Leo Conroy Steminger B. A.
Part 2
2 –11–1896 - 5–12-1940
Part 2
2 –11–1896 - 5–12-1940
A simple “Google” Internet search using the name – Leo Conroy Steminger, brought surprising results. The particulars of a book entitled “Soldiers to Sisters”, compiled by Shirley J. Smith, appeared on the screen. The book was published by the author, Shirley J. Smith and printed by E-Gee Printers 135 Forge Creek Road, Bairnsdale in 2015. “Soldiers to Sisters” is a collection of letters and postcards sent by servicemen and women who served in World War I, to two sisters, Henrietta (Ettie), and Eleanor (Nellie) Smith, who lived in East Gippsland. During World War I, (1914-1918), Henrietta and Eleanor replied to the thirteen servicemen and women who wrote to them. However, it was not until 2015 that the letters were published, thus making them available for viewing in the public domain.
Leo Conroy Steminger, who was born in the Bairnsdale area, (East Gippsland), was a friend of Henrietta and Eleanor Smith, and corresponded with them from the time of his enlistment in World War I, on the 7th. August, 1915. His last letter published in “Soldiers to Sisters” was written on the 19th. December, 1918, at the time of his repatriation to Australia from England, after he suffered a serious gun shot wound to his left thigh on the 20th. September, 1917, when he was serving in Ypres, Belgium.
Copies of the book “Soldiers to Sisters” are available from Roselyn Bowen, via email at [email protected]
Telephone contact was made with Roselyn Bowen, the daughter of Shirley J. Smith, who gave permission for me to include Leo Steminger’s letters in the Brighton Technical School History website. Included below are extracts from some of Leo’s nineteen letters to the “Sisters”.
“No. 1 Platoon
No. 1 Company Warrnambool Camp
Sept. 6, 1915
My Dear Friends,
Just a few lines to let you know I have not quite forgotten you. I am having a good time in camp so far. We are having a pretty easy time so far. The only thing we have done so far is getting some of our equipment. We have only got boots and hat of our uniform. Yesterday we had a suit of dungarees issued. They fit wherever they touch. We are getting quite good at washing up dishes now. Every day three men have to go and get the food for the whole section (about 16 men) and serve it out to them and then wash up the dishes. For Saturday it was my turn. It was very pleasant trying to wash up greasy dishes and a greasy pot in cold water. I think we made the best job of washing up so far. We have ‘bully beef’ for breakfast and occasionally we see a potato. For dinner we have ‘stew’. It is stew every day but we are getting quite used to it now and can eat anything at all. We have coffee and tea without milk or sugar. It is a very nice place here but it is so very far away. I will write a longer letter next time. There is no meningitis in the camp so you need not be afraid of getting this note. I was in the town last night but it is very quiet in Warrnambool although it is a very pretty town. We are camped on the race course about two miles out. I hope you are all quite well and that Willie is now out of the hospital.
From your sincere friend.
Leo Steminger."
No. 1 Company Warrnambool Camp
Sept. 6, 1915
My Dear Friends,
Just a few lines to let you know I have not quite forgotten you. I am having a good time in camp so far. We are having a pretty easy time so far. The only thing we have done so far is getting some of our equipment. We have only got boots and hat of our uniform. Yesterday we had a suit of dungarees issued. They fit wherever they touch. We are getting quite good at washing up dishes now. Every day three men have to go and get the food for the whole section (about 16 men) and serve it out to them and then wash up the dishes. For Saturday it was my turn. It was very pleasant trying to wash up greasy dishes and a greasy pot in cold water. I think we made the best job of washing up so far. We have ‘bully beef’ for breakfast and occasionally we see a potato. For dinner we have ‘stew’. It is stew every day but we are getting quite used to it now and can eat anything at all. We have coffee and tea without milk or sugar. It is a very nice place here but it is so very far away. I will write a longer letter next time. There is no meningitis in the camp so you need not be afraid of getting this note. I was in the town last night but it is very quiet in Warrnambool although it is a very pretty town. We are camped on the race course about two miles out. I hope you are all quite well and that Willie is now out of the hospital.
From your sincere friend.
Leo Steminger."
“10th. Battery
4th. F.A.
