My Dear People,
Just a few lines to let you know how I am getting on.
Since last writing to you I have received thirteen letters, dating from August up to October 8th. One from Nell with a P.C. of her and Kath which I was very pleased to get & which I think is very nice. By the way - who did Nell beat for her
wristlet watch?
One was from Hilda Pohlner, 2 from Kath, 3 from Siss, 1 from Dad & Mum, 1 from John & Will, the rest from my good little correspondent Annie. I was very pleased to hear you were getting on alright, and that you had such a nice lot of sheep to shear. The wool will certainly be worth a lot of money. Will also tells me the crop on the Block was looking very well. I was particularly amused at the two boys account of the lad you had working home. They seem to think him "cocky" as usual. I was glad to hear Flower had a nice foal. I am under some doubt as to the sex of that animal as Dad said it was a colt & Will assures me it is a filly, but I guess Will must have made a mistake.
Mum said she had been hoping for me to be home for Xmas 1917, but I do not expect to be home for Xmas 1918 unless I get a harder "whack" & get rendered unfit for active service the next time I go out to France.
We have had a good many people coming to see us here & urging us to vote "Yes" on Conscription, but, while I am quite willing to run the risk of getting my own head knocked off in France, I don't think I have any right to order any one else over here if he doesn't want to come.
I am leaving this hospital & going to Dartford in the morning.
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I have been here 4 weeks & I am sorry to leave it as the Sister & nurses have been very nice to me. Of course since I have been able to get about I have helped a good lot in the ward, my particular work being to go to the kitchen & get the meals & hand them round. Sister said she was very sorry I was going as it was a pleasure to have me in the ward.
She took great care of my leg & it has done splendid under her treatment. I also used to help the night nurse to make the beds & I am quite a dabster at the game now. The night nurse makes a cup of tea first thing every morning and gives it to any one who helps or is very ill. She has to buy the tea & sugar herself, but I think her people have plenty of money but, as it is a very hard job to get sugar. She could not get enough as the store-keepers would not sell it to her. So I used to go out & being a "Mounded Australian Soldier" I could get it at 1/2 lb. at a time where she could not. The people round here are particularly good to us & Australians can get things that an"English Tommy cannot.
I went to a Matinee down in Portsmouth yesterday afternoon & enjoyed the show very much. We were given a free ticket. It was a play depicting life in Canada.
I went on board Nelson's old flagship, the "Victory" the other day & was very interested looking over her. She has been kept in a good state of repair & until recently was used as a training ship.
I got some views of her & will send them home directly.
I wrote to Mary Agnes the other day & as I was not sure of her address I sent it c/o you so that you could sent it on to her. I was very much surprised to hear of Mrs. Ward's & Fred Taylor's death. I must write to Mrs. Taylor next mail. I suppose Charley Dare is married before this. What is the meaning of Frank Thomas & Miss Kelly? I suppose she is a R.C. & surely that would prevent anything serious. I have not seen any French girl I could take home to John. Best he might be married by the time I got home & I would be left in the lurch with something I didn't want & couldn't get rid of. So Bill Stewart & Myrtle got married. I was surprised at Arthur Rush being best man. It was very sad the School teacher at Petherton dying so young.
I have not received any of the parcels you sent me yet. If they go to the Battalion I will not get them. My last three letters were stopped in London & did not go to France so I may get them. I have only received the one parcel of flannels you sent me since I left home. The people of Mt. Bryan are dead wrong when they reckon I would take on smoking over here. Not a bit of it. But some smoker will appreciate their tobacco alright.
Well I must close now hoping you are all quite well.
I remain
Your Loving Son & Brother
Tom
P.S. I suppose John does cut a dash with his bicycle. Poor old Will has lost his girl Ada, hard luck.
