Letters of John William Axtens, 1917 - 1918 - Part 4

Grantham.

1-12-17.

(13)

My dear Father & Mother,

Quite a budget of letters

arrived with this weeks mail from home.

Dates were 30-9-17, 7-10-17 & 14-10-17, so you'll see

that I'm not missing many. I hope mine

are arriving as regularly.

I hope Alan had good luck in his exam & is

now on the way towards becoming a full

blown solicitor. Lola seems to be doing very well in

her school work too, - how does Gwen get along?

I heard from Major Marsden this morning; he

is going to do his best to have me returned to

the 8^th Coy when I go over.

Im expecting to hear from Ray in a day or so.

All the company is going on draft one day soon

so will have a new crowd to deal with

in a few days time. I do most of the training

in this Coy, and reckon I have one of

the best jobs in the depot.

Aunt Florrie told me that you had sent money 
to buy parcels for Ray - I saw some of the things 

she had bought & suggested a few I thought Ray 
would like. I think it’s a good idea, as he is 
much more likely to get them.

I am enclosing a couple of snaps taken on the 
range while I was at the school. I am the 
much muffled-up being behind the gun. The 
man marked with an X is the chap who left 
Seymour with me & we have been together ever 
since. His name is Rogers & he belongs to the 
12^th Coy.

How did the firm’s horse do in the Show? Any luck? 
From what I saw of the Gordon system at 
Robert’s place, it seems to be a fine idea the 
birds all look very healthy. A lot of labour is necessary 
in the erecting of the houses etc & 
the wire netting & galvanised iron would make 
it costly I should think in these times.

We had our first fall of snow early this week. 
It was very light & since then the weather has 
been O.K. Fondest love to yourselves & all the kids.

Your Son

Jack.

Letter

15.

10-1-18. France.

My dear Father & Mother,

My last 
letter to you was Dec 20; since 
when great things have happened.

I spent Xmas in Belton & had 
a pretty good time; had some 
N.Z. officers over for dinner. Went 
to a concert in the evening.

On Boxing Day I went to visit 
some friends at a place 
called Barrowby, a few miles out. 
Now I think I’d better enlarge 
on my diary entries for the 
rest of the news. I started a 
diary on New Years Day.

1-1-18. No work of course; lazed 
about. Received word to stand 
by on six hours notice for 
overseas. Went to the pictures 
at night.

2

2-1-18. Went into Grantham & 
made some final purchases - to 
the Theatre at night.

3-1-18. Woke up to find Frank 
Winn saying “Hullo”. He had 
arrived the night before & relieved 
me at the depot. Nothing 
doing all day. Had the newly 
formed Depot Orchestra playing 
at Mess. Quite good.

4-1-18. Into town again to kill 
time. Doing no duty since 
warned for France. Harry French 
arrived in the depot to go on the 
Instructional Staff. Looks O.K.

5-1-18. H.Q. sent instructions 
to proceed overseas. These arrived 
after the time we should 
have left. Further instructions 
wired for.

6-1-18. Went out to tea with 
some friends, by name Emerton; 
Mrs Emerton is related by 
marriage to the late Gen.
Holmes of our 4^th Division.

3

They also have some relatives 
on the Richmond - 
“Mitchell. Mulgrave Farm. 
Upper Richmond”. On arriving 
in Camp found orders to leave.

7-1-18. Left Grantham 8.30 am. 
& reached. King’s Cross about 11. 
Took our baggage to Victoria Station 
& then went to Crouch Hill 
where I had lunch. Got a 
whole batch of Australian 
mail including one each from 
you both. (I don’t think that 
phrasing is quite O.K. is it?) 
Also got the Christmas parcel 
from home; it arrived in good 
condition - mille remerciements.  
Im taking some of the contents 
out to Ray - if they don’t get consumed 
en route. Went to see 
a show called “Cheep” at night, 
it is too! No good. Stayed the 
night at the Grosvenor Hotel 
as it’s only two minutes 
from Victoria.

4

8-1-18. Turned out at 6 am. & 
caught the train at 7.35. 
Aunt Florrie & Olive Tombs were 
there to see me off. Aunt F. Had 
been staying the night at Brixton. 
Reached Folkestone 9.30. Wandered 
round the town & had lunch 
there embarking about 2 pm. 
on “Princess Victoria”. Boulougne 
at 5. Had an omelette & café at 
a restaurant & went by lorry 
to Ostrohove Camp. I should 
think this is about the coolest 
spot in France. By judicious 
wangling we induced the sergeant 
to put us in huts instead 
of tents, after waiting till all the 
English officers had been allotted.

9-1-18. Left at 8.30 am. by lorry; the 
lorries got stuck up in a snow 
drift so two of us walked the 
remaining five miles or so 
to Camiers. Found to our 
dismay that tents were the 
only accommodation, so got 

5

a few extra blankets. Found 
that there was a Guest night 
in the mess, so bumped into 
a good feed to start off with. 
Found another of the Ismailia 
school - a captain of the Manchesters.

10-1-18. Went through gas to test 
our respirators. Walked to St. 
Cecile Clage to the M.G. School 
& saw some of our senior officers 
on a course there. Have 
been reallotted to the 8^th Coy & 
leave about midday tomorrow. 
They are in rest not far from 
here at Desores. Strolled all 
round the country about here 
during the afternoon. Were

6

issued with “tin-hats” & 
iron rations tonight.

Here endeth the first chapter. 
I’m very glad business is still 
going ahead well & hope things 
keep up. The photo of the 
girls is splendid isn’t it? 
The proofs of my photo were 
not very brilliant, but we’re 
hoping for better things in the 
finished article.

Please congratulate Madeline for me 
will you? Hope the lucky man 
is suffering with zero feet. 

I will write as soon as I join 
the company, & if unable to 
write at any time will send 

a F. Post. Card. Aunt F. assures 
me that these are better than 
nothing. I personally think 
they’re miserable things. 

Fondest love to all the kids 
& to yourselves from

Your Son

Jack.

[*P.S. Has that alteration }

in allotment come}

through yet?}*]

France. Jan 18 1918

16

My dear Mother,

My last 
letter you was Jan 10 & 
although not much has 
happened since, I’ll see 
what I can do in the way 
of news.

11.1.18 Left M.G. Base early in 
the afternoon with very vague 
directions as to where the Company 
was; but managed to get 
out at the right station after 
many enquiries. One of the officers 
met me & acted as guide.

12.1.18 Saw Ray & had a long yarn 
to him. He is O.K. & still thinks 

driving is the best job in the Company. 
Have got command of my old 
Section No. 3, altho’ only three 
of the old hands are left in it now. 
13.1.18 Received an Aust. Mail.
including letters from you dated 
Nov 11 & 23. Went for a ride 
in the afternoon.

14.1.18 Brigade Sports held today 
Most of the events were very 
good, - the Battalions are competing 
for a Brigade Cup.

15.1.18. Only one important event 
today - Pay. The job fell to 
me, so there wasn’t much 
time left for anything else.