Mixed papers relating to the service of James William Albert Simpson - Part 11

word from you all. Best love
and kisses to little kids and
your own dear self from
Your loving husband
Jim

Lark Hill Camp
Salisbury
29.7.16.
My dear old Gra,
Another week to the number and
we are working like niggers. All the organisation
is getting on the move and General Monash
arrived here on Tuesday. General Godley is to
be our Army Corps Commander so we
shall be amongst old friends. I had a
long yarn with Monash on Thursday, and
as luck would have it I had charge of
the Battalion. At present I am in
command of the 33^rd, just temporarily. I
had them out on a route march last
night and it is a treat to see them work -
they are the best lot of men we have
seen together. I meet someone I know
every day and one would almost think
he was in Australia. Today and yesterday
I have seen Colonel Mansbridge and Capt
Jackson W. Australia, - also a number of my
old men who are in the different battalions.
In reading through your long and cheering
letters I can see what a comfort dear
 

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little Did is to you all - it would do my heart
good to have the little chap here. He will
have a lot of souvenirs of this great war
handed down to him. I shall have a grand
album of views for you later on. You have
not mentioned any letters arriving yet
from West Australia nor the souvenir
spoons I sent you but hope that will come
later. The little charm you gave me is
attached to my identity disc so I shall
always have that on. You speak about my
diary Gay. Well the one this time will be
less interesting for I have not kept it
so fully - there simply is no time. Talking
as much of dear little Did and his funny
ways reminds me of another story I heard.
A little kiddy was going to a party and
was told that if she were asked who
made here to be sure and say "God".
When she returned from the party her
mother said to her, "Well did they ask
you the question?" "Yes", said the kiddy,
"but I told them I had forgotten
the gentleman's name". While you
are having cold weather in Australia
we are having it very warm. So
 

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much grass makes it much warmer. This
is supposed to be a very warm summer for
England - I am burnt as brown as a
berry. I always tell Did's little jokes
to the Colonel and White and they
appreciate them very much. Sanks Scott
is camped just opposite here - he called
to see me yesterday but I was not
home. On Saturday we had our
usual parades, but in the evening I
drove into Salisbury and got a car
for a trip on Sunday afternoon. I drove the
car myself - we have had it painted
up and it looks tip-top. On Sunday
morning we had a Divisional Church of
England parade. There were 7000
on parade. I had charge of the
33^rd Battalion and I met quite a crowd
of my old friends and I'll bet you hear
indirectly of my being there. I drove one
of the Sisters from the station on
Saturday afternoon - the first female
I had talked to since my arrival in
England - and Pearce told me about it
at mess that the lads of C Coy had
told him I was in Amesbury with
 

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one of the Nurses. I had my name in the
British Australasian as having returned to
duty and was at present at Salisbury Camp.
This brought me two letters today from Nurses

at London Hospital - two Sisters I hardly ever

spoke to - one in fact. I do not remember.
They were enquiring after members  of other
Battalions. Yesterday afternoon Lieut
Armstrong and I drove to Salisbury then
through the New Forest to Lyndhurst. We
saw the stone erected where King Rufus was
shot. I have a little China ornament of the

stone with all the inscriptions on. I shall
send it to you later. The New Forest is
most beautiful - we got some splendid

snapshots for the album and hope they
come out well. One ruin we called at was
where Charles Dickens used to stop and
used to write his works. I have a post card
of that also and shall forward it to you

with other cards of our trip. We visited
the famous church at Lyndhurst and
saw the beautiful painting of The wise
and Unwise Virgins by Leighton. It is

a most beautiful piece of work and

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all the works are magnificent. Our  men have

been warned that when they are digging

trenches to be very careful to look for

relics. Some very valuable Roman

ruins have been unearthed around here

and with Stonehenge and Old Sarum

so close, there are quite interesting parts

in history brought back to one. This

afternoon I received two lovely long letters

from you dated 30.5.16 also 2.6.16 One

contained the account of dear old Did's birthday.

