Letters from Robert Edmund Antill to his Parents, 1916 - Part 10 of 13

AUSTRALIAN COMMONWEALTH MILITARY FORCES

1228 14 Batt
No 1 Command Depot
Perham Downs. Est.
Nov. 11 1916

Dear Mother,
Recieved your most welcome
letter yesterday, it had been delayed at
the post office down here for a while so
you see it was late in reaching me,
you want to know if I received Lallie's
parcel & your letter about, yes I recieved
them both & also a parcel from Roley.
I am sending you another £3 to look
after for me. I got it last night it cost me
a nights sleep but I dont mind
that its worth it dont you think. you
know its so slow here that the only
thing to do is to have a little
gamble we play very often but
last night was a bit extra & my
luck was in at one time I had over
a tenner but finished up this

AUSTRALIAN COMMONWEALTH MILITARY FORCES

morning £5 to the good so I had to
treat them all & I am sending you
the rest.
Well I supose things are goin on
much about the same at home &
as for myself I am fairly well.
I think we will be shifting from
here to an other camp before long
& right glad I shall be too for this
is about the worst place in England.
We are in huts now & they have got
me hut Cpl of this one.
I have met a great many 14 men &
some are goin back to France
tomorrow.
I have heard today from very good
authority that the Australians have
been simply cut to pieces again
down on the Somme & the 4 Div.
I was in has been practicly wiped out
of existence & as you can gess they
are trying to keep it dark for a while
they are sending men back from here 

AUSTRALIAN COMMONWEALTH MILITARY FORCES

as fast as they can to reinforce the
others but I tell you they dont get me
till after Xmas & then I will go
back willingly. I would like to see
some of them down here who havent
had a go in before me this time.
Well now I will wind up hoping
you are all in the pink
Believe me to be
Your very loving Son
Bob. 

1228
14 Batt A. I. F.
No 2 Ward
Brigade Hosp
Perham Downs
Via Andover.
Hants.
17/11/16

Dear Mother,
You will see by the address that
I am back in hosp again I broke down again
yesterday my temp went up a bit & I was fealing
rather queer so I reported to the doctor & he put me
in here again.  my kidneys are rather sore & I
think I am getting a touch of a stritcure, but
I am very pleased to be able to say it is
only slight, he is giving me medicine for it
& I asked him if I would have to be operated
on but he said "No" which as you can gess
relieved me a great deal.
I recieved your most welcome parcel & I can
tell you those little cakes were A.1. One

question I was goin to ask you is. Did Elsie
make those sausage rolls at school. I dont know
what makes me ask but it happened to
pass through my mind last night.
Today is a proper freezer why my feet have
been cold all day You can just gess how
we cath it down af on these plains &
a few days ago the fog was very heavy
Having very little news to give you I will
draw to a close hoping one & all are well at
home.
Believe me to be
Your very loving Son
Bob.

P.S. Hope you recieved last £3 safe
making 9 all told.