Postcard 186

“But remember I have gone for you and when I return I hope to find you the same little Girl as before.”

Front

Hand coloured photo of a woman and a horse. The woman’s top is coloured green. In the lower right corner is the round Rotary logo and 511.3.

Back

Headed Post Card with a divided back. The division is formed by a design of boxes, one contains the words: Rotary Photo, London E.C. The top of the left side is labelled: Printed in Britain and the foot: This is a real photograph of a British beauty.

Transcription

My Dearest Elsie

Just a few lines to show you that although we are far away from each other I have not quite forgotten you. Well kiddie it is comming [sic] twelve months now since we first met. My little sisters are often ?yapping at me about you. But I pass if off with a smile. And then many pleasant ?hours are recalled to me. The nights we spent together. And especially kid the afternoon at Plimmerton. Ah but those days are all gone and now we are miles apart. Perhaps neaver [sic] to take ones hand again. But remember I have gone for you and when I return I hope to find you the same little Girl as before. The boys have all got over their sea sickness and are enjoying the trip imensly [sic]. Did you get the photo I am still patiently waiting for that one of you. Well kid I will have to draw these few lines to a close with heaps of love and kisses from your old Pal.

Write soon and often Len xxxx

Commentary

This is the last card from Len.

Len met Elsie at the races on New Year’s Day 1915. He already knew members of her family and seemed to fall for Elsie instantly. He was born in Blenheim on 20 January 1895 and was working as a farm Labourer when on 15 February 1915 Len joined the Wellington Mounted Rifles, 5th Regiment, B Squadron. Len was 5 foot 6 with black hair and brown eyes. His general appearance was described as dark skinned, Maori, and his military file describes his mother as quarter-cast Maori. Having only gained access to Len’s military records recently, I looked back over my unknown photos. I have one group photo in particular which Len sent to Elsie and I always suspected Len was in the photo but I never knew which one he was. Looking more closely I am fairly sure this is Elsie too. Despite Len’s familiarity in the photo, I think this was taken on the day they met.

For the following year Len wrote to Elsie every one and a half weeks. He spent 180 days in camp in New Zealand, in Trentham. He found this life easy, he frequently described it as lazy. He missed Elsie and often tried to arrange meeting her at the weekend. He grew tired of being in camp in New Zealand and couldn’t wait to get overseas to do his bit. On 7 June 1915 he transferred to the Wellington Mounted Rifles 6th Regiment and on 13 August 1915 he finally left New Zealand. He wrote from his camp in Egypt, his feelings mixed. He was pleased to finally be there but also shocked at how few men remained of the regiments who had arrived before him and had been involved in the Gallipoli campaign. His cards from Egypt are among the most emotional. You can feel his pain in missing Elsie. You can also see how conflicted he is. He wants to come home to Elsie but he also wants to do his duty. He seeks the comfort of knowing that Elsie will be there waiting for him.

But this is his last card.

It must have been sent at the end of 1915. So what happened to Len? On 18 December 1915, presumably not long after this card was written, Len was admitted to the New Zealand General Hospital in Abbassia, Cairo. He had influenza. On 21 January his records show that his flu was improving but on 28 February 1916 he was readmitted to Zeitoun with flu. A month later on 24 March 1916 he was again discharged but things did not go Len’s way. On 31 March 1916 Len was admitted to the New Zealand General Hospital in Cairo with paresis of his right hand. He had spent more than three months hospitalised with influenza and now the weakness in his hand is so bad that puts him back in hospital.  Was he too sick to write? Perhaps with his hand he was unable to write? Perhaps he continued to correspond through letters being unable to get out to buy postcards? We will never know. On 5 June 1916 Len was invalided back to New Zealand on the Hospital Ship Tahiti due to the contracture of his right hand. He spent time on sick leave in Foxton and then was sent to the Rotorua Convalescent Home on 14 June 1916. He was eventually discharged on 12 October that year.

I cannot find Len in the records until 1925 when he appears living in Napier and working as a labourer. On 26 May 1941 Len re-enlists and enters camp on 31 May. He is now 46 years old and assigned to Home Defence. On his attestation form his next of kin is listed as Miss Edna Minty. She lived in Hastings and is described as both a friend and adopted child. Len is listed as single and working as a watersider. Barely three months later Len is injured on duty. He splinters a bone in his hand and severely sprains his wrist. The records make it clear “the soldier is not to blame” and on 12 September 1941 Len is discharged.

Len continued to live in Napier until his death on 20 July 1956. He was 61 years old and it seems he never married.