Letters from Wilfred Evans to his family, 1918 - Part 4

Conflict:
First World War, 1914–18
Subject:
  • Documents and letters
Status:
Finalised
Accession number:
RCDIG0000963
Difficulty:

Page 1 / 10

56.18 My dear mother I am a few days late again in replying to your letters as it has been a busy week git has hen very difficult to find any time to again & unto Three letters of yours arived nantly 2238& J Marh 4 of Hpril Wenlllers to say. 29 I am delighted to hear that you are so pleased ep3 with your house bying & hop that I with attend at the ho ure wayming a little lati My tatman Smith has oftained leavy Ias he will probabl anie in to Hustratia given him directions to call I taa Sydney nI tell you just how he feft me sug think the intah ather bashful, though Ihonest soy &o g hard worker + 0 See done me will during the time I have has certain. You as he sfne doe of yours fothirs had ni
nd deay, what to sepd me. I thinth that I said quite along a letter or two ago regmarle about it & my dear I just want to repeat it now - please don't all I can spend anything on me at gift practically all purchase in I was complitety out of require tooth now the I wanted a fanro sun goggles i wiik ortee just ago I murate to a fillow in the fn that it port said eacho hospi the forwarded me wit sne mdny th counse of then or Insquired inI on sil itwhnt tat i7 Your daly B0 any ing i atter. But fhig dont thint on intioned fer. I don't appinate yougo leave in younletter wellt till the homnt dayon my ld this aftemont for the kitte & was just continutlation truth I writing t ateto 28 the mrgt - I might
manage transfort, duty after a time of Taffled but somehow or another there in a feeling fsu that as retuctance to a day application were successful & I naghed Hustiales it would te very hand to gom I should be very temfted away again I have done three to bi 2 stay Certainly years solid work her now I do long to thou go home again but Inevertheteg a fatin that owe doent want to chuck of wp Howwer, I wall believe that someo these days Tuill have a shot atiat though my aplation might not s Buthmeat reason for of I did success The beat in the Indanvalt in thy trouble. as had as anticifatedo is not ined for, but of course ofernever knows what it may be later, on - certainty up to the wset it hasnt him so badi 1
1100 pery the hothat day Rond in addition we are sure to be relieveds on the high ground havesa, nes the sunml poenti hefoth ind of I am i stitl very well, ideed & mantaining appetite infa remarkath fashiony I dist know what toda bout t Yos You an recommend something Have hin beoy aan Din the Ewick I Imnosquitos to have waring agains were located several spot when hay ale we ha Thildig Hadly In one of D. Me 00 tte teri wis 3 toyed to draining swant tchan t buchal trouthe away peets in arye swamp in the 5 th hint where we can do we
morpiato him it attait the men in the pont time post Then e found another lad place in our lines where a laye ford about 300 4.30 yards & five fut dut had hen left hhind by the overfow from the Gordan &it is a timitly glautodealwith difficult. The Commander in Chiif - General Helenby came out to look at the wrike aday or two ago so we had quite a distrynished party to oun it. He looked at the work we had done & seemed pleased was we wanted with it but the trouble the mosqentiowne him to see some o so as to ifress or him how had they were - hit we couldnt caire one anynter as we had treated that part of the county & where there had previount hem wllions not one could be seen. 1000
Hhis a great Sitter waiter setine hit walks everywhere at a tumendon le is in figure veryglagge inded rate. I A 2 Moad will over sen jutt Shg wo profortun it wpas aw most detemmned fatatl far Seartant whet hove Sinsteion my Hear In moth amstia Everyones W oth Dorny & a t ther 22
13. 6.f My deart mothn Krother mal hs anoded two more letter from you Iwas somg to hear that you wery not going to Lismore as I'm sun you would have enjoyed it t put I can imagine how anxwur you an to get 3 into your new homes I m sure you will like tindfufe Thar eratenent Den as sun over War Loans I hawe well peofl have subented. Of com the Interest given in good too. I am wondern when that cash you fut in the commeniat Bank will have comglited its two years ti it would t a litter invistment in the Waloar when the time comflited. tt locked up andifinited though mo the Wa hotan Be causetons myght rneed read cast later onI it would be anwell la when it could t have sometapen
te fied in a fow month nso. If the Was foar - can h drawr if necnay though itis certanly the hat iovistmest. But you know fest my dear as you are on the Spot I think I must send another $100 over shor from increased fay dusyn here, Beiny on Diisional Headquarter Exfenses an hugher in the entra day which Ireceve for the hy h mean as much as it would dus not anan Hnhlance where it cost much len to tive. My defined pay must te accumilaty too & I heard a rmory recently that we were to be allowed to put it into Waitonn fhewine he get nothing from it at all fack a fewdays I went overto se agowas his wnet has comen doungnia same over where one her to us again be hatked muh wening afterathier compnbura Ihaver guate flong: s wre atle to talk at prese houpom olong time I wnfutaty 50 N ME
patemittion Mayon Munay Yous the H.O.R. S. hen Assian Dinctor of Vetenway senins) came in for a fire monents I intwaund with E Jack look will & is certainty plumper than when he came anoro be cls near the bsets at the suff o Section - & he sum. less, remastheme than he used to be. The hoping for te are to cans shortly & be is certain it after sery nearly 12 month ovr there We are very quiet hir now, as most ou ant is in goodd running order & we ha hers to do consiquent we have more time to think & that always tend to make one o more ged up. most of our mosginto work i will in hand & I think should make a great differnce to malang though at can't altogether perenteits as there are still swamps in the Turkisth live mosquitor from them. I We antherpate we get 1009
avmy tack fo the litt wh Ioah toa just come from, for a spell in a fin days as it is always so anarged that the troops get a chane of ratio wdan not going out very much atoprent as has wared up a lot diner the weather days & we prefire to stuk to fin the bast I had the chance of a nin our tnts. little Beoget Sea however a yow day I had a very intiity o aa Hold hulding. There is a collection the at this and of it which were ased by the Turks as gramston where boat which hought grain from the Easter the sead t armet Steonst asathe to Tisc Nivat was tsken Tuplin the she wt had a swom in the Sea amont remarkthfinti as on 2 Whatt oe doe Drs Satter 1009

