Correspondence between Herbert Vincent Reynolds and his family, 1917 - Part 1

Somewhere in France
Jan 2^nd 19167
Dear Mother
Once again we have entered upon a fresh
year, I though when we left, that 'ere this we would
be back home, but much to our disappointment our ideas
have turned out to be far from correct.
I expect you have been wondering how we spent Xmas
day, well it was some contrast to last, & was just as
unpleasant as the last was pleasant. A few days
before Xmas each man had a parcel given him, from the
"Citizens war chest fund" the contents consitted of a tin of
boiled lollies, a small packet of preserved ginger, a tin of throat
jubes, tobacco & cigarettes & a few other small articles.
A small quantity of tined fruits, biscuits sauce, etc was sent
up from our units headquarters, to be divided amongst the
members of the three sections, but owing to there being such
a small quantity, it was decided to let each section draw
for the lot, we happened to be the lucky ones & we had a few
extras for Xmas dinner. One of our cooks who was good enough
to remember us made a fine large pudding & sent it along to
us, we thoroughly enjoyed it, & otherwise would have had
to be content with our dinner of stew (& don't we love it)
& our very liberal ration of pudding, which you almost
needed glasses to see, I suppose the troops were reported
to have spent a Merry Xmas, if we did, well there is

(2)
one thing, we did not have the military to thank for it.
after being without clean underclothes for about six weeks
we were looking forward to getting some, after being told
that new clothes were being sent up here to us, but how
disgusted we were, when we set eyes on what was sent,
is very hard to say, for in a dirty mud covered sack
we discovered articals made of calico or some other like
material, & supposed to be underpants, but we at first
wondered if they were or not, they were short only
reaching to the knees, & were covered in mud & needed
washing, even if they were any good to us, & we have
no chance of washing clothes up here, if we had our
clothes would not be as dirty as they are, & what use
such things are to us, when we are muffled up in the
very heaviest & thickest procurable is I should like to
know. Surely some discression could be exercised by those
responsible for sending the articals, they were stamped from
N.S.W, A.A.N.C Comforts fund & were absolutely no use
whatever, the money spent on them was absolutely thrown to the
winds. Well I spent Xmas day till 5 pm, in
our hut sitting with the mates around our fire, we were
all wishing that we were any where but here, such a
desolate, cheerless hole one never before came in contact with.
There is not an inch of green to be seen, what trees there are
are knocked out of all resemblence of trees, the ground is
torn up by shells to such an extent that hardly an inch
of surface earth remains unturned, what villages there

(3)
there are in the vicinity, remain only in name, they
have long since, been razed & scattered over the ground
by shells.
We are at present at a dressing station some little distance
behind the line, at times we get a few souveniers from across
the line, a few nights ago several fairly large shells exploded
within a few yds of here, & made us feel rather uncomfortable
for a while.
I went on duty at 5 pm on Xmas day, & since have been working the
night shift, we clear the wounded from here to the railway, which
is about ¾ of a mile away, lately things have been rather quiet
here lately & we do not have any work some nights, we are
working two 12 hour shifts.
Xmas night of course fritz could not keep his scrap iron to
himself, & we were extremely busy till midnight.
I was extremely pleased to receive your Xmas parcel today
along with the one Eva sent, they were slightly knocked
about, a tin of the coffee & milk in your parcel had been
crushed open, & in the other a tin of biscuits was crushed
to fragments, but the contents are very welcome & I
thank you all very much for the articals. I would
have welcomed a couple more pairs of socks similar to the
pair you sent.
Your letter numbered 21 reached me a few days ago, also
one from Flo & Cis. There are three letters of yours
missing to date they are 26, 29 & 30, the latter two I 

expect at any time they will reach me sooner or later.
On the parcels was written in red ink "Hospital,
14/12/16" it seems the other Reynolds was sent to
hospital & my mail was sent along to him.
I was very disapointed with it being the Xmas mail
as we look forward to it more so than any other, but
its better late than never.
At present we are having some cold weather, occasional falls
of snow & numerous frosts & there is no half & half business
about them either.
I have had no word from Herb yet, & have not heard from
Mr Key lately, I don't know if I mentioned it before
but he is a school teacher, a short time ago he was
voted as sergeant in the Special police force.
There is very little news other than what I have already
written so I will close, trusting you are all well
yours very sincerely
Bert 

ON ACTIVE SERVICE.
Jan  2^nd 1917
Mrs Reynolds
Albert St
Sebastopol Ballarat
Victoria Australia
H V Reynolds 

