You can address my letters to the above address, I may go to Aunties on Wednesday or Saturday Syd will meet me at the station after his work so I think Saturday will suit him best. Now Mother dear I will draw this note to a close the children are going down to post it. Hoping you are well as we are,
I remain your loving child
Pearl
C/o Mrs Rackham
South Morang P.O
Dec 31st 1917
My dear Mother,
Just a line in answer to your letter which I was very pleased to receive, I am sure you must be kept busy with the harvest and it has been so very hot this last few days so suppose it will be very hot up there, most of the crops at S. Morang are spoilt with so much rain. Mother dear I am at Aunties at present but think I am going back to Non’s this coming week, I have been here a week yesterday I have put the address to send any letters too. Have you had any word from Albert yet. Non has made the two Balaclava Caps for Charlie and Albert and I have been making socks I will send them one day soon. Now Mother dear I will draw this to a close as this is all the paper I have but I knew you would be anxious to get a letter, I am keeping well Thank you dear Mother give my love to all at Mologa not forgetting yourself dear Mother love from your affect child
Pearl
Myrtle Stone (right) and her sisters.
Myrtle Stone, Albert’s romantic interest, also sent a message to Jim that her family would visit the Marlows just prior to Christmas. Her brothers, Joe and Jim, were soon to depart for the training camps of England. Joe was a mate of Jim Marlow and it seems important to Myrtle, with Albert so far away, to retain contact with the Marlow family.
14/12/16
Dear Jim
Just a line to let you know if it is not raining we will be over on Sunday Jim and Joe are home until the 3rd of next month so Joe is coming with us. I had letters from Albert he was well when he wrote. Will close hoping you are all well.
Your affect friend
Myrtle Stone
FRANCE, DECEMBER
Percy and Allan arrived with the 38th Battalion in the old French port of Le Havre in the early hours of the morning of 23 November. Percy was promptly isolated as a companion had been diagnosed with mumps. He would not see active duty for six weeks. The rest of the battalion began a long uphill march to camp during which the Australians were greeted by women and children selling chocolate and fruit, and were entertained by their attempts to communicate. The following day the men boarded trains for the slow and tedious northward journey to Bailleul, a busy staging post behind British lines close to the Belgian border. They then travelled by bus to the village of Strazeele arriving on 26 November. Billets were soon found in the homes and barns of the farming community while General Monash established Divisional Headquarters in a chateau at Steenwerck. For the first time, the soldiers of the 3rd Division could hear the roar of the guns at the front and see the flares light the night sky. The central Victorian troops of the 38th Battalion, after months of training and delay, were anxious to do their bit; they were soon to experience war on the battlefields of Europe.2
Within days, the 38th was marching towards the industrial town of Armentieres, captured by the invading Germans in 1914 and later recaptured by the Allies. The battle-scarred town now served as a British base and place of recreation for resting troops. Close enough to be within range of enemy artillery fire, the people of the community continued their daily routine amid the chaos of war, welcoming the Australian soldiers into their cafes, their homes and their hearts. Armentieres was referred to as the 3rd Division’s ‘nursery’. In the German advance of April 1918, the town once again fell into enemy hands and was razed by the retreating Germans in October 1918.3
Under threat of enemy aircraft and artillery fire, the 38th moved into Armentieres where they spent three days preparing for the move to the front. On 1 December the troops were issued with gumboots and Allan began the arduous trek through the communication trenches en route to the line. Deep, sticky, black mud greeted the newcomers. Wading through a morass of mud to their thighs and in places to their waists where duckboards had given way, the men reached the front filthy and exhausted. Their homes for the next ten days afforded no protection from the freezing conditions. Dugouts were cut into the sides of trenches with rusty iron ceilings and walls of oozing mud. Rats, occasional artillery fire, enemy raids and the threat of sniper fire from the ravaged township of Frelinghien nearby combined to ensure that conditions during this relative period of quiet on the Western Front were truly appalling. Horse-drawn wagons carried supplies to the line, including food and hot tea for the troops. It was here that Allan was to celebrate his 21st birthday.4
Percy was the first to write to his family, although he made no mention of being quarantined and separated from Allan.
