WITH THE BRITISH FORCE

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 4, Issue 69, 13 August 1915, Page 4

WITH THE BRITISH FORCE

In France. Mr R. Blackmore, a former resident of the Pukekohe district, now serving as a Gunner with the Artillery of the English Army in France, in a letter dated May 30th, written to a Puni friend, sends some interesting particulars of doings at the Front. He says:— "We are not allowed to mention the names of the places where we are, go you must be content with the knowledge that 1 am 'Bomewhere in France' where the battles are fought 1 am now with some horßes waiting in an orchard while the guns are just making one continual roar. Away on our light the shells are bprsting and sending up clouds of smoke dust and all sorts. This is a tetriole war, more terrible, more awful than anyone can imaßioe. All tha storms that blow, and all the waves thai dash against the cliffs are lb nothing compared with the terrible din and roar of the battle. I have had my time and have bsen under fiie lor hours at a stretch, so that you may know tfcat one of the family has stood the test. At tixst it is teriiblt, but as lime goes on one has nu time to think—just do one's best, and veiy best, and hope and trUßt to come out well. We in our battery do all sorts of things. Sometimes it is tearing up to the guns with four horses in a waßgon tilkd witd sheila; form times it has betn serving the guns; sometimes in the trenches with a small trench gun trying to drop shells in among the Germans, but all the time it is one continual tijht, bo we all take mr chance. Just imagine hearing a thunderstorm all -day. The battle front is like that, only a thousand tiiius worse. There is the ehriek and pulsating, rumbling roar of the sheila, and ths ping, buzz of the rifle tullets. 1 can't tell you all about it, words can't describe, i don't think you'd know me now. I am all brown; sometimes clean, oftener dirty. I won't ttll you what 1 have sesn, but the uermans are getting it now. They tfte a mean dirty lot, and all their rotten tiicks you will have read about in the papers. Now they are using gas and all sorts of tbing9. 1 em glad 1 am here. 1 do cot know whtn the war will end; maybe 1 will have takeu my place with those noble 'bojß' who have fought and died for Empire acd liberty, but 1 am doing my little bit and don't mind. 1 came of my own free will, because it is the solemn, sacred <futy of every man to defend with all bis power, aye, and with bis life, the British Empire. No German (Hun) can pull our flag down. The Biitish soldiers are grand. They are of the best and bravest. Here all parts of the Empire tight Bide by side—lndians, English, Irish, Scotch, Candadian, Auutralian (and the one writing) New Zeahnd."