Lieutenant Colonel William McKenzie, MC, OBE - letters - 1916 - Part 10

7
I think I told you that
I hope to go over to the 
old land within 4
weeks time from now
probably three weeks.
I may try for 15 days
leave then. It will be
acceptable if only to
get a bit clean.
Trusting this finds you
all in health & happiness.
Wishing all the compliments
of the season.

May God richly bless you.

Pray - Father

McKenzie

Hugs & Kisses to all

24/11/16

My Darling wife
I am delighted
to have this small chance
of pencilling you a few
lines once more to
inform you that all is
going well with me tho'
I have had the 'flue.' I
have broken my gold tooth
plate & had a few other 
odds and ends to contend
with - a trying cough
sleepless nights, bad
heads bleeding piles
sore bones & blearly
eyes, but these are all
incidental to a soldiers
life so we must give the
thanks, take heart of grace
& press forward - tho
pretty tough, but it might
be much worse - The
Germans must be having
"merry hell" these days.
I have seen thousands 
of prisoners now & with
few exceptions they looked
pleased to be done with
the fighting "for the duration",

while some who
speak 'English" state their
pleasures in being finished
with the strafing.
We have been back for
a week since I wrote
you last (in billets) &
have had a very soft
comfortable bed, but

3
could not woo sleep & the
hot stuffy place (with no
ventilation) gave me the
'flue' - This is the first
heavy cold since last
Dec on Gallipoli at
the snow time which
reminds me that we
had a fall of snow here
too - Guns it was cold!
However we'll try and
stick it & come thro!
I dont think I'll leave
the boys & go to England
until I see Xmas thro
with them & then I can
take 3 weeks with an
easy conscience and
enjoy things better.
Altho' the weather will
not be too good. PR 89/150(3)

4
I have had a very busy
time with the Canteen
here as has Grindley
He is well.
The days are very short
now, the cold severe
the wet trying & the
mud a perfect night-mare.

The nights are
long and dark - and it is
not possible to do any
thing in the way of meetings
as no building is
available.
I have just sent a little
more cash to London toward
the making up of that £100
I long to get to buy a
£100 Treasury Bill @ 6%
as stated to you before.
I want another £20 yet.

5/12/16
My Precious Darling
I have just arrived
in London after a 
most trying & vexatious
journey by train
& boat. I took the
best of 4 days to
get here & it should
only have taken 30
hours at most.
However, its all well!

I am safely housed
have a comfortable
room for a day
or two & have a 
2                                                      
Mighty lot of 'Bis" to
attend to. Having a
set of Band Instruments
music to buy money
& cables to despatch
for others, important
visits to make to
titled Gentry as also
to hospitals to see
the wounded.
Going to Scotland
& other things. There
I speak before Royalty
to say - the Princess-
"Duchess of Argyle"
see War Cry. Also
another spiritual
Day at Clapton

When I'll make 
my "bow" once more.
I will see F.A.McKenzie
the writer & Sir
Thos McKenzie the 
Politician & a few
other pots I only
wish I had a 
month around the
old land.
I'll write at length 
to catch next mail
but as this closes 
today I wanted 
just to send you
a few lines of
greeting Hoping
this finds you all in
the pink, bright, breezy
& busy. I saw Henry
for a wee while last
night & I will meet
him again this morning.
He is well. Grindley is
splendid & doing OK.
Orames is tip top.
I must close with
fondest love 
warmest greeting
Hugs and kisses for all

I am sending Mavis
a little bag for her
crotchet work & you
two mats bought at
The S.G. sale at Congress
Hall Corps. Heaven
bless you  adieu
Father   PR84/60(8)

6/12/16
My Darling Mavis
How are you

my little Peach?

I hope quite well

& very happy.
Major Henry gave
me your loving
messages. Thanks 
so much, it was
lovely.
I am sure you
are cheering up
Mother and I
guess having a
lovely holiday.
God bless my
darling. love
hugs and kisses to
all.
Yours Dear Daddie

W McKenzie

France
23/12/16
My Own Precious Darling
I have only returned from England
I never got away from London. I had
a job to buy the Instruments for my 
band - The S.A. disapptd me & I had to
get them from Stawkes and Co, still I make
a remarkably good bargain & got 25%
discount, saving just on £60 for the
regiment. They are lovely Instruments
I was three nights & two days on the trains
in France before I got over to England.
I arrived there on Sunday aftn &
had a lot of Buisness Commissions to
do for folks. I have a great name for
Buisness over here. The staff officers
reckon I could make a mint of Cash
in Bis. I have already cleared £85
in discount by my Canteen Sales
I spent a day in visiting Harefield
Hospital where 1000 wounded Austns

are & another Aftn in visiting officers
wounded at Wandsworth Hospital.
I visited Greene's twice (he was in
bed sick) & stayed one night at

Carpenter's - she is poorly & he looks
washed out, with long hours -
The children are pretty fair. Greene's
live in a house & are fairly comfortable
He has a big job on N.Z. Military
H'Qrts London tho' it is not much
of a Chaplain's job, still he is O.K.
there I had a long & pleasant chat
with his General & chief of staff there
I went with Henry to Brighton to visit
Harold Begbie, had tea with him, wife
& family & 2 hours chat. He'll be
glorifying your Hubby soon in
the "Chronicle" I had an evening
at Unsworth's another evening
(Henry Greene & I) with Col & Mrs
Hoggard's who live in Clapton on
furlo'- we stayed to 11 P.M. It was
a rare time- then Henry & I had
another night with Col & Mrs Hammond
& a great Xmas. dinner here. I ran
into an Iron pillar on the corner of
the darkened street 6 p.m. split my
nose & top lip & hurt my teeth, bleeding
like a pig for sometime.

4
I had an interview with the
General (S.A.) & Comm^r Howard
both of whom made very kind enquiry
for you. They wanted to know if I
could not have you over here. I
most emphatically said "No" they would
like to keep me over here, but I
Detest things Army here & I would
have a rocky, unsatisfying time
I had an hour with Comm^r Higgins
he is a fine man & a goer, then I
saw lots of others. Mrs Booth wanted
me to go with her for the Sunday, but
I declined as I went to Harefield.
I spoke at the opening of a Hostel in
the strand & had tea with 'Royalty'
& called on the King who gave me
a Cross to play with. He shook me
twice by the hand- he said "I have
heard of, and know all about your
great work for the men I am proud of you
& congratulate you & hope your
health will continue good until you
see this war thro'" This is "well
done" from the King !

5
I also was present at the Welcome
Home to the chief & Com^dr Lamb-
Tea & meeting- I spoke & Henry reckoned
I struck 11¾ - i made ∨ even the General
laugh some at a story I told. I got
a mighty ovation from the staff
Henry will be in France soon, but I
wont see him. I saw Orames today, he
is doing well & looking awfully well
Indeed, getting much heavier. He goes
then to London within 10 Days, Grindley
is all right he is running my Canteen
store. Tho' at present he has nothing
to do while we are in the Trenches
he is back 6 miles resting. I am
allright, feeling very well, tho' I
have a trench Cough a trench foot
& a trench smell. Dirty, dowdy &
dour tho' cheerful as a well fed
louse, & happy as Blithering Barney.
I got your two letters on my return

here as also Mavis' & Colin's
Let Colin have the books he needs &
let him pursue his studies thoroughly
I will write by next mail to the