A.I.F. Camp, Queen’s Road, Melbourne
Nov. 5th. 1915
Dear Ettie & Nellie,
............... We are still having a good time though we have plenty of work also. We are leaving Melbourne on Nov. 15th. so our time is becoming very short now. Next Tuesday we are going to march through the city. On Thursday we will commence to get our equipment on board & will, as far as we know, be ready to sail on the following Monday.
The last couple of days I have been down to Port Melbourne rifle shooting. It has been pretty unpleasant down here owing to the sun & the wind. I have nearly had my face burnt off by the sun. ...............
I will close with best wishes from Leo Steminger.”
4th. F.A.
A.I.F. Camp, Queen’s Road, Melbourne
Nov. 5th. 1915
Dear Ettie & Nellie,
............... We are still having a good time though we have plenty of work also. We are leaving Melbourne on Nov. 15th. so our time is becoming very short now. Next Tuesday we are going to march through the city. On Thursday we will commence to get our equipment on board & will, as far as we know, be ready to sail on the following Monday.
The last couple of days I have been down to Port Melbourne rifle shooting. It has been pretty unpleasant down here owing to the sun & the wind. I have nearly had my face burnt off by the sun. ...............
I will close with best wishes from Leo Steminger.”
“At Sea
11/12/1915
My Dear Friends,
............... We have had a lovely trip now that we have recovered from the horrible sickness we endured the first few day. There was a large percentage of the soldiers sea sick. There were some very pitiful and also some amusing scenes. They did not care what happened. However this state of mind did not exist long. As soon as they were able to eat, they began to get well quickly. Fortunately I was pretty well all the time. I was never absent from my meals but nevertheless I was not quite as well as I would have liked to be.
We are very well treated on board and have no reason to complain. We get far better food than in camp and what do you think. We actually have a three course dinner on a few special days in the week. I do mean the usual three course dinner of a soldier – bread, jam and tea. The first few nights we had some fun slinging our hammocks & getting into them but now have become quite skilful in getting and stopping in (this is the main thing) them. We have not called into any ports on the way over though we stopped outside Albany for a few minutes to land the mails and a few sick persons.
From your sincere friend, Leo Steminger.”
11/12/1915
My Dear Friends,
............... We have had a lovely trip now that we have recovered from the horrible sickness we endured the first few day. There was a large percentage of the soldiers sea sick. There were some very pitiful and also some amusing scenes. They did not care what happened. However this state of mind did not exist long. As soon as they were able to eat, they began to get well quickly. Fortunately I was pretty well all the time. I was never absent from my meals but nevertheless I was not quite as well as I would have liked to be.
We are very well treated on board and have no reason to complain. We get far better food than in camp and what do you think. We actually have a three course dinner on a few special days in the week. I do mean the usual three course dinner of a soldier – bread, jam and tea. The first few nights we had some fun slinging our hammocks & getting into them but now have become quite skilful in getting and stopping in (this is the main thing) them. We have not called into any ports on the way over though we stopped outside Albany for a few minutes to land the mails and a few sick persons.
From your sincere friend, Leo Steminger.”
“Tura Camp
Ma adi (south of Cairo)
3/1/16
Dear Ettie,
............... I was again lucky in getting leave & naturally went into Cairo & thence to the zoo which is about five miles out. The gardens are very nice and very big, much more so than Melbourne and indeed far nicer though their collection of animals is not as good. ............... The tram ride out to the zoo is very interesting. On our way out we had to cross over the Nile and also the little Nile. The Nile is a fine river thou it is extremely dirty. ...............
There is a purely artillery camp where we are camped. The other artillery brigades formed about the same time as we were are camped near by us. On Sunday last there was a review of the whole of the 2nd. Division. It was a fine sight to see them marching past the Brigadier General – General Johnson – with a band playing a marching tune. ...............
On the other side of us, there are several disused forts which are built on the ends of a semicircular line of hills which are about a mile from the camp. These forts were built and used by Napoleon in his Egyptian campaign. There are also a couple of prisons nearby, one containing the native prisoners, the other containing some thousands of captured Turkish soldiers some of whom are fine looking men, others the most evil looking creatures you could ever hope to see. These of course are very closely guarded. ...............
I was very pleased to receive your letter dated Nov. 28th. & I hope to receive some more soon. I will write as often as I can but don’t expect too many as you may be disappointed.
