LETTER FROM THE FRONT.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXVII, Issue 1458, 12 October 1915, Page 2

LETTER FROM THE FRONT.

Sapper W. F. Kent-Johnston writing to his parents here from Gallipoli on August 21st relative to their letters received states; “They arrived during the days of the 'big show’ here, and they acted like a tonic. Another fortnight’s mail is due but we heard this morning it was capsized into the harbour or something, so its goodbye McGulnness. A harder blow could not have been dealt us. Confound that sunken mail.” Alluding to the big engagement on August Sth he writes, “one of the Fullerton-Smiths’ has gone and one is wounded, Paddy Winder went under, Wally Clark, in our detachment, was got while carrying wounded down to the beach and I helped dig his grave. Skin Masters got a very good one through his foot, it just missed me by inches too. I had more narrow escapes in these days than in the whole business, Luckiest man unhung I think. After all the lurid accounts appearing in the press of our landing, I will quite safely leave a description of the affair to them again. Discount it 70 per cent, and you will get somewhere near it. We are all pretty well fed up of war, but we have got to stick to it. If we could only get a spell now and again, but we can’t do that; still, on the whole, I am very fortunate in keeping my health so long. At present there is more than half the company away. Jack ChineryBrown is one of 20 left out of 200 so he has cause for thankfulness. Its a rotten business, but we become almost brutally disinterested after the first couple of days or so of a big slap up. Sleepy and weary one cares for nothing. I had three nights without sleep and at the instruments too.”