My Dear People,
Just a few lines to let you know I am quite well. Since last writing to you I have taken part in one of the biggest advances the British have made in this war. We advanced 8 miles in a few hours & captured an enormous number of prisoners.
Our organiszation was magnificent & our losses were very small. I had the pleasure of rooting some of them Fritzs out of their humpies, they do not give you any excuse to kill them & are very eager to be good "kamerads" with you when you have the business end of a bayonet pointed at their ribs. I did not go in for much souvenring but got an automatic pistol & a pair of field glasses. I sold the pistol for 50 Francs & the field glasses are not a good pair.
I was not in the best of trim for the stunt as I got a bit of gas in my eyes & they were so bad that if I had reported sick I would have been sent out, but I would not have missed the stunt for anything as you do not often get the chance of going for a route march in Fritz's lines. My eyes are improving now & I expect they will be alright in a few days. It was splendid to see the way our transport & artillery followed us up, we had beautiful weather and it was easy going. I think we have got old Fritz thinking now although it will probably take another 12 months to beat him down to the terms that our people will accept. There is another Aussie mail in and I suppose I will get some letters in that. I suppose you will be hard at it shearing when you get this, hope your backs do not ache too much.
Some of the Froggies will be able to come back and harvest their crops here now, some of them are nearly ripe now. Well I think I will close now hoping you are all quite well.
I remain
You're loving son & brother
Tom
