I think I am going to London next Saturday. I was very sorry when I heard about Ken Laird. I had only just finished reading his letter in the pyramid paper when I got your letter. Well mum we are having a good time here. We get plenty of work and we get pretty good tucker. I knew that young Falconer of Mincha. Les has had a bad back. The doctor said it was lumbago. He seems to be pretty right now. Ted Bennitts has had a very bad back. When I go to London I am getting flannels as they say it is terrible cold here in the winter. I have not had a cold since I left Australia. Mum I have never felt better in my life. I am getting my photo taken so I will send them over …
I remain
Your Loving Son
Allan S
I don’t think we are going to France for a long time
All the boys are well.
MOLOGA, SEPTEMBER
As the Australian winter ended with the arrival of spring and the Somme casualty lists revealed the tragic results of the battle, the Australian people were consumed by the raging debate over conscription. A significant drop in recruitment following Fromelles and Pozieres now meant that Australia could not supply the 80,000 men required over four months to replace Australian losses and to strengthen its battalions.12 England had demanded the compulsory service of its sons in January 1916, while in New Zealand conscription had been introduced in August. Australian Prime Minister Billy Hughes had recently returned from England and France. Despite widespread opposition within the Labor Party he announced a referendum on 28 October to settle the question of conscription once and for all.13 Hughes was so confident that the referendum would support the introduction of conscription that he ordered a call-up of all unmarried men between the ages of 21 and 35 for home service prior to the vote, ensuring that these men would be ready for overseas service once conscription was introduced.14
In Mologa, Albert had arrived home requesting that his parents sign the form that would provide their consent to his enlistment. While he would not turn 19 until November, he would be accepted by the Bendigo recruiting office at 18 years 10 months (the minimum age of 18 was not introduced until May 1918). Parental consent duly provided, Albert was certified fit at Royal Park in Melbourne on 18 October 1916, one month before his 19th birthday. I suspect it was with great reluctance that Sarah had agreed to provide her consent. Sarah and Charles probably expected the Conscription Bill to pass and that their youngest son would soon be conscripted regardless of their wishes. The burden of that day was to last Sarah a lifetime.
Bendigo
Tuesday
Dear Mum,
I got your letter today, and was glad you signed the papers. I couldn’t possibly get home tonight, as I’m going to Melb tomorrow, and will be back on Thursday or Friday. I will be home on Friday or Saturday. Charlie is in town today, in Fatigue duty, pulling down a building. I was out at the camp last night and he came with me, He is coming in again tonight. I am going up to Ettas now. Fancy Martin Kelly dying. I heard about an hour after he died.
I remain your loving son
Albert
On the same day, Charlie wrote to his mother:
5th Sept 1916
Dear Mother
Just a few lines in a hurry this morning I was in Bendigo last night and did not write I am getting on alright and we do not know when we are going, Albert passed yesterday he was out at the camp last night there are a lot of men coming into camp now. I think they must be frightened of conscription which I think will be in about November and they are going to give the soldiers a vote. I have not seen the Gibsons since I came back but Pearl saw Florrie on Parade yesterday. I got leave last week from 2pm Saturday till 11 oclock Sunday night. I put in for week end leave but they would not grant leave to anyone. They are holding the Railway Picnic on the 16th September I think I will be here for that because they have got posters up everywhere about the sports which are only for the soldiers. Well Mother I will say goodbye from me and Pearl hope all are well as I at present.
I am your affect. son.