From your sincere friend, Leo.”
Ma adi (south of Cairo)
3/1/16
Dear Ettie,
............... I was again lucky in getting leave & naturally went into Cairo & thence to the zoo which is about five miles out. The gardens are very nice and very big, much more so than Melbourne and indeed far nicer though their collection of animals is not as good. ............... The tram ride out to the zoo is very interesting. On our way out we had to cross over the Nile and also the little Nile. The Nile is a fine river thou it is extremely dirty. ...............
There is a purely artillery camp where we are camped. The other artillery brigades formed about the same time as we were are camped near by us. On Sunday last there was a review of the whole of the 2nd. Division. It was a fine sight to see them marching past the Brigadier General – General Johnson – with a band playing a marching tune. ...............
On the other side of us, there are several disused forts which are built on the ends of a semicircular line of hills which are about a mile from the camp. These forts were built and used by Napoleon in his Egyptian campaign. There are also a couple of prisons nearby, one containing the native prisoners, the other containing some thousands of captured Turkish soldiers some of whom are fine looking men, others the most evil looking creatures you could ever hope to see. These of course are very closely guarded. ...............
I was very pleased to receive your letter dated Nov. 28th. & I hope to receive some more soon. I will write as often as I can but don’t expect too many as you may be disappointed.
From your sincere friend, Leo.”
“Western Frontier Forces
Mantrook, Egypt
Feb. 6th. 16
“Dear Ettie and Nellie”,
Thanks very much for the Leader & Worlds News you sent me, I received them yesterday. I seem to get everything you send. I told you I am back with my company. We are at the last place God made and He forgot to finish it except to stick a well here and there. ...............
Today we had a distribution of gifts sent from Australia. We all got two packets of cigarettes, two small plugs and a tin of tobacco, one pair of socks, a shirt, two hankerchiefs, a tin of fish, a tin of condensed milk and some matches. Needless to say they are appreciated by all. I was able to throw away a singlet as the shirt is soft & warm. You can guess why I threw away the singlet. I was feeding too many unwelcome visitors. They are worse than sandy blight, especially in the night time. I will ring off or I might make you feel itchy. I am feeling that way myself but it is not imagination. I wish it was. ...............
I saw two Bedowin soldiers being marched through the camp today. I think the poor beggars gave themselves up. This war game for both sides is not the thing it is cracked up to be but I am not doing too bad myself. ...............
Kindest regards to all at “Ilam” and love and best wishes to you both.
Your affect friend, Leo.”
Mantrook, Egypt
Feb. 6th. 16
“Dear Ettie and Nellie”,
Thanks very much for the Leader & Worlds News you sent me, I received them yesterday. I seem to get everything you send. I told you I am back with my company. We are at the last place God made and He forgot to finish it except to stick a well here and there. ...............
Today we had a distribution of gifts sent from Australia. We all got two packets of cigarettes, two small plugs and a tin of tobacco, one pair of socks, a shirt, two hankerchiefs, a tin of fish, a tin of condensed milk and some matches. Needless to say they are appreciated by all. I was able to throw away a singlet as the shirt is soft & warm. You can guess why I threw away the singlet. I was feeding too many unwelcome visitors. They are worse than sandy blight, especially in the night time. I will ring off or I might make you feel itchy. I am feeling that way myself but it is not imagination. I wish it was. ...............
I saw two Bedowin soldiers being marched through the camp today. I think the poor beggars gave themselves up. This war game for both sides is not the thing it is cracked up to be but I am not doing too bad myself. ...............
Kindest regards to all at “Ilam” and love and best wishes to you both.
Your affect friend, Leo.”
“Western Frontier Forces
Mantrouk, Egypt
Feb. 13. 16
Dear Ettie & Nellie,
............... Today is just like our Spring. The nights are fairly cold. We are of course on the Shores of the Mediterean Sea and the water is smooth as the lake and blue like the sky. Today it is smoother than I have seen Lake King but when it gets rough it makes no mistake about it. ...............
Just received a letter from Mother & Kevin. Things cannot be too bright at Lindenow now. I thought the drought had broken long ago. ...............
Kindest regard to all & best wishes to you is the sincere wish of,
Yours truly, Leo.”
