SOLDIERS’ LETTERS.

Hokitika Guardian, 25 September 1917, Page 4

SOLDIERS’ LETTERS.

FTtO'L SERGT HUGH LINK- ] LATER, M.M. , Oa tlie 19th July, from Some- , where in France, Scrgl Hugh Link- j later wrote one of his cheerful billets > to Air Griramond, Mayor of Ross. , He said : Since writing you last I , have been tlirough many varied scenes, and as I’ve half an hour to , spare 1 think I’ll drop you a few , lines to let you know that through it nil. I’m still '‘in the pink.” Von will have heard full accounts of the advance in which our N.Z. hoys took such a brilliant part. Again they lived up to the best, traditions, and proved once again that they are second to none. Our artillery was sitnplv magnificent, and during the preparatory bombardment smashed the Hun defences so completely that its a wonder how men could live Enough it all, Nothing' remained bid a few isolated concrete emplacements and small sections ot beautifully made trenches —-the rest was a complete utter wreck. Our losses were nothing like as heavy as those at. the Somme, our overwhelming artillery lire being mainly responsible for this. Our Coaster losses were relatively large. Wells, Hanrahan, Shearer, and Byrne were among those killed and a good many others were wounded. You would be sorry to hear ol the untimely end of .ice Bnrrong-h of South Westland. He was ill on leaving on the march to the line fiom the base, but persisted in coining on, was taken seriously ill on the march, and died ten days afterwards in hospital. We mount the loss of those tine fellows and our sympathy uoes out to the sorrowing relatives. n . ° Things are going on well towards tho great victorious end. We have been on the move a. good deal lately, and worked for some time with part of the French Army, and were soon on the best of good terms with the fine fellows we met there. We saw a lot of new country and were much impressed by the splendid crops everywhere in evidence. I returned front leave about throe weeks ago, and the first, thing that struck me in England was the relatively small amount of land under close cultivation. The Him can never hope to starve France or Helgium. The amount of work done on the farms here by the women folk and old men is truly wonderful. I had a splendid trip round England, going north as far as Wigton in Cumberland. Everyone was most kind to us, and we came back feeling that it was good to think we were a humble part of the great barrier between the Hun and the Land of our Fathers. London is some village, and I spent hours on the buses tonring round enjoying the sights and crowds.

I was in Loudon during one of the air-raids, and saw the killed and wounded kiddies being taken away from one of the great schools. 1 leave the sight to your imagination ; you can guess how wo felt. ' I. don’t understand the point of view of the “anti-reprisal” people in England. Believe me, reprisals are the only arguments that up petti to the Hun mind.

In our recent moves we have met the Guards. Scotties, and many other crack regiments, and its line to note the splendid spirit of all sections of our troops. That we must win, and that soon, is the universal opinion, so that we go on most cheerfully hoping soon to be with you all. Needless to say avo will gladly return to our peaceful callings. My regards to all Coast friends. FROM C HAS. hi HA NX AM. Our old friend, Ohas. E llannam, ex-Borough Councillor and citizen of Hokitika, is now with the Army Service Corps at Sling Camp, Salisbury Plain, whence he writes an interesting letter to Mr Joseph McLean, of Greymonth. He says;

“ I thank you for the two parcels I received from yon, and i fell you they were very acceptable as it. is not very often we can get a pipe of good tobacco bore like the Havelock. If yon ask for it the answer is “ No, we do not stock if,” and they introduce some other brands something like dried lmy or some rubbish that the poor Tommies have to smoke. AY hen you hear the cry “ Havelock,” it is “ Give ns a pipeful ! ” - T went to the Big Smoke—meaning London—the ocher day, but L don’t want to go again. I don’t like the place at all. it’s wicked. Nothing like it in New Zealand. Bat the New Zealand soldier gets the hearing wherever lie goes, and I tell you the best judges are those who arc* mixed up with them. I have logo and draw the meat for the whole New Zealand camp here and see that it is served out right. I have some trouble at times, hut I have been too long at the game for them to teach me now. .1 Avill sav this: that the men get good food, and as regards meat it is the best. I draw perhaps for a fortnight, Argentine, and then Australian or New Zealand, but our meat gets roughly handled and of course will not keep as long after it has thawed.

I will send you a little memento by the next mail in the shape of a ring which was part of a flying machine that came down killing the t • o officers, just a few hundred yards from us. There are often machines corning down here because it. is the only place nearest tbe aerodromes that they can land, and to sec some of them looping the loop it shows their dai'ing. We have machines that can fly 180 miles an hour—that j-ou Avonld hardly credit, but it is true They have got to be going at the least SO miles an hour to land. I was talking to a Lieutenant in the Royal Flying Corps and he was showing me and describing all the parts of the machinery, and it was he who told me. .1 saw the other day passing over and going to London, 32 battle planes, and I tell you it is just like living next door to a sawmill, the humming of them. You can hear them miles off before they come over you. They

will have to stop the noise, or muffle i if better. A\ hen I get up at 5 o clock j in the morning they have then been Hying about for at least an hour and a half before that, and also at night when the air is lightest. I’ll hot if you were here you would not be satislied until you had a Ilyin one ol them. They tell me the sensation is just the same as being on a swing when you are coming down, and especially when they are doing the corkscrew headfirst and then glide. They are a brave lot of chaps and all young fellows, too. Give try very best respects to all Greymouth friends and thank them front myself and the rest of the boys for their kindness ami yours for the parcels of tobacco and cigarettes, as it is just like the little boy who said, “there are no cakes like mother’s, so it is with the tobacco —it’s all the better because it comes from home. Von don’t know how it cheers up a fellow when he receives a parcel, and so ii does the others, because we all share and share alike —we are just like one big family.