Address reply to Cpl Elkington 4106. C Coy Batt AIF.

(Some paper degradation)

Dear Mother.

The time has arrived for me to write to you again a duty which I look forward to and which I execute every available opportunity. We are still out there in billets our five months ceaseless work in and on the trenches and are have a comparatively enjoyable time.

Last week we had to football matches and the 1st we won by 14 to nil and the 2nd we lost by ? to 3. We also have had ? cricket and today we are holding a big sports meeting for the Brig at a village nearby where there is a suitable ground. At the moment of writing I am back from witnessing the finals of a boxing tournament in which a couple of well-known Sydney and Newcastle boxers participated in and later on in the day my party leave to proceed a bit further on to a place about 3 kg distance to see a horse show and other ….

Considerable paper degradation

horse events. We are also granted leave at the rate of about 10% of the Btn for the purpose of visiting Armiens and Doullins both of which towns are not very far away. So you see we are not doing too badly are we? There is no doubt that we get plenty of straffe and work when in the line but when we come out on the line for a spell (which is not very often now) we generally make it worthwhile.

Despite this quite ? and other little things not worth worrying much about we seem to get plenty of ? much more. In fact than we did when I had joined the Btn 12 months ago and our issue just at present is a 1 lb tin of C and B or Roberts marmalade jam to 5 or 6 men per day and a loaf of bread per man (it used to be one third) or a ? of margarine to 8 men besides plenty of bully stew and tea and bacon. (Page degradation)

.

Anyway I can say that we have as much as I can eat and have something in the past six months than when we came out of billets. We can buy all the other luxuries in the canteen and be French peasants can provide which are much dearer then they used to be.

I have not been getting much mail lately perhaps people are getting to tired of me. Since I haven’t got much time now for writing or it may be a lot of it is getting torpedoed.

I obtained my leave to England a few days ago but happen to be busy at the time and missed out. The aunts etc over there seem to be anxious to get a sight of me. I hope they won’t be shocked when I do show up. Uncle George writes every fortnight and always mentions that he has a son Lt Leonard E in Salonika (Gr) who is in charge of a piece of road construction work which gives me a pip and makes me wonder if he thinks I ought to be one of the ? too. The country here is very like the ? of Eden with wild flowers and trees in bloom everywhere and I often think that those picture artists paint of landscapes with the brightest colours are not exaggerations. At any rate it is like heaven on earth to be among the green crops and woods and hilly slopes after the dreadful monotony of the Somme region and Hindenburg Line.

The Frenchies ? ? think our chaps are ‘just it’ and treat them like lords and ? ? make them pay like lords. Do you remember Mr McColl of Bingara. Well Mr McColl’s son is in charge of my platoon over here and remembers us at Bingara. I am still a mug Cpl here and I think I could rise higher if I had the knowledge and the inclination which I have not. In fact I imagine myself as a bit of a joke and will probably fall flat in time. So be prepared for events to follow. Ken Martin went away for some school somewhere or other and I have not seen him for about two months or so. Harold is still in Rouen Hospital and seems to be going on all right and I do not expect him back in the firing line again as he is severely wounded in a bad spot.

I hope something to bring any account to use the (paper degradation) on any acc of which you have charge.

With love from your son

Walter 2/6/17