My Dear Dad,
Just a line to let you know that I am still carrying on with the old company.
We are having fine weather of late and as we have been out of the line for the past three weeks we are in a position to enjoy it. At present we are in billets up in the higher country near the sea. Each day a thousand men go from the division in lorries down to the sea and put in a day there. Our only troubles these days are the inspections of which we have a good many. Today Sir Douglas Haig inspected the Division and this afternoon we have a half holiday.
The troops are helping the people here with their harvesting and every day a good many of them can be seen stooping and stacking. They are glad of the change from the eternal training that is always our lot when resting.
Much of the crops about here is cut with the scythe and sickle and threshed with the flail, although in this respect France is much ahead of Belgium.
We hear that our outward mail from 9th May to 9th June was sunk before it got clear of the submarine area. I posted some photos in different mails about that time. I wonder if any of them ever reached you.
Summer will be coming on when this reaches you and I trust you have not found winter too trying. The days are drawing in here but we should have fine weather for a good many weeks yet.
It is hard luck that the Russians have turned us down just as this time, but most likely Japan will come in and fix that front up.
The Main Body, 1st, 2nd and 3rd Reinforcement men who are still on active service are being sent back to N.Z. for two months spell at the rate of two fifty a month. Fourths next I suppose. If I can stick it another six months I may strike a trip as it will only take that time to go through the first lot.
I received a letter from Gwen yesterday and a few days ago one from Mother enclosing a photo of the old cat. He must be very old now. I seems ages since I used to sool Togo after him at Opoho.
Well I trust this finds you in good health.
Love to all
Your affectionate Son
Rawei
Saturday, December 28, 2019
Monday, October 10, 2016
Belgium 11/7/17
My Dear Mother,
Your welcome letter of 29th April arrived a day or two ago. We are still out resting and put in our time training and keeping fit. Cricket has been the order of the day for some time now. The men played the officers and N.R.O's twice and licked us both times.
Last night four of us went for a walk with the intention of climbing the highest hill in Belgium which lies two or three miles over to our left. We got there alright just as the sun was setting, about 9 o'clock, and had a glorious view of the line both north & south although it was not quite clear enough to see the channel away to the north. The scene of the first and second battles of Ypres lay to the left, that of the recent push to our front and right.
While up there we got into conversation with a Scottish Captain who seemed to be interested in N.Z. He turned out of to Cecil Humphries of Christchurch you may have seen letters of his in the papers in the early days of the war. We went home with him to his camp had had a yarn. I had met him once in Wte [Waimate] three or four years ago.
That address of Connie Fowler's reached me alright. I wrote to her and have had a reply. She has a brother, Bruce I suppose, out here with our Divisional Train (A.S.C.) I will try to look him up. Connie is in training for a missionary and hopes to be going out soon. I hope she does not do so for another six months as I should have leave again by then and it would be interesting to meet again.
Sorry to learn from your letter that Dad was bad and trust that his trouble does not visit him again.
I hope also that Mr McDonald benefited by his holiday and is himself once more.
Our letters are always liable to be opened at the base but hope I have not said too much about that hill in this letter and that it reaches you to find you all in good health.
Love to all.
Rawei
Your welcome letter of 29th April arrived a day or two ago. We are still out resting and put in our time training and keeping fit. Cricket has been the order of the day for some time now. The men played the officers and N.R.O's twice and licked us both times.
Last night four of us went for a walk with the intention of climbing the highest hill in Belgium which lies two or three miles over to our left. We got there alright just as the sun was setting, about 9 o'clock, and had a glorious view of the line both north & south although it was not quite clear enough to see the channel away to the north. The scene of the first and second battles of Ypres lay to the left, that of the recent push to our front and right.
While up there we got into conversation with a Scottish Captain who seemed to be interested in N.Z. He turned out of to Cecil Humphries of Christchurch you may have seen letters of his in the papers in the early days of the war. We went home with him to his camp had had a yarn. I had met him once in Wte [Waimate] three or four years ago.
