Letters from Irving Russell Flett to his Family, 1915-1916 - Part 8

3
straight & narrow way I had just turned around & said to my
fellows who were following "Dont dive into the mud till I tell
you, when in I went right past my knees in it - of course that was
a great joke, & no sooner had I got out, than in went my platoon
sergeant, & we couldn't get him out for laughing. One chap went in
fourteen times on the way into the trenches - they all treated it as a
joke, & if there was anybody who had not been in the mud, he was
promptly shoved in at the end of the journey I only hope the mud &
rain are straffing a few of our friends opposite.
Well, as I want to send a few lines to Mother & Father
this mail I will now wind up by asking you to remember me to all
Brighton pals. I intend to write to some of them this mail. Hoping
you are all well, including "Thomasio Felinus".
I remain
Your affectionate brother
Irving

[* France22 
22.4.16 *]

[* P1 of no interest *]

so now on the instructional staff at Duntroon I think he said.

If that is the case I doubt very much if they will let him get

away at all, especially if he is good at his work, as I believe

he is - That job would do me for a change. Thanks for the

choc & sox that you have already sent & for the lot you are

sending next mail. I have not worn out one pair of sox yet - they

won't wear out, so you can see my stock is still pretty good - 

of course I have given a lot away to the chaps, some of whom are

less fortunate than I. Sorry to hear that George Usher is 

not getting parcels, but am very much afraid that I will not be

able to do much to help him out of his trouble. I had a letter

from George when I was at the Canal Zone.

Well, I suppose you will be anxious to Review

how we are getting on at present. We are still in the same place,

having a very quiet time. We came into the trenches again after

being for or five days out, & got a real good licking coming down

the entrance or communication trench, as it is called, & as I told 

Walter, we walk on narrow wooden staging about 18 inches wide, &

as we have to come in at night so that we cannot be seen, it is a

rather difficult job to keep ones feet, &, as it has been raining for over

a week you can guess what the mud is like. I slipped off the grating

twice, & went up above my knees in mud, but that was only considered

a joke by all. Every man in any platoon had a mud bath that night.

They all bear these little things as all in the day's work & only laugh,

or perhaps, if in a bad temper, have a good old Australian swear

We have all got past thinking that wet feet are injurious to the health,

as we have all had 'em often enough now, & you couldn't strike a more

healthy crowd. Since we came into the trenches we have all been

3

issued with high rubber boots & leather jackets with fur lining, so

should be able to keep fairly dry in future. Today (Easter Sunday

is beautiful, & is the first really fine day we have had for over a 

week, & it is very acceptable. Hope next Easter Sunday will 

find me in the sunny south again. Two aeroplanes had a fight

this morning, they were only specs in the sky & must have been up

about six thousand feet. We could distinctly hear their machine

guns firing at one another, but as far as we could see no damage was

done. It is one of the prettiest sights imaginable to see anti aircraft

bursting all round a 'plane. Our planes just circle in & out

of the smoke rings caused by the burst of the shrapnel & seem to think

nothing of it. One hundred & thirty seven shots were fired at one of our

planes the other day & not one hit it. Our airmen are the most daring

fellows I have ever seen.

I am posting you & Auntie a souvenir of France

in this letter. I sent a card to Auntie a few days ago & hope she will

receive it alright. I think my news stock is just about at an end
& as I want to write to the two Jims (whom I sent Postcards to this
week also to Miss Landers). I will now close off with love to Aunties
at Lufra to whom I am writing also hoping you are all A1
at Lloyds. I wrote to Uncle this week & gave him a bit of news.
I remain,
Your loving son,
Irving

France
Saturday 6^th May 1916
Dear Mother & Father.
I received mother's letters of the 17^th Feb & 12
March & Father's of 14^th March whilst we were doing our last
tour of duty in the trenches, & they were very welcome, as we had
been getting mostly old mail up till then By mother's letter of the
17^th you appear to have been getting some good news through about the
doings of the Russians. You seem to get more news at home than we do 
hear plenty of firing all along the line, but don't often find out what
is going on. You say that conscription will be the next move, & I believe
that it is now in force in England, if this is the case, it will give
our enemies great cause for rejoicing & will considerably buck them
up.
You enquire whether I have yet seen Major Murdoch
or Frank Rogerain lately ; no I have not yet run across the Major
but saw Frank in the trenches about a week ago He is looking very
well & fit, & is still in the Engineers, they were doing some job in the
trenches when I ran across him, & as we were both on duty at the time,

neither of us had much time for talking. I also ran across Rus Lucas
about four days ago when I was taking a party down to the baths, &
on the previous trip to the baths met Jack Gerrard, who is just the
same as ever & has the same old drawl. The baths are fine, & we go
down once a week. There are scores of tubs & we can just turn on
the steam pipe & have the water any temperature we like please. After
the hot bath we can get a cold plunge, or have the cold water squirted
over us out of a fire hose. My word you have no idea of the benefit
we derive out of these weekly baths. If only we could have had something

