LETTERS FROM THE FRONT.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XL, Issue 1791, 19 February 1918, Page 3

LETTERS FROM THE FRONT.

The following are extracts from letters received from the front, by Mr W. H. Field, M.P., from his son. Geoffery, aged 20 years, of the 21st Reinforcements; — “Your last letter told me that you had heard that I had crossed the channel, and that I was ‘somewhere in France.’ It must have come as a great surprise to you when you learned that the 24ths were at the front so soon, and no doubt you were somewhat annoyed to hear that we were kept such a short time in England; but it appears that every reinforcement since the new Brigade was formed has had the same length of stay in England, and an equally short time at the base in France, so I would''not worry much about it. The 24ths stayed only three weeks in England find a fortnight at the base in France. “You will most likely have noticed that I wrote no letters during October, and no doubt you will have guessed the reason of it, I may tell you, Dfid, that we had a very hot time during the recent heavy fighting in Flanders, and I consider myself very fortunate in coming through two ‘stunts’ without a scratch. I would likef to tell you of all that happened to me during the advance, the counter-attack, and the subsequent days, holding the line, and of my impressions while under fire. But I know that it would take too long, and I have not sufficient space to describe all that I saw during the ‘stunt,’ so I will leave it all. till I get back. The plodding forward across the mud, shell holes and wire, with bursting shells, shrapnel, and machine guns, with Huns running about with their hands up, shouting ‘Kamerad’ everywhere, seems more like a bad dream to me than anything else, and I sun anxious to forgot it all. It is a marvel to me that I have come through it: all so well. “I am still very much alive, although it is a wonder to me that I am alive fit all. When I last wrote, you it was some considerable lime a'go, ami I Wits existing in comparative peace and security well behind the linos. Since then a great, many things have happened, and 1 have been leading^anything but a quiet and peaceful life. 1 will try find give you a brief idea of what has been happening to me, during the past month, and you will understand how it is that I have not been doing very much writing lately. You will most likely have read in the papers that the New Zealanders have been having a pretty lively time of it during the lighting in Flanders recently, and I can tell you we have been right in the thick of it. I am afraid I am not enough of a military expert to give an accurate and detailed account of the battle. You can read all about that in the newspapers. I can only give you the view I took of things, and my own personal experiences. To me the worst part of the stunt was on the night .before we carried out the attack, Avhen we had to lie about in shell holes waiting for the dawn. When morning came and we started to advance it took me some time to realise that we were actually crossing No Man's Land, and on our way to Fritz’s lines. To me the air was full of the screaming shells that formed onr barrage, and there was also a plentiful supply of Fritz’s, which I am jolly certain were not ordered. The advance formed a great picture in the early morning, for in the dim light, given by innumerable flares of all colours, could be seen the dim forms of our chaps, as wave after wave of infantry went forward. I suddenly woke up to the fact that there was a battle on, when there was a sudden blast of machine-gun fire poured into ns from a couple of ‘pill boxes’ just ahead. We managed to surround the two concrete ‘possies,’ and after we had slung in a few bombs, out walked all the Huns, with their hands up, and greeted us with a volley of ‘Kamerads!’ We searched them, and sent them hack as prisoners, and went on struggling through the mud to onr objective, a few heaps of bricks which were the remains of a farm. There we found a few more Fritzs, and we set them to work' carrying out our wounded. We dug ourselves in, and waited for (lie counter attack, which, when it came, was so cut to pieces by our artillery that it turned out a complete failure. Since then we have had to hold the ground we had gained, and a trying and weary time we have had of it. For three weeks we have been living in holes in the ground, covered in mud without a dry stitch of clothing, and existing on biscuits, bully beef, and cigarettes. Yet, I am thankful today that; I have come safely through the whole business, and am now well back behind the lines with the Brigade for a bit of a rest. “That is quite true about one of the boys who came over with me on the ‘Devon’ being wounded as early as in the first week of August, for 'the first half of the 24th joined the N.Z. Division in the line about the middle of July. I am sorry to say that a great many more of the ‘Devon’ boys were killed and wounded during the recent fighting in Flanders; but Les. Edmondson and I have been very fortunate so far in coming through it all safely. We cabled home, after the ‘stunt,’ to an old Wellington College clmm of ours, Jack Ward, saying that ayo were both well, I hope you heard that we had come through all right. We did not like to cable home direct, on account of the casualty lists going through, for it is a terribly anxious time for you, when they ale arriving.” a