner of about 20 milch cows. He was a young man between 30 and 35 and well fitted to become the husband of the young lady. The parties met at Croom Races in 1916 and met frequently afterwards.
Although he was taken with her charms, there was a certain element of economy about him, because, before he finally committed himself to proposing to her, he ascertained that there was a little nest egg of £400 in the bank which he would get. The grey heads in the parish would say that the defendant was foolish in breaking away from tradition and select a girl after his own heart, with a comparatively small fortune, for he could have done much better from a monetary point of view.
The girl's friends were not going to take a pig in a poke and her father and some others went to inspect the defendant's place and they came to the conclusion that she was making a good investment for her £400.
On July 3, everything was arranged to the satisfaction of everybody. Defendant bought the wedding ring and six guineas present for the bridesmaid and the event was fixed for July 17. On July 11 plaintiff wrote to him to make arrangements with the priest and he replied breaking off the match because of certain things that did not please him. He thought that he would not waste the ring so he married another lady.
The plaintiff a young lady of attractive appearance gave evidence bearing out the statements of her counsel. She added that she had bought the trousseau in preparation for the wedding.
Mr Fleming suggested in the course of cross-examination that it was a commercial transaction and that the match was broken off because the girl's father was "shifting" in reference to the fortune.
Evidence was given by plaintiff's father that when he offered the defendant a fortune of £100, the defendant replied "Oh you will give me another hundred". Witnesses remarked "you are a long time after the girl and you are getting enough. The defendant then consented to take £100. In cross-examination, witnesses denied that the £ 100 was to be paid in a solicitor's office by a certain day.
The further hearing was adjourned until tomorrow morning.
Just a few lines to let you know I am quite alright.
I am leaving Dublin for London to-night. I should get into London at 6 o'clock to-morrow morning & will be back at Hurdcott tomorrow night. My leave is up at midnight to-morrow.
I have enjoyed my trip immensely and find Ireland a very nice place. You see they hardly know there is a war on over here and in England things are pretty different. In English towns you can hardly see your hand in front of your face at night, but here there are no lighting restrictions.
I am enclosing a P.C. with a packet of shamrock seed. They tell me they will not grow out of Ireland, but try them and see.
I am also enclosing an account of a breach of promise action. I have been told that during Shrove-tide it is often the custom between farming families to arrange weddings without consulting the wishes of the chief parties at all. The father of the girl paying £200 or £300 to the father of the boy, who must have a pretty decent farm and stock etc. If there is more than one boy in the family, the money is, I believe, divided among them and helps to start them in life. I expect Mum and Dad would have heard of this from their parents, but I did not know about this before. They also tell me that the priest's wedding fees differ according to your means - a poor man paying £5 or £6 and a wealthy man perhaps £20.
I have collected a nice lot of views and souvenirs of Ireland which I will pack and send them to you when I get back to England. I will try and send them by different mails so that some of them should reach you.
Hoping you are all quite well,
I remain
Your Loving Son and Brother
Tom
______________________________________
Newspaper clipping
A £400 Nest egg
Limerick Breach of Promise Action
Deal for a fortune
A commercial transaction says counsel
***********
Today at Nisi Prills, before Mr Justice Moore and a city common jury, a case of Reeves vs Kennedy was heard. The plaintiff, Mary Reeves, an infant, suing by her father John Reeves, a farmer of Ploughlands, Croom, Co Limmerick, sought to recover £700 damages for alleged breach of promise of marriage from the defendant, James Kennedy, a farmer of Ludden, Ballynesty, Co. Limerick. The defence was that the promise, if made was subject to a condition which was not fulfilled - namely the payment of a fortune - and that the promise was mutually rescinded.
Mr Serjeant Sullivan and a Mr Patrick Kelly (instructed by Mr P. G. O'Donnell) appeared for the plaintiff and Mr P. D. Fleming K.C. and Mr James Comyn (instructed by Messrs. W. Leahy and Son).
