Transcription of an article titled ‘Private Don. Stewart’ published in the Wellington Times, 9 November, 1916, p. 7.
‘PRIVATE DON. STEWART.
Mr. E. Stewart has received the following letter from his son, Private Don. Stewart, who is a prisoner in Germany, written on 12th August:— Just a few lines hoping you are all well as this leaves me at present. I was captured on the 20th July. We went into the trenches a couple of days before I was caught. We had a big charge on the 19th, and had very heavy losses. Out of about six of my section who tried to get out of a tight hole two of us got out alive, and God only knows how I got out of it. We are being treated as well as can be expected in the camp we are in. We get the same food as a German soldier. I saw Ted Hubbard before the charge, but I don’t know how he got on. He was a corporal. Morton Austin was captured also. He lives over the Macquarie bridge. I saw some of the Coo-ees in France, and they were in action before we were. The Fifth Division were the first Australians to charge. You can send any news of Les, when yon write. I heard of his battalion when in France, but I never saw him. If you think it worth while you can send me some cigarettes and eatables — the smokes if anything at all. I have written to England for parcels, and they ought to be here next week, so we will not be so badly off. I received the paper that was sent from home, and saw in it that auntie had received the letter I threw overboard. I sent a couple addressed to home, but don’t know whether you received them or not. We live here in houses, and they are very clean and warm. We have a bed made of matting with two blankets. We have a warm bath every week and our clothes are steamed. We don’t do any work, and I bet I will be lazier than ever when I get back. That means I will be pretty lazy. I suppose it is pretty cold at home now; I wouldn’t mind having a fox hunt now. I suppose you have still got Prince. I hope he can catch a fox when I get back. I have told you all I can, and think I will have a job to fill in the next page, but I will try. I have still got the pocket books you gave me, and the best way I can find to fill in time is copying out music. We often play cards all day long. Smokes are hard to get, so we have to wait until some parcels come. We are allowed to write four postcards and two letters a month, and I will write them home with one to Blayney now and again, so I will leave it to you to tell all you know.’
Click here to view the article on Trove: http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article137411974
1915 Coo-ee March 