Letters of John William Axtens, 1917 - 1918 - Part 5

16.1.18. Detailed to go to Boulogne
to attend a demonstration of
"Camouflage" — the art of
concealment by protective colouring 
etc. Left at midday,
had a roam round & put
up at the Officers Club. Pictures
filled up the evening, & I took
advantage of the bath to have
a good old soak.
17.1.18. The demonstration took
place at Wimereux about 4
miles out. Set off in a tram but
found that the line had been
washed away about 1 mile out,
so had to finish the trip in
 

the pouring rain per foot. The show
was very interesting & we had a
look round the works — had
lunch in Wimereux & came
back to here by the 4 o’c train
landing in time for dinner.
18.1.17. Today — nil. Have a
dinner coming off tonight to
which we’re inviting representatives
from each battalion. It
should be quite a good evening.
~ Will Ward is in hospital
in England again at Northampton
but is trying to get transferred
to Crouch End. All sports except
football & boxing have been cancelled, 
 

so we expect to move
up now any time; probably
Messines way which is a
good home now, plenty of pill
boxes. Our transport was
inspected today & highly complimented
by the G.O.C.
I think this about finishes
the news so I’ll dry up.
Congratulations to our budding
lawyer also to Lola on her S.S.
Exam. Pass.
Fondest love to yourself,
Dad & all the kids.
Your Son
Jack.
 

17.
Belgium Feb 4 1918.
My dear Mother,
I think my
last letter to you was written
just after I returned from
a “camouflage” demonstration
at Wimereux. A few days
after that I went for a day’s
leave into Boulogne with one
of our officers, Ewing; his
people belong to the Northern
Rivers — Mullimbimby way
I think. Gen. Birdwood
inspected the brigade at a
march past on the 23^rd &
two days later Gen Hobbs
our Divisional Commander

2
came over to present the
Sports Cup, — it was won
by the 32^nd Battn. The
next two days were the
finals of the boxing —
our brigade won four of
the six weights.
Next day we started preparations
for our move up
to the line; our transport
left in the early morning
as they were going the
whole distance by road.
On the 30^th we entrained
& arrived at a camp in
the forward area that night
 

3
Next morning we marched
to another camp & later in
the day the transport turned
up. At 2 p.m. we left
for the line & took over
from the outgoing Company
at 5 o’clock. My quarters are
in a pill box over 1000 yds
from the front line & I have
a battery of six guns, to fire
S.O.S. barrage if needed.
It is very quiet. This is our
fourth day in & so far
the nearest shell has been
at least 150 yards away.
Our planes keep Fritz 

4
from coming over & as long
as we don’t move about
in the daytime, we’re O.K.
I strolled over to Coy. H.Q.
yesterday & had lunch with
the O.C. & a couple of the
others who were there. Gen.
Tivey our brigadier came
round to have a look at
us a couple of days ago.
I suppose you have heard all
about the pill boxes before;
they are certainly splendid
protection — this one has
about eight feet of solid
reinforced concrete over.
 

5.
head. There are two rooms
inside, one accommodates
eight of the men & my batman
& myself use the other,
which is also the office.
Telephone is laid on to the H.Q.
The rest of the men are in
another box about 200 yds
away. I believe we are to be
relieved after the week is
up — a week’s spell & then
another week in, with the
forward guns. There is no
harm in telling you now
the name of the village
where we were in rest,
 

6.
Desvres is not many
kilos from Boulogne.
I haven’t had any Australian
mail recently — Jan 13 was
the last, so we ought to
get some soon. I get letters
from England every week.
Ray was O.K when I saw
him a few days ago. I don’t
think there is anything more
of interest to tell you. No more
floods or droughts at home I
hope. Is business still going
ahead O.K. Fondest love to
you, Dad & the kids.
Your Son
Jack.
 

P.S. Everything seems
to point to an early
peace now, though whether
it will be as satisfactory
as we hoped, I don’t know.
Big strikes are reported
in Germany, political
& not industrial causes
I believe. JW