Letters from George Alexander Hugh Murray to his family, 1917 - Part 9

France

7-8-17

Dear Florrie
Well I could not make
out who was writing to me for I did
not know the writing but your letter
was most welcome for letters are
scarce now for reasons no one
seems to know why.
I see you too have heard that Jim
is a prisoner I only wish it were
true for I have had official notice
that he has been killed in action
while taking a message from the
front line back to the Company
head quarters.
I have lately met a lot of the
 

local boys but many have paid
the supreme sacrifice but they
gave their lives willingly for
to uphold freedom's cause.
The shells are falling pretty quickly
not too far away & I am cutting
this short this time but any how
write me Florrie a few lines for
a letter is what is always looked
for, for it is one of the main
comforts we have out here.
With fond Remembrances
Yours Sincerely
George.
 

France
9-8-17
Dear Lol
I received your welcome
letter a few days ago also some
from Dad, Kitty & Dolly Lena &
Florie Tarrant so I have a few
to answer tonight.
Les has gone on his second leave
to Eng land, if I knew that I
would have tried to get leave
with him for it would be
nice to be able to go about &
see the wonderful sights together
but I have been told by some
of the chaps that have had
 

leave that things are not too
good & that living is very high
but what can we expect for we
have been at war for three years
& not much provision made
for it & with the rotten strikes
& such like within our own
borders & such rotten an ally as
the russians but that is all in
the game but we will come
out victorious in the long run
It is raining steadily this evening
like it has been for over a
week & things seem in a
pretty state mud up to the
eyes about here so what
must it be in the line
 

where the men have to stay day
after day sometimes waist deep
in mud & water &  I can can
tell you it is no bon but this
time last year it was very dry
for well I remember it for that
was the time the battalion got
badly cut up when they withstood
the heavy German attack
but they paid dearly for it
Well Lot it is too dark to do any
more scribbling so Au Revoir
Your loving brother
George
 

France
August
Sunday 12^th 1917
Dear Bess
I gave them all a turn at
home so I begin one to you on
this quiet Sunday evening for it
has been very quiet all day
only an odd shell into the town
and a few shrapnel at these
kite Balloons that are
seeing too much that is
happening in Fritz's lines
for there are at times
Scores of them up observing
our artillery fire & also for
 

to keep a watchful xxx eye on the
enemy for he is allways up to
some dodge or other and a
balloon is a continual
source of annoyance to him
and he is always firing at
them or attacking them with
planes Sometimes he is successful
but mostly otherwise but
it is a nice spectacle to
watch a plane fighting four
to bring down a balloon as
all the puffs of smoke around
him form the anti craft guns
also to see the observers from
the balloons coming down in
 

their parachutes for it is only
a piece of silk made in the
shape of an umbrella & a
man tied to it & his weight
brings him gently to the
ground
Some one is playing an
accordian & there is a regular
sing xxxx song - all joining in
Les is on Leave in England
I never knew he was gone
until one of his mates told
me. He is lucky to get two
leaves in eight months.
I have no more to say this time
So au Revoir Bess.
Your loving brother George
 

France 23-8-17
Dear Het
I received your ever welcome
letter the first one for a few
weeks but the mail has been
coming very irregularly of late.
Les is back from leave but I
have not seen him yet for I
have been well into the forward
area with a party collecting
ammunition
It has been lovely weather
up till tonight but now it
has come on to rain & we
can look forward to a long
spell of wet weather but when
it is wet there are no
air raids & lately they have
 

been every night but on the whole
no damage is done. The bombs
nearly always falling harmlessly
in the fields but they explode
with terrific force shaking
the ground for miles around.
The French have made a
big air raid on German lines
with 208 planes & only two
never returned which is a
marvellous feat.
I never knew that Royark had
been killed for the last time
I saw him was just before I
left the Somme to come to
this place but it is far better