My Dear,
Just a line to let you know that I am still carrying on. We have had a good bit of snow and ice during the past few months but the weather seems to be turning warmer now and it should not be long before it clears up for the summer.
I trust things are going well with you in the central NZ. Rabbit seems to have a god market we see a lot of it over here in the canteens and shops, tinned. If you will understand what I mean by "Stopping at a farm".
Although we still have a few late frosts here Spring has arrived and we can now look forward to warmer weather and I suppose a month or so of mud. However, we are well enough provided for and neither the cold nor the mud causes us much inconvenience. I have not acome accross Gordon McDonald for some time but he is no doubt still going strong. Gwen is lucky to be able to stop at home for another year or so. Hope she did well with her exams.
It seems a lot of rot that they should be talking of strikes in NZ just now. They should send them out here, or send a few of us back with a gun to fix them.
A lot of the gift parcels have just arrived and for the past week we have been living on plum pudding, cakes and chocolate all of which were nonetheless acceptable for being a couple of months late.
Well I trust this finds you all in good health and spirits.
Love to all, your affectionate son, Rawei
Sunday, October 10, 2010
Sunday, September 12, 2010
Ismailia 28/2/16
Dear Mother
I received your letters and was glad to learn that you were all enjoying yourselves in Wellington. The photos that Bob sent were very good. I enclose here a couple of snaps that we took when we were in isolation they are not very good I have some better ones which I will send later. In a few days I a going to Zeitoun along with others of the Machine Gun Section to the School of Instruction there for three weeks instruction on the machine gun. That will make a change from the eternal tramping on the sand here. I see Gordon McDonald often he is looking very fit as also are Linus and Cecil Walker.
Well there is not much I can say I will write again soon. We have plenty of work plenty to eat and are all very fit.
Love to all, Rawei
Note: There is some more information about WWI machine gunners here.
I received your letters and was glad to learn that you were all enjoying yourselves in Wellington. The photos that Bob sent were very good. I enclose here a couple of snaps that we took when we were in isolation they are not very good I have some better ones which I will send later. In a few days I a going to Zeitoun along with others of the Machine Gun Section to the School of Instruction there for three weeks instruction on the machine gun. That will make a change from the eternal tramping on the sand here. I see Gordon McDonald often he is looking very fit as also are Linus and Cecil Walker.
Well there is not much I can say I will write again soon. We have plenty of work plenty to eat and are all very fit.
Love to all, Rawei
Note: There is some more information about WWI machine gunners here.
Saturday, September 4, 2010
Moasca Camp, Ismailia, 14 Feby 1916
Dear Mother,
I have been having a fairly easy time for the past week one of our chaps caught the mumps and the rest of the tent, six of us, have been in isolation for seven days. We have nothing to do in the way of parades and put in the day reading and writing.
Last time I was isolated was at Lemnos when about forty of us were put in isolation and inoculated against diphtheria. There doesn't seem to have been anything discovered as a preventative against mumps so that we have been spared an inoculation this time.
Under separate cover I am sending a scarf. It is suppposed to be Egyptian crochet work and of silk. I am a poor judge of such things and do not know if it is worth much. There is not much opportunity to buy anything here.
My address is now,
Machine Gun Section
Canty. Inf. Batn.
N.Z.E.F.
and letters so addressed will reach me quicker than those addressed 2nd Coy although they all get here ultimately.
Well I trust you are all in good health best regards to all your affectionate son,
Rawei
I have been having a fairly easy time for the past week one of our chaps caught the mumps and the rest of the tent, six of us, have been in isolation for seven days. We have nothing to do in the way of parades and put in the day reading and writing.
Last time I was isolated was at Lemnos when about forty of us were put in isolation and inoculated against diphtheria. There doesn't seem to have been anything discovered as a preventative against mumps so that we have been spared an inoculation this time.
Under separate cover I am sending a scarf. It is suppposed to be Egyptian crochet work and of silk. I am a poor judge of such things and do not know if it is worth much. There is not much opportunity to buy anything here.
My address is now,
Machine Gun Section
Canty. Inf. Batn.
N.Z.E.F.
and letters so addressed will reach me quicker than those addressed 2nd Coy although they all get here ultimately.
Well I trust you are all in good health best regards to all your affectionate son,
Rawei
Thursday, August 26, 2010
Ismailia, Egypt 15/1/16
Dear Mother,
I sent a cable last week to say I was all serene. We are camped about two miles out in the desert on the bank of a fresh water canal which runs back from the town and eventually meets the Nile somewhere about Cairo.
I received your parcel of underclothing all right. It arrived at a most opportune time as we had brought no clothing off the Peninsula with us. Since then we have had a lot of gift stuff given to us and now we have a plentiful supply of socks writing paper chocolate etc.
The Sevenths and some of the Eighths arrived last week. Gordon seems to be in good trim. I saw Will Schaumann and Thomson the other day too, they seemed to be fit. The old hands are getting a few days leave in Port Said five percent at a time. I hope to be able to go soon. I am buying a vest pocket camera and intend to carry it with me in future I often wished I had one on the peninsula. The weather here is fairly warm at present but the heat is not yet oppressive though it is becoming warmer daily.