Charlie
… We quite forgot to send up those photos with Albert, Pearl thought of them and went up to the station to give them to Albert but the train was just going out as she got there, however we will send them up or wait till some of you are down they are fairly heavy so would cost a bit to post up … I believe they are starting another class for the N.C.O. I do not know whether the 3rd 38th will be given a chance in it if so Horris Whinfield and I are going to have a try, which will last for a month. Harry Street did not pass in the old class and may be having a try in the next one. Bert Whinfield passed. I have got leave from two oclock today till 11 oclock tomorrow night, I saw Wilson Townsend last night he said he had a good mind to go home today but I do not know whether he went or not …
At Mologa, Charles Senior had received word that his young nephew, Harry Marlow of the British 1st Essex Regiment had been wounded, possibly at Beaumont-Hamel in the opening days of the Somme battles. Little is known of the extent of his wound and the circumstances in which he was wounded, although Harry certainly survived his wounds. He was discharged in October 1917.
Cousin Harry Marlow of Leicestershire who served on the Somme.
A few days later, on 14 September, General Birdwood was appointed Commander-in-Chief of the AIF. The news was welcomed across the nation as ‘Birdie’ was a popular commander and had a reputation for fairness and a keen interest in the welfare of his troops.
3rd 38th Batt
Bendigo
Sep Wed 14th 1916
Dear Mother
Just a few lines I got your letter yesterday also one from Arthur, well I am getting on alright, and I believe we are sailing on the 25th Sept. We will be here for the Bendigo Picnic and will take part in the sports which is only for the soldiers, nearly all the men in the camp will be sailing together so I will have a chance of seeing the other local boys going over. Pat O’Brien is in the 4th 38th also Harry Street and Bert Winfield. I was sorry to hear about Harry Marlow being wounded, and you spoke about another Marlow in camp, there is not another Marlow in camp as far as I know it was a fellow from Maldon that asked me if I was related to the Marlow at Bagshot so there must be plenty of them about. I am afraid I will not be able to get up again before I go if I can get leave I will. The heads are getting down on leave now they will not allow us out at night as often as they used to, I was into Bendigo last night and intend to go in tomorrow night and I think we will get off early on Saturday. There is Church Parade here tonight and it was also on last Tuesday I went it was very good Captain Canon Percival is the preacher. Wilsie Townsend was fined 10/- for being away and Jack Sinclair was fined 3-/- for 3 days Harris Wingfield was away half a day and was fined 5/- …
… we marched through the street on Friday night and in our blue and white hats we were very dry when we got back I managed to get a drink on the road and an old lady brought out a bucket of water for us which was soon emptied. I gave those photos to Dad to bring up I gave one to Auntie Ettie we were up there last night and heard the news of course, Bert was not up for the picnic. Florries boy is in the Machine Guns in Seymour Camp. I did not see any of The Cheynes yesterday. Auntie Ettie said they were coming in. Herbert Street is still very bad in the Bendigo hospital. Jack Sinclair was up to see him this morning. Joe Stone went up with him and also to see the doctor he has been a bit off this last few days. I think we are going on the 25th of September so I don’t think there will be any chance of getting up again …Well mum I will draw to a close hoping all are well as I am so goodbye I am your affect. son.
Charlie
My number is 2133
LARKHILL, ENGLAND, SEPTEMBER
As Charlie’s departure drew near, Allan and Percy continued to find time to write from their camp at Larkhill to their family and friends at home. While this meant that their news was often repeated, it confirmed that their thoughts were never far from home. Their older brother Jim was causing them some degree of frustration as he continued to hint at the identit
y of his latest girlfriend while never providing quite enough information for his younger brothers, in particular Percy.
Lark Hill
11 Sept
Dear Jim
Just a few lines to let you know I am still ticking, we are still in the same place. You did not say who she was, I am very interested to hear who she may be. Well Jim there was a big air raid in London, about two weeks ago, we were there at the time, but did not see it, it was too early in the morning, about two, they were firing at it from the guns, one was brought down by an aeroplane, the airman got a VC for it … General French was here today. I did not get near him, he had a big guard. We had to fall in a bit of a speech, from a salvation bloke, today, I did not hear much of it I went to sleep. We are going to have a football match here Saturday with the 37th Machine Gunners it will be a great game. Well Jim I think I have told you all the news so I will close.
