Letters from Mervyn Ernest Hazen to his family, 1916-1917 - Part 8

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take his mind off his greater troubles to a certain 

extent.

You say that we get plenty of leave to
England from here.
We get 10 days in our turn,

but the turn takes over 12 months to come
& you also say that France is worth fighting
for. Well What I've seen of France I wouldn't
give it an acre it is something terrible the
way it is cut up in the fighting areas.
Not 1 sq yds of solid ground. But I hardly
think that Fritz will trouble us much longer
So Lill Credy is going to work in town. What
has happened that she has left Gormans
Poor old
E C Bryan has lost his leg Hasnt he had a
battle with it. I feel terrible sorry for him He
is such a fine chap, I think.
The Sox havent arrived
as yet, but we expect an Australian mail soon
they may be in that.
No mater I don't want any

thing from home, Thanks. only plenty of 
letters. & I shall be satisfied. & as re
money we get paid fairly regular

5

enough for our requirements here, and there

is always a little growing in our Pay 

Books.

Don't worry about Fritz doing any

"dirty work" He is playing the game pretty fair

take no notice of the papers.

So Goddles

Clancy is dead. "Kate" will sing a song

of woe.

I think I told you in a previous letter that

I received your Xmas parcel & Rabbit

skin vest they were both Bonza.

I got a letter

& Xmas Card from Effie Jackson the other day

she said she sent me a parcel but it

hasn't arrived yet. I haven't received

the first one yet either.

Well Mater. I'll write

again before I go in next time. but shall

close now, With best love to all at home

& heaps to your dear self

I remain

Your loving Son

Merv xxxxx

 

France

25/1/17

1

Dearest Mater.

Once again I

write you. & once again from

a different part of France

Our

Battalion was called out

suddenly to go road making.

just behind the line, & I, one

of the lucky one's, was detailed

to go to a big musketry school

Held a long way behind the

 line.

We landed here late last

night & are to remain here for

6 days. We are having a bonny

time of it.

Fall out at 8 oclock

march a couple of mile to the

rifle range. fire our Rifle

practices & then home again

we are finished & home by 1 o/c

 

2

We were inspected by the

(G.O.C.) General Officer Commanding

Day before yesterday & he was telling

us after next time in we are

to go back behind for a long

spell. He says the xx Brigade

has earnt it in previous

"stunts."
Our Billet here is a stable

but a very good one. plenty of

Blankets & Food. so we are

not doing bad are we?

It is

only a little village we are in

but there are a couple of fair

sized ones close handy.

Last

Saturday night, our Sergeant

came into our Billet & wanted

applicants for leave for 1 day, there

was only 2 of us Financial

so we got it. We went into a big
town, by train, 14 miles distant

& stopped till 7 P.M. I saw

a lot worth seeing there too

 

3

especially the Cathedral.

it is supposed to be the most

beautiful building in France

since the destruction of Rheims

Cathedral, by the Germans & I

believe it. it took me nearly ½

a day to look through it. It is

somethng glorious.

Well Mater I

haven't much to write about at

present & I want to answer some

of the letters I've received. about

100 I think so shall close

for the present with heaps of

love to all at home

I remain

xxx   Your loving Son

Mervyn

I am writing every chance

I get.

1st Feb, Another spasm, I did not get

this letter away from where I was at the school

 

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but hope to get it away from here before I

go in again in a couple of days time. I landed back

from the school last night. we were brought

back in Motor lorries & we nearly froze on the

journey. I had a good time down there but it

was so unmercifully cold that we could hardly

move. I allways thought we had cold weather in

Australia but I'm satisfied, we don't know what

cold weather is there. Well Mater. I received

a big mail from Australia last night. &

was so pleased to receive your letter, also pretty 

Birthday card, thanks so much Mater for

it. I got 3 nice long letters from

Bruce too also a couple from Frank.

I can't

understand why a mail boat came in &

You didn't receive a letter from me. I wrote

2 or 3 letters for every mail that left England.

You mention 2 parcels, sox, & Rabbit S. Vest.

