France 12/8/1918

Dear Grace

This will have to I am afraid serve as answer to the many very nice short letters you have been so good as to write which I am so hard put to find sufficient news to answer. Nevertheless your letters are always nice and bright and I like reading them so please don’t be downhearted if I appear to neglect you for girls are always in my thoughts and I often wish I was back and could be off somewhere or other on those nice holidays we used to have. I often long to have the old gun in my grasp shooting wallabies and rabbits somewhere in the bush where there are no shells or Huns to look out for.

As you know by reading that letter to Father that I have just come safely from the biggest fight the Australians have had and although I am really glad to be away from it I also feel as if I would like to be back with the lads now that they have got a Hun on the run. The latest information is that they have given him a terrible doing and have advanced 12 miles. That is what I call a push but as I happen to be in the first bunch over the top I met all the opposition I could not last long and was lucky to get out of it so lightly. Anyhow I knocked 8 Huns before I left a fact of which I am very proud as it was the first occasion on which I was really in a position to see red and deal it out to the Huns. However I am in a much calmer mood now and have been wondering how on earth I bought myself to such a state as to be able to mercilessly shoot them down even if they were Huns.

How is work? You seem to be doing pretty well which is a blessing and in time you ought to do even better as you are getting good experience arent you?

Well cheers Grace and good luck with love from your affect Bro

Walter France 12/08/18