Letters from George Leslie Makin to his family, 1916 - Part 6

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you smiling.
It was rather funny how I missed
Tom Parker in England. We
could not have dodged one
another better if we tried. I
used to write to him regularly
but we always seemed to be
at opposite ends of the country.
He has gone back, but they won't
let me go back yet a while.
I have been offered a job here
in England & although it
would be nice for you to know
I was safe here, I cannot do it.
I am fit to go back & I'm going
back soon as possible.
I have done very well up to now
& there's no reason why I should
not get further promotion on
the field. I certainly would 
not get it in England.
The firing line has no terrors
for me, as I have unshaken
 

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confidence in my wonderful
luck, which is the only thing
I can thank for being here
today & I want you to also to
believe in it & think of me, as
like Johnny Walker, always going
strong.
You mention something about a
disagreement with Harry about
money. I do not know what to
make of it all. Harry has not
mentioned it & I cannot say
anything till I hear from him,
but I will say that I am sorry
there should be trouble at all,
as I left clear instructions with
him. You do not say anything
about my allotment, which he
is drawing. I am not saying
anything to Harry, but I would
be glad if, either of you would
write & tell me just what the
trouble is. At present I can

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make neither head or tail of
it all.
I told Harry that if you wanted
money, you could have what
you liked, even to the last
penny, but that I trusted
you absolutely to use only what
was necessary.

It is just possible that I may
be put out of action at some
time or other. In that case
I should want my money.
Otherwise I don't care a bit
who has it, but as I said I
hate to think of it being the
cause of any unpleasantness
between you and Harry.
I think that is all the news
this mail so will close with 
best love to you all

from Les.

P.S. I forgot to say that Dr Gibson
sent some music to Ruby. Tell her
to learn those songs for me to sing

Abbey Wood
23/4/1916
Dear Jim

Your letter dated 13/4/16 to 
hand. With your letter came a mail
from home, & I'll try to give you a
short account of my doings in this
part of the world, together with the
news from home.
To start with, ever^ybody is well at home
although they all miss you very much.
What a trump you've been Jim. I'll
never be able to thank you enough
for the way you stuck to Mother
& the girls, during a most
anxious time. They are all so proud
of you & are now anxiously awaiting
news from you. I wrote & told them
the news immediately I heard from
you. From here I can act as a
sort of intermediate base.
There is very little news of any sort

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except that Daddy Mardell has joined
up at last & Paddy Scanlon, Hynes, &

P. Magill have tried to enlist but
were prevented by their parents.

I think it is shameful the way 
De Garis, Johnston, Haynes & a few
others are hanging back.
Mother mentioned some disagreement
she had had with Harry about my
money. If you know anything
about this, I would like to hear
it, as I can make neither head 
or tail of her account.

Now I'll try and answer your questions

in order & I wont attempt to make
a letter of it, as I don't seem to
have that happy knack.
After spending 5 weeks in hospital
in London, making over three
months in all, I went before the
board & was granted two months
leave. I went up to Scotland
 

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with a chap from the R.F.A. whose
home was in Edinburgh. I spent
a fortnight there altogether during
which time I visited Glasgow &

several places round the Clyde.
The people up there were very good
& I enjoyed myself immensely.
The only thing against it was
the weather which was awful.
In fact, the whole time I have
been here, with the exception of
the last couple of weeks, the 
weather has been rotten.
I came back to London & after
spending a week there. I &
a friend went down to
Exeter in Devonshire.
We stayed with a very wealthy man
& his wife.
They were awfully nice people &

there were footmen & servants to 
attend to our slightnest needs.
We stayed about three weeks
 

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& when we left, we quite broke the
old people up.
They had taken quite a fancy
to us & are always writing to
ask if they can send us anything
or do anything at all for us.
I had to promise that if ever I
was in England again, whether 
war or no war, I would go &
stay with them for as long as I
cared.
The people here have a great
opinion of the Australians & our
boys have shown the Canadians
how to behave themselves.
I then went back to London &
stayed till my leave was up.
The weather during the last
fortnight was killing. Nothing
but snow, sleet, wind & rain.
When my time was up, I was
again boarded & was passed
 

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fit for General Service, but they are
keeping me here to be tested
again.
I came here on the 16^th March & have
done nothing to speak of since
my arrival.
We live like Lords, having a
splendidly appointed mess &
living rooms.
You were asking about Zepps. Well
we've had some Zepps here lately.
One week end we had four
raids on consecutive nights.
On the first night, all our
lights went out about a quarter
to ten.
We all went outside & could
not see anything for a while.
Suddenly the searchlights
shot out & there almost over our
heads was a baby-killer.
Immediately the guns began
 

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to roar & after about five minutes,
we had the satisfaction of seeing
her hit. She staggered & went 
down at the stern. We noticed
a lot of smoke around her, but
did not know she was badly 
hit. She just managed to 
clear the land & fell into the 
sea at the mouth of the Thames,
where she was captured by
our destroyers.
She sank while being towed in.
If you have seen any accounts
of it you will remember that
it was the L 15.
It was a magnificent sight &
I would not have missed it
for anything.
Tom Parker left England about
six weeks ago. Although we were
here together, we always seemed 
to be at opposite ends of England.

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I used to get letters regularly, but
I never met him.
Charger Tully is here with me in
this camp. I had to "strafe"
him the other day for coming on
parade with dirty boots.
I can hardly get a word out of
him. He seems tongue tied, or
else, my position awed him
somewhat. I was orderly officer
at the time.
You were asking how I got my 
promotion.
Well in the first place, I had
the luck to live where my
pals died.
I cannot claim to have done
any special deed, but I was
always in the right place at the
right time & was always in the
thick of the business.

I did a little ammunition