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tub SHRAPNEL IN THE STFW
ASTRALIANS” ADYENTUEES.
• Laned-Corporal Komoth *Mi- Wills,.
non of Mr. Fred C.’Wills, formerly of
Tooiromba, and now of "Sydney, had
ponmonia twice- before he "went into
the firing line. ‘ The subjoined lotter to
his father was writton on" May 31nd
delivered in Svdney on t July.110.j On.
July 20 Mr. Wills received a wire from
tho Sooretary’of Defemco, reporting that
his son was in hospital at Manchetter
-Illness unknown; enquiries b,ing
made?* ' . ; . .•
: . _- Hospital, •
. '. May, 31, 1915.2
"Am not I,an unlucky beggar? You
know, by my previous letters that I hed
pneumonia. Well; I got .to tho front,
psenped .the' hail, of lead for fivoigolid:
davs;, and woke up. to find myself in
hoepitalat tlio ‘ base, some ' days’, jour
noy from the.firing line. I am going
to’bo sent for n.short oca .trip to try
and" pick up. I suppose jou.huve
heard of tlie’doings of the’boye from
the Sundy ■ South, but T 'am.-sending •
yoi a cutting from?'the‘•London
Times.’ I should so like to get, word
from you, I havo been "reckoning how .
। long it is since I received any’,lettor
from home; three monthe; not D-word!
| I .carot give, you any prtculara
। about where I am or where I am go
I ing on account; of 'the • censor. 'We
1 have reached the 10th month of opr
service, the year will be up on August
1 17; at 9 a.m. I had two, plugs, of to
baeco I was going to send home to you,
„they saved my fe—had’ ’em in • my
loft, tunic breast pockot, a bullet on
tored one, opened out, and, blocked
against the second. I had been in tho
trenches, all. might, and nover noticed
it until next morning when I went to
fill my pipe, so it cannot have travel- .
led’ very * fast, and must have. boon
spont, or I should* hayo: felt the bimp.
We had plenty to ont when • we rgot ‘
safely ashore sat Gallipoli, bully beef
biscuits. .hacon. tea, -and- sugar, so. wo
were all right, but wo sometimes lost » ‘
our breakfast. Charlie OHe/-a friend ;
of mine, a corporal, , turned aitin. of:
bully out into his mess, tin, put in an
onion, ahalf 'potato (great luxurios), •
and some'biscuits, and put it on bis.
tiny fire in his . dugout ■ Bang! - whiz!

the’mess tin was ng more, and the billy
bees had gone the way of all flesh— a
whell had burt .just, over the dugout
and had taken the tin as ’ toll; but
marrellous to ray, the onion remain
ed, though when Ole" want to eat it,
h? hurt his tooth ou a shrapnel bullt.
and. vented his rage by throwing the of
fending vegetable at me; missing me
and lobhing’in my tea. Charlie Miller
had a narrow escape, he was wsoking co
the side of his dugout and jumped
down to get some salt, which saved his
life; as he jumped three pieces of shrap.
nei pierced the top of his cap. These
are experiences in the lighter vein. I
will not relate any of the sadder ones.
However. we've made a name for our
selve, and! only hope that I will SoOD
get fit. again, and get back to avenge
core of my comrade who haro been
Jess lucky than myself.” .. .

Mr. and rs. Wills had written

evers week to their son.

$