SOLDIERS' LETTERS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LII, Issue 16019, 10 September 1915, Page 8

SOLDIERS' LETTERS.

TRENCH WARFARE. £ ALWAYS UNDER FIRE. BEFORE THE ADVANCE. ~\% THREE MONTHS IN TRENCHES. One of the last letters written by Private Harry Williamson w as one addressed to a M friend, Mr. H. Booth, Auckland Tele- - phone Exchange, three days before he was killed in action. Private Wil.iamson was an Aucklander serving in the 3rd Bat- -- talion, let Australian Infantry. " You will probably be surprised to hear," he wrote on July 'J3, 'that we are still occupying practically the same ground as at. the start of the job here. The oiilt advance we have made ha* been with the pick and shove., with which handy took we have straightened our line and strengthened our position. It seems to agree with me—thirteen weeks here now. livinj? like a rabbit, and I have not had a minute's sickness, nor misled mv turn in the firing-line. We are under fire the whole time, night and day. In our dueouts, which are pretty clos* to the firing line, we are tuned up "with Jack Johnsons* shrapnel, and other shells in the daytime! and with bombs at nicbt. "Of course we are not the only ones that are getting knocked about The Turks are having a y erT rough time of it now, and when the all'es take the big hill at Achi Baba and <*« start to move they can say good-ni-ht. They have not used gas on us yet. % n w* are expecting it at any time, "and are quite prepared. "Yon would laugh to see the boys having a shave and a wash in a two ounce ; tobacco tin, and one is no soldier here who cannot have a bath with a canteen full of water. We have only enough fresh : water for necessary purposes and" it has to be used carefully. Anv washing we do , has to be done on the beach. ! " I have been very lucky up to now" Private Williamson continues. " I have not stopped any lead yet, but I had a narrow shave the other night. The Turks tried to blow np one of our advanced trenches. I was hit with fallen earth, which must - have missed my head by inches, but I got - out of it with only a bruised thigh, though tie man next to me had his teg broken and died next day. I can only ho DO fat my luck to continue."