Cecil Mills Collection - Wallet 3 - Part 16 of 17

10/   

Finished Tattoo. All present
& very few blithered, so everything is
OK. Glad old Johnnie Boy likes
the Water. It would be strange if
he did not, as we are both so keen
on it. Would love to take a trip
out to Crescent Head with you some
day. Wonder would any of the
old landmarks seem familiar?
Am looking forward to the Snaps
to see what he is like now. Fancy
him being over 16 months. now
Cannot quite imagine what he is
like now. Can't get his image at
11 months out of my mind as
those Post Card photos of you
& John are so splendid. Sorry to
hear your Father is off colour
again. It must be an awful
anxiety to poor old Mither to
never know from one day to
another how he is going to get
on. There is one thing tho, he
always picks up in a wonderful
way, when he takes his turn
towards getting better.

10 11/

I've quite forgiven him for
the way he put things all over
me that time. Suppose the
mention about the enlargement
refers to the snap I sent from
Sinai Desert. The letters telling
me you were having them done
has not reached me so far.
You need not worry about my
Pater not liking you. Would tell
you some of the nice things he
has written about you, except
that I would not like to see your
head turned (except by myself &
then only to be turned around to
be kissed). Funny thing about
Helen's pal Bingle. It was only
yesterday I heard two of our
chaps talking about him, they
both spoke very highly of him.
I don't see how Johnnie loving you
hard & often can do him any harm.
I think all little boys are like that,
but you had better ask someone
who knows more about it than I
do. Anyhow the loving part of it

12

won't do him any harm & does
you a lot of good.
Well old Darling, its pretty
nearly time I rang off, as its
an early move tomorrow, with
the good old packs up. Hope
to be able to write a note to
Percy & the Pater tomorrow
night, thats if we are in
Billets, but tomorrows march
will take us up pretty close to
the Firing Line & Billets may
be scarce. Good night old
Dearie. Hope this is quite
intelligible, there have been
a good few interruptions 
Just heaps of love to you
& the boy from
Your own old man
Cecil.

58?   16/7/16
O.A.S Abroad

Mrs C.B. Mills
C/-  Dr. A Burne
"Kinellan"
Dalley St
Waverley
New South Wales
Australia

PASSED FIELD CENSOR 2964

Clive M Williams

France
19-7-16

Hulloo old Dear, just to think
that it is a year & 2 days since we
left our dear old home, but it really
is. We moved on again yesterday,
but the night before we left I got
the rest of your dear old letters, so
everything in the garden is lovely.
Also got the parcel with the Army
Rations, Muscatels & Peppermints.
By Jingo the Muscatels & Peppermints
were grand & all my mob hogged in
as if they'd never seen any in their
lives before. We got 'em while we
were in the Starvatin village I
last wrote from. But Dearest, please
don't let anyone send me Army 
Rations again. You can guess why.
I've got some great news for you, but
it has to wait a bit yet. Just as
we were moving off, I was detailed
to go back to where we had left th
previously to draw the Regimental
Pay, & to follow on. Had a ride
(good horse) of 35 miles, it was
A 1, except for what I'd missed -

2/

Judge of my pleasure, when I was
told the place I was to report
back at was T- - - - - - - - - - the place
Harry had written to me from on
11.7.16. Well I reported back there
with the money, & could not find
any trace of our Regt, but after
a lot of messing about, struck the
HQ. of our Sister Regiment. Col.
Watson, who married a Hordern in
Command. They told me there where
my mob was, & also that my
"Brother" had been enquiring about
me & had ridden across to where
we were billeted to look me up. This
was fairly late about 8/30 & I
struck Harry riding back to T
We had a bit of a yarn only, as I
was in a hurry to get back with
all the pay before dark & he had
to get back  He promised to come over
this morning, but sent a note that
he was detailed by the General for
a "job of Work" but would come
over tonight if he got back in
time. Now Im all anxiety, as

3/

we have just got word to move
off again tomorrow & if he
is kept late at his work I may not
see him again. But the old chap
looks grand. He is a sight for
sore eyes. Looks the picture
of health & is strong as a lion.
He is not bad looking either, tall,
straight & so beautifully clean
looking. I know you all will
be so glad Ive seen him. Whatho
Mither when she gets the Cable
I hope to send her in a day or so.
She will be glad I've seen him. Have
not got time to write much tonight, as
we are moving in the morning, it
makes us fairly busy, but just had
to squeeze a minute or two to tell
you about seeing Harry. Will 
answer your Dear old letters fully
tomorrow night if I have any luck.
Good bye old Dear Heart Love
to my two Bestests ever
Your own old Man
Cecil

59  O.A.S. Abroad

Mrs C.B. Mills
C/- Dr. A Burne
Kinellan
Dalley St
Waverley
New South Wales
Australia
 

PASSED FIELD CENSOR 2964

A P Bladen 

France
22 : 7 : 16

Dear Fairy Wife
Two dear old letters
last night, such lovely bright
ones, wish they had come about
an hour earlier, as Harry was
up to see me, but could not
say for long. Well the night
before last, borrowed a bike 
rode back to where he is Billeted.
We had moved forward during
the day. Well we had a good old
yarn over all sorts of things.
Got there about 9 & only stayed
until three AM. Did not want
so come back then & I don't think
he wanted me to go at all. We
simply loved having a good old
yarn. Well yesterday we both
sent a cable each. His to you &
& mine to Mither. Am so glad
particularly for your sakes at
home, that Ive had the good
luck to meet him. Can just

2/

about one quarter imagine the
joy there will be next Monday
or Tuesday when the Cables
get there. He has grown into
such a fine chap & your
Father & Mother will be so proud
of him when he goes back Apres
le Guerre.  He is going back to
see you all.  The sight of the
Australian Troops going through
affected Harry very strongly. Last
night he came to tell me he had
been promised a job back with
the Battery. He thinks he is
not doing his best unless he is
with the Battery again. He is
going to try to become attached
to our Divisional Artillery. He
knows all about this part of the
line, has seen the present offensive
work up from the start. He would
be invaluable to our chaps, as
we know nothing about this
particular part. He would have to
go on our Staff, as they would
not waste him in a Battery

3/

I was pretty tired after my long
ride for the pay the other nightday,
it was about 35 miles altogether
& it is sometime since Ive done
any. Had an easy day the
following day, then we only had
about 5 miles Route March to
where we are now with pretty
easy work. Yesterday we did
very easy Parades & today
was only about 2 hours brisk
Marching along the road without
our Packs. Had the good luck
to be detailed as 2nd in Command
this morning & actually rode
in rear of the Column. Then
again this afternoon, we are
having an easy time . The men
have all got over the tired feeling 
& are in lovely fighting form.
Am certain we will do well
when we get properly into it, & none
of the ^ old hanging about behind
Parapets getting Strafed by
artillery the whole time

4/

Harry was so glad to see all the
old snaps that you have sent
me over from time to time. The
one he loves best of all is John & 
the dog, taken in front of Mrs
Wragges Cottage. Harry is
more than a bit keen on our
Son. Now this is in strict
confidence. You can drop all 
ideas about Harry & his Pal
in London. Nothing will come
of that. She falls very short of
your mother & yourself & you
two women happen to be the
ones that Harry compares other
women to. So don't let on to Harry
that Ive mentioned her, but just
let the matter drop as far as
the girl herself is concerned.
Have to go out on Parade now, so
will finish this afterwards
if luck will stick to me & no jobs
are thrust upon me. Au Revoir
for the time being old girleen.