Lieutenant Colonel William McKenzie, MC, OBE - letters - 1917 - Part 7

3

It is unsafe to predict any

end as things are. Certainly

it will end sometime but

how & when is a mystery

in The lap of The Gods.

It is a mystery beyond the

solving. It might easily go

on for 2 more years as

Americans think it will.

If floods come every time as

they have done this year

then we cannot simply

cannot take guns forward

after an advance, so what

can we do in a bog? The 

present fighting front in

Flanders (where we are)

is just a pure waterlogged

Bog, the Guns sink up to

the axle & the horses cant

move them. This has saved

the Germans on these five

occasions & murdered

thousands of our chaps.

Im beginning to wonder if

there really is a God

after all who loves Justice.

 

4

I was glad to hear about

the Children's doing and

particularly about Mavis

& her Concerts. I can

imagine she throws her

whole being into these' Goes'

and I guess she does her

part very well too, Ma!

Wont I be mighty glad to

see you all once more,

& settle down at home

& frequently think what a

wonderful difference you

will see in me & I will

especially see in you

& more so the Children.

In any case I hope to be

home in April at latest

if only for a couple of

months, as Im simply

thirsting to see you all

& have converse and

fellowship with you.

 

7

You are wrong, in thinking

that the people in England

are starving or very short

There is ample of good wholesome

food. Sugar is short

But that's the chief thing. If

they manage well. You see

the workers are getting

such high wages that they

gormandise continually &

have raised their pre war

standards tremendously.

Imagine men getting 20p to 30p

a day. They spend & the

English workman is a

pain glutton under such

conditions. It is to them

the chief warning is given.

Of course things are very

much dearer but they all

manage very well somehow.

The Drunkenness & whoredoms

of Great Britain are appalling

One is being perpetually

accosted by women & girls

in London even in broad

daylight. The woman & girls

 

 

8

in all Circles have simply

let themselves go. Hundreds

of women (married) whose

husbands are at the front

meet the leave trains and

invite the Aust N.Z. &

Canadian & Sth African

troops who may be landing

in London on leave to

come home with them &

they'll give them lodgings

etc. These women know

the troops that have money

The whole country is

rotten & this is the

greatest menace that

our troops have to face

as so many women have

V.D. & affect multitudes

of our men with it.

Im digusted beyond

expression with England

& Englishmen.

 

 

9

I am at present out of the

trenches & billeted at a

small wayside pub where

I have now been 3 wks

all is well with me &

I am fairly well looked after.

I may say I am not at

present working hard &

so Im getting fat again.

I feel very fit & ready

for anything. We will be

going into the Trenches

again at an early date.

We have had 18 weeks

out of them & this is

marvellous indeed. I saw

Chas Walls for a few

hours the other day. He came

out to see me here & I

went in next day & had

a jolly good dinner at his

expense at a Cafe - 6/- worth

& I was at another Banquet

the same night where we

had a bit of "all night"

free meal & the going

was good. So far having a time.

 

10

I see Chaplain Miles on tues

at another 'Chiroo' in a town.

4 miles from where I am.

I saw Geo Glover last tuesday

he was well. He has gone

to London for 10 days & he is

very excited over it. I guess

he'll have a real good time.

He is awfully anxious to get

back home again. Grindlay will

be returning to Aust very soon.

At least he expects so - He may

later pay you some money I

have loaned him. Say nothing if

he does not- £12 is the sum -

Perhaps a bit more - Anyhow, it

can wait. I must now stop

Hoping this finds you all in the

best of form. Body, soul and

Spirit. May God richly bless

you all & have you in his

Keeping always. I told you

Ken was in my hand. He is a

dirty trollop & I have to be

at his frequently to try & Keep

clean. He does me little credit

Father.

 

 

France 10/10/17

My Darling Wife

I am glad to

take this opportunity of scribbling

you a few lines to inform you

of my continued welfare.

Indeed I am better now

than I have been for a 

Year. I'm in great form &

putting on weight in great

style and very fit for work.

You will Know that I am

quitting this job in favour

of Bob Henry who relieves

me on the 17th of this month 

week's time from now.

I expect to go to Paris for

4 days or so & then go off

to London having 10 or 12

days leave in the old land

& then catching the first boat,

for Aust. I may get home

for Xmas tho' I doubt it

unless I get a mail steamer.

My, the prospects are exciting

tho' I assure you it hurts

to come away from the boys

ere the job is done.

I got your letter of Aug 13th

this aftn. So you see it takes

 

2

8 weeks to get a mail here

from Aust. & it will take 7

for me to come home from London.

I am glad to know that your

fair was such a success.

This is very cheering and speaks

well for you organising ability

& working capacity, as well

as the people's generosity. I am

more than pleased to hear the

good news. I will try and

like write a line to Mrs Saunders.

Glad to know that Lonnie's

had such a fine Sunday &

14 souls at night, with Colin

as the leader. I guess he'll

be all right & come out very

well. He'll be in great form

when I get home & somewhat

excited as no doubt all will

be, including yourself.

I had a very interesting time up

in the front line in the attack

last week. I got pelted with flying

clods 5 times, but no shell.

fragment hit me. A Chaplain

got killed who tried to go up. A

Methodist named Hunter, from

N.S.W. In Orames Division

the 5th ).

 

3

The Austns did wonderfully

work, tho' of course we had

a good number of casualties.

We have lost some fine fellows.

Grindlay has been returned

to Aust. He should get home

by the end of November.

I hope you are keeping real

well, as also all the children

no doubt the weather will be

warming up again & be real

hot by the time I get home.

It is terrible cold here now

& lots of rain & mud again.

I have got real lousy once

more but I'll get rid of

them within ten days or so.

All goes well with me here

I have had some good meetings

etc as per usual.

I conclude with fondest

love lots of hugs & kisses

to all. Hoping to see you

within 3 months.

May God graciously bless you.

Yours as ever

oxoxox Father