France, 4/3/l9l7.

Dear Mother,

As we are being kept very busy just at present I am not able to write many letters this time but of course can find time for one to you. If you look at the papers dated as per above you will note that the Huns are evacuating their old line and are falling back to another one which is shorter. So far about 12 villages have been retaken and a depth of about 2 miles has been forced on about a 12 mile front.

The villages are nothing but scrap heaps of bricks and beams of timber or here and there a partly standing wall with a shell hole through it. The whole battlefield is nothing but a dreary desolate waste crisscrossed with old trenches cut through the white chalk and shell holes and broken and battered woods which were mostly the scenes of the toughest fighting.

One wood we camped in once was filled with about 4,000 dead Huns etc. and we often kicked their bones out of the road. The scenes of the earlier part of the fighting in these parts are getting quite green again with the coming of spring, while the crows are about in thousands eating the earth worms and other insects which must have multiplied during the months of fighting when no bird dared to come near. Some birds are game enough. I have seen a bird like a quail fly over our post with shrapnel and whizz bangs falling all round. Looked like quail shooting with 18lb shells.

In one ruined village we came across a pile of German helmets with bosker brass badges, but I was too jolly tired at the time to look for a good one and we were not in a position to gather souvenirs either.

The British Engineers do some wonderful work around here. They build railways and tramways in record time, lay water supplies, built roads etc in less time than it would take in Australia to even decide on doing the job. There are all sorts of troops kicking about these parts too and I think the Australians stand alone among them all for workers – any place that the Australians have been on is always the better for their presence. They generally improve the position and make it shipshape.

All this takes place not far from where I first joined the Battalion and went into action. This is about as from as from Summer Hill station to Sydney and on the same spot as the drawing is at “Shirley” when going out the door. Comprey?

One of our chaps found a dug out about here recently which must have been a headquarters for the Huns. It was well furnished with beds, etc. electric lights and there was a dead German in one bed with his throat bandaged. The poor beggar must have starved.

Last night we had another heavy fall of snow and consequently it is very slushy again, although it isn’t cold to speak of. When it is cold now we just sit huddled together in some dug out and freeze until morning, then we snatch a couple of hours to carry on with. At any rate the health of the troops as regards sickness is good and compares with the other troops.

The Aunts in England still send along their fortnightly rations to me, which I regularly receive. Mrs. Hookham, also does the same and so do others. You need never fear that I am neglected by those over here who are real mothers and fathers to me and get terribly upset the same as you do if they don’t hear from me for a week or so – especially Mrs. Hookham. Daisy (Vivian’s wife) writes like a sister and is a real character too and send me such funny things – tins of turkey, tins of bacon, tinned lamb cutlets etc. which are ‘tres bon.’ Uncle George sends along enough cigarettes and tobacco every fortnight to stock a small shop. Once he sent me 28 packets of cigarettes, another time he sent me a box of cigars (12),100 cigarettes in 2 tins and 1/2Ib of tobacco. So you can see I am well looked after. Today I received 11 letters including 2 from you, 3 from Edie, 3 from Grace, one from Hilda, and 2 from Mr. Hookham. Once before I gathered in 16 at one time.

Those I.W.W. fellows in Australia seem to be great criminals. I reckon it would be good to tie a bullock bell on their necks and make them go into No Mans Land and let Fritz have a go at them.

I don’t think there is any possibility of getting leave this Summer as we will be pushing the Huns most of the time I suppose and Haig says it will finish this Summer. You know I hope he is right.

You don’t seem to be having much luck with the fruit this year. Please remember me to all and sundry and kid them I will write soon.

With love to you and the rest, I remain yours affectionately,

WALTER.