Letters from Robert James Henderson, January - June 1917 - Part 12

Conflict:
First World War, 1914–18
Subject:
  • Documents and letters
Status:
Finalised
Accession number:
AWM2016.30.4
Difficulty:

Page 1 / 10

Ged Etaples - 1 pr Car. 29.4.17 MG wt p My dear Mum at our base Aerived afternoon after here last Thursday lrep across from very pleasant a to murch had we England except here a distrnce from Borldgne to a 18 miles still it wls 8 nothing had I beautiful day and gear my sent having to carey waich the stood on lery by tied very course treat a before at Boulogue night the but not night bit of a a who one was that for we so just feeling through git lucky to ge here nothing teiell Have done kick so a except rest and recovered 9 ute around so am tomorrow now Am leaving here to foum the battalin do not kuos esciatily whre they are but
the fint out they are believe just fuls it live at present me shall to home like going them Your to glad be right quite been having up again Have a here weeting toe a good hands from old of the Number have not seen battalin the De Major TWynan Cipt for months t all of the 15 Henry Capt Mosily back then on their way are the C.O. Major Clayton I know Gack Kirk wood And many other the fficers who are tue from Mirsiom H. Brigade and 4 all these it is great seeing interested in chaps one is great young had again we have yesterdy quite a good day Hadl got up at 11 o'clock then l with Major Twynan Capt Wenly Adj. here and Lt. Welster the where we into Etaples went
and ordered a spicially hall it wao lunck French cooked good very French and purely to trying you telling no Gooll we indeed cannot had for I. what we hames the spiel provounce a we also the disher to given 2 with down washed it all which went Fiz bittles large luneh or beeufast well after very we all it here they call as Paris Plage a nt went to y an hour about see side record from Elaples It in the hain place with a vvery pieth 202 is and in beach long nce a great for Should be Sunnier French lasses aud Sommin good look around a We hull some sweets sat on the bright arrived them and ale beach 60 clock about in Camps buck to a concer went we after ten
the by given in the Camp the Wheres it was excetlent and being weird war crys ell returned gooll. After the concert we drinks had several the to miss Insteall into bed turnell then this mrnin Church to 4 going the Officers Etiples to into went tower Lot a where I had Chib afternoon this bath am writing letters will think wee sleep I also a more order if nothing be in up It is voting tums exciting see Bruce Smith to day day shing shall give going is still fear We vote but him my are very Australian politics present at we to foreige present is at here The weather like Austrating very glorious Simph 1 it y looks as Shring and months few a for continue may livaging hard to now it is
the as ap far the exhewes thes on concerned is weather will St the world. side fight to pleasure a quite be wntter need be dye and if as such Conditions Clinatic heard Have at present. exert a fir Nane from will no you will expect clong time but marl from him regulen be getting England. Shall in while he is Lion as line as a drop. You battatin which up the Your I next. Mes day about should be all Bot lots of lone to
France 17 25 my dear Mun foued the Have at last battation again arriving here last Monday Had quite a good journe up from Etaples levving there at 7o clock in the morning & arring here at 6.30 the same day seemed very fenny to me thes place where the battalion what is left of them are lesting was about front line last 4 miles behind the Huns August and shelled by the very cife the divil now it is like about 3o miles behind the time being thre are many many Of course the old now very few of charges and at-present being left fellows am attached to weak bys very the command of same by second in A
Cupt Murray so shill he very busy to getting tings going again as soon as some more men come along amse you will adthers all of battalion now to me? to the letters it will expect further notice until month before part A the best be however the action again we ae in what will days there to no telling gelting borck again is great St happen the Colonel etc seemed so everyone pleased to see me and said all will things about me and sorts of puther by what he thought slowed Coy of a me second in commend the worst tha Such responsibility of having a good reputation what Was out dowg sunshetry on what to day a range we have close by anise it was made by us in 1 fine young the pen fields 6 or 8 appeared no doubt enterested haves proceedings but also for the in
of the boys saw them some them up went rifter with the result And the hares feel so that somon that have a change for tea lingh well it was bagged 6 all together We very from the boys being grent 6 letters as soon Received tickled arrived here the mait port as I from Wick, not dated one being in Jane dated 29th me from Lonsia one from 1. Feb also one from Mag, Billy Bull & kney towodery thu enclosing a post card Marks sent to me which he foom German received from Capt Fox to you all should be interestg it on of Yaves letter also the envelope is written damaged by back the of cose the pot and see water appriently a close shave shows it am very glad pour letter. for the the sex was cheatell any way all the letters I received Shall annwe of be to all possible loti as soon so 1307
France 1917 May Dear Wik live letter a nice Received you dated about H Feeb as from You all can make out I for as Ansternc a great time at are having all accounts quers suif to Accoiting y would not appeal to Swenne hot baths are more to the over here eneased yet old thing Am not point to be although without likely and not have been married could skiting I Te advantage believe 6 adid ere this Houe you know waiting for your fiver Piccadilly Cueis and left all my girls forned behind at last having England ballation here last Blonday am the real glad to be back again amongs you know as brys although the and a holiday granll a had

[*Section 1
Cannot get all
this letter in one
envelope so have to
use 2 hope you
receive both Robby
all right received
another*]

