Letters from George Leslie Makin to his family, 1917-1918 - Part 12

Overseas Training Bgde
Warminster
9/12/17
Dearest Mother
I have already written several
letters home this last week, but I have
just received two from you & I thought
I had better let you know, as I said
in my last that I had not been getting
many.
Allowing for one or two sunk, I don't
think there can be many missing now .
These two are dated 20/8/17 & 11/9/17.
I am feeling ever so much better now, &
I'm hoping I'm finished with Trench
fever.

D^r Gibson says that the Medical people
know very little about it yet, so they
hardly know how to treat it.
I've had a tough go with it anyhow, &
I'm feeling almost as well as before I
was taken bad. The trouble is

2
that it may come back, but it's no good
worrying over that, is it?. I am hoping
for the best anyhow.
We are to vote on the 11^th on the
Conscription referendum. All the
officers & anyone with any reason at
all are voting "Yes", but there are
a terrible lot of the men going to
vote "No". They are afraid of the
Govt. not standing by their promises.
They are afraid that, once it is
through, their brothers & even fathers
will be drawn in.
I've reasoned with dozens, till I'm
sick of it, but they stick to "No".
I'm really not supposed to try & influence
them at all, but I'd do anything
to get a few votes.
We can't keep going without reinforcements,
& we are disgraced in front of the
world if we don't keep going now.
The proper sacrifice has not been
 

3
made yet, not even started.
If the Russians had held firm, of
course the war would had been
over, but the 100 odd divisions
of Germans from that front have
got to be accounted for.
Italy is as good as settled & if it
wasn't for the fact that America
is with us I would say we were
in a bad way.
Don't think I am getting pessimestic,
for nobody is in better heart, even
now, but the map does not, as
yet show us any where near
Victory, although we are certain
to win in the end.
The thing is to get to that end as soon
as possible, for each month brings
more & more casualties.
I wonder if you know that in the
recent fighting the Australian
casualties alone were about 40,000
in a month or so. Bullecourt 25,000
 

4
& Pozieres before that.
Of course a big percentage are
slight wounds & the men are soon
back, but each "stunt" brings its
toll of killed and it's only a matter
of time, unless  we get reinforcements
till there's none left.
The old bullet proof boys of Gallipoli
days, caught it very badly in the
last show. I suppose I was fortunate
in being out of it.
The man who took my place was
killed, but of course that's only the
luck of the game. It doesn't follow
that I would have done exactly
as he did.
I'm leaving for the front in a couple
of days, so won't have any chance
of writing for a while, so au revoir
Best Love to all
from Les.
 

Overseas Training Bgde,
Sandhill Camp
Warminster
13/12/17
Dearest Mother
I have written you quite a
lot of letters lately, but I have just had
what you will surely call good news.
My C.O. has arranged that I am to
stay here for a tour of duty.
I expect it will be for about 3 months
so I will have the winter in fairly
comfortable quarters.
I was rather disgusted when they told
me yesterday, as I have already
been away from the battn nearly
four months, but I have no control
over my movements.
I know you will be glad to know
that I am least safe from danger
& the weather for even that short
while. I wish I could feel glad
 

too, but I know I will be miserable
here.
Camp life is too monotonous for me,
as I am very restless. The same old
routine every day is worse that risking
it over the water. I long for company,
& I don't make new friends easily.
As far as my conscience is concerned
that is quite easy, as this is the first
"cold footed" job I've been pushed into.
I received three letters from you
yesterday & two from Ruby. All very
old ones of course. One of Rube's is
dated 25/6/17. Six months ago, all
but a few days.
I don't know when the mails go, so
while I'm here I'll drop you a line
every week or so.
Fondest love to all
from Les.
[*Address my
letters to Base Post
Office London.
They know my
movements
Les.*]
1 DRL 473
 

2
of how much chance we
have got of ever getting
home for a spell, when
I can't get two days
leave on my fourth
Christmas on service.
I could have got to London
in two hours & had a
feed with Jim, but my
application was turned
down without any
explanation.
All the other chaps were
treated the same, for
they wouldn't let one

Sandhill Camp
Warminster
30/12/17
Dearest Mother
Christmas is
over & I'm jolly glad, for
I don't ever remember
having spent a more
miserable one.
I could not get any leave,
so spent it in camp,
trying to keep warm &
not to feel down in
the dumps, because I
am so far from my
home & you dear people.
It will give you an idea
 

3
go, for fear everybody might
want to.
And I'm blowed if I can
see why men who have
seen service, shouldn't
all have leave for
Christmas, can you?
It's the same old thing.
A few overstay leave &
that spoils the lot.
I was so fed up that
I wrote to my C.O &
asked him to send for
me.
I simply can't stick
4

this. I'd sooner take my
chance over there and be
happy, than stay here
& be messed about
by hoboes.
I'm very fit now & the
worst part of the winter
will probably be over
before I get back, so
cheer up Mother, I am
as confident as you are
that I'm coming home
safe & sound. The
only trouble is "when".
I haven't received any of
the parcels you have sent
but they may come yet.
Don't send newspapers, as
 

5
it seems years since I
had one.
In addition to the parcels
you mention, I have
had a big one, sent
from HSCo through
Griffiths Bros & my usual
Christmas box from Jess
Crow.
But as long as the boys
get them & not the P.O.

thieves I'm satisfied.
Lots of Love to all
from Les.
P.S. I told Rube in my last that
I had received the snaps. I
think they are "just it"
Les
 

Sandhill Camp
Warminster
15/1/18
Dearest Mother
You will be glad to hear that
I have received your Christmas box safely.
How it reached me here, when so many
other things have gone astray is wonderful.
Everything arrived in good order and
condition & everything is very nice &
most acceptable even although I am
not in the trenches.
I think your last letter is dated 1/10/17, but
expect a batch from the battalion any
day now.
Some of the chaps have November letters
already, so I expect Jim will be giving me
what news there is when he writes.
I am still in the same camp & have
had a week off duty with a shocking
cold.
The weather here just at this time is vile.
Talk about hail, rain, wind & snow.
We have most of those things at once
here.
After a very heavy fall of snow, it has
now been raining for two days, so you