Letters from Samuel (Sammy) Greer to his mother

Conflict:
First World War, 1914–18
Subject:
  • Documents and letters
Status:
Awaiting approval
Accession number:
AWM2017.6.7
Difficulty:

Page 1 / 11

6 bea Batt inge Gallipati October 1913 Dear Mow 44 8 pela the same spings are gust adriggling last, except perhaps its turned a bit colder with raw, but sill its not to had sen of anly aut when so duty handing so it for a havs is not loo good. may Ix iss but early it don't makfer auk wish you a tery Chrishias & a Bright Sappy new t 45 year, and g aasout on ll i relations and friends, let Phill know Ill write to her when I get the shance bet eack is in the best of Health, infost he wans 4 he's letter shaw one so he must be presy richt lefters have been prey once, dlways to far sor & a mail, and I think. I ve received all receive yours of the boys have ben luapy enough to seme to gitting very yours J. mn. Seohin forrd parcels H Sorte 4 went out The ochert day thencted
o 40 dawn and happensd to Humble across old Saptain done upvery neally nowts Derely you penee this Puase had Pad asanting good supply ofelpis as this the it last pa possess. I expect quite aat at 47 Hlepfare the mail replies to my firs letters from Egypt and think I Ub a lital dissapp 4 should not get ben. The Tucker is not so had git bacon for Luakfast She Sor dinner hea, besides sea hugar for rice Silf Symp tonse ntont do tobadly with that dont well den then there march 4 Deea Seec from lite Sa
B. Cay 20th Bath Firing Line Gallipoli 31st Ott 191. ye Deadibather spriv the last aban wrote in fact I received one by every mail so things are pretty good. to far have managed to keep clear of, bullets shells & bombs, and lickness as well; we had some rasty easualities last night although no one was killed. The Turks have a homb about foot long and tin aeross, attached to a stick about 4tt long this is fired from a Howilzer high into the air and so falls shaight into bur fuencles, last night one of these fell aidweent I tentry groupes 4 men and wounded the lot well dear I dont know Low long this isgoing to last but from the applarence of things its going to be some time I havn't ben der for some time, but I believe he is all right Jack Thompson is about as will as me so helis not to lad either. Tell Phill and the rest I'm absolutely out or writing makerite, dack, had to bonow this to write, so send a good supply and chance me gitting it, have recieved a lot of letters but am unable to answer them on that account I hope dad is in the best of health and all other relations and friends. Hy ear has been ringing for the last a hours yrow the lplash of a bullet on the way- hald I was pring from, we have aat spatnl times, hhil dmasting goe Burks Periscopes gitting a few of ours smashed in the attempt. I sill unhend to go in for Teliphony when I get back, lets be I'll be 19 by
this time next month, getting quite old aint news is hard to think of over this way, you see we are reshicted to mich; and its hard to byma your hp beasuso yuu sot inece uthert ys of you self; Life in the frenshes being to monotonys. wtell we have been in the hinshes now fir toweeks naw and to me it only sicme yesterday time we same here; although when you look arround you can't hee so many old faces, that is of men who left Sydney with us; Htill it almost seems yars since I waved good-byt to you on the launah when we sailed from good sed lydney. I san las dnthet in we dear I any more with love to dad, yourself all the rest from your loving son Sammry
Hospital S JS Dewako Nev 19 Dear cother letter to you conditions to the last in that instead trenches I am beal in the D But Shel et mistsh be alon that for I assure you there is nothing teriously the matter wishone only a Corese ulser the right eye following a thigh enjary renied, I was firing through I pos loled when a bullet hik it Ctt anda sure went in tea t was taken out at. to anly and this sollowed it ou pdhfor Preasd see ut it will be bett
in ll chort hame un LCS Fray of fa Brt you get this I hope t be bask on Galliff the Act it could not be better a things done every one is somice an such a way, that could not possible be bettered well dear ats exasty eleven weeks to day since I went indo the treashes so I thin I'we done a predty good whack as far as I know Here all right bud of course ys would know better than in another battallion Jack was well when I left so you san let at Thompson know. Iwe hard suck as far as your parsel is conserned but I suppose it will be forwarded on so me. Will dear give be kindest regards to all with love to dad & your so self from your wring for Samue
888218 No. 3. A General Hospetal Kidn 13 Nev 1915 May Dear arther I'm just iabout letter alleady and espect to the kisked out of here at any mmoment; I suppose you got is bit of a shoats when you hard about it aud y must inot mony at all decause I in already nearly better Ie never been better ased after in my life the Ack C & Hospital amangnents being just tho thing When I left the Peminsular Jask was going well and thong never letter in his life I'm expecting that parset any day now anyway I hope they send it in howe here, and it is not lock while shing so. I had not been serse for a couple of weeks defore I bat the Peninsular hat he had cod deen in the brenches up to that time so I suppose. he would be alright. I hold you I think that he never goined the 20 Bast, but the 18th, by goue those foor hegears got out up in the 1st place, the 18th wetk 1200 men went unto the is charge but only 250 men came out of it, absolutely imown down. By the lookss of things over there iss gon
to be many a long day before war finishess ther the Tarks too old a hand to be caught thappin By the way, try and send some of that insect powder over will you it will come in very handy over here, everyone is thatky Well dear I think Ive said all I can say do I will close with chest lve to add and your self from your leving fow a The pest Nemember to P fill address sill the same, (88) cold aad
(Crown Copyright Reserved) e01 CN AOTIVE SERVIOH. NOTE. Correspondence in this en- velope need not be censored Regimentally. The Contents Address- are liable to examination at the Base. The following Certificate must be signed by the writer: Lcertify on my honour that the contents of this envelope refer to nothing but private and family matters. Signature (Name orfty)) rall
4 22244 l X fill cent i 4 ll UENSOR wice as
IF NOT CLAIMED WITHIN T DAYS PLEASE RE-ADDRESS T0 BOX SO6 GENERAL POST OFFICE, SYDNEV. JC preer Armagh Cussent The ell and i

