Letters from Wilbert Berg to his family, 1915-1918 - Part 19

Red Cross Hospital
Standish
Stonehouse
Glos. 1/1/18
My Dear Dad Mum & Sister,
You will
notice by the address on the
top that I am not at Bristol
now, I was shifted down here the
Saturday before Xmas. Well I
had a glorious Xmas this time
the best I have had since I
left. They are very nice down here
it is one of Beaufort Aux. Hosp.
& is run by women there is
only a hundred of us down
here, of course we will not be
here long, we only came down
here to wait till they can take
us at Dartford. I am not going
into details about the good time
we had at Xmas as it would
take too long, I will tell you
all about it when I get back 

(2)
Have not had any letters from
you for a long while but there
has not been an Aust. mail
in, one came in a couple of days
ago so I am expecting to get
some any day now. Have had a
good few letters from Mart, he
is going along first rate, he
has just been to Paris & he said
he had the greatest time of his
life, I bet he did too, Mrs
Coleman send me a nice Xmas
cake she is a good lady. I am
feeling pretty good lately, but you
can bet when I go before the
Doctor at Dartford I am going
to be as crook as anything, I
am going to try my hardest to
get a trip home this time. Things
are a bit lively on the Western
front lately, but pretty quiet on
all the other fronts. Everyone
over here say that the war will
end this year, I am not going
(3)
say that, because I have said
that many times that the war
was going to end that I am
full up of it now. Saw by the
papers where Conscription was
beaten again this time, only a
larger majority than last time
I voted this time (my first vote)
& I voted for conscription. So
far we are having a very mild
winter it has not been too
bad so far, have had a couple
of small falls of snow, but
nothing to speak of. But the
papers say that there has been
a good deal of snow over in
France. Have not met anyone
from Glebe over this side yet.
Franey Mart was telling me that
poor Tommy Atkins was killed
up at Ypres the same time as
I was wounded, he was a nice
boy too, he was a Sgt in B. Company
we often used to have a yarn.

(4)
Suppose Glebe is still in the
same old place, hasent shifted
yet. They have a couple of whist
drives here a week, I played in
the first one last night but
never got a prize, but did not
do too bad. I am still carrying
my souvenirs around with me,
I will not know what they are
going to do with me till I go
down to Dartford. Hope you are
getting my letters O.K. but I
suppose the letters from over this
side are the same as the ones
from Aust. Well Dad & Mum
news has just about run out
now so will have to close
hoping that you are all in the
best of health etc & with tons
of love & kisses XXXXXXXX
XXX From XXXX
XX Your loving Son X
XXX XXX
XXX Will XXXX
XXXXX

[*I will
meet a lot
when I go down
to Dartford. Well
my little stock of news
has just about run out
now so will have to close
So with tons of love &
kisses. From
Your loving Son XXX
XXXX
XX Will  XXXXXX
XXXXXXX*]
Stonehouse
Glos. 13/1/18
My Dear Dad Mum & Sister,
Just a few more lines to
let you know that I am still in the land of
the living, but I have not been too good the last
few days, my lung has been giving a good lot
of pain but nothing to worry about. I think I
have been getting about a bit too much on it.
Had a couple of letters from Mart since I wrote
last, he is still O.K. & happy as ever, we are
lucky with our letters this time, we get each others
regularly so that is a good thing. He expects to
be coming over here on furlough again about Feb.
or March so I think that I will be able to
have my furlough with him, as I think that I
will be in Hospital a good while yet, but one can
never tell what will happen these days. Anyhow I
am pretty certain I will have to go under an
operation at Dartford & have the pieces of shell taken
out of me, so I will try & keep in Hospital till Mart

(2)

is able to get his furlough. Had a few lines
from Mrs Coleman yesterday, she is still quite
well. Have had a few falls of snow lately, but
nothing to speak of, so far we are having a
very mild winter & its a good thing too, as I
nearly died with the cold over here the last
winter. Have not had any letters from you for
ages although Mart & Mrs Coleman have had some
lately, so there must be some kicking around
for me somewhere, suppose they will come in a
big batch when they do come & it will take me
a couple of days to read them. Don't you think
I am some whist player, I have been to four
whist drives since I came here & I have won
three prizes, two thirds & a first, the first prize
I won was a lovely little safety razor, & the
others were a box of soap & a silver pencil, if
I keep on going I will soon be able to open
up a shop. "get me". The food question is still
very serious over here, you have to have a
ticket for nearly every thing you want & then you
have to line up in a big queue to get it, but
the Hospitals get plenty so we cannot grumble. Of
course this food shortage brings home to the people
that there is a war on, they want something
like that out in Australia, what do you say.
Things are pretty quiet on all the fronts just
now, but there is a very big battle. coming on

(3)
the western front, soon Germany I going to make
a final effort to end the war, but we are fully
prepared for the blow, but all the same I am
glad I won't be there, as there is sure to be
terrible slaughter on account of Germany having
all the men & guns from the Russian front to
help her. I don't think the blow will be on the
British front, I think the poor French will
have to face it. "Narpoo English news" Now I
hope that you have all been keeping quite well
& in the best of health these days. Suppose
Australia is still in the same old spot has'ent
shifted at all. How are all old friends? quite
well I hope. Don't forget to remember me kindly
to all of them. By the way Mum how many
"Bookies" have you broken lately? Suppose you
will have a couple of gee gees of your own by
the time we get back home, "ha-ha". I don't
think. I have not got my photo's yet, but as
soon as I get them I will send my ugly
dial along for you to look at. Have not dropped
across any of the Glebe boys over here yet, suppose
 

The mail just came in & I got
only one letter from you No 95 dated
Nov. 4^th. & one from Millie. Hope to get
some more to-morrow.