December 3
France
Dear Mum & Dad
Well Mum, we are in France, but where we are I cannot tell you, as it will be struck out. We had a quick trip over, there were a few sick on board I was not sick. It is fairly cold here at times but it will be nothing like it will be. How is the harvest going on, you will be short handed without Albert. Charlie ought to be over here soon. News is terrible scarce, so do not expect a long letter. The country looks very dreary now, we have not had much snow since we have been here. Well I will have to close as I have no more news, so I remain your loving son.
Percy
Somewhere in France
Dec 3
Dear Jim
Received your ever welcome letter, of the 21 Oct, you seem to be worried, why life is to short to worry; no doubt it is a terror to see such a lot of cold footed sods. My word Albert did go quick, you would miss him in the harvest, he ought to be in England now. You seem to have good crops this year Jim that compulsory training caused a stir. You seem to be talking a lot about girls, you have always got a fresh one, my word Jim you are lucky; do not forget to tell us the new one’s name. Well Jim it is very cold over here, and it is raining nearly every day. Sunny France “I don’t think” there has been a few casualties in the Battalion. You will be having Christmas now, I suppose at the spread in the hall. You will be cutting a dash Well Jim news is terrible scarce so I will have to close from your loving brother
Percy
While Percy remained at Le Havre, Allan had already experienced the tenuous nature of life on the Western Front. He described to his parents the terrible state of the trenches without revealing the terror of those first moments under artillery fire, the fear of snipers, and the death and destruction he had now witnessed. Typical of Allan he chose to lighten his situation with tales of the other enemy — the rats that were a curse to every soldier.
12.10.16 [10.12.16]
France
My Dear Mother & Father
Well mum we are in France at last and have just come out of the trenches. We had 12 days in there and now we are in our billets having a spell. The trenches are in a bad state. In places one goes up to his hips in muck and water. It is pretty cold, but not as cold as Lark Hill. We get splendid tucker and plenty of it. The only trouble is the rats, they are in 1 000’s. The other night I went to bed for a couple of hours and as soon as I got to sleep they hauled me out and had taken full charge of the dug out. So you see that we have more than Fritz to fight. When we were coming over from England the mumps broke out and a terrible lot of our boys got isolated and were left at -- Percy and W Street were amongst them but I believe they will be joining us up in a week or two. I saw Charlie before we left England. I have got a lot of mail since we have been here. I never got the letters telling me about the floods and the parcel. But I was pleased to hear that you got it. When we were in the trenches I got a lovely parcel of cigarettes and tobacco from Mick Grant. I hadn’t had a smoke for 5 days I never knew they were coming. Thank Mick for me. I also got a parcel from Mrs J McKay. I will get yours this week.
We got a big mail tonight. It wont be long before Charlie will be over here. Albert had
rotten luck to sail so soon. Was pleased to hear that the crops are good. Well dear mother I cannot tell you much news so I will close hoping all are well as it leaves us all at present.
I remain
Your Loving Son
Allan
Goodbye Mum
I celebrated my 21st birthday last Sunday.
Waiting anxiously for a letter from dad.
The 38th had been relieved but not without casualties. Allan would have enjoyed a return to the comfort of Armentieres and its estaminets where refreshments such as beer, wine, eggs, chips and coffee could be found amid the warm welcome of the local residents. Although the men were resting, fatigue parties were still required to carry supplies, ammunition, barbed wire, pickets and corrugated iron to the front line. Allan returned to the front on 16 December for five days and was then withdrawn to billets at Houplines where the Australians decorated their dwellings with greenery and celebrated Christmas with roast beef and plum pudding.5
Throughout December, George remained in the Gueudecourt sector, some ten kilometres north-east of Pozieres. Enemy shelling and low-flying enemy aircraft combined with fog, rain, snow and the bitter cold — which froze hot tea in less than one minute — were to dampen his spirits. A day of leave in Amiens was a pleasant interlude and perhaps the catalyst which triggered a longing for home. On Christmas Day he enjoyed an issue of rum and a Christmas billy. The yearning for the warmth of an Australian Christmas and the trimmings of a family celebration must have added a melancholy touch to the joy of Christmas, the coldest recorded for 40 years.
