Letter from Arthur Paton to the editor of the Sydney Morning Herald, 18 April 1916

PR82|8
12th April, 1916.
"Taruna"
John St, Ashfield
To
/The Editor
Sydney Morning Herald.
SYDNEY.
Sir.
I am taking the privilege of forwarding
to you attached herewith a couple of
letters received by me from Private Harold
A. Westman, of the unlucky" 18th Battalion
A.I.F, who no doubt you will recollect
was wounded last August in the Dardenelles.
The copies of letters referred to in the
letters were copies of the "Herald" wherein 

you were kind enough to publish his
letter to me & headed "Sport & War", and
which your paper gave a sub-leader to, in
Sept, last, these forwarded to the "Boys"
You may publish or use the enclosed letters
as you deem, or consider they may be of interest 

to your many readers, or in anyway
for the purpose of stimulating recruiting
etc.
You will notice although this lad has been
severely wounded "men & more men" are required,

 & if these letters would only bring
home to the "slackers" their duty, and help
to relieve the respo^nsibility of those who
have done their bit, all will be well.
Thanking you Sir for past interest & kindness,
I am yours respectfully
Arthur T. Paton
P.S. Kindly return letters after you have
finished with same. 

Abbey Wood
Australian Intermediate
Base

3  1916

To 

A J Paton

John St

Ashfield
Dear Peter

Hope this note find you and the

boys doing well also your people. I'm not too bad you will 

twig I am at Base have been before Board No 1 marked 

unfit to go before No 2 in 14 days time theres plenty of the 
board business and one never knows just what the result

will be but a chap that has lost his leg leaves the
artificial one off when going to one never knows. This 
is convalescent camp just a stroll twice a day tucker good 

and plenty of course its tough after hospital but one soon 

gets used to it colds are more prevalent here than at

Liverpool even gee its cold and slushy Well pal I 

have had only one note from you to date but know that full
 well its not your fault it would astound you if you 

were to stroll in one of the post offices attached to the military
parcels and dead letters galore and the marvel of it is 

although a man knows there must be lots of letters for him 

in the mail just one here and there gets through its a 

fair b---. Your note received was one with copy of letter etc
it was alright but hope between us we have not trodden 

on Jim and George's toes gather from papers that it is 
practically compulsion so Australia seem a much better

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system then the Lord Derby scheme it is practically a failure

here those or at least a big percentage of the attested men did

so knowing that they could hardly be called or well paid

the war is still going strong somehow or other their is a

strong feeling that about next Sept it will be all over
why I cannot tell but to sum it up after many long chats

amongst men that have been on different fronts we havent

done too good on the land to date. Gallipoli as you know 

well by now was a damned big failure and from those 

who ought to know Neuvre Chappel and Foos were morally

defeats but still guess we will come out on top but isnt it
rotten the way that the Navy have been held up and Germany

getting food stuffs galore too many politicians. You write that

the experience of travelling must be great quite right its just

glorious have had some great times and wont we have some long
chats when I get back. The sites I have seen are varied 

very much am having a great time at present. London is 

very interesting indeed have been to almost all the 

playhouses all tip top shows although must admit that 

The London crowd are very easily pleased The traffic
 arrangements are wonderful train travelling is expensive just 

to give you idea from Abbey Wood to Charing Cross 1^s.4^d return

same journey on train 5^s return of course the trams take longer

all stops and waiting on others to cross the trams are all

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double deckers  much more akward to get in or out of than our 
trams and much slower but what I like are the motor 

buses ride about on top see the sites dont go much on

underground although its some slick all electricity 

The noise as you rush along is awful. cars are on principle 

of our suburban ones a wonderful bit of work. I think is 

the subway under Thames at Woolwich you line up and 

wait lift then down to the level then walk through 

tunnel about mile long it is great place for cover when 

Zepps are about by the way they have been very busy 

lately and done terrible damage was in Woolwich other 

night when they were reported all hands in Arsenal 

95000 were turned out. The crowd were as panic stricken 

that we dove to get away am glad to say Zepps were driven 

off Lord what a smash had they got there. The scenery 

about here is lovely. I like the hedges and walks about 
everything so nice and green and make bold to say that the 
country round great western line from Plymouth to Reading 

finest in the world. The drink regulations here are very

queer hours are very restricted 12 till 2 30 and 6 till 9.30 no

shouting allowed many the time have forgotten met

pal come have drink breast bar then each has to pay 

for his own and to make things more complicated 

every pint has a different price last night had a

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few whiskies against orders I know, but mums the word. 

