Letters of John William Axtens, 1917 - 1918 - Part 9

a weekend at Sandown with Elsie
& Marjorie Holden, leaving Grandma
in charge of "Cousin Eva Walker"
as Aunt F. calls her.
Grandma is keeping wonderfully 
bright & cheerful, according to all
reports.
I had a letter from Newcastle telling
of Aileen Winn’s wedding
on May 4.
I’m afraid it would take the 
influence of someone higher than 
a Colonel to get young Lambert
returned home ; his only 
chance is to make an application
through his C.O. stating
all particulars of the case. I 
know of some cases of leave
being given under these circumstances

I saw Ray a day or two ago &
showed him the latest letters 
from home ; his mail always 
seems to be a few days later 
than mine.
The war news is much more
satisfactory & it is now officially
announced that over
1,000,000 Yanks are now in 
France. Things should begin
to look up soon. Two companies
of Americans who were to 
have gone over with the Australians
in the last stunt were
ordered out of the line, but
when the time came to move
out they were not to be found,
& did not appear again until

the attack started, when they
hopped the bags with the rest.
The weather is still O.K. fine
sunny days.
I expect our Corps will be out
of the line for a decent spell soon.
Did I tell you I was on the 
look out for a transfer to a 
mobile M. G. Battn. All officers
are mounted on Triumphs & Douglases 
& the men are carried
in motor lorries. May hear something
when we get out.
No more news just now.
Fondest love to yourselves & all
the kids.
You son 
Jack.
Best wishes to the G.G.

28.
France 11.8.18
My dear Father & Mother,
It must be
three weeks since I wrote
home last – time seems to 
pass so quickly especially
when continually on the move
as we have been lately.
You will have read of the 
fine advance made by the
Australians, Canadians, English
& French on the Amiens front.
Everything was well prepared &
went well & with remarkably
few casualties to us. I was 
not able to take a very active
part in it ; I am still attached
to Bn H.Q. & have had a

2
couple of weeks as Adjutant, am 
now Transport Officer for a while,
& when the Quartermaster goes on
leave in a week or so I expect to 
take on his job. General understudy
to everyone. I am getting
fed up tho’ & want to get back to 
the company.
I took the C.O. up in a Douglas
sidecar to have a look round the
front line a day or two ago. We
could see some of the other
divisions who were making
a further advance, going on well
ahead.
Last night Ray came to
see me - he had a tale of
woe to tell. Peg his fox terrier
mascot had got left behind
at Villers Brettoneux when

3
the Company moved out, so 
we went up on the bike &
sidecar & she was there waiting
& received Ray with much
tail wagging. He has had her
since Bapaume in ’16.
Our crowd is now out in 
reserve but expect we will go
up again tomorrow.
Leave has opened up better
now so I have hopes of getting
out to Blighty in the near
future.
I get parcels from Aunt F. every
now & then. This mail I had two 
from Aust. one from home & 
one from Auntie Mill. They were
great & not damaged at all.
Some Aust mail is just starting
to filter in so I expect one

4
from home in a day or two.
I had another letter form Arch
Pursell a few days ago. He
has been accepted for the Royal
Air Force – gone down to
Hastings for training. I hope to
be able to see him when I 
get over.
Frank Winn is still in England -
we expect him back
next month.
My fountain pen went ‘plint’
this afternoon, hence this pencil
scrawl.
Is business O.K. & making more
satisfactory profits?
Much love to yourselves & 
all the kids,
Your Son
Jack

30
France.
14.9.18
My dear Father & Mother, 
Two letters from
home came by the last mail, dated
23 & 30 June.
Ray & I only arrived back from leave
two days ago & found the Battalion
just settling down after a move.
We had a splendid time in Blighty
& the weather was quite good on the
whole.
Did I tell you in my last letter that
Arch Pursell was up in London for 
the weekend. He is a cadet in the
R.A Force down at Hastings. I don’t 
think he has changed a bit since
I saw him last in July ’14. Frank
has already left for Egypt . also
in the R.A.F.
While on leave I spent three
days in Grantham with some friends,

2/
Stantons, & had a good time. While I 
was there I saw Keith Rogers – a 
returned chap who came over with 
me in the "Suevic" last year. He
has been gassed & was sent to do 
an instructional course at Grantham.
Frank Winn also was up in London
while Arch was there & met him.
On Sunday the four of us went
off to church with Grandma & 
Aunt Florrie. Frank is due back with 
the company at the end of next this 
month.
Ray was offered & has taken a job as
driver on Batt H.Q. – he should be
a bit more comfortable during the winter.
Things seem to be still going on
well – we had news of a big new
advance by the Yanks down South
near Metz a couple of days ago.
Last night two of Fritzs’ big bombing
planes were caught by the searchlights
& afterwards brought down in flames,

3/
either by our planes or by anti-aircraft
guns – probably the latter. He
was very busy last night but
no bombs came our way.
We are in the open under corrugated
iron, covers, tarpaulins etc & it’s
a good deal safer than being in 
the villages.
About parcels Mum – I think you
have a bit exaggerated the food
shortage in England. Things are better
now than in the latter end of ’17.
We found very little trouble while on
leave. Tobacco – Havelock particularly
- is very welcome from Australia
as English tobacco is scarce, dear
& not up to much when you do get
it. Please don’t send socks or 
mufflers I can hardly struggle under
my present load.
I hope business still improves & 
that all are well. Much love to you
both & to all the kids. Your Son
Jack
I cabled on 9.9.18. -