Letter from Harold Glynn Massey to Len, 25 July 1916

P.Pars

The [[?]]

PR82|8

France

July 25/16
Dear Len,
Just in from
the "big push". Was all
through the recent
Australian attack &
managed to get out of
it unhurt. Arthur
Elford was in it too, but
has not returned yet
I don't think anything
has happened to him either
His section are reported

to have been particularly
fortunate as far as the
casualties go. We had a
particularly bad time.
Can't say just how bad
it was. The Casualty
lists will show you that.
But it may be gratifying
for the staff to know, that
at least two of the staff
reached the village
on the top of the hill.
There were plenty of
Germans laying about.
And quite a few of ours.

But we got the position
and could have gone on
further still, but that
was considered unwise.
However this is not the
end by any means. The
"hop-over" started at 12.30.
A.M. and at 1.15 we had

their first line, at 2. o'c
we had the 2^nd line and
at 3 o'c I was in our new
trench right on top of
the hill. We worked
demons all day and
by nightfall there was 

a new line of trenches
on top of the hill, with
machine gun positions
etc. all complete. They
went on again that night
and dug in again, last
night we got on a little
further. We are now in
a good position and
are being relieved for
a spell. We've earned
it too. We are all nerves
from the artillery fire.
It was something awful.
There was not a smooth 

patch of ground in the whole
place. All cut up, craters
10 feet deep in places.
I don't mind saying that
I'd have sold out cheaply.
Any man who asked for
my job could have had
it for nothing. However
I'm still alive. That's
something to be thankful
for. I made my will in
my paybook while I
was resting in a shallow
Crater on the hill top.
That's what I thought of

My chance. Oh! we've

got another "rep" up there

now.  I met young Frank
Johnson going up last
night. He was looking
O.K. I don't know whether
Bill Graham was in it.
His Battalion was, but
I don't know whether he
has been put out before
this or not. I never saw
him up there. But of
course we were all
over the place. It was
hard to keep in touch

with one another. I had
a few close calls too.
An officer was killed
in front of me and two
men wounded behind
me, yet I missed and I
was the nearest to the
shell that did it. Funny
is it not? Well Len, old 
man I'm all "shook
up" this morning and 

don't care if I never

see another firing line -

I do hope old Elford gets in

alright. Its harder to

get out through the
Artillery Barrage than
it was to advance during
the big scrap. Then we
went across the open &
now we go by the trench
which they are shelling
continuously. The stretcher
bearers are great. They
go up & down, all the
time in the open, carrying
the wounded through a
withering shell fire. It's
magnificent to see them
They are the real heroes of

the affair, because they
are unarmed and are
exposed to everything.
With no means of Kicking
back. I'm very glad
indeed that the boys were
successful. They have a
great name to keep up
and I believe they have
added a little to their
fame in this affair. We
a few prisoners, but
not too many. They gave
us a gas attack also
liquid Flame, but it

did not stop them. They
just went on in spite
of everything. I met a
lot of old friends up
there too. Gee! It seemed
like home to meet a
familiar face in the
midst of all that slaughter.
Well Len, I'm boring you
with this, so I close
right here. Good Bye

& Good Luck from

Yours etc

Harold G. Massey
Can't say any more I'm in

doubt of how much the censor

will stand for. 

received by L.W.

[[?Ballot]], Father of Chapel,

S.M.H.