Page 1 Letter 2 France. Oct 15th 1916
Mr Goodson
Dear Sir
Just line or two to let you know that I am well as this leaves me at present & I hope that you are the same So far I have only had the one letter from you but I hope that I will get some more from you I am still in action over here but on a quite front after what we had on the So??? This place that we are in now will do me for the winter as the winter here will hit us pretty hard as I have not had any cold for over two years now but a the present it is very cold over here now plenty of rain & mud & we have all been issued with rubber boot that come up to the thigh & and they keep out the water & the cold
By the time that you get this letter it will be Christmas & it will be hot over there but we will have a real Christmas among the snow but any rate I wouldn’t mind to be home among the frut I have not had a decent bit of fruit since I left home but that is something to look forward too I have not been to “ Blighty” yet but I expect to get there on leave any day As I write this the Huns are trying hard to ??? down on one of our earoplains but without siccess I will close now Remember me to all at Doncaster
I remain. Your old pupil
Ken Graham
(over page )
I remain. Your old pupil
Ken Graham
(over page )
I wish you A Merry Christmas and A Happy New Year.
Dear Mr. Goodson
I suppose that you have already got my letter and cards from London. I hope
so because I have heard that a lot of our mail was lost. I am having a good time here : We are living
in tents and are camped just near the sea only a few miles south of Bolougne. I am not permitted to
tell you the name of the place but you will have a fair idea.
The French villages are very dirty the pigsty & fowlyard is between the front door and the road . Pigs & fowls use the houses just as much as the people.
Time will not permit me to give a lengthy description of the places however when I see you all I hope to be able to tell you all about them.
It is very cold here. 19 degrees of frost last Thursday . Some cold eh? I heard today that a man was (page 2 ) found frozen to death. The days are so beautifully sunny -it is too cold for clouds to be in the sky was the explanation I got. I have met several Doncaster boys - Ashby Hardidge for one. In fact Ashby came over in the same boat as I did. Hullo there’s “ fall in “ I must stop Expect to be going up to firing line in a day or two
Best wishes to all
Thos Kent
25th September. Salisbury Plains.
Pte A.J. Hardidge. Head .Quarters. 3rd AustralianPioneer Batt. AiF. 3rd Division, On active Service
Dear Mr. Goodson
I now take the pleasure of writing you a few lines, I was very pleased to hear that you received the cards I sent from Cape Town We had a splendid trip over, and what I have seen of England is very pretty, London is a wonderful place I have just about been all over London it is what I call a double City There seems to me to be as many people under the ground as on top, they have under ground trains, witch they call Tube’s. The people seemed to me to be very lazy one time, they go from one platform to another in lifts or moveing stairs. I forget what the right name of them, but you either stand one the top step,and they take you to the bottom or top & one has to be careful how they step off
I put in some time watching the people go up and down, if they don’t take you down quick enough you can walk down or up, I seen a lot of Australians step off with the wrong foot, & then the both feet would go from under them & Well Mr Goodson it would take me some time to tell you all, but this will give you some ida,I also went up the London Tower, & all the great places ,& by going into all these places you can see from the oldest history. I will now tell a little bit about the people in England. I think we were all lost from when we got off the train at Waterloo till we made up our minds to find our places we were stoping at if we asked anybody were a serton place was they would stand and think for a long while & say I realy don’t know. The John’s are the only one’s that can tell you anything, I have been talking to plenty of people that don’t live so very far out from London & and they have never seen London. The English People make to mutch of wee Aust. And it seems to me if we speak to them, they think it’s a honnor. The people don’t seem to take any notice of any other soldier but a Australian. I think most of the girls are looking for a trip to Australia as they say it .
They talk about it takes 3 English soldier’s to make one Australian, well it takes 12 girls to make a one Aust-girl. England is a wonderful place, the old Dart as we call it. But the young Dart for mine. We are about two Hours & a half ride in the train from London, & twenty four hours trip to the front. I have meet a lot of chaps I know hear I was talking to Jackie Veitch & E.Hillman & they said they would write to you also. There is quite a number of us from Doncaster & round about,& we take it in turns to visit one & other. So you can see we are having a good time. We also have some Germans prismions hear & they have to work. There were Australian Gardin them & they had to take them off & put Tomies on , for there would have been some doin for the German’s are swines to geer and .sneer.. One of our chaps said to one of them By--we are given it to you’s—now. And one of them said we give it to you’s in Belgium, most of them have been captured since the first of the war. & some of them can talk very good English. They thought that there was no England left,& London was a heap of ashes & that the British fleet was brokenup, that’s the news in Germany. I don’t think they will send many more Zep’s over London, for we are getting to strong for them. There are lots of raids we never know they only get as far as the coast, now and then one sneeks through.
