Mixed papers relating to the service of James William Albert Simpson - Part 14

 

RIFLE BATTALION

xxx 36^th BATTALION

AUSTRALIAN IMPERIAL FORCE.

Lark Hill

4.11.16

Saturday Night

My dear little Gay,

I have just returned from a Concert

in the Dining Room of the men and while Pearce is making

some toast and a cup of tea. I am going to commence your

weekly letter - it was raining when I wrote to you last and

it is still raining. One gets wet through on an average

twice a day. These wet dreary nights one wishes to be

back in dear Home Sweet Home for once and all. The

party who gave the Concert tonight was a crowd of

Pierrots from Salisbury - I along with a number of the

officers was in the front seats. One girl sang a song

and she leant right over and singled me out as

her mark - The whole three verses were directed at

me, and the men simply howled with delight. After the

first verse I began to get used to it and whilst she

was making an imploring appeal to me "to kiss her

or I'd miss her"- I suddenly changed places with Major

Blacklow and that was the signal for another outburst.

Young Norman Creswick was there so I suppose some

of it will go home to Albury. The men thought it

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was the greatest joke perpetrated. I had a couple of the

gags to tell you but they have slipped my memory. However

the whole show was quite a good one and it is just

what the men want to fill in an occasional night.

Pearce was there and was greatly excited about the 

incident - he said he would write and tell you. Well

{{?Gra]] this is to be your Xmas letter and I hardly

can realise that another year has nearly gone. We

shall spend Xmas in France as we are off in a few

days - somewhere but I hope to goodness it is not

Salonika. I would love little girl to have you here for these

last few days before I go out.

Thursday 9.11.16. My dear old Gay there has been a good spell

since I left off on Saturday night - hurriedly it was because there

was a call for me at Brigade. I have been very, very busy

this week working early and late. If you were here now dear

I should hardly have time to see you. I am just cribbing

this bit of time to write a few lines to you as I know

Friday, Saturday and Sunday will be well taken up. I have

had three invitations out this week and have only 

been able to accept one. First an invitation to dinner

at the 33^rd Mess - (refused). tonight at the 34^th Mess

(accepted) Friday night at the 9^th Divisional Train

(refused.) All the units are having their final dinners

in Camp before we move off. I shall be rather glad

for the men's sake when we get a shift.

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33^RD BATTALION

AUSTRALIAN IMPERIAL FORCE.

 

Well Gra back to a little of last week's news. On Friday

night last I gave my consent to the officers having a

guest night at our Mess. Major Lloyd's wife was there

Major Vaughan's wife - Cooke-Russell's two nieces and

I asked Miss Thornburrow out to sing for them. She

just took the room by storm - she sings most

beautifully and both the songs she sang, were new and

pretty. I sent one of them to you "Is it nothing to you that

I am lonely!". Also "The long, long trail. The 

evening was most enjoyable and although I could not be

present all the time I kept on dodging in and out. It

was most free and easy - plenty of chorus singing, etc. I

asked Major White down also a couple of English

officers. Major White said he wished the 33^rd Mess were

like it & he also said it took him right out of himself-

he knew Miss Thornburrow so it was alright for him.

I do sometimes wish you were closer to join me in

some of the happy times I have had in England. You

can just imagine me at the head of the table on such

an occasion as Friday, with you Gra sitting on my

left. I can tell you I felt very proud of the officers

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and am more so proud of the men. The day I march this

Battalion into the firing line in France will be the

happiest day of my life - except the day I bring it

home to Australia. Sunday was a terrible day and I

spent most of the day dealing with promotions. A battalion

going into action now carries 14 extra officers so my

personnell is 44 officers 54 horses & waggons and

999 men. I wonder Gra whether I shall be capable

of handling 40 or 50 boys after this show - it will seem

a trivial job, won't it. I shall introduce a military

system into the school - it ought to work well. I shall

have to love and leave you Gra for a while - just you sit on

the chair in my hut and wait for me.

Later:- Before going out to dine I am going to try and finish off

this letter. On Monday I received your ever welcome letters also a

paper today - I also received a letter from Edgar and a

couple from Vera. Sometimes home letters make me sad, at

other times it makes one feel we are not far apart. When

I first came over here Sister Winter used to write regularly

but she has dropped it of late - it used to be a sandwich

in between your letters. I have just had your photograph and

dear little bids out and have been having a look at it.

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33^RD BATTALION

AUSTRALIAN IMPERIAL FORCE.

The Thornburrows think little bid is a lovely kid. I often

see little fellows so like him in England and I wonder how

he has grown now. I am going to have my photograph taken

on Saturday if possible as a Colonel and I want you Gra

to have a really good one of yourself taken - say in evening

dress - If you send one to me don't send a large one as

I cannot keep it anywhere. I would like a really good one

though to put in my pocket, also get a post-card of little bids.

