THE ROLL CALL. Sergeant T. J. Watkins, son of Mrs. James Woodland, of Lower Turners Marsh, writing from "Somewhere in France," on August 19, says:-
We have been in the trenches, and only just came out for a bit of a spell. Then we go back again in a few days' time, and give the Germans another punch, as we call it. I think I must have been very lucky to come through without a scratch, for the fire we had to go through, well, we would think it would be impossible to come out of it alive. It was dreadful, but I am pleased to say that we routed the enemy out, and took a good many prisoners. It was very dark the night we charged, and it was very hard to see so many of our boys getting knocked all around.
I never felt so sad in my life before as I did the next morning when we had a roll-call, and found out how many of our mates had gone under. But they did splendid work, and died for a noble cause. The general commanding the Australian troops spoke a few words to us when we came out of the firing line, and said he was more than pleased with what we had done. So it is good to know that we did our work well.
I don't think the war will last much longer, for the Germans are beginning to lose their punch, while we have just started to box on with them. The Germans are not much of fighters and do some very cowardly actions, but their artillery is pretty good. They can dish(?) the shells and schrapnel up(?) to some key at times, but that does not frighten our boys, for they would go through anything when they are let loose. I have seen a lot of boys I know from Tasmania.
THE ROLL CALL. (1916, November 11). Examiner(Launceston, Tas. : 1900 - 1954), p. 5 Edition: DAILY. Retrieved December 1, 2015, from http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/50898033
See also Sergeant T. J. Watkins wounded in 1918
http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/50981261 and repatriated http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/50995015.