In stating the case Serjeant Sullivan said that the plaintiff was a very charming girl her parents occupying a good position as substantial farmers. Then defendant occupied an equally substantial position and was a most eligible partner for the lady. He had a farm absolutely unencumbered with supercilious relations (laughter). Not only had he a fine farm in the Golden Vein, but he was the owner of about 20 milch cows. He was a young man between 30 and 35 and well fitted to become the husband of the young lady. The parties met at Croom Races in 1916 and met frequently afterwards.
Although he was taken with her charms, there was a certain element of economy about him, because, before he finally committed himself to proposing to her, he ascertained that there was a little nest egg of £400 in the bank which he would get. The grey heads in the parish would say that the defendant was foolish in breaking away from tradition and select a girl after his own heart, with a comparatively small fortune, for he could have done much better from a monetary point of view.
The girl's friends were not going to take a pig in a poke and her father and some others went to inspect the defendant's place and they came to the conclusion that she was making a good investment for her £400.
On July 3, everything was arranged to the satisfaction of everybody. Defendant bought the wedding ring and six guineas present for the bridesmaid and the event was fixed for July 17. On July 11 plaintiff wrote to him to make arrangements with the priest and he replied breaking off the match because of certain things that did not please him. He thought that he would not waste the ring so he married another lady.
The plaintiff a young lady of attractive appearance gave evidence bearing out the statements of her counsel. She added that she had bought the trousseau in preparation for the wedding.
Mr Fleming suggested in the course of cross-examination that it was a commercial transaction and that the match was broken off because the girl's father was "shifting" in reference to the fortune.
Evidence was given by plaintiff's father that when he offered the defendant a fortune of £100, the defendant replied "Oh you will give me another hundred". Witnesses remarked "you are a long time after the girl and you are getting enough. The defendant then consented to take £100. In cross-examination, witnesses denied that the £ 100 was to be paid in a solicitor's office by a certain day.
The further hearing was adjourned until tomorrow morning.
Killarney, February 9th, 1918
My Dear People,
Just a few lines to let you know I am quite alright.
I arrived here yesterday. I left London at 8.40 p.m. & at dinner-time next day I was here - about 600 miles by sea & land. The fare cost me £2.7.0 return but soldiers on leave travel at half rate.
I have not had time to look around much yet, but intend to have a few days here sight-seeing. It is not the best time of the year to be here as it is a very wet place in winter. But it is not very cold now, though it is raining a little this morning. If it fines up I am going for a drive around the lakes this afternoon.
I am staying at Park Place Hotel tariff 6/6 per day. Kept by a Maurice Collins & it is a very nice place. There are practically no food restrictions in Ireland, in England some things are very scarce.
I am sure I will enjoy my stay here immensely as the people interest & amuse me greatly. The women all wear shawls and the jaunting & donkey carts are all very queer to me.
I will be sending you some little souvenir which I hope you get alright as I know how much you will value them. I wish you were here & could see the beautiful country round here & the real Irish style of the people.
I am enclosing a little Blarney stone for John. I will probably go to Cork on my way back to Dublin & if I do will go to Blarney Castle.
There are a few Australians here & of course plenty of Colleens for those who like them. I am enclosing a P.C. with some views of places which I will probably see before I leave here.
Hoping you are all well.
I remain
Your Loving Son & Brother
Just a few lines to let you know I am quite alright.
I arrived here yesterday. I left London at 8.40 p.m. & at dinner-time next day I was here - about 600 miles by sea & land. The fare cost me £2.7.0 return but soldiers on leave travel at half rate.
I have not had time to look around much yet, but intend to have a few days here sight-seeing. It is not the best time of the year to be here as it is a very wet place in winter. But it is not very cold now, though it is raining a little this morning. If it fines up I am going for a drive around the lakes this afternoon.
