France 30/10/1916

Dear Mother,

It is raining like the devil as per usual and as there isn’t much doing at the billets I am trying to write a few letters. If mud was interesting to talk about I would have an amount to say as there is tons of it. We are just going to do a turn in the trenches a bit further on than where I was at the time when I was in first so if you watch the news of the next fortnight you will probably have an idea of how we are doing. The Australians are still thought a great deal of in England and France and the boys who have been to England especially Liverpool tell great yarns of the good times and grand welcome they got there, especially at Liverpool. They think we are a race of athletes and giants etc. and think that we are all wealthy. They write articles in the papers holding us up as a national standard of physique and reckon the cash cow easily regain the standard by proper housing and working conditions etc. The French soldiers are fine looking chaps and physically I think they are close to the Australians.

I have not seen Parks yet and am not likely to either as it is hard for soldiers of British extraction to get there except with a special pass. I have seen Calais & Bologna and St Omer and Amiens at a distance but did not spend any time there we always miss the big towns and strike the lesser towns and villages and farms on account of the billeting difficulty.

Hoping you are well and cheerful as I am. I will close this short note. PS I am expecting the Christmas parcel and I hope they don’t go and torpedo the ship that brings it.

Walter

30/10/16 France