ANZAC Sons
Page 42
8 July 17
Wattle Park
Junortoun
Dear George
I thought that I would write you a line or two, as I no that always a letter comes in handy, as you don’t have much amusement over there in the trenches, I have had one or two letters from the boys especially Percy, and also one from Charlie. I suppose you heard by this that his wife has got a daughter and she is very proud of it. I suppose you never see the boys at all and you won’t have much time. I don’t suppose you heard that poor Lorrie Taylor is killed in action, it was a hard blow for his parents, but of course they were expecting something like that, and also Mrs Taylor’s two nephews were killed there seems to be a lot getting killed now and wounded. How are you getting on over there I haven’t had a letter from you this long time but I suppose that they go astray. This is the last time that I am going to enlist, and it is the eighth time George but it was no good. I am strong enough but it is my legs that puts me out. I might be called up for home service but that is no good to me I want to be over there with the boys. There seems to be a lot of boy kicking around in Bendigo on a Friday but they don’t seem to enlist I don’t know what they are thinking of. If they would only go the war might end more quickly than what it is. I don’t think that they are going to bring in Conscription it seems a pity if they don’t as the R.C.’s wont go not unless it does come in. They are all finished putting in their crops and thinking about fallowing, some have made a start. We are ploughing up more new ground it is the only thing that a man wants to get a lift but wheat is not much good as they cant get it away on account of the shortage of boats and the Germans are making them less every day. I think that I will now close from your loving cousin
Eddie
Jim also wrote to George:
Mologa
July 8th
Dear George,
There is no sign of the mail going out but I will write a few lines today, have not long had dinner after being to Church this morning. Mum went to Bendigo yesterday, Pearl has been very bad she caught a chill, I have not heard what it really is, they did not tell us much. It was a great mistake Charlie ever got married look what it will cost him, he will want all his money when he comes back. So we are batching today, not a bad game I got 3 cows to milk and 3 calves to feed the latter are a damn curse, I have also got the young ducks to feed. We have a lot of fowls some of them ought to be in the pot there are not many “clucks” which you used to be so fond of looking after. I started fallowing a few days ago, it sticks of course, we have had about an inch of rain and it might work better now the crops are looking well, I notice there is a lot coming up in between the drills. The season is shaping well, every indication of a good one. The concert and dance came off the other night and I was very disappointed in not being able to go, I had a bad headache and had to go to bed, I never can go anywhere. The concert was real good, the best for a long time. There was a good crowd there even though it rained as usual. Florrie Gibson is up at Mahoneys, Florrie sang. Most of the young crowd around here went down to S Calivil to the crowning of the Queen, it was good so they say. Queen of soldiers won easily £ 271- to £201 you will see that things were humming. Uncle George was running the Q of S with D. Bell. Dave Gow & S McCrea was running Miss Lowe. The town crowd were very cocky of winning, I was glad they got beat. About that girl, you can bring one home for me, of course I was thinking of going to England and France after the war, so need not bother if it is any trouble. That’s if I don’t go to the war. I think T. Alford has tossed over Pearl Saville, I had a letter from him the other day and he hinted at it. I have no Mologa news just at present, so hoping you are well as we are at present.
Your aff bro
Jim
Sarah wrote to tell George the news of the baby and of events in the local area:
July 10th 17
My Dear Ten
Well Ten there has been 2 mails gone down one was coming out here and the other was going over hard luck is it not I was sending parcels over but I think it escaped that or I hope it has. I was very sorry to hear of the boys coming out in scabs for want of fruit and vegetables I am sending you a tin next mail and will put some preserved fruit in it there is one gone to you that you ought to get soon now the Russians are doing well. Well dear Ten I was down to Bendigo to see the baby it is a pretty little thing and so good. Poor Mrs Ogilvie is dead I told you in another letter that she was terribly burnt she suffered terrible agony for a week and then died it was very sad. That Barber girl that works in McKay as been arrested for stealing they searched her box and found a pair of boots and heaps of other things they told her to write out on paper what she took and she had a list as long as your arm. Well Georgie it is bitterly cold and raining half the time and we still have the mice plague we get very little notice when the mail are going out I hope this one get[s] over safe I don’t feel too good on it to night I think I caught a cold in Bendigo. Well dear Ten I suppose you are sick and tired of the blessed war I do wish it was over. They got a Queen Competition in Calivil and they got nearly 500 pound it is in aid of the British red cross it caused a lot of jealousy. I think it cost Uncle George a good bit he was working strong for the Crathurs [Carruthers?] Queen. Well dear Ten I must ring off as I have five to write and I am not too good so I will say goodbye and good luck from your loving Mother
BELGIUM, JULY
In early July the 38th returned to the support trenches of Messines where enemy pillboxes provided shelter for company headquarters and dugouts had been rapidly constructed from scavenged materials. Support trenches were generally some two to three kilometres behind the front but well within range of enemy artillery fire. Working parties from the 38th were sent to the front-line trenches under cover of darkness and under threat of mustard gas attack to assist with the construction of a trench system capable of thwarting enemy attempts to regain their lost ground.