Mantrouk, Egypt
Feb. 13. 16
Dear Ettie & Nellie,
............... Today is just like our Spring. The nights are fairly cold. We are of course on the Shores of the Mediterean Sea and the water is smooth as the lake and blue like the sky. Today it is smoother than I have seen Lake King but when it gets rough it makes no mistake about it. ...............
Just received a letter from Mother & Kevin. Things cannot be too bright at Lindenow now. I thought the drought had broken long ago. ...............
Kindest regard to all & best wishes to you is the sincere wish of,
Yours truly, Leo.”
“Somewhere in France
16/4/16
Dear Ettie,
............... We are having a good though quiet time here at the front. We have a pretty good dug out & are fairly snug when we get our homemade stove going. We are billeted in a house a few (censored) or so from our (censored) but all of us sleep down with the guns. I have changed my occupation the last few days & am now a telephonist for the time being. As things are now you get closer up to the front than if you were a driver. Occasionally the German – better known as Fritz – wake us up by firing a few shells around us. A couple of days ago, he fired three into our billet frightening the cook who was getting our dinner ready. Then a little later, he put a few very close to the dug out but still a miss, at times as good as a mile off. ...............
I will close now, with best love & wishes,
From your sincere friend, Leo S.”
16/4/16
Dear Ettie,
............... We are having a good though quiet time here at the front. We have a pretty good dug out & are fairly snug when we get our homemade stove going. We are billeted in a house a few (censored) or so from our (censored) but all of us sleep down with the guns. I have changed my occupation the last few days & am now a telephonist for the time being. As things are now you get closer up to the front than if you were a driver. Occasionally the German – better known as Fritz – wake us up by firing a few shells around us. A couple of days ago, he fired three into our billet frightening the cook who was getting our dinner ready. Then a little later, he put a few very close to the dug out but still a miss, at times as good as a mile off. ...............
I will close now, with best love & wishes,
From your sincere friend, Leo S.”
Anzacs in France. 'Bringing up a gun.'
A party of Anzac gunners taking a big gun along a chalk road from which they raise clouds of dust. (Passed by Censor). From Shirley Joy's Postcard Collection.
“15.05.1916
France.
Dear Ettie,
............... A few night ago we had a little bit of fun firing at the Germans. We gave them a little more than they wanted. It was good fun while it lasted. Of course the din was awful yet it was not the most unpleasant sound. ...............
We have not seen anything of the local boys at all since I have been in France. My brother is some miles from here but I have not seen him but I have had a letter from him. Some of my friends have also been speaking to him. In his letter he was saying he had been speaking to Leo Murphy so Leo can’t be very far away. I may run across him some time or other though I do not move from here very much except when we go to the Divisional Baths. ...............
From your sincere friend, Leo S.”
“France
Aug 14, 1916
My Dear Friends,
I received a letter from both of you about a fortnight ago. I was very pleased to hear from you. One letter seems a poor return for two but still, as matters are, it can’t be helped. I have very little paper and not enough news for two letters. Still, I hope to make up for it next letter. ...............
Everything is looking at its worst now as during the last few weeks some desperate fighting has taken place here. The place we are at present in was held by the Germans not many weeks ago but this with much more ground has been captured. Shells have dug the ground up to such an extent that from a short distance it looks like a ploughed field. Villages have been blown down by the artillery fire of both sides. Woods have been devastated – in fact everything is in a frightful state. All over the place you see graves of some of those who fell advancing & included in these are a fair number of Australians. Our unit has had a fair number of casualties so far though none of the wounds have been fatal. ...............
From your sincere friend, Leo S.”
Aug 14, 1916
My Dear Friends,
I received a letter from both of you about a fortnight ago. I was very pleased to hear from you. One letter seems a poor return for two but still, as matters are, it can’t be helped. I have very little paper and not enough news for two letters. Still, I hope to make up for it next letter. ...............
Everything is looking at its worst now as during the last few weeks some desperate fighting has taken place here. The place we are at present in was held by the Germans not many weeks ago but this with much more ground has been captured. Shells have dug the ground up to such an extent that from a short distance it looks like a ploughed field. Villages have been blown down by the artillery fire of both sides. Woods have been devastated – in fact everything is in a frightful state. All over the place you see graves of some of those who fell advancing & included in these are a fair number of Australians. Our unit has had a fair number of casualties so far though none of the wounds have been fatal. ...............
