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Clean, dry socks became a major concern. On one day, these were changed three times and he remained one of the few with this luxury. Another luxury that he enjoyed was the Scottish short-bread that was constantly sent by Nell's relatives in Scotland.
It is interesting to note that merely a year after the Gallipoli landing, Anzac Day was celebrated in the trenches:
....As you know, yesterday was the celebration of Anzac Day, and each of us received a slice of cake in honour of the occasion.
By May, Alan and his Company were well into the fighting:
....So far, I have escaped everything that Fritz has sent across, and he surely sends some over now and then. When he becomes a little over the odds, I retire into my Little Dug-Out in the trench.
However, trench life was cramped, uncomfortable and often very muddy. Dug-outs had to be shared as sleeping quarters:
We have to take it in turns to turn over during the night, doing it by numbers and sometimes, a few lurid expressions.
The letter dated 16th May, 1916, was heavily censored, as he referred to members of his Company being wounded or killed. The censor added in the margin:
The writer here refers to casualties, which, of course, is forbidden.
At one stage, he had a close encounter with a sniper's bullet, but still managed to enquire about Nell's proposed concert trips, his next batch of biscuits from home and the doings of all the family in Australia. One postscript in June described a major form of entertainment for those in the trenches:
The boys are holding a race with lice, but owing to my louse-proof shirt, I cannot take part, as all competitors must be bred on the party concerned.
Alan had acquired a new dug-out companion in the form of a half-starved and wounded dog, named 'Blighty'.
By June, with the fighting escalating, he optimistically wrote that he felt the Germans couldn't continue for too much longer. Leave to England had vaguely been promised to his group in the not too distant future.
Twice more he was marched to different locations. He regretted that he may soon have to destroy Nell's letters as their packs were to be reduced even further.
By 30th July, he was involved in heavy fighting, and mentioned that as 'bombers', they were often the first to get to the German trenches. More of his friends were reported missing or dead.
Preparations were being made for a major push. The actual location was not stated but he wrote:....we are right down in a big valley, with a fine little river running through it. A train-line was nearby, and the passing trains reminded him of waiting for Nell to arrive at Killara station:
How I long for those good old times once again, Nell. It will mean settling down, as soon as I get back, and then you'll never get the chance of passing out of my sight one single minute.
The Battle of Pozieres was mentioned, with more friends killed: Nell, it was awful and it was said that it was worse than Verdun.
He worried over his changing attitude to bloodshed and sadly noted:....we even shot those who threw up their hands and walked towards us in surrender.
Clothing by this stage was in a frightful state, the trouser seats etc. all done up with safety pins.
The last letter of Alan's that I possess is dated 12th August, 1916. He spoke of
Timespan No 27. June 1987 Page 47