LETTER FROM VIETNAM

7 - 2 - 68
161 Battery RNZA
Dear Mum,

Many thanks for the telegram, for my birthday, I also received yours and Karla's letter yesterday.

Bit of bad news today, Stew Ellwood was KIA, he was a good fellow, very quiet and he wouldn't harm a fly, we used to go over to the yankee "A" Battery on Sundays and get smashed together, still, he had one kill to his credit before they got him, so he didn't come cheap. One of my mates - Johnny Hayward went on R&R to Hong-Kong, and Stew went out and took his place, so Johnny was bloody lucky, I've just heard on the radio, that "V"ictor Company (NZ) has had a contact this morning and had 5 wounded, we haven't heard anymore yet but it seems a bad couple of months for the Kiwis, although we've still got the highest kill ratio here.

Our Sig from the Battery, who got wounded last week, when we had the fire-fight, is all right now and should be here in a couple of weeks, he was bloody lucky too, if he hadn't of got wounded then he would have got it 5 min later when the A.P.C. got knocked out, so that's the way the cooky crumbles. Anyway, things are getting pretty tough here - we only had coffee and No tea this morning, what penalties we have to pay !!

I'll let you know when your parcel arrives for me. By the way I got a letter from Kath yesterday too. I haven't heard from Jenny, but it was a big surprise to get Kaths letter. Please give my regards to Karla and, thankyou, for her letter.

Regards to Mr & Mrs Forster.
Keep those kidneys clear.
Love Brian.

Page: 229. The Vietnam Scrapbook 'The Second ANZAC Adventure'
Copyright 1995
Three Feathers Publishing.
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