From your sincere friend, Leo S.”
“France
Dec 3rd, 1916
Dear Ettie,
............... At present we are having a couple of weeks’ spell back from the lines. We are having a good time and have very comfortable billets to sleep in. ............... Please give my Christmas Greetings to all at home. I saw Frank, about a fortnight ago. He is quite well. Since I last saw him he has been made a Veterinary Sergeant & has been attached to one of the batteries out of another brigade. ...............
In the village where are billeted are some huge caves dug about 850 for refugees in some old war. They have 300 rooms and cover some acres. ...............
From your sincere friend Leo Steminger.”
Dec 3rd, 1916
Dear Ettie,
............... At present we are having a couple of weeks’ spell back from the lines. We are having a good time and have very comfortable billets to sleep in. ............... Please give my Christmas Greetings to all at home. I saw Frank, about a fortnight ago. He is quite well. Since I last saw him he has been made a Veterinary Sergeant & has been attached to one of the batteries out of another brigade. ...............
In the village where are billeted are some huge caves dug about 850 for refugees in some old war. They have 300 rooms and cover some acres. ...............
From your sincere friend Leo Steminger.”
(The “Frank” referred to above was Leo’s brother, Frank Steminger).
(Leo Steminger also wrote letters to his “Dear Friends”, Ettie and Nellie, on Feb 7th. 1917, March 21st. 1917 and 18 June, 1917, describing life in the battlefields. Extracts from these letters have not been included here).
(Leo Steminger also wrote letters to his “Dear Friends”, Ettie and Nellie, on Feb 7th. 1917, March 21st. 1917 and 18 June, 1917, describing life in the battlefields. Extracts from these letters have not been included here).
“Hospital
France
Nov. 6th. 17
My Dear Friends,
I am almost ashamed to write to you as it is some months since I last wrote but you’ll forgive me this time I have been in hospital now for seven weeks and you don’t feel up to writing especially situated as I am. I have my broken leg strung up three or four feet from the bed & I have to lie flat on my back all the time so it is not a good position for writing. ……………………………….
My leg is going on pretty well now but it will be some weeks before I’m out of bed yet. It will be long time before I get full use of it again. In addition to having my leg broken, I have a couple of nasty wounds which will take some time to mend. I have no more news so I will stop.
Best wishes to all,
From your sincere friend, Leo Steminger.”
France
Nov. 6th. 17
My Dear Friends,
I am almost ashamed to write to you as it is some months since I last wrote but you’ll forgive me this time I have been in hospital now for seven weeks and you don’t feel up to writing especially situated as I am. I have my broken leg strung up three or four feet from the bed & I have to lie flat on my back all the time so it is not a good position for writing. ……………………………….
My leg is going on pretty well now but it will be some weeks before I’m out of bed yet. It will be long time before I get full use of it again. In addition to having my leg broken, I have a couple of nasty wounds which will take some time to mend. I have no more news so I will stop.
Best wishes to all,
From your sincere friend, Leo Steminger.”
“Hospital
France
19/3/18
My Dear Friends,
............... I am still in bed but am doing as well as possible. I have no idea when I am getting up. When I can get around a bit, I will be sent to England but that won’t be for a few months yet. I have been able to go out in the sun the last few days. It has been a great change. Unfortunately today is dull so we have to stop inside. ...............
My ward is very quiet just at present. There are only 8 of us in it. The others have all been sent over to England. However, our time will come one of these fine days.
Best wishes and kind regards,
From you sincere friend Leo.
P.S. By the way I just remembered you asked me if I had a little French girl. I thought you knew me better than that. I am so shy. Personally I have not much time for the French girls, & don’t like the English wenches much better – the Scotch Lassies are bonnie in fact that are just “U”.”
France
19/3/18
My Dear Friends,
............... I am still in bed but am doing as well as possible. I have no idea when I am getting up. When I can get around a bit, I will be sent to England but that won’t be for a few months yet. I have been able to go out in the sun the last few days. It has been a great change. Unfortunately today is dull so we have to stop inside. ...............
My ward is very quiet just at present. There are only 8 of us in it. The others have all been sent over to England. However, our time will come one of these fine days.
Best wishes and kind regards,
From you sincere friend Leo.
