Letters from Alexander Sutherland Mackay to his Family, 1918 - Part 9

Conflict:
First World War, 1914–18
Subject:
  • Documents and letters
Status:
Awaiting approval
Accession number:
AWM2018.19.57
Difficulty:

Page 1 / 10

ther is a good dutt yet. No letters of date but goodnes know whow the anls are. This munry seany busin prastirally debars all at reashing you for thi time I got lleus parill this week sent in June tast for my Withday thank her and alt a very convenint hime nttat the Luns fust got word boy, that y tadly to I munt low to all 2 her
A.8.4. 2052. SKen. No. 15258. The address only to be writ ten on this side. If anything else asadded the post card will be destreyed. Drown Copyrigist Ressress PEELD POSF ✓ 6 B
NOTHING is to ne weitten on this side exo the sate and signature of the sender. Sentences not required may be erased. If anything eise adder the post eard will be destroyed. Postage must be prepaid on any letter or post oard addressed to the sender of this card. I am quite well. Ihave been admitted— into-hospital. and am gaie or well. sick wounded—and hope to be dischargedsoon. Iam being sent down to the bast. (letter dated -telegram I have received your -parcel Letter follows at first ofportunity. I have reveived no lefter from lately. f0a Wn i 28E as Dote TEETS WEISES-RiCIS. 5,000,000. 11/17. S.AS. LAR. E. 141s.
France 22410/18 Dear Roy hr not written a letter lately, we have been shipling all the hine thav been expenming some rolid nights. There is evidently some mail knoching round for me, Igot letters up to misle of July others a stray one of Elim dated srd Augt, now since some of the fellows are getting letters dated to 2 Angt. We are having nother weather at present, not too cold but always drizgling omnd galore. Its practually impossible to keep your fut dry The War news is good of late esperialy
ant the have all the Bdgs coast. No doubt they have him wet now but ats far from being at runover as one would conclude from the papers He is seraphing solidly all the way Have te greturing very methodically. We seen a good number of prnsoners going down but his guos an not so plentiful They have coppied a few but he generally gets the bulk away. The with weather is hampening opirations as there is little or in Audhitane artivity. Ball Nott wrote the other day he is in Bolighty with a inloratied bone in his foot. He rechons it has the Doctors puggled & the dvennt know how he did it she was never as cunry as me Your rumumber what
umble creature Bell was. I auppr af the truch was known he was trying to ahove a motor loory off the road. My heave hand comd to light yet, thy will not lit you go now until 12 moath rine dast leave has elapsed. That means if all is will I will get my trip. about I mas sime again. That won't be had although as fortnight away from the present scrapping would not do hard to take Our long 90 days shall is as fur distant as ever. I think all hands haw gund up hope. However Sauphor then is stall as hops if we do go out now we will isape the butk of the Winter in the line. I posted you another long letter recendly, I hope it arrives Of. H for mother is stall
improving under that marcage tristment. There may be some letters up tonight. Ill not close this letter until the ration cart arrives Lovd to all at home Your affert brother Aer
France /2/18 Dear Mother This week I received Dod's letter of 1th Ang Elsus of ang, Lits of 12 Ang. Elsieso 12 15th Aug Roys of 16 thlng HLets of ang, also a hare from 22 Balle sone from a Miss Ellrott Auchenflower throuk the Quenstand Artillery Fund. Tooths the parrils contained beautiful cakes farrived it a very opportune time. The morning following a by stunt Rations were rather limited our fet had ben with for a couple of days, an neidless to say
the cakes were not long in meeting their doom. Idoubt I ever appriciated cake more, three other fellows with me conducted the burisd service nrry of the same opinion. We have been dieappointed again an our spill, but rumours are strong today that Peare has been declared. The Froggies are supposed to have brought this inform ation what joy there will be i it terns out correctly. My name goes an today for leave, but that will be willingly forfeited if Peace is declared. Two of us have put in for Rome Wenne. We intend spending about three days in each place if possible other
back to Paris. In any can it would be our last leave so we will be exceptionally bucky if we can work ot. Glad to hear you are emproving mother also that Les is Ok again I hope Roy can manage that Gas business but fancy he is totally wrong in thinking he can compel them to instat it. Its a private concern mo taxes are informd for it parsing our place, as far as I know The Christmas parcels have not arrived yet, but they may be here anytime. We are an resorve again at present, we are anauously awaiting usults from this rumoured Dear. Armastic. Rarning every day ofarly chilly of a night, we have had some

there is a good deal to go
through yet. No letters of late
but goodness know where the
mails are. This hurry scurry 
business practically debars all
mail reaching you for the time
being I got Elsies parcell  this
week sent in June last for my
birthday thank her for me. It

came at a very convenient time
up at the Guns
Just got word Roy, that we are
to get ready to go in at any moment

so I must close
Love to all

Your affect brother

Alex
 

 


