Letters from John Wesley Hetherington to his Family, 1916-1918 - Part 7

to undergo two months of duty here, one month patton fatigue
and one month frontline trenchs they'd alter their views
considerably on warfare and its attendant glories (?).
It is beyond any powers of mine to describe the state of roads
and trenches here and it is only by giving the men short
spells in the line that they are able to carry on. Of course we
are at a standstill at present perhaps some people wonder why
in Australia but I tell you the spirit of men have a severe trial
to hold on let alone advance, I'm quite sure if we had been
fortunate enough to have had an extra months good dry weather
when we were advancing, we should have had Fritz by the head
and heels by now as the British troops were in great heart inspite of
the severe fighting. The airmen on our side were superb, and had
Fritz blind as a bat and then the grotesque TANKS bucked the
Corps up considerably. There are male tanks and female tanks,
the male tanks hit hard, the female tanks are for worrying men
to death. Thus they resemble their human sisters. What think
ye Wal? Still thank heavens the human sisters are much more
fascinating in appearance, and I'd rather face them even when
they are angry as face Miss Spitfire Tank, when she is out

for a promenade in No Mans (and certainly No Woman's land).
And the big guns behind her men give them confidence too,
such walloping guns they are too, they look like young
boilers on wheels, with the oddest looking oil tractors dragging
them round snorting and shuffling all over the roads.
Gallipoli wasn't a war compared to this, and some of the men
returned to Austa from Gallipoli have yet to learn what real
war is like. Just to witness one of the bombardments here is an
eyeopener. While I write this, seated in a comfortable though

leaky cottage deserted by it's former occupants with good
reason too, the guns are rumbling and flashing away up
the line, Fritz sends a few over this town still though it is
almost beyond his range since the last push, He lobbs them
right into the streets too, at times and one place called the
Cafe of Progress, certainly did progress into the street, when
a big un bumped it lately. Our battalion is now up towards
the line & the "artificers" of the regt myself shoemaker tailor, etc,
are working in the town. I have to overhaul all the bikes, and the
shoemakers are cobbling for all they are worth, Boots are a big
item in all this rain and mud. I have, at times, some queer jobs
this week I've had a shot at a typewriter, a phonograph, bikes, and
now I have to make crossed sword & baton badges for Brigadier
Smythe, V.C., have to make them out of shell band at that too.
Typewriters are queer beasts, phonographs are harmless.
We have a new Colonel from the General Staff, a real scorcher, and
he shook things up this last week or two. (BLAMEY)
I saw Shipper yesterday, he has to undergo a school course for
trench mortars, he ought to ^ be on the way for stripes soon, in
fact he had been promised one. The first one is hardest to
get, after that more stripes come quick. Well I shall have to
dry up, wish it was as easy to dry the roads up.
Pity you couldn't send some of those I.W.W's out here for
trench duty. Tell Mother I received a parcel from
Aunt in Canada this week. Have not received the one
from Meg yet that Else spoke of. Hope it wasn't on the
"Arabic". I am sending a photo to Canada also one to
Oakham, and one to Richmond River through Jos. They

won't reach their respective destination for some time
yet, as they are included in a fresh dozen I have
ordered. I am also sending Francis Wilson one, and
Syd Mellor and Edwin Dury
Hope you will get one and like it. Jos has already
sent some on I believe.
All the chaps are coughing & sneezing, and we are feeling the
damp weather & cold after sunny Egypt. I wish they
would take us where it is warmer, the weather I mean of course
not the fighting. I don't like the position in Salonika, nor
Fritzy's peace offers wither. It will be SOME fight here
next year. The Conscription vote in Austa annoys me and
I'd like to be up on a soap box at Burwood or any other
corner, to ease off my feelings against some of those blind,
blithering fools who talk of Australia having done enough.
Done enough! We hold (Australians) about 1 mile of front on an
80 mile British front in France. They're too wise to fight.
God help their ignorance. They ought to see YPRES, and some
of the streets in this town. Why won't they hold a LABOUR
CONFERENCE IN YPRES? Ask the Kaiser.
Yours with kind love & best wishes to all
in Sunny Australia.
Wes/.

