France
30th April 1918
Dear Mother,
Yesterday’s mail brought me two letters from you (Feb 17 & Mar 3rd), one from Gorrie (Feb 25th) and one from Dad (Feb 24th. These are the first that I have received for a long time. I think that some of your letters are going astray as I have not yet received any for Dec except one from Gorrie (Dec 3rd) and only two for January. The parcels seem to be coming along alright. I got a tin of biscuits from Gorrie and a tin of sugar from you a little over a week ago. They were both in perfect condition and they were a very welcome change. Yesterday’s mail also brought a post card from Neil. He said that he had had another attack of his throat complaint (the third attack I think) and this time they are sending him to Blighty.
This is the last day of April and the whole month has been fairly rainy but warm with the result that the camps have been rather muddy and unpleasant
It has been an eventful month for us as Vic has been sent home and Neil has been sent over to Blighty. His letter was dated April 10th so another one ought to be along soon. I don’t know which hospital he is in but I am going to try and get a letter through to him by addressing it to Base P.O. London.
I am now the sole representative of the family over here. I have neither seen nor heard anything of Alec or Charlie for quite a while now as we have been separated from them for some time past. I think I told you in another letter that I had been transferred from the Medical Corps to the N.Z.R.B and attached to the 3rd Labour Battalian for water duties. This means that we do the same work as we did while attached to the Medical Corps the only difference being that we are now on the job indefinitely instead of being lent for three months. I heard from Mack a week or two ago and replied immediately but I have not had the good luck to run across him yet. I am keeping fit and well and we are far from badly fed although the diet is a little inclined to be monotonous.
I am sending with this a few pressed wild flowers plucked on the hills of France. I have a small collection of postcards, but I will have to keep them until I come home for I dont think that their tranmission through the post is permitted at present. I hear that their is more N.Z. mail in camp so when it is sorted some of my old letters may be turning up. Thank Gorrie for the butter he is sending. Writing again soon.
Cheerio
Norman