 R. S. Mackay Esq.

Home Secretary's Office

Brisbane

Australia Queensland 

 

I am quite well.
I have been admitted into hospital
sick } and am goin on well
wounded } and hope to be discharged soon.
I am being sent down to the base.
I have received your {letter dated
                                        {telegram
                                        {parcel
Letter follows at first opportunity,
I have received no letter from you
{lately
{for a long time
Signature}  AS Mackay
only}
Date 19/10/18.
 

 

France
22/10/18
Dear Roy

I've not written a letter
lately, we have been shifting all the
time & have been experiencing some
solid nights. There is evidently some
mail knocking round for me, I got
letters up to middle of July & then a
stray one of Elsies dated 3rd Augt,
none since. Some of the fellows
are getting letters dated to 22nd
Augt. We are having rotten weather
at present, not too cold but always
drizzling & mud galore. Its practically
impossible to keep your feet dry
The War news is good of late especially
 

 

now they have all the Belgian
coast. No doubt they have him wet
now but its far from being a runover
as one would conclude from the papers
He is scrapping solidly all the way
te & retiring very methodically. We have seen
a good number of prisoners going down
but his guns are not so plentiful.
They have copped a few but he
generally gets the bulk away. The
wet weather is hampering operations

as there is little or no Aeroplane
activity. Bill Nott wrote the other

day he is in Blighty with a dislocated

bone in his foot. He reckons it has

the Doctors puzzled & the doesnt know
how he did it & he was never as
clumsy as I was. You remember what

 

a nimble creature Bill was. I suppose
if the truth was known he was trying
to shove a motor lorry off the road. My
leave hasn't come to light yet, they
will not let you go now until 12 months
since last leave has elapsed. That means
if all is well I will get my trip.
about Xmas time again. That won't
be bad although a fortnight away from
the present scrapping would not be
hard to take. Our long 90 days still
is as far distant as ever. I think all
hands have given up hope. However
I suppose there is still a hope if we
do go out now we will escape the bulk
of the Winter in the line. I posted
you another long letter recently, I hope
it arrives OK. Hope mother is still 

 

improving under the massage
treatment. There may be some letters
up tonight. Ill not close this letter
until the ration cart arrives
Love to all at home
Your affect brother

Alex 

 

France
8/11/18
Dear Mother
This week I received
Dad's letter of 10th Aug Elsies of
12th Aug, Lil's of 12th Aug. Elsie's
15th Aug Roy's of 16th Aug & Lil's of
22nd Aug, also a parcel from Aunt
Belle & one from a Miss Elliott
Auchenflower through the Queensland
Artillery Fund.  Both the parcels

contained beautiful cakes & arrived

at a very opportune time. The

morning following a big stunt

Rations were rather limited &
our feet had been wet for a
couple of days, so needless to say
 

 

the cakes were not long in
meeting their doom. I doubt if
I ever appreciated cake more, three
other fellows with me conducted
the burial service & were of the same
opinion. We have been disappointed
again re our spell, but rumours
are strong today that Peace has
been declared. The Froggies are
supposed to have brought this information,
what joy there will be if
it turns out correctly. My name
goes in today for leave, but that
will be willingly forfeited if
Peace is declared. Two of us have
put in for Rome & Venice. We
intend spending about three days
in each place if possible & then
 

 

back to Paris. In any case it would
be our last leave so we will be
exceptionally lucky if we can work
it. Glad to hear you are improving
mother also that Les is Ok again
I hope Roy can manage that Gas
business but fancy he is totally
wrong in thinking he can compel
them to instal it. Its a private concern
& no taxes are enforced for it passing
our place, as far as I know.
The Christmas parcels have not
arrived yet, but they may be here
anytime. We are in reserve again
at present, we are anxiously awaiting
results from this rumoured Peace.
Armistice. Raining every day & fairly
chilly of a night, we have had some
  

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