A very long and interesting letter written by his mate.

MLC Office

Sydney

NSW

13/2/1918

Dear friend Norm,

Thankyou exceedingly for your most beautiful Epistles and for the programmes giving in detail the form of the different services (for such a long time in advance) of St Martin in the Fields. No doubt friend that things are conducted over there very differently as carried out at St John's, but methinks pal that you felt very much nearer the thrones of Grace when at the old kirk eh!

When reading your two letters I thought what a great experience must be yours and if Our Father wills that we should meet again on this earth, what a great number of wonderful things you will be able to talk about! I was so glad to note that you had met some of our boys from the Church. No doubt they were glad to meet you to hear the latest news by word of mouth of all the doings in dear old Balmain.

Thankyou Norm old chap for all the trouble you have gone to finding out full particulars of the passing away of my dearest Cobber and pal. Both Mr and Mrs Cox and myself would give anything to know if dear old Charl was conscious before he went home and whether he left any messages for us. I know Norm you will do your best to find out for me, won't you. I am writing to the Chaplain of the Canadian Casualty Field Station to try and find out if he left any message, and also to the Commanding Officer of Charlie's Battalion. I know  dear friend you are doing everything in the this connection, and our words here cannot express our thanks.

It's no use Norm, I shall never be the same again, now that he has gone, he was dearer to me than all else, and all interest in things seem to have turned into a blank. I do pray only for a while. I know all is for the best, but you understand Norm, don't you, how we were never apart, and his sweet nature and friendship was the God given gift to me, and made life sweet and wholesome. I also know that His grace is sufficient for me and in due course the wound will heal, and the beauty of the Christian Faith in the Communion of Saints and of the abiding presence with us  of those who really love us is the great comfort when the blues seem to overwhelm us. 

I have just received another nice letter from you dated the 10th Dec and also enclosed  a private letter giving me a slight inkling of how the dear soldier lads are tempted in the great London. God only knows the trial of temptations those boys have to go through and one fully realises that it is only by the Grace of God that our boys are saved when the feelers of the Octopus are gathering around them. When one reads of these things the reasons of the horrible War is apparent, Sydney is bad enough  goodness nows, but when such news came through as I heard from dear old Charl and Stan King also your self about the doings on the other side, our place is a Paradise compared to it. It is only Christ in the head of Man that can keep him straight, and I thank God when I read such nice letters as  yours and of your great Faith in God, and of his power to save, also the splendid courage  that my dear old Charl had and how he even looked to his Heavenly Father in his hour of need.

I was also reading a letter of a Cobber of Stan King's, in which he states that (everyone)  with whom he came in contact loves him. He proved a great Christian out there in Egypt as Charlie did in France, and we feel justly proud of the dear boys at St John's who have proved such worthy Soldiers of Christ and our King. As Mr Manning said to me last Friday night, "the loss of these Pillars of St John's is a calamity, so it is Norm, But our Father knows best and in his own good time the seed sown, we pray will bear fruit a hundred fold.

I suppose your dear mother has given you all the news about St Johns, things at the Kirk are not too flourishing as regards finances, the Choir is not what it used to be either, we have not had one offer of service from any of the young men yet, to fill the places of the boys who have paid the supreme sacrifice. I trust the next time I write I shall have better news in this respect to impart.

The Sunday School is getting along very well. Of course Harry Allen is a tower of strength and his presence helps me wonderfully. Clarry Orr is proving a splendid secretary. Works as only St John's Secretary of the past have always worked, full of zeal in the Master's Service.

They are having a Sunday School Picnic on the 17th April and are raising funds for same in a similar way as for our last viz Voting cards and a concert is being arranged by Mrs Llewellyn with the help of the kiddies on the 6th April (Saturday) and of course the Teacher Sub Cards?

We are going to "Chowders" otherwise Clifton Gardens and are to be taken there by the Lady Rawson..food also covered eh! How we shall miss Norman Stanley and also many of those who have passed to greater service.

The school is just about the same as regards members and the teachers attend well, Miss Lily Harper is organist, since Miss McLachlan left. They have gone to live in Drummoyne. Very sorry to lose her. Did you open her little parcel on Xmas Day? What was in it? love message (Hush) quite enough said eh!                                                                 ****(ah hah!! watch this space!!)*****

You will see from the attached cutting that our Regatta was a real success. We cleared L35 (pound) which the Hospital Authorities greatly appreciated. I won the 14 foot Championship of the Club, no doubt you will be glad to hear this. The good old 'Unique' won hands down. It was a beautiful afternoon and Harry Allen and I hired a motor boat, and invited many of our friends out. The Picture friend was on board and took a photo of the race which was shown in the different theatres together with other items in the Australasian Gazette. It was a bonny picture, and I felt quite proud when the 'Unique" was shown finishing by herself , an easy winner.

