Anyone up for a challenge?
Scan shows a home made card datelined July 1st 1915
I struggle with handwriting at the best of times, can only make out a very few words on this one.
Mars Bar to anyone who can provide a transcript.
Chris
Chris, I can read most of it. The censor marks obscured the rest.
July 1, 1915
Dear Aunt Amy,
I received your letter dated April 27th a few days back. I was wondering when a letter was going to arrive.
I have no paper so have to make a post card from cardboard. We are having very fine weather here. A bit too warm in the day. Not like Invercargill [New Zealand] weather here at all. Last night we had a heavy thunderstorm. The heavy rain tested ... bivouac but it proved rain proof. We are dug down about 5 feet into the earth ... around the top to keep the dust from blowing in.... We have one great boon ... have a swim pretty well every day or rather every night ... The snipers made things too warm during the day. The bullets came altogether too close to take the risk....Hope all my cousins are well. Tell George to stick to his farming. This life is just as slow at times. It does get exciting now and then though especially when the shells start flying round. Makes you think and act quick when you hear the whizz of a shell. Allan is all right as far as I know. I have not seen him for about 4 weeks. We get no chance to go visiting here. By the looks of things at present, we won't be home by next Xmas. Still you never know what will happen. Well must wind up with love to all. Ivan
Howard
You're a Star. Not sure how to send a Mars Bar to the States though. Do you think your customs would be happy letting it through.
Thank You. Appreciated.
Chris
Chris,
Hold on to the candy until I next visit England. Glad I could help out.
Hi Howard
Will do, catching up would be great.
I have another of these 'homemade' cards, written in Rhyme, again very difficult to read. 100 year old pencil on such surfaces hasn't survived well. Will dig it out when I get chance. Material we rarely see nowadays, Garry Diffin in Australia has a fantastic display of these cards. I think its on the website if you've not seen it.
Chris