Letters from Robert Edmund Antill to his Family, 1917 - Part 4 of 5

Reg No 1228
14 Battn A.I.F.
22.4.17
Perham Downs
Sunday Morn

Dear Mother
Arrived here yesterday  
after a lot of delay, went out on  
parade this morning & had this
cheerful news told to us, that the  
4 division has just about lost  
every man in France half of  
them taken prisoners  & the other  
half killed & that we are to  
hold ourselves in readyness to  
leave this camp for France  
tomorrow night (Mon.) the 23rd  
April, this is very sudden & as  
you see I have no chance of
getting home before I go & I  
don't no wether I shall be able  
to see you, we leave England from  
Folkstone & then across the water  
I was wondering if you could come down

there & see me, that will be tomorrow  
night.
Of course these orders  
may be cancelled but I think  
not, any way I shall know in
the morning & if they carry on  
I will wire you, the drafts  
genraly leave here about 9 oclock  
at night so when we get at Folk.  
it will be late & give you a chance to 
get down there.
I left some washing & a  
tunic at Warehame & am getting  
one of my pals down there to send  
it home so as you. can send it 
to me on the other side as the
clothes I stand in are the only  
ones I have, that is under clothes.
I shall very much like 
to see you tomorrow & if this  
letter reaches you early enough
you might be able to get down  
here & there by save the

chance of missing you down at Folk.
If you do come drop me a wire  
& I shall look out for you at  
the time you arrive & dont forget  
come to Tidworth station not  
Ludgershall, you will be able  
to take my best tunic back also  
a pair of good boots I have.
Well now I shall have to close  
as we have got to go & get the  
rest of our equipment hoping to  
see you tomorrow
Believe me to be
Your very loving son
Bob
Address for this camp
1228
Cpl. Antill
14 Battn A.I.F. 
Infantry Draft Depot. No 4 Camp
Perham Downs. ect

Reg No 1228
14 Battn 4 Brig A.I.F.
France
Sat evening
6 o' clock  28.4.17

Dear Mother & Father
Off tomorrow  
morning Sunday, we catch 2.30 am  
train from Tidworth, a move
almost in the middle of the  
night.
I have sent you along 2  
parcels one the other day & one  
today, do not send any thing over  
until you get a letter from me. 
Should you get those photos  
of mine & if they turn out  
decent will you please send one  
of each of them along to a friend  
of mine whos address is at end of letter.
Sincerely hope you arrived  
home safely i  all that all are  
in the very of health at home

as I am myself, in fact I am feeling  
just fit, I cannot stop to write  
any more now as we have to  
fall in & after that I shall  
try & get a few hours sleep  
before we go.
Believe me to be  
your very loving Son 
Bob
Address
Miss Billie E.S.V.D. Galpin
"Windham House"
139 Windham Rd
Bournemouth 
East 
Harts.

Reg No 1228
XX L. M. G.S. D. Coy.
14 Battn.
4 Brigade 
A.I.F
May 8th 1917

Dear Mother & Father
Back again with  
the old Battalion & I can tell you I 
am just glad to be settled down
again with them, as I sit here & write  
in this billet the rain is coming in  
through the roof on to my paper & it  
is hard to dodge but taking the  
weather on the average it has been  
splendid. 
When you get this letter  
send over to me I will get you to
send the old pair of brown boots  
I sent home to you in that parcel from  
Perham also one shirt & a pair of  
underpants.
The tales we herd in England  
about our division were fairly correct  
so you can gess how things stand  
here, I hardly know any of them here  
at all for they are all new to me

My promotion to Cpl has gone  
through at last, so I am fixed alright  
now, well I have a lot to say but cant  
so I will close sincerely hoping one  
& all are in the best as I am myself
Believe me to be
Your very loving Son 
Bob
PS. Don't forget boots & don't send 
bacon as we get plenty. Bob

Reg No 1328
AIF
May 20  17 France 

Dear Mother & Father
Here we are again  
received your most welcome letter  
& parcels yesterday & I can tell
you the boots & clothes have come  
just at the right moment for my  
feet were sore & I was helping  
to keep a few other things besides  
my self alive but now I am fealing
just great.
I have recieved a letter from  
my friend Billie saying she has  
received the photos you sent on to 
her & she sent you on a note thanking  
you for them, by the way if there are  
any over I would like you to send

me out one of each just to see  
what they are like.
I have a great deal I  
would like to tell you but must not  
thus making letter writing very
hard from this side, if you like  
when sending out a parcel to me  
you can send some bacon the way  
you said for our isue is very  
little after all, but dont send  
fruit for what you sent turned  
bad so it is only a waste.
Well I am not going to  
write any more now for I cant but  
will drop a card next week hoping  
one & all are well at home as  
myself
I remain your loving son
Bob