7 February 1917 France
[Envelope]
postmark: FIELD POST OFFICE FE 10 17
Mrs C. W. Satchell
Macclesfield
Livingstone St
Burwood
Sydney
Australia
[Page 1]
The NCOs School is not in England. Still address letters Corporal and to the Battalion.
WS
France
7th Feb 1917
My darling mother
I think I wrote to Sis last, so this is your turn, though I'm afraid my memory is very often "oncuo"(?) with regard to whose turn it is for a letter. First of all mum I have some good news to tell and that is I think I am going to an N.C.O. School with every prospect of a Cadet School to follow for a few months in Blighty. So if everything goes as I expect I may be an officer one of these days.
The other day the Colonel called me in and asked me would I like to go through a school of infantry training, of course I said "Yes". He mentioned that there was very little scope for promotion in the Signallers and asked my age and where I was educated,
[Page 2]
the Kings School Parramatta carried some weight I think, the C.O. seemed very pleased when I told him that school. He mentioned that there would be prospects of a Cadet School to follow, so that is alright isn't it? I won't be altering my allotment or sending a draft as I mentioned in Dad's letter (which I hope he received, I took a bit of a risk in not registering it, it included a hundred franc note for a souvenir!!) because I will want it all if I have to put in some few months amongst men training for officers at Cambridge University. What!! It was my old officer Mr Sadler who spoke for me, by the bye he is now a Captain and three stars carry some weight too! You can bet I will work hard, especially at the first school, lay a good foundation. Don't mention this to everyone mother dear everything is very uncertain at present, wait until you hear something more definite from me, those you do tell, ask them
[Page 3]
to keep it to themselves, and still address my letters as usual. Another thing I have to tell you mum is I have been Actg Sergeant for the past month and hope to go through orders tonight, but with regard to addressing letter wait for something more definite.
When we were back at the last billets Arthur Cooke gave the Sigs a banquet, or the nearest he could get to it. We had it in an old barn, borrowed two tables from a Y.M.C.A. close by and decorated the lousy walls with our Signal flags. You may think it a funny idea an officer doing things like this, but it was a promise he made when he first received his commission. We had soup, meat and vegetables, two kinds of puddings, chocolates, tea and something else! Mum's the word! Of course I being senior in the Sigs, I had to toast his health, just where I shine, but I don't think I did too badly. Everything went
[Page 4]
very well and of course there were plenty of songs, especially near the end. We sang everything going from "If you were the only girl in the world and I were the only boy" to "Farmer Brown had a farm". On Anniversary Night the Evening was held, of course it was not Evening Dress!!
Last night mother dear I received my waterproof vest, socks, tobacco, etc. Thank you so very much, the vest fits splendidly, it would have been just a little better if you had made it a shade longer, more like a cardigan jacket only not quite so long, but that is nothing, I feel the benefit of it, it has been so cold lately, below zero and the wind, 'nough said. For practically a month now the snow has been on the ground and everything has frozen so hard that you can hardly keep your feet while walking. The ground has frozen to a depth of 3 feet, what do you think of that.
The other morning I left a drop of
[Page 5]
tea in the bottom of my cup and came back half an hour later to finish it, hanged if it wasn't frozen.
Well mother I have just heard I am off to the NCOs School tomorrow morning, so that is a start.
Give my best to Else, Dad and dear little Ron and keep tons for yourself.
I am
Ever your loving son
Billy
XX
postmark: FIELD POST OFFICE FE 10 17
Mrs C. W. Satchell
Macclesfield
Livingstone St
Burwood
Sydney
Australia
[Page 1]
The NCOs School is not in England. Still address letters Corporal and to the Battalion.
WS
France
7th Feb 1917
My darling mother
I think I wrote to Sis last, so this is your turn, though I'm afraid my memory is very often "oncuo"(?) with regard to whose turn it is for a letter. First of all mum I have some good news to tell and that is I think I am going to an N.C.O. School with every prospect of a Cadet School to follow for a few months in Blighty. So if everything goes as I expect I may be an officer one of these days.
The other day the Colonel called me in and asked me would I like to go through a school of infantry training, of course I said "Yes". He mentioned that there was very little scope for promotion in the Signallers and asked my age and where I was educated,
[Page 2]
the Kings School Parramatta carried some weight I think, the C.O. seemed very pleased when I told him that school. He mentioned that there would be prospects of a Cadet School to follow, so that is alright isn't it? I won't be altering my allotment or sending a draft as I mentioned in Dad's letter (which I hope he received, I took a bit of a risk in not registering it, it included a hundred franc note for a souvenir!!) because I will want it all if I have to put in some few months amongst men training for officers at Cambridge University. What!! It was my old officer Mr Sadler who spoke for me, by the bye he is now a Captain and three stars carry some weight too! You can bet I will work hard, especially at the first school, lay a good foundation. Don't mention this to everyone mother dear everything is very uncertain at present, wait until you hear something more definite from me, those you do tell, ask them
[Page 3]
to keep it to themselves, and still address my letters as usual. Another thing I have to tell you mum is I have been Actg Sergeant for the past month and hope to go through orders tonight, but with regard to addressing letter wait for something more definite.
When we were back at the last billets Arthur Cooke gave the Sigs a banquet, or the nearest he could get to it. We had it in an old barn, borrowed two tables from a Y.M.C.A. close by and decorated the lousy walls with our Signal flags. You may think it a funny idea an officer doing things like this, but it was a promise he made when he first received his commission. We had soup, meat and vegetables, two kinds of puddings, chocolates, tea and something else! Mum's the word! Of course I being senior in the Sigs, I had to toast his health, just where I shine, but I don't think I did too badly. Everything went
[Page 4]
very well and of course there were plenty of songs, especially near the end. We sang everything going from "If you were the only girl in the world and I were the only boy" to "Farmer Brown had a farm". On Anniversary Night the Evening was held, of course it was not Evening Dress!!
Last night mother dear I received my waterproof vest, socks, tobacco, etc. Thank you so very much, the vest fits splendidly, it would have been just a little better if you had made it a shade longer, more like a cardigan jacket only not quite so long, but that is nothing, I feel the benefit of it, it has been so cold lately, below zero and the wind, 'nough said. For practically a month now the snow has been on the ground and everything has frozen so hard that you can hardly keep your feet while walking. The ground has frozen to a depth of 3 feet, what do you think of that.
The other morning I left a drop of
[Page 5]
tea in the bottom of my cup and came back half an hour later to finish it, hanged if it wasn't frozen.
Well mother I have just heard I am off to the NCOs School tomorrow morning, so that is a start.
Give my best to Else, Dad and dear little Ron and keep tons for yourself.
I am
Ever your loving son
Billy
XX