Letters from Captain Walter Morris Felix Gamble to his family, 1917-1918 - Part 9

5.

The monument of The Repubique

we lunched at The Restaurant

Universelle -

After lunch we drove

Through The Champs Elysées,

and latin Quartier Latin,

and Then visited The Louvre

as it was a delightful

day, we swam for about 

half an hour in The Seine.

I forgot where we dined,

but I remember That The

place was noted for it's

"Hous de' ouevres" (spelling?)

& Hock & I created a record

by eating The lot and coming

7

Bois de Boulougne and

Champs Elysees, and I

felt as if I could drive

There for ever.

" 'Er name's Lilette! you

could 'ave Knocked me down

wiv 'alf a brick."  I won't

attempt to describe her, but

if angels are were one half as

fair, I would give up The

army and become a Saint.

We spent a most glorious

afternoon and evening.

Hock seemed as if he were

in a trance. - We visited

one or two places  of taa 

6.

The Oliver Twist act, we Then

went Through The menu doubling

again on Strawberries & cream.

We had to walk out to

our taxie with our heads

in the air, for fear of spilling

some of our dinner on The 

carpet.

We Then went to The Alhambra

Music Hall, which was a fitting

finish to a glorious day.

Saturday morning

was beautiful and Paris

was at her best, decorated 

as it were, with all her

sparkling p Parisiemnes.

We drove again Through

8

interest, and Then went to

dinner at one of The most

fashionable Cafè's in Paris.

The meal lasted two hours.

From There we went to

The "Olympia' Theatre, where

we had already booked

The best box in The Hall, I

don't even remember enjoying

a show so much.

After The Show we took

The angels home, - all eating

houses being closed at

10.30, we were not able 
to take Them to Supper -

We Then drove to our

own home, after having 

Spent a most delightful

9.

afternoon and evening.

We got up with The Sparrows

on Sunday morning, and

went to five Stables in

search of a couple of horses

to ride down The Champs

Élysées, but without success.

So we returned to our

Hotel & hired a fine touring

car, and drove to Versailles,

The road is like a billiard

table all the way.  so we

gave The Chauffeur twenty

francs to race everything

he saw - He did - It

was a magnificent drive.

At Versailles we Saw

10. 

The Grand & Petite Palaces

surrounded by beautiful 

gardens, where The Kings of 

France Kept Their numerous

wives.... we saw also The "Salle

de Congress" - We had

another splendid ride home

in The evening, and arrived,

in Paris just in time for dinner.

after which, in anticipation of The

weary train ride The following

morning, we went Straight home

to bed.

I am back in my old billet

again, feeing A.1.  I put on 6 lbs

during The four days in Paris, &

two in The train. - not bad going?

I am going to a Signal School

tomorrow morning. so. Good. night

Ever your loving son.

Wally.

France.

Sept. 8^th, 1917.

My Dear old Dad & Mum

I am

enjoying That glorious

physically tired feeling

after a strenuous week

of practice stunts and

cricket and football.

Today put The acid

on it, with a five hour

manoeuvre , a game of

Cricket against one of The

Battalions, which we won,

3.

I have not heard yet

what you Think of The Indian

Army Stunt yet , but in

anticipation of your consent,

I sent in my application 

about Three weeks ago.

A soldiers life is

fine. and Three years of

this - The hardest part - has

only increased my love.

for The game.

Cocky & I were Thinking

about the Indian Army just

before he was outed, so 

Kelly of Geelong Grammar

and myself, both applied 

2.

and Then a Solid game

of football against The Field

Ambulance, which was

a draw.

Although we only have

Sixty or Seventy men to

choose from, we have not

Suffered a defeat for The

past two months in either

Cricket or football, - Some

Battery. -

I am in fine condition.

won a hundred yard sprint

and a long jump in an

inter Battery competition a

short while ago.

4.

Starting our desire to be

get together.

How are The "Boys" doing

at School?  There is such

 a long while between mails,

That I lose sight of Their

progress, These cruel days.

Although I don't write

to Them as often as I Should,

Their letters are half The

game to me over here.

I have been expecting

to be made an uncle for

The past year or so -

Pourquoi now?  Je suis trés

fatigué - Bon Soir -

Your loving Son,

Wally.

France.

Sept 9^th 1917.

P.S.  I've lost my pen

as per usual, so please

excuse pencil, - It's not The

active Service Stunt - Wally.

My Dear old Mona,

Thanks a

whole lot old Girl for The

home made sweets, such

Things are unobtainable in 

These wild parts.  I am

afraid we don't make Them

last as long as They Should.

The Life's come along

pretty regularly, and are

read, marked, learned and

inwardly digested. -

Advertisements included -

Please tell Dad, - I

I don't Know why I am

not a better, in fact much

better correspondent, for

I live in almost ideal

conditions for letter writing.

I have a comfy little

Sitting room, in my billet

- a quaint old fashioned

farm house - "far from

The madding crowd" - and

Therefore very quiet and

peaceful, but somehow

every time I set foot on

The door step, by bed says

to me "Come and have a

bit of a rest you look 

2

forgot to tell him in my

last letter, That The tobacco

comes with every mail, - for

which The Saints he praised!

They say That a soldiers

rifle is his best friend, but

you will find That a soldier

is a very miserable being

when he has nothing to Smoke.

Strange to Say, we are

having most delightful weather

something like The Australian

atmosphere and Sun, if I

remember rightly - We

are making most of it

too. Playing football and 

and cricket every afternoon.