Re: ANZAC Day
That's right Crab.<br /><br />Here's a letter that was written in 1917 by a Kiwi soldier fighting in France - back to his fiancee in NZ.<br />It's gives you an insight as to what it was like.<br />(In vintage NZ language).<br /><br />Somewhere <br />in France, <br />August 17, 1917. <br /><br />Dearest Annie, <br /><br />How the way now anyhow. Are you still living in that lively place. That's one thing we are not troubled with over here loneliness. We have had a very rough time lately. The trenches being very wet and muddy and as we are in about the hottest section of line at present our casualties are none too light. <br /><br />We have been knocked about very much lately. Its marvellous what a man can stand when he is put to it, standing up to our knees in mud for three days and nights on end without any sleep is very trying I can tell you, especially while old Fritz is shelling the devil out of us. <br /><br />We see some terrible sights here Annie, men blown to pieces from alongside of you, others wounded most horribly but its not long till one gets used to it. <br /><br />There was one poor devil just joined us up a few days ago a 24th Rein. man and he got it the first night up to the trenches. He was right along-side of me digging a bit of sap up to the strong points when old Fritz got sniping us with a machine gun and of course he being a new hand did not get down in his trench quick enough, a chap is not very long here before he learns the art of ducking his napper and ducking it pretty low too. I'm quite a dabster at it now, when this fellow dropped, he was trying to give me his mother's address for me to write to her and let her know about it but he went west before I could understand what he was saying. He is buried in a shell hole about two yards from where he dropped, a lonely grave on the blood red fields of Flanders. <br /><br />This field we are on now is fair putrid with dead Fritzs. The poor devils must have suffered hell, nearly every yard of ground holds a dead man. The strong point I was in the other night was fair rotten with them. Our trenches were not quite too deep when Fritz started strafing us so we started to deepen them a bit and we started to unearth dead Fritzs, so I can tell you we soon took a pull. <br /><br />Sleeping alongside of dead Fritzs is not as sweet as it might be. We were going over some of the trenches that we captured from the Fritzs and my hell we saw some sights. One trench had about fifty Fritzs in it sitting down on the fire steps with their bread and bully beef just as if they were having their tea and all dead as door nails the effect of our gas. Old Bill started it and now he has got to put up with it and the stuff we use is a bit more severe than his. <br /><br />The hun gives us hell at times but my God we have to be thankful we are on this side. Its marvellous how the huns live through our artillery barrage at all. The poor devils we took prisoners at Messines were fairly black and blue with the concussion of our shells. Most of them were only boys and some of our chaps are hard and rough enough but they let them pass back to our lines, couldn't kill them. They fairly scream for mercy. <br /><br />I settled one of the devils, he was lying in a shell hole wounded and I was just going to leave him, but as soon as my back was turned he tried to get a smack at me with his rifle, but by hell he paid for that. I can say that I used my bayonet properly for once. That's the worst of the devils you cannot trust them a yard. I know every one I have met since then have paid for his treacheries whether they are wounded or not. All the better for me if they were wounded see. A man gets as hard as the devil over here, but his nerves won't stand too much of it. I was a good man when I went in the line first but I am beginning to get a bit windy now. <br /><br />We have been fighting ever since we joined up on the hottest front but thank God I think we are getting a spell soon. <br /><br />I had a very windy experience the other night. I was taking an officer out to our strong points which are out in no mans land and about 30 yards from the Fritzs. It happened to be a very dark night and we got lost went right past Fritzs strong point and nearly into his front line. It was their yabber that made us take notice and there was a lot of dead blokes laying about. I got right on top of them before I noticed them it being so dark, but I out with my revolver and covered him and then gave him a boot in the ribs to see that he was dead, it's a good thing for us that they were dead or else I would have fired, old Fritz would of been on to us with his machine guns quick and lively. I know we were not long getting back to our trenches. My knees have got blisters on them yet where they were knocking together. I'm afraid I will have to get leather pads for them. <br /><br />My word Annie I would love to be back in old Brookfield where I could have a nice long sleep with sheets on the bed and no rats to eat my hair at night or run away with my boots and no lice to bark at us all night long and no Minnies or plum puddings, Jack Johnstons coalbox pineapples screeching Marys nor the damnable wizz bangs to keep me awake. <br /><br />If you only heard the noise Annie you would marvel at any human being living through it all. I know when I get back I am going to go to bed for a month and have you bring my meals into me. I know you wouldnt mind, would you? <br /><br />You can address my letters to my present add/- A Company 2nd Battalion 3rd N.Z.R.B now Annie as I have settled down here for good and will you tell Evan also as it takes his papers exactly three months to reach me instead of about six weeks. I expect Cug will be on his way here by the time you get this note poor boy he does not know what he is coming to. My word, old Brookfield will be quiet now, it used to be such a lively place one time. How well I can remember the good old times I used to have. <br /><br />You will have to excuse this paper Annie as it's all I've got at present. I got it in a parcel from the Otago Ladies Society and I hope you read this in a much quieter atmosphere than it has been written in. Well I think this is all I can scribble this time. Hoping you are quite well and happy. I'll be home one day Annie. So Goodbye for the present. <br /><br />Best Love Lou.