( can't find the film mentioned, but there are some interesting ones here!!  

Australasian Gazette from the Australian Film and Sound archive  http://aso.gov.au/titles/tags/Sydney/)

I received a beautiful gold medal with the boat cut out on same. Its a bonzer. Would not my dear old pal have been please to hear this news. Oh Norman how I wish that he might have been spared to come back to us.
Am glad to say your Mother and Father are splendid and eagerly look forward to your missives from home. I often go up and sup with them.
Love from all at Longnose  and friends at church and heaps from your
sincere old friend
CG  (Chas Gooud)
God be with and bless you ever.

[Still searching for the news clipping attached to the letter post regatta, but found these if you are interested.Will scan and attached to item mentioned in the letter]

20. Did you hear of the destruction at Halifax?

Elsinore

Dec 8th 1917

My Dearest Norman,

A can't say another Sunday, for this is Saturday night. I letter write tonight for fear someone comes in tomorrow and than I can't do it and perhaps miss the mail. We are to have the memorial service tomorrow on Stanley Tring. Mrs Tring is not coming back to play till after Xmas. She says she couldn't play the mas music. Sadie Cowell played last Sunday but could not play tomorrow on account of her brother, so there is a Miss Williamson coming. I think she has been there before. I know the  name, do you? I suppose she will play every Sunday now till Mrs Tring comes back. I did not call to see Mr Tring but sent a card. Young Booth is killed too, do you know him? I don't think I know him. They live in Glossop Street.

I see by the paper they have been raiding London again. Did you see any of it? I hope you kept undercover. I suppose you will be voting over there. Some of the soldiers are at it now. Yes or No in France. I wander if it will be carried this time? There are great meetings here about it, everyone is speaking.

Mr Gooud won the sailing race last Saturday, it was Stan Tring's Medal. Mr Gooud is so glad. He will have it made in a brooch for Mrs Tring. 

Did you hear of the destruction at Halifax? What a blessing none of the troop ships were there. It is  a shame to see a town and nice buildings like that wrecked. I suppose you know most of the buildings there. You will see by the paper about it. I will send the Balmain Observer this week too, with an account of our Bazaar. We made over 50 pound, not too bad is it? You will see by it also about Stan Thing and the Bazaar and all. I will enclose it in this letter. That is the safest way. I believe the English mail will be on Monday week. Oh how I will watch for a letter from my dear boy and hope I won't be disappointed. Last mail Mr Gooud got his letter a day before me. He came in and read his letter for me and I had none, it is just as the bags come in and are sorted. I got your diary first. I suppose on account of it being registered and the other parcels days after and Mr Manning got his the day after that, so you see how they come.

Well my dear son, where are you now? I hope you don't go to France. I would rather you go to be with Meg? Tusdale? if you could. The Secretary from Melbourne sent me a lot of letters from some of the secretaries that wrote to them. In a printed form, I suppose they will be having one from you soon with an account of your doings. Mrs Gillanders? told me they would be sending me things like photos. Mr Gooud said he would read them one of these days. They would be interesting.

Eileen went home yesterday, she seemed much better. I will be going to business next Monday. Illma is coming down for a day or two before Xmas. It is near now dear Norman and your birthday. I don't forget it. I only sent you a birthday card. I would not like to risk anything valuable for fear the boat is sunk so I think is is better to wait till you come back.

Mrs Palmer was down the other night. She brought your letter for me to read so I read your diary for her and Mrs Chapman. They said it was very nice indeed and I was to remember them to you. She also had one from Charlie saying how he met you but had not had much time to spend with you but would see you again.
Now is the weather in London very cold? How do you do with washing and mending? I have not got Elsie Bucwell's address yet, but you might hear of her singing somewhere. I forget her married name now. She would be pleased to see you.

The place looks lovely here now Norm after all the rain we have had and the country is beautiful so I must come to an end. Your pa has just cut the lawn and it looks so nice. Pa sends best love to you and hopes you get his letter.
Goodnight my own darling son from your loving and affectionate
Mother.