[*47*]
Somewhere in Mudland
France.
23/12/16.
Dear Folks at Home
Two days off Xmas. Last year we were
thanking our lucky stars we were safe off Gallipoli at
this time, and here we are still in hot water, no - cold I mean
and very cold too. I can't growl, as I am in a comfortable
billet with a bit of a fire, and plenty of tucker but our boys
have just gone into the line and the MUD up there is something
terrible. We have had a little snow this week and a little
frost but the rain is still top dog, and hinders all operations
Our billet here is quite like home again. Of course we want the
slaters in and the carpenters as the roof is badly riddled
with shrapnel and the window frames have disappeared for fire
wood, but nevertheless we are living like millionaires compared
to the boys in the trenches. Two of them have just come in now
they are bound to "Blighty" on leave, lucky beggars. we give
them water for a bath to wash the crawlers off them. Baths
are a luxury of course. One chap last night reckoned he'd

found two singlets under the dirt that he'd lost count of.
Then they get clean underclothes and that gives the "Chats" a bit of
a fright and the chaps have a bit of peace during their 10 days
leave. I was amused at Fred enquiring how long leave we
got he said something about "how many weeks"? Eh! What!
TEN DAYS, perhaps a day or two more if one is lucky
enough to strike a submarine or a collision. Still its wicked
to growl, and the men are only too pleased to get 10 days.
Still after reading all that anti conscription rot

in the last Sydney paper I got, well does make
a man feel a bit sick. I wonder what sort of effect
a few 6" or 8" shells flopping about near an anti- meeting 
would have. Fritz sends them into this town whenever he
feels inclined, I wonder now if a few were to land round
the neighbourhood where Mr Catts hangs out whether he would still 
have so much to say. And they say Australia has done enough.
Now, who have really done what has been done, why the
men who have been away since 1914, and who are still
away in the thick of the fighting. XXX. When they say Australia
they are sheltering and taking credet they're not entitled to.
I really don't know how they have the hide topside themselves
on what these MEN have done. I really can't convey to you what
discomforts they are going through just now. There is scarcely a
man who isn't coughing. Colds are the rule everywhere. It
doesn't matter what a man does, he can't keep his feet dry. The
shoemakers are working night and day, yet some men haven't
known what it is to have dry feet for weeks. It will take the
Australian's all their time to weather it out. The Scotties are great
they seem to be made of iron. They still wear their kilts in all
this cold weather. I do wish it were all over, if only for the
fighting men sake. It doesnt matter about the others behind the
line, especially those in Blighty base camps. They are clearing
out a lot of deadheads away from England since conscription
was bowled out. Some men we have ^not seen for over a year
 

are coming back now. They like the POMMY'S country all
right even in war time, and I know many of them have
aligned their opinion of England since they have seen it.
I received a parcel from Canada folk last mail and
also one from the folk at Cowra today. I shall write to
acknowledge receipt of it next mail, as I have just time 
to finish this for this mail. The parcels are very useful. May 
has sent me a towel big enough to make about 3 of ours. It will serve
me a long while before it wants washing. I shall have to let the
washing of it by contact. I expect you will have got photos of
myself from Joe by now. Hope you will like them.
Up to now I have had a parcel, lately from Wal, Cowra, & Canada, so 
they are coming to hand very well.
We have a new Colonel now & he's the real goods, Hot Stuff!
Not half! He's making one chap practice economy in
clothes & my word they need it I tell you.
I got a highly complimented for making a Brigadiers badge for one
Brigadier it is something similar to what I have sent you. I
believe, but made out of copper shell band. Wish you has seen it
There are lots of Geordies about here at present, Engineers and Artillery
and I was amused at the picture show the other night. At these shows
the comments of the soldier audience all the time ethe pictures are showing 
are worth the money, and the other night one chap sung out in broad
Geordie: Gaw on Man!" This was when the hero was shy about kissing
the heroine. The Austrns can bit off the Lancashire dialect A.1.. but 
I never them tackle Geordie. Well I haven't much more 
 

to write about.
There will be some stern fighting this next year for

sure, but I hope this time next year that we shall
be all back safe in N S Wales.
Don't I wish I could feel the sunshine now, and
so say all of us.
With best of love to Mother & all
Wes/.
Am going to try to send a small parcel on to you.
Wes/.
 

