France 18/6/16

Dear Gert,

I received your 4th letter today and was so pleased to hear from you again. I am using your piece of paper which you have thoughtfully enclosed just in case I may not be able to get any. So far I have been able to get any amount of writing material but there may be a time in the future when it will be difficult and when there will be no YMCA to supply the need so that the idea is a good one.

In this camp where I am at present we are really well catered for. We have several canteens and YMCA huts and also several other huts built by other bodies such as the Boy Scouts hut RC huts etc. these supply all writing material and sell coffee, tea & cakes etc. The canteens are quite elaborate & look more like the civil service shops in Sydney than canteens on active service. So far I have not received any parcels of papers and it is 3 months after sailing at the time of writing they will probably turn later. The lads who live over in England get parcels regularly from their home and we all share the spoils that arrive (you bet).

The weather here is supposed to be summer but is more like in winter in Glen Innes. There is always a cool wind blowing and it rains every day and I can tell you I find that muffler and balaclava very useful indeed. I saw some of the English troops one day and I can tell you they are a funny crowd. They remind one of a crowd of cock sparrows, look as cheeky as you like. They have terribly funny faces too and seem full of fun. Some of them have protruding foreheads and turned up noses like this (insert picture) and some are like this (insert picture). With the result that when they march past in their quick step everyone laughs like the “Dickens”. Some have long legs and short bodies and some have long bodies and bandied legs and hobble along, but they are all for the same purpose I suppose so it is not right to laugh is it?

Over here in France the censorship is very strict and consequently I cannot say anything about what I have seen here as the Germans are great spying experts and can piece all sorts of information together intelligent information which is no good for our army. Sometimes they know as much about things as we do when the time comes for them to happen over here. We do have long twilight over here and we always go to bed before it is dark as it does not get dark until about 9:30pm. It would seem peculiar to hear “last post” being blown when it is quite light after being used to hearing it later.

Your affectionate brother

Walter. 18/6/16 France.