A SOLDIER'S LETTER.

Taihape Daily Times, Issue 220, 25 May 1917, Page 5

A SOLDIER'S LETTER.

The following letter has been received by Mrs. Diamond from her hus band, Corp. H. A. Diamond, now on active service “smeowhere in France.”

14th February, 1917

The weather here is still very cold night, but the days are geting warmer. I suppose as soon as the thaw sets in the place will be in a terrible mess, as the ground is frozen to a depth of about two feet. When a shell hits the ground now it cuts up pieces of the earth the size of a wheelbarrow and as hard as concrete. My mate has just received a parcel from New Zealand and we are enjoying a good smoke. We are pretty comfortable here, and have a good fire going, the only drawback being that we have to get our own wood after dark, or else,: we might stop one of Fritz’s machine]' gun bullets. I saw Mr. ■ here to-day; he is a lieutenant in our-

company. He is looking in the best], of condition, but then he. is only just arrived. I also saw Jim Harris and; W, Au.l.d the other day;• the former isa corporal now. It is a lot easier to. get stripes in the Second Battalion.! than in the first, because there- are not nearly so many main body boys in it as there are in ours. B’ut I suppose it doesn’t matter so long as we do our bit when we are wanted, and I think we are doing that already. There is one thing certain, that no other company has got a better set of I non-coms, than we have. I have been out on a few night excursions with them, and I would not be frightened; to follow them anywhere; it is a greatthing to "have a leader you have confidence in, it makes everything -so. much easier. They are mostly maiji body men or came with the earlier revinforcements. Gus Aldridge is one of I them. . He is always as cool as a cuy I .cumber,, no matter what happens. He has been in every big thing the boys have taken part in, and has so far got off without a scratch. He Avent toEngland sick after the big smack up in August on the Peninsula, and joined up just after the division landed in France, so he has had a pretty good run. I have not met either of the Benbows, although I heard Bill was in the Dinks. I have not seen Bob

Terrace either; he "was in hospital with sciatica a while ago, but he has joined up with his company again. We have got the old Hun beaten, though he won’t aamit it, but I think he will have to before long. They won’t stand up to a man with a bayonet; if they can’t run away they put up their hands at once when they are cornered, and cry out “Karaerad, good New Zealand,” and follow you about like a dog. It would make you laugh tc see them if you had time. Most of those I have seen seem tc be pretty full up of the game. They don t care

to face the Colonials at all; they also reckon the Scotties are blind, because they can’t see when they have got their hands up. Bert Diamon.d