France 11/12/1916.

Dear Mother,

While I write this I am seated on my pack, in a barn, acting as a guard room, with my candle alight and stuck in a crack in the wall. lt is raining as usual, in fact it never seems to stop at all. I often wish for the good old genuine Australian sun, even if it was only for a few hours. They tell us here that winter does not begin until January but it is quite cold and wet enough for me.

We have had one slight fall of snow and every morning the ground freezes. In billets we take it in turns to act as brazier from somewhere and there is generally a good deal of dirty work in getting fuel. We manage somehow or other, we would not be Australians if we couldn’t. I often wish we were billeted in Australian towns where we could just go outside and pull down some old dead gum tree or break up an old log. By aid of these fires we make toast usually with margarine, boil water and milk etc. so that we can generally be comfortable in billets. We expect to be on the move again soon, and will most likely spend Xmas in the same place as last.

The aunts and cousins in England have been keeping the parcels up to me lately and one of them included a huge woolen muffler and when yours arrives I will have 3. I mean to keep them all though as there is nothing like having plenty of mufflers in this weather. I have received your letters telling me of your change of address. I hope the change will turn out alright but candidly I think it’s a bit too much for you both as it entails too much work for your age you know, but it may be easier when your place becomes shipshape again.

I am glad Lil has got a start and I assure you it is a great relief to me to know that they are all able to do a bit towards the general upkeep, as Pa must be getting like the Huns – that is – ‘worked out’. We often pass bodies of Hun prisoners on our route marches. Most of them seem to be either 18 to 25, or about 50. Very few of them are any bigger than Billy Hookham. They generally look sullen and drear and have a ‘don’t care a hang’ expression and jolly glad to be out of the whole affair.

You needn’t be at all alarmed about my not receiving your letters as only today I had 6 from different members of the family. They arrived a bit late though on account of having gone to Rouen Hospital first. Uncle George still writes and forwards his parcel along and in fact seems to like hearing from me. I am such a lazy beggar though and I have so many correspondents that it takes me all I know to keep up the answers to them.

Well, we Australians are still in the boom over here in France and I am sure we are getting all the trying out we want as regarding war. We get quite nervous sometimes in the trenches on account of rumours that circulate about German ? and torpedo boats having been seen in the trenches which are full of water you know. This letter was started in guardhouse and is being finished in a French ‘esterminete’ and to the tune of a bottle of ‘vin rouge’ which was not too too much and is bit sour and makes the heart bold for nothing.

Since you have waded through this silly letter I will add that I have decided that you are to have a little present for Christmas this year and suited to whatever occasion you decide. I wrote to Hilda to see to it that you go to some pot or other and get a rig out to suit your special taste. I don’t know what ladies like but you must get a tile? and a new dress shoes etc and also get your specs mended as I know that they are always awry. If you offer be the slightest opposition to this proposal you will get at least 28 days field punishment when I get back. This is you will be fined about �8 live in a guard room do dirty and get tied up for 2 hours a day with your hands stretched out. That is what we get for being drunk and disorderly you know.

With best love to you and all others,

I remain yours affectionately

Walter H Elkington

11/12/16 …?