and the prices varied from 2d to 3½d the barmaids here 

take a long time to serve me I dont like the English 

people much especially the Londoner much to cocksure 

and he has a lot to learn and the Scotch and Irish also 

Welsh are alright quite a lot of the boys have married 

while here some five hundred. Daresay some cases 

are alright but a lot I know are making a mess of things 

still everyone hasnt left one of the best behind. Andy Fisher

inspected us yesterday his speech was so brief that I will 

write it "Australia was proud of us for what we have done 

and will do" then he bothed old George Reid has seat 

in English parliament he sure made some capital out 

of the Anzacs as we are called. my battalion is known as 

the unlucky eighteenth have not seen paper reports of 

our smash up but you say that you have cant tell you 

pal we fought well but hadnt a chance just a trap 

although we took some yards of trench as long as I live 

that struggle will be fixed in my mind one must see any
moment to realise I didnt earn a V.C. or DCM but I 

done my bit alright and was going strong when knocked

Cannot say yet Peter if I am going back for more. I am 

very weak and as stiff as a man of ninety but think 

that will be alright in time for long time they 

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were very anxious thought I would be paralized but then told 

all is well. Well I suppose lots of the boys are strong 

or left by this I would like to have you here with me have 

some good fun everyone has tickets on the Boys and London, 

as some lot think we will start a night club when I 

get back. Well chum remember me to the boys tell Tom I 

have dropped him a line hope the delivery your end 

is much better than at this am constantly thinking 

of all the Ashfield friends and am longing to get 

back theres no place like Sunny N.S.W. strike me 

its cold here and Daytime very ascent  although 

am told that we have had a wonderfully mild winter 

to date. The Welsh guards gave us a concert border singers 

they are and all but damned if you can get the Welsh

language one might just as well be amongst foreigners. The

cockney tart is funny its all "Not Arf" the game is 
good the old saying is very appropriate to us "we havent 
much money but we have a lot of fun" perhaps you will 
wonder why I dont cable to you chum well it & money or be 
only to rolling to send cash but by the time I got 

reply well perhaps I would be somewhere in France 
dear mother is on the cards that we get on the Western 

Front Wishing you the best of good health and luck. No 

newspaper tricks about this not paid. 

Your pal.  

Kelly

From Private H Westman

18 Batt

Australian Intermediate

Base

Abbey Wood

27. 2. 1916

To

A J Paton

John S

Ashfield

Dear Arthur.

Well paid I am doing alright of course I

still suffer from knock but take it all round I have

fared well and have been wonderfully lucky I cannot at

present just tell you definitely what is to be done with me.

I have been before three boards to date. and am still classed

unfit but assume are badly wanted guess I will hardly get

sent home just yet of course one never knows the Doctor here.

doesnt fancy me for active service you bet this time of uncertainty

is rotten I would love to be home but still suppose will just

have to make best of it although dread to think the shock for 

home folks if I return to giving line guess the poor old mater.

