Cecil Mills Collection - Wallet 3 - Part 14 of 17
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56
OAS Abroad
Mrs C B Mills
C/- Dr A Burne
Kinellan
Dalby St
Waverley
New South Wales
Australia
PASSED FIELD CENSOR 2964
Clive M Williams
France
14-7-16
Hulloo Old Dearie.
Making an early start
today. Got up at 6am & had
a swim in the river & now there
is up till breakfast is ready to
have a talk to you. We started
on the road again quite unexpectedly
from the last place I wrote from.
In fact my singlet and underpants
were in the wash when word came
to move off in 1/2 an hour. So
away we trapesed once more on
our grand walking tour. All
the time we have been going
through very nice farm country.
It makes a brilliant sight to see
the scarlet poppies & blue corn
flowers in the green crops, makes
a delightful splash of colour.
The column halted once right
alongside some poppies & all our
chaps decked themselves out. It
looked awfully pretty, the lovely
red flowers against the sombre
2
Khaki, it made the Khaki look
quite bright & the poppies more
brilliant than ever. Well eventually
we got to a place where we boarded
a train & we travelled for about
9 hours & now we are in quite
another locality from where we
first started fighting in France.
The locks in the rivers here are very
interesting, saw a tug & 2 Hospital
Barges go through this morning.
Oh its Somme River as the
Americans would say. Great way
of getting the dangerous cases
down isn't it, no bumping over
roads in Motor Ambulances.
Talk about traffic, Have seen
enough Troops during the two
days I've been here, to make an
Army big enough to beat the
Germans on their own. Just as
we got out of the train, a Brigade
of Tommies got out also, they were
just back from the scrap, covered
with mud & German Helmets.
3/
They were all very cheery & pleased
with things in general, as they
had done well. Everywhere, our
troops are very confident, that at
last old Fritz is in a very tight
corner. We had a long March
after the train trip, in fact it was
a very big day for us. Got up
at 4. moved off at 5, marched
4 miles & entrained everything,
Horses, transport etc, so you can
guess it was a fairly long train.
Started at 9 & reached the place
where we detrained at 6 PM. The
train did not pull up anywhere
so it was a tiring trip, no chance
to get out & stretch ones legs.
We had tea and started marching
again at 8/30 & reached the place
where we now are at 2 AM. It
was a bad march. Coming on the
end of a long day. Our men
stuck it well. Only one of our Com
fell out & he twisted his ankle.
During the whole move, we have
4
not lost a man through any
cause whatsoever. Not a bad
performance at all & one which
the Regiment can well be proud
of. What we are going to do now
goodness only knows. Solid
training I should think & be ready
to hop in at a moments notice.
Hope there is no more trench
fighting for us. Would sooner
Barge in & get to close quarters
& wipe out some Fritzes or get
wiped out ourselves. We are all
deadly sick of trenches, but it is
not much use our wondering what
is to happen to us as the ones
that do know will not tell.
Have had no mail since the one
I mentioned in my last letter,
there was a big heap of it, that
had to be dumped, it could not
be brought along in the transport.
Goodness only knows if we will
ever get it now. Last night some
mail came in & 3 Bullies came
5/
from you. Perhaps a dear old
letter will float along before
we move from here. Now to
answer yours of 9th May. You
know long ago that the Cable from
Rouen was sent at the beginning
of April, instead of May, fancy
the blighters holding it up all
that time. Glad the letters from
Schuchard arrived safely with
the snaps taken on the wharf.
Very glad to hear the lace from
Malta arrived OK & was so glad
that you liked it. The idea of
you Coming to England is no
good. We never get any bally
leave & are not likely to get any
as far as I can see, & as soon
as the War is over, it will be
back to Australia for mine as
soon as possible. Don't know where
Schuchard is at present. In fact
have not heard anything from
him since seeing him in Alexandria.
6/
but will post your letter to
him when it comes, C/- The
Records Office, where he was
when I saw him last. If I ever
get to England will actively
go & see Mrs. Macnamara, have
her address in my pocket book.
Those snaps she Hub Robertsons
sent are not too bad, but what
a difference in John now, Suppose
he has quite a mouthful of
teeth now & walks all over the
shop, as if he owns Montrose
himself. Well old girl, its
8 o'clock. Breakfast is ready
& as soon as that is disposed
of its time for Parade, & that
is the end of my leisure for the
day. When there is no Parade
on, I'll be censoring letters
all the time. Heaps of love old
Dearie to you & our Boy, Will
write again as soon as I get a
show. Your loving Husband
Cecil
57
OAS
Abroad
FIELD POST OFFICE
A 17 JY 16
6.W
Mrs C B Mills
C/- Dr A Burne
"Kinellan"
Dalby St
Waverley
New South Wales
Australia
PASSED FIELD CENSOR 2964
N Naughton
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