Letters from George Alexander Hugh Murray to his family, 1917 - Part 6

Flanders
June 17-6-17
All at home
I have received
no letter for some time
now and I have not
seen Les for a few weeks
for I have shifted
nearer the line too
near in fact for my
liking for where I am
camped there are plenty
of shells coming and
going through the air
I suppose before you
receive this you will
hear have heard about
the terrible air raid on
London for up to date
there have been hundreds
of victims. I often wonder

that if when they raid 
England why our aviators
do not go across & do
damage in the Enemy
territory. That is what
is being urged by the
people of England now
I cannot find any more
trace of Jim but you 
may be able to tell 
me something about him
There is some talk of 
the chaps that left 
Australia in 1914 being
sent home on so many 
months leave for there 
is very few over five
thousand left of the
twenty odd thousand
so there many be a
chance of getting home
before all this strife is over

I hope grandma is well ere this
and is able to get about again
Has Het got her appointment as
Head teacher of some one eyed
school yet. I can just imagine her
having full control of a school
especially when she has some stubborn
kids to knock into shape.
I am on a piece of the line where
there has been a terrible lot of

straffing being done & I 
can safely say that in
one place you could
not put your foot down
one on one solid piece
of ground for the place
has literally been to pieces
Well I have nothing more
to day so Au Revoir
From your loving son
& brother
George.

Flanders
24-6-17
All at home
No letters from you for a
long time but today I got one from
Bess telling me a lot about the
North Eastern & about Grandma
but she did not make it too
clear
I suppose by now you have heard
something definiate about Jim, I
have had no more chances of 
finding out about him for I am
close on an hundred miles from
his unit. I have not seen Les for
three weeks or more for I have
been working over some of the 
lately captured ground, and I
always though that the Somme
w had been torn about by shell 
fire but it cannot hold a

candle to this place for another shell
could not fall into a solid piece of
ground and you could not find
a building or a dug out in the whole
place, for they all have been literally 
torn to pieces, reinforced concrete in
the bargain, nothing will stand against
the Allies bombardment for in the
taking of this last hand it has been
stated by the papers to have taken
two million shells just twice
what the celebrated Vissy ridge
too and it  twas a hard task so
this one must have been doubly 
so.
We are at present camped in a 
fairly quiet place but last night
Fritz have us a turn with incendry
bombs Hardly any damage done, a 
few civilians injured.
There has been a rumour spread about
here that all the chaps that left

Australia in 1914 are to be given six months
leave to Australia but I think it is far
too good to be true.
It is raining steadily for the last four 
hours so Fritz will not be over
a bomb dropping tonight
Well I will have to ring off Hoping you
are all in the best of health
From your loving Son
George.

Flanders
24/6/17
Dear Bess.
I received your ever welcome
letter to day but I have not got a

letter from home for some weeks
now, so that will account for me
not knowing about Grandma
You ought to by now know
something about Jim I am not
within miles of his Battalion now
so cannot make any enquiries
and I have not seen Les for a
few weeks for I have been working 
nearer the line but now I am
a few miles further back but there
are occasional shells coming our
way but to crown matters last 
night Fritz took it into his head
to give us a rally with bombs &

by the powers, he did make things

lively for about ten minutes but on
the whole he did very little damage
A few civilians were injured
I see by a paper that Linda March send 
me that Barney King has found out 
at last that there is a war on & 
that he his is needed to do his bit for
the worl civilized world & the sooner
the fit men come the sooner all those
that are spared will return to their
native country, friends & relatives
There is some talk of all the chaps
that let Australia in 1914 being sent
to A home for six months leave.
but I think that it is only a wild
rumour and far too good to be true
but I wish that it were so, but it
hardly would be fair for the first
three reinforcements of the first sixteen 
battalions for they went into action
the same day as the main bodies
& it is only fair that the should be

treated the same as the old hands
It is night time that I were in blanket
flat but I have a letter to write
home & I do not know when the
mail closes so I will write it tonight

so Bess I will have to 
shut up hoping you are quite
well & that bf before many 
more months we all shall be
home again
Au Revoir
Your loving Brother
George.