DISTRICT NEWS.

Northern Advocate, 29 December 1917, Page 2

DISTRICT NEWS.

(By Our Uwii C?r*?3po*>c>er)f,_j.

ONERAHI

Private J. A. Fagan writes from Codford Camp. lie'had presumably recovered from his wounds as "i'M Was expecting to be drafted to the front in about 9 fortnight. He describes the weather on lha plain as simply atrocious. It was "roi.-'----ing gales, rain, mud, mud and more mud, and I wish I could swap it with you, even for a day." Private J. C. Cotterill was a member Of ene *)f the recent drafts for France, after completing his training in England. He described Mr*'splf now as a regular unit, in Kiplingesque phrase, of "the blooming old Army" and tell* ::? w he put in his 43rd birthday marching AMng; an tntevminable poplar-lined road, .V c 11 \ ll-Ex-Corporal ±i: Spratt, of the Ist Australians, was among f><? outgoing passengers per "Manaia" on rhtrsday on his return to Sydney, after" Q week's holiday spent with his father, Mr J. Spratt, and other friends. Mr Spratt enlisted on the outbreak of war arid is a veteran of three campaigns, •Eg'ypt'i Gallipoli, and France. Landing On the Fehins'tlla in the first wave Of Australians that "-Urged upward from the sea," he was twice wounded 1 id Ihe, fighting,, recovering to be one of the picked ,nien who "bamboozled -Johnny Tui*" «fj the: | famous evacuation. Moved c 6' France, he found himself in the I Somme pui'h- receiving his final ' wound, a severe ■c/S«? at Pozieres, which he describes as a • particularly hot corner." After a consid.f-»V»e spell in hospital in England he received his discharge and returned to Sydney, where he has since been in the eniplov of the City Council. MY H. Spratt is an "old boy" of the Onerahi rkhooi.

Letters were received last mail by Mrs Edwards, from her' husband, Sergeant,H. __. Edwards,, of the 20th Reinforcements.- The letters wel'e dated froni. "somewhere; .in France" and the writer described .how he had run across two Onerahians ill '-he persons of Privates Syd and Kenneth Mackenzie. BAt time of writing Sergeant Edwards .was well and fit and in excellent spirits. Morning service was Keid in Ft. Stephen's on Christmas Day, (ha Rev. Geddes officiating. The continuance of the splendid weather on Boxing Day brought with it a crowd of happy and gaily-dressed visitors to enjoy the beauties of the foreshore and the life-giving sea breeze. The trains came down loaded and the bush-clad slopes were quickly covered with parties of happy pleasure seekers.