"From One who is Never Down Hearted" C.Anderson

Right address 22nd Coy 2 nd M. Gunn Batt

France 17.7.18

Dear Colina just a line wishing this to find you the same as it leaves me at present.

I received a big bundle of letters today, they were all dated feb and march. I have had April mail a good few days ago but this lot was sent to the 10th M.G.Coy on account of me going to the 22cd M.G. Coy. You see, I am in a divisional Coy now, that is how my mail has been so long in turning up. You have no idea how our boys enjoy there (sic) mail. I look forward for nothing better than mail. I wright (sic) as often as I can, some times I forget who I do wright to. I am glad you received the handkerchiefs and cards, I cannot think of anything else to send and you can always get handkerchiefs  and nice little cards, you can just put them in an envelope and they are no more trouble. it is a risk sending anything of any value. I all ways think these little trifles will make you think that I still think of you friends I left behind. I often wonder what you all are doing. I bet things are on the quiet side in the old town. 

well judging (from) these confounded guns roaring old hun is not having a quiet time. He give us a rallie up last night with gas shells and H.E. shells but I am glad to say they were fruitless because he never got any of us. The old gas mask is not a bad friend. I do not take the least bit of notice of gas but according to the Hun prisoners  they lose a terrible (lot) of men from ours, as at present the French and our good old Pals the Yanks are giving him the bigest caneing up ever he got and our lads are bringing a bag of them in every night. My word the Ausies do put the wind up the beastly Boche. For weeks now the Australians name have appeared in the daily papers so you will have an Idea that we do not let the grass grow under our feet and I am very glad to say that since he stated his offence if he has not knocked us back one inch but we have pushed him back ever since March.  I have done my little share in this outfit.

  I have not seen Jack Collie for a long while, now when I get near the 37th I will try and find him. I lost one of my best Pals on the fourth of this month.  The night Tom got wounded, I was with Tom at the time, I did know any thing about it till I woke up all covered with blood and my body was all black and blue.  I asked what became of Tom and they told me they had sent him to hospital.I was on a strecher in the field Ambulance where they took us.  They wanted to send me to hospital but I would not go ! I wanted to see how my mates got on and see what damage we done to the beastly boche.  I got a shock when I found out my little friend was killed. He was on the same gun as me and all so our section officer, one of the whitest men that ever wore a sambrown (?) We took a Cross to their grave yesterday.

I sent Doll the slip of paper with the account of the battle. We took 1400 hun that night. The last I remember was putting a burst from our Machine gun into about dozen beastly Boche. Well needless to say, they are at present were all good niggers go. 

it is tray Bon sport on the old M.Gun when you get  such a good target so close we must get rid of the brutal huns and the old diggers are the boys to put them in their place. Well  Colina I don’t know that I should tell you about fixing these huns but you must have an idea what we do and what we are here to do. There is nothing like the plain facts. We are not hard hearted. These things must be done. I must say this war has not made the lease bit of difference to me.  I do my duty honestly and I am proud to say that I have not got one mark or crime against me. I have played this game so far and I intend to, right to the end. I am here at my own risk and I am not in the least sorry. 

 Well Colina you said perhaps I lost my wallet,  no I still hang to that.  I get a good many letters from Cathie Spence I had one last week saying she expects Son over anytime now they are getting married very soon now.  I will very likely be over at the time I am going on leave in a few days I will tell you what bonny Scotland is like.  I intend to have a Tray Bon time. I have not started to smoke yet you said I would in trench life but I have since the 17/march 1917 and have came out of it yet.

well I must ring off from one who is never down hearted

 

(Ed note:  end of letter is in drawn margins at the top of the page)

Tom is doing well Rueb is in England Don and Will well.

From yours Sincerely Charles Anderson

"The Longest Job I had, not the Best" C.Anderson

France. 12/7/18

Dear Colina 

just a line hoping this to find you as well as it leaves me at present.

I received your letter and was very glad to here from you. Tom got a little crack on the head. He got his skull fractured. I had a letter fro him to say that he is doing well. He said it was tray Bon Between sheets on the Spring Bed and nice kind Sisters to look after you.

  I all so had letters from Donal and Will. Rueben is in England on home service he has a good Chance to get home.  I had a letter from Cathie Spence.  She tells me that she expects Son over shortly to get married I will very likely get over there about the same time. Rom met Son a few weeks ago I think he looks a bit old a few years of this life makes a vast difference to anyone.  Well Colina,  our Boys have been stinging these beastly Boche up again we bag somewhere on 14:00 on the 4/4/18 and  a lot more since I see by yesterdays paper that Don's Batt have been giving him some hurry up. They are the Boys to put the wind up Fritz We now have new friends the Yanks to help us. they are good fellows the Ausies get on very well with them. I met Tom Dolly the other day he was going on the line he is in the 6 M. Gunn he looks well. I met a lot of my old Batt boys the other night I had a night sport with them before they moved forward to hunt the Confounded huns.  They are the boys to give them hurry up.

