Somewhere in France 15.2.18
Dear Colina
just a line wishing this to find you as well as it leaves me at present. All the other boys are well. I was with Don and Tom on Sunday, they are both looking well. Poor old Tom is just the same old stick. I am so glad Bob got his discharge They are a few about Rushworth. O.neills. Mac Cardles and Howes and a few more that should fill up his place, him being a married man.
Wehave s (?) one heavy snow here this last few weeks it as been raining today, it makes every think very bad over here when it is raining. I met Harry Bailey last night he is well.The Two Johnson Boys are in the 37. Les Spence has not come back yet, I do not know how they do it, put in 8 or 9 months in blighty. Leo Burns is in the 37 Band he was only in the line 25 minutes and got hit in the leg. I have been I have been (ed note: repetition is authors own, at page break) in France a little over 10 months now and I have been over the top 5 times they are men here that have been in France 15 months and has not been over the top, as soon as a bit of a push comes on the get sick or get out of it some how. I have been in 3 big advances Messiens and Ypres and Pascisindale and the last few hours just before I was to be relieved I had to go from the front post over two miles to the rear to Carry up Bombs and I got a bit of a crack. I was only away 8 weeks, just came back in time to go in the line, I was in the line 32 days and Seventy five of us was picked out for a raid. Well we carried out that raid we had 4 men killed and 12 wounded, it was one of the best raids that ever Carried out on the western front we killed about 100 Germans in 25 minutes. I only got two I shot one in the back and he never give me any more trouble I bayoneted – One young fellow killed 16 fritzys with bombs, he got an M.M I am sorry to say he got killed him self two days after. the chap that was in front of me got a M.M. but he never deserved it, he was the biggest Coward I ever seen, as soon we got in on old fritzy this chap had to Call on me, I came up and run back for is life. I was second in and last out of our Partey, us Boys do not think any think of a meadle has the ones the wins them never get them, I have seen Officers with meadles and when they are well down a Dug out away from the Shells N.G.O and Privates has to do all the work so when we all get back to Australia these fellows with meadles wont be so flash. I seen M. Police getting M.Ms a little wile ago and they miles behind fireing line. as long as I get home with a sound Boddy I will be sater fied they are plenty of Cold foots in England that has not seen the line yet. Well Colina, you will be surprise to hear that our Death Rolls for this last four months as been 20000 and wounded and killed 48 thousand. it is impossible to describe any think like these western front Battles, they are to frightfull to mention. I was up the line today we are in reserves now the First and Second Division are in the line and the 3rdand 4th are in reserve the 5th is out resting. I sopose we will be going in any day now the Boys in the line did not look to bright on it they were up to there waist in mud ever think is all over mud a Chap is very lucky if he gets wounded and gets out alive
(Ed note : While there are no more pages of the same type of paper with this letter there is another type of note paper marked with YMCA with the Australian Imperial FORCE. Which contains the end of a letter that seems to be in the same shade of ink and was filed in another plastic sleeve with it seems to have no flowing context. I am going to assume that it is actually the end of this letter and transcribe it below.)
Wright soon tell Doll I have had no letters for a long time now I am going to Paris for a few days and then I will be in time for Blighty. I will ring off from
Yours,
Faithfully
Charles. Anderson
Address of A.Corp
39mBattalion
O.A.S.
France
Never put any other address
Ed note: spelling and grammar have been for the most part reproduced as per original, with some punctuation to improve readability.
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