I am staying at Park Place Hotel tariff 6/6 per day. Kept by a Maurice Collins & it is a very nice place. There are practically no food restrictions in Ireland, in England some things are very scarce.
I am sure I will enjoy my stay here immensely as the people interest & amuse me greatly. The women all wear shawls and the jaunting & donkey carts are all very queer to me.
I will be sending you some little souvenir which I hope you get alright as I know how much you will value them. I wish you were here & could see the beautiful country round here & the real Irish style of the people.
I am enclosing a little Blarney stone for John. I will probably go to Cork on my way back to Dublin & if I do will go to Blarney Castle.
There are a few Australians here & of course plenty of Colleens for those who like them. I am enclosing a P.C. with some views of places which I will probably see before I leave here.
Hoping you are all well.
I remain
Your Loving Son & Brother
Hurdcott; February 3, 1918
My Dear People,
Just a few lines to let you know I am getting on alright.
Things are very dull here and I am just about stuck for news.
I struck Roy McBride here the other day, he has been wounded too, but is pretty alright now.
My classification is B1A1 now and unless I dodge it I get a bit of marching and Physical Jerks. I expect I will be going on Furlough next Thursday.
I got my Phiz taken yesterday and will send you one when I get them.
I strolled into Wilton yesterday - it is pretty quiet there. We had some pretty good concert parties here last week.
Well must close now. Hoping you are all quite well as I am
Your Loving Son and Brother,
Tom.
Just a few lines to let you know I am getting on alright.
Things are very dull here and I am just about stuck for news.
I struck Roy McBride here the other day, he has been wounded too, but is pretty alright now.
My classification is B1A1 now and unless I dodge it I get a bit of marching and Physical Jerks. I expect I will be going on Furlough next Thursday.
I got my Phiz taken yesterday and will send you one when I get them.
I am enclosing a P.C. of the Rising Sun on the hill here. We had a little rain yesterday but it is fine to-day and not too cold at all. I hope the weather is good when I am on Furlough. We have church here and I have just come back. The priest is not as good as a preacher as the one that was here last year.
I strolled into Wilton yesterday - it is pretty quiet there. We had some pretty good concert parties here last week.
Well must close now. Hoping you are all quite well as I am
Your Loving Son and Brother,
Tom.
Hurdcott; January 27, 1918
My Dear People,
Just a few lines to let you know I am quite alright.
I received 3 letters yesterday; 2 from Mum (Sept 25th & Oct 25th) and one from Sis (28th Oct) & I was glad to hear you were alright.
I received your parcel this morning, it was quite alright. Leather waistcoat (a regular beauty) shirt & flannel, 2 pairs socks, skull cap from Eva Thomas, chocolates, cocoa, housewife & smokes.
The cocoa tin burst & got over everything. It burst in the parcel I got from you last Year too, but the letter I wrote telling you about it went down on the Mongolia. The tins are not properly soldered and do not stand the rough handling.
The waistcoat is not necessary here in England, especially as it has been very mild so far but, it will be splendid in France. The shirts are of course very acceptable, although I have a good new lot of underwear here & socks are always welcome especially in winter.
In France, when the summer comes on, we hand in our waistcoats, cardigans, rain-coats etc. as it is impossible for us to carry them about, & then when the winter starts we are issued with them again. If they did not do this the troops would dump them anywhere, even if they had to pay for a new lot next winter. I used to carry a terrible big pack last year in France but I was so fit & strong it did not trouble me. I guess I will travel a bit lighter this summer.
I saw in a list here where Augie Pohlner was going home. I suppose Cyril Collins was very glad to get home. He had a good long spin over here.
Mum mentioned in her letter that Roy Tralaggan had sent in the £5 that I gave Henry in France. Some of the December mail from Australia here has, I believe, been lost at sea.
Sis tells me that Charlie Dare was married alright & was spending his honey-moon at Mt. Gambier. I suppose poor Claire has got another boy or two by this.
