Warminster, UK; March 3, 1918

No 3 Battalion
Overseas Training Brigade
Sandhill Camp

My Dear People,

Just a few lines to let you know I am quite well.

I received 7 letters last week, one from Mum (Dec 16th) two from Siss (Dec 18th and 30th) one from Aunt Bessie, one from Elsie Bryce and two from Annie (Dec 28th and 1st Jan). I was very glad to hear you were all doing alright but sorry that you were worrying about me as I was having a splendid time.

There are a good many of my letters missing. I suppose they are chasing me round the hospitals I have been in. Noel Tiver is in this camp. He had an ingrowing toenail & was lucky enough to be sent to England with it.

From Mum's letter I see that some of your ideas of a wounded man's treatment are wrong. For instance, when you heard I had been sent to England you thought I was badly hit. This is not always so as men are sent to England with very slight affairs sometimes. It depends on the hospitals in France. If a big "stunt" is coming off all the hospitals in France are cleared out to make room for the wounded who are sure to come. That was how Noel got over with such a trifle. He was in hospital in France & nearly right, when a special clear-out was made for the Cambrai business.

So if I get wounded again & sent to England, do not think it is serious until the Military tell you so. You can rely on the casualty reports being pretty correct, as I have seen men wounded & then seen the reports on them & they are pretty accurate. Do not worry the Red Cross or cable, as if a man is dangerously ill the authorities always let his people know. If an English soldier is very ill in a French hospital the doctor sends for his people & the Government pay their expenses & send them over to France to see their son. Of course that would be impossible for an Australian. I do not know if you are aware of it but that is what most soldiers pray for - a nice little wound to get them into hospital for a spell. A man who is so seriously damaged as to be discharged is considered the luckiest man alive.

The weather here is lovely now (real spring) & yesterday was the nicest day I have seen in England. At Church this morning the priest gave us a great sermon on our boys marrying English girls. (There were 800 Australians married English girls last month). He was pointing out the difficulties & dangers of doing this especially to Catholics who, of course, generally marry Protestant girls. Besides this he did not think it fair to forget about the girls that most of our chaps have waiting for them in Australia. I do not think it is fair either. It is a standing joke in this country that the "Aussies" English wife does not have to knit him any socks as he gets plenty of parcels from the girl he left in Australia. Of course some of the English girls are alright, but, the class that most of our chaps marry are, well "not much".

I expect to go to France on Thursday to have another go at the horrible Hun. If I don't have any harder time than I did last trip I will be alright. The weather from now on should not be so bad. Aunty tells me Kath has got six months leave (what's the matter Kathy tired of the game?) & that Annie is going to T.T.C.

I suppose Will put in some good work while Megs was staying with you (go for it while you're young Will). By the way, who is Phil O'Rielly marrying, Miss Nugent? I am enclosing a little sprig of shamrock. Noel Tiver tells me that there were big bush fires in the North East. The feed must have been pretty good & the wheat crops must have been pretty good too. It is a pity you cannot sell it straight out for full price.

I was glad to hear Ralph Thomas had only been taken prisoner. I expect he will have a pretty rough time for a while, but he will be fairly sure of getting home alright. I suppose his mother is worrying about him.

Well I will close now hoping you are all quite well.

I remain

Your Loving Son & Brother

Tom

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.

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

Portsmouth; November 21, 1917

Ward A 15
5th Southern General Hospital
Milton Division

My Dear People,

Just a short note to let you know I am getting along first rate.

I am able to walk about now but it will be a month before my wound is healed up, although it is very healthy and is doing first rate. Of course the bandages hinder me a bit but I think I will go for a stroll tomorrow. I do not use a stick as I have no faith in them. They are like girls, they would let you down if it came to a pinch.

There is a lady here who looks after the Australians here and gives us our Red Cross stuff, cigaretes etc. I got a razor etc. off her. We are looked after real well. There is a chap here who was in the same section as Bert Lilley and he tells me Bert won the Military Medal - good luck to him.

I do not know how long I will be here. I might be sent out to an Australian hospital at any time. We are paid the magnificant sum of 3/- a week here, but I do not spend any at all as I do not want for anything.

I am enclosing the bit of shell that made a hole in my leg. If ever I get home I will make a watch pendant of it. Well I must close now. Hoping you are all quite well.

I remain

Your Loving Son and Brother

Tom

France; August 28, 1917

My Dear People,

Just a few lines to let you know I am quite well.

