BOYD, William Leighton - 7028, W67116
| Original items held by the Army Museum of Western Australia |
| Conflict | World War 1 World War 2 |
|---|---|
| Service Arm | Australian Imperial Force Volunteer Defence Corps |
| Unit | 16th Battalion, C Company 28th Battalion, 21st Reinforcement VDC No.2 Battalion - Fremantle |
| Service No. | 7028; W67116 |
| Date of Birth | 30th June 1898 |
| Birthplace | Perth, WA |
| Residence | Wembley, Perth, WA |
| Date of Death | 22nd July 1980 |
| Relatives | father - William Boyd mother - Annie Leighton siblings - Ada Mildred, David John, Albert Edward |
Letter to father dated 25th September 1918
No. 1
France
Wed. 25th Sept. 1918
Dear Dad,
It is your turn for a letter as I generally take it in turn to write to you, Mum and Alby.
I've just posted an 'Aussie' to Howard and Alby, it is our monthly magazine printed in France.
Letter written on July 11th by Mum, is the last I have and I'm glad to hear that you are all well.
I heard that Les S_ has got back to England and is at a Bristol Hospital.
Mum mentions in her letter that it seems 12 years that I've been away, but I myself have not found it so long, the 15 months that I have
been away has passed very quickly to me. One thing here in France we are very rarely in the same place very long, especially of late, now
old Fritz has had to get back.
A good lot of benefit is given us by the Comforts Fund, mostly when in the line. I know collections are taken in W.A. for the different
battns., but that does not make much difference as we get things from N.S.W. and anywhere. Cigarettes is one big item, but they don't
worry me, but they are very acceptable to others. It is the best fund for those who are with their units here. I believe the Red Cross are
good for those who get to hospital.
I think I told you that a parcel was sent to me from the Leederville Church, notes inside were from Nellie B_ and Mrs Randall.
You will notice that I never mention about what it is in the trenches, etc., the reason is that nearly all the letters I write, are
written out of the line or in some safe and quiet place, and also written in spare time and we do not want to be writing about war then,
as it is best to forget all about it for as long as possible. Besides doing turns of different periods in trenches since I've been in this
country, I've participated in four hop-over the bags as they call it, three were big ones and one little one, they were all successful, I
find as is the general opinion amongst us that it is that it is a better job to that of holding the line, standing in a trench from one
week to the other.
It would be a good idea to number all the letters you write after you get this, if you write number it 1, and then Mum make it no.2 and so
on, I will start off with this one.
Well must close now hoping this finds you all quite well, as it leaves me at present.
With best wishes,
From,
Your loving Son,
Will L. Boyd
Letter to mother dated 24th October 1918
France
24th October, 1918
Dear Mother,
A few days ago I got a few letters from you Aug 1st and 20th also Dad's of 31st July.
It is not me who made the mistake about Harry Bolton, the one I mean has never been to Australia he is a relation to Whittingham's and
visited them a couple of times while I was there last November.
Will. Boyd of Bolton has been drafted into the army this month, he said that he would write as soon as he got settled on camp, so I don't
know any-more than that he has gone to camp. So that means that I'll have to cut Bolton out and will be able to have a week each at
Newcastle and Chester when I get leave. If I feel like it I will be able to trot over to Liverpool from Chester for a day.
This week a parcel sent by my friends at Claremont arrived it was meant for Xmas. It was a very nice parcel indeed.
According to your Aug 20th letter you wrote on Aug 15th but that one has not come yet. The other day I sent you a couple of photos which
we had taken lately so hope they find their destination all right.
Just at present we are living in good billets in a nice town on the Somme. In the morning we have usual drill and the afternoons are
devoted to Classes in French, Book-keeping, Mathematics, First-aid and all the other subjects we need a brush-up on.
Must close now hoping you are all quite well with best wishes to all
I am,
Your loving Son,
Will L. Boyd
Letter to mother dated 16th November 1918
No. 4 in Nov.
France
Saturday 16th Nov. 1918
Dear Mother,
Just a few lines to let you know how I am. I am quite well and hope that you are all the same.
Today I received three small packets, one was the Mittens and handkerchiefs you sent, another a pair of socks from Galdys Clayden and
another pair of mittens from Les's girl for Xmas. It is cold weather now, it has been frosty for a week now, ice on any water in pools or
buckets about, so the mits and socks have just arrived at a nice time.
