SOLDIERS’ LETTERS.

Hokitika Guardian, 13 October 1917, Page 4

SOLDIERS’ LETTERS.

We have been kindly permitted to make the following extracts from letters received by Mrs J. Cropp, of Koiterangi: FROM PRIVATE W. CROPP. Private W. Cropp, writing from No 3 Camp, Sling, on July 21st, stated he had met Jack Stankej 1 and he was looking well. Had just finished the shooting test and were then to go into the bull ring for a week, with four days’ leave .then to follow. The 25th reinforce-, luents arrived the previous night and also the balance of the 24UTS Had met Tom Wren, Jack Muudy (Grey), J. Pickering, C. Cochrane and Fred McKay. Writing again on July 29th, he said he expected to go back to France any day. Jimmy the cook who used to be at Jones’ Hotel, is cooking here. Writing on August 10th, he stated he was on holiday on draft leave and expected to go to France the following week. FROM PRIVATE J. STAN KEY.

Private J. Stankey. writing on July 14th from Sling Camp says : I got quite a surprise when Bill Cropp came into Sling Camp from Codford. It wasn’t long before he found me. We had a good talk about old times. Bill is looking well. G. Steele, Jim Wooliiou.se, Bill and myself were all together and had a good talk about olden times and we picked up Jimmy the cook from Jones’ Hotel and George Brendt. Bill told us all about liis experience in the trenches. He will be going back to France any day again. He was pleased to see bis old mates. I have not heard from Tom since. He went to France. There was a few of the igth’s killed and wounded in the last push. Harry Fulton is still in camp, iu the best of health. Jack Smith has gone over to France with the 24th’s. I don’t know how he got through to get away, but lie was getting tired of working about Sling. You can’t beat New Zealand to live in. I would not like to live in London. It is a bit dangerous in the town, so many air raids at present. G. Steele got a letter from E. Cooper in France, he was quite well. Walter Howart is in Sling Camp as a butcher and also Charlie Hatinam. J. Smith’s leg has been troubling him. FROM J. J. PICKERING. Writing from Sling Camp on July 30th, Rifleman J. J. Pickering, of the 25’tli Reinforcements, says We had a good trip going over and it took us twelve weeks. I have met Bill (Mrs Cropp’s son) here, and my word soldiering has done him no harm so far. He is alright again and he thinks lie may go over again when we go which -will be in about three weeks’ time. I have also met Jack Stankey, George Steel and Charlie Hamiam. There are a good few here that I know one way and another. This place is a bit different to New Zealand and a lot of our boys are bugle chasing for some trifling thing or other, which they would not have taken the least notice of at Trentliam, but if a man doesn’t worry himself too much he is alright. We have gone through our shooting test since we got here and I have got through that with a little to spare, but they tell me the bull ring is a bit of a corker. We are going to start on that tomorrow, so I thought I would write to-night in case I get killed. There is an awful lot of men camped here taking the Tommies, Australians and New Zealanders. Of course their camps are separate. They have a wet canteen in this camp which came as a surprise to me, seeing they don’t have them iu New Zealand. Aeroplanes are fairly numerous here and make some noise when they are in the air. Hall of the 24U1S did not get here till a week after ns, and I suppose we will be away before them. The other half, they tell me, are in the firing line, so it will mighty soon be our turn. Well I think one oughtn’t to growl about getting out of here, even if he were going to the clergyman’s horror.

FROM PRIVATE E. COOPER

Private Ernie Cooper, writing from Somewhere jn France on July 14th, says:— I received your lovely big parcel to-day and the cake in splendid order and I must thank you very much for your kindness. We hope to sample it to-night as we are out of the lines and camped at an old French chateau where we are in billets. Came out of the trenches for a spell last Sunday and expect to go back again shortly. Had a fairly good time in the last sector and did not have many casualties; in fact ours are lighter than any ot the other companies in the battalion It is Saturday afternoon and we have a little leisure as it is recreation for the company, so a good many are writing home. Tom is iu his quarters on the game and I am in the Orderly Room, as I am attached to Orderly Roomasclerk. Have met a good number of the Coast boys lately, Jim Adamson, George Weir. Eric Smith, Jack Searle, Merle Diedrichs, Sam Godfrev, Tom Muir, of Arahura, Hughie Linklater, and a whole crowd of other boys. Furness Fleming I have not seen since the last big stunt, nor yet Harold Smith, but I hear they are well. Horrie Bonar was slightly wounded at - and is iu one of the Base Hospitals and Willie Fleming is in the hospital with influenza and have not heard of hiih lately. Bowser Smith got through alright, also Barney Breeze, Bill Head, Jack Nancekivell and Harry Andrews, Jack Cut bush, Marple and Kxell. Poor Ted Blackinore was killed, alsoCharlieShearer. Joe Burroughs,

poor old chap, died here in the hospital of pleurisy and pneumonia before getting into the line. Dr Doctor (who is attached to the Field j Ambulance here) went to see him, j but could do no good. Alex j Graham, from Waiho Gorge, the \ Franz Josef guide, is with the Doctor as Orderly and likes him j ever so much. Tom Eeclesfieldand j I went to see them just over a fort- . night ago. The Doctor had seen ! George Steele who is still in the Bugle Band at Sling. Jack Smith came over to France last week so George wrote me but have not met him, a.s he may be in the “ Dinks,” the Rifle Brigade,' so may not see him for some time. Mick Mcßride, from Okarito, Henry Brown, of Blue Spur, Sergt Holder, of Grey ■ mouth, Jack Waugh, Tom Fcclesfield, Tom Holley, Frank Bryant, from South, young Harcourt. from Arahura, and a number of other Coast boys are all in our company. We lost' one Greymoutli boy last week ( McGinley). He was killed in the trenches. I met Tom Stankey. going into the trenches through our sap one day. He is in another battalion. Could not stop to speak to him as there were too many shells landing near at the time, but he looked well. Have not seen or heard anything of Bill, but expect lie will be in camp at Codford or at Hornchurch.

Tom Seddon was attached to our Company. He came to France with us but went back a day or two after we landed and is in camp at Codford again, so is off our company strength. lam sure you will feel lonely without Ned, and when this reaches you I expect he will be on the water eu route for England. Hope it is all over before he reaches France as it is “no bon” over here. Hope Fritz is not on the active list to-night with his bombs a.s he lias been raiding all round here lately and has done a lot ol damage in some of the places. Last night his planes were buzzing all round our billets and the noise of bombs exploding was terrific, but fortunately we did not receive any as a souvenir and were not sorry, as \ye should have had quite a scatter in the dark; then it is not pleasant to cause a, disturbance when we all want to be sleeping, and Fritz never asks permission when he wants to be a source of annoyance. Well, I must really ring off and thank you ever so much for the parcel. It is the only one I have received ol five that have been sent to me, so someone has been having a good time with my parcels sent by kind friends. All the boys complain in fl similar manner. We think it must be at the base where they go astray.

IAPID HEALER