"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

 

 

"Would Not Have Missed This Stunt For A Fortune" C Anderson

France 8/8/18

Dear Coll 

Just a line to let you know that we are all going strong, I have not seen Will yet I will see him in a few days.Rueben is in Blighty doing well, Tom will be back in a week or two. I have not seen many Rushworth boys lately.

Well Coll we are giving Fritzy some hurry up.  I do not think he will last great deal longer now.  I think I will be back in time to draw the old age pension. well it is not a bad war after all,we have plenty of fun if it is only hunting these beastly Boche.  I don’t know what we will do when we get back to Ausie I think we will have to go up to queensland and hunt up some blacks I don’t think.  We have had a good deal wet weather lately it makes things very murky.  I am going on leave shortly I entend to go to Scotland it will be a treat to miss this life just for a little time the guns make some row you hear all the noise in the world at once and you would think all the iron foundries were getting emptied out at once and when old fritz sends his flares you would think that he had all the lights in the world red blue green white and all sorts of colours it all look well but it would look better on pictures or reading about it Well Coll I will enclose my best wishes to you all From Yours Faithfully Charles 267

(Ed Note:  The following is written sideways on the back of the first page)

I have had this letter wrote before this advance and have been to bussy to Post it we are going strong the best fun I ever had in my life she is some fun galloping into action I would not have missed this stunt for a fortune 11/8/18

"Nerves Get Shattered" T Anderson

Somewhere in France

Aug 5/18

 

Dear Colina Just a few lines in answer to your ever welcome letter 15/5/18 and very pleased to hear that you are all doing well and plenty rain, we are at present getting more than our share. I had a letter from Charlie today and he said they have plenty mud in the trenches up there.I will be back shortly and I do not like the idea of getting into the mud and shells again.  I do not care how soon this comes to a bubble I am in a con camp for a few days before going back I get awful shaky at times I cannot write at all your nerves get shattered at this game and wet muddy trenches without sleep it all helps to rake you down but its all in the game we will soon have him bottled and corked I got a letter from Doll but none from Nellie this mail but I’ll get them all in time I have not seen Son Spence since last writing to you, Don, Bill, Rube & Charlie are well well Colina my old kid I am toShakey to write much today I’ll try again in a day or so, so will now ring off wishing you all the very best of luck from your old friend Tom

Keep the old flag a flying And God Bless you All xx

"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