Letters from George Leslie Makin to his family, 1916 - Part 13

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get this, it will be Christmas.
I know exactly what your
Christmas will be like, but
mine; Well we must wait &
see, but I shall be thinking
of home all that day, as
I know you will be thinking
of Jim & myself.
The third Christmas away from
home & I am still looking
forward to the day, when
the family will be complete
again & I am searching
through the pudding for
the sixpence that you put
in. 
I'm afraid I ate more pudding
than I wanted those days.
Tell Perce that I wish I could
go to the baths with him
for I'll bet that by now he 

5/
is hard at it.
I sent Christmas wishes last
mail, but in case they don't
turn up, I wish everybody
the best of luck & send loving
wishes for a Merry Xmas & a
Happy New Year. to all.
Lots of love
from Les 

France
9/11/16
Dearest Mother
Yesterday I wrote you
a letter saying that I had received
no letters from you for a long time.
Today I received a bundle. Two from
Jim & about six from you, the latest
being a card from Ruby dated 11/9/16.
I can see by your letters dear Mother
that you are worrying your poor
heart out.
It hurts me more than anything, to
think of your suffering.
Jim's letters say that he is on light
duty in England & it he wants to
he can make his job permanent.
At all events he should miss the
winter out here.
So you have no need to trouble about
him & I am as strong as a horse
& barring accidents I will be alright.
Cheer up, dearest & best of all Mothers
& trust in God to bring us both
back to you  Your loving son
Les. 

France
9/11/16
Dear Jim
Your letters 18^th & 27^th Oct
to hand.
They are the first I have had for
about 6 weeks.
I have had no opportunity of writing
lately, so we sort of lost touch.
I am glad to hear that you have a
job over there. Stick to it for the
winter at least & if you take my
advice, stick to it for the duration.
We were only 12 days in the trenches
down at — & are now into it
again, further to the right from
where you were "outed".
It is indescribable here at present.
You cannot imagine the conditions.
I've tried to find words to express
myself about it & _^have only succeeded
in praising it up.
The mud is waist high in some
places & everywhere knee deep. 

2/
It rains every day & I haven't been
dry for a fortnight.
The Germans are no trouble. Their
infantry surrender on sight &
we got a Captain a few days ago.
The weather alone holds us up & it
seems to have set in for the winter.
The roads are in a shocking state
& the front line is a running
stream.
The winter has barely started & to
look forward to a few months, without
flinching takes some doing.
I am in good health & splendid
condition & barring accidents
will see it through alright.
I have had letters from home up
to the end of August.
Mother is worrying her poor
heart out over us.
I don't know what to say to try
& buck her up.
I always try to write cheerful 

3/
letters & I can tell you it's an effort
these times.
When I am cold & wet for weeks at
a time, I find it rather hard
to keep from being depressed.
On our way out of the trenches the
other day, there was quite a meeting
of Mid Park boys.
Tom Parker, H. Timbs (who is in my section)
Charlie Clarke, "Cowie" Thompson, & myself.
I gave Tom Parker your good wishes,
& he sends his in return.
Don't bother to send me any papers,
I have very little interest in Aust.
now. I have lost touch of everything
& the only thing that interests me
is home news.
Thanks for your offer to send me
things, but I don't want for
anything old "hoss".
Your affec brother
Les.
P.S. Major Luxton rejoined
a fortnight ago.
P.P.S. Drop the idea of
coming to the 5^th for the present. 

France
20/11/1916
Dearest Mother
I have received your
letter of 24/9/16 & I see that you are
still worrying about Jim.
The Melbourne papers, with their usual
accuracy reported him severely wounded.
What they meant was severe shell
shock, which is a totally different
thing.
All his trouble is shock to the nervous
system, caused by a heavy explosion.
He was not actually wounded at all.
The same thing could happen to
hardened men & it would not affect.
them at all.
At Pozieres about the same time, I
was buried by shells three times in
the one night & it did not affect me.
To absorb shock is an art in this
kind of warfare & believe me, Jim
would never be put out of action 

if the same thing happened again.
You think that bad news is being
held back from you, but such is
not the case.
Jim was a very lucky boy to get
out of it so lightly.
I would not mind a dose of the
same medicine, but my nerves
are now proof against high
explosive.
Of course shock needs rest cure &
that is why Jim is kept on light
duty in England.
There is nothing fresh to report from
here, except that the weather gets
worse every day.
The snow has started & the cold
is intense.
We are at present resting for 10 days
& not at all looking forward to
a turn in the trenches.
My ink ran out, so I had to finish
this letter in pencil.
Love to all from Les. 

France
20/11/16
Dear Jim
I received your letter a few
days back.
Believe me, I would like to write to
you every day, but sometimes we
have no opportunity of getting letters
away for 3 or 4 weeks at a stretch.
There is nothing fresh from here.
The weather is getting colder every
day & the snow has started.
We are at present resting for about
10 days & not at all looking
forward to our next trip in, but
in we must go.
I saw Alex Phillips the other day. He
is in the transport of the 58^th Battn.
We passed on the road, but as I
was also mounted & part of a
column, we could not stop &
have a talk.
I have received letters ^from home up to 24/9/1916.
Excuse Hurry.
Will write again in a day or two
Your affec brother
Les. 

France
28/11/16
Dearest Mother
just a line in the
hope of catching a home mail.
I am still well & hear regularly
from Jim.
One of our boys just back from
England, saw Jim over there & tells
me he is alright & looks very well.
We are leaving. this village in a
couple of days for the trenches &
after our last experience, we are not
looking forward to this trip.
The weather is still very cold & every
morning we have to break the ice
off the village pond for a wash.
We had snow last week, but only
a couple of inches.
I have no news this mail, but like
to write even a dozen lines in
the hope of catching the boat.
Best love to all
from Les.