If there is a raid on the people get warning in the afternoon, so you can see what the scout’s are doing, you can hear them coming miles off. And the people don’t trouble till they hear the shots& and then they tumble out of bed & into the streets. Most of the big places have bomb net’s over them. I just missed seeing them the other week the time the one was brought down. two of my mates seen it come down and all. I was down the week before, so my luck was out. I went& had a look at were some of the bombs had fell. The places are built up nearly as quick as they fall. London is in darkness of a night bar the skys they lightened up by the searchlights. Well Mr. Goodson I will now close trusting all is in best of health. P.S. You must exquise this scribble & mistakes as its War Time.
From Your’s Truly, Jack Hardidge
Letter No 3. Page1. 25th September.
Salisbury Plains
Pte A.J. Hardidge
Head .Quarters
3rd AustralianPioneer Batt
AiF
3rd Division, On active Service
Dear Mr. Goodson
I now take the pleasure of writing you a few lines, I was very pleased to hear that you received the cards I sent from Cape Town We had a splendid trip over, and what I have seen of England is very pretty, London is a wonderful place I have just about been all over London it is what I call a double City There seems to me to be as many people under the ground as on top, they have under ground trains, witch they call Tube’s. The people seemed to me to be very lazy one time, they go from one platform to another in lifts or moveing stairs. I forget what the right name of them, but you either stand one the top step,and they take you to the bottom or top & one has to be careful how they step off
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I put in some time watching the people go up and down, if they don’t take you down quick enough you can walk down or up, I seen a lot of Australians step off with the wrong foot, & then the both feet would go from under them & Well Mr Goodson it would take me some time to tell you all, but this will give you some ida,I also went up the London Tower, & all the great places ,& by going into all these places you can see from the oldest history. I will now tell a little bit about the people in England. I think we were all lost from when we got off the train at Waterloo till we made up our minds to find our places we were stoping at if we asked anybody were a serton place was they would stand and think for a long while & say I realy don’t know. The John’s are the only one’s that can tell you anything, I have been talking to plenty of people that don’t live so very far out from London & and they have never seen London. The English People make to mutch of wee Aust. And it seems to me if we speak to them, they think it’s a honnor. The people don’t seem to take any notice of any other soldier but a Australian. I think most of the girls are looking for a trip to Australia as they say it .
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They talk about it takes 3 English soldier’s to make one Australian, well it takes 12 girls to make a one Aust-girl. England is a wonderful place, the old Dart as we call it. But the young Dart for mine. We are about two Hours & a half ride in the train from London, & twenty four hours trip to the front. I have meet a lot of chaps I know hear I was talking to Jackie Veitch & E.Hillman & they said they would write to you also. There is quite a number of us from Doncaster & round about,& we take it in turns to visit one & other. So you can see we are having a good time. We also have some Germans prismions hear & they have to work. There were Australian Gardin them & they had to take them off & put Tomies on , for there would have been some doin for the German’s are swines to geer and .sneer.. One of our chaps said to one of them By--we are given it to you’s—now. And one of them said we give it to you’s in Belgium, most of them have been captured since the first of the war. & some of them can talk very good English. They thought that there was no England left,& London was a heap of ashes & that the British fleet was brokenup, that’s the news in Germany. I don’t think they will send many more Zep’s over London, for we are getting to strong for them. There are lots of raids we never know they only get as far as the coast, now and then one sneeks through.
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If there is a raid on the people get warning in the afternoon, so you can see what the scout’s are doing, you can hear them coming miles off. And the people don’t trouble till they hear the shots& and then they tumble out of bed & into the streets. Most of the big places have bomb net’s over them. I just missed seeing them the other week the time the one was brought down. two of my mates seen it come down and all. I was down the week before, so my luck was out. I went& had a look at were some of the bombs had fell. The places are built up nearly as quick as they fall. London is in darkness of a night bar the skys they lightened up by the searchlights. Well Mr. Goodson I will now close trusting all is in best of health. P.S. You must exquise this scribble & mistakes as its War Time.
