NEW ZEALANDERS IN BELGIUM.

Press, Volume LIII, Issue 15918, 4 June 1917, Page 9

NEW ZEALANDERS IN BELGIUM.

"HEAL SONS OF THEIR MOTHERLAND."

By the last mail, Mrs "\Y. Diekcy, of Bryndwyr road, JTerrdalton, ireaeived the following letter with reference to her son, Sergeant Vernon Dickey, who left with the 9th Reinforcements: —

"I am •writing to von to tell you how your son, Sergeant Vernon, is getting on, for I am surer you like to know how ho is faring. I -was forced to leave ray home in Ploegsteert, for the Germans have ruined all tho houses with their shell fire. Your son, together •with other sergeants,. was billeted in my house n short while ago, and 1 was very pleased to havo them, for they behaved themselves exceedingly well. Tliis placo lam now occupying b the nearest inhabited houso to the firing line. We get "used to tho noise of the guns, etc., but at times it is very terrifying. Your son's division is at present holding a very important part of tho line, but .tho New Zca--1 raiders are quite worthy of the responsibility thrust upon them, and they have* proved their worth, by their doings at the Somme. Your son is looking ■fine, and I am suro you are looking forward to his return with great keenness. . . . He is now a couple of miles in Belgian, territory, but lie often goes into France to get supplies from tho canteen. The boys are having a pretty hot timo of it, but they are playing their part in this terrible struggle like real sons of theif* • Motherland. . . . You can rest assured that your son is quite well, and as happy* ai circumstances permit. From your friend, Madame Veuve Hanbourdin Dclbeigue, \ Cultivatrice a, Ploegsteert, Belgiquc."