Cecil Mills Collection - Wallet 3 - Part 14 of 17

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