NX27395
Sanders. B. Sgt.
B. Coy.
2/3 Pioneer Bn. A.I.F.
Abroad.
Dear Mum & Dad,
Some mail came to-day after a very long spell & at such an opportune time. March 29th & April 14, 20 & 26th were the letters. Two cables from Pam & one from Auntie & a couple of letters from May
. We are hoping for some parcels. They would come in nicely.
I am quite well & should be as I was one of the lucky ones who had
Fancy Boyo in
We are all pleased to hear the optimistic note re. The Japs. Quite a relief & let’s us settle down to finish the job here.
I hope Betty is doing well at her work. Her letters sound very enthusiastic & determined. I shall answer them at first opportunity.
I hope
Thank Vera
for her note, also. I shall try & drop her a line soon.
I don’t think you’ll need that window protection now. I hope not.
I nearly forgot my birthday which I celebrated in
The
We saw the Kiwis Concert party there & it was an excellent show. Most of these shows are free & on the whole leave I only spent about L70 Syrian which is about L10 Aus. & out of that I bought torches & photos & other odds & ends.
The Univ had a shop which stocked all the well-known Continental & American grocery lines & so on. Nice to look at from an interest point of view.
There were few students there as the Uni. was in recess for a period.
The town was a little better than
We stayed at the Leave Camp, right on the beach & spent most of our time there. It was very pleasant, good food & I have not slept so well for months. I was able to forget stripes for a happy week & I slept with the boys for a change.
Each night there were films & we were able to curl up in the sand & watch them. They were old but we did not mind. Some of the newsreels were not so old, sad to say, showing the Yanks on parade in Aust. Then the A.I.F. returning home & then to cap the lot some shots of A.I.F. in
One of the
Ike & I saw “ Balalaika” again. It is a beautiful picture we saw at Damascus & I had seen it at Summer Hill long before. We had a grand time because he is like me in tastes & is quiet. He is only about 19 or 20 & hails from Victoria & is a good soldier. I am sending Pam a photo of the pair of us in a Beirut Park. Its rather a gruesome shot but ask her for a look at it.
Well, I shall finish now & hope you are all well. I am quite O.K. had a touch of tummyache for a few days buts its gone now & my only troubles are a couple of “ wog” sores.
Best wishes & Lots of love,
Bruce.
Sister of Bruce Sanders.
Sister of Bruce Sanders.
NX27395
Sanders. B. Sgt.
B. Coy.
2/3 Pioneer Bn. A.I.F.
Abroad.
Dear Mum & Dad,
There is very little to say. You should know by my last letter that I am in
Fortunately the heat is not too great here although the wind sends the dust flying. Red & I have a cosy little humpy of spare canvas and poles & other odds & ends.
We had our share of the odd bully & biscuits for quite a while & everyone was pleased to see some spuds & other changes.
There is a shortage of small change also & I am becoming a sort of a section bank, carrying about L10 Aust. All the time. I should hate to lose it.
I did some washing yesterday, the first for over a week, in four mugsfull of water. Quite a good job too thanks to Kitchen’s Velvet Soap. Anyhow I’ve given up undies for a while & the only time I use a shirt is to keep the flies off.
All the lads are slimming . I have to know my trousers to hold them up now, I suppose that is what the Army calls fighting fit.
We’ve a lot to learn about aeroplanes yet but our education is progressing daily. I can not distinguish ours from Jerry’s but have decided that the old hands know.
The other day we were gaping at half a dozen, fooling about in the sky & then the Tommies drifted off to their trenches. We didn’t bother until we saw a stick of bombs fall from one chap about 600 yards away. So, now, when the Toms go to ground, we follow.
Well, I am a little bit late but Happy Birthday to Bet & the enclosed is for her if it gets through.
Cheerio & Love to everyone,
Lots of love,
Bruce.
German.
NX27395
Sanders. B. Sgt.
B. Coy.
2/3 Pioneer Bn. A.I.F.
Abroad.
Dear Mum & Dad,
I have gone over a week between letters but I am sure you will understand just how we are placed even though it is not dark till about
I am quite well now after a touch of diarrhoea, which is far from pleasant . Unfortunately, I have another sore on my lip & so have to rid myself of it now.
The evenings are very pleasant after the wind has died down a little & the flies have gone to rest, I sleep lie a top, although I flew out this morning about 4 a.m. when I heard a few crashes not too far away. Sound carries a long way in the desert & so it may not have been as close as I imagined.
Some mail is gradually trickling in. two of yours of 4th & 25th May came to-day & I was very pleased to receive them. You mentioned sending a cable early in May. Well the letter came first. I have not received any cable from you yet. I believe I mentioned the arrival of two from Pam which were very nice to get.
Thanks to Bet for the snap of her & Joan. They both look very well. She is growing into a pretty girl. I was disappointed to hear that she had left the position. I do hope she has found a suitable one by now. It will be very important for her.
