Letters from Captain Walter Morris Felix Gamble to his family, 1915-1916 - Part 16

the parcels - which you

folk at home know how 

to pack so well - to

any soldier, if you

could send one to a man

of the Battery. alo and

perhaps you could scribble

a little note to put in each.

I mean by this, that

each one who sends a 

parcel, to scribble a note.

It's the personal touch that

bucks a fellow up these

days.

Of course I quite

understand, that this

might be absolutely impossible,

but the thought

struck us, and both of

us being of an impulsive

nature, we must follow
the impulse.

It is taken for granted
of course, that where
ever I mentioned you.  I
mean you, and the
dear old girl - Mona.
It doesn't take long
to write it down, but
there are fifty men in
this Battery that is
including everyone.
Well Mum! If the
job can't be done, don't
worry and think I will
be disappointed, because
I won't,  It is merely
a suggestion. - probably
a wild one, at that.
I am quite well Mum,
so is "Cockey". - tell his Mum,
in case he forgets to write.
Ever your loving Son
Wally.

France.
29 September 1916
My Dear Boys.
I am so
sorry that I cannot write
to you individually, but
my poor pen. has its limits
and I am afraid that they
are well within writing
to four brothers, telling
each a different tale.
So I have decided to
write you a four in one
letter, each mail.  I suppose
you think I won't be
able to keep it up. but
I think I will.
Next week, I leave
my little wet home in
the trenches, and to
spend eight days in

a place called London.
After that, I will only
have to see Yankee land,
and my education
will be completed.  It
will be time, - high time -
for me to come home
again, what think you
all?
I saw your grinning
face in Table Talk a
few days ago, ^Fred  I thought
it rather good, and cut
it out, having long since
torn up the one you sent
me.
I say Horace have
you learned to play
"when Johnnie comes
marching home again"
on your Flute yet?  If
not, do so at once,

as I don't think I will
be in this Hemisphere
much longer.
And you Herbert!
How are you shaping
at Cricket this year?
Are you Captain of
your team?  this year ?
and Jack!  Dear old
Jack, last, and I am
afraid least as well.
As How are things faring
with you? - Fred is coming
on at rowing, Herbert at
Football & Cricket, and
Horace shines as the
musician of the family.
There is not much left
for you Jack.  It there?
I have to get up to
straff Fritz at 5 ak, so
Good night boys.
Your big brother
Wally.

France
2^nd October 1916
My Dear old Dad & Mum.
I
am so sorry that I have
not time to write to you
both, but for the past few x
days, we have had a
pretty lively time.
Fritz, seeing that his
light artillery can't stop
us, has brought some of
his trench mortars to
light, to try to frighten
us away.
I was firing the other
-day, when I heard a
pop from his line. and
saw a "Pineapple" coming
towards us, it came from
a point in his trenches

400 yards distant, and
-as I only had short range
shells, could not touch
him.
I closed up shop, took
my very disappointed men
back to fuze up 60 long
range shells.
That afternoon w I took
three guns up to the line,
one gun fired shoud
rangers as we had
done in the morning,
while two stood to. waiting
for him to open.
He was evidently under
the impression that he
had shut us up in the
morning, for he opened
fire. - quite unsuspectingly -
By the time we had
located him, and laid

our guns, he had fired
three rounds, - we opened
fire, and put the best
part of 50 rounds into him.
& some of it in the best
possible time. - vis -
10 rounds in 5 secs. i.e two
guns firing.
He did not fire again.
until this morning.
so this time I have fuzed
100 shells, long range,
and this afternoon I will
make him feel very sorry
that he ever tried to
frighten us.
It is quite exciting
dodging Pineapples, and
then letting him have
it in the neck.  I am looking
forward for some fun
this afternoon, as I have

three of the coolest gun
commanders a chap
could wish for.  they
are the our airmen's
only rivals. and that's
saying something.
Well, ta I have no
nothing in my mind
except the little "Greek meets
Greek" stunt the afternoon,
so that is all I can
write about, I thought
it might interest you to
know what I was doing.
"I am simply feeling
grand." and am eating
like I did when you
knew me. so you have
not much to worry about.
Your loving son
Wally.

France
23^rd October 1916
My Dear old Dad & Mum
The
mail leaves in about half
an hour, and as I
only had time to send
F.S. Cards last mail
day. I must try and
make ammends.
You knew a thing or
two Mum, when you
sent along those gloves,
and socks, for. the last
two mornings, at 5.30 "ak
emma"  I have indulged
per force in a bike ride
of some 10 miles, over roads
frozen hard, which during
the day are bogs.  Up
to the present, I have not
found it colder than