(2)
of the kind at Gallipoli, it would have made things considerably easier
& more comfortable for us, & saved us many a hunt & nights scratch. At the
baths they issue clean underclothing & towels.
Mr Sinclair will be getting quite [[?esheaded]]
soon, fancy set of them. I will have to write sympathising with
him I suppose. I knew the late Colonel was well off but didn't have
any idea that he left as much as twenty two thousand. Mrs L Hillier
will not want for a time, & I am glad they have been left so well
provided for. It is just as well we did get the two half holidays per
week whilst in Egypt, for, since coming to France it has been nothing
but fatigue both day & night at all hours, that is whilst out of the
trenches some miles in rear of the firing line. We all reckon that while
we are in the firing line we have a far better time of it, & for my part
I wouldn't mind if we were in all the time.

Hope the Singleton school anniversary is a 

success & that the people turn out & dub up handsomely. You say you 

hope you do not feel any bad effect from the wettings we have had — no

they do not affect either of us at all as we have been in better 

health. This threat never troubles him at all, & the gastritis keeps

clear of me. I will party no more of the army ration biscuits that

are asking you, it may be a bit of a curiosity & that it should reach 

you whole, as they are the "can't be broken type".

Well, as for now, it is very scarce. At present

we are billeted several miles away from the firing line & have been here
for over a week. Things have been quiet for several miles round.
Last night here was a big artillery duel when the big guns of both
sides were having a talk. However not much damage was done - to us

(3)
anyhow. I believe our gunners blew out some of the enemy's big artillery.
The country all round is looking beautifully green, & I should say that under
normal conditions they would be having a very good year. I only wish
some of the Victorian farmers were in this land with all their modern appliances
- they would make a difference. The farmers here are very much
behind the times; it is a wonder because the land is so fertile. As well
as being able to get our warm bath, every week we also go for a dip before
breakfast in a river which runs just about 20 yards from our billet. We
are arranging to have swimming sports just for a bit of recreation. We are
also going to have a concert on the banks of the river tonight to celebrate
the day we left Melbourne - not that we require anything to remind
us of the fact. Hope the little souvenirs I posted you last week have
reached you safely. They are only small, but about the best [[?]]
get here. Will try & get hold of something decent when we get to
a decent size city. Our battalion has started getting leave for
England, and as only half a dozen or so go at a time it will take
some time to get right through: The officers have not yet started
but hope to get an early move on. The ^[[?]] members of the battalion & who
went thought Gallipoli without having to leave on a/c of
sickness are getting first preference, & as there are not a terrible lot
of them, I should stand a chance of getting over within a couple of
months or so. Will you let me know the address of Mrs. Kennedy, as I
I will call on her. It is my intention to go right through to Scotland,
also to go to Liverpool & call at Lever's place. If there are any other
friends you know of that I should call on please let me know their
address.
Well, for this week I think I will leave off as news

is no more plentiful than on the Peninsula. I am sending Auntie
Alice a postcard & writing to Aunties at [[?]] as well so will
have to get a bit of a move on. I sent Wally a letter last week &
hope he has received it alright also that he is keeping fit, not taking
any notice of those silly blighters who are writing in the papers about
recruiting, & calling everybody names irrespective of circumstances.
Let some of the cold footed gas bags hand in their own names, because if
they are as good at fighting as they are at writing silly piffle, well
when they arrive in France the Germans will get such a doing, the
war will be over by 11920 instead of 1925. Give my love to all
Auntie Alice, Aunties at [[Lufra?]], Uncle Joe & Aunt Blanche & hope they
will soon be settled in the new home uncle was writing about; Give
my kind regards to Mrs Swanson & Sid, & dont forget to get him
a little present for his birthday - something decent Also dont forget to
give Miss Landers that gold brooch I wrote about some time ago & have
it inscribed.
I remain,
Your ever loving son
Irving

