Letter from Cyril Charles Bentley Samuels to Mr Reeve

PR82/8
France.
July 5. 16

Dear Mr. Reeve,
Enclosed is a copy of our
weekly issue, which we get out on
Head Quarters just to try and vary
our sometimes gloomy existence. This is
not a very clear copy, but there is such
a rush for them that I only had a couple
left. Mr Interpreter is the artist₊

The burlesque billet sketches are quite
good reproductions of the original here.
I had a letter from Capt Bean
yesterday, and will see him in a day
or two. He is not far from where I
am trying to hide from the hungry
Huns. I received quite a nice bundle
of "Heralds" yesterday - 26 in all.
Best wishes to friends,
Yours C Samuels
[*Have you a ticket to spare
for the Spring race meeting.*] 

Cyril Samuels
Lewis gunner
in 15^th Inf Bde
now Hon Sec
15 Inf Bde (NSW)
Mosman NSW 

4

Price: 3^d
THE HEADQUARTERS
PERISCOPE
The first Australian illustrated paper issued at the 

front
Monday: July 3^rd 1916
Hand drawn diagram - see original document
Our Editor Mr SAMUELS having his
daily Ditch-bath.....
....sometimes unexpected ! 

A LULLABY ON LANGUAGE
We have noticed how Bill Wearing
Cultivates the art of swearing
For he surely understands it very wrong;
It must shock poor modest "Curly"
most unfortunately "girlie"
And I'm sure it has effect on Lestie Long.
Now for instance take Jack Shaw
Sergeant Savage and some more.
You never hear these gentlemen blaspheme,
But Sergeant "Kav" and Postman Smith
Are the worst you could be with
For their language is "beaucoup" in the extreme.
When the fire won't keep alight,
Punter Smith's not too polite,
And Franklyn's cursing fairly knocks you flat
But when Barrigan begins
Well we think he easily wins,
He beats Salomon of Chambers on his pat.
You should hear that fellow Hoyle,
His "dam" cursing makes you boil
And Nigger Pearce is sure to get a rise
As for Austin and Young Davey
Who learned theirs whilst in the navy
Well: Headquarters has a problem to face.
Let this not ill-timed advice,
From "The Periscope" suffice
That your language should be what it 

ought to be
Or you'll find from the C.O.
These few simple words will flow.
That you're all fined ninety seven 

days F.P.
In order to give satisfaction to a great
number of our so sympathetic readers
we are giving next page a few
panoramas of our Head Offices. The
buildings have been provided by the
Government, so the enormous outlay
of money was not considered. The
printing machinery was a gift
from a rich neutral (!) -
The addition of Gunner.
Solomon to Headquarters Staff
has somewhat worried the
General Staff in Berlin. That
they fear this brilliant strategist's
Knowledge, has been made no
secret, if we are to believe the
leading articles of the
Kölner Fly Paper
What our Headquarters fear
however, is that the bacon issue
will have to be considerably
increased, for the energy he
utilises in trying to sell his
left off clothing to his comrades
will surely be productive of an
increased appetite, in which event
the favourite fruit of his ancestors
- pig - will get a rough passage.
_______________________________
One of the most shy and
retiring members of Headquarters
Staff is Anthony. This can be
easily be understood when we 
recall his recent intrigue
with Cleopatra
Hand drawn diagram - see original document
(!) American not Greek.
Hand drawn diagram - see original document

Headquarters is fortunate in
having on its staff one of the
giants of Victoria — Myrtle
Hazel Macdonald. One night
last week he displayed
unprecedented and undreamed
of energy. A broken telephone
wire was to be repaired.
"Who will undertake the job?"
inquired Corporal Baldock.
Striking the roof with his
right hand and at the Same
time assuming a most dramatic
attitude which any
modern stage hero would
have envied Myrtle Hazel
Macdonald, this modern
Sampson, in a clear, rich
voice which reminded one
of a babbling brook chirped
"I'll do the dirty deed" 
He returned after about two
hours later ten minutes
if rain-soaked and up
to his ears covered xxxx  in
the mud of France, whistling
a "I M of 'ATE" entitled "
"Why did I leave my little 
back room"?
PINCHED SOAP
is THE BEST
and
THE CHEAPEST.
Hand drawn diagram - see original document
"ANZAC" writes:
"It is only fair to give the
"ANZACs" a chance to reply to
the outburst of ill-feeling from
the reinforcements. I think
it is the height of impertinence
for reinforcements to breathe
the same air as the "ANZACS"
And fancy some of them
having the privilege of seeing
those three balloons destroyed?
It was a sight too good for
them. They say "You never hear 
reinforcements say "when I
was at Cairo!" Certainly not - 
they never saw Cairo. They
only know that Cairo was
a town near the "Wassers"
Therefore they are not even
worth calling reinforcements.
They are "never wassers"

NAPU!
Referring to the 3 balloons
mentioned above we are
glad to be able to publish
a photo taken of the incidents
by a 14^th reinforcement.
STOP PRESS