I'll bet he had a jubilee. I have not

had a letter from Sir yet but suppose

he is too busy. The letter from Mrs Hooper

I was glad to receive as I wanted to find out

her address. The Lieut McIntyre she mentioned

I met last Sunday - he is here with the 

New Zealand Mounted Infantry. This letter is

rather scrappy dear but there have been

no end of interruptions. My room is like a

brothel after a rough night. Books papers

and maps adorn all the table - I can

hardly find a place to put my pad to 

write. It wants your busy little fingers

to clean it up. I was glad you received

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the £15 for my Adjutants' pay - I could do with

it here now. I had to get a complete uniform

and various accessories since I arrived, and

all my little presents took a good deal of my

cash. I have not been to London yet and

have no hankering to make the trip - the 

beautiful country about here will do me. I

could get some splendid trout fishing if we

had time but no luck. One can see the

trout in all the streams as we are on the

march - they look most tempting. Well Gra

I hear "lights out" blowing and feel a bit

tired tonight. I hope to get the Australian

papers tomorrow and shall eagerly look

forward to more letters in a few days as

this mail has been delayed. Kindest regards

to Sir and all at the school. Best love

and kisses to dear little Diddy and

your own dear self from

your loving husband

Jim

Tell Did his Daddy is a Major - some

"schwank" in this country where Majors

are much older. Military Crosses are

as cheap as tabby cats in the British

Regiment here.---

Lark Hill Camp

Salisbury

5.8.16

Saturday Afternoon.

My dear old Gra

I am Brigade Field Officer

today and off parade buzzing about all the

Brigade - it is a thankless job and robbed me of

my few hours Saturday leave. Major White and

I were going to Salisbury for the evening but that

is off. Our band is practising some new

music included in it are all Gilbert and

Sullivan operas - at present it is, "Oh Captain

Shaw”  also "Oh foolish boy” We have had a

very strenuous week's work, and were told in

all probability we should be in France at the

end of the month. The Colonel came back on

duty last Monday - he walks with a bit of a

limp but otherwise he is all right. Major

Massie was thrown from his horse this morning

and is now in hospital - we do not know

what is wrong yet - he fell heavily on his head

and received a slight scalp wound. We have

quite a number of officers away, also a number

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of N. G. G's. Whilst I was writing this two of the

Sisters who were on the Marathon came to see me -

they have gone back now. They are the only females

we have had any conversation with since we

landed in England. Whilst I write quite a

number of politicians and the Australian staff

are down in our Mess. I cannot be bothered

going down as it means too much "dawg." This 

afternoon I also received a big budget of papers and

I passed them on to the Colonel. There is very little

time for writing or reading these days and I

passed the Life magazines without opening them. Dear

little Did would have a good time here playing

about, also watching the aeroplanes. One is just

hovering about over the hut - some nights we can

count seven or eight floating about. The Zepps

have started their little tricks again but none

of them come this way so far. There have been

very heavy Australian casualties in France and

our troops have been warned to be ready in a 

month. I am quite ready to get in once again

and have a go. Some of our fellows are still

going strong who came over with the first lot.

Colonel General Ryrie was here tonight with

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two little gold bars on his arm denoting the

number of wounds. I can remember quite well the

morning he came on to Gallipoli. I have a

beautiful horse Gra but it has been rearing

badly this week - it wants more work. I received

two letters from you this week but both of them

should have reached me before the others. I had

my name in the British Australasian as having

returned to duty - the next day I got two letters

from Mrs Sisters who had nursed me in hospital.

Your letters tell me of dear little Did's birthday

and his little presents. I don't see much chance of

my being home for the next one unless it is as

a wounded "'ero" -- this war is going on for some

time, and worse luck "Home Sweet Home" is far

away. I am fairly keen on the training and the

days slip past rather quickly but it gets

dashed monotonous talking soldiers, duties and

war. You say Did is good looking Gra - he must

take that from his father. If Mother is good-looking 

or not, it would do me dear to have you in

this little hut tonight. It is just as well I

do not let myself think - for one would grow

sadder each day. I long for the time when I