Correspondence from Keith McKeddie Doig to Lewis Maffra Grant, 1917, Part 16

OAS 6/5/17     

Miss. Louie Grant

413 Park Street

North Carlton

Melbourne

Australia

[*KMcK Doig*]

France.

15.5.17.

My dear sweetheart,

Many thanks for

letters - dated March 19 - 22, which I

received during a most busy time, but

believe me I soon found time to read

them. And also many I did

enjoy the humour of the "Gentle Grafter", which

is now going the rounds of the Headquarters

& Company officers, and being thoroughly

appreciated.

Our good time with football matches, 

sports, came to a very sudden ending

and we got orders to move up - and

landed up around that scene of

many battles - Bullecourt. What a

battle-ground it is to be sure! And

what a time our lads had and are

still having there. Our brigade had

a "stunt" there and in spite of the

2

most intense fire were successful in

everything and finished up with numerous

prisoners and all objectives. gained.

Louie my dear, you just don't know

what wonderful fellows Australians are.

What I saw during that most intense

fighting - the joyfulness of them, their

fortitude & courage of the men when

wounded, their complete unselfishness

and regard for their "cobber" makes

the name Australian" almost sacred

to me.

Only half of our battalion was in it

but I believe they were wonderful. The rest

of us were in reserve - but altho' not

nearly as bad as the front line - it was one

of the hottest spots I've ever been in. But

I had to go forward to a hotter, for

the M.O. of Capt Hughes's old Batt. xx who

were in close support got "gassed" and

I went forward to take his place for a day

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Really dear the whole front is just one

mass of guns. After our stunt we

were relieved by an English Brigade but

-"nuff sed".

We are now back a little but we

stand to at 4 a.m every morning and

the spot where we are is far from pleasant

If he swung his guns around say a

hundred yards, you would see several

Australians running very hard. As it is

we only get splinters near us. Last

night we all had a sense of something

impending and sure enough he put

over a barrage of gas shells and I

was up at 3. a.m. buzzing around and

getting ''gassed" chaps off to Ambulance.

Then started another of those monster

battles and there must have been tons & tons

of metal in the air at once. Our Fritz has 

got some artillery but I reckon we've

got more and to hear our barrage

going over was terrifying. There are V.Cs.

won every minute dear. in this most

awful business.. Whether he counter-attacked

(most likely) or whether we attacked again

I do not know but things have calmed

down comparatively now.

Our Brigade losses were heavy both in

officers & men but when you take into

account what was doing they were

surprisingly small. However enough

of this.

One of the M.Os of this Brigade went

off his nut just before we moved up.

and I had to send him away. Poor

chap - he was awfully good in the time

but had a "kink" always.

In spite of everything dear, here I am

fit as fiddle - quite happy. and proud

to be an Australian

Love to you dear. and see have you

a xxx spot of your lips that would take

something from me. If so please repeat

cheeroh Keith

15/5/17

Recd 18/7/17

Miss Louie Grant

413 Park Street

North Carlton

Melbourne

Australia

France

27.5 17

My dearest Louie,

I got horribly annoyed with

myself for. using the sort of notepaper I have

been using, for if there is one thing I like

it's decent writing paper. So when our Q.M.

went into Amiens the other day I told him

to buy the best he could for me and

tho' I would like plainer stuff, still

this is better than the paper we buy

in our Canteens.

I'm a selfish person. I always had an

idea that I was, but when I got your

photo and commenced to think over the

pleasure. I experienced in receiving it, it

struck me, that tho' I might not like

having my photo taken, yet there are

others who would perhaps appreciate it

when it was taken. So dear when I

get the opportunity (and I had it in London)

I'll have it taken and send you one.

Yours was just lovely dear and I do

wish it was yourself who came in

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that envelope.

Harry has not received his parcel yet

but that will arrive alright if it was

addressed C/o me.

Yesterday we played cricket

against Brigade Hdqtrs and after

an exciting match beat them

altho' we had no practice.

I had a letter from George yesterday

and he was very fit and well. It's

great getting letters from him but

I don't want him over here

too soon.

Cheeroh dear. I'm as right as rain

Lots & lots of love & good wishes from

your Keith

27/

Recd 5/

Miss Louie Grant

413 Park Street

North Carlton

Melbourne

Australia

France,

30.5.17.

My dearest Louie,

Here it is - just on

June. I feel as if I'm getting to

be a bit of an old soldier now

and as the boys sing "old soldiers

never die, they only fade away". Not

that I'm fading away - far from it

This open life keeps one very fit.

We are still out of the line

and I believe we are going to be

for some little time yet. One of our

officers Capt Wrigley - an awfully fine

fellow - is leaving us today to join

the Indian Army. and I'm taking

the opportunity to write you and

he will post it for you me. He

is getting a photo of our Brigadier

General Elliott for me, while in London

and I've asked him to have it

sent on to you - so you'll know

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who it is.

While we ^were in Francourt just behind 

Bullecourt - a most horrible spot in

the Hindeburg line - one of my boys

cut down a couple of German

'Whizz-bang" shell cases and made

a sort of trinket case for me He

has it mounted on German bullets

and has German buttons on front - a

very neat little job. If I can

get it over to Woolwich Ill get

them to pack it off to you but

I rather think it will be difficult

to do that for a while yet. I

prize it very much for he made

it with tools he found about

the village and at times this

same village was not too pleasant

a place to live in - H.E. and

gas shells being the main cause

of the unpleasantness.

I'm enclosing a now out-of-date

aeroplane photo showing the Somme

3

battlefield and it will give you some

idea of the state of the land there. The

small pits are shell-holes - and

the narrow lines are trenches. This was

the sort of country we were on during

the winter.

Well my dearest I'm sure there is

no more news I can give you at

present so I will close this scrawl.

You must not worry about me dear

at all. It does not do the least

bit of good and perhaps your worry

is greatest when I'm in least danger.

Cheeroh & keep smiling. Remember

me to Floss & Micks & the Drevs.

My face is still clean. Lots of

love dear from your own

Keith