LETTER FROM DARDANELLES.

Taihape Daily Times, Volume 7, Issue 290, 10 September 1915, Page 2

LETTER FROM DARDANELLES.

The following very interesting let- | ter was sent to Mrs. Down?, wife of j Mr. Thos. Downs, of Managawhare, by i Mr. Harold Spencer, who enlisted for active service whilst he was in the employ of the Northern Wairou Dairy Factory. We regret to report that ! since writing the letter Spencer has '. been wounded. He is now in the hospital at Malta. ; The Young Men's Christiana Asso- ! illation Army Department, Mediterj ranean Expeditionary Force, Alexandria, Egypt." This is the printed heading en the letter paper. Then the rea? letter begins: "Jane 29th, 19J5. Dear Mrs. Downs.—l received your ■welcome letter of the -ith May, and I was xory pleased to hear from you. . . j You mentioned in your letter that you j hid just moved away from the "table, j which is a thing I have have not seen since I left Cairo, so I just sit on the ground where I have bully beef stew and. a little Amber Tips tea (I don'; in ink) and scribble away. ... I a7n j glad yen have had an enjoyable time ■ ct the Coast and were allowed to hava I your fan unmolested, for where we ;vr" I there is a. lovely beach, hut as soon rs we start to have a dip in the briny, somebody tries to drive us off, for I .•suppose they consider they have more e'him to it than we. But I have managed to get a few dips. The women of N'ftw Zealand appear to be having a busy time, and I suppose what with contributions for relief funds and the hish prices of things they are at their wits' ends to make both ends meet.' Yon can tell Mr. Downs that if he cannut get the price for the butter in Darjraville I think I could get rid of a few boxes at a good price from the boys as we have not seen sucha thing for over three months. I wish you had not mentioned about the shooting season, for, asyou said, it made my mouth water, and .1 can assure you that the iruno we are. after is not very inviting I'-or a meal, although we get some goodbags. lam sorry to hear that the young ladies of the district are all being troubled with an epidemic of sickness. 1 suppose they must be getting | lonely now that all the boys have gone i away. Rut. tell them that we are all right and doing great tilings, and that ir will not be long before we are back again. You said in your letter that von had a very hot summer, but I can tell you New Zealand summers are nothing compared with what we have here: and to make matters worse, the place, is simply full of flies, and one" has to fight to see -who is going to have the stew, for they chase each spoonful almost down your throat. (I suppose you saw in the papers about Jim and Cliff, but I don't think they will be long in getting well again.) I may tell you I cannot say too much about things here as there is a censor on all letters, and I don't want this to be stopped, as it is the only piece of writing paper I can get. I have not got the parcel of magazines yet but expert them any time; thanking you. for same. With kind regards to all. — ' Yours sincere!v. HAROLD 'SPENCER. :