SOLDIERS’ LETTERS.

Hokitika Guardian, 9 August 1917, Page 1

SOLDIERS’ LETTERS.

Private W. Sherlock of Westport, son of Mr. J. Sherlock of that town and a nephew of Mr. A. P. Sharkey, of Ross, who, with his brother John, was wounded in the battle of Messinos and taken to hospital, the latter being at Walton on Thames and the. former to Rrokcnlnirst Hospital, writing to his people on June 12th says:— ■ Just a few lines to let you know that I am getting on allright. 1 got. it in the right shoulder at Messinos. Just a nice little Blighty. My word it was jlliif worth being,in that scrap. The iyfjy the hoys went over laughing and MVOiU'ing was a treat. I think Fritz was on the look out for us. We had to go two miles to our assembly trench and nearly all the way through, gas. There were very few of our chaps caught it. I only saw one of our chaps with a good dose of it 1 saw ipy brother Jack before we went over, ho was in good spirits and quite happy, J often wondered what I would feel like going over, but T did not feel a hit frightened or think of iny past sins as they write about in novels when there is anything like that on. I just smoked a fag and went and had a sleep an hour before \yo hopped over; then the mines went off and I thought that a double sized earthquake empe along, the ground shook so much, and when our artillery opened up there was a din iust like HeR let loose, hut nearly all to Fritz, i was glad that I was on the right side of the fence.

We took a good few prisoners. When' I got to the dressing station after I was hit, the German prisoners were working like niggers, bringing in our wounded, and I heard that some of our men even made thorp carry ammunition upto our hovs in the advance trenches. It is very hot in England and I am doing well. This i s the best homo 1 have had for a long time. ■