Letters from George Alexander Hugh Murray to his family, 1916 - Part 3

Abbey Wood

Kent 21/2/16

 

Dear Bess

I have just written to Lena

and told her most of the news

The second week in February there

was held in London a memorial

service at Westminster Abbey to

all the Colonial soldiers who

fell in Gallipoli. Before we went

into the Abbey we marched

through the streets of London

and they marched as well as

any regular troops and I saw

the moving pictures that were

taken of them and they looked

exceedingly well.

There has been a lovely fall

of snow this year but it did

not last long.

I am getting tired of writing for

I have written to all the little

boys who have written to 

me and it takes time to answer

all their letters

I cannot think of anything

more this time

 

So I will close

From your loving Brother

George

Abbey Wood

28/2/16

 

All at home 

I received a letter from you today

also one from Les dated Feb 6. He was

still at Heliopolis + was quite well

at the time of writing.

It has been snowing heavily for three

days and about 12 foot six fell. The

country looks lovely but when

it began to thaw it makes nothing

but slush. It is horrible stuff to

soak through your boots, far

worse than rain.

I have had four teeth filled today,

and they did not hurt as

much as I thought they would.

My eyes are being treated by a specialist

but I have not heard the result

yet.

On of my chums met with a very severe

accident about a week ago. He was

crossing the tram lines & not looking

where he was going and the four front

wheels of the car passed over him

He had his head smashed & some

ribs broken. I have not seen him

yet.

The cold weather is playing up with

our chaps Hardly a week goes by

without a couple dying. Some are

given a military funeral, and some

are not. No one seems to know the

reason of it.

It has just began to rain, and I am

going to write to Les so I will close

hoping you are all well 

From your loving son & Brother

George

Abbey Wood

Kent 6/3/16

 

All at home

I received your ever

welcome letter a couple of

days ago but I have not

heard from Les for some

time now but I am

writing to him after I

have finished this

letter.

It is nothing but snow

& rain here now &

nearly every night is 

freezes. You may go

for days now without

seeing the sun while

2/

you are having such

lovely warm weather.

I have a chap in my

hut that knew Les

very well but has not

seen him for some

time.

You sent me a Warrack

paper for November but

I have just received it

so it has taken some

time to find me.

A lot of our chaps are

getting married in

this country and then

going straight back

3/

to their units.

I wrote to the c16.U.J.0.0.F's

head offices & received

a reply that as soon

as I forwarded them

a medical certificate

as to me being wounded

they would remit

some money to me.

A big draft is leaving

this camp in a few

days. We have all to 

parade on Sunday

afternoon for to be

told off.

I had a letter from

A.  Gunn. He ha said

he had a letter from

you and he says

his family are quite

well but they-are about -

snowed up.

I cannot think of any

thing more this time

so goodbye

From your loving

Son & Brother

George

 

1 DRL 529

Egypt

6/4/16

 

All at home

I have landed safely in Egypt

after an eventful voyage of storms and submarines

and we had some narrow

escapes for the boats that we had just

past were both sunk so our luck was

in. They talk of the storms in the Bay of

Biscay they are nothing compared

with what we had to put up with

in the Mediterranean Sea.

It took up eleven days to come from

England and we had no parades

so we had a fair spell.

I have not seen Les yet but hope to

do  so in a few days though we are

a fair distance apart.

I do not think I am to join my old

unit for it is full to overflowing

now but all the chaps that came

from England in this draft are to form a

unit of their own.

I cannot say much as this is to be censored

but will write more when I

get a bit more settled.

So goodbye for the present

I am your son & Brother

George