Letters from George Leslie Makin to his family, 1917-1918 - Part 2

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Well Harry I expect you will think
I have letter let myself go a bit
this time, but I just felt like
writing tonight.
Usually I don't like to talk about
the war at all, but tonight I
felt as if I could talk about
anything or everything.
I am happier tonight that I have
been for ages.
I am splendidly fit & the prospect
of a holiday tomorrow, with a
dash of civilization makes me feel
like a small boy the night before
a picnic.
I have not received any letters lately
but they are with the battn & I
expect a bundle, when I go back
next week.
I have not received the Christmas
parcels yet, but they may be there
also.
Tons of luck & lots of love to all
from Les.

France 

18/1/1917
Dearest Mother
The mail closes on the 20^th
& as we don't have any fixed time for
mails these days, I am making sure of 
catching this one.
You will probably get others by the same 
mail, but I suppose you think The
more the merrier.
That's the way I feel about it anyway,
I can't get too many.
Owing to being at this school for
three weeks, I have not had a line at all,
even from Jim.
I was afraid to get them sent on, for
fear of losing them, but I am looking
forward to at least two mails, as well
as those parcels, that you intended
for Christmas.
I am still at the school & expected to
finish this week, but we have had
an extra week tacked on, making
a month in all.
The weather, these last few days has

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been rather trying.
We have had a few inches of snow &
now it has thawed & everything is
wet.
While the snow remains frozen, it is
alright & we had some good fun 
with snow fights etc, but now it is
"par bon".
There is nothing fresh to report this
week.
Now that the question of peace has been
raised, I expect you are hoping that
something may come of it, but we must
wait awhile yet.
This spring will tell the tale. Last year's
fighting proved that given three things
we can smash the German line.
Those things are, enough men, enough
guns & fine weather.
We have the men & guns, & this year
the offensive will be started much
earlier than last year.
The war may last well into 1918,
but when it finishes, it will be on
our terms.
You are no more anxious for peace 

3
than we are, & although sometimes
I think that it would be alright to
end the war on any terms, that is
only when conditions are very trying,
for after all we are only human & 
even two years or more of slaughter
& misery cannot make us forget
that one time we almost shuddered
at the thought of death.
We've gone too far now to stop at
anything short of absolute victory.
If we leave Germany any loophole,
be sure that she will take full
advantage of it & then there would
be all this over again.
But cheer up, they say that the first
seven years of the war will be the
worst & after 5 years service every
man gets a year's leave, so that's
something to look forward to isn't it?
Fancy getting home for a year, I'm 
afraid I would not want to
leave again.
Best love to all
from Les

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you say he wrote to me
just before Christmas.
Glad to hear you have
transferred to H.Q. You
should be more comfortable 
there.
I will not attempt to answer
your letters at length, as
time at present does not
permit, but I must tell you
some very bad news.
Harry Makin of the 36^th Battn
has been killed.
A letter which he had written
to me & which apparently 
was found on his body, was
forwarded to me, by an 
officer of his unit.
He does not give any
France
29/1/1917
Dear Jim
Your letters of 28/12/16
& 11/1/17 to hand.
I did not have my mail 
sent on to the school, with
the result that when I arrived
here last night, I had quite
a large mail to read.
Letters from home up till 28/11/16
also one from Miss Fairfax.
She mentions having seen
you.
I have written to Dr Gibson
regularly, but have only 
received one letter form him
since arriving in Sydney France.
I cannot account for it, as

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particulars, just saying that
he was killed by a shell.
Can you give me their 
Sydney address as I would
like to write to his mother.
I hope to see you very soon
now, as I am next but
one on the leave list.
All being well, I will be
having a good old yarn to
you shortly.
I am sending you ten francs
& a bill from Thos Cook &
Son. 
Will you pay it for me &
explain I have been away
from the unit & only
4
just received it last night.
Will have to stop now, but
will try & manage a 
decent letter before the
end of the week.
Your affec Brother
Les.
P.S. All at home well &
everything alright.
Les

2
this mail dear mother &
must get it over at once.
Poor Harry Makin of Sydney 
has been killed.
I don't know the exact date,
but a letter which he had 
written to me & which was
apparently found on his
body, was sent along to me
by an officer of his unit.
He does not give any
particulars, just saying 
that poor Harry was killed
by a shell.
The date on his letter is
31/12/16 & on that of his
officer to me 13/1/17.
Evidently he was waiting 
an opportunity of posting it. 
[*1 DRL473*]

France
29/1/1917
Dearest Mother
Your letters of 
13 & 18^th Nov to hand.
Got them both together when
I returned from the school 
last night.
The parcel that you took so
much trouble over, went 
down on the Arabia alright,
although I received Ruby's
this morning.
Well, that's only another one
up against the Huns & believe
me they are paying in full,
& they have hardly started
to pay at all yet.
I have some very bad news.

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I would like to write to
his poor mother, but I do
not know their address.
However I have written to
Jim in the hope that he 
knows it.
Jim has transferred from
Perham Downs to H.Q in
London. He will be very
comfortable there & have a 
splendid opportunity of seeing
all there is be seen of that
wonderful town.
I expect to get leave shortly
& will spend most of it with
Jim. I am looking
forward to talking to 
him for at least two days
without a stop.
No more news now dear
mother, as I am rather
pressed for time just now.
My health continues to be
good, but the weather is
very cold.

Ice everywhere, even in 
one's fountain pen.
Love to all
from Les

France 
31/1/1917
My dear Father
I was overjoyed to receive
your letter today. I must say I was a
bit surprised to get one after all these
months.
I wrote you from Lemnos when I was
in hospital, and although I know it 
is very hard for you to write, I expected
you to acknowledge it.
A message in anybody's letter would
have done & every mail I used to 
look forward to those few words.
When they did not come, I could 
not help feeling that, although you
had forgiven me for my headstrong
behaviour before the war, you could 
not quite forgive the circumstances
under which we parted.
However, that is all over & done with 
& tonight, I am happier than I

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have been for over two years.
Do not trouble to answer this, if your
hand still gives you trouble.
A little message in Mother's or Ruby's 
letter will do.
I have just arrived back at the battn
after a month at a school of instruction,
& it is like coming home to be with the
boys again.
Poor Harry Makin of Sydney has paid
the full price. He was killed by a 
shell, sometime in the early part of
this month.
I don't know the exact date, but a
letter which he had written to me &
which was evidently found on his
body was dated 31/12/16.
He had written to Jim also on the same
date, for I had a letter from Jim
today & he also received a letter
from an officer of Harry's unit, in
which was enclosed a letter from Harry
bearing the same date as mine.