That address of Connie Fowler's reached me alright. I wrote to her and have had a reply. She has a brother, Bruce I suppose, out here with our Divisional Train (A.S.C.) I will try to look him up. Connie is in training for a missionary and hopes to be going out soon. I hope she does not do so for another six months as I should have leave again by then and it would be interesting to meet again.
Sorry to learn from your letter that Dad was bad and trust that his trouble does not visit him again.
I hope also that Mr McDonald benefited by his holiday and is himself once more.
Our letters are always liable to be opened at the base but hope I have not said too much about that hill in this letter and that it reaches you to find you all in good health.
Love to all.
Rawei
Belgium 30/6/17
My Dear Dad,
Enclosed are an old pay book and some identification discs that I have been carrying for some time. The tin one I brought from N.Z. and wore until the time we came to France. I am returning them before they are lost. We moved up a bit nearer to the line yesterday but are still a fairly comfortable distance back and are having a fairly quiet time of it.
I am quite well and trust this finds you all in good health.
A N.Z. mail is expected in any time now and everybody is of course looking forward to its arrival.
I saw a chap out of Gordon's Coy yesterday and learned from him that he had got through the last stunt alright.
Love to all.
Your affectionate son,
Rawei
Enclosed are an old pay book and some identification discs that I have been carrying for some time. The tin one I brought from N.Z. and wore until the time we came to France. I am returning them before they are lost. We moved up a bit nearer to the line yesterday but are still a fairly comfortable distance back and are having a fairly quiet time of it.
I am quite well and trust this finds you all in good health.
A N.Z. mail is expected in any time now and everybody is of course looking forward to its arrival.
I saw a chap out of Gordon's Coy yesterday and learned from him that he had got through the last stunt alright.
Love to all.
Your affectionate son,
Rawei
Belgium 23/6/17
My Dear Dad,
Here I am back with my old Company again and to tell the truth, glad to be settled down once again with a definite job to do. The company in common with other units had a good many casualties in the last bust up, which I was lucky enough to miss, but fortunately the proportion of light wounds was very large.
Mother's letter of the 19th April arrived today and I was glad to learn from it that you were all well and that Mr McDonald was on the mend again. Connie Fowler's address arrived alright. I should like to have had it when in London it was just a week or so too late. However I may be over there again soon. Leave will not take as long to come round now as it used to in the ranks.
We are having a spell just now behind the line a few miles but even here we have a little excitement. We were inspected by General Russell this morning. This afternoon Fritz burnt three of our balloons so we retaliated by burning some of his and downing one of his planes a few hundred yards from our camp. All very spectacular events. Then he keeps throwning long range naval stuff back in a more or less vain endeavor to blow up shell dumps. So that we are not allowed to forget that there is a war on.
Well, I hope this finds you and everyone in good health.
Love to all.
Your affectionate son, Rawei
Here I am back with my old Company again and to tell the truth, glad to be settled down once again with a definite job to do. The company in common with other units had a good many casualties in the last bust up, which I was lucky enough to miss, but fortunately the proportion of light wounds was very large.
Mother's letter of the 19th April arrived today and I was glad to learn from it that you were all well and that Mr McDonald was on the mend again. Connie Fowler's address arrived alright. I should like to have had it when in London it was just a week or so too late. However I may be over there again soon. Leave will not take as long to come round now as it used to in the ranks.
We are having a spell just now behind the line a few miles but even here we have a little excitement. We were inspected by General Russell this morning. This afternoon Fritz burnt three of our balloons so we retaliated by burning some of his and downing one of his planes a few hundred yards from our camp. All very spectacular events. Then he keeps throwning long range naval stuff back in a more or less vain endeavor to blow up shell dumps. So that we are not allowed to forget that there is a war on.
Well, I hope this finds you and everyone in good health.
Love to all.
Your affectionate son, Rawei
France, 12/6/17
[This letter is written on paper with Machine Gun Corps letterhead]
My Dear Mother,
As you see I am now back again in France. Rather quieter than we expected to be back, but they seem to think they need us for they took eight of us away from the course we were going through at Grantham and set us straight over.