From Your’s Truly
Jack. Hardidge
Letter No4. July 18th1917
A.A.M.C Training Depot. Park House England
Dear Sir, Just a line to let you know that I am still alive & well as this leaves me at present & I hope that you are enjoying the best of health. I have had a pretty good spin here
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in Blighty but I have come to the end of my teather as the saying goes & by the time that you receive this note I suppose that I will be well up ????? the shells again. I tried really hard to get a job here in one of the hospitals but there was not ???? doing as they have got a jolly lot of chaps here that came over under age and they are giving them all the jobs out of the firing line otherwise I would have got a job.
P3
But I will go back and have another look at Fritz & I might have the luck to get a slight hit and get back to this country again. I see by the papers over here that any member of the A.I.F. who has served 1,000 days can get furlough to Ausy if he can get another recruit to volunteer to come over and take his place. It is a pretty good idea and I would like to get someone to take my place but there does not seem much chance my way but perhaps some kind endividigal will step into my place. We are having very funny weather over here now it is supposed to be summer & it has been raining for the last week. Things seem to be at a standstill over on the front now & to me the end seems as far off as ever. There is not much other news to tell so I will close Hoping to hear from you soon I remain yours sincerely Ken Graham
Letter No 5
Egypt April 23rd 1916
Dear Mr. Goodson,
Just a few lines to let you know that I am still well hoping you are the same, and knew you would be very pleased to hear from me , althow we are not allowed to write much news. I have not seen any of the boys from out our way yet, I think they have all gone away but some of them may be here yet & as it is a very big camp it is a hard job to find them. I spent Good Friday on guard but we never seen any hot cross buns, and this is the way I am spending Sunday, we are having big sports on Tuesday it is called Anzac day 25 April the day the boys landed.it is a holiday althrough the camp and it will be a big day. Well I think this is all I have to say at present I will close with love to all. I remain yours
Loving pupil Rupert
Address 11 Reeforcements of 23 Battallion Egypt or Elsewhere
Letter no 6
France July 22nd 16
Dear Mr. Goodson, Your very welcome interesting letter dated May 25th reached me a couple of days ago- many thanks for same-I have received 25 letters this week- two dated March 3rd, so I have had a great time reading all the news- makes one feel that he is not so far from home after all. Many times I have “been going” to write you a few lines but hearing from Alma that you hear of my doings and where abouts frequently from home, has made me rather dilatory in writing you direct.
I’ll just give you a few lines of my “travels” since June 18th.On that date we said fare-well to the sands of Egypt and I can assure you we didn’t shed any tears when we pulled out from port of embarkation- a fellow that wants more than a 6 months feed of sand & more than 6 flies in his tea at once is a bit of a glutton. Had a very calm & uneventful trip of 5 days across the water & no “ tin fish” troubled us. Censorship forbids the mentioning of any ports, towns, river etc that we pass or call at but you can guess where we disembarked.
About 20 of our Battery were left at the port a couple of days to unload our wagons etc. which came across on a different transport, so we had a chance to see part of the town but not the main part. Loaded our gear on trucks & we rode on the same trucks- we asked to be allowed to ride on the open trucks( in preference to carriages ) so that we could see everything that was to be seen on our journey. At 10 pm we started on the 53 hours journey- hundreds of miles-I dossed under a gun limber ; Temple Crouch and I only were on one truck so we had heaps of room but by jove it was rough lying down -there was only about 3 tons weight on springs capable of carrying 20 tons,-still as soldiers will- we slept and about 3.30 am were wakened for breakfast- the train had stopped at a station were hot water was ready for us. From that time till about 10 pm on both days we posted ourselves up in the limbers and gazed in admiration at the magnificent country the whole time,- every inch of it was grand. Down South which of course is noted for its wines, we passed thousands of acres of vineyards, well cultivated & in many instances trained up 6 feet brick walls,on the tops of which a little 2 feet “roof”of red tiles is built,- to keep the frosts off the young shoots I suppose
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Some places were a network of these walls, so you can imagine how well they looked and every back yard is in itself a small vine-yard. For miles and miles we sped along a huge river , grand river flats & at the back great mountains- magnificent scenery it was. Round the hills we wound & through great long tunnels- a couple of which took us eight minutes to travel through- & then we would strike the same river again & more beautiful hills -then on past miles of high swaying crops very full of grain everywhere in France-and fields with “meadow “ hay high and thick & bright red poppies just as thick-one would think they had been sewn-they make the fields look lovely. The holdings in France are in most cases small but every inch -regardless of the grade- that Mr Frenchman possesses he puts under cultivation- even on the mountain sides.vines are grown.
