Letters from William Rawson Leach to his family, 1918 - Part 13

Conflict:

First World War, 1914–18

Subject:

Documents and letters

Status:

Awaiting approval

Accession number:

AWM2018.19.105

Difficulty:

AUSTRALIAN COMMONWEALTH

MILITARY FORCES

Y.M.C.A.
WITH
THE
AUSTRALIAN IMPERIAL FORCE.
(1)
hundreds of Fritz prisoners
during our advance. The
weather was little bit damp
for the operation but it
did not hinder our boys
from getting their objective.
I had two letters from you
last night dated July
7^th(Mothers) & July 11^th (Fathers)
Also letters from Eldo, Ruth &
Elsie & Alice. I had ten letters
all told. I will be on the
look out for the pcls which
you have sent me for my
birthday so far they have

not turned up but will
come along in due course.
I am still patiently waiting
P.T.O.

(8)
for my leave & this stunt has
held us up for a few days
I expect. But there is a lot of
talk of them extending the
leave to 21 days after the 1^st
of October so Im not pushing
the matter too much for I
would willingly wait a week
or so for en extra 7 days.
I am still keeping OK & hope
you have all got rid
of the bad cold & flu
I will close with love to all at home
Your affSon
Rawson
P.S. Send me a couple of good
indelible pencils first opportunity.
Return this letter to me
when read
[*Australian
War Memorial
PR00441*]

On Active Service
Mrs S Leach
Victoria St
Parkes
New South Wales
Australia

35 Rosemount
Horsforth
16. Oct 18
Dear Father.
I am enclosing a letter which
I wrote on Sept 10^thexpecting to come on
my leave any day but I didnt get my
leave till a month later Still the contents
will be interesting to you. You will have
learned by this time that I am on
leave as I sent you a cable six days
ago & you should have got it within
24 hours as I sent it at the full rate
I have just had a week of my leave
& am having a lovely time. We landed
at Folkestone last Wednesday midday from
Boulogne (2¼ hrs sail) & then came up to
London got fixed up at Horseferry Rd
& was free that evening. My pal & I went
to the Adelphi Theatre that night & we
stopped at a Hotel in Trafalgar square
& I went out to see Aunt Alice the next
morning. came back into town in the
afternoon & did some shopping & then caught
the Express to Glasgow & arrived there at 6 AM
friday morning wh went for a trip down Loch
Lomond, along the banks of the Clyde through

(2)
the shipbuilding yards saw the wonderful
Firth of Forth Bridge & altogether had a very
busy day but it was just lovely & the
scenery on Loch Lomond was beautiful
I never saw the likes of it. Everyone was
most hospitable & couldn't do enough
for us. Glasgow reminds me very much
of Melbourne & it is a great commercial
centre. Plenty of munition works etc there.
We left again that evening at 9 oclock
& came down through Gretna, Motherwell
& one or two other big munition centres
My pal left me at Dumfries & went
across to Ireland & I came down to
Bradford. Arrived there at 4.25 AM
Saturday. I had some breakfast & a

few hours sleep at the soldiers club
I arrived at Mrs Baxendalls about
nine oclock & received a right royal
welcome. That afternoon Mr Baxendall
& I went for a walk round Allerton & saw
a lot of your old pals. Jimmy Foxcroft
Sisters Knight & several Robertshaws & they
all wished to be kindly remembered to
you & were quite pleased to see a son of
yours. On the Sunday morning xI went round

(3)
to see Uncle Joes wife and children & they are
all well the two girls are fine women
& all were pleased to see me. We also
went to see Marjory Craven. Sunday
afternoon I went over to Willesden & saw
Aunt Emma & her children & received
another hearty welcome & we had
such an enjoyable afternoon together.
(bye the way Alice & Mary send their love to Marg.
they tell some fine tales of her). On the
Monday morning Mr Baxendall & I set
off to have a look round the mills.
First of all we went to the mill where he
& you served your apprenticeship & I saw
the room where you used to work. Your
old Foreman Johnny Goldsboro showed
us round & he told me all about your
antics & the capers you used to cut.
He also said you were the best whistler
in Allerton & we had quite a long chat
together. Then we went to see James Hills
mill what they call the top mill I
expect you will know where it is &
had a good look round at the combing
& spinning & it was ~~just~~ so interesting
watching the processes & machines that

(4)
it had to pass through. Then we went

down to Sowdens at Sandy Lane & saw

the weaving of the cloth & that was just

as interesting watching the hundreds of

looms working. I don't think I ever spent

so interesting a day in my life. Everyone

one did what they could for me & I

became the centre of attraction when they

learned that I was Sam Leachs son.

On Sunday night I was doing nothing

but receiving visitors at Mrs Baxendalls

there were about half a dozen came to see

me. Mr & Mrs Baxendall & Ethel were most

kind to me & they wouldn't let me buy a thing

nor pay for anything wherever they went

with me. I left there on Monday afternoon

by the 4.30 train & came on to Leeds

where I am at present. Yesterday Annie

and I went up to Middlesmoor Pateley Bridge

Lofthouse How Stein. we also had a

couple of hours in Harrogate & I am

greatly taken up with Harrogate it

seems such a modern place with its

massive buildings & uptodate shops

I enjoyed my outing & mother will be interested

to know that I have seen all these places

(5)

where she spent all her girlhood day

I saw Thwaite House & also where Mother

lived at Lofthouse. I only wished that

you & mother could have been with

me. We went down to Guiseley & then

got the train back to Horsforth & spent

the evening with Mr & Mrs Foster who are

great friends of Aunties. Tonight I am

going to George Jennings to tea. Now Mother

& Father I think I will have to close & will

write & tell you of the latter portion of my

leave from Uncle Freds if I get the time

to write. My letters have been irregular

the last month but we couldnt get

them posted during the great advance

I will first add the latter part of my exploits

on to the letter which I wrote on Sept

10^th up to the time I left the Battery

to come on leave. Pass these letters

round to the family & you they understand

then why I have perhaps neglected

writing them. Am going to Scarboro tomorrow

& then down to London from thence

to France on the 23^rd Oct.

Had seven letters from Olive waiting for

me at Uncle Freds also a pcl & some

papers Will now have to close love to all

Rawson

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 DEPT.
H.R.H. DUTY OF CONNAUGHT
Trafalgar Square

London

22.10.1918

Dear Mother,

Just a few lines to let you

know how I have spent the latter end of

my holiday seeing that tomorrow morning

I leave for France by the 6 AM train from

Victoria Station. I left Leeds on Thursday

morning & went to York Annie Walmsley came

with me & we spent the morning having

a look round York & the Cathedral was

very interesting. I went on to Scarboro by

the midday traing & arrived there about

3.30 in the afternoon. They were all pleased

to see me & every one sends their love

to you. I left Scarboro by Saturday morning

arriving back in London at 5PM. Went

straight out to Uncle Freds & spent the

week end there I came into the city

yesterday morning & met my mate who

had returned from Ireland the day previous

(2)
to my return to the city. In the evening

I met Morrie LLewellyn who is in the

C/Wealth Bank here in London & we went

to the Shaftesbury Theatre I got back out

to West Norwood at midnight. This morning

I didnt get out of bed till 10 AM

so had a good rest - came into town

about midday & have been shopping

this afternoon bought myself a good

waterproof coat & pair of gloves & sundry