Last Monday, when the Armistice was signed, the first we heard of it dinkham was at 10.30 A.M. and we happened to be out on parade, it
was not unexpected as there were rumours that it had been signed and besides I think it was generally expected that the Germans would sign
it. Immediately the news came we marched into the village were we where and the first thing noticeable was plenty flags flying from the
houses which had appeared since we had gone out, we formed up on the Market Place and at 11 A.M. when hostilities ceased the band played
the 'Marseillaise' In the evenings for about two or three evenings the children of the place seemed to collect and have a great time
setting off fireworks all we needed to do was go along and look on. It was a marvel how the motors soon raked up headlights and how the
streets found a light or two which changed the place greatly. It is now possible to have braziers in tents or trains or wherever we may
be as there is no likely of aeroplanes buzzing around now. The fires add immensely to our comfort these frosty days. As I was not in the
line at the time of cessation of hostilities I do not know anything of what it was like there at the time but I know those in the line
would welcome the new war situation. The terms of the armistice are such that if they are kept to by Germany will keep them from
commencing again.
This is the first time I have been able to write for some days so excuse me if I have not written at the usual time.
Lizzie Whittingham tells me in her letter that her sister Emily and husband are thinking about going out to Australia after the war, her
husband was in Australia once before.
Fresnoy-Le-Grand,
France,
17th Nov. 1918
Must continue to finish this letter. To-day I was standing outside the Y.M.C.A. and who should come along but Syd Kaberry, he is in the
50th Bn., so we had a good yarn together he is only living down the road so I will see him again.
You will notice by the heading that I have given you the name of the town we are in, it is about 18 kilometres N.E. of St Quentin. The
censorship has now been lifted and we are now able to give you some news. It is a fairly large town and is almost without inhabitants, the
Germans occupied the place one month ago. We are living in houses with stoves etc. so are not badly off. Before getting here two days ago
we were at Picquigny near Amiens for two months having a rest and we were two days travelling per boot train and light railway. It is
almost a cert that we are going to march into Germany just fancy only one week ago and we never thought of such a thing. If I get to
Germany that will be Belgium, France and Germany that I have been in. This town that we are in is not damaged too much by shell-fire and
now the further we go towards Germany the less the places will be knocked down as there has only been the recent run after Fritz through
these towns and they have been in his hands since 1914. It was a peculiar incident for the war to commence at Mons and the day the
Armistice was signed for it to end at the same place.
I expect Alby will now be raking up maps to find some of the places were I am in.
Well will close now hoping to write a long letter again soon, with best wishes to yourslf Dad and Alby,
From,
Your loving son,
Will L. Boyd
Received your letter of Sept 10th will answer next mail
Letter to mother dated 27th November 1918
Sains,
France
27th Nov. 1918
Dear Mother,
Since last writing I received your letter of 10th Sept.
When I last wrote we were at Fresnoy we have since done three days march so must be about 36 miles further on, the first day we passed
through Bohain, Bussigny and on to St Souplet where we stayed the night in a Cinema hall which Fritz had been running. Next day we went
through Catillon, Mazinghein, La Groise, Prisches on to Beaurepaire and stayed two nights there, from there marched past Cartignies
Boulogne Etreungt to Sains where we expect to stay some days. The inhabitants are here and the towns just about here are undamaged this is
the first time we (Austn) have been in this part. This town is a pretty little joint and has many fine residents built in it or chateaus
as they call them. The Germans had a few hospitals here, buildings such as factories converted into hospitals. The finest kept Military
Cemetery I have seen adjoins the town cemetery, it is one belonging to the Germans, every grave is alike with a plain slab, I saw a couple
of British Tommies graves amongst the many German ones, they can be made out by their regiment.
When we next go on the tramp a day's march from here will take us over the border into Belgium in the last letter I told you e were on the
way to Germany but now it is probable that we won't go that far. You must remember that these marches are full-pack and twelve miles a day
is quite sufficient we would be riding in trains only every bridge is blown up, all cross roads and bridges on roads have also been
blown-up but are made passable now, since leaving Fresnoy we only crossed one bridge intact, and probably that was a bad fuse, of course he
can't be blamed for damaging bridges, but in a way it would have been better for themselves now if the Railways had been in working order
as Germany is in a bad way for want of food.
The letter sent by you on 10th Sept. had the bootlaces in, I was glad to get them, the ones here only last five minutes. Drop an indelible
pencil in the parcels now and again.
I think it is just as well Alby is leaving the job he was on as I don't think it would be much good for him.
I never received the photo of Elsie's brothers yet.
Remember me to Jimmy Marshall if you happen to see him.
Must close now hoping you are all in the best of health, with best wishes,
From,
Your loving son,
Will L. Boyd
Letter no. 5 of Nov. I forget if it was Oct or Nov I started to no.