[* France
16.5.16 *]
[* P1 of no interest *]
(2)
feel the benefit of it You say it is the first bit of enjoyment you have
had since I left; it would be much be better if you went away
for a holiday & charge it up to me. I had a letter from Jim
Dalton, when he told me that Will was leaving next day for Egypt.
Hope I have the luck to run across him, as no doubt he will
eventually turn up in France. I have seen Russel Lucas
a couple of times since arriving here & he looks well - he is
only about five miles from where I am billeted. I don't know
where Roy lives but saw him once in the trenches here. You
are right when you say that Hec was glad to have Harold back
again in the battalion, as one is lost without the other. Mrs
Hill would be sorry when she heard that Harold was not getting
home after all. Disappointment for him too. Yes Harold enjoyed
the blow out I gave him at St Jame's Restaurant, Cairo. Sorry that
Hec was not there also. The night I was there I saw Rex Moffat as
well. I'm afraid that the photos of Hec & myself will have to bake
for a while as all photos are forbidden where we are. I often
wonder if the set of Gallipoli photos have ever reached you, as
they are well worth having, & I would not like them to get lost. Let
me know as soon as they arrive.
It causes considerable thought to fill a
letter with anything interesting as we do not move out of our billeting
area, & there is nothing of special note occuring here. Two o'clock
in the morning rising forms one of our amusements. We rise at two, march
about six miles, do about six hours trench digging, then march back
Last time we were out, we got a thorough ducking but have not suffered
any ill consequences through it. All the fellows like the trench digging

(3)
it is the march that is not appreciated. Next Friday I am
off to a school of instruction for Bayonet fighting & physical drill.
I am very glad of this, as I am very fond of both these amusements.
The physical drill I believe is very good. I have been trying for a
good while to get into this school, because as we are out of the trenches
I would not be missing anything, & at the same time have a good time
The weather now is pretty settled & some of the days fairly warm; today
has been beautiful & the river just near our billet is very nice tonight.
I am writing this letter on the banks of the river & have done another one
to young Davy [[?ster]] from the same place. All 'A' Coy's officers go
for a bit of a toddle along the banks every night there are some very
nice gardens just near but they are not in very good order at present.
We are having a very quiet time at present & everything is vastly
superior to Gallipoli, tucker, trenches & everything else. This
still finds us out of the trenches, & personally none of us mind how
long we stay exactly where we are.
We are going out tonight to a pleasant
little evening. Our Doctor is going to England tomorrow & whilst
there is going to get married, so we are taking this opportunity
of having a bit of a sing song & make him a presentation.
He will be back again in about ten days, so we are not losing
him for good. I have not yet heard anything more about
my eight days leave, but am quite prepared for the shock
when it comes. From what I hear it will take pretty well
the whole of the eight days to see round London & as I am going
to call on Port Sunlight, am afraid I may have to knock
the Edinburgh trip on the head. However I am counting my
[* Rest of no interest *]

[* France
18.5.16 *]
[* P1 of no interest *]
(2)
she would go sooner or later, as she has told me she has
rather a good time over there.
It was thoughtful of Miss [[Rigershing]]
to start a presentation for me. I never knew anything about
it until you told me, but am glad it did not come off, as
it looks too much as if it's a case of good bye for good; & I
know how some people talk about presentations as I have had
the handling of a good many. Pleased that you got her
one of my photos, if I knew she wanted one I would have had one
printed before. It does make a difference to us to know that
everyone is thinking ^of & remembering us & that you hold special
services for us once a month. So you & Wally had the
annual quiet stint in the kitchen while Father was having a
go at the church books preparing for the Annual Meeting.
can understand Wally not looking forward to 
the Annual Meeting
as I suppose it will be a bit slow this year. It did not take
you long to find out that our brigade was in France, as we

only arrived a couple of days previously. Yes, we were lucky in
dodging the "tinfish" once again. If we continue to be as
fortunate on land as we have been on sea it will do me -
I'm not at all fussy.
I received the box of chocolates alright,
but the other parcel you mention, containing sox & chocolate has
not yet arrived, but may turn up tomorrow or shortly after. The
"Argus" is received safely every week & we all like to have a
read of it. The school I told you in last letter that I
was going to is not for officers, for NCOs, so I am