We sometimes fall to thinking what we will do after the army frees us but it is a long way to look ahead. Still, Dad, you may have some ideas or connections. At the rate we are going I am going to be rather old for tech. Still we shall see.
I saw Bob two days ago. He had been running around on some job but was O.K.
Canteen supplies are quiet good now. We get Aussie 3d chocolates for 41/2d & tins of Fruit Salad 1/9. The N.A.A.F.I. charge double the Aussie canteens on lots of articles.
We are very thankful for the Fund which we built up in the Coy for without the supplies it buys we would be very hungry. The issue is hardly sufficient to exist upon, in my opinion.
4th Aug. here I am again , but little more to tell. I was greatly surprised a few days ago when a big bomber flew overhead about 400 feet up or less . Everyone thought it was a new type of R.A.F. plane until it banked & we saw the black cross on it.
Just as well it did nothing wrong. We didn’t know the difference.
Well, for the time being, cheerio & love to everyone,
Lots of love,
Bruce.
Royal Air Force.
NX27395
Sanders. B. Sgt.
H.Q. Coy.
2/3 Pioneer Bn. A.I.F.
Abroad.
Dear Dad & Mum,
Your letter of 28th June came last night & I was very pleased to receive it & to know you are well. Betty’s of the same day also came & one from Pam with a photo enclosed. It is very nice snap too.
Surely you have had some of my letters by now & a couple of cables which I have sent. Your birthday cables have not yet arrived, peculiar isn’t it?
We had an idea some of the chaps like Boyo had come back. Tough luck for them. I have not seen Gordon or Bill yet but they are somewhere about here , I think.
I am glad you have seen Mrs Kirkwood although as you see by my address I have been moved from most of my cobbers & Kirby now has my old section, poor boy! I may have an opportunity to slip over & see him but at present I am pretty well occupied looking after some Vickers chaps whilst they & I are being trained. Something interesting at this stage of the game even though I am jolly sorry to leave my pals.
I hope the bad leg has healed up O.K.
You might tell Betty not to write about milkshakes, at least not while I am here. I have ordered a bottle of cordial, costs 12 piastres & that’s 3/- but it should improve the water a little.
Betty might give my best wishes to Ken Brown if she sees him. I hope he is doing alright. As you no doubt know by now, I am in the Desert and how. I realised just what a desert it is as I crawled out of my “ slitty” this morning & watched it in the receding mist, the same view all around.
The boys have some unique ideas for shelters. I sleep in mine , just for safety’s sake. & it is only about 2’6” wide so ,by morning, I am practically buried in sand, but, as it is clean, it matters little, so long as the scorpions & lizards keep away. One of the boys caught a nice 3” scorpion in his bed last night. I knew by the utterances he made.
So far things have been fairly quiet for me, only a couple of air raids although there are plenty of ‘planes about & I cannot distinguish Jerry’s from ours too well. I am learning quite a few sounds which would, I suppose, be familiar to you , Dad & they are very startling at first but gradually become a matter of course.
There is , however, in my mind nothing like the whistle of a bomb & some amazing antics take place when it sounds & there is nothing so welcome as a hole in the ground.
I think you get more news of the developments in these battles than we, so I shall certainly not risk the censor’s displeasure by mentioning any events.
Gen. Morshead was at our spot the other day & seemed very businesslike, said little of importance. For once, when asked about the food, I felt obliged to say it was quite good & it is . makes a big difference.
We get a bottle of beer, sometimes twice a week. You can imagine how nice that is. I must admit I spend quite an amount on chocolates & tinned fruit, when the chance comes but I consider that well spent.
This ink is rather doubtful, just like nearly all “ wog “ products.
According to our daily news sheet, the war is on in earnest, practically everywhere. Let’s hope they make a job of it shortly.
Well, I think I had better write my other letter before that sun settles, as it soon will.
Goodnight & love to Vera, Betty & Margaret. Look after yourselves & Keep smiling. I am A.1. physically, so that’s a lot.
Bruce.
Two of Betty’s letters just came & one from Clyde plus some papers which will make good reading.
Slit Trench.
NX27395
Sanders. B. Sgt.
H.Q. Coy.
2/3 Pioneer Bn. A.I.F.
Abroad.
Your Aug 10 cable just arrived very nice to receive, B.
Dear Mum & Dad,
Another week has gone & so , being free for the afternoon, I am on my letters. I daresay you are as pleased to receive these as I am yours. & I hope the few cables I have sent arrived.
I think all yours to June 28th have come & one from
So you know by now, Mr. Churchill was here not long ago & some chaps saw him. A veritable bulldog was their description.
At present I am in quite a whirl, studying the intricacies of machine gunnery. As you know, I , at no time had a mathematical mind & it is very handy on this job ( if I had one).
There are some bonzer figs around here & just ripening. I suppose you were round about these parts, Dad, last show & may remember the “country”. The white sand is tough on one’s eyes but at least the sea is handy just now & I am in every day.
I have not seen Kirky since your letter arrived so do not know what he’s up to.