has had anxious time of it since I left and what hurts

Peter is that one sees such a lot of slacking in these parts

the Lord Derby scheme is absolutely a failure seems that the

majority of attested did so under promise of not being called

up now that the screw is being put on all sorts of squeaking

and these rotters have even got the front. To come to us with

their tale of woe of course we havent given up anything to 

fight for England they seem to think that Australians are 

fond of fighting and it get the ignorance of people

we meet as far as Australia is concerned is absolutely astounding

2

the average Englishman is such a joke he thinks that he knows 

everything so cocksure of himself and yet knows so little  of 

course its bad manners to criticise while partaking of their 

hospitality but this is between chums. London is wonderful full 

of interest and I enjoy knocking about seeing the different places 

we have both read about. I am quite at home round Strand 

Piccadilly Leicester Square etc. and only twelve months ago it 

seemed out of the question. The buildings are on a wonderful 

big scale Parliament House in fact they are far to numerous 

to mention but it all seems about three times the size of our

buildings then on the outskirts of London all sorts of dwelling 

houses have the front room grubby shops there are huge buildings 

in which people have on the tenement system. All it needs good 

they pay for your moving in and the rooms are about at the 

on beds 5/- per week it is astounding how cheap house rent is 

have been in nice houses with guest rooms, ½ mile into heart 

of city rent only 18/- a week just a bit of difference to Sydney 

isnt it yet chum dont quite yet get where the cheapness

of living that we hear so much about comes in decent. food

costs just as much as in N.S.W. in fact one can get better feed 

in any Sydney restaurant for less money than here Boots 

and clothing are certainly cheaper but in comparison to

wages earned. Sunny N.S.W. for me. The underground

railways they are just it we must have them in 

Sydney as seen here no fear of accidents quick and

cheap the tramway system is a bugger always going

3

being as it wasnt a bit cheap would never use them prefer 

the motor buses. Just a word or two about this camp it 

is on top big hill known as Bostall Heath renown for 

the Dick Turpen days it is very pretty spot just at present

there is about two foot of snow all over ground does the 
make you shiver well pard. it is not nearly as cold as 

I expected it to be but they tell me when it thaws 

is the time at any rate I was on guard from 1. 30 am till

3. 30 am just when the fall started and hope never 

to have some experience again but once it got down gee 

didnt we have fun snow balling one another the boys 
justly revelled in it bet your life the girls turned 

up to give us a doing they do their knut on the Colonials 

and there will sure be lots of little things left behind

cant understand some of the boys getting switched up 

here dont think they come near our girls We live 

in huts 30 to a hut and one meets chaps from all nooks 

and corners of Australia we dine in mess huts the tucker

is good and plentiful we parade just a go as you please 

walk for about an hour twice a day when we dont forget

have reading and writing soon Billiards and a canteen 

in addition good concert once a week plenty of good 

things so you see we are well treated. I dont like 

to see the way the boys that have lost limbs making 

the best of it here think some better arrangements could 

be made two bits of bad luck a chap just sent straight 

4

from Horseferry Rd on reaching camp here dropped dead. 

heart failure another chap while taking part in walking

race dropped dead from same thing his affects 

were sold money to be sent back to his people. I met 

Pat OKeefe and Jon Barry the other day in camp here

Pat is very keen on N.S.W. boys Have you heard the boys are 

to go up against the Germans on Western front. guess

there will be something doing the Germans are taking

some stouching aint they but think this Spring will 

be the trick but someone is going to get hurt. I often

wonder pal if the whole darn thing wont finish 

as you were too much of the "wait and see". Had visit

from Andy Fisher Australia is proud of us another little

thing he told us our mothers and sweethearts dont want

to see us till the war is over "some nice" of course the

boys have enlisted gather from papers that it is pretty

warm there for slackers and surely the pals wont want

fetching could never believe it Have only received one

letter from you to date but of course that is not your 

fault say parcel have noticed several times bits of

that letter I sent you in press guess I will take it 

on better than scrapping either Gee havent I learnt 

a lot since scribbling that note wonder if the ardous 

then was then will still remains bet your boots we all
grumble and growl but it is all gone often when 

we are wanted. Do you know chum that with all the

5

rough times one has had since listing up it has done me

the world of good I am dead weak at present but I will 

bet my old civilian suits wouldnt even fit have spread 

some have got wonderful appetite and am real good
tempered all the nasty little ways have been knockned 

out by now. We are not popular with the English Tommies 

but its alright Australia will be there are Rosie girls 

doing all sorts of mens work on buses trams and trains to say 

nothing of the thousands being trained for munition work 

can you see them going way after the war - what a proposition
get someone to handle. Well chum must now close give 

my kind regards to Tom, Jim, George, Charlie and rest 

of the boys also your people at home read with regret 

that you make is not well hoping this note will 

find you in best of health and having a good 

time am anxiously waiting to get some of your 

letters but things are in rotten state with the 

Post Officials still chum it is sure a big jot. 

especially while one is moving about like I have 

been doing expect to have something definite 

to write you shortly just what is doing once again 

with best wishes and kind regards.

I remain

Your pal.

Kelly. now so strange.

From 

Private H. Westman

18 Battalion

Mr A Paton

Ashfield