Lieutenant Colonel William McKenzie, MC, OBE - letters - 1916 - Part 9

Conflict:
First World War, 1914–18
Subject:
  • Documents and letters
Status:
Awaiting approval
Accession number:
AWM2019.22.5
Difficulty:

Page 1 / 10

sayn ot the Property cash lt the chilkrens Fund name is to avoid paying hcome lax unnecess 5 so putq 100 thene at wio nam ✓ drden. There will be another loated soon an wan this tor I am shoutly bny tish Treasote £6 ayear 100 bearing 6 of time 3ycans tare £118 you this 1920. This is a much i than Letter prvestmen the fee andwes& ito cause. However pnt £100 ito the woas i
Scotlo espectt t but e have tabou 8 oul sendge d die few Cotch soverions Vttengie when I can longs what I wrioteabout Hhe boye but t was some T well the Theaute aer was as to fee o tened na cheap here My w ttho sh that. the lave wth 9 st Cec them Ladl fine hav
0 2 the lters o the n S bood. Litte 1 liffe hall lean a wonth obes tbes ablame October 191. handly thirs the to rem Dpnces tasts to beak however it
8t this yo in i wa el aoals 0. St in behaved theh dre ly th info are is oora facilit t d we edeh th i oughts & bid the th tiue & trusty work ed e not 50 D lath a bees 1l much pate Mnge 5
a a/16 Daulin t I have i letter detailing eapade &da inderd cally dear Idont think would have done him any greathaum to have t awar fear himself. He would lo had an awater hear wa Hislikely he will t the alo cont tim to st him e will eventually inself and come the exferienc al o
Isan X as the feel er as Ihow on you will wo 19 the whot then over thin iapit that he doesn his pres To pphhum sboo till evides bedow tis hes the alist eanl New Year. Indeed as n likes after harve ac He can foir the Witeller the t the defart 44 his eheavy yor tem ithen a esi o wusk stotnen ady 47
one-1/a day awees the shough porhir have to spend all the time on extra food etc. Genlestin. Tely he will hrobable leave anson ll theead april + get the tihed Efcove dy July 20th he t & thus the orthe finishin 4 which some stayes Dr no rector-Oct 1917-12 worths now- see ser lunarmonths ob 191 7
I recuat that he adopted nebhicks to yt clother pay his fare, the bespeat ounning prove that he could he trusted wa & whene he had cash to handle. He'll lann tn metin wor ce felt dut you to heang bunder 2 recause you sensetive + selldrsprecate I is fals that focks purposely regrect you she Do the t though n
note with pleasure ta You have doness well in the Cale of Lifts, which anguwel forthe S.B.S acess at your las I am pleased to leavn that you all oe keepng mnacions well, it confort helpobles. n all ctional may say that I am sell but our present itions one estreml is for the mea. the try stavd one treagh to their cuntel saten. Sereyal ed itt po
✓ enho theenwan edglain down have passedaws asleep -whenei ow te whole littered with Dac e Dead Sem British no can Wg Sth a We ed carash t heavy thely the still wara 6th must wride ir wuchs tmay an than we expect. Iis certain that the daug somoe Youns life thinkn

5
My reason for saying
bank cash at the Property 
Fund in the children's 
name is to avoid paying 
unnecessary Income Tax. 
So put £100 there at 5% 
in Mavis' name and 
never mind Gordon. 
There will be another 
war loan floated soon 
so put £100 into this. 
I am shortly buying a 
British Treasury Note for 
£100, bearing 6% - £6 a year 
maturing in 3 years time
so I get £118 for this in 
January 1920. This is a much 
better investment than 
Aust gives & its for the 
same cause. However, 
you put £100 into the 
new Austn loan in 
your own name.