Since last writing I have received 4 letters - one from Annie (June 3rd) & one from Nell (June 17th), one from Mum & Annie (June 24 & 27th) & one from Mrs. Taylor. I was glad to hear you were all quite well but I am sorry Dad could not get a man for the tilling as it is rather heavy work on Will.

I saw Sgt Lackman the other day. He is quite well & wished to be remembered to you. I saw in a casualty list that Joe Statton was severely wounded. Frank Cahill showed me a letter from his mother the other day, she said she was quite well & was working somewhere near Adelaide. She said Will's girl (Ada O.) had left Beckwith's & was back in Town. I suppose Will had a real good time while she was up. Her brother is returning, he has lost his arm. Mrs. Taylor told me Len was going to marry a Miss Rielly shortly.

I suppose Jack Connors will soon be getting married now. I am sorry my little Jane is leaving the Mount as I expect she will get some other boy now. How about Paddy? Does he still try & beat Frank Richards for his girl?

Lyell Bell's Brigade are up this way somewhere, they have had a good spell in the line, but I think they are out now, but it is too far away for me to go & see him. We are going to be reviewed by some big head to-morrow & have got all our gear cleaned & polished as if we were on garrison duty.

I do not know when we are going in the line, but I think, it is nearly time we had a turn. It has been very rough & windy to-day & it rains pretty often, but soon dries up again.

Rain-soaked trenches in France

I think some of your letters have been sunk, as I did not get the one saying that Mrs. Cutts had paid the money and that you had sent her the receipt. Harry Tralaggan not been very well & is in Hospital for a few days but is getting on alright now.

Well I must close now, hoping you are all well.

I remain,

Your Loving Son and Brother,

Tom

France; April 12, 1917

My Dear People,

Just a few lines to let you know I am quite well.

We joined our Battalion to-day but have not been in the trenches yet. It was on Easter Sunday that I first saw the destruction of war & I can tell you it is impossible to describe the mess they have made of this country.

There has been some snow & rain here lately & things are pretty sloppy. I saw Harry Tralaggan & W. Arnolds. Harry had letters dated 13th Feb. & he told me Mrs. Dare was married also that George was going to be married "Ha Ha". I saw Noel Tiver on the trip up, he was quite well.

During my travels in France I have seen the figure of The Virgin Mother & Child on a Church. The statue is leaning right over as I had read before I came here. We can hear the guns going for smash not far away. There has been some big advances going on lately. But I think there is a lot of hard fighting to be done yet. They have more N.C.O.s here than they want, so I have reverted to the ranks & in future my address will be

No. 4245
Pte T.J. Quinn
A. Coy
32nd Batt.

Of course if I live long enough I will have opportunity of rising again. Our Batt is in the 5th Australian Division & has done some pretty solid work at times. There are practically no French people here, but the French ladies I saw coming here are rather good looking. A lot of them were working in the fields. Well, I must close now as the censor will not allow me to say too much, but as long as you know I am well & happy that is all that is necessary.

Hoping you are all well.

I remain,

Your Loving Son & Brother

Tom

Hurdcott; March 25, 1917

My Dear People,

Just a few lines to let you know I am quite well. I got back from Lyndhurst last night after a fairly successful course there. It was not the starvation place they said it was. I could live on the grub pretty comfortable, although some of the others used to growl plenty & go out & get their tea in the town.

We spent an hour or so in Southampton when we were coming back & we were in Salisbury for awhile. There is a lovely Cathedral in Salisbury.

Salisbury Cathedral

Most of the other chaps in the school secured girls in Lyndhurst but not me. I have not been able to find Frank Richards since I came back. They say he has gone to Weymouth but I suppose you will hear from him.

There has not been any Australian mail in the last fortnight. There is a sort of a scrambling pack up here to-day, with rumors of France etc. but I am taking it very cool & unconcerned as I think it is only a sort of a 'see how quick you can pack up'. But I hope to be on my way to France inside a fortnight & I will be very pleased to be going over.

I suppose you will soon be starting tilling now, they are planting potatoes & things every where here now, potatoes are very scarce in England.

After Tea.

Things are quietening down a bit now, but one company is standing by, ready to turn out at any time. I am not in it at all, but if I thought it was France I would be. The rumors we hear would make you laugh. Germans landed in England etc., but I think it is all smoke.

Well I must close now, hoping you are all well as I am.

I remain,

Your Loving Son & Brother

Tom.