PRESENTS AND WIZ-BANGS.

Kaipara and Waitemata Echo, 31 August 1916, Page 3

PRESENTS AND WIZ-BANGS.

Corpl. A. Becroft, writing from " somewhere " in France, to his parents in Helensville, says:—

I am writing in a garden in the shade of a pear tree. Was very pleased to get your parcel, which, you may be sure, received a sad shock soon after it reached us. The cake turned out excellent, and was appreciated by all, but the cocoanut-ice was a bit rancid. We have been lucky in getting all parcels. We experienced i two gas alarms, but not very serious, and anyway with our gas helmets always slung on our shoulders, the gas hate has lost more than half its terrors. Fritzy is just sending over his evening hate, but it is all going well overhead. As the weather is warm just at present we have no need for Balaclavas and scarves, but we still find a place in our kit for them. When we are relieved we are given a hot bath and clean underclothes, but I always keep my knitted socks and wash and darn them myself.

I have just shifted my position, as Fritzy just sent over half-a-dozen big " wiz-bangs," which landed unpleasantly close to where I was sitting, and I broke the existing record for 50 yards sprint to cover. The ECHO goes all right Jin the firing line.