France, 2/8/1917.

Dear Mother,

I am afraid we are not having the same little talks with one another as frequently now as heretofore. For one reason, I think a good many ships bearing mail are sunk and it is a fact that I have only received one lot of 4 letters from Australia in a period of over three months. I do not know how you have been faring with my letters. Well in case you have not been hearing from me, I might as well say that about three months ago we came out for a spell and have not been in the line since and have had rather an enjoyable time of it from a soldier’s point of view.

Last April I was made L/Cpl and three weeks afterwards I was made temporary corporal vice Harold, who was evacuated to England. Three weeks later I was promoted to the permanent rank of Lance Sergeant and two weeks after that I was made Temporary Sergeant, with an extra 6d. a day. In two days time I will have completed the necessary time [3 months] as a temporary Sgt. and will then be a full blown Sergeant at 10/6 day.

My pay is made up as follows: From 11 March 1916 to 11th April 1917 my pay was 1/- deferred , 3/- allotted to you [which you have been drawing] and 2/- a day which I have drawn over here and represents my spending cash. On 12th April, 1917 I started to draw Corporal’s pay [10/-] made up as follows: 1/6 a day, deferred 3/- allotted to you and 5/6 I draw over here owing to extra expenses. The only difference to you in case of my meeting an accident would be extra 6d. a day from 11th April, 1917. Again, from 5th May 1917 my deferred pay was raised to 2/- a day and I will draw that until I get either killed or reduced for any reason or other, the allotment 3/- remains the same, so that from 5th May 1917 my pay is 2/- deferred, 3/- allotted and 5/6 I draw here. If I am lucky and accumulate the balance of my 5/6 which I may not spend, I may send you sums up to l0 pounds to be placed to my Credit. As a matter of fact, Aunt Clara has sent along 10 pounds already to be placed to my Credit.

Now I will give you some more rough statistics which may interest you. Up to the present date I have spent as under:

In the firing lines and support and reserve trenches, which are always under the enemy’s direct artillery and rifle fire, I have spent approximately 106 days.

Out for spells, doing military work such as road repairs, etc. and shifting ammunitions and other work – 267 days, out of which a good bit of the time [about half ] was under long range gun fire and otherwise in the Danger Zone i.e within 7 miles of the line, subject to Air Raids.

Altogether to date I have spent 373 days with my battalion and have not been guilty of any misdemeanour or crime.

I have borne 6 months of snow and sleet and for the whole time I have been louse infested. There were frequent periods during which I found it impossible to wash or shave, sometimes for a week at a time. The lice are beastly and one is always like a dog. They get into the seams and crinkles of the shirt and trousers and vary in size and create an acute sense of itching. The only way to get rid of them is to take the clothes off and kill the lice. Everybody is infested.

Our food during the 373 days has never varied at all. It is the same day after day and although it is good and wholesome and plentiful it is bound to become monotonous. Now that I am a sergeant I have the advantage when out of the line of better food for which I pay extra. I have had 10 days leave to England and at different times have had about 25 to 30 other days at intervals, granted to visit towns nearby mostly at Amiens and have been lucky in that respect. I have only left the battalion on one occasion for 20 days through sickness.

You have now a rough summary of my services to my country and there are very few who can beat it for constancy. I am in perfect health and good spirits and so far have plenty of nerves left, although I think I was losing my nerve [as many were] after the winter through the constant battling against hardship and constant danger. You need have no fear that Australians here will quit the trouble as we are all in good fettle and so long as things are right at home we don’t care for anything, not even “Bill”.

I often think it would be nice to sail into Sydney Harbour hanging over the sides of a transport amidst the cheers of the people, but we have come to the decision over here that after all the loafers in England and Egypt and the Military Police and a few other branches of the A.I.F. have been sent home before us, there will not be much enthusiasm left for the SOLDIERS who fought and bled for Australia. It is only natural of course. Well goodbye and good luck for the present. Hoping you are well, I will close,

From your affectionate son,

Walter.