During the weeks between the attack on Messines and their return to the trenches they had won, Charlie, Allan and Albert spent time with Percy, enjoying the contact with family members. They enjoyed feasting on the coffee, eggs and fresh fruit that local farmers were happy to sell. They participated in battalion sports and exchanged news of home from the many welcome letters that managed to reach them despite the threat of loss at sea. Parcels from home were most welcome of all and the sharing of fruit cake, lollies, cigarettes and cheese was a favourite pastime and a tangible link to family and friends.
Charlie wrote:
Sunday, July 1st 1917
My Dear Mother,
… I received a cable yesterday from Bendigo to say that our baby is born and that Pearl was well, it took a long time to reach me, I do not know when it left Bendigo but by what I can make out it arrived in London on June 11th and landed here June 30th thus took 19 days to reach me, however I am glad that when it did come the news was of the best. We are out of the trenches yet and will be out for at least a fortnight, we are all well, and having a good time at present, we can buy a feed of eggs and coffee at a reasonable price, the fruit will soon be ripe over here but I think it will be very dear, it will soon be harvest time, there are some nice crops around this camp of course they do not use harvesters but thrash their crops, they grow a lot of peas and potatoes which grow to some order. Pearl said in her letter that Dad paid my insurance, I will give him the money when I come back. I think Jim was a bit hard in his last letter, regarding Clees and elections, well if I had a vote in Bendigo I would have certainly not vote for Hughes, and if Jim was over here he would say the same. I cannot say much about it here as it is subject to censor and we would get into trouble, there were very few soldiers who did vote for him out of our battalion. Well mother I am putting this in a green envelope which I am sending along with a note from Percy. I am sorry to hear that your eyes are not well, but I hope that next mail will say they are quite well again. Geordie wrote last week he is all right. I will say goodbye with love and best wishes from your loving
Charlie
> On the same day that Charlie wrote of his news, Percy also penned a letter to his parents:
In the field
July 1st
My Dear Mother & Father
… We have shifted to different billets, to what we were in last time I wrote to you, back further from the line, he does not put as many shells over near us: today is the first time we have had any close and we were just going on church parade when he started, so they dismissed us, its Sunday and the first church parade for a long time, we were drilling in the afternoon. We are drilling all the time back here, no fatigue work. We go back for drill after a certain time in. They gave us Saturday afternoon off, but it was too wet to go anywhere. We have had some wet weather lately, the first for a long time. Well Mum, I have written a lot of letters to you lately, this one is a very short, better than none. Charlie has got a cable from Pearl, with the good news, that he is a father …
Albert wrote to Sarah to thank her for the tin packed with treats that she had sent him. Sarah will have gained some reassurance from knowing that her boys were together and sharing what she had prepared with such love. Unfortunately, the delay in communication meant that Albert’s heartfelt words did not reach home for six weeks. Time was rare and precious given the tempo of life on the Western Front.
In the field
July 3rd
1917
My Dear Mother,
Just a line to say I received the tin you sent me this evening and I can tell you I was very glad to get it. It has been a fair while coming but it got here safely. The cake is just lovely. The three boys are here and it seemed like home again when the four of us set to work on the cake. It would have done you a world of good to see how we enjoyed the cake, to say nothing of the cigarettes, cheese, and lollies etc. Well Mum I thank you very much for sending it, because its grand to get something nice from home. There was a bit more of my mail come in yesterday. I got 8 letters altogether, I have got 18 letters by this mail, so did not do bad. I got a letter from Miss Sherlock also one from Mollie and Winnie and a few more around. I also got one from Jim which I am answering tonight. By the way, Charlie got a cable the other night and it seems that I am an Uncle. It makes me feel a lot older. Well dear Mum, we are still out of the trenches, it’s a nice spot where we are now. Plenty of sport here, football and cricket being the main things. We had two good concerts here last week, and this week there is to be a sports meeting. Stewart Dabb and G Swainston are back from the hospital. Alex Duncan is in England, he got a pretty bad crack. Well dear Mum, how is Mologa getting on. I suppose its as quiet as ever. I believe Mrs Gamble gave old Joey a pretty rough time of it. Allan is not in the Lewis Gun Section now. He is in charge of another section so I may go in with him. So far, I am in with Percy and Charlie. Les Townsend is a Lance Corp … The mice still seem to be bad over in Australia. We have a few rats here at times and also a few chats. Its not uncommon to see a chap with his shirt off hunting for them. I have been lucky enough to dodge them so far. I got a bonzer shirt at the baths last week, that came from the Australian Comforts Fund. Hugh Martin and a lot more of the local boys are playing football at present. Bert Gibson was lucky getting a job at Cape Town. Did I tell you that Dave Hill from Calivil came over to see us the other night. He has had a pretty long go of it now … It would be nice over in England now. I’d like to be over there now on my four days leave. Well my dear Mother I have no more news so I will close this letter hoping you all are well as it leaves us all here at present, once again thanking you, dear mum for the bonza tin. I am
Your loving son
Albert
Writing to Jim, Albert describes with almost childish delight seeing the King for a second time, although he had managed only a fleeting glimpse. He also expresses the hope that he will one day have the opportunity to visit his relatives in Devon.