Love to all, your affectionate son, Rawei
[From Rawei's photo album, labeled "Catholic Church, Ismailia".]
Thursday, August 12, 2010
Egypt, 4/1/16 (No. 2)
Dear Dad,
I wrote you in a separate letter today. Things have been happening during the last fortnight.
Three weeks ago today we were in the trenches wondering if there was anything in the evacuation rumours. By 3 a.m. on Monday the 20th every man was off the Peninsula.
Our Gun Section left on the last night one gun was amongst the last party to leave. Everything went off without a hitch. Someone will no doubt be decorated for engineering the movement. To withdraw about forty thousand men from about a twelve mile front was a ticklish job and it was nothing short of a miracle that allowed us to get away without Jacko suspecting anything. We learnt on arrival at Lemnos that preparation had been made there to receive from ten to fifteen thousand wounded. Our casualties on the last night were three wounded- it took five nights to effect the evacuation nothing can be done on the beach during the day. When we first learnt that the evacuation was a certainty we were at first incredulous and afterwards a bit downhearted most of the older hands would rather have gone through another advance it seemed hard to withdraw after all that had been done there. However we soon came to understand that it must be for the best and everybody entered into the spirit of the thing and put in their spare time preparing surprises for Jacko when he came over. Devices, some worked by candles some by drips of water were rigged up to fire old and broken rifles hours after the last man had left the trenches. Bombs which explode on a spring being released are in all sorts of odd places. Altogether the first party of Turks that came over were due to have a few casualties. About the second day of the evacuation our men on Walkers Ridge stopped firing for about three hours. Jacko became curious and sent over some armed parties to see what was wrong. They all got wiped out. On another occasion we stopped fire on the whole front for 48 hours. This seemed to puzzle the Turk and we were sorely tempted to let fly when Jacko's curiosity bid him to show his head and shoulders over his trench. We were then in hopes that he would attack but he was not to be drawn.
On our arrival at Lemnos we recieved a big mail and all hands ate a good deal more cake than was good for them. We made up for this on our trip to Alexandria however when we lived on Bully & Biscuits and had to wear lifebelts night and day as they feared submarines. We are now in Egypt and are soon to be joined by the sevenths and eighths so that I should see Gorden in a day or two. I have receieved a good many parcels so far all in good condition the parcel of clothing arrived today.
Love to all
Your affectionate son,
Rawei
I wrote you in a separate letter today. Things have been happening during the last fortnight.
Three weeks ago today we were in the trenches wondering if there was anything in the evacuation rumours. By 3 a.m. on Monday the 20th every man was off the Peninsula.
Our Gun Section left on the last night one gun was amongst the last party to leave. Everything went off without a hitch. Someone will no doubt be decorated for engineering the movement. To withdraw about forty thousand men from about a twelve mile front was a ticklish job and it was nothing short of a miracle that allowed us to get away without Jacko suspecting anything. We learnt on arrival at Lemnos that preparation had been made there to receive from ten to fifteen thousand wounded. Our casualties on the last night were three wounded- it took five nights to effect the evacuation nothing can be done on the beach during the day. When we first learnt that the evacuation was a certainty we were at first incredulous and afterwards a bit downhearted most of the older hands would rather have gone through another advance it seemed hard to withdraw after all that had been done there. However we soon came to understand that it must be for the best and everybody entered into the spirit of the thing and put in their spare time preparing surprises for Jacko when he came over. Devices, some worked by candles some by drips of water were rigged up to fire old and broken rifles hours after the last man had left the trenches. Bombs which explode on a spring being released are in all sorts of odd places. Altogether the first party of Turks that came over were due to have a few casualties. About the second day of the evacuation our men on Walkers Ridge stopped firing for about three hours. Jacko became curious and sent over some armed parties to see what was wrong. They all got wiped out. On another occasion we stopped fire on the whole front for 48 hours. This seemed to puzzle the Turk and we were sorely tempted to let fly when Jacko's curiosity bid him to show his head and shoulders over his trench. We were then in hopes that he would attack but he was not to be drawn.
On our arrival at Lemnos we recieved a big mail and all hands ate a good deal more cake than was good for them. We made up for this on our trip to Alexandria however when we lived on Bully & Biscuits and had to wear lifebelts night and day as they feared submarines. We are now in Egypt and are soon to be joined by the sevenths and eighths so that I should see Gorden in a day or two. I have receieved a good many parcels so far all in good condition the parcel of clothing arrived today.
Love to all
Your affectionate son,
Rawei
Monday, August 2, 2010
Canty Machine Gun Section, Canty Infty Batn, Egypt 4/1/16 (No. 1)
Dear Father,
I enclose a letter which I wrote from Gallipoli after our advance in August. It came back to me again in Lemnos about 24th Dec having been missorted in Alexandria. How many more letters have gone astray I don't know but I have often thought that I all that I have written did not reach you.