At present we are at the M.G. Base Depot a very pretty place where by walking a mile or two we can bathe in the sea. Before leaving London I posted some photographs to you. In case you do not recieve them I am posting some more under seprate cover with the same mail as this letter. As you will know the N.Z. Division has been in the last big fight and we are all rather anxious to see the casualty lists.
We arrived here yesterday and as far as we can see there is not much for us to do down here, but they will not keep us here long.
Well Mother I will write you again soon.
Best Love to All.
Your affectionate son,
Rawei
My Dear Mother,
As you see I am now back again in France. Rather quieter than we expected to be back, but they seem to think they need us for they took eight of us away from the course we were going through at Grantham and set us straight over.
At present we are at the M.G. Base Depot a very pretty place where by walking a mile or two we can bathe in the sea. Before leaving London I posted some photographs to you. In case you do not recieve them I am posting some more under seprate cover with the same mail as this letter. As you will know the N.Z. Division has been in the last big fight and we are all rather anxious to see the casualty lists.
We arrived here yesterday and as far as we can see there is not much for us to do down here, but they will not keep us here long.
Well Mother I will write you again soon.
Best Love to All.
Your affectionate son,
Rawei
Belton Park, Grantham, 2nd May 1917
My Dear Bob,
Just a line to let you know that I am over in England. I was sent over here on the 20th April with about a hundred others to sit for commissions. The twelve Machine Gunners were granted this right away, the others had to go to an Officers Training Corps. So that now you find me a 2nd lieutenant in the N.Z.M.G.B. Sent down to Grantham, the M.G. Base for the British Army, to train and be trained in the art of training others.
While in London buying an outfit I found it necessary to draw on you through Messrs Bruce & Lion for another £20. The £25 that the military people allow one is only enough to buy about half of the kit that is required.
I was sorry to learn that you had had a fire and trust you have not been overworked on account of it.
The submarines seem to be sinking a lot of shipping and amongst the others must be getting some mail boats. At any rate we have not had a N.Z. mail for some time now.
We do not know how long we will be left here in Grantham, but hope to be away from France for another six or eight weeks yet. By which time no doubt the present offensive will be reaching its climax. This is a very pretty place, hilly with a good bit of timber scattered about in the form of small woods. The N.Z. Depot along with a good many others is in Belton Park, the property of Lord Brownlow, a place of about six square miles very prettily laid out. The weather for the past fortnight has been perfect and by its warmth is doing a great deal to make up for the lateness of the spring.
Just a fortnight ago we were marching back from Neuve Eglise in Belgium to St. Omer where our Brigade was to have ten days training before marching back to the line and going over the top. I left them the night after they arrived at St. Omer, took the train to Boulogne stopped the night there crossed by boat to Folkstone and arrived in London by train the same afternoon. It snowed most of the way on our march back from the trenches, it took us three days, so that we appreciate the change in the weather over here.
Well Bob I hope this finds you in good health.
Best regards to all
Yours Sincerely,
Rawei
*New Zealand Machine Gun Battalion
Just a line to let you know that I am over in England. I was sent over here on the 20th April with about a hundred others to sit for commissions. The twelve Machine Gunners were granted this right away, the others had to go to an Officers Training Corps. So that now you find me a 2nd lieutenant in the N.Z.M.G.B. Sent down to Grantham, the M.G. Base for the British Army, to train and be trained in the art of training others.
While in London buying an outfit I found it necessary to draw on you through Messrs Bruce & Lion for another £20. The £25 that the military people allow one is only enough to buy about half of the kit that is required.
I was sorry to learn that you had had a fire and trust you have not been overworked on account of it.
The submarines seem to be sinking a lot of shipping and amongst the others must be getting some mail boats. At any rate we have not had a N.Z. mail for some time now.
We do not know how long we will be left here in Grantham, but hope to be away from France for another six or eight weeks yet. By which time no doubt the present offensive will be reaching its climax. This is a very pretty place, hilly with a good bit of timber scattered about in the form of small woods. The N.Z. Depot along with a good many others is in Belton Park, the property of Lord Brownlow, a place of about six square miles very prettily laid out. The weather for the past fortnight has been perfect and by its warmth is doing a great deal to make up for the lateness of the spring.