George sent his mother Christmas wishes from the trenches of France.
France
Dec 1st
Dear Jim
I received your letter and Mother’s card today dated 21 Oct. and was surprised to hear that Albert has sailed they didn’t keep him in camp long. I told you in my other letters that Charlie Fyffe was wounded well Hughie Johnson got a letter from him saying that he was in a hospital here in France and was hit in the arm and leg I think he will be in England by now. I was with Hughie tonight let his people know that he is well as he asked me to mention it. It is fairly cold now we don’t see much sun it is foggy all day. It is rumoured here that Allan and Percy are over here now they saw Charlie in England. Fancy Eddie getting through his father will miss him for the harvest.6 Well Jim I have no news as I wrote to you a few days ago, so will close hoping all are well.
I remain
Your affectionate Bro
George
France
Dec 14/ 1916
Dear Mother & Father
Just a few lines to let you know I am well hoping all are the same, we are in the firing line and is fairly cold and have had some more snow, it is cloudy here every day very seldom see the sun, the artillery is fairly active in this part of the line. Before we shifted up here we had a day’s leave into a certain big city, and I can assure you I enjoyed myself very well, it put me in the mind of being back in Melbourne again to see the trams and all the nice shops. I received word a few days ago from the bank that there was some money there for me, it will come in very handy as I will just about get my leave to England in the beginning of February that is if they keep it going. I had a letter from Charlie saying that he was on leave and at the time of writing was at Payne’s and was sending me a parcel which I suppose is waiting for me now but we cant get them till we go back from the line as they cant get them all up here at present. I suppose Albert will have arrived in England by now. I think Al and Percy are over here now but there isn’t much chance of me meeting them. Ewan had a letter from Charlie Fyffe, he is badly wounded and is in a hospital in England, we haven’t heard anything of Charlie Wales but I suppose he is over there too he got wounded just a few days before C.Fyffe. Ewan gave me a couple of Pyramid papers and noticed that there was one of my letters in it. I wish you wouldn’t put them in the paper. You appear to have had great floods. I suppose you are very busy at present. Fancy Eddie Cheyne passing, his father will miss him. Well the guns are still nagging but nothing is dropping close here. I will now close as news is scarce.
I remain
Your Loving Son
George
Allan wrote to his family on Christmas Day:
France
Xmas Day
Dear Jim
Well Jim old boy I hope you had a merry Xmas. What a good time you must have had at the tea meeting & concert. We are having a merry xmas here. We are out in the billets now but we go back to the trenches to morrow. I think it is better in the trenches than out here, because here it is nothing but fatigue work. We are always situated up in the front line. It gets a bit exciting at times but one wants that to keep him warm. Well Jim I hope you have a good harvest. I suppose you are up to your dam neck in work now. It is a bit of a terror young Albert sailing so soon. He will just about land in England in the middle of winter and it is colder there than here. I have had letters from Charlie and Geordie also the relations. All are well. Percy has not joined us up yet and will not do so until another 3 weeks. Well Jim I have told you all the news so I will close hoping all are well.
I remain your loving bro
Allan
To his parents, Allan wrote:
… We have just finished our Christmas dinner of bread and butter but I believe we are going to get a good tea. I suppose you all had a quiet Christmas over there. I have not got our parcel yet, but may get it by New Year. There is a parcel here for Percy from L Sharp. He is not turned up yet. W. Street has got the mumps now and they are isolated for another 21 days. Where they are they are doing well. Charlie will soon be over here with us. I would like to run across Geordie but he is miles away from us …
After Christmas, Percy wrote to his parents:
… Well xmas is over, we had a fairly tame one, no ham and turkey for dinner, roast meat and so on. I was a little lucky, there were a few parcels sent from the comforts fund, and I won one of them in a kind of a raffle. There were 2 boxes matches, matchbox cover, pipe, 2 cigarette, 2 handkerchiefs, 2 packets of lollies, toothbrush & paste, it was a very handy win. The French people are very hard to understand, some words you can understand …
ENGLAND, DECEMBER 1916
Across the English Channel, Charlie had returned from leave and was preparing for his move to France. However, like his brother, he was soon isolated as a result of an outbreak of mumps. Nonetheless, he would leave for the front prior to Christmas. Four of the Marlow boys were to enjoy 25 December in the billets and camps of the Western Front.