On the farms etc, not a man of military age was to be seen- old men,boys girls& women of all ages were working away-thinning ,tying & hoeing potatoes, strawberries & in fact doing everything that needs doing. Saw one girl driving a reaping machine & another very old lady ,building a load of hay
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on the wagon in great fashion & the old chap picking it up. These people gave us a great reception as we rolled along. Every 15 or 20 miles we passed through villiages of various sizes & through several large towns -at one stage we were within 15 miles of Paris. The second day’s travelling was just as interesting as the first for miles we were travelling along another big river and through tunnel after tunnel, and past huge forests of pine trees which the French have planted at some time. Every building is of brick or stone, most of them have red tiled roofs- the remainder are thatched- one never sees an iron roof in France- and always high gables. These places dotted about in the hills & valleys with high poplars and olive trees etc surrounding them, give the whole place a very picturesque appearance Some of the towns appeared to be very fine , but of course we only had a passing glance. I was quite sorry when at 3 am on the third morning we arrived at our detraining station,-another big seaport town. We unloaded our gear and then took an electric train to our camping ground about six miles out- stayed there for a short time & then entrained again on another long journey
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This time only about 20 hours, but as enjoyable as the last. Detrained and drove about 6 miles through grand country to our Billet -a big hay barn with the farm house adjoining, at which we were able to purchase bread, butter ,fresh milk & eggs. Slept on a hay bed -very comfortably. There we had a couple of showers of rain & for a few days things were very mucky . There was a decent village close by so we always kept the “pantry” well stocked. I’ve been in 4 different billets- from our last we were journeyed 20 miles by road to take up a firing position, just in front of a village that has been ,& was still being heavily shelled. We stayed there a short time & sent Fritz over our “compliments’ at intervals day and night, then at dark one night we moved closer up to the firing line & worked all that night & the whole of the next day concealing our position as best we could. As soon as we were settled we started shelling & got many quite close enough in return- most of the firing is done at night, the trenches are lit up with star & flare shells. A couple of days ago we took part in a very heavy bombardment- I was on the gun from
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6pm. Till 6am.the following morning & in that time we sent over about 400 shells from our gun .And every gun- all sizes- in the vicinity was doing the same, bombs were exploding & rifle & machine gun bullets cracking & whizzing through the air- the din was fearful. Our boys (Inf) made a big advance that night, but unfortunately were not strong enough to hold the trenches they had rushed and captured, against the heavy German Artillery fire that was poured at them & so were forced to retire, losing heavily on their way back to their own trenches- the enemy had fearful losses. My old Battalion suffered severely so I consider myself fortunate having transferred to the.??. Temple has just told me that Joe Beale was wounded in the leg, but don’t make this public if you haven’t already heard, as we are not certain. Harry Chivers too we hear was badly wounded & and unfortunately another Templestowe boy- Bert Johnston was killed. Must draw to a close now Mr. Goodson -Temple who wishes to be remembered, & I are both very well and quite happy in our present surroundings. Trust that the old scholars answered the “call” & that your concert was as big a success as past ones. Kindest regards to Mrs. Goodson & yourself yrs very sincerely. Harold B Clay
The school children might like to hear these lines so just as you wish. Remember me to all.
Letter 7
France 7/10/16
Dear Mr. Goodson
I received your welcome letter yesterday and it has been the two months wandering around trying to find me, it had thirteen postal marks on it this is my third letter I have wrote to you one from Egypt and one from England and this one I hope you received them alright the one I wrote from England was after I had four day leave in London but four days there is only like two hours in Melbourne.I was buzzing about like a bee in that time that at times I got lost and taking things into consideration I had of ????? look around and if I ever have the luck to get there again I will go a ?????????. Well Mr. Goodson it is close on three month since I joined the 3 Battalion in France and the only boys from out our way I have run across is H? Zerbe ,Elc??Frank Song????. Chief ???? Tom Toogood is about here but I haven’t had the luck to strike him yet we will be out of the trenches again for a while so will look him up .I get a good bit of news from home as I am getting my letters through alright & Mr. Clap writes to me now and again stating the price of butter ,eggs etc. and the girl is not worrying about me so it’s alright before I close this few lines I will give you my address. C Comp.23 Battallion as we are told anywhere as long as it’s not the beginning or the end ???
Well Mr. Goodson I will close hoping to be remembered to all. Yours sincerely Rupert. Please excuse paper, mistakes etc.
