Primary tabs
Transcription
[Page 25]
An Anzac toast runs:-
We have toasted our King – God bless him,
We've toasted our Nurses too,
Our Khaki boys in the trenches,
Our navy boys in blue.
But there's one more toast to be honoured,
So in silence your glasses take
And drink,
To the dear dead boys of Anzac
Who died for their countries sake.
I don't know the author; it may be a popular song, but its Anzac to the core. The sympathy of these rough lads all around me is as honey to the weary bee, you have to shake hands in silence and with a heavy heart, to appreciate it. They are superlatively grand, - real men.
Well Alan, you've forfeited your reward, the great victorious homecoming, but all our lives we wont forget your broken pillar. I just cant write any more.
After being turned out on four days furlough, one of which was taken up with being paid and travelling to the "great smoke" , we received notice to move camp to our training battalion at Perham Down, on the Salisbury Plain. So, on the 30th October, we said good bye to pretty Dorset and Bovington Camp Wool. At 8 pm, on the same day we arrived at our destination. We were welcomed to the Sergeant's mess and spent the evening with some old pals. I met Charlie Somerville & Leo Howard, and lots of boys I have heard off, including a 3rd Battn V.C., Sgt. Hamilton.
We have commenced hard training. Reveille goes at 6 am, when it is quite dark. Breakfast is at 7, there being no early morning parade, and first parade at 8. The hours are 8 – 12.30, 1.30 – 5. These are long hours for hard work. It is dark when we get up, and dark when we return to our huts. The food is scanty but good. Perham Down is now all huts, for the Canadian forces suffered 600 deaths there last winter, when under canvas, due to pneumonia and meningitis. There is lots of guard & fatigue work too, making the hours longer. But its soldiering now, and our next move will be France.