From Your Loving Brother
Percy
Allan wrote to Charlie not only of his disgust at seeing the German prisoners transported in first class carriages, but also of his growing frustration that he had not yet reached the front:
Amesbury
Lark Hill
Monday 11th-9-16
Dear Charlie
Well Charlie I hope you and all at home are well as it leaves me at present I received your most welcome letter, well Charlie you know what camp life is like now. I was saying to [the] boys that I reckon you will be sailed by the time you get this letter. Well Charlie we are having a good time, we are getting plenty of work, the tucker is pretty good but by god it is getting pretty cold at nights I don’t know what it must be like in the winter time. Well Charlie you all are bound to be sent here somewhere it is nothing but camps all around here. I have not got any more letters from Georgie, but may get one any day. I believe they are taking all the boys out of the trenches in France. The poor devils [have] been getting hell lately. They are taking them out so they can reorganize. Well Charlie we went to a little place called Whitchurch on Saturday. It was not much of a place, anyway we were not sorry to get back. Next Saturday if we get leave we are going to London. When we got to Amesbury to go to Whitchurch a train load of german prisoners came in. They are big fat buggars. They travel in first class carriages but the poor Australian has to travel 3rd. They brought them down to a prison camp here we have a lot of them here. Well Charlie I hope you have a good trip over, you have my address so write at once and I will come and see you, if we are not gone, but I wish to god we were in it somewhere. I am getting tired of training. Well Charlie old boy I am bustling like hell with this letter to catch this mail. I will write you a longer one next mail, but there is absolutely nothing to write about.
So goodbye Charlie till we meet
I remain
Your loving Brother
Allan
Percy had made his own assessment of the German soldiers:
… There was about two hundred Germans brought here, they are about a mile from us, they are enclosed in a barb wire enclosure, they look as if they have not been starved. They are big men, not a very nice body to run against …
Allan composed a lengthy letter to Albert after receiving very welcome correspondence from his younger brother and, it would seem, a rather surprising letter from an old girlfriend in an earlier delivery:
… Well Albert I received your most welcome letter, it was the only letter I got. I was rather disappointed but I suppose I will get a lot next time. Well Albert we are having a good time here, but it is getting terrible cold. This morning was the coldest morning ever I felt. There is a brigade sports on today but I am not going. I have just finished my washing and now I am busy writing letters to catch the next mail. Well Albert you seem to be having a good time on the cutter, but I suppose you will have a much better time when you get out to Listers, but I suppose you wont be there long before you have to go home. I am finishing this letter Sunday 17th-9-16. Well Albert we had a good time since last Thursday. On Friday we went out to the range and on the Saturday we had a foot and kit inspection and a washing parade and in the afternoon the 38th MG Section played 37th MGS football and we beat them. Well Albert on Wednesday night I went down to see Jack Price but he had come up to our hut and so I went down again on Friday night. He is camped about 2 miles away. I thought I could [get] Jack into our battalion I could have too but he is on a draught that is going away before Saturday week, therefore they wont let him out of it. So he says he will be contented where he is. I expect him down today. Well Albert I got a bonnie mail yesterday. I will tell you who I got letters from, one from each Mabel McNeilly, Annie Clee, Mum, Eileen Braddish and Charlie. Mabel McNeilly wrote me a nice letter and is sending me some socks and by hell Albert I got a surprise when I got Eileen’s letter. It is a long time since I heard from her. She got my address from Pearl Saville. It was a bonnie letter and wants me to write every mail so I am doing so. Well Albert you are having a good year over there, you will have to work some in the harvest time. I suppose it wont be long before you will be having a good time at the Pyramid Show. Between suicides and accidents things are not going to well about the surrounding districts. A good many of the boys around the districts are getting wounded or killed. I believe Alf Ferris and Will Guinnane are in this camp now and I believe there are any amount of the boys in the camps about. Albert Bowman from Leitchville came over to see us last Sunday. He said he has been over here 6 months and has only got 6 letters since being over here. I have got no more letters from Georgie, but he sent us a letter the other day, that Jim had wrote to us, and posted it to Georgie so Jim must be very much in love. Well Albert I have a devil of a lot of letters to write this mail. I am writing to the Pyramid advertiser explaining my trip up to the present. Well Albert I hope all at home are well as it leaves us at present.
