Letters from Robert James Henderson, July - December 1917 - Part 5

Conflict:
First World War, 1914–18
Subject:
  • Documents and letters
Status:
Finalised
Accession number:
AWM2016.30.5
Difficulty:

Page 1 / 10

38 41 still game hir let like Shall letter time Milhie M 33 THE ROYAL OVERSEAS OFFICERS CLUB, AT THE R.A.C. PALL MALL. LONDON, S. W.1. the in all it is getting is one And to dung 3 these A disappointing little a t one verry this decent write a have when Sn to just then and Cenler trum Lits the Bot all to li lone
1377 BATTALION, A.1.F. FRANCE. 10.17 My dear Mane thank you do What ap pichedt paper this flash wom. Received a the orderliy bn I returned when wice lot of letters Coma Auntiy pors Dane from you leave were which Bath Yag Kney foll containing parcel a also great fir which tobacco sweete sugar Cake get about I fancy many thanks you half. Arzen one in every be helped cannot but send not up really was leave My tomorrow until Lindin in
Wednesslay East recalled eve was weing nothing servnsh then is by a are expecting but we shortly come to show were ffreers lill Again And ard and o there 2 30 wented ard to thing sort this first ann. Have the an which Church returned from haddrct held in bie was btter And red acsuse can so that told lor was Service you the interesting. Afraid being from has weather good the all nesd the for Ms lis
Sevily M and cold been his aie moths or 20 14 in England while time Sptingiel had a have returned. Simph with MoILATTAS TE the whole time five and warm the weather perfect was in Lindon TOHAAY beautiful mowlight nights every night to seem bunte tum look place. the from the lands anr conculinably Met nastg things and very up. They are follonw read all was due no dubt you and. durrage lipers yet Mana papers. Have not. seem the them abut And suil around here? Somewhire Kicking he wits but know with Clinner & Major Munay were at Colrck Marks well was qute he told i 1 & the other night the 45th at present the wer more bews Well ay dur in Another 2 or 3 I perhips present and in exculent at news all this businen who at this rate may end years love to all also a very Merry Kines & the little parcel I Lole knows you receive to everyie tpe Year rubertis of Bot Nen from Bnight sent you a
Feaner " 26 10 Jame dear My night letters last 4 Received I Loina all Pags you, Man from one my of anrse Sept. about the first week about me things nce said man All head after swottlen a have quite I 2 Yame muchly retting them. Thanks bisinte Sent along you parcil every thing was very the tolacco etc sagar Sugar the out cut you might France me plenty i we have though has no difficulty arring the and is in London It plenty obtaining Si who cannot population & the eivit leave in England on on Write 9t
Thope Savies with tteng had 1 pt. to 5/ effort for a joke you know 3 for wants to know X one along She sent me anyone will y if she sends one home her about that palos. I assured be be pleased should Sir and told one they you have she would let if good one a are not bad quite papers sends She is very good is 1pe there oner regutarty of course have lote itc nothing doing although there garks shid from with Marn to to write ba going bad she was very a much Wms Sy I + not have but a dear we we have a good but Yany Money presents te opportunaty when the time imngt anoth pus were ha we were
time hough Funly 2 hell Shm and 9 rather got how any old feeling Am bhstind no voice from 9as hough time yet etc etc may have to go away back way our However we are on which hm good long rust a for hope to all badly necded by us to line but it of the Kmes out have not Seen Hene hard to say into Fran for some time Awen Lew we he yesterdlay but so missed 45th school some Suping Again Soon at him sa hope to not in this him was all right and he is very wet i show. It last cold over daned getting Aud mudly a few rong Suppose To how here us an ahene months
O. Brin Eelien Sichled about to death sent to Bullly was a cutting from the shall me about it England from you probably hame Enclose although it on the horre sun it Am Just muchly needed is for a bath which are again soon when shall write t live lots of again down lettle Bot. lett
France 30 10.19 Mum My dear om at arrivest Have at last- we hoke for the time being where distination if lucky for six weeks n so to remain for Xmas. It is a quant little villag. 150 inhabitants in peace time no sholpe mo & peaceful anything so that it is very quiet starting it up a bit However we will liven range sporls rifle a Canteen VRACA lent friced up we gct etc its so that when enough here and it should be comfortable feeling Am still good rest obtained. a rotton have no voice yet and generally gas in the from the effects doppy hard opications We are having recent plenty every morning how and fevets which is pretty miserable weather wet my nor dn fir large still C has
wake things ant as comfortable as porsible under the circumstances. Have being to gump on my horse and look going up for the pist couple of days Mand the weather has been so cold and but He have not had a chance do not wel where the 45th are but they should know any where within a 10 mile radins be of here. We shall be very burny here traning starting all enti of conspctition all fothall chroting Bdge. Spirti tte some twre discriptions hope to ranl Purant arrived back yesterday cups. Colnel he has been Away since second time in he was ervandled at Messines where it is very wee seeing him back. Yug Mark has been running the bathelim for some time and an excellent CO he ito the South of France has been he is expect he will come now for a spell as hand an emmand Am muten back

c/o "OVERFRONT   LONDON." REGENT 5000.
THE ROYAL OVERSEAS OFFICERS CLUB,
AT THE R.A.C.
PALL MALL.
LONDON, S.W.1.

