Letters from Alexander Sutherland Mackay to his Family, 1918 - Part 10

very murky trips of late, but fortunately
our casualties have been small. You
will just be receiving those long
letters to Roy, I should think. Im
posting another today to him. Bill
Nott is still in Blighty, he has
worked it well Got a post card
from Ron the other day, his crowd
are well back so he says. What a
great crowd you had for the Exhibition
hope we are home for the next. Fritz
has retired a great distance here since
our last stunt & now Austria & Turkey
have caved in, it looks all up on
paper. Even if this peace rumour turns
out to be incorrect, he must fall
shortly. Berlin is now well within
the bombing area  Im tipping a 

a couple of visits there will settle
the question.
      Suppose it will be sometime
after Peace is really declared before
we get back, but that won't matter
once all anxiety for you as will
as ourselves, is over.
   If we go to Italy Ill get a collection
of their coins for Father.
               Love & best wishes to all
                              Your affect son
                                                 Alex 

                                                                                                                                  France
                                                                                                                                        20/11/18.
Dear Roy,
                       Yesterday I received the following letters -
Lil's of 29^th Aug, Elsie's of 31^st Aug, Lils of 11^th Sept, Elsie's of 9^th
Sept & 16^th Sept & yours of 16^th Sept. I also got a letter
from Ron dated the 7^th [[inst?]]. I think it was, saying he was
off to Glasgow next day on leave. He anticipated a good
time & no doubt he would have one. I believe the people
in Blighty are simply mad with excitement now
the Armistice has been signed. Thank goodness no more
bombs or shells, its hard for us to realize its so.
We came back & have been billeted in a deserted
village ever since, so have had no opportunity to
see how the civilians are taking it. The other 4 Aussie
Divisions are going forward to German Territory, Ron will
no doubt follow up when he comes back. Our Divy are
remaining to represent the A.I.F. in France. I'm not
sorry, as I have no hankering after Fritz's land. I suppose 

the men will be confined pretty solidly to Barracks.
We have hopes of shifting back to one of the big towns
in the course of a few days. I'm hoping to get my
leave to Rome before they depart, but if not Im
praying the Brigade will entrain instead of taking
the road. The latter journey is not too good in
cold weather. This Winter's first snow put in an
appearance this week, but it was hardly sufficient
to whiten the ground, in fact it was like sleet
I've been having a solid time with boils for the last
week, I can sit down but just miss by a couple of
inches. A couple of days however will fix them, so
I hope my leave hangs off until then. This pheumonia
epidemic has been playing havoc in Blighty & practically
all over Europe. One of our poor beggars went away to
a signalling school, the night, before last stunt, & we heard
tonight of his death. It seems cruel, he has hardly
missed a stunt, since the Battery came over, right
through the lot, & now pegs out, when Peace is practically
declared. I suppose we will be here some time yet, but I
doubt if they will be as long in getting us home, as they 

anticipate. I should say it will pay to get all Colonial
troops away, as speedily as possible. I'm afraid they won't
let our crowd loose in any numbers in a big city, as some
of the pets are never satisfied unless they are walking round
with a sledge hammer in one hand & an axe in the other.
I suppose you saw the account of the joy fire the night
of the Armistice near Nelson's monument in London. We
hear, as usual in all horseplay, the Aussies were in command

the Fire Brigade managed to save one hose from their
knives. The papers were very quiet simply said the base 
of the monument had been damaged to a certain extent
& gave no particulars. I believe we are all going back
as Units not States, so Ron & I are not likely to be
on the same boat, however its a bit early to talk of that yet
I was going to send you a cable the day the Armistice was signed
saying we were both OK, but it was impossible to get a cable
from here. In any case cables from here often have been
received in Aussie after letters, so little would have been gained
by it. The parcels from home, have not arrived yet, but
they are always sometime behind letters. Elsie & Lil were anxious 

to know how I liked the contents. I hope by the
time you get this letter we are nearing our departure &
that there will be no necessity for further parcels. That
appears to be the only thought amongst the troops now
"When are we leaving for Aussie." If we have the luck to
get this Rome & Venice trip, after its over, they can bring
me off in any old tramp. Ill be quite satisfied to get
home, without any public ceremonies to the but troops home
coming. I can imagine the feeling aboard say a day
away from Aussie. Well Roy I will drop another line
as soon as I hear our leave has been granted, it should
come any day. I tell you I'm looking forward to it
thoroughly.
Love to all at home
Your affect brother
Alex.
 

Brancourt
4/11/18   ?
4/12/18
Dear Roy,
Im enclosing a few lines in
continuation of the old rigmarole also some
Fritz's notes for father's collection.  During the
week I got the first instalment of my Xmas
parcel, everything was in splendid order &
thoroughly appreciated. Thank them all for
me, Ive enough Tobacco now to start a
shop, but it will come in very handy if
our trip comes off. In Paris last year it
was impossible to get decent Tobacco or
Cigarettes & those you did get, you had to
pay awful prices for. We were alright, whilst
the YMCA there, had a stock, but they used
to run out pretty frequently. The Handkerchiefs
& socks just complete my requirements.
We are in hopes of getting our Leave passes
today, they are very longwinded but another
fellow in one of the other Batteries, in the
Brigade, put in about the same time as we
did & got his pass yesterday. Got a letter from

Ron today written on his return from
Glasgow. he is now camped at some village
ahead of us. He does not say much in
his letter but no doubt had a good time,
he was there for Armistice night. I believe
he struck Bill Nott.
Later
Our passes have arrived & we are
off to Rome tomorrow. They won't allow
us to go to Venice, but we may be able 
to work some other Italian or French city
in before going back to Paris. We may
leave first thing in the morning so Ill
have to get squared up
Love to all at home
Your affect brother
Alex.