France; October 13th, 1918

My Dear People,

Just a few lines to let you know I am quite well. We are all back well away from the line now & having a well-earned rest. We are in a small French village & things are very quiet here, except when the boys get hold of some “Vin Blanc” which is a cheap wine & carries boxing gloves & a very strong desire to break everything up, when a man gets too much of it. This of course causes a certain amount of noise & provides amusement for the onlookers; it is always very much in evidence on pay-night when we are near any place it can be bought at. I went into Abbeville on Friday, it is a fairly big place, but is pretty quiet now. I tried my weight there & I hit the scales at 12 st & 2lb which is not too bad.

The first day we landed in this village the French people rushed out & gathered in their Apples & what few grapes they had growing here, as our reputation amongst fruit gardens is bad (very bad).

They are breaking up a battalion in every brigade of the A.I.F. & in our Brigade they are breaking up the 29th & sending them to us, what is left of us will form two Coys (C & D) of the 32nd & the 29th will form (A & B) Coys. It is causing a good deal of friction, as a man naturally does not like to see his Batt broken up, but there are not nearly enough men about to keep the existing Batts up to anything like full strength, especially as we have been doing a lot of line work this year.

Well I will close now hoping you are all well.

I remain

Yours Tom.

France; September 2nd,1918

My Dear People,

Just a few lines to let you know that I am quite well. I did not go to the war this time, but was sent to a sniping school which will last a little over a fortnight, it is a long long way behind the line in a very pretty, quiet place & and the work is light & interesting. I am having a real good easy time. 

The French people here are just getting their harvest in, most of it is cut and stooked in the fields, and they are carting it into little stacks, later they will come round with their threshers & thresh it. They will have a splendid return this year.

The news from the front continues to be good & we are evidently making very good progress. I do not suppose I will get any mail while I am at this school, they will keep it for me at the Batt.

I am enclosing a rough snap I had taken in a little village not far away the other day.  My "dial" looks a bit "harder" than it really is, but, it is a fairly true photo.

The weather continues fine which is a great help to the push that is going on.

Well, I will close now as there is not much news here. Hoping you are all quite well.

I remain,

Your Loving Son & Brother

Tom

France; August 2nd, 1918

My Dear People,

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

We are having a quiet spell for a few days now & I suppose we will be on the 'spit and polish' stunt and do a little drill. We are camped in a nice place with plenty of trees about. It is raining heavily today. Frank Richards was shell-shocked by a big Minenwerfer during our last trip. W. Arnolds told me it affected his eyes but I suppose only temporarily or I hope so anyway. I hope he does not come back to the line as it was a Minnie that injured him the last time. These Minenwerfers are a big trench mortar shell & have a terrific explosion. One of them killed Bert Dew, practically blew him to pieces I believe.

German infantrymen towing the Minenwerfer

Harry Tralaggen has gone on blighty leave, he is going at a nice time of year. Mick Griffen is pretty right now but they are treating his ear as he has gone pretty hard of hearing. I will close now hoping you are all well & tell Nell not to worry about Frank as I expect he will be alright.

I remain

Your loving Son and Brother

Tom

German Minenwerfer