"FIGHT, EAT AND SLEEP"

Auckland Star, Volume XLVI, Issue 181, 31 July 1915, Page 6

"FIGHT, EAT AND SLEEP"

AND DODGE THE SHELLS. HOYS WANT PAPERS TO READ. Private Ralph Stevens, writing to his mother, Mr-. A. (i. Slovens, of York Street. Parnell. indicates that despite the bullets ami the roujrh life ilio men are ipiito comfortable anil happy. " I'm keeping as wrl! as ever I was." he says. "living on tinned beef and biscuits, with occasionally some bacon ami dried vegetables. The only tliinjr that's a bit rough here is the absence of fresh wa-tor. except for drinking purposes, but as we are living (in the rest camp) above a beach, in a dugout high tip a rliiT. we plenty of sca-batliini;. As shavinjr in a painful procet-s owing to ll\e Kick of fresli water. I've been compelled prow a moustache, and I ran assure you it's quite a fierce one." Writing a. week later (June t>) from the trenches, Private Stevens indicates the thins* that are looked to by the men an " homo comforts." " Your loiijj-looked-for parcel ban arrived. ... 1 would like some dark lmndkerchiefs. but don't send a big parcel, as I've nowhere to put it. and have to keep practically all niv wardrobe on ray back. While T'm wriiinjr this the bullets are whistling •overhead, about three feet u-p, hut we wouldn't notice them now if it wasn't for fhei-r row. P.ombs and shrapnel arc what I dont like: they are lumps ol hell, and make awful wounds. You ear bet your life every time we hear onf coming, the speed f make ducking intc a shelter hole would leave the smartest rabbit looking silly. It's a month to day since we loft to come 'here, and it only semns like a few daye. You can send ac many papers as you like, as we pot. absolutely nothing to read out here All we do is to fight, eat and sleep—sleer any old time and anywhere everj- chance !we get. ,.