Cecil Mills Collection - Wallet 4 - Part 2 of 2

of the worst scraps of the offensive.   
I've sent Fairy a letter I got from  
the OC of the 23rd Battn.  After I was  
Posted to battery I got rather anxious  
about Cecil as I hadn't had an  
answer to any of my letters.  I wrote to  
a man I knew on the staff & asked him  
to look at the casualties.  He sent  
me the enclosed letter.  Even then however  
I feel there must be a mistake, so 
wrote to the O.C. of the 23rd Battn & got  
the letter I am sending to Fairy. 
It's hard for the men who fall out  
here but it's harder for the women left  
behind - for after all it's they who  
suffer.  Fairy was a brick to let Cecil  
go & I know she will be brave now -  
altho' God only know how hard it will  
be.  From the long yarn I had 

with Cecil I know they  
must have been wonderfully happy.   
Later, when we go out of the line  
I'm going to try & find out  
where Cecil was buried.  I am  
writing now in fact - altho' I cant  
leave my battery while were in  
action.  Were just south of where  
Cecil was killed.  Divisions don't  
stay in the line long now - that  
is here & we are hoping that  
we'll go out soon.  Our infantry  
have been out some time -but were  
Covering a division that has no  
artillery so we may not get 
 away Quite as soon as we expect.   
I lost an awfuly good chum 

on the 1st July & the news of  
Cecil on top - makes me feel this  
war is madness - absolutely! 
But we must carry on - & I'm 
glad to say we're gradualy pushing 
the line where we want to - but  
at a cost that only poor little women  
like Fairy can realize.  I'm writing this  
from the O.P., & won't be able to make  
a long letter of it -  you'll understand.   
We're firing night & day though it's fairly  
Quiet for the time being.   
Your affectionate Son  
Harry.

FRANCE 
27.11.16 
  
Dear Mrs. Mills. 
As I am at present  
acting company commander of D  
coy I received your letter of 26/9/16.   
I have carried out your  
instructions by issuing orders  
that all parcels are to be  
distributed amongst your late  
husband's own men. Your  
husband and I were good 
friends and we had a lot  
in common  as I am also a  
banker.  If there is anything  
I can do for you I shall be
only too delighted, and asking  
you to accept my deepest 
sympathy.  I am 
Yours faithfully 
[[A. M. Ball Lt?]]

2 Dec 16 
Mrs C B Mills 
Kinellan 
Dalley Street 
Waverley 
N.S.W. 
Australia  

Codford  
England 
20..7..17 
  
Dear Mrs Mills 
I received your  
letter dated the 4th March you see  
by the above address that I'm  
back in England once again  
not wounded I'm glad to say 
I had a severe attack of trench  
fever and left the Batt. on the  
6th May three days after our big  
stunt at Bullecourt I was in  
Hospital at Rouen in France  
for three weeks then came over  
and spent a month in the  
Bath War Hospital and I'm now  
feeling quite well again. 
Needless to say Mrs Mills how  
sorry I was to hear that you  
have not received the few little  
things that I collected belonging  
to Mr Mills his money belt which  
contained about thirty five pounds

2 
in one hundred franc notes  
besides some smaller notes  
and cash which I should  
say would bring it close  
onto £40 in the tunic pockets  
were some letters which  
I put inside the pocket  
book the photo of your little  
Boy taken sitting astride  
my sisters big dog was in  
the pocket book the day I  
met your Husband at Tel. El  
Kebir he showed me the same  
photo and was so proud of  
it.  A fountain pen and compass  
were also amongst the articles  
also his watch.  I was speaking  
to him five minutes before  
he fell it was while running  
across no mans land to give  
instructions to some of his men

3 
when he was caught by machine  
gun fire and as you have  
been informed it was instantaneous. 
He was all for the  
well fare of his men and I  
have known him to give  
men, soxs that you had  
sent to him.  I've heard quite  
a number of his men when  
speaking of your Husband  
say. "He was one of the Best"  
and that coming from the  
men is the highest praise an Officer  
can get.  When I go back to the  
Batt I will make further  
inquiries and will let you  
know later if any thing  
turns up.  Many thanks  
Mrs Mills for the lovely sox  
and cigarettes you so kindly  
sent me and are a great treat.

4 
Although I have never met  
you I seem to know you  
quite well from hearing  
my sister Mrs Wragge in her  
letters speaking so much about  
you.  I have just come back  
from spending my furlough  
spent a week in Ireland  
and a week in Edinburgh  
and enjoyed every day of 
it.  Codford is a very quiet  
little town but the country  
all around is very pretty.   
Now Mrs Mills I will stop hoping  
this will find you and the  
little boy in the best of health  
from yours very sincerely 
Harry Pettit

SYDNEY  
11-30P 
1917 
N.S.W. 
  
Mrs Mills 
Kinellan 
Dalley St. 
Waverley 
New South Wales 
Australia 
  
Lucasville Road 
Glenbrook 
Western Line 
19/9/17