Just recd cake, will let you know what its like next letter
Letter to father dated 2nd December 1918
No. 6 from Nov. 1st
Sains no. Avesnes
France
2nd Dec., 1918
Dear Dad,
Just a few lines to let you know how I am.
No more letters have come since last week, but I received the cake sent on 22nd Aug. for Xmas, it could not have been better, it was as
good as if it had just cooled down after taken from the oven it was very welcome indeed.
Are you still in the Rifle Club? You never mention it.
We are still at Sains we are moving to a place near Namur before settling down for a bit. They are making arrangements to give us work
of some kind, while waiting for ships, some will be lucky enough to be sent to England to work.
Les was in Sutton Veny camp when he wrote a letter I received yesterday, that camp is on Salisbury Plain.
I think that is all so will close, hoping you are all well, with best wishes.
Fron,
Your loving son,
Will L. Boyd
Letter to father dated 10th April 1919
Charleroi, Belgium
10th April, 1919
Dear Dad,
Well I expect you would like to hear something of Charleroi as it is the central town in the Australian's quarters here, it is a fair
sized place and thickly populated but I don't know how many people there are. There is a tram service in the town and suburbs, trams
running four and five miles out to some suburbs. The Sambre River runs through the town and it is canalized, plenty of large barges are on
the canal, steam-tugs pull them up and down, sometimes three or four barges tired together. The main line Paris to Liege passes through
Charleroi, you would be surprised to see the size of the railway station in this country at Florennes with a population of under 5,000 the
railway station has as many platforms as there are in Perth, but not because there is plenty traffic as only a single line runs from
Charleroi to Florennes.
Charleroi is a great mining town as all around almost into the busient part or the town there are plenty large coal mines, with their great
heaps of slagg continuously getting larger. Women can be seen working the tip trucks, I think they used to work on the mines before the
war.
A thing never senn in 'W.A.' is market day in the streets, there are two large squares in Charleroi and nearly every day, can be seen
great crowds of people buying 'cheap-tack' at the stalls, hundreds of which are erected in the squares in the morning and pulled down in
the evening. There are stalls for chips, chocolate, tobacco, drapery, brass jewellery and so on, the fruit stalls have only oranges to
sell which are 3, 4, 5 for a franc which is not too dear. We are not too keen on buying anything from these stalls as they don't look too
clever.
I spent yesterday with Vic. he is about 3 miles on the tram from where I am. As far as we can judge we will be returning to W.A. at about
the same time as one another.
Must close now hoping yourself Mum and Alby are all quite well, with best wishes
from,
Your loving Son,
Will L. Boyd
16th Batt A.I.F.
Have recd Mums letter of 4th Feb. 1919
Letter to brother Alby dated 22nd April 1919
Brussells, Belgium
22nd April, 19
Dear Alby,
Just to let you know that I am getting along all-right. I am having two days in Brussells, the capital of Belgium, there are two other fellows with me. It is
nothing as good as Paris which I never expected. We are stopping at the Y.M.C.A., a lovely large building. This morning we followed the
guide around and saw the Hotel de Ville, which is the town hall and also visited the Palais de Justice (Law Courts) here we climbed to the
top of the stairs 525 in all, at the top a view of all Brussells is obtainable as the building is in the centre of the city and towers well
above anything else. Both at the Town Hall and Law Courts are beautiful rooms. The Town Hall was first commenced to build in 1402. We also
went through an Art Gallery and saw many paintings done by the principal artists.
It was only a run of two hours in the train from Charleroi to get here.
Must close now hoping this finds yourself Mum & Dad all quite well
I am,
Your loving brother,
Will L. Boyd
Letter to father dated 6th July 1919
Hurdcott Camp,
6 July 1919
Dear Dad,
Just to let you know that I am now on a boat-roll, with 52 quota. We are supposed to sail on the 12th on the transport 'City of Exeter' via
the Suez, but still they can take us off yet. The Eastern States part of our quota 46 left on the 1st and the Westralians were transferred
to 52 quota, there seems to be a good many W.A.s in this quota.
I don't think there are many of us want to see big crowds on the wharf, I will not mind landing at Albany were I started from, there would
not be many on the jetty there and we could walk off with the old kit bag at our ease and know what we were doing, for I expect on getting
off on Fremantle there would sure to be a lot of rushing and dashing about, which is not in my line.
Well you have about all the news. Hoping yourself, Mum & Alby are all quite well.
With best wishes to all.
I am,
Your loving son,
Bill
Service information, leave passes
