Letters from William Rawson Leach to his family, 1917 - Part 4

6

places. Of course while
I was at Scarboro there must
be some excitement as the
place was Bombarded again
this time by a submarine 
which sent over about
30 shells & then ducked
off. There were three people
killed & five injured. There
was a great scatter on the
beach when it started
women & children cutting in
all directions. There was
a great exodus of people
from Scarboro the next day.
I tell you. still the people
took it very well I

thought. I sent you a
book with pictures of the
Tower of London in. The
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Royal jewels which we
saw were something beautiful
especially the Two Diamonds
cut from the Cullinan in the
Crown & the Sceptre. I could
write a book on my few
days leave almost of the

101 things I saw but I will

tell you them all when

I get back to Aussey as the

main thing you want to

know now is that I am 

all right? I feel tip top
in fact never felt better

with the exception that

we all wish the war would

finish still we are all

in the best of spirits &

none of us are downhearted

The base where we are

 

8
is a beautiful place (that 

is the surroundings) & the pretty

little French Villages. There

are very few of you know

of what the French have had

to put up with the last

three years & there are hundreds

& hundreds in mourning. If

the Russians had only stuck to

it like the French the war

would have been over by

this time. I went & saw

Grandma's grave while I

was Scarboro & the Cemetery 

there is the prettiest I have

seen. It was just a picture

when I was there. I

received my letter which

you sent on to Mrs Baxendale

by mistake & had a letter

9

from Ether then asking that

I should go & stop with them

but my time was pretty well

taken up as it was. So I

will have to go & see her

the next time I get over

to Blighty. They sent me

a parcel of magazines which

were very useful. The

French money here seems

funny. I tell you & we havent

quite got into the run

of it yet still are learning

quickly by experience.

Was glad to hear that you had

got my Bank Book safely.

Now Mother I will have to

close so good bye with

love to all at home & yourself

Your aff son

Rawson
 

On Active Service
[*?*]

Mrs S Leach

Victoria St

Parkes

New South Wales

Australia

PASSED FIELD CENSOR

3066

PASSED FIELD CENSOR

3068

 

PRESSED FLOWERS

see original document

 

In France
Sept 19^th.17
Dear Mother & Father
Well I got to my destination from our base

unit. took us about 36 hours in the train & we got there
about nine oclock at night & then we had about a five mile

march to the DAC where we were to put up for awhile. We
were walking about through ruined and desolate villages
till 1 Oclock in the morning looking for our quarters
& we were dog tired & glad to get a sleep which was
under some ammunition waggons. The following
night we were sent up to the waggon lines
& the next night we were sent up to

the firing line & received our baptism of fire
& it was a fairly warm reception still

you [[still?]] Fritz got more & considerably more
than he gave us. There has been [[?]] 

just going on now one of the by biggest artillery

duels of the war & this morning our boys

hopped over the trenches & up todate they have

got all their objectives & 600 700 yds beyond. I have

been up  with our battery for a couple of days & 
came back to the waggon lines this morning
 

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for you should have seen the German prisoners on
the way down they were coming down in batches of
fifty or sixty & poor worn out specimens they
were too. You cant work out if either [[if?]] you only
knew what they had to put up with from our
artillery fire it must have been hell on earth
for them. There are lots of things I would like to
tell you but this has to go through the censor  
& we are limited to two letters a week of two pages
so you will have to be satisfied with a little
this time. The Scotchmen are a fine tappe of soldiers
& we & they are great pals. The germans call them the
"mad women from Hell". I am OK myself & are

doing fairly well under the conditions we are

getting fairly good tucker. We could do

with a bit more sleep still one cant expect

anything else when a big stunt is on so

will now have to close so good bye
with love to all at home your aff son

I am allotted  to 31^st Battery A.I.F. Rawson 
xxxx xxxx

xx xxxxxx
 

At Sea.
Dear Mother,
Am still well have had a good
trip since leaving our last port of call
& tomorrow I believe we cross the line & Father

Neptune will be in evidence. It has been
very warm the last few days & each day
is getting hotter. We have just had a kit
inspection & they are in keeping with the
best of the military inspections nothing else
but a farce. I have just tackled my white
knickers today & they are alright for these
regions. Since leaving the Cape we have
got a meningitis case on board but
it is well isolated away from the rest
of the troops I will write you along letter
again in a day or so & send it to you after  

we arrive in England We should be

there by the 22nd of next month

with a little bit of luck. The mail

closes at 6 tonight all the same I cant put

in much except that I am quite well

Saw Jack McKinson at the Cape hes with us on

another transport. will close now with

love to all at home

Your aff son

Rawson
 

Mrs S Leach

Victoria St

Parkes

New South Wales.

Australia

PASSED BY CENSOR

[*T.E.Lowey*]

Oct 17^th 1917

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Have just got your letter dated Aug 5^th &
note that you have got my pay fixed up
alright now I was wondering why you were
so silent on the matter & you will think
I got a bit excited in one of my letters still
no harm done. The correct amount you
should have from the military is 3/- per
day dating from May 11^th & up to the end of
this month You should have ₤26.2-0 to
my credit Mr Samton Ray would even stir

them up no doubt. Re parcels I think that must
be a mistake about not being able to send them
all the other boys get their parcels & newspapers
regularly. I just got a note from Elsie & she is
sending me one for Xmas Now Mother I will
close so good bye with love to all at

home & self

Your Aff Son

Rawson