The letter that escaped censorship

All letters posted from the front were scrutinised for sensitive information, and many were edited by the military censor. This letter, by Martin Blundell, to his mother, escaped censorship as it was carried home by a civilian friend he met in Cairo.

 

Martin Blundell. (d.18 April 1918). Letter 13th January 1916, pg 3.

 

 

Accession number: MS 10485

 

 

From the State Library of Victoria's Manuscripts collection.

 

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Transcription:
...The feeling between the Australians and English is very bad. I think there is no doubt that the English on two or three occasions at the Peninsula showed the white feather and ran away. From all accounts they were very raw troops and should never have been sent. There are several other incidents which have served to increase the bad feeling, and there is no love lost I can assure you. It is a very unfortunate state of affairs. On the other hand the best feeling possible reigns between the Navy and the Australians.
The war is in a very bad way for the Allies, could not be worse in fact and it is hard to forsee the finish and result when one comes here to the front and sees the blunders that are made, and the terrible lack of organization, and the utter ineptitude of the officers to foresee events which might happen, then no longer does one marvel that Germany can do all she has done...

Letters & diaries