"B" Coy 20th Batt
Firing Line
Gallipoli
23rd October 1915
My Dear Mother
Things are just the same as when I wrote you
last, except perhaps it's turned a bit colder, with a drizzling
rain, but still its not to bad when off duty but when on duty
Standing in it for 2 hours is not too good.
If its bit early it don't matter but may I
wish you a Merry Christmas & a Bright & Happy new
year, also please pass it on to Phill Lana and all other
relations and friends; let Phill know I'll write
to her when I get the Chance.
Jack is in the best of Health, in fact he wants to bet
he's better than me so he must be pretty right.
So far letters have been pretty free; always
receive 3 or 4 a mail, and I think I've received all
yours.
Some of the boys have been lucky enough to get
parcels, so I'm looking forward to getting yours very
shortly.
The other day I went out oth of the Trenches
 

 

down to xxxxxx and happened to stumble across
old Captain Concannon's grave, done up very nicely
now it is
Directly you recieve this Please send a writing Pad &
good supply of Envelopes as this is the last one I
possess.
I expect quite a host of letters by the next
mail. replies to my first letters from Egypt, and
I think I'll be a little dissappointed should I
not get them.
The Tucker is not so bad get bacon for breakfast
stew for dinner & rice for tea, besides Tea Sugar
milk, Syrup Jam etc So we dont do So badly
with that.
Well dear I dont think there is much
more I can say so I will Close
from your loving Son
Sammy

 

B Coy 20th Batt
Firing Line
Gallipoli 31st Oct 1915
My Dear Mother
I recieved the last letter you
wrote in fact I recieved one by every mail so
things are pretty good.
So far have managed to keep clear of, bullets
shells & bombs, and sickness as well; we had
nasty casualties last night although
no one was killed. the Turks have a bomb about
1 foot long and 6 ins across, attached to a Stick
about 4 ft long this is fired from a Howitzer high
into the air and so falls straight into our
trenches, last night one of these fell between 2
Sentry groupes 4 men and wounded the lot.
Well dear I dont know how long this is going to
last but from the appearence of things its going
to be some time
I havent seen Herb for some time, but I believe
he is all right, Jack Thompson is about as
well as me so he is not so bad either.
Tell Phill and the rest I'm absolutely out
of writing materials, fact, had to borrow this
to write, so send a good supply and chance
me getting it; have recieved a lot of letters but
am unable to answer them on that account.
I hope dad is in the best of health
and all other relations and friends.
My ear had been ringing for the last
2 hours from the uplash of a bullet on
the [[wap]] -hold I was firing from, we have
great sport at times here smashing
 "Joe Burk's Periscopes getting a few
of our smashed in the attempt.
I still intend to go in for Telephony
when I get back, let see I'll be 19 by

