Correspondence between Herbert Vincent Reynolds and his family, 1914-1915 - Part 14
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arms and legs off one had an eye out it seems extremely
hard to see them fine strong healthy chaps so handicapped,
but its all in the game we all have to give and take and
none of us knows when our turn will come. I had a pretty
good time I left here by the 1 50 pm train and had the slowest
trip I have ever had reaching Waterloo at 8 pm the fare up
is 11/11 that is half fare for Soldiers. I got in a taxi and
reached Weymouth St about 8.45 pm where Mr Herring made
me comfortable Sunday morning I took a stroll down to
Holborn got in the tube from there to Piccadilly Circus and
then went down to the Horse Guards Parade and seen the
guns captured from the Germans in France there are 22, 77mm
and two 85mm field guns two trench mortars and two
machine guns on show. Monday morning I went down to
the Commonwealth offices to see about my letters but got no
satisfaction from them. I went ^back and had dinner and said
good bye to Mr & Mrs Herring who asked me to come up any
time I could get off and they would be pleased to have me
stay for a few days. After dinner I went down to the
Abbey and attended the service there at 3 pm it is a
wonderfull place and magnificent in side the organ
is a magnificent one and is worth going out of the way
to hear the service is a most impressive one conducted on the
same lines as at home in Aust. I did not have a look round
the Abbey although I would have liked to have done
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so. I can say that I have seen the interior though, the
statues of different celebrated statesmen is ranged up all
along the walls and pillars and the tombs of past Monarchs
are in recesses along the walls etc. I caught the 4.50 pm train
back here and reached here about 9.45 pm A party of young
fellows were in the same carriage as me they had come all the
way from Lancashire and were going into camp as Wareham so
they had enough travelling when they reached there. A couple of
drunken tomies got in at Southampdon and made things
rather lively. I got back to camp about 10.30 pm and found
my hut full up with new comers I could not find my
own bunk so laid down on another fellows and went
to sleep I do not like turning in in any body eslses
bunk so spent the night in my clothes next morning
I found that another chap had shifted my kit & bunk
into another hut as we had to shift out of it. thats camp
life here today and some where else tomorrow I have been
in 7 different huts now. I received my long waited for
letters last Tuesd there was a batch of a doz s from you
and two from Stan, I was extremely pleased to get them as
they were the first that I have had since leaving the
peninsula and I was always wondering how things were
over that side. Well I think this is all that I can
write this time hopeing you are all well
I am yours very truely
Bert
Post Cards
Miss. T Reynolds
Albert St
Sebastopol
Ballarat
Victoria
Australia
14.11.1915
E.C. W.20144
AUSTRALIAN IMPERIAL FORCE.
Base Records Office, A.I.E.F.
Victoria Barracks.
MELBOURNE 21st November 1915.
Dear Madam,
The following is an extract from a Nominal
Roll of sick and wounded received by post dated 28/8/15
who landed at Malta 27th August from hospital ship
"Georgian", No. 622 Private H.V. Reynolds, 1st Field Ambulance,
suffering from debility".
You are already aware that he has since been admitted to
hospital at London, England.
Any further reports received will be promptly
communicated to you.
Yours faithfully,
J. M. LEAN. Captain.
Officer i/c Base Records.
Mrs. Reynolds,
Albert Street,
SEBASTOPOL (V).
On His Majesty's Service.
Mrs. Reynolds.
Albert Street.
Sebastapol
V.
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENCE,
MELBOURNE
Dec 4th 1915
Dear Mother
I am sending along these few photos which I have
taken they are not up to much but still they will give you an idea of
the places we see over here, I only took one snap in London and that was
the first that I had taken, it is no good though, it shows the building
opposite 40 Weymouth St at the corner of Beaumont St, it is numbered
I I took No 2 from the hut I was in first, which was No 55 on what we
call hill 60, it is a sunset scene the colouring was beautiful, but this
view is not up to much either the bank seen between the sea and the
backwater is one long streatch of sand about 7 mls long it is said
to have been washed up in one night years ago. No 3 is a view of
the camp taken from hill 60 looking towards Weymouth, the Dorset
camp is upon the hill at Wyke Regis that is at the extreme right
of the view. No 4 is also a view of the camp looking towards hill 60
it was taken from the back of the motor garage. I have a few more
that I will send you shortly. The large photo is one taken by one
of our chaps one day we were out for a march Pte Guthrie of my unit who
died at Sydney Hall hospital here, of appendicitus is the chap in the
middle of the back row, there are 4 of us 1st Fld Amb xxx chaps in the
photo the chap in front of me on the end of the row & the chap in front
of Pte Guthrie all in the photo are AMC chaps, two being
4th Fld Amb the corporal the 3rd from the right is attached to
the 7th Batt Ellis's old unit, he may know him. I hope
you receive these views all right also the p cards
which I am sending by this mail I hope you are
all keeping well at home I cannot get rid of my
cold which has hung on me now longer than is pleasant
I see by your letter that Herb has left for Galipolli, well he
is in for a rough time as he will just about get there when
the weather is at its worst, but some one has got to do carry on
out there what ever the place is like. I cannot say that I want
to go out there again, perhaps I wont but if. I have to do so it
will not worry me any more than it did in going there first although
we know what it is like now. I think this is all the news so I
will close with best wishes
yours truly
Bert
I printed these photo's myself the black toned ones
are those which I got printed at the chemists.
Mrs H Reynolds
Albert St Dec 4th 1915
Sebastopol
Ballarat
Victoria
Australia
Dec 4 1915
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