Letter 8
France Aug 19th 1916
Dear Mr. Goodson I received your welcome letter dated May 26th. And I was pleased to hear that you were in the best of health. I am in the best of health as this leaves me My Mother told me that you had written to me but the letter was delayed “ but better late than never”. You will know by this time that we are in action here & I have just came out of the trenches for a spell. It was very warm while it lasted I can tell you hotter than it ever was on the Peninsular. Our boys have taken a great part in the “ Poy Push” & have done well. The fighting here is a lot fiercer than it has ever been on this front & we are pushing the Huns here back little by little and are getting them well beaten but I can’t tell you much about the war but I can tell you things are going ( tray long) I could tell you terrible things that I have seen here and if I have the good fortune to get home safe I will only be too pleased to tell you anything that may interest you. I am keeping a dairy and I have some very interesting articales in it .It is 2 years today since I went into camp but it seems much longer to me I can tell you . I hope that your “Red Cross concert ” was a success and I wish I was home to witness it as I always took a great interest in the school concerts ever since I used to take part in them . I suppose you have heard of Harry’s death he was killed in action before this battle begun he was a game one I can tell you. We have lost two now in our family but they died for the freedom of others I was very sorry to hear of Mr. Symon’s death he ought never to have joined but he had the pluck & that’s what we want to win the war. I am very glad that so many of the young chaps have joined and are coming away I am glad that you enjoyed some of the postcards that I sent home ???? so long in Egypt I had seen all there was to be seen and I could keep you interested for hours telling you about their customs & the land .I have seen a great lot of France since we landed here & and it is a fine country dotted here and there with big towns & and the villages are very close here . We are never in tents here we are always Billited in farm houses or in the peoples purite houses and we get on very well with the French people All the men are at the war & the girls do all the work & they have to work I can tell you you can see them ploughing bringing in the harvest. This is about all the news this time . Remember me to all the people in Doncaster.
I remain your old pupil Ken Graham. P.S. A letter from you will always be welcome. Ken
Letter no 9
Hurdcott Camp
Salisbury Plains
November25th 1916
Dear Mr. Goodson I take this opportunity of writing to you ,as I feel shure you would be pleased to hear from one of your old scholars. It was my intention to call, and see you, and the old school before I left, but our Company left suddenly ,leaving me almost insufficient time to say goodbye to my relations. I embarked on the “Troop Ship Shropshire” 25th Sept. & I will never forget the time I stood in the bow of the ship watching the Victorian Coast slip away behind after we passed through the heads. We had a beautiful smooth trip. Durban was our first port of call, where we had two and one half days leave ashore, while the ship was coaling, so I had sufficient time to have a good look around the town. We left Durban on the 18th October, and on the 19th. We passed quit close to Port Elizabeth, with it’s lighthouse, from where the “ Warratar” was last seen. All the next day, before we sighted the “Cape of Good Hope” we continued quit close to the coast. It was wonderful to see the geat lofty mountains, that seem to come strait down into the sea. One huge mountain especially had five distinct peeks, that showed their heads above a long white cloud. On the 20th we steamed into Cape Town, which is almost surrounded by huge- dark mountains, that seem to be trying to push the Town into the sea . We only stayed one day at the Cape .The “Table Mountain” was a wonderful sight as seen first thing Saturday morning the 21st. Oct. when a long, white cloud lay along it, and just as we left , it cleared away, showing the mountain’s long flat, even top, that gives it it’s name. Our next call after leaving Cape Town ,was at Wakar, a French naval Station, where we took a big gun on board for defence in case of attack by submarine. The only rough weather we struck was in the Bay of Biscay where great waves like mountains, were coming over the ship’s side . We arrived at Plymouth Sound Nov 18th.,& entrained at Plymouth & had a journey of seven hours to Wool a small village in the south of England. From there we marched into Bovington Camp & after a rest of seven days , shifted to Hurdcott Camp in Salisbury Plains where we are doing solid training& marching long distances with full pack up. I am enjoying perfect health and feeling strong, & fit, & ready to go to the trenches any time. Yours sincerely Nohby B Hardidge
Letter No 10
France 26th -1-1917
Dear Mr Goodson,
I received your very welcome letter today & and as I am in a fairly warm billet and in a dashing spirit – I take very much pleasure in dropping you these few lines to let you know I am keeping well, up to the present, we had a little route march today, we stopped for a spell and there were a few little swamps about frozen with the cold weather we have had lately and thick with ice. we put in a good half hour trying to scate, it was good sport after being in the trenches. I met Fred Toogood and found him a few weeks ago, but met very few from out our ( way ) as yet I heard K Graham was slightly gassed, I don’t know for sure although I happened to be on the same front at the time I can just remember the gas shells alright. Well Mr Goodson I cannot speak this French language, I can only speak three or words that’s my limit. & as for frogs and snails they are not for me. Well I am not much of a hand at writing I am a one page artist so will close hoping to see you all again
I remain
yours sincerely
Rupert .
