Letters from George Alexander Hugh Murray to his family, 1917 - Part 14

I had a letter from the North of
Scotland & they were complaining
about the shortage of labour to get
their small harvests in but every
letter I get something seems wrong
with them. I never had the
chance of meeting Hagh Green
though I have been near his
unit
Well I have nothing more to
scribble about this time so
will close hoping you are all
well and have the best
Christmas.
I am your loving brother
George.

France
22-11-17
Dear Laurie
I received your ever wel come
letter along with one from Het Lena
Mum & Dolly, while yestiday got one
from Linda March and a parcel
with the the W beat Red Cross
Stamp on it. I am in the Battation
again, not at present I should
say for I am at a school of
instruction for the furtherance
of promotion in fact it is an
officers school and the course
will last a little over four
weeks and most likely be over 

just before Christmas so most
likely will be travelling about
Christmas day and the travelling
is not to be envied for it takes
days to do a little journey.
I have not seen Les for a
terrible long time & have only
heard twice from him since
I came back from England.
But of poor Jim I do not know
what to think, but I think he
must have gone under or
news would be through of them
by now.
I have very little time for letter
writing now for there is nothing
but lectures all day & at night 

and what more ^ at nights notes have 
to be always taken of them & 
written out at night for future
reference, So the time is fully taken
up but on Sunday we are given a few
to our selves but one has no where
to go for we are at a place on one
of the old Australian battlefields but - 
itis very different from the time
I first saw it eighteen months ago
time is up and I have to get on to
parade so must close this hurried
note hoping you are all well
Your loving Brother
George. 

France
25-11-17
All at home
I have not had any letters
this week for the battalion is on the
move for a few days & the mail is
held back for a time. I have my
time well filled up now writing
out lectures that are given through
the day for I am at a school of
instruction for a few weeks but on
the whole one has a good time
for on wednesday afternoon
there are games or running oy on
Saturday afternoon & Sunday are
holidays and passes are often
able for one to go & visit the
old historic places around 

Places where the Australian made
imperishable history. One going over
the ground now can hardly recognize
it; only a few permanent land
marks but what strikes one
the most is the number of graves
all with crosses to them but sad
to say many & many a poor
soldier is buried unknown.
There are camps all over the place
where not many months ago
you could not put you head
over the ground. At times I can
hear the guns booming in the
direction of the new advance
Long before this time last year
there was plenty of snow about
but today it yet very near to snow 

and in the end it gave up & began
to rain & blow something frightful
but rain hail blow or snow our
work still goes on for in a school
there is always something that can
be done under shelter
Lights out time is here so I must
close hoping you are all well
I am your loving Son
George. 

France
7-12-17.
Dear Laurie
I received the box of good things
and they went just the thing. It was sent
on to me at the school I am attending
and which most probably will break up
just before Christmas, and by all accounts
and appearances I all being will will spend
Christmas very near the line, if not actually
in it but one thing it will be new country
for the Australians for they have not been
in that sector before
It is bitterly cold, day and night. some very
severe frost. Water in shell holes has been frozen
to a depth of six inches but today there has
been a slight thaw. No snow has fallen yet
but further north there has been any amount
I wrote a letter to Les tonight, for it is some
time since I heard from him and I have
not seen him since I returned from leave
The work is most instructive and interesting
at this school and is very much varied but
you have not the time to spare to give all the
subjects the time they require. One has to run
over the main points and if possible remember
them, or latter write them down, but in a day
when there sometimes a dozen different subjects 

they take a lot of writing & to write & keep pace
with some of the instructors your require to know
very good shorthand
I had a letter from Lena yesterday. It was
written by one of her patients telling me all the
gossip of the country side even to Bob Bartles'
accident
I am very sorry to hear of the accident that
happened to Dad but I hope ere now that he
is completely recovered
I have heard nothin more about Jim
I am writing to Lena tonight and it is
about time the lights were put out, so I will
have to close hoping you & yo all at
home are in the best of heath and that you
have the best of Christmas & New Year
From your loving Brother
George. 

France
8-12-17
Dear Lena
I received your most kind & welcome
letter the one that was written by one of your
patients. I cannot place the name at all
but he seems to know a bit of the town
& country gossip.
I have written to Les Lawrie & Dolly so it's
your turn now. In one of Mam's letters
she was asking me what - I thought of you
joining up and coming over. You to leave
the job you are on Never for one moment
think about it. You have not the slightest
idea of what you would have to face, the
hardships are appaling to say nothing of the hours
the nurses work at a stretch No fine stick
where you are for this all will be over before
much longer and if we are spared we should
be home for Xmas twelve months ahead
but that is saying a lot. One never knows
what may happen in a time like this
This course finishes in about twelve days time
and if I am lucky I will be in England before
very long to do another course over there
Plenty of severe frosts and cold bleak winds
but so far as snow but that will all come in
good time & I dread she thought of putting another
 winter in this land.