Awapuni
June 7th 1917
Dear Mum,
I am sending enclosed 1.1.0 to pay for another 3 weeks. Future amounts will be need to be taken out of my allotment which was made out yesterday and starts, I think, from that date. From what I hear today it seems that we are embarking tomorrow but we have heard nothing official so far. We have been granted all day leave today and Neil and I are spending it in Palmerston. Dr McKenzie is in camp now and I saw him a day or two ago and he asked me how I was getting along. He goes, I think, with the 26th section and a different transport, at the same time as us, but I am not quite sure about that.
Two of the finest officers in camp go with our section – Major Hosking and Capt. Barnet, both doctors of course. I am glad to hear that Mac got extension until Aug but I think he ought to have got off altogether. I dont think he will ever see the front from that time.
We had an address from Major Sliman, a big gun in the Defence Dept and he expressed grave doubts about our seeing any active service and hinted at dark mysterious things that he was not permitted to mention.
All the 27th Section had their photos taken and I have ordered and paid for one to be sent to you. You will find Neil and me standing about the middle of the back row. There was also another one taken of all the six foot men in the section. If there is any chance I will send one of those as well. In the first group you will find Major Dudley in the middle of the second row while the chap in front of him with one stripe on his arm is Lance Corporal Nichols who is going as N.C.O. in charge of our 19 who were picked to go as first draft of 27ths. Nichols is a fine fellow in every way and we could not have picked a better crowd on the whole. I suppose the ballot results are out by now and if so we will see them in the Wellington papers before we sail. I will have about (pounds)8 to take away with me as I was paid right up to date yesterday. It is rumoured that we are to land in Australia for a short time, but the rumour may not be very trustworthy. Anyhow you in Auckland seem to know more about our movements than we do ourselves. We will both write at every opportunity and tell all we can. No more news just now.
Your son
Norman