With regard my leave from the Bank I applied in October for an extension from 6th Jan to 6th July and have a note to apply for a further six months before July.
I am writing at greater length by the same mail as this.
Trusting that all is well with you at Alexandra.
With love to all,
Your affectionate son,
Rawei
In future I will No my letters this is No. 1.
[Note: The brochure shown below was included in with Grandad's letters, and accompanied parcels from New Zealand for the Christmas of 1915. If you are having trouble reading the writing, it says "One of these was enclosed with each of the parcels we received from the people of Canterbury".]
I enclose a letter which I wrote from Gallipoli after our advance in August. It came back to me again in Lemnos about 24th Dec having been missorted in Alexandria. How many more letters have gone astray I don't know but I have often thought that I all that I have written did not reach you.
With regard my leave from the Bank I applied in October for an extension from 6th Jan to 6th July and have a note to apply for a further six months before July.
I am writing at greater length by the same mail as this.
Trusting that all is well with you at Alexandra.
With love to all,
Your affectionate son,
Rawei
In future I will No my letters this is No. 1.
[Note: The brochure shown below was included in with Grandad's letters, and accompanied parcels from New Zealand for the Christmas of 1915. If you are having trouble reading the writing, it says "One of these was enclosed with each of the parcels we received from the people of Canterbury".]
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
Cheshire Ridge, Anzac, Gallipoli, 9/12/15
Dear Bob,
We have been back here from Lemnos now for about five weeks and expect any day to find ourselves in the middle of winter. We had a fall of snow a week ago which made things very disagreable for a day or two and which sent a good number away frostbitten.
I recieved your parcel of butterscotch a week ago it was very welcome and did not last long I can tell you. I noticed that although it was posted in Wellington it bore an address in Mother's writing so presume she has been paying you another visit.
The weather just now is quite mild again and it is hard to imagine that only a week ago we were stamping round in an attempt to keep the ciruculation going. Waterproof capes have been provided for those men actually in the trenches and we are promised gumboots so that the next fall of snow should not inconvenience us a great deal.
Our tunnels for which we are digging for winter quarters and as protection from high explosives will soon be finished so that we will be fairly comfortable by Xmas at the latest. To get underground is the only real refuge from the cold winds that we sometimes have here.
There is a big mail in and we are all eagerly waiting for it to be sorted.
I trust you are all in good health again and that Neil and Marjory are quite recovered. Tell Elsie that I received a parcel that other day that had broken open in the post. All that reached me was a big woollen scarf and one mitten tied up with a bit of string with a label attached. The label bore a Maori Hill postmark so that I presume the parcel was from the McNicols. The scarf was very handy on the cold nights we had.
The position we are in now is about the softest one we have been in yet although it is at the same time one of the most interesting. The Turks are about 300 yards away. There is a steep scrub covered gully inbetween and we have to keep a sharp lookout. We have a fine view of all the country from Anafarta to the Salt Lake and behind us to Imbros and Samothrace, our trench being about 500 feet from the top of '971' or Chanuk Bahr [sic] so it is variously called (the maps in the papers mark it '974').
Well I must not say to much or I will offend the censor.
I will close with best Regards to Elsie and yourself, Marjory and Neil.
Rawei
We have been back here from Lemnos now for about five weeks and expect any day to find ourselves in the middle of winter. We had a fall of snow a week ago which made things very disagreable for a day or two and which sent a good number away frostbitten.
I recieved your parcel of butterscotch a week ago it was very welcome and did not last long I can tell you. I noticed that although it was posted in Wellington it bore an address in Mother's writing so presume she has been paying you another visit.
The weather just now is quite mild again and it is hard to imagine that only a week ago we were stamping round in an attempt to keep the ciruculation going. Waterproof capes have been provided for those men actually in the trenches and we are promised gumboots so that the next fall of snow should not inconvenience us a great deal.
Our tunnels for which we are digging for winter quarters and as protection from high explosives will soon be finished so that we will be fairly comfortable by Xmas at the latest. To get underground is the only real refuge from the cold winds that we sometimes have here.
There is a big mail in and we are all eagerly waiting for it to be sorted.
I trust you are all in good health again and that Neil and Marjory are quite recovered. Tell Elsie that I received a parcel that other day that had broken open in the post. All that reached me was a big woollen scarf and one mitten tied up with a bit of string with a label attached. The label bore a Maori Hill postmark so that I presume the parcel was from the McNicols. The scarf was very handy on the cold nights we had.
The position we are in now is about the softest one we have been in yet although it is at the same time one of the most interesting. The Turks are about 300 yards away. There is a steep scrub covered gully inbetween and we have to keep a sharp lookout. We have a fine view of all the country from Anafarta to the Salt Lake and behind us to Imbros and Samothrace, our trench being about 500 feet from the top of '971' or Chanuk Bahr [sic] so it is variously called (the maps in the papers mark it '974').
Well I must not say to much or I will offend the censor.
I will close with best Regards to Elsie and yourself, Marjory and Neil.
Rawei
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