In the field
July 4th 1917
Dear Jim
…I also received the most welcome of all, the tin that Mum sent me. I received it two days [ago] and the cigarettes you sent me were very welcome. We had a good time with the cake. Charlie received his tin tonight. They are having sports here, they will last a day or two. Allan is in the Siamese race. Well Jim, the war news is getting a bit better lately, the Russians seem to be shaking Fritz up a bit. Allan got a letter from Geordie today, he was well. You seem to have had a good time in Bendigo. Everybody said the Easter Fair was very good. The photos ought to look very good. I had a letter from Flo today, she is sending me a photo. I had a nice long letter from my Auntie in Devon yesterday. It must be a very pretty place down where she lives. I hope to get down there some day. Well Jim, the King was travelling past this way yesterday, so a lot of us went out and lined the road as he went past, and gave him 3 cheers. But he went past that fast in his motor, that all we saw was a cloud of dust. That’s the second time I’ve seen him. We had some good concerts here last week. A couple of soldiers done up as tarts, they were got up well too …
Charlie wrote to thank his family for the parcel he had received:
Sunday
8th July 1917
My dear Mother, Father & Jim,
… I received your very nice parcel on Thursday and thank you very much for it, the things were very acceptable & the cake was very nice…We went for a walk yesterday and got some fruit but it is very dear over here cherries are the cheapest being about 10d a lb. I saw some peaches they wanted 10d each for them, grapes are worth about 3 francs an ordinary bunch (a franc is worth about 10) they are much cheaper in the south, as they are grown under glass in this part. I have not heard how Les Cant is getting on nor George Collison. I do not know their address or I would write to them, I wrote to Albert Sinclair but have not got an answer he must have shifted to another hospital or sailed for Australia, I think I told you before that he was in England. Geordie did not know how Amos or Ewin were when he wrote but he thought their wounds were slight …
As Charlie was writing, Allan was likewise penning a letter. It was Sunday and the boys, now in a rest area, had the luxury of time to reply to their welcome mail:
…Oh mum we do have such fun with the chats. They are brutes of things and very thick over here. I enjoy killing them but they take some catching. Everybody has them on them and it is funny to see the boys with their shirts off looking for the brutes. We are out of the trenches at present but will be back again in a few days. Tomorrow we hold our sports which out [ought] to break the monotony a little. Charlie got your parcel the [other] day which was bonzer. I got one from Auntie at Leicester the other day which was lovely. I often get letters from them all also Geordie. All are splendid. Charlie got a very surprising cable the [other] night. I believe we are all uncles now. I feel about 20 years older now…
Percy also put pen to paper. Within a couple of days the brothers knew they would be back in the line and opportunities to write would be few:
In the field
July 8th
My Dear Mother & Father
… we are still in the same place as we were last time I wrote, but I think we will be going in soon again. There is sports here, starting tomorrow they will be fairly good, it will be a change from drill. Charlie got your parcel the other day. The cake was real good, I must thank you very much for the cigarettes, they will be very handy. We are expecting a mail in soon, it’s a long time since we had a mail, I hope it comes before we go into the trenches, They are playing cricket here every night, some good games. Les Townsend has come back from his leave, he had a good time. They had a lot of the guns captured by the [censored] in one of the towns near here, there were a lot of Machine Guns. We had some rain today, it was Sunday, we had church parade in the morning. Well Mum the Russians are making a bit of a move now, they have taken a lot of prisoners. I will have to close now, as I have run out of news, which is very scarce just now, so I remain your loving son
Percy
HOLDING MESSINES
By mid-July the men of the 38th were back in the trenches ne
ar Messines holding the front they had won earlier in June. The battalion found cover from the elements and from German observation in the ruined homes of Messines, in the remains of German pillboxes and in makeshift shelters.4 From the precarious shelter of a dugout Allan took a moment to write to his mother of the warm weather and its effect on the rotting bodies of the dead that could not be recovered from no man’s land. He suggested that recent Allied success had effectively destroyed the might of the German forces; in his opinion, the war would soon be over.
In my little dugout
13-7-17
My Dear Mother,
Just another few lines to let you know that we are all well and hope you are the same. We are back in the trenches now and things are pretty lively at times. We are in the trenches what we took a little while ago. It is pretty warm weather here at present and the smell about here is not the best. Charlie got a letter from Geordie today. He is splendid and is out of trenches still. He is having a long run out. Mum I had stiff luck the other day. There was 8 Corporals and Sergeants nominated for an officer school at Oxford, England. In the finish there was only 2 of us left in. I happened to be away just at the time and the other chap got it. It was [a] 6 or 7 months school. I was wild with my self. Well dear mum the war is nearly finished now we absolutely got old Fritz stonkered. He is getting particular hell. Mum I sent you a parcel of souvenirs and I hope you get them alright I registered the parcel. In the letter you will find a little card and hanky. When we get out of the trenches I will send you something better. Well dear mum dad & Jim I will say goodbye for the present.
I remain
Your Loving Son
Allan
Allan rose early on the morning of 16 July. He dashed off a note to Jim as he made his preparations to leave for two weeks of training; as usual his war predictions had proven optimistic.