Lieutenant Colonel William McKenzie, MC, OBE - letters - 1917 - Part 2

Conflict:
First World War, 1914–18
Subject:
  • Documents and letters
Status:
Open for review
Accession number:
AWM2019.22.6
Difficulty:

Page 1 / 10

TESARN Eatra o Coau 2 Are ensumu von comon anren hav lie very have tres to help you at a know in the watter & Don Caekien sughsrions evenere aree sowen y tilld him & thus enconaget a his laziness to leave hone hall ss will co no then ber, wvenf he has & wedat I thus fon come ag decised for your sate ciefly isoner goo that must wo - So Please f youheve espect left folme, see ar than he weares hone and exusts. Dont try to hold him another day how you know en sefatelyon mint thaatter s wenewhen her intolam you & the other tee we befor better without him o you mush theratore be with +
not another wtrhis hehald. He has b the Lrenar teavenors H is the bandast frost posis coneedwith 1295) the mondis snow all water is frozen over he cold is interre & the expen ndeta most tuy wri race & guit to rspat it. its angetting frosbbitz + man will lose both feet- Anns sint idea of who otlowe or eare nowetetng gemaum wan well aie da the denahes chieply dozen have feen mnchel Tomnia st I am dom n to death or n nowas I write thiontave had a change, of clothing for sweks, now addiy trom of for nearly a fortnight. andit will be sheeto dore e we sethack the bignas pse sight icallarou hn & shell d til guteap
Hantsarrn O Conto & Metown eavanon veur aemore wrycue linet &Just benin &th by m Carteen fir Cayis at present ewve Ginewait yis gure appyn o 2720t Soatz &6e0 Feants & taday 2200 lts, so it ller s doing gundlay laaves here cach f s walks of mls evenine at ll town pads futthis anye Canreen have a waker eagh wandine gets w were about 9 A.M. ea tets out here about 1 at Sn we start to sell about esold out b 8 prmndle Halsoldin has an assistant sene. the ontervision of the Bandand ner to Iave on hadds Bovd. very fall still I am ver feel 4 well acain, after a rather sens bout of sickness. In which I t days till pethibade ged to keep Io h
bes neal wot naband Unfortunately oles ea Boale & e memory has failad ta babl and I are coasidanably oraken a but I gress I'll it over it wae dae on pass out to it had a letter from Si yesterda He is evidently soing well Wallart Ienclose this for your peroal. Thope this finds you all in very god onder and having guted oot time in ever way to doubt the head plasure Dthing waves aboced over te iectsof ogain the mination of the way sea voy, the andria cannot to bayo 2 spay for last of bood tes wel aeg things some bfore then 2 Imit conclode with for ee love bugs + risses f Peraying god to riakly beless, help guide fteef you always Yours is Evan Tathe
MSaivanon SrM Mn Pend 2 sa suann seur aomre. a 4/2/197 Precions Douling by Jot alive sceosine as the Andin it an that Ea kappy to feeling very much better to- night I have had two very Do bonts of aickngss this callicel sastwent moable afain Yasterday I was very poorly waled + really would have head glad to finish up I wasnetaking so thad Diowas with indgestion a treas a heas fitty burst- I cant at, shp v handly cnawl about + my throal also. Hhowever, this ser n I I feel ever cowich wvev not Ione much better hav today- The Cunksan is hodnen 0 oyestenday- the bys us pationiss oldma e flost in knoe
MMIRN Mr Hen sun seur wmre 2 surerca I write this a beupi Bomb antight went is wn proguess. alone side eight 9-2i guns & ey e blasing away so they shall the place tenfieth but I set & write he canly as if Ias the room at home. Use is ws chare- a hard is now in progres. cervay forwhisnedathe se submgue was.I Give awerica lates this lyig down then shers jast maying for thasnt scrap of honour, not are onnce plat.Toe will he somti as now. It is confidents aidthat s Austnea + trea humany cannot beyord fre. & that the was must. firish then- which I hope it does the very warwaary rneed a shall thop this finds you in the best of & clacyin spiet of health taciously help you att sagod you e furd hosidens ot we
are reeded strength come off mone than conquenor danlonging with indense yearing not to see you over again & get by the cosyingle noon I wnot close with foudest love to you all Heaven richly bless & help you lodes in futhful afpation Dator) Oenage
MSMMAM en2 s sevanr vew aomre rc ce 1682/192 by becaustacli that gond yor ofay feelin welfore. e O.R hear ree 42 tl is goddto feel so o makes wknd a peasure. We coldo fuosy weather is trying wit the wain& aggd ina sunstire Anydo, tthope it want be is i io we apeneree t the miech tough firth a be pare evewe get than I am fearfully may, inde naret aage to so admy eassan wee e Ban sade Canteen o allis aime sell ICC havedenb seekene with concen suv 3
TSARM M Geat 2 sem SAYARN ARHN NMTE er caa Sen he patabis Thelp Cas tat then to there tee & hald the floor to wit semooal itn o was thot I &wile awa was when is happined neas d a seare nadbeen have got I want ad tte Iananions o Cawago enjore oliday and yn all thes happened meanwhile sontponget to sand your tefor measane & Sleyou t you new bonrett I hed trappigs safen tnopeall & the children mendlay has gove away to hospital Brot I dont know what is his con nor wherehe has landed plain Iwise hs drance is Ok & daing well be ings & Riscer to all 11 o le tenst ar
ps L00 downt was ad clothes S.d is 180ys of, Jier since I had then of have a hes shorge only bath Two more of my Conas have been killed here two more badl wounded one had his ann blowaway anothen has left a wife + to childred as Tife scotlen ag first comin Several of have also sonb at the wai. I must close with much loves & best of wishe encaly bless & help Sa 6 you Yours in faithfulaffects Gather

