Letter from Ida Daunt to the Editor of the Sydney Morning Herald, Part 1

PR82/8
Armuoz
Calypso Avenue
Mosman
To Sub Editor Morning Herald
Dear Sir
I am enclosing a letter (& photo)
received from my Brother in France
Driver H P Evans
5^th Corps Ammunition Park.
British Expeditionary Force (France)
I thought it might be of Public interest
Will you kindly return same when
finished
& oblige
Ida Daunt

In the Field
France
29 Jany 16
Dear Ida
Your letter of
13 Dec. I received a few
days ago, and I was
glad to hear you were
pleased with the opening
services at the Dulwich
Hill Church. I feel rather
flattered at two parishes
placing my name on
their Rolls of Honour,
but I must say I am
gratified that Mr Yannington
included my name on his
list. Could you send me
a list of the Mosman names.
The parish paper you sent
never reached me, but I
received the Dulwich Hill
Magazine last week from
Hat. So Harry Elwin

has enlisted. I tried hard
to persuade him to do so
nearly eighteen months ago.
The A.M.C. have done fine 
work on this front. I have
become friendly with two
Frenchmen of that Unit in
this locality, and fine
fellows they are.
I received a Sunday Times
from you last week, and
was pleased to get it. I 
have been very lucky
that way. I received papers
from Jack & Flo and Stewart
MItchell (a friend of mine)
from Newcastle, Bert Hollingworth
from London, Mick
& yourself from Sydney
and one of the friends who
gave us some of our printing
plant, from Melbourne.
I am enclosing a photo from
which you will get an idea

of how we look when out
motoring - personally I'm
rarely put on the lorries
now. Being in charge of
the printing plant keeps
me in a lot. The centre
boy is my assistant.
The photo may suit the
purpose you mention.
I will have one of my
badges made into a brooch
for you the next time I am
into a near by township.
I had some done for Hat &
Aunt Maude & Bertha. The
latter have been so kind
sending me little things that
I really didn't know how to
reciprocate.
Since I last wrote I have
been attached to another
unit under our old Colonel
and, I am very pleased
with the change. He takes

such an interest in my
work. I have a nice light
airy office and a small
military hut to sleep in.
From here we have splendid
views of aeroplanes at work.
Perhaps in the early morning
you will hear the anti-aircraft 
guns at work, 
and there out over the
wires you see high up a
German Machine, while all
round & under it may be
discerned the flash of shrapnel
&  the puffs of smoke
which very slowly disperse.
Then again you see a
number of our planes in
hot pursuit and the sky
soon becomes thickly covered
with shrapnel cloud puffs
& I think Mr. Hun gets much
more than he looks for.
The lorries of our Units

have sometimes exciting
experiences, but our fellows
enjoy it - they have been
very lucky so far. Only 
a few days ago when a number
of lorries were loading ammunition
at a Railway Station
the shells started to come over
When this happens the order
is to scatter & they all start
out on different roads. Strange
to say not one of our lorries
was hit but there were
a number of casualties. But
almost every day one or
other of our men report
narrow escapes & we
don't take any notice of
it now. I started this
letter last night but our
engine stopped & I had to
knock off. Since then one
of the batmen has got leave
& will post this letter in England
so I can tell you
more 

We are near Ypres & I have 
been there a few times, on
what we call joy rides. We
get a lorry or a car and
run out for timber &c from
the ruined houses. I was
there 5 months ago and there
were a few houses standing
Today there are none - 
One mass of ruins. But
it's exciting to have the
shells bursting near.
We somehow dont run
for cover like many of
the British units. I suppose
its foolhardy - but the
lust of adventure is strong
in us. Since I drove my
lorry from Rouen to the front
(about 160 miles) I have done
no duty driving & my lorry 
is now in charge of
someone else. Whenever
I want a lorry I also