 

this time next month, getting quite old aint
I.
news is hard to think of over this way, you
see we are restricted so much, and its hard
to say all about your self, because you are
utterly ∧tired of your self; Life in the trenches being
so monotonous.
Well we have been in the trenches now for
10 weeks now and to me it only seems
yesterday since we came here, although when
you look around you can't see so many
ol old faces, that is of men who left
Sydney with us; Still it almost seems
years since I waved good-bye to you
on the launch when we sailed from
good old Sydney.
Well dear I dont think I can say
any more with love to dad, yourself, and
all the rest from your loving son
Sammy 

 

Hospital Ship
S/S Devahna
7th Nov 1915
Dear Mother
I am writing this
letter to you under different
conditions to the last inasmuch
that instead of being in the
trenches I am in a nice cosy
bed on the Devahna; but still
you must not be alarmed at
that for I assure you there is
nothing seriously the matter
with me, only a Corneal ulser in
the right eye, following a slight
injury recieved, I was firing through
a loop holed when a bullet hit it
and a piece went into my eye, it
was taken out and I went back
to duty; and this followed it on.
I was I can't see out of it for the
time being, but it will be better

 

in a short time, in fact by the time
you get this I hope to be back in Gallippoli
The A M C could not be better
everyone is so nice, and things done
in such a way, that could not possibly
be bettered. Well dear its exactly
eleven weeks to day since I
went into the trenches so I think
I've done a pretty good whack,
As far as I know Herb
is all right but of course you
would know better than I,
because he is in another battallion
Jack was well when I left so
you can let Mrs Thompson
know. I've hard luch as far
as your parcel is conserned but
I suppose it will be forwarded
on to me. Well dear give
the kindest regards to all
with love to dad & yourself
Se from your
loving Son
Sammy 

 

[*PR82/88]
No. 3. A General Hospital
Mudros
13th Nov 1915
May Dear Mother
I'm just about better arleady and expect
to be kicked out of here at any moment; I suppose you
got a bit of a shock when you heard about it but you
must not worry at all because I'm already nearly better.
I've never been better looked after in my life
the A M C & Hospital arrangements being just the thing.
When I left the Peninsular Jack was going well
and strong never better in his life.
I'm expecting that parsel any day now anyway I
hope they send it on to me here, and it is not lost
while doing so.
I had not seen Herb for a couple of weeks before
I left the Peninsular but he had not been in the
trenches up to that time so I suppose he would be
alright. I told you I think that he never joined
the 20th Batt, but the 18th, by Jove those poor beggars
got cut up in the 1st place, the 18th with 1200 men
went into the a charge but only 250 men came out of
it, ab absolutely mown down.
By the looks of things over there its going 

 

to be many a long day before war finishes there
the Turks too old a hand to be caught napping
By the way, try and send some of that insect
powder over will you it will come in very handy
over here, everyone is "[[Chatty]]"
Well dear I think I've said all I can say
So I will close with best love to dad and
your self.
from your loving Son
Sammy
remember to Phill and the rest
SG
address still the same, ([[J?]] E. Egypt.
old add
 

 

(Crown Copyright Reserved.)
ON ACTIVE SERVICE.
NOTE.
Correspondence in this envelope 
need not be censored
Regimentally. The Contents
are liable to examination at
the Base.
The following Certificate
must be signed by the writer:
I certify on my honour that
the contents of this envelope
refer to nothing but private
and family matters.
Signature}
(Name only) }
S Greer LCpl
Address -
Mrs S A Greer
Pennant Hills
N S Wales
Australia
 

 

On Active Service

no Stamp available
Mrs  S A Greer
The Crescent
Pennant Hill
N S Wales

Australia
 

 

IF NOT CLAIMED WITHIN 7 DAYS PLEASE RE-ADDRESS T0
BOX 5O6 GENERAL POST OFFICE, SYDNEY.
Mrs Greer
"Armagh"
The Crescent
Pennant Hills
 

 
Last edited by:
Transcriber 30085Transcriber 30085
Last edited on:

Last updated: