Correspondence between Herbert Vincent Reynolds and his family, 1916 - Part 8

France
June 25^th 1916
Dear Mother
Well once again I am just about
stuck for news. I have received no more letters
from you since last I wrote, we are expecting
a mail from Australia any day now, the papers
you sent came along a few days ago.
I have not met Herb Smith or Pete yet, if I
had their address I could find them allright
Mrs Stones sent Harry Elliots address along
to me in a letter dated April 30^th, that is
the latest letter I have had from Australia.
Well I had no trouble in finding him, he
did not remember me, but on mentioning my
name he recognised me, he is looking pretty
well & wishes to be remembered to you.
We are still at this rest station & things are
getting rather monotonous, I will welcome a
move of some sort. 

2
We had a souvenier card given to each man
this week, so I will send mine on to you.
I was extremely pleased to hear from Ellise's Mother
that he was able to get about without the crutches
he has had a terrible long spell of trouble
with his leg, there is one consolation that is
he still has the use of the limb, & did not loose
it like xx so many poor fellows did
during that first week, through inattention.
It was impossible to look after the wounded
properly with the limited hospital ship
accommodation that was at hand, during the
first week of the landing, transports had
to be made into improvised hospital ships
& the staffs had to be procured from anywhere
some ships had as many as 500 wounded on board
& only a couple of doctors & half a doz orderlies
to attend to the wants of the wounded.
I have written to Mr Key about that money
at the Comonwealth bank, & am expecting a 

(3)
reply very soon.
Well we have had some pretty wet weather here
lately, but today is a beautifull day.
Things have been a bit lively this last week
around here.
Well I wish something would happen & put

an end to the conflict, we are all about

as homesick as we possibly could be, and

the sooner the arguement is over the better; we

will have to wait some time yet though, I

am thinking.

Well I am just about stuck for news

so suppose I will have to say aurevoir

yours ever very sincerely

Bert

H V Reynolds

Address -- 27 June 1916

Mrs Reynolds

Albert St

Sebastopol Ball

Victoria

Australia

June 27^th 1916

Dear Mother

Well the mail closes today so I

will have to seal this up, there is very little

news other than I wrot a couple of days ago.

No mail came in as we expected.

We had another very successfull concert here last

night, our concerts are getting to be known of

further afield than the bounds of our camp &

tommies & our boys from other units come along

& enjoy themselves, our officers had a few visiting officers

at the concert last night. the item that took best was

a farce entitled "A night in Egypt", featuring all the types

you meet in the streets of Cairo, Greeks French & natives

along with soldiers, hits were made at the Greeks which

caused XX a great deal of amusement.

Well I think I will have to say aurevoir

yours truly

Bert

July 8^th 1916

Dear Mother

Well I do not know what to think

about my mails, as an exceptionally large mail came

in a few days ago now, & yet I received no letters

by it, others got 10 & a doz letters but my luck

was clean out, I was in a beautifull mood too

I could have ripped up all the paper in the joint

the last letter I had from you was dated Apr 29th

& the latest letter from Aust was Apr 30th & there

are letters dated May 25 over here.

Well I don't know if we will be able to continue

sending letters much longer so if my letters fail

to reach you every mail you need not worry.

We cannot tell you anymore, there is going

to be some stoush up here & we will be in it

so you will understand if letters stop.

I suppose this letter will reach you sometime near

your birthday so with it I send my best

Birthday wishes.

I met yound Bill Stevens yesterday he is getting along

allright hes brother Frank is in England with a bad throat

There is very little news to send you so I will

close these few lines

yours truly

Bert.

H V Reynolds

 

13 July 1916

8    "       "

Mrs Reynolds

Albert St

Sebastopol Ballarat

Victoria

Australia

Somewhere in France

Dated 15^th July 1916

Dear Mother

Well I was much relieved & pleased to receive

a couple of letter from you today, after receiving no letters

by the mail a fortnight ago & then receiving none yesterday

when another large mail arrived you can imagine how I felt,

after my letters coming along regular for some time I could not

understand why they should stop like that. The cause of me getting

no letters yesterday was that the Victorian part was not distributed

it came along this morning & I received two letters from you two from

Siss & one from Flo, but I cannot understand why I should get none last mail.

We have moved since I last wrote but we are not permitted to mention

where we are now, in fact we are all over the place, here today & gone

tomorrow, wandering about the roads at midnight, & sleeping in orchards

or any other favourable places, we are on the wallaby.

Whenever possible I will write you a few lines & failing that will

send you a Field Service card.

Well you seemed to think that we would have some trouble to make

the people understand us over here, but that is not so as there is nearly

always some one handy who understands English, some youngsters can

understand & talk our language almost as well as we can, they surprised us.

I cannot say that I altogether like the idea of you selling out,

you say that the place is going down, well that is only what one would

expect at the present time, but things are just as likely to pick

up again as not, after the war is over & I don't think that will be

very long now. Any how you had better do as you think best, but

I don't think you would do any good if you sold out now.

I am pleased to hear that Jack has got into another job. I have not written to

them for some time, but tell them that I have not forgotten them.

You mentioned in your letter about the council preparing a new

roll of honour well they don't want to make any mistakes like 

the one made in the Cathederal callendar. I am a Pte they want to 

remember that, I don't know where they got the Lieu from perhaps the

printer knows something about it.

Well Mum there is nothing else to write or I can think of nothing

at present. I will send along a few cards that I have in my kit

as I have to lug them about with me; & every little makes the pack

heavier & takes up room we are loaded up some over here, we have to carry

our great coat, blanket, oil sheet, the tin top (steel helmet), & two gass helmets.

besides a clean change of underclothes if we want them, talk about

camels well I think we are near relations.

Mond 17^th

Well I will try & write a few more lines before closing this letter.

although it is hard to find anything to write. We are at present

in a large wood & have no idea when we are likely to be moving, it

may be in an hours time may be tomorrow, we have not the slightest

idea of our destination when we set out on a march.

We can post letters today up till 12 noon so I will close these few

lines as it is getting on that way now trusting you are all 

well yours ever very truly

Bert

 

PS

I will number the cards that I send along so

you can see if any do not reach you.