I don't suppose I shall get the next mail from you as it is

likely to be in the bottom of the sea with the Arabia which

was torpedoed yesterday. You speak of it being warm in

Albury, would that a little of that weather were here.

It rains every day and in a card I had from Edgar he

says they are up to their backs in mud and each night

it is very frosty. Food is very dear over here - meat 1/6" per

lb and eggs 4½ each - I hardly know how people live - it

would not do to have a boarding school here. 4/6 is an

ordinary dinner at any pub. I am so glad you have the

electric light and the radiator. I know what a great

boon it is to me here. When I am in my room working I

have the stove going all day and night. I wish you could

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see my little crib it is very comfortable - it has only been

graced by a female once. I am very thankful that you

and dear little bid keep such good health. I ought to

be thankful myself for I never felt better - and I am as

fit as a fiddle - three of my officers are down today

with influenza. I got a letter from Bob last mail - I

thought it was about time he wrote to me - I answered

the letter a few days ago. Thank him from me for the 10/-

I believe your three cases are in France awaiting the

arrival of the 33^rd. If such is the case there is not much

chance of my seeing them for once we go to France the

Brigade will probably be scattered to the four winds of

the earth. I told the men of A Coy you had sent the

goods so they will receive them alright. We have just

unpacked 16 Cases for the 36^th Battalion and they were

most acceptable - there are also 27 Cases waiting for us

in France. I am so glad you are sending something

to Major White's kiddies, they have been awfully good

to me right through the show and now I suppose I shall

lose touch with them altogether. Pearce of course is still

with me. Pte J Pearce Care Lt. Col J Simpson 36^th Battn

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33^RD BATTALION

AUSTRALIAN IMPERIAL FORCE.

 

etc is sure to find him. I have another groom too named

Myers - he looks after my horses. I shall send his photo

in this letter. Many, many thanks Gra for your Birthday

wishes. I wish you could have been with me. We have

spent now the third birthday away from each other - let

us hope it will be the last. It was a great shock to me

to know the car had been burnt - tell Lex I am very sorry

indeed as I am sure it was a pleasure to him to have the

car. The bit about General McNicol in France is all piffle

I saw him this morning and see him practically every day.

I have been having the wafers for afternoon tea when we are

not away from Camp - they have lasted for over a week.

It is grand to know you write to Upton - he will appreciate

your parcels very much. Young Edgar when he wrote to me

said he would not be in the infantry for a thing or two.

I suppose he thinks I shall be wanting to get him with me.

I am going to the Camp Rory is likely to be in on Sunday to

get 75 Reinforcements for this Battalion. I shall have a

look out for him and I may be able to get him over with

me if he wishes to come. Young Norman Creswick paraded

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to me last night for weekend leave but I sent him

away with a flea in his ear, by not granting any. I shall

have to leave this again Gra until after the Commanding

Officers Conference as I want to put in a little more news

of the week. Good night dear old Gra - I wish it were

real.

Tuesday November 14^th My dear old Gay, You will say this letter has

been carried over a long period but there are no outgoing

mails until Thursday so I have given you all the news

in one letter. I could go on writing for quite a long

while but there is enough work on hand now to sink a

ship - We are on the move at the end of the week Gay and

we are going straight into the line near Armentiers. Our

Advance parties go on Friday and we move today week.

You can guess how busy I am. I shall cable to you

on Friday so that you will get the cable almost the

day we are moving. Dr Shellshear has been sent to our

Division in charge of some Artillery - he came yesterday

but I have not seen him yet. Mr Duncan came

to see me on Sunday - he was pleased to see me

and I was pleased to see him again - a regular

happy meeting. Tonight I am going to have dinner

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33RD ^36^th BATTALION

AUSTRALIAN IMPERIAL FORCE.

with the 33^rd Battalion, and then I shall have to rush

away. I was working last night until 1 o'clock, the

night before until 12.30 and there will be many

late nights during the week. I had to cancel our

guest night on Friday next also a week-end

leave. Yesterday we had a Divisional march of

16 miles. The column was 15 miles long and when

the tail was leaving Camp some of the head was

returning. I was over at Godford on Sunday but

could find no trace of Rory - he will be in my

Division in General McNicols Brigade but if

we leave England shortly it is hardly likely

that I shall see him. Well Gra, I shall have

to love and leave you for this week. I shall try and

write again just before we go out and let you

know where I am going to leave my things. Best

love and kisses for dear little bid and your

own dear self from Your loving husband

Jim