Just a fortnight ago we were marching back from Neuve Eglise in Belgium to St. Omer where our Brigade was to have ten days training before marching back to the line and going over the top. I left them the night after they arrived at St. Omer, took the train to Boulogne stopped the night there crossed by boat to Folkstone and arrived in London by train the same afternoon. It snowed most of the way on our march back from the trenches, it took us three days, so that we appreciate the change in the weather over here.
Well Bob I hope this finds you in good health.
Best regards to all
Yours Sincerely,
Rawei
*New Zealand Machine Gun Battalion
Saturday, January 31, 2015
Grantham 29th April 1917
My Dear Father,
Here I am settled down at the Machine Gun Base after five days kit leave which I spent getting fitted out in London. While there I drew on Bob through his London agents for £20 this together with £5 I drew when on leave in November last makes £25 in all and I will be glad if you will ascertain from him what expenses were incurred in the transaction and square the matter up. I will mention this in my next letter in case this one goes astray.
For the last two months that I was in Flanders we were up in Belgium territory in the vicinity of Ploegsteert and Neuve Eglise. While at the last place were making big preparations for a push* and it is more than probable that the N.Z. Division will go over the top there before long. From Neuve Eglise we came on a three days march to a little place called Quelmes near St. Omer, where we were to do ten days training to make us fit for the trip over the top. The morning after our arrival at Quelmes three of us were ordered to report at St. Omer prior to entraining for Bouglow and Blighty.
Since coming from the Somme I have been shifted round a good many sectors Amentiers, Lorentic, Fleurbaix, Bois Grenier, Ploegsteert (Plugstreet), Neuve Eglise, and at all of them we had a fairly good time as things go in the line.
Things are going well in France at present and it is to be hoped that this year will see the end of the war. I for one am full up of the whole business.
Well Goodbye for the present. Best Regards to all.
Your affectionate son, Rawei
[Notes:
*I think he is referring to the Battle of Messines here.
There is a photo of Neuve Eglise here.
Really interesting website about the WWI archaeology of "Plugstreet" here.
The book "With the Machine Gunners in France and Palestine" is available in digitized form here. It describes the movements of the machine gunners and their roles in the various battles, and is quite useful for matching the contents of these letters with the course of the war.]
Here I am settled down at the Machine Gun Base after five days kit leave which I spent getting fitted out in London. While there I drew on Bob through his London agents for £20 this together with £5 I drew when on leave in November last makes £25 in all and I will be glad if you will ascertain from him what expenses were incurred in the transaction and square the matter up. I will mention this in my next letter in case this one goes astray.
For the last two months that I was in Flanders we were up in Belgium territory in the vicinity of Ploegsteert and Neuve Eglise. While at the last place were making big preparations for a push* and it is more than probable that the N.Z. Division will go over the top there before long. From Neuve Eglise we came on a three days march to a little place called Quelmes near St. Omer, where we were to do ten days training to make us fit for the trip over the top. The morning after our arrival at Quelmes three of us were ordered to report at St. Omer prior to entraining for Bouglow and Blighty.
Since coming from the Somme I have been shifted round a good many sectors Amentiers, Lorentic, Fleurbaix, Bois Grenier, Ploegsteert (Plugstreet), Neuve Eglise, and at all of them we had a fairly good time as things go in the line.
Things are going well in France at present and it is to be hoped that this year will see the end of the war. I for one am full up of the whole business.
Well Goodbye for the present. Best Regards to all.
Your affectionate son, Rawei
[Notes:
*I think he is referring to the Battle of Messines here.
There is a photo of Neuve Eglise here.
Really interesting website about the WWI archaeology of "Plugstreet" here.
The book "With the Machine Gunners in France and Palestine" is available in digitized form here. It describes the movements of the machine gunners and their roles in the various battles, and is quite useful for matching the contents of these letters with the course of the war.]
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)