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

Belguim; September 29, 1917

My Dear People,

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

I am writing this in the front line on some ground that has only just been taken. Except for a few odd shells we are having a fairly quiet time as Fritz is considerably frightened of our artillery barrage & does not care to expose himself to it.

Yesterday morning, about a 100 Fritz's came in & gave themselves up to the people just alongside us. It was funny to see them coming in in little parties of about a dozen & our chaps taking charge of them, getting souvenirs & giving them cigarettes. They have had their hearts knocked out by our artillery which is something terrible up here when it opens up & I do not wonder that Fritz is getting tired of it.

Since last writing to you I have received two letters. One from Kath (July 11th) & one from Annie (July 16th) & was glad to hear you were getting on alright.

I saw Mat & Mick Griffen last Sunday they had just come out after being in one of those big attacks that have been going on here. They both got through alright, but Mat had a narrow escape. A piece of shell whizzed past his face & just took a bit off his nose. Pretty close I reckon. Sgt. Lackmann I believe was killed, but, the other lads we know are alright.

Lyall Bell came & saw me the other day. He is quite well & had a hand in the Messines stunt. He told me he was nearly buried by a shell there, but little trifles like that don't count much in this part of the world.

2nd October.

We are back from the line again & having a quiet spell for a few days, when I think we will be going back for a bit more "stoush". When I got back I received two letters one from Mum & Annie (July 24th) & one from George Dare (July 18th). I was sorry you had not received any letters from me but they must have been sunk because I write fairly regularly & you should hear from me every mail.

I do not know how much longer the war will last but I think it will go at at least another twelve months although Fritz is a beaten man. If the Russians had done anything this summer it would most likely have been over by this time. The weather is still keeping good but the nights are getting chilly. I believe there were some heavy floods in S.A. in July, especially down Adelaide way.

Well I must close now as I have to go on guard directly.

Hoping you are all quite well as I am.

I remain

Your Loving Son & Brother

Tom.

France; July 13, 1917

My Dear People,

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

Our Division was reviewed by the King the other day and we had a splendid display. The ground was just like a busy show-ground. Our Company represented the Brigade to present arms to the King. After we left the ring the A.S.C., Artillery, Red Cross, Physical Exercise & a lot of other teams gave an exhibition of their smartness. The King did not stay very long as I guess he has a busy time looking at his troops. It was a lovely day, nice & warm.

I went & had a swim this afternoon & I think the Battalion is going for a route march & a swim to-morrow. Some Fritz prisoners are cutting some of the big Beech trees around our camp. They have put up a little saw mill & saw the timber up. It will be used for making roads etc. in the wet-weather. Most of the prisoners seem fairly handy with timber. They are well treated & I suppose have never been better fed in their lives. I do not think our prisoners are so well treated in Germany.

German POWs with Australian troops

They tell us that our last mail from Australia has been sunk, so we have not heard any news since the 1st of May.

Saturday 14th.

We had our route march & swim this morning. The water was very pleasant, just a trifle cold going in. I hear it was the mail that left Adelaide 30th May that was lost at sea, so if you sent any important news from 1st to 30th May please repeat.

We expect to leave this camp shortly & will very likely shift a fair distance & probably see a fair
bit of the line, as our spell is just about over now. We hope to get in a good push shortly, which if the Russians keep worrying on the Eastern front may end the war. But somehow I think it will go another twelve months easy, although the Yanks might help a bit directly.

Well I must close now hoping you are all well & doing alright.

I remain

Your Loving Son & Brother

Tom.