3rd Dec 1916
Dear Mother,
… I have just got back from my four days leave, we took the train to London and then I got the train to Leicester I got there at about 6.15 p.m. I wrote to Ida and told her I was coming so she came and met me, we recognised each other on the spot, she said I was very much like Allan, she would have not had any trouble in finding me as there were only three Australian soldiers on the station, they do not see many Australians up there and when I was coming away all the children were coming out of school and the boys stood and looked at me and would say to themselves he is a Canadian he’s an Australian he’s from New Zealand. Auntie Payne is very nice and also the girls auntie and I had a waltz one night, she is very lively, whilst Ida played they are all good dancers the youngest one May, is such a nice little girl she is 10 years old auntie gave me a silver tiepin, and a glass tumbler it is very old and I never saw one before it was Grandfather Marlows. I left them there along with some other things I did not want, I sent Geordie a parcel I bought a cake and sent a pair of socks that Pearl knitted for him also some cigarettes and matches and a handkerchief. Geordie was out of the trenches with Amos when he wrote he is getting on alright I was surprised to hear that Albert sailed on the 21st Oct neither Jim nor you sent his No. but the 4/38 will find him. I will write to the base in London and find out what camp he will be in, I will give him money I have about ₤7 on me. I wrote to Dad last week about sending money to Pa
ynes for Geordie and Al and Percy, they can send it over to Geordie anytime he wants it should he get leave auntie said they would be only too pleased to do anything for us as she knew we would do the same if Clem was in Australia, if you sent money in a registered letter, say notes they could change them here, I told Dad to cable it if it did not cost too much, but if it did a ₤5 note registered would be quite safe, I sent a sovereign to Geordie and gave Al and Percy ₤3 between them, they all say they have plenty but in case any of us should be short it is just as well to send over some and it can be left at Paynes, I will see that Albert has got enough. There are dozens of Australians here with hardly a shilling to their name, but it is their own fault, they drink all they have at the canteens …
While writing on the same day, Charlie does not mention to his mother that he has been ill with mumps, although he tells Jim that he had been admitted to hospital. The golden rule when writing to their mother was not to cause her worry. An astute mother, Sarah soon realised that her sons were protecting her from the truth, a situation which only added to her apprehension.
3rd Dec 1916
Dear Jim
Just a few lines to let you know that I am quite well although I am in a hospital, I came in here yesterday with the mumps along with 8 other mates from the 3/38 it is more of an isolation than anything else, it is said that the cold weather brings them on although mine is nearly alright now but some of the chaps are terrible they do not give us any medicine for them, there is no pain. I believe we will be here for a week but I don’t mind as we get four meals a day and we don’t get up till 8 or 9 oclock and do nothing all day, it is very catching that is why we are here … I have no idea when we are going to France Geordie was alright when he wrote he said C Fyffe was wounded, I was up to Leicester I saw all the relations there. Flo Wilson got a letter from you the day I was there she is a lot better looking than the photo she is a lively girl. I saw Grand Uncle Ted Marlow he was very pleased to see me, he did not see Al and Percy I also saw his daughter and all the other relations I saw the Old family Bible and Grandfathers grave and the church he used to go to. I heard about the conscription being knocked and it was hard luck, but I hope it will come on again, I also heard of the great coal strike. Well the hospital Sergeant Major has just been round and told us when can go back to our own huts again so we have not been long here, as we came in yesterday, we will be leaving a good home here …
ANZAC Sons Page 27
