"Comrade Me Bon Comrade" C Anderson

France 18/8/18

Dear Colina just a line I received your letter today dated 27/may and was pleased to hear from you Well Colina we are giving Fritzy a hurry up now he got a lot more than he thought he was going to get I was to go on leave just be for this stunt started but I would not not have it said that I missed this I knew that it was going to be one of the biggest battles we have ever carried out in France a long way I am a driver in the M.G transport and I was close behind Fritzy I was 48 hours in the saddle I tell you I was some stiff But I never enjoyed myself so much in my life (dickon?) it was it was just like some big show to see all the horse galloping into action I never thought that they was so many ausies in France  till we seen them fly the flags cause we was behind them after they got a move on it was great to see the Huns running with their hands up for mercy Comrade me bon Comrade we give them bon well dead I saw very little or few on our side perhaps you could number them on your fingers a few walking wounded and not a great many stretcher cases so we were very lucky well we captured train transports motor cars motor lorrys hospital with staff and sisters I saw one of the lads leading 7 cows back from the lines today we got all sorts of things we got one great big railway gun oh she was a beaut I wish you could have seen it.  It would have done your eye site good not saying we have not got a lot better of our own.  But what a knock to the Beastly Boche to loose (sic) his weapon that he uses to break up churches and hospitals with we all got some of his planes S boolans (balloons?) I tell you she is some stunt excuse my slang but it a saying we boys have in France

 

(Ed note:  there is a small diamond shaped hole in the paper, which obscures the next word and also a word in the middle of the next line)

 

word Colina it was pretty (missing word) see the tanks go over the top it was worth seeing when it was for our country and freedom safety of our dear people at home.  I tell you when you go through these big towns as we have done this past few days and see the homes of these wonderful French folks all broke up it must be very hard to bear but they do not show the slightest sign of weakness well one thing you area all safe home and well out of the range of these Beastly Boche.  I have never seen our Boys in better spirets this is just what the lads like to get him on the run and keep him moveing it is great sport speacely when you are on horse back galloping after him this is the first time that we have had transport so close behind our troops the machine guns had some great targets and they made the best of them the Brutes took most of the  crops that was far behind our old front line but close to our old line they was not hurt much.  We will (sic) cutting them by now I had a letter from Tom today he is doing well he will be sorry he missed this truely I would not have missed this for a fortune and I am proud that I am an AUSSIE > after the way they knocked the hun about I have been too busy to wright a great deal lately this is the first for 8 or 9 days  I am just finishing on page 5

(ed note:  Charlie only uses part of this page, being the back of page 4 and then continues on page 5 and 6 afterthe following brief sentence:

excuse my bad wrighting as it is getting dark and we cannot have lights for fear of planes droping Bombs.)

a few minutes to wright you these few lines wile I am on pickate (?)  watching our horses he drops a shell or two very close at times he droped one very close just as I strated to wright this I tell you I duck off and got my steal hat I don’t know if it makes a great deal of difference but I feel safer I will just give you a little idea of what this was like at the start well you could see all the different coloured lights in the world all the noises in the world and once the air rang with machine gun bulletes and as the sun rose and the fritzes singing Comrade it was like some wild lion and tiger turn out well we are the winners so that is the main thing

 

Well Colina I must enclose my best wishes remember me to all at home I am going to Scotland in a few days (missing part of paper, word indecipherable) he has started droping bombs so I will ring off look sweet and get into my little dug out.

From Yours Sincerely Charles Anderson