P.S. By the way I just remembered you asked me if I had a little French girl. I thought you knew me better than that. I am so shy. Personally I have not much time for the French girls, & don’t like the English wenches much better – the Scotch Lassies are bonnie in fact that are just “U”.”
“Hospital
France
21/4/18
Dear Ettie,
............... As you can see I am still in hospital in France & also still in bed. Nevertheless I am pretty well tho a little tired of bed. The only trouble about this life is you get disturbed all sorts of inconvenient hours. In the first place, you are awakened between 3 and 4 in the morning. A dish of water is put down alongside you to wash yourself in. Then while you are considering whether it is worthwhile having a wash, a sister comes along sticks a thermometer into your mouth. You suck that for a minute or so, have your pulse taken. By that time you are of the opinion that you may as well have a wash. Then you settle down again and just get nicely off again to be wakened again for a drink of milk. After that you are just settling yourself again and get disturbed to have your bed made. Of course you can’t say much, still you think a lot.
About 8 o’clock breakfast comes along. Then you prepare for a sleep and get roused to have your wounds dressed. Dinner comes along about 12. Then the same old dish of water comes again & then the bed making comes again.
The hospital is pretty full now & some of the chaps are pretty bad. Most of them have fractured legs and their wounds are also very serious.
There are three Australians in this ward, one of whom has been in about 9 months. He comes from Traralgon. His name is Chappel. His people run the paper at Traralgon. ...............
Best wishes to all from Leo Steminger.”
France
21/4/18
Dear Ettie,
............... As you can see I am still in hospital in France & also still in bed. Nevertheless I am pretty well tho a little tired of bed. The only trouble about this life is you get disturbed all sorts of inconvenient hours. In the first place, you are awakened between 3 and 4 in the morning. A dish of water is put down alongside you to wash yourself in. Then while you are considering whether it is worthwhile having a wash, a sister comes along sticks a thermometer into your mouth. You suck that for a minute or so, have your pulse taken. By that time you are of the opinion that you may as well have a wash. Then you settle down again and just get nicely off again to be wakened again for a drink of milk. After that you are just settling yourself again and get disturbed to have your bed made. Of course you can’t say much, still you think a lot.
About 8 o’clock breakfast comes along. Then you prepare for a sleep and get roused to have your wounds dressed. Dinner comes along about 12. Then the same old dish of water comes again & then the bed making comes again.
The hospital is pretty full now & some of the chaps are pretty bad. Most of them have fractured legs and their wounds are also very serious.
There are three Australians in this ward, one of whom has been in about 9 months. He comes from Traralgon. His name is Chappel. His people run the paper at Traralgon. ...............
Best wishes to all from Leo Steminger.”
“York Place Military Hospital
Brighton
Sussex
17/6/1918
Dear Ettie,
............... I was glad to hear you were having a good time at the Lakes Entrance. Brighton you know is on the sea. It’s a great holiday resort. The weather has been lovely for the last few weeks, so consequently the place is crowded. In addition to the holiday seekers there are also crowds of aliens (Jews principally) who have fled from London into surrounding to escape the air raids. The Germans do not come over this way with their aeroplanes. As London is only fifty miles away & the trains journey takes a little over an hour you can understand the way they flood down here. Of course the Government is trying to stop people leaving London and crowding other places by raising railway fares & limiting the number of season tickets.
I am still in bed & doing well. You were asking me what was wrong with me. I had my leg badly fractured about half way tween the knee & the hip. A piece of shell drilled a nice little hole right through my leg & carried a good bit of the bone away. I have been so long in the bed I don’t think it will be very long before I get out now on a chair. I will have a bit of a limp probably but otherwise I might have a decent leg. I cannot grumble as I was very lucky to get off as light as I did. ...............
Best wishes to all From Yours Sincerely Leo Steminger.”
Brighton
Sussex
17/6/1918
Dear Ettie,
............... I was glad to hear you were having a good time at the Lakes Entrance. Brighton you know is on the sea. It’s a great holiday resort. The weather has been lovely for the last few weeks, so consequently the place is crowded. In addition to the holiday seekers there are also crowds of aliens (Jews principally) who have fled from London into surrounding to escape the air raids. The Germans do not come over this way with their aeroplanes. As London is only fifty miles away & the trains journey takes a little over an hour you can understand the way they flood down here. Of course the Government is trying to stop people leaving London and crowding other places by raising railway fares & limiting the number of season tickets.
