Letters from Captain Walter Morris Felix Gamble to his family, 1917-1918 - Part 18

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91^st Punjabis

Rangoon

5^th Sept 1918

My Dear old Dad & Mum.

Thanks so

much for the cash Dad.

I'll pay it all back some

day. When I become a 

bit richer. I could

have done without it but

that is, if I had been one

of those thrifty kinds, who

well you know the kind I 

mean, but but fortunately 

or unfortunately I wasn't 

born one of those and 

am not likely to grow into 

one. I enjoy life greatly.

I'm not a boofen or

anything like that nor

am I an absolute T.T.

but when there are eight

or ten chaps in a room,

I can't whisper to the

chap next to me to have

a drink (some can) it's 

got to be "What are you

all drinking"? but I'm

getting away from the point,

the trouble is, I haven't

been able to settle down

and take stock. I've been

flying all over the place 

ever since I landed

here, consequently it's

been just a little too

expensive for me but

I'm beginning to find

my feet and although I 

may seem to be hitting

the pace up, I'm not

really.

You will see by the

above address that I've

changed my address

again. I'm now transferred

to the 91^st Punjabis, a

recognised kakka show

and a good stamp of

man. The Carnaties are

not in the same street. It

was a streak of good

fortune, as it means an

extra hundred Rupeis

a month, and Rangoon

is a bonyen place and 

I'm with Copplestone, a

six foot odd bit of

Australia and Cobber

of mine.

Tomorrow morning

our application for three

months leave for the 

purpose of visiting Australia

goes in, [[?]]! I hope

they give it to us. They

ought to for we are 

doing sweet nothing here

but having a good time

generally.

"Cop" and I go out for

a row most evenings. It's

goodo. When I wrote my

last letter I was fed up

to the teeth but I'm myself

again without a worry in 

the world.

How are all the boys.

Bad luck Fred not getting

into the football team, but

see what he can do in

the running line with a

bit of luck I might see him

before he buggers off to the

war, which by the way I'm

sorry to be missing just 

now. It's just wonderful.

Is there any chance of Horace

getting into next years crew,

or Heubert into Cricket team?

and what is young Jacks

special sporting line? fine

I suppose. Still there are worse.

Good-night Mum, Good night

Dad. Always you loving

Wally.

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Love to Mona, the boys, the

grannie & granddad & all

the girls, God bless them!! Wally

Rangoon

17^th Sept 1918

Dear old Dad & Mum

I think I'm getting

worse at the letter writing caper

since I last wrote to you.

I haven't written to anyone not 

that they'll lose any sleep over

it, but still.

I think I told you that I

have put in for three months

leave to Australia. My reasons

being "urgent private affairs"

and a fairly good yarn you 

have got to pitch a good

tail if you want to move

the hearts of Divisional Commanders.

I've got an even money chance

and anyway, it's always worth

giving a try.

Gee! Rangoon is a great

place about three years ago. 
I would probably have headed off

about six pages describing

the wonders of the lakes. The

Pajoda, the beautiful dainty

Burmese women, the boat 

club, the swimming baths, the, 

the, well the whole blooming 

lot but for the time being

I seem to have lost all

that kind of stuff. - perhaps

I'll find it again some day.

Most every evening I go 

down to the Boat Club and

do an hour or so in a

dinkum racing "Shell" and

as a result I'm feeling fraud.

It's longer to lean on

your oars,  pleasantly tired

and watch the sunset - a

real eastern one - with

the great Pajoda of fold

in the middle of it all and

in the fore ground, drifting

idly in comfortable little 

canoes & punts, watching the

sunset and talking sweet

nothings and Rangoons fair

women and br- , well

if you will have it, - brave

men -.

Tomorrow evening I'll

miss all this for instead

of watching the sunset and 

dreaming all kinds of foolish

things, as well as keeping my

frail boat balanced, I'm

going to be covered in mud

from head to foot and

probably knocked about a

bit. Please don't get alarmed,

I'm only going to have a 

game of Rugby and strange 

as it may seem, I'll probably

enjoy myself just as much.

A man's a funny kind of bird, 

Isn't he. I'm feeling dead

sleepy, so - Good night, I

kiss you both - and I'll finish

this  - letter? tomorrow.

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1^st October.

"Procrastination is the thief of

time". It also robs parents

of letters from their sons.

I nearly dropped when I

came across this unfinished

scrawl just now. I'm so 

sorry.

I have heard no more

about my leave but I'm

living in hopes and building

castles in the air. Somehow

I think I will get it.

Copplestone - late D.A.Q.M.G

1^st Australian Div is a beastly

subaltern in the other Regiment

here and you can take it

from me, we keep out little

end up, it's a case of keeping

our end up, because dinkum

Englishmen seem so hard to 

find, but I'm feeling fine &

thats the main thing, so, Good night.

Ever you loving son

Wally

P.S. Love to the boys are

any of them running in

the Combined Sports?

MANDALAY

Wally

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Rangoon

14.10.18

Dear old Dad & Mum.

I'm going

up for my examination in 

Hindustani the day after

tomorrow, so you can 

look forward to a letter

per mail for a while. I

think I'll pass easily enough

and as I used up most of

my spare time last month

& this swatting the stuff. It's

not very difficult once you 

get a go on

Gee! What do you think

of the war news? Not far short

of wonderful what? I hope

I get just one more hit

in before it's over. I feel

awfully out of it here.

I got up Regiment Sports

the other day and they went

off like a house on fire.

There's no doubt about

these Punjabis birds being

damn fine athletes and

dinkum sports. They go

like blue blazes and are

not beaten till the other

bird passes the post, and

then the loser claps when

the prizes are given out.

It was awfully exciting

you see we have four

different casts in the