5.6.18.

My dear mother,
I am a few days late again in
replying to your letters as it has been a busy week
again & it has been very difficult to find any time to
write. Three letters of yours arrived recently 22nd &
29th  of March & 5th of April. Needless to say
I am delighted to hear that you are so pleased
with your house buying & hope that Jack & I
will attend at the house-warming a little
later. My batman Smith has obtained leave
to Australia & as he will probably arrive in
Sydney I have given him directions to call
& see you & tell you just how he left me,
though I think he will be rather bashful,
He is a good honest boy & a hard worker &
has certainly done me well during the time I have
had him. You asked in one of your letters

 

my  dear, what to send me. I think just
a letter or two ago I said quite a long
rigmarole about it & my dear I just
want to repeat it now - please don't
spend anything on me at all, I can
purchase in Egypt practically all I
require. I was completely out of 
tooth powder & wanted a pair of 
dust & sun goggles a week or two
ago & wrote to a fellow in the base
hospital at Port Said enclosing 
some money & he forwarded me what
I required in the course of three or
four days so that you see it is quite
an easy matter.  But please don't think
I don't appreciate your offer. You mentioned
leave in your letter - well to tell the honest
truth I lay on my bed this afternoon before
writing this letter & was just  contemplating
the question - I might possibly be able to

 

manage "transport duty” after a time if I applied,
but somehow or another there is a feeling of
reluctance to apply as I feel sure that if I
my application were successful & I reached
Australia it would be very hard to come
away again & I should be very tempted
to try & stay.  Certainly I have done three
years solid work here now & I do long to
go home again but nevertheless there is
a feeling that one doesn't want to chuck it
up. However I really believe that some of
these days I will have a shot at it
though my application might not be
successful if I did. Sufficient "reason''
is the trouble. The heat in the Jordan valley
is not nearly as bad as anticipated so
far, but of course one never knows what
it may be later on - certainly up to the
present it hasn't been so bad -

 

