Letters from William Rawson Leach to his family, 1918 - Part 17

(2)

Well the day is just 
over & we have had a 
real jolly time & all 
of us had to let our 
belts out as our dinner 
went down. Last night
Xmas eve it was typical
for this part of the 
world & it started to 
snow about 6 oclock
in the evening & the 
flakes as they were falling
were a very pretty sight
You could see them 
falling in the light

thrown from the
shop windows on the 
head lights of a motor
vehicle. We went to 
a concert in the town

hall given by the 

(3)

47^th CCS (in case you dont

understand that is Casualty Clearing

Station) a Tommy crowd & it

wasnt a bad turn out still

might have been better

When we got inside we

were covered with

snow & I can say this

that any one who has

not had the same experience

can imagine what it is

like Anyway we came

back home to our bivy

where we had a good

coal fire on & sat & talked

for half an hour or

so then went to bed

& just as we were going

to bed I imagined

you all getting up in

Australia Xmas day

(4)

& it made me wish

I could have been with

you all but lets hope Xmas

1919 will see us all together

again. We got out of

bed this morning at

reveille or at least

some of us did. watered

& fed the horses did

likewise at midday &

also this afternoon, but

in between times we

did just as we liked 

& the thing of the

day was the dinner

it was just OK. We

had soup, Roast Turkey

Baked potatoes & onions, boiled

cabbage & finished up

with a great plateful

of plum pudding

(5)

To drink you could have

what you fancied from

Beer, Stout, Wine & Champagne.

Everyone came away

from the table full

& satisfied. I had that

much myself that

I didnt require any

tea, but am having

a little supper tonight

making some toast. My

pal has just turned

into bed the dinner

proved to much for

him & he got pains

under the piny. One

of our fellows are going

on leave to Blighty

tomorrow morning so

am giving him this

letter to post in London

(6)

I was glad to hear

that Elsie & Alice were

much better also Ivy.

Your Xmas parcel has

not yet arrived but

it will turn up any

day now. I have got

Alices & Sallies up to date

& I know that there are

several others on the

way for me that I

have been advised of.

Your next mail will

bring me news of how

you all received the

signing of the armistice

& perhaps a letter saying

that you got my

second cable. We

are having a race

meeting on New Years

(7)

day & we are all anticipating

a good time. We always

make the best of things

out here. Now Mother

& Father I think I will

have to close so good

bye with love to

all at home

Your aff son 

Rawson