Letters from David Gerald Evans to his family, 1916 - Part 7

2.

have a flutter in sheep or 

anything, it does'nt matter

much -

How are things going ? I

am glad to hear the season

has been good at home

Am writing to Mother by

this mail which should get

there as I am sending 

them back, also sending

a cable as I don't know

when I will be able to

write again -

The winter should be about

over when you get this.

This is a very brief note

but time is short.

Good-bye

Your affec brother

Gerald Evans

France

July 31st 1916.

My dear Mother -

I have not written

for some time as we have been

rather busy & have not had

an opportunity - but I was lucky

enough to get out of it with

a slight crack in the ribs &

did not leave the Company.
I have been well off for letters

have had several from home

& plenty of papers so have

not done badly -

I just heard there was mail

Closing for Australia inside an

hour. So have not much time.

My last letter from Australia

was dated June 18th

Charlie McCardel came through

the stunt alright but young

Willcox & Goodland did not. -
  

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Alec Campbell got a nasty crack

but is getting along well.

I will cable you at the first.

Have you come back from 

Killingworth?
I am trying hard to write

something but it is hard with

the Censor to contend with, you

will probably know all about

our stunt before this as they

are sure to write it up a

lot in the Australian papers

Our Battalion has done remarkably

& my Company was

furthest ahead of the lot.

I don't know what I will

get out of it - but hope for

promotion anyhow - I have

been long enough getting my

second star.

How are you all getting along?

I was inoculated for tetanus

yesterday because of my

3

wound, I got it the first

day but managed to stick

it right out, it is pretty

right now, but instead of

having to march they give

me a horse to ride.

I will write an account of

this scrap when I get a

chance to get it through -

In saw Bill Usherwood the

other day he is a Sergeant

and looks very well I hope

he got along alright he

was just going in when

I saw him.

The shell fire passes all

imagination.

Will stop now, with love

to all Your loving son

Gerald

France

3-8-16

My dear Evan -

I had a letter

from you tonight and must

answer it at once because the

mail closes in the morning, I

have written a devil of a

lot of letters home during the

past few days but they have

been posted.

Your letter was dated 11-6-16

& I got one from Minnie

dated 9-6-I6.

Am very sorry to hear of

the Varicose veins hope they

will not affect you.

I have written such a lot of

letters home that my letters

must suffer because of repetition

I am pleased to hear you

2

have had a good autumn &

are having a good time, have

you disposed of the wheat?

3000 bags must have taken

a bit of harvesting. -

We have had an easy off the

last few days & the boys are

Celebrating it in great style;

they deserve it too; they are

bonzers, if an ever anybody

says anything to the detriment

of the Australian soldier give

the him one for me -

I had a letter from Dorrie

tonight tell her my brigade

is the second not the sixth

She tells me of a bonzer

time spent at Redcamp -

Poor George Goodland was killed

also young Willcox & Edwards of

Wangaratta., I hear Brown of

Milawa is missing.

I sent a cable a few days

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ago home & am sending

another tonight.

Poor little Slick Campbell got a

very nasty knock I hope that

the injuries will not be permanent

he tells me he is getting on

well. Jack Hogg is very well -

Ken could not possibly get

back from the West to go home

I wanted him to enlist in Vic

but evidently he scorned my

advice; as a matter of fact

I have a shrewd suspicion

that he intended to enlisted when

he went to the West -

Glad to hear the bank a/c is

looking healthy.

I must stop now as

I have some work to do

Love to all

Your affate brother

Gerald.

France

11-8-16

My dear Mother -

How are you all

getting along ? I have

been having quite a

decent time lately,

We had a fair march

but lately have been

just doing ordinary

drill, which is quite

a relief after the very

strenuous time we have

had -

Suppose everything comes

to an end though,

there has been a 

mail lately but have

2.

not had a letter

however I had plenty

of mail at the last

place and had a long

lead up on the others

Yesterday I got a parcel

from Minnie containing

a scarf & a pair of

Sox from Pearlie it

was sent on 6th of June

I saw Austin Mahony

who used to play football

with us, he is looking

awfully well & very fat.

I think soldiering must

agree with him better

than his former work -

Have you been having

a good season?

I hear the Moyhu district

3

has been very lucky

I sent a Cable to you

some time ago but have

not heard that it has

gone yet they generally

send you a card from

the base.

I had a Cable from

Father, it had been

sent from Moyhu on

19th July -

I hope to have some

more letters soon -

I see they have had

some fun on the

Canal with the Turks -

I would'nt mind being

sent back to Egypt

for the winter -

the climate is beautiful