Letterhead: N.Z. YMCA, Y.M.C.A. with the New Zealand Expeditionary Force. Write Home First.

Stationed at: Codford

30.1.1918

Dear Mac Just a line or two to let you know I am doing OK but as far as I can see am just about booked for France again but am swinging the lead for all I am worth but am afraid the string will break one of these days. One way I don’t want to go back but I think after all I would just as soon be with the other three. I can tell you I miss old Harry some & I reckon he will miss me but the trouble is to get back to the same unit again. Have not got that revolver yet to tell the truth. I don’t want to have to go over again but you never know

your luck. Our Div is still on the Ypres front. They are hot stuff on our mob lately. You would think they were the only Div in France for we always land the hot shops now & they keep us there for months. The poor devils must be fed up of Ypres now & it is time they were out for a spell. I suppose Mac they will call you up but take a fools advise & don’t come here or you will be sorry. Nurse that …. of yours for all you are worth & tell them you can’t march a yard with it. It is not the fighting that is the trouble but the work you have to do. You are six days holding the line & six days out or what they call out as you have to go up the line carrying stuff every night & counting both ways. It is sometimes a matter of twelve miles & going up you have a load which you should be able to carry easily (so the heads say) but of course they don’t take into account you have a rifle & 50 rounds to lump as well.

I can tell you she is a hard old thing & of course there is no mud not a bit & to finish up with, the blasted old Hun has to open up on you or ahead of you when it is on you of course some poor devil get his outer other a Blighty (Britain) & if ahead of you just have to stop & wait till he stops (which may be in five minutes and maybe two hours &there you are wet, muddy and as cold as a frog wondering if Jerry will lift his barrage & drop it on you & if you are going to get a Blighty or not. I guess you wonder what like it is in NZ then Mac. When Jerry does stop you just plod on again slipping and sliding off duck boards & cursing the Hun & every

thing in general. Will never forget the first shell that came near me. Nearly frightened me to death, but now I guess I am worse than when I started the game. When you go in at first you don’t know the danger or what a shell can do but a few months & you get wise & the more you keep going the worse you get. Need I suppose I will have the wind up again a few times before she is over. Could ….. for a week of this but it takes too long. How about the kids & Liz all well. Say I don’t think I took a letter re Uncle Will till a day or two after. Must have been a bit shell shocked. Will cut this out now. Love to you all. Yours Doie

Liz don’t you let Mac be a darned fool & come here.