Jones, Oscar Anglesey (Captain, b.1892 - d.1917), letters - Part 12

France

October 27^th

Dear Mother,

Am just taking the opportunity 

of dropping a few lines to you are we move

on towards the push again, your letter

also Gla's, of the beginning of September arrived

to-day and was pleased that it came

Am anclosing one of the Anzac

Bulletins for you to see an account of 

our attack. It will always live in my

memory as "some fight". At the present

time we are down near the old scenes

of our first visit to the Somme, and I

suppose that in a few days we will

renew our [acquaintance with the Boche.

I am in command of B company

and unless one of the senior officers

come along, expect to take them into

action. I think I can manage it

alright, so am not worrying at all.

By when you receive this letter we 

will have been in and out again.

If possible I will send a cable after

we come out the first time, as most

likely we shall do a couple of turns

in as per usual. I have a

couple of good officers under me and

know that when the ships are cracking

I can depend on them to do their job

thoroughly. The last few days have 

been very wet, but this evening it is

fine and I trust it will continue, for

it will be beastly unpleasant if bad 

weather attends the operations.

Was pleased to hear that Ivor

can come home to live now, as it

is a lot better for one to be home if 

possible. I think that another twelve

months should see me back home again

that is of course if we keep hammering 

away at the enemy. Well Mother I 

think this is about all the news this 

time as I have to do some clerical work

affecting the Coy. Will write again

soon, Keep a big heart, all will be 

well.Trusting all at home are 

well . I remain

Your loving son 

Oscar

1 DRL 388

1/2

France

Jan 19.17

Dear Mother

Your letter of Nov 28^th came to hand 

this evening & was pleased to 

get it. We came out of the 

line a couple of days ago &

expect to be out for about a 

fortnight, and then in again

at or near the scene of our

big battle in August. I am 

keen on having a look at the

spot where I had my big

scrap with them. I want to 

investigate that same place

thoroughly, unhampered by the 

enemy hurling bombs promiscous

like, and  discharging rifles at
me. There are a couple
of whys & wherefores, which often
I come back to mind and a
personal visit is the only thing
that will do it.
Was pleased to hear
that M^rs Temple had received

2
my letter. I will try to get a
photo of Reg's grave, although mind
you it is very difficult to get photos
taken. With the shell fire that has
been put over and around the
place where he was killed, it is
very probable that a cross would be

broken & perhaps blown to atoms.
You need not tell M^rs Temple this
latter part as it will only pain
her. Re my photos, It appears
that M^rs Dean had not got one
of me. If that is the case I
should like her to have one, and
if you have any to spare would
you please give her one from me.
I know the Jones of which
you speak, but did not know he
had returned to Australia
I had a letter from Arthur
Kay which I will endeavour to
answer this week. Well Mother

3
we had a fairly quiet time in
the line during the last tour
Only a couple of casualties
but the weather was cold &
snow fell a couple of times
The mud in some of the
trenches was just to the mens
hips so you can guess warfare
in France during winter is
not all roses by any means,
At the present time I
have a fairly comfortable bunk
in  a hut, as the accomodation
in this village is small, for
the number of troops that are
here. Had a letter
from Aun tKate a couple of
days ago. She is quite well.
Received the "Punch" with the
photos in it. I must thank

you very much for the parcel

which arrived safely two
days ago. The cake kept a.1.
and all other eatables were
in prime condition. The other
articles will come in handy

4
in fact I am wearing some of
the garments now. The Quinine
will be often handy, and  I have been
giving some to an officer friend of
mine who has a touch of malaria,
which he contracted in Africa some
years ago. At the present
time there is a fair depth of
snow on the ground and tis cold
out of doors. Yesterday I went to
the Corps baths & had a much
needed wash. Feel fifty per cent
better since I have had it.
More opportunities will present
themselves before we go in again & I shall
manage to visit them again.
Well Mother I will close this letter
now. Thanking you all for Xmas
& New Years greetings. Trusting
all are well. Your loving son
Oscar

France 
March 27^th
1917.
Dear Mother
Since writing to you last I have
been in another scrap, and although
the machine gun bullets were landing
within a foot or so both in front &
at the side, hitting men close to me
I managed to come through alright
We were up in the front

line when the Hun was clearing out
and pushed him rather hurriedly in
one or two places .It was Grand
to get out in the open beyond trenches
into green fields etc, although there are more
alluring places than a stubble paddock
when about four machine guns decide
to make a sieve out of you.
We had a few casualties, but mostly
wounded men, who were able to walk back
from the line without assistance.
A couple of  the Germans that we
killed wore iron crosses, one of them
was certainly a nice ornament. Two
of our officers now have them.
I was speaking to Arthur
Pitch to-day. he is now a C.S.M
and I would not be surprised if he

2
gets a commission. He told me that
Dick Palmer was still keeping well and
fit. I managed to  get one or
two nice souvenirs while on the line
this time such as a German Flare pistol
for firing their rockets, Gas Helmet, bombs,
and a French mortar shell; besides several
flares for the pistol; Whether I shall
be able to trundle them along with
me is another question, as in constant 
moves etc. things get lost  and mislaid
Fred  [[Lake]] & I went to the
Bapaume cemetry to have a look
around. The Germans have taken
the French dead out in some places
and buried their own; also erected
a huge monument to their men who
have fallen about here .It is rather
an insult of the most dirty kind
Their monument is right opposite the
one erected to General Faidherbe and
the French soldiers who fell in the
Battle of Bapaume 1872 when the
French defeated the Huns. It is
grand to see the Hun falling back
to his prepared line, which although
strong is only going to crash the
same as any of  his other positions

3
certainly the Germans claim that it
is a voluntary move.  In some respects
this is so, but it is the sort of voluntary
move a man makes when [[?]] chap
picks up half a brick. The last few
months in the Somme, or as the
Germans call it "The Blood bath", has
cost the Germans more than they care
to admit, and their move back has proved
the Somme offensive a success beyond a
doubt. We are out of the line now
and should be out for some time yet.
but it is impossible & unwise to
forecast where we will go next. [[?]]
good time I suppose & one place is
as good as another when there is
anything in the way of an argument
between [[?]] [[?]] sides.
The French seem to be doing
well on the right (and are fighting 
with great dash on ther part) of their
advance Guards.
The weather here is showery
with occasional sleet, just to remind us
that winter is not yet done with, but
another month should at least bring
some fine days along wherin one can
bask in the sun and feel warm
again. You should by now have received

                            4

my medal. A lot of the officers at the

Battn were disappointed at not seeing it

but there was a good chance of getting

it safely away so I took it. The part that

I wear is a strip of the ribbon about

a quarter inch or a little more in depth with

the palm attached.   Well Mother I

think this is about all this time so

I shall close. Trusting all at

home are well & to hear from

you soon. I remain

          Your loving son

                Oscar

                       "A" Form

           MESSAGES AND SIGNALS

 

TO:   All Coy's HQ

Parade for this afternoon

as follows:

2.0pm Inspection of Platoons

       Very carefully [[?[[ Rifles

        & ammunition

2.30pm 3pm Major and Generals

3pm. Organised Games

3.30  This mess

            AS Jones Capt

                  Adj,

                   2 pm.