Mitchell Library, State Library of New South Wales

Letters from Frank Sherwin, 1915-August 1916
MLMSS 5767/Item 3

[Page 1]
[Y.M.C.A. On Active Service envelope]
Miss E.J. Sherwin
Llanfoy St
Burlington Road
Homebush

[Page 2]
[Letterhead of Young Men’s Christian Association of Sydney N.S.W.
Field Service Department]

Light Horse Camp
Liverpool

Dear Auntie
I suppose you will be wondering what has become of me. I left Holdsworthy nearly a fortnight ago and am back here in the Light Horse. I expect to be down to see you on Sunday.

I was camped out at Roseberry Park all last week but couldnt get out to see you as I had forgotten the address and didnt have the letter with me. I had plenty of time off while I was down there too. I expect to be going on final leave next week as we will be sailing on or about the 23rd.

Well Auntie, I will close now hoping to see you all on Sunday.

With best love from
Your affectionate Nephew
Frank

[Page 3]
Maadi
15/2/16

Dear Aunty
I have been here just a month now had a lovely trip over in the boat no rough weather at all so I didn’t get sea sick at all on the journey but I got the mumps a week before we got here so I had the last week of the journey in the Hospital and also had a week in a Hospital at Suez after we arrived here.

It was very cold when we got here first but the days are beginning to get fairly warm now but the nights are still very cold.

I met Norm the day after I got here he is back here in camp now so we are both together. We went and saw Artie on Sunday he has only been here a few days he is going to try and get transferred into the

[Page 4]
6th Regiment so if he gets the transfer the whole three of us will be together.

I have seen a lot of my old Condobolin mates since I came here and lots of other fellows that I know. I haven’t been to see the Pyramids or any of the sights of Egypt yet but I think Norm & Artie & I will go out there next Sunday if we all get leave.

Well Auntie I must ring off now as news is scarce with best love to all

I remain
Your loving nephew
Frank

I enclose a few Egyptian Stamps for Willie tell him I will get him some more as soon as I can.
FS

[Page 5]
France
27th Aug 16

Dear Auntie
Just a line to let you know that I am well. It is such a long time since I have written to you that you will think I have forgotten you altogether.

We have been in France two months now, we arrived in Marsailles on the 25th of June and went from there up to Le Havre it took us about 54 hours in the train it was a very long journey but we all enjoyed it pretty well as it was beautiful scenery all the way and everything was new to us.

Every available piece of land seems to be under cultivation here all down the south they go in more for vineyards I think they grow the grapes mostly for wine and up north it is all either wheat or oats. They seem to have very good crops this year they are harvesting everywhere

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now.

They are very much behind the times as far as farming machinery is concerned they seem to do nearly all their reaping by hand and the women work in the fields just the same as the men. In Marseilles they have nearly all women on the trains and all along the line I noticed women [indecipherable] on nearly all the railway stations,

What struck me most of all when we first arrived in France was the long days, it used to get daylight about 3.30 am and didnt get dark again till about 10 pm but the days are getting much shorter now.

Well Auntie I must end now hoping you are all well with love and best wishes to all

I remain
Your affectionate Nephew
Frank

1945 Driver F H Sherwin
[indecipherable] Battery
F A Brigade
Australian Division
On Active Service

[Page 7]
Dear Eric
We got word that Frank is in Hospital in the Reading Hospital, England – wounded in the arm – he is lucky to have escaped so long – almost 3 years over there – & this is the first time he has been hit; no word of [indecipherable] yet – over 6 months now – should soon hear from Katie –

[Page 8]
[indecipherable]
19 16 April [indecipherable]
[indecipherable]
1907
[indecipherable] 25th June
1908
[bore?] a daughter July 1908

[Transcribed by Sandra Mutton for the State Library of New South Wales]