Letters of Gerard Henderson Cowan, 1916-1917 - Part 5

June 17 1917
My dear Gerard            
I was glad to get your letter the other day and to learn
that mine had reached you; as I trust this will do; I often wonder how you
you are getting on, and if you were in that wonderful push at Messines?
I shall be so glad just to have a card from you at any time when you can
manage just to scribble me a line saying how you are;-
Some of my brother (Digby's) things were sold the other day in xx
London, and I bought a charming little oil painting of your mother when a
child, which I never knew he possessed; and I want you to take it out to
her when you return home; I have also got together a few photos and illustrated 

Description of Donhead, &c. which may interest you to have especially
now that you have seen the old place; We are having lovely weather here
now and all the garden  flowers are out in profusion; That was a nasty
Air Raid over London the other day, but I am thankful to say that all my
family escaped - they are all up there (wife, four girls, and 2 grandchildren)

so I felt anxious for a bit.
With every good wish to you and your lot
Yours affecate Uncle
Ernest du Boulay 

left D at 9 am Thursday 18 Sept
camp near F at 11.30 am 14 Sept 

France
July 1^st
1917
Dear Dad,
Your letter together
with Frank's and two of Helen's
arrived over a week ago
and yesterday I had another
batch of letters in which were
three from Mother, written on
April 10^th, 20^th and May 1^st.
So you can get some idea of how
they arrive. I expect you get
them much the same way with
the mails running as they
are. However so long as we get
them that is the main thing.
My word the wool returns were
not bad this year. And chaff
from all accounts seems to be
a very fair price. How much
chaff & wheat did you get this
year. I expect by this time 

you will be well on with the
ploughing. Talking of ploughing
and cultivating you should see
the Frenchies at work on their farms
There are generally three men doing
one man's work and doing it very
slowly at that. They work their
ground very thoroughly though.
The crops here do not seem to
be anything exceptional, but perhaps
I have not seen the best yet
The more countries I travel through
the more I am convinced that there
is no place like Australia. Even
a Fritz prisoner said Australia
was the best country in the world.
He had been there before the war.
It is rather funny to hear them
talk about the war they seem
to think now that it will be
a draw, but I'm afraid they are
mistaken its a withdraw on their
part.
I hear nearly every mail from 

Dircksey  and occasionally
from Helen. Uncle Jim wrote
last mail sent two books
(both of which I have read and
if possible I am sending to Helen)
I also hear from various members
of Uncle Lewis's family and
occassionly from the Northam 
Cowans.
I have not heard from Mrs Henn
for a long while although I
have written several times.
Well it is getting too dark
now to write and as we have
had no candles issued lately
I will have to stop.
Love to all,
Gerard 

France
July 11^th
1917
Dear Dad,
I am sure I have no idea
what to write about as news is
scarce and I am just about tired
of giving a description of the 
country and I guess my friends
are ^of receiving it too as for the censor he must
be just about fed up with it.
Well to start off. We are all O.K.
and living fairly comfortably at
present though our quarters are
a bit cramped.
You might tell mother that those
socks she sent have not turned
up yet, but I received a parcel
of three pair from Majorie Broadhurst
so am extra well off in the
sock line just at present.
All my letters from home seem 

to be arriving all right but
I have been getting no replies
to my English letters and am
beginning to wonder if they
have gone astray.
The news in the papers seems to
be very good just lately and
I hope by the time this reaches 
you it will be better still.
I wonder what kind of season
you are having this year and
how the crops are growing.
Did you get much in.
I am sorry to hear Mrs Gould
is such a little better, she has
been ill for a very long time now
Well I hope to have something more
to write about next time
Love to all
Gerard
S 

S.N. Matthew Fr.

G.H. Cowan 

14 Calverley Park Cres:
Tunbridge Wells
Aug. 27^th (1917)
My dear Gerard.
I received the enclosed letter
from your Mother & I hasten to send it
on at once & I am wondering where you
are, for it is ages since I've heard &
I wonder if any thing came of the flying
corp. & if you got your books.
We've just been away for 3 weeks holiday
at the sea side, a little place on the E.
coast called 'Aldeburgh people thought
we were quite brave to go but we only
had one air scare while there which
came to nothing; while we were there
I suddenly got a wire announcing
Charlie's arrival in London so &
dashed up to London & after 2 days there
he came down to Aldeburgh bring his 

his parcel with him, & we spent a very
happy six days there & then came back
to London & did a theatre & Charlie returned
yesterday morning by the train leaving
at 7.50. am an early hour because we
had to get up at 5.30, however we had a
very happy 10 days together. We had a
cable this morning from the Henns saying.
"all well enjoy holidays" & it was
Sent from Bunbury, Charlie cabled when
he got home because Mother has been ill,
& so many mails have been sunk.
the mail before this one dated 19^th June
was sunk. Let me know if you want
anything, & if you get the "Mirror" each
week.
We are having it dreadfully wet & I
fear it must be the same with you.
"Cheerio" & with love
Yours affectately
Gracie Willis 

France
31 August
Dear Dad,
I heard from Gracie today
and she sent on Mother's letter
dated June 23^rd. I will enclose hers in
this for you to read.
I am glad too you did not sell the Old
Place I should hate to loose it, although
perhaps if you could get the full value
for it, would be a good the best plan.
Did you sell Blackberry or have you
still got her. Let me know how all the
stock are and whether you have bought
or sold any.
Are you putting much under crop
this year. From all accounts you
have been having an extremely
wet winter.
I see by Mothers letter you received
my letter announcing the results
of my examinations at the
Tidworth Musketry School