THE SALVATION ARMY

Headquarters:  69 Bourke St., Melbourne

SALVATION ARMY INSTITUTE

3

things every day I live here

& have tried to help you all

& know in the matter of Don

everyone of which suggestions

you have turned down & so you

shield him & thus encourage him

in his laziness.  To leave home

will save him & he'll be saved

no other way, even if he has to

come to want & thus long

ago decided for your sake

chiefly & his own good that he

must go - so please if you have

any respect left for me, see

that he leaves home and

enlists. Dont try to hold him

another day. Now you know

my mind very definitely on 

the matter. Thus just let me

know when he gets into Camp.

Both you & the other three we'll

be far better without him & you

must therefore be without him.

 

4

so not another wail on his

behalf.  He has got to go.

We are now in the trenches

& it is the hardest frost for years

(1895) The ground is covered with

snow, all water is frozen over.

The cold is intense & the experience 

is most trying - Indeed it takes

much grace & grit to keep at it.

Lots are getting frost bite & many

will lose both feet - Austns

at home have faint idea of what

we are now enduring- We can't

get warm, many will die.  Indeed

dozen in the trenches chiefly

English Tommies, have been frozen

to death overnight. I am shivering

now as I write this. Have not

had a change of clothing for

5 weeks, nor had my trousers

off for nearly a fortnight.
and it will be 3 weeks more

ere we get back - The big guns &

gruesome sights are all around

here, & shells are killing quite a few.

 

THE SALVATION ARMY.
Headquarters:  69 Bourke St. Melbourne
SALVATION ARMY INSTITUTE.
MILITARY CAMP at

5

I am just behind the line, running

a canteen. Grindley is doing very

fine work at present he is very

busy & is quite happy - on Satdy

& took 2600 Franks Monday 2750 Fks

& today 2200 Fks, so it takes some

doing - Grindley leaves here each

evening at 7p.m. walks 7 miles

into a town, where a big General

Canteen is buys the goods first then

each morning I have a waggon

gets in there about 9A.M. loads

up & gets out here about 7.30p.m.

We start to sell about 2Pm &

are sold out by 6pm.  Findlay

has an assistant here. I also have

the supervision of the Band and

Bandsmen, so I have my hands

very full. Still I am now feeling

well again, after a rather severe

bout of sickness, in which I suffered

pretty badly for 10 days, still

I managed to keep going.  I hope

 

6

to be real well now onwards.

Unfortunately I sleep very poorly &

my memory has failed very badly.

And I am considerably shaken up

but I guess I'll get over it some

day or pass out to it.

