“TURKEY MAN FINISHED”
Police Constable Hill, of Badsey, has received an interesting letter from Private C J Jeffries, of the 4th Worcester Regiment. The letter runs as follows:
“Just a few lines to let you know I received your letter, and that I am going strong in the pink, I expect you are jolly busy just now. At present we are in the reserve trenches; this is the third day. After four days at base, where we went for a rest, they sent us road-making. It all counts. We’ve got a little sun-house named Woodbine Cottage, but it is not bomb-proof. The Turks like to let us have a bit of shrapnel every meal time, but our fellows give them a bit as well. I heard G Crisp has been discharged from the army with two fingers off. I can’t find anything else about him; also I don’t know anything of Boses only that he is sick. Yesterday six of us went out looking for a sniper, believed to be behind our lines. When we were coming back we were sniped at; we didn’t half go for the trench. We don’t get many luxuries, but we see bags of life. I shall be glad when we have taken this Turkish lot in front; we shall get on a lot better. The other day the Australians caught a sniper, and the saucy monkey was painted green from head to foot, including his rifle. Our front trenches are about 450 yards from the Turks trenches, in places only 300 yards. The Gurkhas are fine fellows, as are the Sikhs. Last night our machine gunners were in the firing line, and the Sikhs came down the trenches with blood on their bayonets saying ‘Turkey man finished’. I’m a machine gun ammunition carrier now.”