I am still in bed & doing well. You were asking me what was wrong with me. I had my leg badly fractured about half way tween the knee & the hip. A piece of shell drilled a nice little hole right through my leg & carried a good bit of the bone away. I have been so long in the bed I don’t think it will be very long before I get out now on a chair. I will have a bit of a limp probably but otherwise I might have a decent leg. I cannot grumble as I was very lucky to get off as light as I did. ...............
Best wishes to all From Yours Sincerely Leo Steminger.”
WWI RP NPU Postcard AIF (Australian Imperial Force) Wounded Soldiers, C Ward, Military Hospital Eng j39. From the Postcard Collection of Shirley Joy.
“Military Hospital
York Place
Brighton, Sussex
30/7/18
My Dear Friends,
Thanks so very much for your parcel which reached me safely yesterday. Needless to say everything was appreciated. The socks I hope to be able to use in a few days as I am in hopes of getting up soon. The leg is looking pretty fine now & is healing well. We are having lovely weather just at present. We manage to get outside in the yard every day. It is far more pleasant being out in the open than being the ward.
There was a fairly large number of wounded in a couple of days ago, thought from the trenches. There were about 130. There were about fifty Australians amongst them – from all states.
Things seem to be going along pretty well on the Western Front now & hope things may come to decision this year. At any rate I hope they will. ...............
Best wishes to all at home from yours sincerely Leo. Steminger.”
Australia Ward No. 1 British Red Cross Hospital, Netley Southampton Postcard. From the Postcard Collection of Shirley Joy.
“AUSTRALIAN RED CROSS SOCIETY.
No. 3 Aux. Hospital
Dartford, Kent
Dec. 19th. 1918
My Dear Friends,
Many thanks for your letters & Xmas greetings which I received some little time ago. I would have written before but I have been expecting to sail for home. One lot of chaps left here about a week ago. I was to sail a couple of days afterwards but the boat had a collision so we have to wait until it is repaired. The date for sailing has been fixed at the 27th tho’ probably it will be early in January before we go. We will spend Xmas day here at any rate & you may be sure that we will have a good time. They are beginning to make decorations for the ward & have got us all busy.
At present, I am in bed but hope to get out of bed for Christmas Day at any rate. I had an operation a couple of weeks ago. I had to have an abscess opened. They also took out a couple of stray pieces of dead bone. The leg has made rapid progress the last few days and is healing fast.
The weather is very very cold & miserable at present. We have not had any snow yet but it seems like snowing weather at present. However we can put up with it now that there is a chance of me getting away shortly.
I have no more news so I will close. I hope you are all in the best of health.
Best wishes to all from From Yours Sincerely Leo Steminger.”
...............
Note : In her book “Soldiers to Sisters”, the author, Shirley J. Smith, “kept true
to the soldiers’ original wording and spelling, thus some words appearing as mistakes”.
Dartford, Kent
Dec. 19th. 1918
My Dear Friends,
Many thanks for your letters & Xmas greetings which I received some little time ago. I would have written before but I have been expecting to sail for home. One lot of chaps left here about a week ago. I was to sail a couple of days afterwards but the boat had a collision so we have to wait until it is repaired. The date for sailing has been fixed at the 27th tho’ probably it will be early in January before we go. We will spend Xmas day here at any rate & you may be sure that we will have a good time. They are beginning to make decorations for the ward & have got us all busy.
At present, I am in bed but hope to get out of bed for Christmas Day at any rate. I had an operation a couple of weeks ago. I had to have an abscess opened. They also took out a couple of stray pieces of dead bone. The leg has made rapid progress the last few days and is healing fast.
The weather is very very cold & miserable at present. We have not had any snow yet but it seems like snowing weather at present. However we can put up with it now that there is a chance of me getting away shortly.
I have no more news so I will close. I hope you are all in the best of health.
Best wishes to all from From Yours Sincerely Leo Steminger.”
...............
Note : In her book “Soldiers to Sisters”, the author, Shirley J. Smith, “kept true
to the soldiers’ original wording and spelling, thus some words appearing as mistakes”.
End of Part 2.