24 August 1917 France
o[Envelope]
postmark: FIELD POST OFFICE 26 AU 17
PASSED FIELD CENSOR 1910
24th Aug 17 (First after return to front 2nd Lieu)
Mrs C.W. Satchell
"Macclesfield"
Livingstone St
Burwood
Sydney Australia
[Page 1]
Will forward photo as soon as I get them. Had them taken as an Officer too.
WS
France
24th August 1917
My darling mother
Here I am once more with my old Battalion and in one way I'm not sorry to be back, only the personnel has altered so since last I was here. I arrived yesterday afternoon and it was not long before I was fixed up with a billet. I have a little room to myself in some old people's place with a big french bed, a small table and two chairs. Why two I don't know but it will do when some pal or other comes to see me. The life of an officer mother dear is a totally different one to that of an NCO or private, more so than ever I imagined. I have a man to look after me, clean boots and belt etc and splendid tucker we get. The men are being fed much better too I think.
I mentioned I only arrived yesterday and today they have given me the job of Orderly Officer of the Battalion, they weren't long about it, eh? I have hopes of getting a job with the Sigs again as an understudy to Arthur Cooke, but I'm not sure, Arthur himself is away at a School at present so I'm handicapped in that way, if he was here he'd fix things
[Page 2]
up for me, but I'll trust to luck.
Yesterday too I just caught the postman as he was sending a batch of my mail over to Blighty for me, so my luck was in here. There was one from you dear and Sis too.
I'm glad you got my present for your birthday O.K., when the girl told me it was for holding handkerchiefs I thought it a bit funny, but I took her word that she knew more about it than I, its for a nightie, eh? Good job I didn't send it to some girl or other wasn't it, they might have thought what I wanted to worry about their nighties for.
I had a fine 10 days leave after my examination at Cambridge. London and Scotland (Edinburgh) I spent most of the time. Tiny was with me and one night at the theatre in Edinburgh, we just went there to pass away time until our train went that night. We were going back to London, and a Naval Officer and two ladies came in and sat next to us. After a couple of minutes the Officer asked us if we were in the 3rd or 4th Battalion (we were wearing no colours). I said no but I came from the same state. He asked me what port and so on and then he asked whether I knew a fellow by the name of Shelley. I went to school with a man Shelley (King's) and told him so. Strange one of the ladies
[Page 3]
was his wife and an Auntie of this same man. After that Tiny and I were set and the Naval Officer was the Fleet Paymaster Victualling. Next day didn't we have a "day out" (of course we didn't go to London that night.) He took us out to his Office and showed us the Great Dock, the latest submarine and took us aboard the "Queen Elizabeth". An officer showed us over her and we ended up by having a cocktail in the Officers Quarters with him. Saw lots of other boats in fact the Grand Fleet was there. Warships, Lion, Tiger, etc, etc.
The day before Tiny and I had a look at the Forth Bridge, 1-3/4 miles longer and that high that all those big warships can pass underneath. We walked half way across and it is rather a peculiar sensation to have the trains passing by so closely to you. Other places of interest we saw were Edinburgh Castle, Holyrood Palace, Roslyn Castle and Chapel, Sir Walter Scott's monument etc. Oh! my poor pocket. Thank Goodness my salary has increased 1-1-0 pound per day now, of which 3/- is deferred and 3/- allotment i.e. the amount being paid into the bank. You see I am now actually getting 15/- per day and of course that will soon accumulate and I hope to be able to help you a little from time to time.
[Page 4]
Naturally my expenses are a little heavier than before, so I will need a good bit of it, a fellow can't be an Officer on 2/- a day.
Poor old Roy was up before a Board the last day I saw him and he thinks he will be moved from Harefield. Rather both of us moving at the same time but can't be helped dear, we have decided each of us to write to Mr Rule giving him our addresses to forward to one another.
I say mother dear neither of us have heard anything of Claude Guille. I have never had a word from him at all, while Roy has not had any since Claude left for France. I do hope and pray that he is ok. For goodness sake don't mention this to the Ashfield folk, they might be getting letters for all I know.
Well my dearest mother I must stop now. Give my love to all and dear little Ron and keep tons and tons for yourself. How are you all, I haven't asked though I've written 4 pages. I think I told you to address my letters 2/Lieut. No Regimental No. I think I ought to get two figures 8, 7 and frame them.
