Letters from William Rawson Leach to his family, 1918 - Part 1

France
Jan 20^th 18.
Dear Mother & Father
I received three letters
from you last night Dated Nov
11^th, 18^th & 26^th also one from Marjorie
the latter date & needless to say
how pleased I was to get them
& so you got my two letters from
France dated Depe 12^th & 19^th
& you will have seen by the
latter one that I had been in
the firing line & by the time you
get this one you will have
had several from me. Glad
that you got the book of views of
London tower & when I come home
I will be able to tell you better
of the good time I had on my
leave & of all the interesting places
I went to & saw it was just like
a dream & one couldn't realize
that he was seeing all these
places of which as children we had
read about in history. I note
your remarks about my pay
etc being all fixed up & I am
sorry you had so much trouble
still everything has turned out alright

AUSTRALIAN WAR MEMORIAL AWM2018.19.105

(4)
The tobacco & cigarettes which father
& Edo sent were a 1 & just came in good
time as we were getting low in smokes
& all the boys enjoyed them. I dont
know exactly when I get my leave
but it will be some time in May
or June & Im looking forward to
it too. Although it is a long way
off. There had been a good deal of
peace talk the last few week but
there doesn't seem to be anything
of peace in sight Still the situation
is hard to judge & one can only
form his own personal opinion.
now. mother & father I will have to
close so good bye with love to
all at home I am
Your aff son
Rawson
PS I write you almost every week so
you should get my letters fairly
regularly.

Australian
War Memorial
PR00441

OAS
M^rs S Leach
Victoria St
Parkes
NSWales
Australia
Bdr R E Leach
PASSED BY 
CENSOR
N^o
3775

France
Sunday
Feb 3^rd 18.
Dear Mother & Father
This is Sunday night
& I am wondering what you are
all doing at home I am writing
this in our dugout. We are
back in action again. Came
back into the line last
Thursday & things are very
quiet on the front we
are now holding a few
shells wiz over occasionally
& I wish you could just
pop in & see us now & you
would be surprised to see
how comfortable we can make
ourselves on a battlefield. We
have got two small dug outs
& then another sitting room we
call it where we have a good

(2)
fire & are very comfortable
There are six of us round the
fire & last night two of them
got two parcels each & so we have
had a real orgy the last twenty
four hours. We have just disposed
of a cake & a couple of plum puddings
& are just in the midst of some
tinned fruit after which we are
going to have some cocoa. I
have been expecting some
more letters as I believe there
is another Australian mail
in so I should get word any
day now. The weather still
continues fine with the
exception of a couple of days
fog. I got a parcel from
Olive about a week ago
which was very acceptable. I had

(3)

a letter from Elsie last night
dated Nov 23^rd. I have a job 
tomorrow carrying despatches
to headquarters so you can
imagine me hopping over
shell holes barbed wire
entanglements etc. Every inch
of the ground round here

 is riddled with shell holes
& there is not a tree standing
it has had a pretty rough
battering at times. Now
Mother & Father I havent any
more news this time but
I am OK myself & feel as
fit as a fiddle. So goodbye

with love to all at home 

Your aff Son

Rawson

OAS

Mrs S Leach

Victoria St

Parkes

NSWales

Australia
Bdr R E Leach
BAS C Depot
Parkhouse

France
Feb 8^th 18
Dear Mother & Father.
I have received your
welcome letters tonight dated
Dec 4^th 9^th & 16^th & note by the former
one that you had got my
letter describing my trip up to
the line. Of course by this time
I am a real warrior & seasoned
soldier & know all the whys &
wherefores. I am still up at the
Battery but am going down to 
the waggon lines tomorrow
morning. Things are still very
quiet on this part of the line
Fritz was sending a few shells
over a few minutes ago but he
has taken a pull now & you
wouldnt know there was a war
on to go outside. You see a
few varey lights going up & then
an occasional rattle of our machine
guns playing on no mans land
We were firing all night last night
only for short periods though. The

(2)
rounds about every half hour. We
would do our shoot & then come
back to our bivy where we had
a good fire going & plenty of cocoa
& we made toast we finished shooting
about three oclock this morning
so we didnt get up till about
dinner time today. I had letters from
Beth Ruth & Alice & Ruth addressed
one to the 3^rd Battery which has
been chasing me for some time
Inform her that I am in the
31^st battery, By your last letter
you seem to have been very quiet
with all the visitors having
gone & Alice & Ruth gone to
Sydney for their holidays. Yesterday
afternoon a couple of us went for a 
roam round & walked nearly to
the front line then back through
a battered & shell torn village
which was nothing else but a heap
of bricks & mortar. You would hardly
credit it that a place could be so knocked
about. I got ten letters tonight
altogether so it took me sometime

(3)
to read the lot. There doesn't seem
to be xxxx brighter outlook for
peace Still we cant judge very
well as we only know what is
going on in our little part of the
sector. Now mother & Father I dont
think I have any more news
this time but I am OK & well & hope
you are all the same at home
now I will close.
with love to all a home
Your aff Son
Rawson.