Goodbye Albert
I remain
Your Loving Brother
Allan
Eileen asked me for a photo of me so will you send her one of mine in civilian clothes I think Jim or Charlie have two you will fix that up for me. You write and say that I asked you to send it on to her. I am sending her one of me in uniform
Address – get Pearl Saville to address it15
Allan put pen to paper championing the benefits of being a Lewis gunner:
Sunday
17-9-16
Dear Charlie
… We are very lucky to be in the Machine Gun, we don’t get half the work that the infantry get. I like the Lewis Gun they are very easy to learn. We are going out to the ranges next week to do some shooting with the gun. There are a terrible lot of the boys I know about the camps. I was trying to get Jack Price into the battalion but it was too late on account of him being in a draught that is going away next week. He looks well on it now. I never felt better in my life before. There is one thing this country suits us alright at present, but by hell they say it is terrible cold in the winter… This is where you will be sent for a cut. All the boys are well, but for W.S. [Will Street] I cannot make him out at all. We played the 37th M Gunner football on Saturday and we defeated them. They started to make it a bit willing at the last, but we were equal to them. It is starting to rain here now. The war is looking much better according to the paper this morning
In Allan’s letter the same day he implored Jim not to marry before he returned to Australia:
… I never felt better in my life. We are having a good time here, we have not been working too hard this day or two. In fact we are having a picnic to the boys in the companies. They are the poor devils that have to work … We had a great game of football on Saturday We played the 37th M.G. and we beat them. It was getting a bit willing toward the last, but still all the same we could have mixed it with them. Well Jim you must be having a roaring time. Not too much work to do. Look at the time you must have had out at Bobs. It is a holiday resort at any time. Jim you never tell me who this new girl is. Jim do tell me. I often wondered if it was Winnie Price. If it is not her it is Mollie
Gamble, but Jim whatever you do don’t get married before I get back. Percy got a letter from Charlie he seems to like the camp life alright. Percy got a letter from Auntie Florrie and she says that mum is worrying over us. If she only knew how comfortable we were it would be alright and we all as happy as if we are going to a picnic. For God’s sake Jim what ever you do don’t you go. I write to Georgie every week but I never got any letter this week from him. I am sending all the papers on to him. I can tell you what a fine thing if we could all get together, but I don’t suppose there is any luck. Everything is going well with the war in this morning paper. Things are not so good as your paper say so.
Will Guinane and Alf Ferris are over here I believe they are coming up to see us tonight. We have any amount of friends. I have had a lot of the Cohuna district boys over to see me. I wish to God we were going to France. Not another word have we heard about going. Georgie sent me over a letter that you had wrote to us and posted it to him. Will Street is very quiet I can’t make him out at all. Well Jim you could never guess where I am writing this letter. It is too roudy in the hut. So Les and I rigged up a table in a little dugout about 100 yds from the hut. So here we are writing in peace and quietness. Well Jim I think I have told you all the news so I will ring off hoping all are well.
Goodbye Jim
I remain
Your Loving Brother
Allan
Kind regards to your young lady.
Concerned that his mother was worrying too much, Allan advised his eldest brother not to enlist; another son going to war would cause his mother even greater anxiety. Allan was unaware that Albert was in camp at Bendigo waiting to be accepted. His hope that the brothers could serve together in the same battalion had not included his little brother. The same day he wrote to his mother in conversational and reassuring language, attempting to make light of his situation and persuade her that civilian life could be just as risky as that of a soldier. The casualty lists told Sarah a very different story.
ANZAC Sons Page 19