110° being the hottest day. And in
addition we are sure to be relieved &
have a rest on the high ground
somewhere, before the end of the summer.
I am still very well indeed & maintain my 
appetite in a remarkable fashion - I
don't know what to do about it, possibly
you can recommend something.
During the week I have been busy again
warring against mosquitos & have 
located several spots where they were
breeding badly. In one place we have 
done extensive work - 1000 men
employed in draining swamps & clearing
away weeds etc our chief trouble is
the large swamp in front of our 
lines where we can do nothing, &

 

mosquitos from it attack the men in the
front line posts. Then we found another
bad place in our lines where a large pool
about 300 by 30 yards & five feet deep
had been left behind by the overflow
from the Jordan & it is a terribly
difficult place to deal with.
The Commander in Chief - General Allenby
came out to look at the work a day
or two ago so we had quite a distinguished
party to view it. He looked at the
work we had done & seemed pleased
with it, but the trouble was we wanted
him to see some of the mosquito larvae
so as to impress or him how bad they
were - but we couldn't raise one anywhere
as we had treated that part of the
country & where there had previously
been millions not one could be seen.

 

He is a great bustler, wastes no time,
hit walks everywhere at a tremendous
rate. He is in figure very large indeed
well over six feet high & head in
proportion & has a most determined
& certainly capable face.
Finish now my dear lots of love to
everyone & an extra hug for mother.
from
Her loving (if at present sticky) son
Wilf.

 

2
13.6.18

My dear mother
Another mail has arrived & two more
letters from you. I was sorry to hear that you were not
going to Lismore as I'm sure you would have enjoyed
it, but I can imagine how anxious you are to get
into your new home & I'm sure you will like Lindfield
What excitement there has been over War Loans
& how well people have subscribed. Of course,
the Interest given is good too. I am wondering
when that cash you put in the Commercial
Bank will have completed its two years
& if it would be a better investment in the
War Loan when the time is completed. Is
it locked up indefinitely though in the
War Loan? Because one might need ready
cash later on & in it would be as well
to have some in a place where it could

 

be freed in a few months or so. If the
War Loan can be drawn if necessary though
it is certainly the best investment. But
you know best my dear as you are on
the spot. I think I must send another
£100 over shortly from increased pay drawn
here.  Being on Divisional Headquarters
expenses are higher & so the extra 7/6 per
day which I receive for the higher rank
does not mean as much to as it would
in an Ambulance where it costs much less
to live. My defined pay must be accumulating
too & I heard a rumour recently that we
were to be allowed to put it into War Loans
otherwise we get nothing from it at all
I went over to see Jack a few days 
ago as his unit has come down near
to us again & he came over here one
evening after dinner & we talked much
& long. I have quite a comfy bivouac
at present & we were able to talk for
quite a long time comfortably & free from

 

interruption. Major Murray Jones the ADVS here
(Assis Director of Veterinary Services) came in for a few
moments & I introduced him to Jack.
Jack looks well & is certainty plumper than
when he came across - he lives near the 
biscuits at the Supply Section - & he seems
less neurasthenic than he used to be. He is
hoping for leave to Cairo shortly & he is certainly
due for it after serving nearly 12 months over
here. We are very quiet here now, as most of
our work is in good running order & we have less
to do.  Consequently we have more time to think
& that always tend to make one f more
fed up.  Most of our mosquito work is
well in hand & I think should make
a great difference to malaria, though
it can't altogether prevent it as there
are still swamps in the Turkish lines &
we get mosquitos from them. We anticipate

 

going back to the hills where Jack has
just come from, for a spell in a few days
as it is always so arranged that the troops
get a chance of resting.
We are not going out very much at present as
the weather has warmed up a lot during
the last few days & we prefer to stick to
our tents.  I had the chance of a run
to the Dead Sea however a few days
ago in a car & had a very interesting
trip. There is a collection of old buildings
at this end of it which were used by the 
Turks as grain stores where boats which
bought grain from the Eastern 
shores of the Dead Sea (the ancient
Moab) discharged their cargoes
& the wheat was taken to Jerusalem.
We had a swim in the sea & a most
remarkable experience it is, as no
matter what one does, it is

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Jacqueline KennedyJacqueline Kennedy
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