Letters relating to William George Blaskett, 1916-1919 - Part 3

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I dont think you will
find I am very "fussy"
when I get home. There's
nothing like active service
to cure a fussy and
particular individual.
When I think of the good
things I have refused,
I cant restrain my sobs
(Tableau:- Bold bad bully
sergeant reduced to tears).
Two days ago, Harold
who had just got your
letter came to see me.
He came about dinner
time, and I was just

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going to try and get an
afternoon's leave to spend
with him, when we got
orders to move out at once,
in order to be closer up to
the front line. I was very
glad however, that we met
He looks very well indeed,
and is orderly room sergeant
or some similar job. Pretty
safe job I reckon. I hear
His crowd has been here
since March & hasnt had
a casualty yet. They are
luckier than we are.
Still, I'm very glad for his
mother's sake that he has

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such a job. Of course
they might go into action,
later on but I doubt it.
Even if they do Headquarters
dont usually supply too
many casualties. Its
mostly the common old
rank and file. The
weather is splendid now;
quite hot in fact, which
explodes the yarn about
big guns bringing rain,
for one of the biggest
bombardments of the war
is going on, day and night
here. Fortunately we are

5
in a pretty safe position
just at present owing to
the fact that Fritz doesn't
know we are just where
we are which is quite as
well for us. There are posit 
Our superiority in the
air is most marked.
Fritz doesnt dare send
up an aeroplane or
observation balloon here
The RFC are too smart 
altogether for him.
Our artillery also is
far superior to the Germans
I dont ^mean as regards
quality of artillery work,

6
for the playful Hun is 
a past master of the game, 
but our chaps fire at
least 20 or 30 shells to
his one. Even when he
does fire quire a lot of
shells don't explode These
are commonly known
as "duds".
An artillery duel,
especially when guns
of the very largest calibre
like these on this front
are engaged, is very
fascinating, provided
of course you are not

7
the target. Its apt to get
rather irritating then to
say the least of it.
It seems hardly possible
that it was only about
a year ago I joined this
army. Charlie will
soon be of military age
but if you take my
advice you wont let
him join up for a long
time yet. He's nothing
like fully developed yet
and I'm sure he'd never
stand the strain.
As you can guess, owing
to the difficulties of supply

8
and the enormous number
of men engaged here,
rations are very often
short, which is no good
at all for young lads.
It's all right when
you have money and
are in towns some way
behind the lines for then
one can supplement
the rations by private
purchases, by but here
you've absolutely got to
live on the rations, whether
good or bad.
If Charlie should
ever join up, tell him

9
if possible to join the
artillery or A.S.C. The
infantry is too much like
hard work. We have much
marching to do with a 
very heavy pack too, and
its far from being a joke.
A lot of chaps seem to
think an infantryman's
life is just rushing about
shooting or bayoneting
the enemy. A 17 mile route
march with pack, rifle,
equipment, steel helmet, blanket,
ammunition, iron ration &c
&c, weighing all told
anything up to 90lbs. soon

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cures ideas like that,
especially when such
marches are of not
infrequent occurrence -
Now in conclusion, let 
me say, I'm quite confident
of our success & dont
think it will be too long
before we are successful
in smashing the Kaiser,
(Gott strafe him) and hope
soon to be back in dear
old Sunny South Australia.
Love to yourself, dad
& the YP. from your
everloving son
Will

PS
In my last letter I
mentioned about the 2
Blacketts  Have since
met one of the 27^th Bn &
heard that Joe Blackett
is all right & is a Lieut,
but Capt Blackett is
dead. The chap didnt
know Jim Gatley, so could
get now news of him.
W