[*about run
out for this
mail so will
have to close now
hoping that you are
all in the best of
health etc & with tons
of love & kisses XXX
XXX Your loving Son X
XXXXXXX
XXXX Will XXX
X
Remember me 

kindly to all old

friends.*]
No. 3 Aust. Aux. Hosp.
Dartford, Kent, 26/1/18
I received a couple more most
welcome letters from you since I wrote last, which I was
very pleased to get. They shifted us from Stonehouse down
here last Thursday, I don't care much for this Hospital
although it is one of our own & everything is first class,
I seem to feel more at home at the Tommy Hospitals
which is the main thing. Well Dad & Mum I am going
to tell you a little bit of good news now, when I went
up before the Doctor here yesterday & he had a look at me
he marked me for a medical board for home. I am
feeling too confident about passing it, as I know that
they are pretty stiff problems to pass unless you are in
the know, anyhow if I pass alright I will send you a
cable & let you know, lets hope I pass them O.K., & if I
don't pass it will mean a good few months in England
on Base duty. We are having lovely weather over here now
considering it is winter I only hope that it keeps like
it. The food is still very scarce over here, you have to
have a ticket for nearly everything you want to buy
& then you only get a limited amount. You are lucky to

where you are & not in England. Had a few letters from
Mart lately he is still going along first class & as happy
as a lark expects to be coming over here on leave for
in a couple of months. Also had a few lines from Mrs
Coleman, she is first rate, I wrote to her yesterday saying
that I had been shifted down here so I suppose she
will come out & see me as Dartford is only a few miles
out of London. Before we left Stonehouse the Australians
gave a whist drive for the Hospital & it was a great
success, of course see who run it "Cactus" anyhow all the
hosp & Nurses said that it was the best that has
been held at the Hospital so that is something. After it
was over the Commandant gave a little speech & thanked
us for the whist drive & supper so "Cactus" had to get
up & make a reply sore orator did you say, but I
nearly brought the house down with applause after
my speech I don't think. We are right amongst the
air raids down here as the Huns pass over here on
their way to London, the searchlights are playing all
night & the guns firing all day seems like being out
in France again. By the way I received your parcel
O.K. for which many thanks, it was first class & the
contents most acceptable, its quite a treat to get a
parcel from home. Well Dad & Mum news has just

Weymouth
12/3/18
My Dear Dad Mum & Sister,
Suppose you will
wonder where this letter has come
from but I am giving it to a
friend of mine to post when he gets
home. I should be arriving home the
same time as him but through being
away on furlough when the boat rolls
came out I was put back, but never
mind I will be on the next boat to
arrive. I am giving my pal your address
& he is going out to see you. (Sgt Dalziel
is his name) I sincerely hope you have
all been keeping first rate, I myself
am still alive & kicking. Suppose you
have been wondering why I have not
been writing, but I simply detest writing
so when I knew I was going home
I knocked off. Suppose you got a bit of
a surprise when you heard I was
coming home. I was pretty certain right
from the first that I would go home
but thought I would wait till I knew
for certain before I would let you know
Had a few letters from Martie he is
still going strong, he expects to be coming
over on leave any time now, so I will 

be able to see him before I go. Had a
real good time on furlough. Les will tell
you all about it when he goes out to
see you. Went & saw Mrs Coleman while I
was in London I am bringing a couple
of little parcels home for her. Les has
a good joke to tell you about the two
of us looking for the Strand in London
I'll bet you will laugh. I am bringing
that German watch I promised Dad
along with me. I am going to bring
you all home a little present, but for
the life of me I don't know what to 
get, but I will get something to bring
home. Hope all are O.K. out in "Aussie"
give my kindest regards to all. I will
be getting going on the next convoy
which is expected to be leaving here
in about six weeks time, but a boat
might leave before then, & my name is
one of the first to go on the next boat
roll. When I am coming home, I don't want
you to come down & meet the boat, anyhow
it would not be much use coming down
as they won't let you on the wharf. I
want you just to wait at home till I
come, as I will get out as soon as I can
Things just the same over this side, the
food question still very serious, but the
country itself is just beginning to look

lovely. Things pretty quiet on all the
fronts just now, we are all waiting
for the big German offensive to come off
A lot of people seem to think that after
the offensive is over that we will
have peace but I doubt it. Oh well
Dad & Mum this is about all the
news till I get home, so will close
now with heaps of love & kisses &
hoping to be back soon again at 180
Your loving Son
XXXX
Will XXXXX