Item 01: Malcolm Shore Stanley correspondence, 8 December 1916-28 October 1918 - Page 386
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[Page 386]
knew nothing of its history, but remarked that the seignors of the middle ages always built where they could look over the surrounding country, certainly the chappies who built this one did & from the ruin we secured an absolutley delightful view, to the rear lies an ancient city its Gothic Cathedral is clear & distinct, below us lies a quaint little village & away in the distance we watched shells bursting in Fritzies front lines, the valley is visible for miles & its jolly pretty too, no wonder the French call their country "La Belle France".
This morning I had about 300 men (Tommies) digging trenches - a charming job - I don't think, the men work jolly hard & really it was quite a change, you know the Aussie will not dig - he will fight as long as you like but give him a job digging & he doesn't like it one bit. The French dig like moles and are not content untill they are 13 feet under. An Aussie trusts to or rather tempts providence - a little hole & a waterproof sheet & he is content.
There is little doing.
With love to all
Malcolm