Correspondence from Keith McKeddie Doig to Lewis Maffra Grant, 1917, Part 9

France.
14.3.17.
My. dear Sweet heart,
Yesterday I wrote

you but after writing it I received
letters from you & Mother & George dated
Jan 22^nd - very welcome they were too.
I think also that those letters are
the quickest I've ever got from Australia
Mrs Dreverman's photos are very
good but Mr Dreverman looks very
lonely amongst so many. I wish I
had a camera over here and could
send you some snaps of funny little
happenings that take place at times
For instance the padré's hair was very
long and I told him repeatedly he
should get it cut. But since we were
in the line. there was no barber aval
available. I missed him for some
time but found him again in an
old disused dug-out with a candle
and a mirror - singeing his hair off &

he made quite a good job of it too.
Or again a photo of yours truly when the
D.M.S. (Director Med. Services) 1^st Anzac. Corps
visits me. Of course being a Corps Officer
he is a very. big bug, and whenever he
pops into where I am living he finds
me. in a most disreputable state.
- short sleeves, unshaven, & no puttees was
my address when last I welcomed him.
Still he ought to let me know when he
is coming don't you think?
You told me. dear to buy. something for
myself. but I'm just afraid that that
is impossible for there is nothing to buy.
Warm clothes, good sleeping, good food and
no annoyance by Fritz - that is our ideal
of life here. We like luxuries but if you
gave. us those others nothing else. would
matter much.
Was up. above- a little while ago and
there was. a. very vicious Artillery duel
going on. and shells - both ours & Fritz'es
were flying and screaming over our

3
heads. We can see the effect of his
shells alright but I. wonder what
the effect of ours is. But it's all a
most horrible and gruesome business
dear and. I hope the time will soon
come when. the world is free. from this
awful scourge.
I suppose George has. left now and
is on his way over here, but I.
do hope that he will not see. much
fighting. Sometimes we are very optimistic
and then at others we are right the
other way. The boys are funny at times.
If rations are not quite enough, they
say "Fritz is winning alright" & then next
night they get a good issue and of course
Fritz is pitied - he's sure to be losing.
I had to knock off here & do a
sick parade. Conditions are not so
pleasant now, as it has been raining so
of course I get a bigger sick parade.
This afternoon the first three complained
of being short-winded, so when the 4^th

4
lad came along & told me he was
"very short-winded Doctor" I gave him
a pill & told him to tell his mates
who were to come down. in next
that "short-windedness" was no good
to parade sick with. and that they
better get a different malady before they
came to me. They did too. I have
lots of fun with them for I always
listen patiently to them and they think
they pull my leg whole sale - but they
don't pull it too long. I think I'm
fairly lenient with them for poor beggars,
they deserve every kindness they get.
Cheeroh my dear. sweetheart. That
good time is a long time coming but
it'll come alright. Remember me to
Floss. & Mr & Mrs Dreverman & Allan &
give Micks a hug for me. Same to
you dear. and all good wishes & love
from your
Keith

OAS
14/3/17
Miss Grant
C/o Vict. Fertilisers Assocn
59 William Street
Melbourne
Australia
[*KMcK Doig*]

France.
24.3.17
Dear,
I'm very. depressed these days having
lost poor Capt Hughes 4 days ago. I was
on my way over to see him and noticed that
Fritz was put shrapnel over there. Next thing
I knew was that Mel was on a stretcher
coming to me but I soon saw his wounds
were fatal. It cut me up terribly
We're advancing still. Bapaume
is behind us now and open warfare is
going on - quite a different form from
the trench life. Rough life it is and
the weather is still wintry.
I will write more when I get a
chance dear but at present but
things are. very pushing.
Lots of love dear & don't worry. We've
taken quite a number of villages. We
are off on another. village tomorrow
morning at 1. a.m. - six miles off.
& we start fighting at dawn
Lots of Keep smiling & writing to
Your own
Keith

France.
24.3.17
Dear Louie,
I wrote you this afternoon a very short
hurried note because I thought we were going up to
do a bit of a "stunt" but that has been postponed
so I'm just sitting down to write you a longer
letter.
The affairs of the week have been most exciting and
were it not for the unfortunate loss of my friend
Capt Hughes I would rather have enjoyed this form of
warfare. As We had taken two or three villages the
day before. he was killed and altho' it was snowing
yet the open warfare without Artillery was not
half bad. Next day however he got the range. and
got my poor friend. I was going over to see him
after I got up in the morning and noticed that the
enemy. was putting shrapnel over there but I told
Harry. (my batman) who was with me. that Fritz did
not have the range properly. It was only about 400 yards
off and when I got there I found exactly what had
happened. One of the Shrap. had burst right behind
him and wounded him in several places. However
enough of this sad topic. I do feel so sorry for
his people & Miss Dawson.

2
Conditions of living in this warfare are hard but
thank God we have left that awful Somme battlefield
My dear, you cannot imagine the mud, the desolation
the dreariness and intense mental strain of living
in that awful place.
Now - we have come to pretty country but it
would break your heart to see how the villages
have been devastated - every house, school, church
garden mined - every tree felled, every in fact the
most complete desolation you could imagine. But
the country in between the villages is delightful and
in spite of the rain & the snow. we've enjoyed the
outing in the country. I had my R.A.P. a
day or so again in four the ruins of what had
been a most beautiful chateau - now a mass
of ruins. Even then they were not content for they
shelled the Chateau.
We have to be very careful about going into
any building that looks at all inviting for
he has trip-wires attached to mines all over
the place and a false step might send us
out. Yesterday while I was going up to a
village to establish my R.A.P. I had an exciting
experience. The Colonel, the Intelligence Officer & myself
were going along not quite certain where Fritz
was. About 400 yards ahead the Colonel saw

3
a mound which he thought might be worth
having so we started for it, but we had not gone
far before. we met one of our own machine gunners
who told us to get under cover for Fritz was in that
mound. with a machine gun. We got under cover
mighty quickly & not long afterwards a couple of
bullets whistled overhead. I got back. further.
You've no doubt read about the wonderful
Capture of Bapaume but. believe me dear Australians
merit far more credit for their holding the
Somme trenches during the five weary. wet &
desolate winter months.
And how are you all keeping out there?
Many & many is the time that I'd just give
any thing to be back with you all - but that
après la guerre. While on the advance like this
letters are not very. quickly. delivered so I've
not heard how you are for some time but I do
trust all is well.
As for myself I'm as fit as a fiddle and
becoming very proficient in sleeping with only
one blanket even if rain & snow are beating
in on me. Also I'm learning fast never to be
without a tin of bully &. a bottle of water.
Not seen Ross of course for some time but hope he
is well.
Cheeroh dear and keep smiling. How is Mick?
I do hope he is getting stronger and not

4
Floss for so much. giving Floss so much worry.
Remember me to Floss. and Mr & Mrs Dreverman &.
Allan.
All my love to you dear and all good wishes
Keith
PR00317

OAS  24/3/17
24/3/17
Miss Grant
C/o. Vict. Fert. Assocn
59 William Street
Melbourne
Australia
[*KMcKDoig*]
[*Good re
conditions
& Capt.
Hughes'
death.*]