Still it is all in the
game and one is getting
too old these days to
let tell a little disappointment
like this worry me
Shall write a decent
letter when I have
time just off to see
Millie Hurley and then
on to the train Lots
of love to all Bob

 

13TH. BATTALION,
A.I.F.
FRANCE.
7. 10. 17.
My dear Mum
What do you think of
this flash paper picked it up
in the orderly room. Received a 
nice lot of letters when I returned
from leave from you Jane Lorna Aunty 
Polly Lucy Dag Billy which were
great also a parcel containing
cake tobacco sweets sugar for which
many thanks fancy I get about 
one in every half dozen you
send but it cannot be helped.
My leave was not up really
in London until tomorrow

 

but was recalled last Wednesday
there is nothing seriously wrong
but we are expecting a big 
show to come off shortly
again and all officers were
wanted so there you are and
this sort of thing is all
in the game. Have just 
returned from church which
we held in a paddock
it rained and was bitterly
cold so that I can assure
you the service was far
from being interesting. Afraid
all the good weather has 
left us for the next

 

six months or so it has been cold and wet ever since
I have returned. Simply had a splendid time while in England 
the weather sen perfect fine and warm the whole time with
beautiful moonlight nights every night I was there in London
air raids from the Hun took place the bombs seem to
follow me up. They are very nasty things and a considerable number
lives were lost and damage was done no doubt you read all
about them in the papers. Have not seen Nana yet
but know he is kicking around here somewhere and quite
well Colonel Marks & Major Murray were at dinner with
the 45th the other night & told me he was quite
OK. Well my dear no more news at present the war
news is excellent at present and perhaps another 2 or 3
years at this rate may end all this business who
knows. lots of love to all also a very Merry Xmas &
a Bright New Year to everyone Hope you receive the little parcel I
sent you from Liberty's OK Bob.

 

France
26. 10. 17
My dear Jane
Received 4 letters last night
one from you, Mum, Dags & Lorna all
about the first week Sept. Of course you
all said many nice things about me
I have quite a swollen head after
reading them. Thanks muchly Jane for 
the parcel you sent along biscuits
sugar tobacco etc everything was very
nice you might cut out the sugar
though we have plenty in France
and the army has no difficulty
in obtaining plenty It is in London
& the civil population who cannot
get it. While on leave in England

 

had my photo taken with Hope Davies
for a joke you know 3 for 5/- effort
She sent me one along & wants to know
if she sends one home if anyone will
be jealous I assured her about that
and told her I should be pleased
if she would let you have one they
are not bad quite a good one of
Hope she is very good sends papers
etc over regularly of course there is
nothing doing although I have lots
of fun with these girls said
she was going to write to Mum
& say I was a very bad boy
but a dear we have not got much
money Jane but we have a good 
time when the opportunity presents itself
Well we have just been through another

 

(3)

show and had a fairly rough time.
Am feeling any old how  got rather a 
rough time from gas no voice blistered
etc etc may have to go away yet.
However we are on our way back
for a good long rest now which
is badly needed by us all hope to
have Xmas out of the line but it
is hard to say. Have not seen
Len for some time ran into the
45th yesterday but he was away
at some sniping school so missed
him hope to see him again soon
he is all right & was not in this 
last show. It is very wet and
muddy and getting damned cold over
here now so suppose a few rough
months are ahead of us.

 

Tickled to death about Eileen O'Brien
a cutting from the Bulletin was sent to
me from England about it shall
enclose it although you probably have 
seen it. Am just off on the horse
for a bath which is muchly needed
shall write again soon when we
settle down again lots of love to
all. Bob

 

France
30. 10. 17.
My dear Mum.
Have at last arrived at one
destination for the time being where we hope
to remain for six weeks or so if lucky
for Xmas. It is a quaint little village
150 inhabitants in peace time no shops no
anything so that it is very quiet & peaceful.
However we will liven it up a bit starting
a Canteen YMCA tent rifle range sports
etc etc so that when we get fixed up
it should be comfortable enough here and 
a good rest obtained. Am still feeling
rotten have no voice yet and generally
doppy from the effects of gas in the
recent operations. We are having per hard
frosts every morning now and plenty of
wet weather which is pretty miserable
still I have a large fire in my room

 

and make things as comfortable as
possible under the circumstances. Have being
going to jump on my horse and look 
Nana up for the past couple of days
but the weather has been so cold and 
wet I have not had a chance. do not
know where the 45th are but they should
be any where within a 10 mile radius
of here. We shall be very busy here
training starting all sorts of competitions
football, shooting Bdge. sports etc of all
descriptions hope to hand off some more
cups. Colonel Durrant arrived back yesterday
he has been away since second time in
at Messines where he was wounded
it is very nice seeing him back. Dug
Marks has been running the battalion
for some time and an excellent CO he 
has been he is off to the South of France
now for a spell expect he will come
back as second in command. Am sending

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Jacqueline KennedyJacqueline Kennedy
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