Having heard that the Austn mail does not close/'for a few days more I am adding a few more lines
There are wild rumours flying that we are going to England
for a spell. No one believes these yarns at any time but
they certainly help keep up the sprites of the troops, 
though eventually hope deferred will make the heart sick.
I think we will really lob back to the latest "big push". I saw
a big lot of the latest 6,000 capture from Beaumont Hamel, they 
must live, move. & have then being underground as they looked
very pale & pasty faced. If you could only see the extent of ground retaken from the Germans, You would wonder how it ever was done
especially when every yard hard to be fought for. I was up through 
Pozieres, and where the 1^st Divn had such a desperate fight, you
can find a Canadian coffee stall. These coffee stalls are

a great boon to the men, coming out of the trenches.
We have a great parson with the 1st Brde, Capt Chaplain McKenzie,
the men of the 1st Brigde fairly worship him. He'll plant a
stall in :No-mans land" if they would let him, he's the
finest example of a parson ever I did see.
Well you'll get this about the New Year, so I wish you one ^ all

a Happy new Year, & may we be together for the next one.
Wes/.
I almost forgot to say, I've been inside a "tank", when it was
asleep of course, she's a queer beast, a cross between a
battleship & a swing Bridge.
 

[*48*]
On the Move again.
19/1/17
Dear Folk at Home,
Tis Sunday again & I must try to send a line or two, as I
always think Sunday was intended for letter day.
In the Army the "heads" look upon Sunday as a fit & proper
day to shift camp or ^to shift Fritzy, and when the history of
this war comes to be written it will be found that Sunday
was the day of big moves and "pushes".
Well I haven't very much fresh news, pleased to report however that
all parcels notified are to hand Mag & Wills arrived on
Boxing Day, so I lived well. The socks are very welcome
and I did enjoy Alans chocolates. The Mittens too are useful.
In fact your parcels have been well chosen & 'Tre bon".
I hope to be able to write to Meg soon to thank her & Will.
It has been severe weather here lately, and the ground is White with
Snow. There will be more and more mud when the thaw sets in.
Fortunately we have had good billets this last month or so and we
manage to beg, borrow or steal a bit of coal and with plenty
of good tucker I think we'll see the winter out yet.
The boys are back for a spell at present, but I don't think
it will be long before they're making up to see Fritz again.
There will always be something doing in France this year by the look 
of things, and I hope it will be the final. They don't give
the Huns much breathing time even now, as the big guns are
continually throwing souvenirs over him night and day.
Of Course he isn't idle either, not by any means, but we
send ten to his one. If we keep the supremacy of the air
as we had in the Big Push, the boys will
 

just about fix Fritz up. The weather is an important item
too of course. I sent a small box with a souvenir in away
to you last week, hope you get it safely. I have a mate for
it to follow as soon as I get it censored. They are two
cases engraved by a French soldier (hand engraved) and I prize 
them very much. They may require burnishing by the time you get
them with a dry cloth only. There are a few badges in too.
Lyneside Scottish & Northumd Fusiliers, Argyles, & Highland Light Inf.
also a serviette ring for Fred which though not of much value
from an intrinsic point of view may be as a souvenir of YPRES, 
I intended to get something better for him but have not been near
a big town for some time. Our Sergts celebrated their Xmas
this week as they were "in the line" at Xmas. I enclose you a MENU
as a souvenir. The Regiment is picking up in strength again and
the "tradesmen" have plenty of work in hand. We keep 3 shoemakers going
at present, a tailor & asst, and myself & asst. The postal biz takes
up two or three more men, and our band, after being built up and
killed off two or three more tunes, is once more in full tune, and they are 
not required to go to the firing line now.
Music is a big item towards keeping the men in good heart and I have
seen some good shows quite close to "the front". We had a good pierrot
troup near us last week, and also a hypnotist. Quite the funniest
thing I've seen for a long time was when half a dozen of our chaps
were hypnotised and proceeded to search for "Chats". Laugh! I nearly
died, and the look on their faces when they were bought to their senses
with thier shirts out, putties & tunics off, well! it was funny.
These sort of shows are better for the troop all the