news of Bullecourt

7 June, 1917

We are melting. Can you imagine it? The temperature isn’t very high, but very steamy and humid. It is much more trying than a decent Australian summer day. We haven’t had any mail for some time although a parcel turned up a few days ago. Socks, cigarettes, tobacco and toffee. All very much appreciated, especially tobacco and toffee. I have the tin on my desk and everyone has a dive into it whenever near me.

Major Fogarty, commonly known as Doc, is about my best pal here. He has his wife living in Salisbury and I have been in with him several times lately. Went in last night and had a row on the Avon. I was very pleased to find that I was able to row quite okay. The Avon isn’t much from a rowing point of view- not near Salisbury any way. The current is very swift and the creek narrow.

I had a letter from Copley, 4th Division, Amn. Column giving me an account of Jack Clarke’s death. He went out very game from all accounts. It was in the Bullecourt stunt. The Huns had got right through our line on to the Artillery. Jack’s Battery had to support them other Artillery and to do so had to take their guns out of the gun pits. The Battery Commander ordered all the men and Jack away to the rear, intending to work the guns himself, but Jack refused to go. These two worked the guns right up until a German shell got them both. There was a ring of 67 dead Germans round Jack’s gun. He was buried with full Military honours in Bapaume. The Battery are all very sorry to lose him.

I have been reading a lot of old diaries of the Doc’s. He has been keeping a very full diary with a view to publishing it. He asked me to review it for him. Heaven knows what I know about reviewing. It deals with a lot of Gallipoli and France. There is a very good description of the Evacuation. I will send you extracts of it. My data of the Evacuation was not too correct, and this is correct in every detail.

I got a letter from Chris a few days ago. They had moved up to where we were when we first went to France and were expecting to “hop out” at any old time.