 

6
I expect to get to Scotland
in time to buy some Xmas
presents for you. But
I'll be too late now. I
have a nice good watch
for you. You'll get it about
end of Jany - I'll send you
a few Scotch sovenieirs
(McKenzie) when I can.
I forget what I wrote about
the boys - but it was something
to give them for me
All goes well with me
but I heartily wish the 
killing bis' was over.
I've got almost to feel as
if nothing now mattered
life is so cheap here. My
only thought is for your
welfare with that of the
children otherwise, I
could gladly finish up
here in a desperate
& furious charge.

 

6
To die for a worthy object
such as one's country
& in the vindication of
righteousness & the liberty
of the subject is sublimely
grand & I'd gladly do it.
There is certainly no end
of this war in sight yet
it has to drag on & on
until victory & lasting
peace is secured.
Nobody now expects it to
end before October 1917
As little progress can be 
made in the wet wintery
weather, one can hardly
stand up, the ground is so 
slippery & boggy. Thus the
Germans have time to
strengthen their defences
& give us big tasks to break
thro' them. However, it
shall be done.
Meanwhile we must
wait patiently.

 

7
I hope this finds you
well in every way -
As also the children
for whom you fully
know my wishes. I hope
the boys are behaving
themselves thoroughly &
causing you no undue 
worry. It is so hard to
find time & facility to
write them. Give each 
my love & warmest
thoughts & bid them
be true & trusty, work
hard, live nobly and
strive to do something
worthwhile.
May God richly bless         
you & have you all in
His keeping.
Yours in much affection
W McKenzie
P.S. I did not get one of
those [[?]] photos-card [[?]][[graves?]]
etc

 

France 6/11/16
My Darling Wife
I have just read
your letter detailing Don's
escapade & I am very
sorry indeed for you.
Really dear I dont think
it would have done him
any great harm to have
got away & fend for
himself. He would have
had an awakening in
a most benificial way.
It is likely he will try it
again, so if this is the
case, dont try to stop
him! He will eventually
come to himself and
profit much by the experience

 

2
As I say it is for you that 
I feel most as I know
how you will worry &
stew over the whole
thing. It is a pity
that he doesnt see
his present great
opportunity at school
still evidently he doesn't.
It is best to let him go
& enlist early in the
New Year. Indeed, as soon
as he likes after harvest.
He can join the Artillery
not the Infantry which
is too heavy for him
being so young. Then 
he must make an
allotment of 4/- a day

 

3
in your favour - 1/- a
day or 7/- a week is
quite enough for him
to have to spend all
the time on extra food
etc. If enlisting in
Feby he will probably
leave Austn by the end
of April & get to England
by June 10th & come to
France by July 20th
or so & thus he'd
be in for the finishing
stages, which some   
reckon - Oct or Nov
1917 - 12 months from 
now - see Rev 13th
42 lunar months
October 1917 -

 

4
I regret that he adopted
such tricks to get clothes
& pay his fare. They
bespeak cunning &
prove that he could
not be trusted in a
job where he had cash
to handle. He'll learn
sometime, so trust in
God, cease from worry
& do you felt duty.
Yours is a heavy burden
because you are so
sensitive & selfdeprecatory,
It is false that folks
purposely neglect you
They may do so for
want of thought, but
not otherwise.

 

5
I note with pleasure that
you have done so well in
the sale of gifts, which
augurs well for the
S.D. success at your Corps
I am pleased to learn 
that you all are keeping
well. May God graciously
comfort, help & bless
you all continually.
I may say that I am 
well but our present
conditions are extremely
trying for the men. They
stand in some trenches
up to their crutch
in water. Several
have died in the Trenches
merely from exposure

 

6
You see men having
been wounded & lain
down have passed away
in a sleep - where we
are now the whole
place is littered with
dead - Germans, British
N.Z. Sth Africans Canadians
& Austns. We
cannot bury them for
the German's heavy shelling
still it is the war and
must go on until the
finish - Victory for us!
It may come much sooner
than we expect.
It is certain that the slaughter
of so much young life is
revolting to any thinker

 

 

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