Letters from Robert Edmund Antill to his Parents, 1916 - Part 13 of 13

Reg No 1228 14 Battn A.I.F. 
No. 1 Command Depot 
Perham Downs 
Via Andover  
13.12.16 

Dear Mother, 
Recieved Dollys most  
welcome letter last night & I must 
say she is getting first class at letter  
writing. 
Am so glad that Father has got another  
order for 600 more pup pump stands which  
will see you well on your way for a  
couple of months yet. I am writing  
this letter under great difficulties  I 
have a drunk (he is properly molo)  
at this table eating bread & salmon  
& kicking up a devil of a row, he  
keeps wanting to shake hands with  
me & keeps shouting in my ear that I  
am the only soldier in the hut 

In about half an hours time I am goin into  
Tidworth with a fatigue party of 20 men 
I was on this job yesterday and I can tell  
you it’s not too bad, we are shifting a  
whole heap of old clothes at the Aus.  
ordance stores, well they call them old  
clothes but I have fited myself out  
with pretty well, last night I came 
 back with a pair of boots , pair of riding  
pants, singlet, under pants, white wollen  
sweater & a few pairs of socks & all are  
in good condition, tomorrow if I am on  
this I have hopes of getting a pair of leggings 
A couple of days ago I was marked A  
class again & I dont think it will be  
long before I am moved off to my  
training Battn but there it all comes  
in a life time I shall be thinking I  
am still a soldier a gain when I get  
a pack & rifle again once more.  
Did you have any snow yesterday!?  
for we did & my word down it came in

lumps as big as ink bottles.  
Well I think I shall have to knock off 
for I cant get rid of this drunk, so hoping  
this letter finds you as it leaves me  
in the very best 
Believe me to be  
Your sincerely loving son 
Bob.  

Reg No 1228 14 Battn A.I.F.  
No 1 Command Depot 
Perham Downs 
Via Andover 
Harts. 
17. 12. 16.  
Sunday  
Morning 
  
Dear Mother,  
Have just arrivied back 
from post office with your parcel 
& those jam tarst are just grand. 
They are giving me a spell to day 
off this fatigue party & another Cpl 
has gone down in my place so I 
have a chance to write a few letters 
to day. 
I wrote a letter to Lollie & mentioned  
the Christmas leave in it & I can  
tell you it will be very hard to get  
so I want you to make this letter you

send to our Col. a real digger & if he 
wont give it to me well I must take  
it & also the result but whats the 
odds.  
Realy it dont seem so merry Christmas  
as it is, especially down here, we carry 
on in just the same old way come 
day go day & God bless Sunday, 
this afternoon I am goin  to have a  
hot shower & a change of clothes 
that is one thing about this one 
can get a good bath either of 
each hot or cold. 
Well I shall have to finish up now 
as news is so scarce, so hoping  
this letter finds you all in the best  
I remain 
Your very loving son 
Bob. 

Reg No 1228 14 Batt A.I.F.  
No 1 Command Depot 
Perham Downs 
via Andover 
Harts. 
22. 12. 16 

Dear Mother & Father,  
Well after all I shall 
have to spend my Christmas in this camp 
does not it seam hard but there it all 
comes in in a life time.  
I put in for leave 3 times & each time 
I was turned down & learnt yesterday 
for final that it was all knocked on the  
head, so I thought & thought & at last it  
dawned on me to send down a wire & get  
Father to come up & interview the Colonel 
himself but thing I left it too late 
again although I sent the wire a 1.45PM 
from Tidworth but there never mind 
might get leave for the New Year well  
I hope so.  
I will get you if you do not mind to send

me down a couple pounds to see me over  
the Christmas for they wont give us any extra  
here & one always like to have a little more 
these times.  
You know it makes my blood boil when I  
think of it so far & yet so near if I  
was in France I would not mind a bit 
but only a few miles away why once  
in the army & one is a slave.  
Well I wont write any more so hoping 
this finds you all as it leaves me in 
the very best of health, hoping you one &  
all will enjoy your Christmas 
Believe me to be  
Your loving son 
Bob.  

For God, For King & For Country 
Y.M.C.A. 
PATRON 
Y.M.C.A NATIONAL COUNCIL 
H.M. THE KING 
Y.M.C.A. 
WITH THE 
AUSTRALIAN EXPEDITIONARY FORCE 
Y.M.C.A 
PATRON 
YMCA NATIONAL COUNCIL  
H.M. THE KING 
Y.M.C.A 
PATRON 
MILITARY CAMP DEPT 
HR.H. DUKE  OF CONNAUGHT 
  
Address reply to Reg No 1228 R.E. Antill 
14 Battn No 1 Command Depot 
Perham Downs 
Harts 
  
December 31st 1916  
Sunday morning 
  
Dear Mother 
I havent writen you for a 
while so I think I will have a try 
having half an hour or so to spare. 
Well after all I shall not be home 
for the New Year, but there worse 
troubles at sea 
I put in for leave & to it I attached 
that letter of yours which you 
recieved from our Col. but it was 
all in vain for leave is cut out 
until Jan 3 1917. 
Now I dont think I shall put in for 
leave for a while. my reason being 
this with a bit of luck I shall 
catch a staff job down here well 
now if I start on leave it may

For God, For King & For Country 
Y.M.C.A. 
WITH THE 
AUSTRALIAN EXPEDITIONARY FORCE 
Y.M.C.A. 
Patron 
Y.M.C.A NATIONAL COUNCIL 
H.M. THE KING 
Y.M.C.A 
PATRON 
MILITARY CAMP DEPT 
HR.H. DUKE  OF CONNAUGHT 
  
Address reply to   191 
  
upset things somewhat so I think I will 
let it go for the time. 
I recieved Fathers letter with the 
money in it safely but the parcel 
you sent hasnt come to view yet 
but I suppose will eventualy. 
Had a very quite Christmas in fact it 
was just the same as any other day only 
all work cut out & a terrible lot of drunks 
kicking around. 
We had a fair Christmas dinner & a 
concert in the evening & in another letter 
I am sending the menu card & programme 
also a greeting card I got out of my  
Christmas gift from Australia, a copy 
of Roll of Honour from Mrs Downing 
I received a letter from her a few

For God, For King & For Country 
Y.M.C.A. 
WITH THE 
AUSTRALIAN EXPEDITIONARY FORCE 
Y.M.C.A 
Patron 
Y.M.C.A NATIONAL COUNCIL 
H.M. THE KING 
Y.M.C.A 
PATRON 
MILITARY CAMP DEPT 
HR.H. DUKE  OF CONNAUGHT 
  
Address reply to 191 
  
days ago, there all seam to be goin 
on pretty well out there. 
Well now I will come to a close 
hoping one & all are in the very best 
I remain 
Your loving Son 
Bob.