My wound has quite healed up & I pulled the last dressing off last night after over 14 weeks dressing. It has left a lovely clean scar which I will carry as long as I live. I am quite fit for furlough now & I expect to go shortly. One of our Sgts in France went to Paris for leave (they are giving Paris leave to N.C.O.s & men, as well as officers). He had such a good time that he does not want English leave but, wants his 14 days in Paris. I would like to see Paris if I got a chance.
I am enclosing a map of Australia on the hill here at Hurdcott. It is done with white chalk stone & is longingly watched by the troops camped here.
I suppose you will be nearly finished harvesting by now. I hope you did not have too much trouble getting it off. Well I must close now hoping you are all well.
I remain
Your Loving Son & Brother
Tom
Just a few lines to let you know I am quite alright.
I received 3 letters yesterday; 2 from Mum (Sept 25th & Oct 25th) and one from Sis (28th Oct) & I was glad to hear you were alright.
I received your parcel this morning, it was quite alright. Leather waistcoat (a regular beauty) shirt & flannel, 2 pairs socks, skull cap from Eva Thomas, chocolates, cocoa, housewife & smokes.
The cocoa tin burst & got over everything. It burst in the parcel I got from you last Year too, but the letter I wrote telling you about it went down on the Mongolia. The tins are not properly soldered and do not stand the rough handling.
The waistcoat is not necessary here in England, especially as it has been very mild so far but, it will be splendid in France. The shirts are of course very acceptable, although I have a good new lot of underwear here & socks are always welcome especially in winter.
In France, when the summer comes on, we hand in our waistcoats, cardigans, rain-coats etc. as it is impossible for us to carry them about, & then when the winter starts we are issued with them again. If they did not do this the troops would dump them anywhere, even if they had to pay for a new lot next winter. I used to carry a terrible big pack last year in France but I was so fit & strong it did not trouble me. I guess I will travel a bit lighter this summer.
I saw in a list here where Augie Pohlner was going home. I suppose Cyril Collins was very glad to get home. He had a good long spin over here.
Mum mentioned in her letter that Roy Tralaggan had sent in the £5 that I gave Henry in France. Some of the December mail from Australia here has, I believe, been lost at sea.
Sis tells me that Charlie Dare was married alright & was spending his honey-moon at Mt. Gambier. I suppose poor Claire has got another boy or two by this.
My wound has quite healed up & I pulled the last dressing off last night after over 14 weeks dressing. It has left a lovely clean scar which I will carry as long as I live. I am quite fit for furlough now & I expect to go shortly. One of our Sgts in France went to Paris for leave (they are giving Paris leave to N.C.O.s & men, as well as officers). He had such a good time that he does not want English leave but, wants his 14 days in Paris. I would like to see Paris if I got a chance.
I am enclosing a map of Australia on the hill here at Hurdcott. It is done with white chalk stone & is longingly watched by the troops camped here.
I suppose you will be nearly finished harvesting by now. I hope you did not have too much trouble getting it off. Well I must close now hoping you are all well.
I remain
Your Loving Son & Brother
Tom
Hurdcott; January 19, 1918
No. 3 Command Depot
No. 5 Camp
My Dear People,
Just a few lines to let you know I am doing alright.
I have been here nearly a fortnight now and according to my own opinion, I am nearly fit for active service again. This camp is only a few hundred yards from where I was living here last year.
I noticed it as a bit cold here in the huts after the steam-heated ones at Dartford, but it is not nearly so cold as it was last winter. We had a little bit of frost and some heavy falls of snow & a lot of rain. Last year it was very cold & dry at this time. We have practically nothing to do here in this camp. Every few days we are classified by the M.O. & as you improve you are sent along to other camps & have to do fatigues, drills & guards. I will stay here as long as I have nothing to do. But as soon as I am sent drilling etc. I will put in to go to the overseas depot & then to France. Our boys are having an easy time in France now & I guess they deserve it.