Has any more news of Les Rose or Nev. Wood come to light. I have not heard of any of them over here, nor of Bert Douglas.
At present, I am with some chaps from Gordon’s unit but they do not know him, probably from another company.
There are some amazing tales told by those who were in the earlier shows here. One section was overrun by Jerry tanks & the corporal had his nose flattened by a set of tracks which made everyone wild & we are told they chased the tanks out with sticky bombs. One chap was quite crooked on himself because he left the pin in when he stuck it on the tank.
So far the parcel from the Chapter has not arrived. Everyone is minus a few parcels & letters.
The Germans have been dropping pamphlets again such as “ the Yanks are in Aussie. You are in the Desert. Why?” and “ Wouldn’t you like to be in Darwin instead of here?” the boys want to send some back to tell them we know jolly well the Yanks are in Sydney & also to ask him why he is here.
The last two days have been very hot & the nights are glorious moonlight. Quite decent weather.
Well, for this time, cheerio. I hope you are all well. Should be summer by the time this arrives.
Love to everyone & all those colds gone,
Lots of Love,
Bruce.
World War 1.
NX27395
Sanders. B. Sgt.
H.Q. Coy.
2/3 Pioneer Bn. A.I.F.
Abroad.
13 Sep.42.
Dear Mum & Dad,
Not much to tell but I am quite O.K. having just done my washing & am awaiting lunch which, we have been promised is going to be good. It is Sunday & the afternoon is free but I still have a lot to learn for the exam which will come.
The weather was quite cool for several days but is warm again now.
I cut my foot in the surf some days ago but it is just about O.K. now. Every scratch turns into a “ wog” sore here and they are far from pleasant. My face is clear now, for the first time since I hit the Desert.
Still , if one gets no worse than a “ wog” sore , one will be fortunate.
I have met some bonzer chaps from other Battns here and their reminiscences are interesting. Several of them have had months in hospital with wounds & most of them have done a lot of patrol work which seems to be the Australian’s specialty.
And what a variety of walks of life. Uni. students, schoolteachers, travellers, station managers, jackaroos & carpenters & now, all Sgts together.
I have anew officer now & he is a gentleman which is a grand thing. His name is Banks and we should be a happy platoon under him. My old boss Mr. Adams is now 2I/C of A. Coy & I believe he is a Capt.
, a rank which he fully deserves.
I have not seen my old crew for several weeks now, but I know they have kept out of trouble so far.
The news which we are hearing of
The sea presents a glorious sight at sunrise & sunset. Often I have read of the blue Med.
It is a real blue although a deal treacherous & so I am not doing too much swimming just here.
Battalions.
Second in Command.
Captain.
Mediterranean Sea.
NX27395
Sanders. B. Sgt.
H.Q. Coy.
2/3 Pioneer Bn. A.I.F.
Abroad.
Dear
I see it is over a month since I have written, time does fly in some ways. However , nothing eventful has happened.
My old B. Coy C.S.M . has gone to O.C.T.U. which is excellent news. He has been a W.O.11 for two years & is very efficient & Brian Hughes , my ex Pln Sgt. Is now C.S.M.
At present , I am still at school but it will soon end. I hope we all do O.K. it is a good boost for the Bn. In amongst these Tobruk veterans.
I don’t believe I told you about the first & so far, only, Stuka Parade which I saw some weeks ago. Fourteen of them & they dropped their bombs half a mile away. It was interesting to watch from a distance.
Yesterday I purchased a pair of Desert Creepers, rubber-soled suede boots. They are comfy & are the thing for night work.
The latest mail we have had is that written in June. It’s a pretty slow service & I guess you know how the arrival of mails boosts the spirit of the boys, this once included. Let’s hope some comes shortly.
I don’t suppose you have had any bombs to delouse yet. I hope you never get any in Old Sydney anyway
We had a few bottles last night. The boys got on to a case of Canadian beer. Its guaranteed 9% alcohol. I think I shall be a teetotaller from now on. Still we had a good sing-song & that is the only break we have on the entertainment side.
There’s no more I can say just now,
Be good,
For the present,
Cheerio,
Bruce.
Company Sergeant Major.
Warrant Officer Class 2.
Platoon.
NX27395
Sanders. B. Sgt.
B. Coy.
2/3 Pioneer Bn. A.I.F.
Abroad.
Dear Dad & Mum,
I think practically all your letters have arrived up till 8 Nov. which is very nice. I hope everything is right again by now.
Just now, I am in bed with jaundice on the 6th A.G.H. so its Xmas in hospital but that should not be hard to take. I am on a fat free diet but the lack of butter is about the only real hardship from that. I came in yesterday & am a couple of wards from Bob.
………. Is very pleasant after
So far , no parcels have arrived but we are hoping.
Here I have met some of the boys who were wounded & they are nearly all picking up. It is good to see them so but sad to see some of the others.
I shall write at Xmas . I hope all are well & don’t worry. I am just having a spell.
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