"GOING WEST."

Taranaki Daily News, 16 November 1915, Page 6

"GOING WEST."

Two letters received in New Plymouth I by the Suez mail on Friday, from Lieu- I tenant Harold Jennings are interesting. He forwards a letter signed Kitchener, which reads. "The King commands me to express His Majesty's and the Queen's sympathy in your sorrow." This had reference to the deatli of his brother, Edgar Jennings, at Quinn's Post on Aug. '■"3. Before leaving London on September \2, Lieut. Jennings got a send-off from sx;me New Zealanders, Mr Bruce Joll, of Okaiawa, and Miss Kosina Buckman being the Taranakians present. In one .letter from '"'somewhere in France,'' lie describes the care that was observed on the transports crossing to France, in case of submarines appearing. On arrival in North France he was billeted at a farmer's home, the husband and wife being 80 and 81 years old, but they were as cheery a couple as he ever met. Their three sous were away at the front. In a. further letter from Xeuve Chapelle, dated Sept. 17, be states they had been in action for four days, and bis battery -is attached to the 14th Battery, Meerut Division Indian Artillery, and mess with thein-jn a well-Shelled country house that once belonged to the Mayor. My bedroom, he says, lias about ten great gaping shell boles in the- roof: but downstairs \wc aro quite ..comfortable. The Indian oflicers, are charming fellows. Last night, there was a terrific bombardment I going on just north of us at Ypres. Our ! guns are just on the left of , and there are guns all about us, numbering about 330 on a trench frontage of 3000 ' yards. "Night JtereMs interesting; but with , rifle lire, Maxims, artillery flares, and star-shells, the night is almost as bright . as day. It is a pitiable sight to see the \ ruined houses for miles round here. Just, i behind the firing line quite a number of ,people have returned to their shelled liomes, and'continue their daily tasks, quite indifferent to the constant slielfing. One cannot but admire the people - here. All but old and unfit men are at " the front, and all the work in the fields \ is done by the women and young boys—and they" do work hard all day. Every , day we see aeroplanes being shelled, and 1 we brought down three German Taubea ; within ten days—quite good. Had the *' .most exciting day of my life on Tuesday, as I went up first to the observation station" to see the fall of our shells, the Huns seemed to know we observe near these, as -they dropped shells into a big ' house 50 yaßls to the . I had an v interesting JiaiMiour no at the station, "with shells to the' - , and snipers' bullets flying all roifnd: but the veal thrills caine later, when" I. went nil lo , the first line fror»he< us :>j\;'■-,' •-'>- olli-er. (!"■• '•■■■' :: yaSils f'" ,:l !'••• ('••:•••■ •"" i - ;i "' ""'■ '"'"'' known ■ ' ; ' ' " s ' '" 1 only (i ; vjn. ' > L ' r " snipe; ■ • - "''■•' ' !V treiK-lnv nil !'<■.• ten van!- from me. -... n u . ■• 1 ;.in his fiu-e -the lii>l casualty I \-.i\\ .- \ seen. Our trenches are magnificent, and 'ereatlv improved since the last attack. ! o*J,lH'(':> devotions still go OS about bCB» ■ in >!.;• i"fi "■' ■•''lirehes «VWf <s«y, K>A I one '. ""I' !• '"'" rinsing for esrfy . y l: , :■,„'' i'- ■■ . 'i ""i'l-t the boon*- . ;,!„• ,-i' ',,. ii. i ''■•"•' everal graves I in'lhe •■: i. h -.:■} ~. ' !"■■■.' there are rbcra-iuosJ, .' > *«£

j West Yorkshire Regiments. Tn enlarging our communication trendies, four ! young English lads were dug up —they I were buried with all their kit, and we got a pay book from one. Orders are to dig through everything, and though this sounds horrible it is necessary, It is unpleasant work, a3 thousands are buried about here, i went into Xeuve Ohnpelle, but there are only bricks left. The Hun devils were seen here yesterday with jets of water playing up about ten feet above their trendies, and are believed to be experimenting preparatory to squirting liquid fire. We have all got our gas helmets for use wlien we go forward, and we look like Holy Inquisitors when wearing them. (leneral Davis and Harry, from Xew Plymouth are here, and I will try and see them. Must conclude, as my section starts firing in a few minutes." [Since these letters were written, Lieut. Jennings was wounded, on Sept. ■2O, and was sent to Dublin Castle Hospital, where lie was in the early part of October. Last week, Mr. W. T. Jennings, M.P., received a cahlc that his son was progressing satisfactorily.]