Well so long mother dear
Tons of love
From your ever loving Son
Billy
XXXX
XX Father
postmark: FIELD POST OFFICE 26 AU 17
PASSED FIELD CENSOR 1910
24th Aug 17 (First after return to front 2nd Lieu)
Mrs C.W. Satchell
"Macclesfield"
Livingstone St
Burwood
Sydney Australia
[Page 1]
Will forward photo as soon as I get them. Had them taken as an Officer too.
WS
France
24th August 1917
My darling mother
Here I am once more with my old Battalion and in one way I'm not sorry to be back, only the personnel has altered so since last I was here. I arrived yesterday afternoon and it was not long before I was fixed up with a billet. I have a little room to myself in some old people's place with a big french bed, a small table and two chairs. Why two I don't know but it will do when some pal or other comes to see me. The life of an officer mother dear is a totally different one to that of an NCO or private, more so than ever I imagined. I have a man to look after me, clean boots and belt etc and splendid tucker we get. The men are being fed much better too I think.
I mentioned I only arrived yesterday and today they have given me the job of Orderly Officer of the Battalion, they weren't long about it, eh? I have hopes of getting a job with the Sigs again as an understudy to Arthur Cooke, but I'm not sure, Arthur himself is away at a School at present so I'm handicapped in that way, if he was here he'd fix things
[Page 2]
up for me, but I'll trust to luck.
Yesterday too I just caught the postman as he was sending a batch of my mail over to Blighty for me, so my luck was in here. There was one from you dear and Sis too.
I'm glad you got my present for your birthday O.K., when the girl told me it was for holding handkerchiefs I thought it a bit funny, but I took her word that she knew more about it than I, its for a nightie, eh? Good job I didn't send it to some girl or other wasn't it, they might have thought what I wanted to worry about their nighties for.
I had a fine 10 days leave after my examination at Cambridge. London and Scotland (Edinburgh) I spent most of the time. Tiny was with me and one night at the theatre in Edinburgh, we just went there to pass away time until our train went that night. We were going back to London, and a Naval Officer and two ladies came in and sat next to us. After a couple of minutes the Officer asked us if we were in the 3rd or 4th Battalion (we were wearing no colours). I said no but I came from the same state. He asked me what port and so on and then he asked whether I knew a fellow by the name of Shelley. I went to school with a man Shelley (King's) and told him so. Strange one of the ladies
[Page 3]
was his wife and an Auntie of this same man. After that Tiny and I were set and the Naval Officer was the Fleet Paymaster Victualling. Next day didn't we have a "day out" (of course we didn't go to London that night.) He took us out to his Office and showed us the Great Dock, the latest submarine and took us aboard the "Queen Elizabeth". An officer showed us over her and we ended up by having a cocktail in the Officers Quarters with him. Saw lots of other boats in fact the Grand Fleet was there. Warships, Lion, Tiger, etc, etc.
The day before Tiny and I had a look at the Forth Bridge, 1-3/4 miles longer and that high that all those big warships can pass underneath. We walked half way across and it is rather a peculiar sensation to have the trains passing by so closely to you. Other places of interest we saw were Edinburgh Castle, Holyrood Palace, Roslyn Castle and Chapel, Sir Walter Scott's monument etc. Oh! my poor pocket. Thank Goodness my salary has increased 1-1-0 pound per day now, of which 3/- is deferred and 3/- allotment i.e. the amount being paid into the bank. You see I am now actually getting 15/- per day and of course that will soon accumulate and I hope to be able to help you a little from time to time.
[Page 4]
Naturally my expenses are a little heavier than before, so I will need a good bit of it, a fellow can't be an Officer on 2/- a day.
Poor old Roy was up before a Board the last day I saw him and he thinks he will be moved from Harefield. Rather both of us moving at the same time but can't be helped dear, we have decided each of us to write to Mr Rule giving him our addresses to forward to one another.
I say mother dear neither of us have heard anything of Claude Guille. I have never had a word from him at all, while Roy has not had any since Claude left for France. I do hope and pray that he is ok. For goodness sake don't mention this to the Ashfield folk, they might be getting letters for all I know.
Well my dearest mother I must stop now. Give my love to all and dear little Ron and keep tons and tons for yourself. How are you all, I haven't asked though I've written 4 pages. I think I told you to address my letters 2/Lieut. No Regimental No. I think I ought to get two figures 8, 7 and frame them.
Well so long mother dear
Tons of love
From your ever loving Son
Billy
XXXX
XX Father