Etaples
29.4.17
My dear Mum
Arrived at our base
here last Thursday afternoon after
a very pleasant trip across from
England except we had to march
from Boulogne to here a distance
of 18 miles still it was a
beautiful day and I had nothing
to carry having sent my gear
on by lorry stood the march
a treat of course very tired
but the night before at Boulogne
was a bit of a night out
for me so that one was
lucky to get through just feeling
tired Have done nothing here yet -
so a except rest and kick
around so am quite recovered
now Am leaving here tomorrow
to join the battalion do not
know excatily where they are but

 

believe they are out of the front
line at present it just feels 
like going home to me shall
be right glad to join them
up again Have been having quite
a good time here meeting a
number of the old hands from
the battalion I have not seen
for months C Major Twynan Capt
Henry Capt Mosely all of the 13th
are on their way back then
I know the C.O. Major Clayton
Jack Kirkwood and many other
officers who are here from the
4th Brigade and 4th Division
it is great seeing all these
chap s one is interested in
again we have had great yarns
Had quite a good day yesterday
g got up at 11 o'clock then
with Major Twynan Capt Henry
and Lt. Webster the Adj. here
went into Etaples where we 

 

had a specially ordered and
French cooked lunch it was
purely French and very good
indeed no good me trying to telling you
what we had for I cannot 
pronounce or spell the names
given to the dishes we also
washed it all down with 2
large bottles of Fizz which went
very well after lunch or breafast
as they call it here we all
went out to Paris Plage a
seaside resort about ½ an hour
in the train from Etaples It
is a very pretty place with
a nice long beach and in
summer should be great for
swimming and French lasses
We had a good look around
brought some sweets sat on the
beach and ate them arrived
back in camp about 6 o'clock
after tea we went to a concert 

 

in the camp given by the
Maries it was excellent the
war cry s etc being weird and
good. After the concert we returned
to the mess had several drinks
then turned into bed Instead
of going to church this morning
went into Etaples to the Officers
Club where I had a lovely hot
bath Am writing letters this afternoon
also a wee sleep I think will
be if order if nothing more
exciting turns up  It is voting
day to-day see Bruce Smith
is still going strong shall give
him my vote but fear the
Australian politics are very
foreign to me at present.
The weather here at present is
simply glorious very like Australian
Spring and looks as if it
may continue for a few months
now it is hard to imagine

 

the extremes as far as the
weather is concerned on this
side of the world. It will
be quite a pleasure to fight
and die if need be under
climatic conditions such as
exist at present. Have heard
no word from Nana for a
long time but expect you will
be getting regular mail from him
while he is in England.  Shall
drop you a line as soon as
I join up the battalion which
should be about next Tuesday
lots of love to all Bob.

 

France
2.5.17
My dear Mum
Have at last joined the
battalion again arriving here last
Monday Had quite a good journey
up from Etaples leaving there at
7 o'clock in the morning & arriving
here at 6.30 the same day
Seemed very funny to me this
place where the battalion what is
left of them are resting was about
4 miles behind the front line last
August and shelled by the Huns
like the devil now it is very safe
being about 30 miles behind the line
Of course there are many many
changes now very few of the old
fellows being left and at present
the Coys are very weak am attached to
A Coy second x in command of same

 

to Capt Murray so shall be very busy
getting things going again as soon
as some more men come along
of course you will address all
letters to me to the battalion now
until further notice expect it will
be the best part of a month before
we are in action again however there
is no telling these days what will
happen  It is great getting back again
everyone the Colonel etc seemed so
pleased to see me and said all
sorts of nice things about me and
showed what he thought by putting
me second in command of a Coy
that Such responsibility the worst
of having a good reputation what
what. Was out doing musketry on
a range we have close by to-day
of course it was made by us in
the open fields 6 or 8 fine young
hares appeared no doubt interested
in the proceedings but alas for

 

them some of the boys saw them
and up went rifles with the result
that the hares fell so that someone
will have a change for tea tonight
we bagged 6 all together it was
great fun the boys being very
tickled. Received 6 letters as soon
as I arrived here the mail just
being in one from Mick not dated
one from Jane dated 29th Jan one from Lorna
1st Feb also one from Dag, Billy, Bull
& Lucy Cowdery Am enclosing a post
card Marks sent to me which he
received from Capt Fox from Germany
it should be interesting to you all
also the envelope of Janes letter on
the back is written damaged by
sea water and of course the front
shows it apparently a close shave
for the poor letter. Am very glad
the sea was cheated anyway.
Shall answer all the letters I received
as soon as possible lots of love to all
Bob 

 

2/5/17. 

 

France
6th May 1917.
Dear Mick
Received a nice long letter
from you dated about 4th Feb as
far as I can make out You all
are having a great time at Austinmer
according to all accounts guess surf
swimming would not appeal to you
over here hot baths are more to the
point  Am not engaged yet old thing
and not likely to be although without
skiting I could have been married
ere this and to advantage believe me
waiting for your fiver you know  Have
left all my girls Piccadilly Circus and
England behind at last having joined
the battalion here last Monday am
real glad to be back again amongst
the boys although as you know
I had a grand holiday and a

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