[*P.S.
Will write to Miss
Heath when I get a 
chance, have not heard
anything of Loy worse
luck.*]
Somewhere in France
Jan 18^th 1916 ?
1917
Dear Mother
I'm afraid that I have rather neglected my
duty lately, it is some little time since I last wrote you a few
lines, but please over-look that, we never know when the mails
leave for home lately, so we just have to post a few lines when
we think fit & leave the rest to chance.
Well you will be pleased to know that I am to get my leave
at last. I am down on the list for Feb 7^th or thereabouts, & am
looking forward to having a good time, I suppose it is unnescary
to say where I am going, but will pay Mr Key a visit
also Herb providing he is in England then, & if I do
not have a good time at Bournemouth it will not be my
fault or the friends there, they have often been enquiring
as to when I am coming to see them again.
As no doubt you know we only have 10 clear days in England
& by right. I want that number of weeks, if I am to please
everybody, who gave me invitations to spend any of my
furlough with them.
At last I have received a few lines from Herb, he received one
of my letters he said, but it got misplaced & he wrote me on
receiving my address from Vi. He says that he is having a good 

(2)
time in fact an extra good one. but will be some time
yet before he is right, he is booked for home, (lucky
beggar). I don't know how he managed it. Fritz
was very generous with him, wish he would write me
out a similar ticket, I think its worth the candle,
any how we're all of the same opinion, I don't know
xx what you would think if you heard the expression
made to wounded, chaps, but here are some of them.
How did you catch that cobber? would give you a fiver
for your ticket. & How stiff am I getting out of
the line without a Blighty. & dozens of other similar expressions..
One of my mates was knocked down two evenings ago
by a motor ambulance, & we all thought him lucky
when he got away to the CCS, but when we
found out that he had no bones broken & will be
right again before long, the lot of us reckoned
that he was dead stiff instead of being pleased
that he got off so light, but that is the way of
things over here, we have all changed since being
on this front, our one and wish is to catch one
of fritz Blighty tickets, while its hot, & get well out
of his way before he repeats the dose. I expect he has
got enough to go all round but I don't want
mine before Feb 7^th.
I have not heard from Mr Key for some time but
received a jolly fine parcel from them, about a week
ago, I reckon I have not done too badly this year
with parcels, anyhow they are jolly welcome. 

(3)
By the way, those couple of booklets which you sent me
some time ago, have been carried about in my pack
ever since receiving them, I could not get them away from
Poperinghe before we came down here, untill about 3 weeks ago
did not get a chance to post them, I sent the book of flowers
then & it reached its destination safely I received a letter
a couple of days ago thanking me for it & saying it was jolly
fine. I received a bundle of 10 letters from the Base
about a week ago your two letters (29 & 30) were in it
along with your Xmas cards. which I am jolly pleased
with. We have been down in this desolate cheerless part
of the globe for three months now, & ever since being here
have had, a cold, which has got a bit easier lately. I was
pretty crook while we were up at the line, but managed to
hang h out untill getting down here to this rest station,
I got put on light duty then for a few days, & got a bit
of treatment for it, but it was very little although it
done a good deal of good. I almost lost my voice with
it, it is just getting right now, but is far from right
yet. I had a days leave yesterday & went into a town
about 16 miles from here, things were very miserable though
the ground was three ins deep in snow & during the day it
continued to fall though very lightly. There was one things 

(4)
that rewarded us for our trip that was that we
got a meal, & that is what we can't say that we
have had very often lately, of course we get quantity
but as for quality the least said the better. We have
all thrown in a francc each to a mess fund & buy
quaker oats which we make for breakfast, the
breakfast we get issued with is not taken on unless
we have nothing else.
I was extremely annoyed to hear that HP has been
giving you trouble. I would like to give him a
bit of my mind. I'm sorry that I am not home to
fix things up for you, if he wanted to g argue
the toss then all well & good, but I'd like to
get in a word or two with him over giving you so
much, cheek & bounce, if he ever comes in my way
over here
I shall remember that lot, & see what he has to
say then, but I don't expect he will show up over
here his sort won't. Well Mum I reckon if you
put up a wire fence as you suggested & then loose
no time in planting a row of cypresses, you would be
doing a wise thing. I don't think things will xx be improved
by moving as you mentioned, but of course I don't know
how things are over there I wish I could get across even,
if it was only for a few mths, but don't worry
Mum things will be come allright in time.
I must conclude now with best wishes for you all
yours very sincere lad
Bert. 

ON ACTIVE SERVICE.
Jan 18^th 1917

Mrs Reynolds
Albert St
Sebastopol Ballarat
Victoria Australia
[*Pte HV Reynolds*]