I have received R. Skin Vest, & a tin with eatables

in I got them just on Xmas time, that is

all. Perhaps the others shall come in

next batch of Parcels. A Chap that knew

 

 

Les McBeath was telling me that Les had died of

wounds. Stiff isn't he.

We are to go into the line in a few

days time for a short time & then we go out for a long spell

I'm glad too as it is so bitterly cold here. the ground is frozen

very hard, so we are done with the mud thank goodness. What Oh,

Some News I have just been picked to go on

"The Divisional Guard" Taht is the Divisional Head

quarters where all of the "Heads" are. Miles behind the

line, we are to be there for a fair while, so are

looking forward to a fairly "Cushy" time. We

are not to go up till tomorrow so are attached

to the xxx Battalion for tonight. we had to

leave the camp we were in last night & had to

move to another tonight. & isn't the world small.

the first xx man I saw was no less a person

than "Stan Wilson". He is a Company Quarter

Master Sergeant. Good luck to him. He was down in

the Hut just awhile ago. having a great

yarn to me.

By Jove the big guns are talking tonight

it is just one continual thunderous noise & will be

 

 

I suppose from now on as the weather has fined

up & the ground is Hard. Poor Fritz. He will get it

properly this spring. My Idea .... 3 months will find

Fritz looking for quarter

Well Dearest Mater. I will

close now & shall again soon as I get to our

destination tomorrow. Goodnight Mater

I remain

Your loving Son

Mervyn xx

 

Somewhere in France

16/2/17    1917

Dearest Mater

Once again you hear from me. & this time. -

"Sadness has nicked in". as I am back again with the

Battalion. We landed back yesterday afternoon. The Guard job was too

good to last. I had such a glorious time while there. I was only

on Guard 3 times & went out one night at 9 o/c on a Motor Lorry

went 12 mile loaded up with coal & home again by 1 o/c in the morning

so you can see what a strenuous time I had. When I was unloading

the coal next day. I got into such a state that I put the acid

on the Quarter Master for a change of "Clobber". I got a new Shirt,

Sox, Underpants & trousers (they were long Kahaki Khaki trousers (Tommies)

& very big. they fit too tight under the arms) but doesn't matter

I'm on active service now & anything does.

I received 2 letters from 

You yesterday, also the parcel with the sox in. Thanks so much

Mater. Oh it is bonny to get letters & parcels from home. I got 3

from Frank 1 From Kit, 1 from Dorrie, 1 from Vera Van 1 Harry Haxley

 

 

1 from Aunt Em. Ed Bick, Daphne Joy & Laura Farrauds

also a couple from Girls in Melb. so you see I had quiet

a mail. I also got a lovely parcel from 3 girls that I

met up in Scarborough. they all put in together I

got Cake. Gloves. Chocolates. Handkerchiefs. Dates. oh & several

other things too numerous to mention. Daphne Jot informed

me that her Brother Hans had died of wounds. He used

to be in our tent at Albert Park. Stiff Eh What. When

I was up on Guard a Chap from St James called  there

one night & he knew me. but I didn't know him. he was

a brother of Jack Frawley. (the runner) Frank knows

him. I am answering 7 of your letters in this one. I hope you

have not had some cold days over there. Mater you don't

know what cold is untill you experience some cold weather

here. We have had it something terrible. but is improving now

the letter that was sent to Frank by Tom Roff for me. I got before

I left Australia. Big things doing in Numurkah. Eh What. I saw

the letter that Mr Chapell received from Chas's old Captain

it was in the paper that you sent me. So the Swithback

railway is at last finished. how did it act successfully. No

doubt. Chas Stew would go "Butchers Hook" if he missed

his Xmas Camp. What terrible trouble the coal strike

caused it is a good job it is over at last. No Les Rodgers.

isn't in my camp. I haven't seen him since the day

we left the old "Themistvelis" at Plymouth. He was in the

Cyclist Corps. You say I didnt feel up to touching the

Electric Button While on leave in Scarborough. ask the Butcher

about it. It was very good of Les to send you the photos

of some of the Carnival Characters on Board. Frank was

a 'sticker' up at Boree, wasn't he. it must have been deadly

It is the least the Aid of E.O.B. He was a sticker to the hand