Letters from George Alexander Hugh Murray to his family, 1917 - Part 7

France 
2-7-17
All at home

I got seven letters from 
you & one from W. Kinghorn by the

last Aust. mail. I got them after 
they had toured half of France for 
they went to two different units 
before I got them

I suppose you have by now the notice 
I sent to you that I got from H. Quarters
about Jim since then I cannot 
find out any thing more. I see by then
your ever loving letters that Grandma 
has passed away after a long 
life.

The changed address that I gave
is now my present one for I have
got transferred from the battalion 
for I could not get on with the 
Major of the company for he was 

a pure German & on two occasions
I spoke my mind to him, and
that curtailed my chances for further
promotion for on two occasions I
was recommended by my platoon
commander for a commission h but
he never would let it go past
him, he f for he had the knife
into me properly so the next
best thing I could do was to
get away from the battalion
but by so doing fo I had to drop
one stripe but I am now contented
with two but if I come
through this strife alright I shall
inc I will make it my business
to meet that Major again & I will
have my peice of him. His parents are
in Germany now but he has a
business not many miles from
Melbourne
I had a letter from Alex Gunn

yesterday, the first for some weeks
but he is the same Always complaining
but I think he has an
idea that he will join the Army. He 
is a long time making up his mind
I have not seen Les for some time
now for he & I have been on the
move but all beig being well I hope
to see him before another week
passes.
Well I have nothing more to say so
Goodbye & always hope & pray for
the best
Your loving son
George.

France

22-7-17

All at home

I have not received any

letters since the one dated about

the end of April but we have

been told that two mail boats

from Australia, have been torpeded

so that will account for as no 

mail arriving but a few days 

ago I received the parcel you

send me for my birthday. It

had travelled a terrible lot over

France before it eventually

reached me but still it was intact

I have not seen Les for some

considerable time for we are a 

few miles apart & not much

chance of meeting.

I had a letter from Charles Georgson

Caithness & he says he never receives

any letters from me but that he

got one from Les about a month

ago

Friday is very much like one of our

summer days just a gentle breeze

& very warm sun but it gets

chilly through the night.

You would hardly think there

was a war on for every thing

is so quiet only an occasional

cannon shot or a plane over head

far different to what it was

last night for the biggest guns

we have around here were

booming. They are so big that I 

could crawl through the barrel

& they make some noise when they

let them selves speak for their

shel food stands nearly four feet

shifh & f high & very little sends

them off

 I thought the Somme battlefield was

torn about but it is nothing

compared with the place where

the last push has been made

for it was bombarded until

two million shells were fired

into it twice as many as that

what was fired into Vimy ridge

I have seen two great towns that

from a hill that are held by the 

enemy & they do not seem to be

bothered about too much. They only

seem a stone's throw from our

own line but I bet they will 

take a bit of taking but it may

be like Baphume the enemy may

evacuate if it gets too warm

for him especially when they are

on three sides of him

I have had a few more teeth

out only four in the top now

so I will have to get another

plate made when the gums set

a bit

Have you received any of the last

parcels that I sent I have a

notion that they went to the bottom

of the sea but I hope not

Well I must close now hoping you

are all quite well & that you

have heard some more news

about Jim although I have not

So Goodbye

From your loving son & Brother

George.

France

27-7-17

Dear Lena

It is up to me to write a

letter to you after receiving two but

one was written very long ago but 

still it is one. With your two I 

got one from Linda March. She

is a very constant writter for one

comes by every mail from her

Also I got a letter from a woman 

in Carlton thanking me for the 

photo which I returned to her.

I picked it up & it had the

address on it so I sent it along,

for it was a family group & one 

of them is now ill in a hospital

in London.

More raids over London but what

are the Russians doing for they

make a great move one day

and a few days after they are further

back than ever. That revolution seemed

to put things on their feet for a short

time but it has about fell through

again. One never knows th how this

war will end or if it will ever stop 

for it has been going three years. &

seems to be going as strong as

ever but that we are more prepared 

for any new scheme on

the others part for he is always

up to some new dogg dodge new 

guns new gas shells or clouds Plenty

bombs & heavy shells enough to

send a man grey & raving mad.

I have not seen nor heard of

Les for about two months but

his unit is not camped too

far away now so I may have

a chance of meeting him again

but of poor Jim never a word can

I find out about him Poor chap. So

young to be cut down & missing so

long for missing for that length of time

& no news of him, it makes his case

the more tense.

The heavy guns are at it again &

there is a continual flash in the

darkened sky & at times you can

see the flares from the trenches

high up quivering in the air for

they are for observation & a

terrible nuisance when you are

moving about for any one watching

is bound to pick you up &

then you have to lie very quiet

Many a time I have chased the 

German & some times our own

flares, for to my idea they give

the position away too much

If all's well I will write home in a couple

of days So I will now draw to a close

From your loving brother

George