P.S. that Address is quite right.
Letter No 11,
Candahar Barracks, Tidworth England. April 20th 1917
It gives me much pleasure to take the pen to write to you as being one of your old scholars I feel it my duty to write you and in doing so it reminds me very much of times gone by when I would have to write my home lessons. I hope this reaches you and Mrs. Goodson in the best of health as it leaves me at present. It is now about 2 months that I have been in England and I am not climatized yet. The weather is very cold here, especially when I arrived it has snowed a great deal. & it was quite a novelty to see the snow falling & it’s very pretty too. The weather apart from being cold is quite queer. As it can be raining hard & in an hour it will be real fine, later on it will change to snow. & then peircing cold winds. The winds on Salisbury Plains are some cold. Tidworth here is on the outskirts of the plains. It is 70 seventy miles from London. It is only a small village but there are plenty of Barracks & quite a large number of troops. Yesterday the King received about (35,000 thirty five thousand) Australians from different camps on Salisbury Plains. There was Light Horse, Infantry, Artillery, and other units of the army there .We had to march past and the King took the salute at the Saluting base. All the Light Horsemen were mounted. The whole affair was a splendid & impressive sight. It was something added to my experience as it was the first time I have seen the King. Next week I shall go on four days leave, I shall visit London the city of wonder & will inspect all the old Historic places such as the Tower where the old Queens and Kings were beheaded. Chaps who seen it say the chopping block and axes are still there. Buckingham Palace. The Cathederal & such places. After I come back from there I shall reckon I know quite a lot. I haven’t seen much of England yet, but I don’t like the place much, there is no place like Sunny Australia. I am having a good time of it .The quarters I am in are very comfortable the drill is new in some respects, the food is light but good ,our beds are good and I have plenty of blankets, so taking it by the whole, things are not too bad. The trip over was a pleasant one, it took 10 ten weeks to complete, as we had 14 fourteen days at Cape Town 2 two days at Durban & 4 days at Seirra Leone- At Durban and Cape Town we got leave each day and seen all over the places of interest- Australians are thought a lot of at Cape Town , but not so much at Durban. Both places are very pretty & quaint. The black population in those cities, seem to cast a dark side to things, as it were. Easter time was very quiet here. Summer has commenced & daylight saving has started which makes a big difference this side of the world . Well Mr. Goodson I find news very scarse so I must conclude hoping that you will write in return I will remain
Yours Sinscerely Norman A Crossman
Address—No-2082 Tpr N.A. Crossman
13th Australian Light Horse
Australian Imperial Force
--Abroad --
Letter 12
France 18/2/18
Pte- A J. H
No31
Dear Mr. Goodson
I received your most welcome letter, & glad to hear that you are well again, as I have heard from home, that you had been very ill.
It is really wonderful how we Aussie’s keep in good health, & how one gets used to things. I always hear how you are, from home & I often think of my old School day’s.
And here tonight I have got the best of chum’s all good sticker’s. you must excuse my slang & scribble, Well Mr. Goodson Soldiering is like a second life in several way’s. I think sometimes that we are no more that School boys again; How nice it will be when the war is over and we are free.
There are several boy’s in same Batt from Doncaster and round about. Felise the barber & S. Barker the black smith, & two or three from Box Hill . S Barker was wounded but he is back with us again, he got a bad knock, but he is tre-bon now. It was very sad about Willie Rust & Erich Hillman & I know from what I heard about Erich he was a dinkum soldier & game, he was recommended once. I have met a lot of old chum’s over here.,still have a lot more to find.
While on Blighty furlough I met C.Watt’s on his leave as well. After seeing W. Watt’s some time before. We do have some talk of old time’s when we meet .
I find it much easier to talk than to write but we are always looking for letter’s.
I don’t like the Belgiums & the French, I don’t know too much about them,but I am swetting on going to have a look at gay Parie I must think about closing as it’s time I went to sleep so trusting that this will find you & all in the best of health, as this leaves me in the best of health Please remember me to all & my people. Close with kindest regard’s
From you old School boy Jack
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