Letters from William Rawson Leach to his family, 1917 - Part 3

Y.M.C.A
On Active Service

Army P.C

[*PASSED BY CENSOR No. 5008*]

25 MAR 18
Mrs P. Hines
Sup Public School
Parkes
New South Wales
Australia
 

For God. For King & For Country

Y.M.C.A

Y.M.C.A.  H.M.FORCES ON ACTIVE SERVICE    Y.M.C.A

PATRON   
Y.M.C.A. NATIONAL COUNCIL                                                                                           
H.M.THE KING     
PATRON   
MILITARY CAMP

H.RH DUKE OF CONNAUGHT 
Reply to   Company    Bar  Regt.

28^th Aug 1917

Stationed at Larkhill Salisbury Plain
Dear Mother & Father

I received your two

letters dated the 10^th June & 25^th

June addressed to me here in camp
& after you have received this I wish
you would still continue to send
my letters c/- Uncle Fred I thought
you understood that as definite
when I left. I have never heard you
mention as to whether you have got
fixed up with my banking account
whether you received my military pay
on anything else there is no harm
in mentioning these things as it will
my mind a little bit at rest as I
can hardly attend to them over here
 

2
I haven't got much money but it
may be useful to me when I get back
to Australia. Perhaps you may have
mentioned these facts in letters which
I have not received but I hope every
thing has turned up alright. I have
not had my leave yet but am expecting
it next Tuesday & am going to make the
best of my time. We are going through
our gun laying & gun drill test tomorrow
& although they have rushed us a
bit with it, I think I will be able
to get through alright. After we
pass that we are then ready
for over seas draft- to go to France
& I think we will be there by the
end of September. There is some talk
here of the Australians leaving Salisbury
Plain during the winter months & we may
be out of this in a fortnights time Some
are going to Plymouth & other to Bounemouth 
where it is not so cold. I got
a bit of a shock last night a fresh
lot of reinforcements came in from
 

For God. For King & For Country

Y.M.C.A

Y.M.C.A.  H.M.FORCES ON ACTIVE SERVICE    Y.M.C.A

PATRON   
Y.M.C.A. NATIONAL COUNCIL                                                                                           
H.M.THE KING     
PATRON   
MILITARY CAMP

H.RH DUKE OF CONNAUGHT 
Reply to   Company    Bar  Regt.

3

New South Wales & the first chap I xxxxxx

ran against was Jack Byrnes so I

had a good long chat with him.

So there are four of us old friends here on

Bob Stewart, Gordon Best, Jack Byrnes & my self

It seems rather a peculiar meeting
place after being away about nine 
years. So old lady Howard passed
away I suppose they were all prepared for
it more or less as she must have
been a good old age. Was Glad to hear
that you had written to Mr Sam McRay
& had received a reply. I have not
heard from Dick since I left but am
always looking forward to letters. You have
 

4
no idea how the chaps feel it when they
don't get any mail It makes one feel sorry
for them. When the mails arrive they are
all like (myself included) a lot of school
children waiting for sprigs to be given out.
& you can easily tell those who have
got letter & those who havent. I went
into Salisbury last Saturday afternoon
& it is a fair sized although very old
fashioned place. But the Cathedral is
something beautiful the Architecture
& all the old relics inside we spent
quite an hour & a half looking at the
place. I am enclosing some more photos
& you will see one of myself posing as an
officer. The stars are made out of mud
& my Sam Brown belt made out
two Bandoliers. It was taken along side
our tent one sunday morning while
we were waiting for church parade
now I will have to close so good bye
with love to all at home
Your affSon
Rawson
PS. Dont forget to send my letters c/- uncle Fred
 

Y.M.C.A

STAMP 
[see original document]
 

Mrs S Leach
Victoria St
Parkes
New South Wales
Australia
 

 

 

France
Sept 12th 1917
Dear Mother & Father
As you will see
by the above address We
have left England. Arrived
there this morning I intended
writing you just before
leaving Salisbury Plains
but we got back from
our leave on Sunday

& found we had to leave

the next day for France

so here we are. I expect

it will be four or five

days before we move

off to the firing lines
Have just been issued

with our tin hats &

gas helmets & we have got

 

2

quite enough gear to
lump about. The less stuff
you have here the
better off you are as
saw most that was to
too much clothing etc
is only a nuisance to
carry about. Well I had
a great time on my
leave & saw a good number
of my relations I had
three days in London
& the other five I spent
at Searborough & Leeds
Had a great time in
London whow most of
the interesting places &
Buildings went through
Westminster Abbey, Parliament
Houses, Tower of London St 
Pauls & Several other
3
interesting places I also

went through all the principal

thorough fares & in general

saw most that was to

 be seen in the limited

time that I had Stopped 

a night with Uncle Fred

& they are both well. I

went up to Scarborough &

got a great welcome there

Aunt Alice Uncle Edwin & Ruth

were there to meet me when

there I went & saw Uncle

Richardson at Cayton Bridge

also. Will Walmsley happened

to be up at Scarbors for a

holiday so that it fitted 

in very nicely. We walked

all over Scarboro out to the

Castle & saw all the damage
 

4

done by the bombardment

nearly three years ago

I sent you on some PCards

etc which would no

doubt be of interest to you.

All the folk there are well

& Uncle Richardson was especially

pleased to see me & sent

his kindest regards to you.

After three days there I

left for Leeds & went & saw

Aunt Mary & Annie & we

had a good fly round

Went all over the Guiseley

Moors right on top of

the Chevin & the view from

the top was lovely. I saw

Father's old church at

 Guiseley. I was about the

only Australian up that

 

 

5
way so needless to say
had a good time. Annie & I
went up to Bolton Abbey
right through the Woods
up to the Strid & then
on to Barden tower
which was a lovely outing
everything was so green
& fresh & we got back

to Leeds station at
9.30 that night & I

caught the 10 O clock

train back to London

I will enclose a piece of
Heather which I picked up
on the top of the Chevin

I will be able to talk to

you about the place when

I come back I know Ottey

Oakley &  several other