Letters written by Ernest Lionel Bailey October 1916 to April 1918 - Part 1

LETTERS FROM
CPL. E.L. BAILEY
1st Anzac Corps Salvage.
29/10/16 - 3/4/18.
 

Some where in France

2585

C Coy 

3 & 4 Posts

A.I.F.

Oct 29.16
My Darling Aimee
No doubt you have been
wondering what has become of me but

this is the first time I have had the opportunity

of writing. Well Baby we are out of the Line

and in billets but might move out any

time. We get plenty of route marching

in fact that much if they dont soon

knock it off, I shall have to turn the

bottoms of my legs up to make feet

and the weather to put it mildly, is

rotten, an a man wants to be a bog expert

to get through the mud

I was very glad to here you were quite

well again, for I knew by your letters

that you were crook.

I had a letter from George he told me

that Bert was home on Leave, also that
 

2
Lillie had got a “Little Boy” so I guess

George is like a kid with a rattle.
I have not heard from Billie yet

I think I will write George and ask

him to ask her for an answer regarding

my letters.
I was glad to hear that Frank is quite

well again, for I think it is very

miserable this weather.

We are billeted in a farm house and

I think they kept pigs in it previous

to our coming here for there is a

lot of slush all about the place but

one good thing there are no rats for

there are thousands in the trenches in 

fact there was in our dug-out one day

he stole our rations but could not get

it down his hole, so he pushed a sand-bag

out, (true) Dick was there to prove it. Dick

and I had our dug-out blown xxx sky

high at the last place we were in, Dick

said it was a pity we were not in there

at the time, we would then have had

a trip to "Blighty" but I don't think

it matters eh

I wish Billie would answer my letter

but then it won't be long now before you

here from Simpson then everything will be

O.K. but I think it is very mean.

I received a letter from Lissie she mentioned

you had been in bed for a week but you

were better at the time of her writing.

You will have to look after yourself Baby

for the winter in England is very trying.

Well Baby I cannot think of any-thing

else to write hoping you are now quite

well and in the best of health also Frank.

Give my love to Mother and Lissie and

tell them I am in the "pink" under the

circumstances hoping to here from you soon

All my love

Yours Ever

Ernest xxxxxxxx                                        

xxxxxxxxx                           

      
The Lance Corpl

wishes to be

remembered

Nov 10.16

My Dearest Aimee

I have just got an

opportunity to get a letter through and of

course, I am making good use of it.

Well Baby it is still very cold here

but the place we are going to, I dont

suppose we will notice it very much

I have written to Jim regards what

I mentioned in my last letter, as I

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx something

consolation xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

I have not heard from Lissie lately, you

said she was writing but I guess she

must be rather busy.  Give her my Best

Wishes also [Signature ] and tell them I am in

the Best of Health and longing for a trip

I think they ought to declare peace

for Xmas and give us a chance to 

have a good feed and a trip to 

England.

I guess Gibby will stay in England

for Xmas now, for his nerves will 

sure to require a lot of building up.

That is the fruits of a neutral job.

What a time we would have if I

could get furlough on the same tale

but our Officers a too much awake 

anyhow I hope it won't be long before

we are together Baby.

Dick is going on well and he says

he was answering your letter he has

to laugh when I mention you regarding

L. Corpl.  Well Baby I must close hoping

Yourself and Frank are in the best 

of Health.      
All my Love

Yours Ever

Ernest xxxxx                     

14/4/17

France                                                   

My Own Darling Aimee

Just got your letter

which I have been anxiously

waiting for, also Franks letter

and photos they are Bonza

some lad our Frank eh.

Everyone who I have shown

the photo to says he is

very much like me.

He is putting on a lot of

side with his stick.

Well Babe leave has started

again but it will only be

granted to those who have

not been to England, that is

bad luck for us darling, but

never mind cheer up, I dont

think the War will last

 2

much longer, and then I

will not want their leave

then we will have a time

Baby.

Regarding -

I have just been told that one

of my dearest cobbers has

been killed, Harry MacInerny

he was a great friend of

Pa Simpson and one of the

whitest men ever I met

and Baby it might not

seem manly but I had to 

cry for he was such a

genuine man, in fact the

only man I care for in

France. he was goodness itself

and if hed he does not go

to heaven I will be surprised.

I gave him my French coat to 

go in with, and they brought

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it back to me riddled, he

asked them before he died to

take it back to me

I cannot write any more today

Darling will write you tomorrow

you understand. Love to both

Lissie and Frank

All my love                            

Yours ever                                

Ernest                                   

Xxxxx                                             

France

My own Darling Aimee

Thank you for your nice 

long letters ^and paper (2) which have just arrived.

Now Baby don’t worry if you ^don’t hear from

me for I write as often as I possibly can

and if I could tell you, you would

understand how difficult it is to get a letter

through. My last letter I wrote you I

had to walk five miles to post it.

Well darling the weather has changed and

we are back in our waders with whips of

Mud etc. Leave has been cut out for an

indefinite period, they are always muddling

something so I dont know when it will start
again, I do hope soon for I am just dying to

see you, I suppose as usual it will start

very unexpected, so dont worry Darling everything

will be alright soon and what a lot I will
have to tell you.

You mention in your letter that it was
the general opinion that the War would
be over by June, Well Darling I only wish