Jones, Oscar Anglesey (Captain, b.1892 - d.1917), letters - Part 8

3

Whichever the case may be,

and pride myself that the

old section have ^are still showing

out.

We started another

course to-day & I fancy

the syllabus will have to

be upset as the weather

is not too good. This

morning it is raining

fairly heavy and looks

as if it will continue.

Well Mum I think this

is all the news this time

so I will now close.

Trusting all at 

home are well.

I remain

Your Son

Oscar

Am enclosing a snap I

have just received

Will write to Gla

next week

OAJ

Somewhere in France

July 3^rd

Dear Mother"

We have received no mail since

I last wrote to you although I have heard

that there is some at headquarters.

Yesterday I went up to our Battn

office and they were terribly keen on me

coming back. I told them

that there was only one more course to

put through here & then I should be with

them again. The other night

one of my Sgts was killed during a raid

on the German Trenches. He was a

fine fellow, and one of my own training.

I suppose it is all in the game;

but it was a great shock to me to hear

of his death. Always cheerful, tireless &

thorough in his work; & withal a gentleman

he will be hard to replace, and further

than that, he & I were great friends, as

much as it is possible for an Officer

and N.C.O. to be. The weather here is

2

lovely just now. The new school started

to-day: and I trust that the fine weather

will continue, as the course can then be

kept as the syllabus is laid down. It then

makes the instruction more complete & does

not get monotonous, each subject being

dealt with sufficiently & not overdone.

5-7-15 The Allies seem to be pushing

along on the different fronts now, and

perhaps if they get properly moving, in

a few months there may be something

to show for it. The Germans are

getting a bit nervy; or so it seems to

us, but all the same he is still able

to put up a great defence. I do not

know how Belgian sympathy lies, but

a lot of them there now are no

doubt dreading the time when the theatre

of war is once more shifted to their

part, as it will certainly be in a

little while. It is part of the

game however and the forfeits have to

be paid first as in any game of

skill or suchlike, I never mind what

it is. I guess that our huge

3

reserves will be needed alright when the

time comes, and people will wonder at the

way men fall, but through it all, we

over here, only want the assurance that

if we go down it will not be for nothing;

that there are plenty of others ready &

willing to fill the breach, and carry on.

Fighting is an occupation that brings

out what is in a man & what is

in a nation; and there is no two ways

about it that at the present time

there are scores of men who are physically

fit and have no ties to speak of, yet

they still hang back in comfort &

safety. To the saying "Am I my

brothers keeper," we answer yes, but to the

one "Am I my brothers servant," the answer

is "servant is not a word we even understand.

Does a man go cheerfully to the war with

its danger, in the role of a volunteer, or as

a servant? I unhesitatingly plump for the

former. Would he meet the man whom

he knows to be a slacker, and grip his
hand, the same as he does a comrade

4
in arms & say those words of greeting

that only men who have been together in

this war, say? I think not. I wonder

do the lady friends of the slacker ever

think there is something wanting in him?

or do they think he is in his proper place

when strolling on the block? After this

war is over I guess there will be a few

industrial arguments and so forth.

Are the men (who come away with the

different contingents), on their return, to go

back to their work. Somehow I think; not

in all cases. Well Mum;

this is my birthday to-day, and as regards

the day I have had a pretty fair

time, although it did not strike me till

just on tea time that it was the 5^th

One forgets days and dates occasionally

and I did not remember till somehow or

other the date was mentioned. We have

had no Australian mail since I last

wrote but I hope Gla received her cable

alright, also that yours reached you

as well. I have had no mail from

5.

England lately either, but I suppose it

will come through sometime.

The last two days have been raining

off & on, but it seems to be clearing this

evening & I trust that it holds good

from now on to the end of the week.

I wrote to Frank the other day

and mentioned that I hoped he was home

by this, as he had been away a couple

of years. I suppose I shall be away about

that time, or at least very likely to be

anyway. Well Mother I think

this is all the news this time so I

shall now close. Trusting all at

home are well & to hear

from you soon

I remain your Son

Oscar

Somewhere in France

July 25^th

Dear Mother"

We are still here & expecting a

move at any time, it may be hours, or it may

be days but it will come shortly.

Thanks very much for kind wishes for

my birthday. The letter reached me about
twelve days over the time, but that is nothing

The parcel has not arrived yet & it may

be some time ere I receive it.

By your letter, I see that they are still giving

them a march past in Melbourne. It is a strange

thing that the longer they are in enlisting, the

better time they receive. The time we were in camp

such things were not given, yet I have still to

see a better brigade than ours in the A.I.F.

Was sorry to hear that old Jack Brown had

met his death, for to give him his due he was

not a bad old fellow at all.

Two days ago, or to be correct the night

before last I received a notice from the Brigade

to report there as Brigade Bombing Officer, but

am glad to say that I was able to

2
get out of it. Perhaps you will think

me foolish for not taking it, but I have

set my heart on the coming scrap and did not

want to take a position, which although a

bit higher than this one, meant leaving my men

and the post of leading them. The other job

would have been a safe one as far as my personal

skin was concerned, but I was not cut out

for a job in the rear of action & consequently

gave it up. I saw the General &

explained to him that my heart was not in

the job, and that I wanted to stay with

my men, & if we got in to action; take my

chance with them. He said if I could

get someone to take the position he would

be quite satisfied to let me stop. After

chasing around over the country I at last

got the man I wanted, and everything was

fixed up. Am happy again now, & do

not mind what the morrow brings forth.

Some of the Australians have already

been in the scrap, and we are just

marking time till our call comes.

The weather lately has been glorious

3

and everyone is in fine spirits. The work

we are doing now is just to keep us fit,

nothing extra hard or fatiguing, and the

whole camp have not felt so well for a long

time.

Saw some of our

wounded coming back to-day. They appeared

to have been in a tough quarter & Their

wounds did not show up much, but one

who knows the game does not look for

that very much. It is the face that

tells the initiated, what sort of a time

the man has had. The Bfd boys are

all looking well. They are stretcher bearers

of course. Gilbert Eaton is in my platoon.

Reg Temple was telling me that all his

people are well, although he had not heard

from Cecil lately.

I suppose you have the photos

long before this, & have sent them on to

their different addresses. I sent the

addresses to Dean, & am not sure whether

he had posted the lot to you prior to

receiving it. Have not heard from

him lately but suppose he is alright

4

He is very keen for me to visit

England but my place is over here & 

"by Jingo", here I stop till such times

as things are differently situated.

Ivor is getting along well &

should be alright in a couple of years

time. Wonder when the war will finish. 

Think myself now that it will be well on

in the next year before it is over, somewhere

about September twelve month, but certainly I

hope it is sooner. I saw in

the Anzac Bulletin (a small paper that

we get issued to us dealing with the most

important news item), that things in

Australia are looking well, considering the

war & everything else I think it is

remarkable how cheap things are there.

Prices over have been redoubled in 

everything, yet things are not hard in

any way. Everyone seems well & dodging

along comfortably. Well Mum I

think this is about all the news this

time so I shall now close. Trusting

You are all well at home

Your loving son

Oscar