Correspondence from Keith McKeddie Doig to Lewis Maffra Grant, 1917, Part 17

Miss Louie Grant
413 Park Street
North Carlton
Melbourne
Australia
 

France
4 6. 17.
My dear Louie,
Someone told me there
was a mail going out today so I
must endeavour to write you a few
lines before it closes.
I got your parcel alright with
the tin of Imperial Crown Tobacco
and socks, both of which were very
acceptable. That tobacco Louie is
just what I like best and could
I have some more please? Harry
has not yet received his parcel
from you & mother but he got the one
Uncle George sent him and he was very
pleased.
We're still resting and its just glorious
but what I find with this life is a
loss of power to concentrate one's
thoughts. Everybody more or less gets
the same way. I suppose it's the
 

2
free - devil - may - care sort of existence
one leads. I think that it will
be quite a difficulty to settle
down when this war is over.- that
is for a short time at any rate.
We are doing route marches
now all around the country-side
but the Medical Officer is always
mounted - quite a different sort
of route march from the ones
at Broadmeadows. The only war
we see now are the "Archies"
firing at the aeroplanes and that
of course is so common that we
don't trouble to go out & see ^it unless
there is an air-scrap on.
Excuse the very short note dear
but I must go & inspect the lines - one
of my duties in camp. Yesterday I
had to decide which platoon had
the best lines and the winning
platoon got free beer. Competition was
 

very keen and it finally rested on
a clean revolver butt. One platoon
had a revolver butt all nicely
washed. & the others had not troubled

to do that. I could not decide
any other way as the lines were
perfect otherwise. Australians can
do anything when they try.
I'm very well & keeping fit
Give my kind regards to Floss & Micks
& the Drev's & Allan
Cheerioh. Lots & lots of love dear
from your
ever loving
Keith
 

OAS
4/6/17
rec'd
1/8/17
Miss Louie Grant
c/o Vict Fert. Assocn
59 William Street
Melbourne
Australia
[*KMckDoig*]
 

France
12. June 1917
My dearest Louie,
Two nights
ago I got orders to proceed
to 5^th Army Summer Rest
Camp for 14 days rest. This
is rather humorous for during
the last fortnight we've been
having a great time just
behind the lines playing cricket
& football and my health is
as good as ever as it was.
On first thoughts I felt like

telling the A.D.M.S. that
I'd prefer to stay with
my battalion, but seeing that
the camp was situated
on the sea-side (at the
mouth of that river photographs
 

2
of which I sent you last year)
I made up my mind to
go along. The We left at
9.30 at night by train &
reached the township at
5.a.m. next morning. The
train was crowded and we
got our sleep in snatches.
The camp is situated three
miles from the town but
the march was truly glorious
I've never seen such trees
lining the road. Beautiful
avenues of elms covered with
a glorious foliage arching
right over the road and
the fields green ^but relieved here & there with great
splotches of bright yellow
dandelions. The camp holds
1500 men — mostly Tommies
 

3
with a goodly sprinkling of
Australians who in physique
and smartness are easily first
The Tommy officers are not
bad fellows at all but some
are awful "duds". I'm afraid
they do not understand our
ways at times.
Cricket, football, motor trips
are the main methods of
recreation, and of course
time soon passes when it
is spent in that manner.
The men have to do an
hours drill in the morning
to keep them from getting
flabby but after that they
have the day to themselves
& with the fine weather
& beautiful country, Health
 

4
should reign & Disease be unknown.
Such is the camp where
I'm putting in 14 days rest
There are some most delightful
walks & I wish you were here.
to bear me company. You would
just love to see it. I "cussed"
France in the winter, but I
must admit that in the
summer she is a truly glorious
country.
Fritz is getting it in the neck
at Ypres & Messines isn't he?
Give my kind regards to Floss
& Mr & Mrs Drev & Allan. And
a hug to Micks. And lots &
lots of love to you dear
from your
Keith.