I had a letter from [[Spiro?]] yesterday

He is evidently doing well at Wallaroos

I enclose this for you perusal.

I hope this finds you all in very

good order and having quite a good

time in every way.  No doubt the heat

waves have passed over & things pleasant

again.  The prospects of a early termination
of the war are non too

rosy, tho' Austria cannot go beyond

May for lack of food, there we'll be

big things doing before then.

I must conclude with fondest

love, hugs & kisses for all.

Praying God to richly bless, help

guide & keep you always.

Yours as Ever

Father

 

THE SALVATION ARMY
Headquarters:  69 Bourke St. Melbourne
SALVATION ARMY INSTITUTE.
MILITARY CAMP at France

4/2/1917

My Precious Darling

Just a line

as the Austn mail is closing

I am happy to say that I am

feeling very much better tonight
 - I have had, two very

bad bouts of sickness this

past month - my old Gallipoli

trouble again - yesterday I was

very poorly indeed & really would

have been glad to finish up - I

was retching so & had Di-orea xx

bad, with indigestion at meal a head

fit to burst - I can't eat, sleep &

hardly crawl about & my throat

was very sore also.  However, this

evening I feel ever so much

better & have not done much

today - the Canteen is booming

3750 FKs yesterday - the boys say

"let us patronise old Mac's Canteen"

& so they flock in hundreds.

 

 

2

as I write this a terrific Bombard-

ment is in progress.  I am right

along side eight 9-2 in Guns &

they are blazing away 11.30pm

they shake the places terrifically, but

I sit & write as calmly as if I was

in the room at home, this is 2nd

nature - A raid is now in progress.

Germany you will see has issued another

proc. & gone submarine mad, If

Americas takes this lying down, then

she is past praying for & haven't

a scrap of honour, nor are ounce

of pluck. There will be something

doing now. It is confidently said that

Austria & Germany cannot go

beyond June & that the war must

finish then. Which I hope it does.

I'm very war weary & need a spell.

I hope this finds you in the best of

of health & cheery in spirit.

May God Graciously help you in all

your burdens & give you the

 

3

needed strength & graces to

come off, more than conqueror

I am losing with intense yearning

just to see you, once again,

& get by the cosy' inglenook'

I must close with fondest 

love to you all,

Heaven richly bless & help you

Yours in faithful affection

(Father)  CWMcKenzie

 

 

 

France

16/2/1917

My Precious Darling

Just a line

to assure you of my contd

welfare - I am O.K. feeling

free fresh & very fit, Its

is good to feel so & makes

work a please.  the cold &

frosty weather is trying & makes

one sighs for the warm genial

rays of the Austrn Sunshine.

Anyhow I hope it wont be so

very long until we experience

it.  Tho much tough fighting  has

to be done ere we 'get there"

I am fearfully busy, indeed

cannot manage to do all my

necessary writing.

Canteen going strong.  Band

going splendidly, so all is

well. I'll have a very busy

weekend with  concert Satdy

night & 3 meetings Sunday

 

 

2

the Germans put a big shell

thro my Canteen that blew the

sides & half the floor to bits

but no one was seriously

hurt.  I was 2 miles away

when it happened. Guess I'll

have got a scare had I been

inside, but then I wasn't.

I am anxious to learn how you

enjoyed your holiday and

all that happened meanwhile

Dont forget to send your uniforms

measures. I hope you got given

new bonnet & red trappings

safely. I hope all is well with

you & the children.

Grindlay has Jones away to hospital

sick, I dont know what is his complaint
nor where he has landed.

I miss himsorely. Orames is

O.K. & doing well. Love hugs &

kisses to all. It is now

11.15p.m. I am nearly [perishing?]

 

 

so I stop & pull off my

boots & lay down to with

all clothes on. It is 18 days

since I had them off, & then

only to have a hot sponge

bath.

Two more of my cousins

have been killed here &

two more badly wounded.

One had his arms blown away

another has left a wife &

4 children at Fife Scotland.

Several of my first cousins

have also sons at the war.

I must close with much

love & best of wishes.

May God richly bless & help

you.

I am

Your in faithful affection

Father

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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