Letters from Mervyn Ernest Hazen to his family, 1916-1917 - Part 7

we have made another move, this time
it is the semi-final move
 

Yesterday, we made another move. we
left the town where we were billeted & 
moved up to a couple of miles from the
firing line. we are billeted again in
bonza billets, waiting to go into the
trenches in 2 or 3 days time. We can
get hear the roar of the guns properly
here. They Kick up "some row" I can
tell you.
It does seem funny to see & hear
the boys, how Cheerfull they all are. Knowing
what is ahead of them. You would think
we were all in camp at Royal Park, instead
of waiting for 'our Gruel".. I myself, take
it all as a parade & everyone else the
same.
A lot more Reinforcements came
in today, amongst them a lot of the boys
that were in Isolation at Ascot Vale.
Billy Maher is amongst them he is in the
24^th Battalion in our Brigade & what do
you think? No less a person that Young
Tom Moran is here billeted in the same
Yard as myself I nearly fell back when
 

I saw him. He is with the Headquarters
staff.
By all accounts voting
the Conscription polling day, must have
caused some fun everywhere.
How has old
Levy fared? has anyone carried out their
threat yet.?

You heard that the soldiers
vote was 9. "Yes's", to 1. "No". Well Mater, put
it the other way, & you will get near
the mark. the boys in the training
Camps & in the trenches, alike all voted "No"
& made no secret of it
So Mr Chappell has
aged & no wonder. I have been working
my hardest to find out what I
could about him. I've been to the
22^nd Battalion C Coys office, & ever the
same answer. "still missing" but
no doubt as to his fate only they cant
report it officially. I am writing
to Mr Chappell personally myself
either tonight or tomorrow night
 

[*Tell Mr Chappell I'll write when I
get a better opportunity as I can't write
much here.*]
27-/12/16
Dearest Mater.
You will be surprised at
getting 2 letters in one but I couldnt
get the last one away before now so
am writing another to go with it.
Well Mater
I have had my Baptism of Active Service
& it is not so bad as you would
think. of course we have to undergo a
lot of hardship but war, isnt a picnic
is it? at any time.
We have had very
few casualties. not a dozen in all.
You would
laugh to see us now. we came out of
the trenches last night for a couple of
days. we are mud from boots to Hat.no
wash or shave, I can tell you we are
pictures.. I would love to walk up
Belmore St now, as I am.
I received the
rabbit skin vest today & a parcel from
England with a Balaclava in,
 

Thanks so much, mater, for the
vest it is a beauty.
I expect to
receive the parcel with eatables in, in
a few days time.
We all looked a lot
of cuts today, as soon as we got a
chance, we all got out & had a
hunt in our shirts for visitors
any amount of them too it is funny
to see some of the chaps drilling
them.
I will never laugh at chaps again
when they tell their tales of narrow escapes
I could tell a few for the few
days Ive been here. I had my hat (tin)
blown off my head with a bit of shell
on Xmas night. that is only one of many.
Well Mater no more now till i
come out again
Best love to all at
home & heaps to Your Dear Self
I remain
Your loving Son
Merv
 

I'll bet Harry will "buck" having
to go into Camp I don't blame him
either
Anyhow I don't think we shall have
much more to do over here. Fritz is about
full of the business. it is the general
opinion here that we shall soon be
finished. this town is full of "German Prisoners"
doing all road work x they are all
quiet content, & satisfied to be prisoners.
You
ask what sort of weather we are having
here. well some think it is very cold.
but I don't notice it much more than
the Australian winters, I have bonza
warm clothing. the feet is the worst
So Peter
Cavanagh is coming over this way. Chas will
miss him won't he.
I got a nice Xmas
letter & several Xmas cards from Ed Bickford
Yesterday, also several Xmas cards from
people over there.
We expect to go into
 

"the line" about the 21^st inst & stay there
till Aftertime After Xmas & New
Year
Let me know if Mr Chappell gets my
letter, when you receive this
I have been getting
on very well with "the 3 bones" this last
week Frank will tell you what Bones I
mean if you can't understand
You wouldnt
know me now if you met me
I am
round as a ball with fat & (now
don't laugh) – a Moustache.
We were all
marched 1
down this morning for a Hot bath
& a change of clothing it was good O.  I
can tell you.
Well mater Ill ring off now
Hoping for another letter from you soon
Best love to all
I remain
Your loving Son
Mervyn H
 

Somewhere in France
19^th/1/17
1
Dearest Mater
I suppose you are wondering
why you havent had a letter from
me for some time. Well mater, I havent
had a chance to write for a goodwhile as
we have been up "the line".
We were in
trenches 3 times so had our whack of
Mud. We came out last Wednesday
night & moved back to a camp about
6 miles behind the line. Next day
we moved back to billets, where we are at
present we are to rest here for 12 days
& then move to a New Front, we shall
be in only for a short while & then move
back for a long spell.
We had a very
quiet time up there. very few Casualties 
The last
time that the 21^st went into "the line" I did
not go in as I was attached to Company
Headquarters. We were quartered in Deep DugOuts.
(25 ft Deep) all day & at night I used
 

2
to go out & work till Daylight, I was making
dug outs in the side of a sunken road.
to quarter the Company headquarters
Staff, while up the line
The mud was something
terrible, right up to our thighs.
Geff Lewin
was in the same camp as myself. he got there
a couple of days before I left I did not
see him personally, but he pulled up
a mate of mine, & was asking after me.
Harry Crisp came over to see me a couple
of times. he was also in the same camp as
I.
I was a beautiful picture when I came out
of the trenches, I may tell you. You can guess
what I was like with 30 days growth of
whiskers on. & smothered from Head to foot
with Mud.
When we were marching along the
road the other day, on our way up here I passed
percy Dwyer from Savernake, & he told me
that Jack Corboy was working on the
Railway Dump just ahead but I could
not see him.
 

3
I had a couple of letters from you the other
day & Bonza long ones too. I also had one
from Chas, & a couple from Frank
You ask
me to make enquiries on Chas Chappell. Well
I've asked everybody with 22^nd Batt. colors on
that were in the same battle as he. &
ever the same answer. no one seems to
Know anything of him. I went to his section
Commander & he gave me the same answer
Still missing. but no doubt as to his fate.
I
believe the "Poziers' & Mouquet" Farm battles were
perfect Hells.
You ask about that Photo I sent
you of the Fancy Dress Carnival on the Boat

Yes, the girls clothes were borrowed off of
the Nurses on Board.
Did you get the Negative
of the Blackfellow Photo, I sent to you
from Folkestone.? if so, dont lose it
Mater.
Fancy Mr Chappell getting into
the Council at Last, I was so pleased
to hear it. It will do as you say