We wear our uniforms here so I have finished with "blues" for this trip, in Milton & Dartford you were not allowed out in uniform & if you wore your overcoat, you had to have a blue band on the arm. This is so you cannot get the good and joyful liquor which makes the boys sing. There are a lot of "pubs" in England and a lot of drinking is done here. The women drink a lot too & come into the bar to drink it. Of course I know there are plenty of "hussies" who drink in Australia, but they do not generally go into the bar to drink it. I have got a very nice uniform & will look fairly decent on leave.
I wrote to the Australian Hospitality Bureau & got a very nice letter from the Secretary. She tells me she has plenty of invitations for men on furlough to spend a few days at private houses, & as I think it would be very nice to stay a few days at a private house. I will go & see her when I go to London.
I intend to go to Ireland & it will not be my fault if I do not get some fun out of my fourteen days. I hope the Sinn Fieners do not hang me when I get over there.
It is not much of a game stopping in London, as the place is fairly swarming with Australians. I want to get away where we are not so well known.
We have a fairly decent time here - concert parties at the Y.M.C.A.s and the old Picture show is still going. I am enclosing a card of some of the badges on the hills here they are made of white
stone. There are a lot of them on the hills here of different Regiments. There is a big map of Australia & I will send it to you. I saw a pack of hounds out the other day & a considerable number of ladies and gentlemen after them, but they did not stir up any fox while I was watching them.
Well I will close now, hoping that you are all quite well.
I remain
Lour Loving Son & Brother
Tom.
P.S. We got another parcel from the Red Cross the other day, more tobacco & Sweets. I swapped my tobacco for chocolate.
No. 5 Camp
My Dear People,
Just a few lines to let you know I am doing alright.
I have been here nearly a fortnight now and according to my own opinion, I am nearly fit for active service again. This camp is only a few hundred yards from where I was living here last year.
I noticed it as a bit cold here in the huts after the steam-heated ones at Dartford, but it is not nearly so cold as it was last winter. We had a little bit of frost and some heavy falls of snow & a lot of rain. Last year it was very cold & dry at this time. We have practically nothing to do here in this camp. Every few days we are classified by the M.O. & as you improve you are sent along to other camps & have to do fatigues, drills & guards. I will stay here as long as I have nothing to do. But as soon as I am sent drilling etc. I will put in to go to the overseas depot & then to France. Our boys are having an easy time in France now & I guess they deserve it.
We wear our uniforms here so I have finished with "blues" for this trip, in Milton & Dartford you were not allowed out in uniform & if you wore your overcoat, you had to have a blue band on the arm. This is so you cannot get the good and joyful liquor which makes the boys sing. There are a lot of "pubs" in England and a lot of drinking is done here. The women drink a lot too & come into the bar to drink it. Of course I know there are plenty of "hussies" who drink in Australia, but they do not generally go into the bar to drink it. I have got a very nice uniform & will look fairly decent on leave.
I wrote to the Australian Hospitality Bureau & got a very nice letter from the Secretary. She tells me she has plenty of invitations for men on furlough to spend a few days at private houses, & as I think it would be very nice to stay a few days at a private house. I will go & see her when I go to London.
I intend to go to Ireland & it will not be my fault if I do not get some fun out of my fourteen days. I hope the Sinn Fieners do not hang me when I get over there.
It is not much of a game stopping in London, as the place is fairly swarming with Australians. I want to get away where we are not so well known.
We have a fairly decent time here - concert parties at the Y.M.C.A.s and the old Picture show is still going. I am enclosing a card of some of the badges on the hills here they are made of white
stone. There are a lot of them on the hills here of different Regiments. There is a big map of Australia & I will send it to you. I saw a pack of hounds out the other day & a considerable number of ladies and gentlemen after them, but they did not stir up any fox while I was watching them.
Well I will close now, hoping that you are all quite well.
I remain
Lour Loving Son & Brother
Tom.
P.S. We got another parcel from the Red Cross the other day, more tobacco & Sweets. I swapped my tobacco for chocolate.
Dartford; January 6, 1918
No. 3 Australian Auxiliary Hospital
My Dear People,
Just a few lines to let you know how I am getting along.
I am leaving here to-morrow & going to the Convalescent Camp at Hurdcott. I am not quite fit for Furlough yet as my wound is not healed up & I do not want to go on leave till that is quite right. I have got rid of my bandages now. I just have the dressing stuck on with big strips of sticking plaster.
I went to London with a theatre party on New Year's Day. We went and saw "Any Old Thing" at the Pavilion Theatre, in Piccadilly.
After the Matinee we were taken to the Y.M.C.A. at "Ciros" & given a very nice tea. "Ciros" was one of the most fashionable clubs in the West End before the war, where you paid a "fiver" for what was worth a "sprat". But there was so much gambling & "high" life there that the authorities seized it and handed it over to the Y.M.C.A. people & a very nice little place it is.
After tea I went out & strolled up and down the "Strand" till I was tired & then caught a train & came home, after spending a most enjoyable day. All this was free we only had to pay our train fare 1/6.
Last-night I went to a "Twelfth Night Party" at Slade Green. This was given by the Munition girls. They give two dances a week to our chaps from this hospital. About 70 of us went down & had a splendid time. I had a couple of quiet dances.
The girls round these parts are very fond of our chaps & if anyone feels inclined for flirtations or "dinkum" courting, there is plenty of opportunity. Unless you want a girl looking after you, you have to be very careful who you give "glad eyes" to. Of course I am too old & steady for anything like that now. I suppose things will be a bit quieter at Hurdcott.
To-day is a special day of prayer for Victory. I have just been to Mass. I mentioned in my last letter that I had received your cable, but that letter might go astray. There has been no Australian mail in for a good while now. Well, I will close now hoping you are all quite well.
I remain
Your Loving Son & Brother
Tom
My Dear People,
Just a few lines to let you know how I am getting along.
I am leaving here to-morrow & going to the Convalescent Camp at Hurdcott. I am not quite fit for Furlough yet as my wound is not healed up & I do not want to go on leave till that is quite right. I have got rid of my bandages now. I just have the dressing stuck on with big strips of sticking plaster.
I went to London with a theatre party on New Year's Day. We went and saw "Any Old Thing" at the Pavilion Theatre, in Piccadilly.
Piccadilly Circus
After the Matinee we were taken to the Y.M.C.A. at "Ciros" & given a very nice tea. "Ciros" was one of the most fashionable clubs in the West End before the war, where you paid a "fiver" for what was worth a "sprat". But there was so much gambling & "high" life there that the authorities seized it and handed it over to the Y.M.C.A. people & a very nice little place it is.
After tea I went out & strolled up and down the "Strand" till I was tired & then caught a train & came home, after spending a most enjoyable day. All this was free we only had to pay our train fare 1/6.
Last-night I went to a "Twelfth Night Party" at Slade Green. This was given by the Munition girls. They give two dances a week to our chaps from this hospital. About 70 of us went down & had a splendid time. I had a couple of quiet dances.
A sing-song in the YMCA- a female pianist plays for Australian soldiers. London, 1918.
The girls round these parts are very fond of our chaps & if anyone feels inclined for flirtations or "dinkum" courting, there is plenty of opportunity. Unless you want a girl looking after you, you have to be very careful who you give "glad eyes" to. Of course I am too old & steady for anything like that now. I suppose things will be a bit quieter at Hurdcott.
To-day is a special day of prayer for Victory. I have just been to Mass. I mentioned in my last letter that I had received your cable, but that letter might go astray. There has been no Australian mail in for a good while now. Well, I will close now hoping you are all quite well.
I remain
Your Loving Son & Brother
Tom
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