Too hot to do anything.
Temperature varying 116 deg to 126 deg. Scores of boys going out to it. Malaria in full swing.  It’s awful. 
Have lost nearly a stone in weight.
J. A. Graham  

Poor old Ginger was shot under me. 
The most intelligent animal that ever lived.
Relieved by 6 LHR. 
Saw Reg and gave him letters (Anjah)
J. A. Graham
 
​
PASTED IN BACK OF J.A.GRAHAM DIARY:

The Waler
When Allenby’s army smashed the Turk,
Who was the bloke who did the work?
The Aussie knows, and he’ll tell you straight
That most of the job was done by his mate
         The wonderful Aussie waler.

It was umpty-nine in the shade each day
And the wells were spoiled in the Turkish way;
But with nothing to eat and plenty to do
The heart of the waler carried him through
         The wonderful, wonderful waler!
 
For ten long weeks through the desert hot
He plugged along, and all that he got
Was a drink – or not a drink – a day.
But did the stamina once give way
         Of the wonderful Aussie waler?

Was he the one to desert his mate?
Just watch him coming up the straight,
With twenty stone of harness and man!
No wonder the Turk was an also-ran
         With the wonderful, wonderful waler!
 
When drink was not and feeds were few,
There still was his harness that he could chew;
With a nibble or two at another’s mane
He plucked up heart to march again,
         The wonderful Aussie waler!

And when everything eatable seemed to fail,
A hair or two from a neighbor’s tail
Made a pleasant meal; and there’s no doubt
They took it turn and turn about,
         The wonderful, wonderful waler!
 
A white Australian through and through,
There’s a good time coming, old horse, for you.
There’s a paddock green, with grass to your knees,
And there you shall roll to your lordly ease,
         My wonderful Aussie waler!

With a gallop or two to keep you fit –
And won’t it bring back the thrill of it!
There’s no more hardship and little work
For the cobber who broke the heathen Turk,
         My wonderful, wonderful waler!
 
But what is this that the orders tell?
This mate of mine they’re going to sell!
To the old home paddock you’ll never come back;
They are selling you to a dirty black,
         My wonderful Aussie waler!

The times together that we’ve been through,
When all that I had in the world was you!
Out there! Out there, in a world of men
You were more than wife or sweetheart then,
         My wonderful, wonderful waler!
 
There was trust and mateship in your eyes.
A horse has no soul! All lies, all lies!
And more than a kiss or soft lips that speak
Was your muzzling nose against my cheek,
         You wonderful Aussie waler!

A life-long slavery is your fate?
Not while a mate can still shoot straight!
Your eyes….I need a steady hand…
Goodbye, old chap…you understand,
         You wonderful, wonderful waler!
 
N.S.W.  Arthur H. Adams

Enemy opens heavy bombardment and attacks @ 0330. 
Three picked German Divisions from Western front engaged. They showed more dash than the Turk but came the usual cropper nevertheless. Prisoners totalled 1200. They had about 5000 casualties. We got about 50 prisoners and 5 machine guns. 
The attacking troops were Prussian Storm Troops and were told that Indians were holding the line, whereas we took over from the Indians the night before. 
One German had Iron Cross, Prussian Order of the Eagle Order Pour le Merit and Bavarian decoration. 

Spiller was killed.
 
Bright cloudless hot day, temp 126 deg in the shade. 
Bombardment commenced at 0230 and continued till 0300. The first line composed of picked Prussian storm troops who had been successful on all fronts, collapsed under the heavy fire, Artillery by a barrage prevented reinforcements giving great assistance. Flight lasted all day.  German casualties about 1200 prisoners, (...) to 2000 wounded and killed.

One man badly wounded in hip caught fire and was extinguished by one of our boys. We tried to rescue him but enemy fired on the party. Poor devil lay out all night and all next day. 
Then Germans came out under flag of truce, one advanced but stretcher bearers would not.  One of our boys stood up and shouted to take the man in. The answer was “alright” when they got him back to trenches. The German gave a Turk bearer a kick in the face then before getting into the trench, they shouted “thank you Australia” and waved their hats. 

On guard over a big batch of prisoners my mate Klause who speaks German fluently had a long talk to a German Lieutenant. He seemed sincere and said things in Germany were terrible, starvation and seething with discontent etc. He thought Germany must soon give in or there would be a revolution. He further said, had English or Indians been holding the line, they would have fought to a finish but as soon as they found we were Australians they gradually went to pieces.  They had a rough handling by the Aussies on the Western front before they came to Palestine.  This German gave the Aussie great praise. He said they were easily the best troops in France.  Another German, quite a youngster, was wounded badly and I gave him a lift on my horse.  He was very grateful and said “You are good to your enemies - Gottin himmel why should we war against each other”. He shook hands and began to cry. He was only about 18 yrs old. He told me to kill myself rather than be taken prisoner by the Turks. They are very cruel, and torture their victims. 
 
J.A. Graham

A Chazeau
Par Charolles
Saone – et hoire
France

8 Juillet 1918  
​
Mon Cher Jack,
It is with great pleasure this morning that I received your letter of the 12th June in writing so you have a very good idea and I shall be very glad to answer you. But Jack you have never told me if you understand French so Ill write you half in English and half in French and you will tell me what you prefer. 
Your letter has been in Paris, where our habitual home is, and where we spend all winter, but now we are in our country home for all summer and in my letter I send you a card to give you an idea of it. My present address is as above. 
I am corresponding with another friend of Iris Flower who is fighting in France and thus since nearly two years, and this winter we have had at Paris, the visit of a friend of his, but how sad it must be for you to be so far from your family and friends. It is very long, and the more pleasant places are dull when we feel we are alone. 
Please excuse my English it has been a little neglected since I have left the college three years ago, since, I have studied Law at the Faculte de Droit of Paris and I am always very busy, but now it is holidays and I have much time for reading English Authors as Shakespeare, Tennyson or Dickens, and now my dear, I continue and terminate my letter in my national language

(the translation)... I hope dear Jack, this finds you well and my letter arrives in good time and that you should soon come to us from across the seas. I shall be pleased to receive more news of you and if this gives you the pleasure it gives me, I will write more regularly. 
You are in a very picturesque country, but is not the weather fatiguing? Have you much time to yourself. Do you mind my lecturing to you and do you take notice of it? 
Hoping you will reply soon I will close now my dear in sending you my very best wishes

Adien mon cher
Marcelle Bidant