Part 02: Dene Barrett Fry letters, 17th May 1915-16 April 1917 - Page 133
Primary tabs
Transcription
[Page 133]
4
when one gets them, & the others don't, the unfortunate ones all always feel a pang of real jealousy, or rather envy.
Three of us, on light duties with coughs & colds, have been told off on a light job of guarding timber taken from old German mine shafts & dugouts. We do about 2 ½ hours each per day, and then its over. The artillery camped near-by, in true Australian fashion, pinch this timber all day for dugouts & fires, and believe me, we are often looking the other way. The mind round this old scene of a gigantic struggle, (Fricourt & Becordel), is something to be for ever remembered. It is knee deep everywhere, not even a track to walk on, & there is no chance of escaping it at all. It's just plug thro' it. Consequently we are wet always. I sympathise with these artillery men who have their mules & horses to look after as well, and they certainly would not be alive today, were it not for a cheery wood fire & dry dugouts, when the day