Cecil Mills Collection - Wallet 3 - Part 13 of 17

54/ 
O. A. S. Abroad 

Mrs. C.B.Mills 
c/- Dr A Burne. 
“Kinellan” 
Dalley St. 
Waverley 
New South Wales 
Australia 
FIELD CENSOR 2964 
CBMills

PR00932 

France
6: 7:16

Hulloo Old Dear 
Such a long time since 
Ive written to you. I think it was 30th June, 
the afternoon of the night we took over the 
Salient to relieve a Battn that had been strafed 
pretty badly & were rattled considerably. Well our 
old Co. took the job on, I was 2nd in Command 
& we came out with flying colours, with very 
few losses after 3 days of it, but old girl, it 
was a very trying time. We were awfully close 
to the German line in our place, & if it had not 
been for the Barbed Wire in front of both our trenches, 
either side could have attacked & been in the others 
trench in 1/2 a minute. Sleep of course was rather 
difficult to obtain & that does play up with a man. 
Well we are now out for a spell, we were only in for 
[[21?]] days, in front line & supports, but during 
that time we had to sit tight under 22 Bombardments, 
that is not counting just casual shelling, I got 
cracked twice more one a graze on the nose, & 
another a spent shrap or stone on the arm. 
Neither hurt, did not know anything about it 
until afterwards, so sufficient about Strafe 
except to say that it has been an anxious time 
& I am jolly glad we are out; after having done 
so well & sustained so few casualties considering 
the work on hand. In addition to the Artillery 
Brs Strafing our Brigade carried out quite the 
most successful raid yet "perpetrated" on the Germans 
by the Australians. They strafed the scree case

2 
out of them. Killed everybody in their front 
line trenches that they did not want to take Prisoners 
destroyed machine guns, & brought back all sorts of 
valuable information. Oh well Blow War but 
you'll understand now if my last few letters have 
been a bit disjointed. We are now out in Billets in 
a lovely little spot. It was quite a march from 
the firing line, but we did not mind, as at the 
end of it was rest, sleep and no German Shells. 
Turned in at 10 am & slept until 6/30 then 
10PM until 6AM (Pen has run dry) We were 
all very tired, but our Spirits very good, as 
our luck has been wonderful. Rotten luck. 
Just got word to report at Bn HQ. Suppose 
there is a job for me. Will write again 
tomorrow, but will put this in an envelope 
out of the road. No more now Pessie. 
Only heaps of love to you and the Boy. 
Your own old man 
Cecil 

Sent you a cable about 30th June, Hope 
you got it OK 
CBM

55/   O.A.S. Abroad

Mrs C B. Mills 
C/- Dr A Burne 
“Kinellan” 
Dalley St 
Waverley 
N.S.Wales 
Australia 

Passed Field Censor 2964 
Clive M Williams

France
9.7.16 

Dear Old Woman 
Can't think whether 
I got your last dear old letter N'46 
but one I last wrote, as things 
have been considerably mixed for 
the last couple of days, but I think 
the letter came the night of my last 
was posted. It was such a grand 
old letter & made me so very happy. 
Glad you got my Rouen Cable at last. 
It was over a month reaching you. 
Apparently all correspondence has been 
hung up. Have had to destroy all 
your other letters, altho they were not 
properly answered but your last is 
in my pocket & there are 2 in between 
still to come & about 3 afterwards to 
complete the mail that is now drifting 
about. Well I think in my last I 
was just telling you about coming out 
of the trenches & being billeted in a very 
nice locality. Everything was going

2/ 
along OK training was in full 
swing. Suddenly at 7am just as 
we were starting the 1st Parade 
down came the Orderlies with Battn 
instructions cancelling everything 
& giving us warning to get ready for 
an immediate move. This on top of 
all the good war news created the 
wildest excitement, as we fully 
expected to be thrown into the 
thick of the offensive. That however 
has not come off so far, we started 
on a walking tour with full packs 
up. Had a good go at it yesterday 
through most delightful rural 
country & reached our Billets at 
6/30 fairly tired & footsore. 
During our last tour of duty in 
the trenches, the crops had all 
grown wonderfully & everywhere 
now all the fields of oats, barley & 
wheat are ripening, the cherries are 
quite ripe & so are the Strawberries. 
The whole countryside is an absolute

3/ 
picture. We had a very comfortable 
Billet last night, big farm house. 
Had beds with sheets on mind you. 
We were sorry to leave it. Today we 
had a fairly tiring march but the 
men stood it well. From 9 till 
4. That is pretty solid going with 
everything including blanket and 
ammunition up, but it was a nice 
breezy day so conditions favored 
us. We are staying tonight in 
very decent Billets. Sheets once 
more. What HQ staff only had a 
pair of pyjamas it would be Bon 
but I've got a clean flannel shirt. 
We can't get our extras from the 
Transport, so have to content ourselves 
with what is in our packs. There is 
a chance of spelling here tomorrow 
& going on the next day & entraining 
then for some other part of the line. 
Where we are tonight, the Germans 
are not reach in their Advance as 
the beginning of the War, this

4/ 
accounts for the places being 
furnished so much more comfortably. 
The stuff has not been removed, & 
now thank goodness, there is not 
much probability of the Germans 
ever getting here. Of course we are 
all delighted at the wonderful turn 
things have taken in the Allies favour. 
With a bit of luck the War should 
end pretty quickly now. My tip is 
that it will be over the 30th Sept. 
Hope I am grossly exaggerating & 
that it will be over long before that. 
Have had no letter from Harry since 
I wrote to him about 3 weeks ago, 
but all mail is being held up. Going 
to turn in now Pessie, am pretty 
weary & my shoulders are aching some 
from my Pack. Heaps of love old 
SweetHeart.Im so well feeling fit 
as ever & your last letter has made 
me feel even miles better. Such lots 
more love to my own two 
Your loving old man 

Cecil 

Parcel with 
Blue Socks & Sweets also came Very many thanks 
old Dear