  I sopose Colina every thing is on the quiet side over on the old Stanhope Road.they are not so quiet here the Big Guns were going some this morning you could hear all the noises in the world at once but she is not such a bad game, after all there is one thing a man need not be afraid of getting the sack. this is the longest job I ever had, not the best, I have had better.

well I sopose it will come right in time, I will be right back in good old rushworth some of these days.  This war ort to be over in 10 or 12 years a man will have a good deferred pay enough with the old age pension. Ha.  But we will be the Winners good winners too.

Well Colina, I have very little news to say so I will have to close. Wishing you my best wishes, so goodbye, all is well with the Australians, they are all in good heart.

From Yours Sincerely,

Charles Anderson

"All on my Pat Malone" D.Anderson

25.6.18 France

Dear Coina

I received your welcome letter this week and I was pleased to hear from you.

 I thought that you had forgot all about me.I have received I think about three letters from you since Dec 22nd.  So I can see that you have got  tired of writing.

I had a long letter from Mary Cameron last mail & one from Doll also.

I suppose Rube is home by now.  You told me what you had received word about him.Well I walked nine miles to see him that day has I only had a letter a few days befor from him so you can see I lead (?) a walk to hear good news of him.

I only wrote to you a few days befor.  So that is why I could not let you know about him then.  How is Fred I believe you have beat Lucy for him but I don’t think you do anything like that but you hear some funny news at times  don’t you?

 Charlie Tome & Will are all well the last time I heard from them but it’s a good while since I saw any of them so I am all on my Pat Malone 

So now I must say goodnight as its to dark to write 

Kind Regards From  

Yours Sincerely

 Don Anderson

"If I am Spared" L.Spence

France

June 24th 18

Dear Colina

Just a few lines in answer to your welcome letter I received yesterday.

I was glad to hear that you are all in the best of health as it leave me the same at present.  You want to know if it true about Cathie & Alex. Well I had a letter from Cathie the beging (sic) of the month & she said that Alex was going to put in for special leave at the end of the month & they are to be married, that the first she let on to me about it.  I had a letter from Alex also last week & he was telling me about trying for leave but he did not say what for.  He can have them all on his own for me their plenty out their for me when I get back that if I am spared.

Cathie was saying that she expect Charlie Anderon over on leave any time now as they have started it again They stopped it for Two months while the push was on. I bet the girls will be going mad when they hear that Son married.  The last letters I had from Violet she said she did not believe son was engaged so I don’t know what she will say when she hears they are married.  I see Elsie & Mc have done the truck he told me when I left that he'd wait for me to come home before he would get married I suppose I have been too long on my tour that he could not wait any longer.  no one had the slightest idea that it would last this long when I left.  It looks like it will go on for a couple more years yet the way things are going at present they don’t look too bright on it.

I had a letter from Lucy & she was saying that they had grand sports up their on Easter Monday.  She said Lilly Pearson & her sister got first prize in the procession.  I bet Lilly look hard case dressed as an Indian you would have to look twice to see if she was their she's that small.

I have not seen any of the Rus(hworth) boys for over 8 months they were all well just before the push started. Well that all the news at present remember me to all With the best of love 

From Your loving Cousin Les xxx

"A Rough & Fast Little Affair" C.Anderson

RDear Colina 

Just a line to let you know that I am still in the land of living. Fritz has not snared me yet,  the Boys have been caneing him up lately. I have not give them a hand in any of these stunts since the 17/4/18, I am still in Convalescent,  I had a fairly lively time just before I left. 

it is not near so bad on the Machine gun as in the infantry I had my share of the Inf.  Tom is still going strong he has not been away from the M.G.Coy since they came to France, this is my third time away. I was buried by a shell explosion on the 7th of june 1917 and only had 5 weeks spell and I got a little crack on the 14 Oct 1917 and only had 3 (could be 9) weeks in hospital and I came back in time to give fritz a few bombs in a raid. That was the best bit of sport I had since I came to France a raid is a very rough and fast little affair,  in and do him as much harm as you can and fetch back a fritzy or two, not to many for the undertaker as we can. 

