Letters from Mervyn Ernest Hazen to his family, 1916-1917 - Part 4

6

I had Will Lowe over to see me yesterday
he came to say goodbye as he is to go
to the trenches, today.
He is a sergeant
& expects to get a commission as soon as he gets
to the trenches. Good luck to him. I hope he
gets it. Tom Roff was over to see me too. He
is not going. now on the 10th. as he expected
to be. I am going over next Saturday week
to Etamps in France, where  we have
to finish our training, commonly called
the "Bullring". We all had woollen
gloves issued to us on Friday. by jove they
are looking after us.
I was in Salisbury
last night & had a good time Im off to
Shrewton today.
We had orders issued us
that we are to drill on Saturday afternoon
& of course there was a strike. We had some
great joy out of it. All leave is stopped, that
didn't trouble us, as there is no leave to,
be had. I had my name taken for being in
the “Van”.
I was going to send some Xmas Cards
with this mail. I ordered some in London
 

but they haven't come to hand yet. 

Next mail will be in time for them

I think. 
Well Mater I'll continue this again as I want to go to Shrewton now

Goodbye Mater. Love. x Merv

with love

Monday Night

All our lights have been put out tonight 

as they are rather afraid of the Zepps. 
I would like to see one come over. 

I had

a good time in Shrewton last night

Had tea at a Farm House & afterwards 

went to Church. we landed home here

about 9^o/c. Wet to the skin as it was 

raining cats & dogs, & I didn't have

my coat with me. 

I had a complete 

change. thanks to the way they clothe

us here

I am going through a 4 days 

course of 'Bombing' instruction. It is 

interesting work. Tomorrow we go

throwing the real service Bombs. All

of the boys have to do the same

course. 

I am sending you 1 Xmas 

Card. I bought it tonight in case my

others don't arrive in time. for the Xmas 

mail. the pictures on it are of 

“The Cathedral” in Salisbury. & of our 

own Y.M.C.A in this camp. Well 

Mater. I'll ring off now. with best love to 

all at Home. & a Merry Xmas, & Happy

New Year, to all. Drink my Health on Xmas

Day. Goodnight Mater.

From Your loving Son.

Mervyn.

 

Rollestone

31^st/10/16

 

Dear Dad,

I suppose you will think

it is up to me to drop you a

few lines, well here they are. 

I hope 

 you are doing well & have not been 

troubled with your old complaint

since I left. 

How would a trip over

the water, do you? it is glorius. makes

a new person of any one. You wouldn't

know me now. I am getting as

fat as a whale. You can guess 

how well I am. When my present

weight is 12 stone 2 lbs: nice running

weight. Eh what?

I suppose Mater has

told you ere this that I met

Geo Brown here. (Soapy). He is in

the “Pioneers” does all the work in the 

camps, such as grooming, and all the

rough work. He does the Carpenters work

 

He was given 2 stripes the other 

day. so is now “Corporal Brown” Good 

luck to him

There are several Yarra 

boys in this camp & "Lark Hill" 

camp (1 mile from here) is alive with

them

In the Artillery Camp, there is 

Tom Roff, Bob Carnegie, Sid Alexander

& Harold Allen & in the 37^th Battalion

there is 2 of the Woods's from Wilby,

Os & Vic, Denny Darcy, also from Wilby.

Harold Butler,  Les Joe, Tom McFarland, &

in the 39^th Battn, is Dick Payne, Chas McColl,

Jim Hickford, Jimmy Corbett, so you see

I have plenty of Yarra Boys handy.

I had

Will Lowe over to see me on Saturday

He is a sergeant & is at Perham Downs

or was, He came over to say Goodbye

as he went to the Front yesterday.

It is 

hard lives that Poor Old Chas Chappell

is missing, isn't it. I was told from

good authority. That he was hit from

with shell. I have felt Chas's

affair more than anyone else

that I know, I can't realise it. 

I won

a prize of £1 last week on the Rifle

Range. I passed the test of "First

Class Shot" & was only 4 points 

short of getting the  

Marksman Badge, & the prize of £2. Stiff

wasn't I?

I have been through a 

Bombing School, it is very interesting

work. We get all the parts of the 

'Grenade', seperate & have to put them

all together ourselves. Charging & 

everything else. There is only one

Grenade used now by the Allies. it is

a bonza. "The "Mills" Hand Grenade", it

is called & is only the size of one

of our Goose eggs, & made of cast

Iron. when it explodes it bursts 

into hundreds of pieces. We have been 

out practicing with them this couple of 

days.

I have had 4 days leave since

I've been here, I went up to

Scarborough, in Yorkshire & had 

a ripping time. I would love to

go up again, but no luck. There was

a weekend due to me, but I "acted

the goat" & have had it stopped.

We are supposed to Drill on a 

Saturday afternoon & of course it

was against "our grain", so I went 

along & got them to "strike" & 

"they did too". by ghosh, we had some

joy, but did not drill, so I got

my name taken & the verdict was 

"No Leave". But I don't care, as 

we are to be sent to France. on 

Saturday week, to finish our training

there. 

Well Dad. I am wondering if

you will be having a Xmas Camp

this year. I daresay you will,

hope you have a good time.

Do you

remember last Xmas, Dad? when and

how I got my holidays, & the 

price I had to pay, when I 

went back to camp?

Seven days in

"the Boob". Ha Ha, I laugh every 

time I think of it.

Wish I had 

the chance of getting the 'dose' 

repeated this year. but no chance

of "Floating" off from here, too

far from ‘one.

Are the girls 

coming up to Yarra again this year?

I hope they do, as they will be 

great company for the Mater

won't they?

How is the "Running 

Stable, doing this year" I hope they 

get their share of wins.

I have had

a few games of football this year

& what do you think. I xxx am

"Captain" of the 21^st Batt team & a

good little team it i, we only lost

one game for the season that was

the first game. but Footie is 

knocked in the head now

I was also

chosen to play in a team, up in

London, but once again, "goat 

tricks" upset the show on me. 

Well

Dad, I am sending you a little

"Souvenir of the Review, held at

Bulford. the day the 'King' was 

out here, also Post Card & what

the Poetry theroen says, is quiet true

Everything we do is at the "double"

we do get some "Hurry up" I am

in lovely condition. Hard as 

nails.

Now Dad. I think I'll close now 

as I want to write to Aunt Beat

yet. So with best love and wishes to

you Old Chap. Give my love to all at home.

Remember me to Alf Chappell & all of the chaps

including Chas Stewart.

I remain 

your loving Son

Mervyn
 

 

Monday 13/11/1916

Dearest Mater,

I am sneaking another letter away 

to you in reply to the one I received just

now, what do you think Mater, I have just

received 10 letters from Australia. Good [[?]]

isn't it

I suppose you are wondering why

I am writing today again as I wrote

you last night that I was to go out there

but we have been deferred again, We 

may go out tonight or we may be put

off for a week yet. 

Everything is ready 

for us to muck out at a minutes notice

I got

a letter from Frank, Jack, Yourself, xxxxxxxxx

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx