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Armstrong P R  Pte  468

Page history last edited by Lenore Frost 9 years, 9 months ago

Volunteers of Essendon and Flemington, 1914-1918

 

Armstrong P R  Pte  468    Percival Richard    7 Inf Bn    19    Postal employee    Single    C of E    

Address: Daylesford, Leggatt St        

Next of Kin: Armstrong, Walter, Post Office, Moonee Ponds    

Enlisted: 15 Aug 1914        

Embarkation: A20 Hororata 19 Oct 1914

Prior service:  2 years junior cadets; 2 years senior cadets; 1 year Citizen's Forces.    (58 Inf Regt.)         

 

Appointed Lance Corporal 21 May 1915

Temporarily transferred to Divisional Signal Section, 22 July 1915

Transferred to 1 Signal Co 26 April 1916

To be 2nd Corporal 9 Nov 1916

To be Sergeant, 1 Signal Squadron, 15 Feb 1917

Marched out to 4 Signal Troop Signal Squadron 17 Feb 1917

5th Light Horse Signal Troop

Admitted to hospital 1 Sep 1917 - Dysentery.

Discharged AIF 3MD 2 April 1919. 

 

One Thousand Days with the AIF              

 

SOLDIERS' LETTERS.

 

The following latter has been received from Percival Armstrong, who left with the first A.I.E.F. It is dated 3/2/16, and written from Epsom :—-

 

" Received your letter Nov 31, and Stell's 30, the other day, also got one from Ida Leggo. I am doing splendid now. I had a run into London on Saturday and yesterday. By jove I'd have loved to have helped in the destruction of that freezer of ice cream on Rifle Club day. I'd have torpedoed it and blew it to blazes down my neck. What ho! No, mum, I don't think there is really anything you could send me, they supply us with clothes, etc., pretty well, and although we only get a dollar a week here, it goes a fair way with me, as I'm still a T.T. and a non-smoker, and thats a  lot. My trip into London yesterday only cost me 4 bob and that included dinner and tea. I spent the evening a my little home in Streatham, near London. The old chocolate is about my only weakness and I can attend to that.

 

Now don't you worry about me, I can quite look after myself. I've not had your letters, so have been out of the running, as far as home and Australia is concerned. Now don't bother about writing long letters if you're too busy or not well. As long as I get a line from home it's all I want. Of course the news is very nice but so long as you're alright, thats the main thing.

 

Well, I expect to go and have a look at Mudie's Library on Saturday next,  all being well. I've arranged to go in with my Streatham friends. I hope I strike some of my esteemed relations with plenty of "oof." I may be able to raise the wind. I've not heard anything of Ben McKinnon* since I've been here, but I may hear something later on. I went down to see one of the old tent boys, you remember Alex Galland, he is looking pretty well. We had a fine old yarn over old times. I had to walk about 3 miles and so stayed the night, there were plenty of spare beds, etc.

 

Blimey, I'd like to see Jacksons moving picture of the "gawks" at the butts, what a joke. So "Long'un" is with the dorgs. I hope he's able to cut the wind with 'em. Why not let him call it "Ginger". He'd win every time then. No, Stella, my barney is still ginger, not white as you were told. I say what's wrong with Les Permain. Its a wonder he hasn't  come away with the boys.

 

Well, I had a look at St Pauls, Westminster, House of Parliament and Big Ben, the Embankment, a couple of pubs, the Thames, Trafalgar Square and Nelson's monument, the Gates Leading to Buckingham Palace,  although it was too smokey and misty to see anything of the Palace.   St Pauls is really a wonderful place there seems to be something awesome and impressive about it, I cannot explain it. Saw the picture ''Light of the world" by Holman Hunt. I did'nt go inside Westminster. It was closed when we got there. Its an old looking joint, although they tell me its A1 inside. But they are all so dirty looking, which rob them of half their interest. Was only  in there an hour or two so didn't see much. Went up round the Strand, Charing Cross and Drury Lane yesterday. Was going to the matinee but got there too late. The traffic is well worth seeing; it is wonderful how those busses follow one another. Well I'll have to scatbo, so ta ta ."

 

SOLDIERS' LETTERS. (1916, April 25). Daylesford Advocate, Yandoit, Glenlyon and Eganstown Chronicle (Vic. : 1914 - 1918), p. 3. Retrieved June 19, 2014, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article119540603

 

* 720 Benjamin Duncan McKinnon, 7 Inf Bn, engine driver of Daylesford.

 

 

 

War Service Commemorated

“Send off to the Essendon Boys”

Essendon Town Hall A-F

Essendon Gazette Roll of Honour With the Colours            

Patriotic Concert, Essendon Town Hall, 1914    

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