Well Colina they are very little to say I am going out for stroll through the forest with the Padre we have many a joyfull afternoon in these dear old woods,  it really reminds you of the old bush at home. Ha. To be back amongst the golden Wattle Blossom!  them times will soon come again I hope. 

Well Colina I will Close wishing you my best wishes From 

Yours Sincerely Charles

"Dodging the Old Iron Foundries" C. Anderson

France 10/5/18

Pte CG Anderson

22nd MG Coy

A.I.F.

 Dear Colina,

Just a line  wishing this to find you all as well as it leaves me at present. The weather is Tray Bon over hear now. This is a lovely place where I am at present. All the Beech trees are beautiful, they are all pretty green, they (sic) are some lovely forests about and they are better still in Belgium where those beastly Boche have rein and the lovely little farms all smashed to atoms. They will answer for all there (sic) terrible crimes. People in Australia have not the slightest idea what those poor Belgium and french people have to go through. I can tell you, it is heart breaking to see their pretty little homes shelled to peaces (sic). Where old couples have reared their families and lived a peaceful life. Well it will all come right in time. Us Machine Gunners have payed them Boche back for some of their cruel doings but not as much as they are going to get. All the old Ausy Boys are still in good form and cheerful no matter where they are, you never see them down hearted. If you sing out to a battalion or a crowd of Ausy lads 'Are you downhearted?', you will hear a great roar of No! That is the right way to be. I never lose any sleep over this show, it must come right in time and then for the good old times.

I suppose you have a fatted calf for us, for the five of us will eat you all out of house and home. I only way (sic) 12 stone, 8 lb now so I have gained weight on the army rations pork and beans. Ha, for the good old roast again. Colina don't you think some of them fellows ort to have their feet warm by now, you know you can do with a few jockeys to have a ride in our next handicap . I am a little overweight but I will have to keep the ball bouncing anyway. T is good sport dodging the old iron foundries and taking cover from those big birds that fly around and drop eggs on you, but our birds have the upper hand. You often see a (sic) air fight and you see the Hun drop down in flames. Well Colina I have no more to say tonight, I am going to the pictures in a few seconds so I must ring off.

I will send you some views of this place as soon as I get down to the town. Well so long, keep the home fires burning.

My best wishes from

Yours Sincerely

Charles

2641

"News from Home" L.Spence

France

May 8th, 1918

Dear Colina,

Just a few lines to let you know that I received your welcome letter this week & was pleased to hear that you are all in the best of health as it leaves me the same at present. You were saying hat George and your father having been doing a lot of contract work lately though it (h)as been that much rain it put them back a bit. It is a good thing to have so much rain early in the year, it look(s) like the signs of a good season. That's one thing we don't see over hear (sic), a good dry season. The grass is green all the year round. The country over hear is looking beautiful at present. It is the beginning of Spring, so it will give you an idea of what it's like.

I had a letter from Ethel the other day & she was saying that Ivor is getting a terror to (ed: can't decipher word) well she cannot expect much else from a boy at this age & I suppose he picks it up when he goes in home off the other boys.

She was saying that she (h)as her hands full now, she cannot go into the town just when she likes, she (h)as to get someone to drive her, so she won't like that. I see by her letter that they have taken to milk a few cows. I don't think that will last too long, she will soon get tired. What do you think? I no (sic) Ethel, it is alright while the weathers good & when the winter comes she will let them go and look after themselves.

I had a letter from Mum this week & she was saying that the Dr told her that she would have to take things easy for a few more months before she would be alright. She seemed to (ed note: portion of paper torn away, words missing from this line) ....... the one time it is to be hoped it's all over for some time to let her get strong.

I had  a letter from Violet the other day & she was telling me all about the trip to Tasmania & what a good time they spent. It is a wonder Any (?) went for a holiday so soon after her husband's death.

I bet Lucy is having a good time of it while George is over hear, she will make things hum for a while.

I had a letter from Cathie the other day & she wished to be remembered to you all when I wrote. They are all in the best of health.

You was saying that Dug wrote me a letter, I&wonted (sic) to no when I am going to answer it. Well tell him I have not received it yet to answer but it might come along at any time.

You were saying that the old town is looking up a bit when it can run (a) motor garage. The new form will be doing Mc a little harm now they have taken on these sorts of things. You was saying that Cris is home, well I only wish I had half his luck. I suppose it won't effect him from going back to the school teaching.

We are living on the fat of the land over hear just at present, plenty of poultry and pork, they are what the French people left behind when the push was on.

Well that's all the news at present .

Remember to all.

With the best of love

From your loving cousin Leslie