ANZAC Sons
Page 43
Two days prior, Percy had presented with enlarged glands. He was now on his way to St Omer General Hospital in the north-west of France on the railway line to Calais. He would be isolated with mumps and would not rejoin the unit until 10 August. Albert and Charlie remained together holding the front line at Messines.
In the field
16-7-17
Dear Old Jim
Just a few lines to let you know that we are all well and hope you are the same. We are having lovely weather and are in the trenches at present. All the other boys are in bed yet, but I had to get up early as I am going away for a school for a fortnight. It will do me. Well Jim I think I will get my blighty leave soon wont that be bon. Things are pretty lively at present well plenty live enough. I think we have old Fritz stonkered. The Russians are doing splendid work now. I would like to see what the Age or Argus says about it. Harry Street was wounded the other night but not badly. He is lucky. I often wonder what old Mologa is like she must be pretty quiet now but I suppose you hit up a pretty fair time. I heard that your old girl Chrissie was going to be married. Jim how did you come to let that happen. Well Jim what do you think we are all Uncles now. Charlie got the cable about a week ago. I could have laughed at myself being an uncle. Oh well such as things do happen, we always look for the best. I had a letter from Geordie the other night he is splendid and is still out of the trenches. We will make a final dash one of these days I think, I hope so. I [will] enjoy meeting him face to face. Well Jim I think I have told you all the news so I will close with best love to all. I must have some breakfast (Bacon, bread and tea) and then get away. Hurray
I remain
Your Loving Bro
Uncle Allan
I hope you get the souvenirs
Tell mum we will be home for next easter
The war is going to end in November
Albert also wrote home on the same day hopeful of seeing George who had now received word that his unit would be moving north to take part in the coming offensive, the Third Battle of Ypres. Albert’s letter, written as he rested the paper on his knee, is mud-stained and covered in a fine dust which still rises from its surface.
The Trenches
Belgium
July 16th
My dear Mother, Father & Jim
Just a few lines to say I am quite well, and hope you all are the same. We have just come into the trenches again. We were out for over a month and had a good spell while we were out. We have been in three days now, it is a fairly quiet spot where we are. Geordie wrote to us yesterday he was still out of the trenches, and was quite well. He thought he may be coming over this way shortly, so we may see him soon. There hasn’t been any Australian mail in for some time now, but I have had a few letters from England lately. Some of our mails home were sunk. The letters that were written between the 23rd and the 31st of May were the ones lost. Well Mum Harry Street was wounded two days ago, but I don’t think it was a serious wound. I heard that he got hit in the elbow. Jimmy O’Hare the chap that used to be in Pyramid, came up to trenches for the first time this week. He was fooling about with a German Grenade and it exploded and gave him a nasty hit in the leg. I believe he was badly wounded. We are having a fairly good time since we’ve been in. It is grand weather here at present, we had some rain a few day ago. The new potatoes are in here now, so it seems like home to get some new spuds. A nice piece of mutton would be very acceptable. Well dear Mother, I am sending you a card in this letter. I hope you get it alright. I hope you can read this scribble as I am writing it on my knee. There is very little news here. Hoping this finds you all in the best of health, as it leaves us all here at present. I will say tata with love to all,
from your loving son & brother
Albert
With thoughts of new potatoes and a nice piece of mutton, Albert tucked his pencilled and dusty letter into his coat pocket and went about his duties as the war thundered on around him: standing to as the sun rose and set, mounting gas guard, shoring up trenches, listening for the distinctive sounds of enemy shells, hunting the endless ‘chats’ that burrowed into clothing seams and caused constant irritation. He had been on the Western Front for close to two months and was used to the routine.
The following day, on the afternoon of 17 July, a German artillery burst sent the troops diving for cover. Albert was positioned in the support lines in a dugout serving as company headquarters with Lieutenants Abbey and Wyndham and Sergeants Onians and Cunningham. The last shell of the volley was accurately sighted. The dugout in which the men sheltered took a direct hit. All five men were killed instantly. The life of Albert, the youngest son of Charles and Sarah, had abruptly ended at the age of 19.
Just 100 metres away, Charlie rushed through the shellfire to dig out his youngest brother. There was nothing he could do, no chance to console or reassure, no chance to say goodbye. After just 11 weeks on the Western Front the last son to reach the battlefields had made the greatest sacrifice.
Charlie searched Albert’s pockets, removing his final letters, including the one he had written just the day before. Charlie would ensure that the family received his final words. He watched as Albert’s body was placed on a stretcher to be carried from the front line, then on to a cart heading to Neuve Eglise, some five or six kilometres to the rear. It was then Charlie’s task to tell George, Allan and Percy and to write home with the tragic news. Struggling with his own grief and aware that the family will have received the dreaded telegram long before his letter reached them, he tried to find some words of consolation:
In the field
July 17th 1917
My Dear Mother, Father & Jim,
I suppose long before this reaches you you will have received the sad news of Albert being killed we came in to the trenches last Thursday and I believe are to go out on Friday next, and today between 1.45 pm and 2.25 the Germans were shelling us it was not in the front line but what is called supports. Albert was on gas guard near our company office I was about 5 chains away from him at the time in my dugout Albert and two officers and two sergeants were taking shelter behind a big dugout when a shell came over and killed the lot of them instantly, a sergeant came and told me Albert was gone and I went to him as quick as I could but he was dead and they had him on a stretcher. Joe Reed helped to carry him out, he was killed instantly as I said before and knew nothing. I know it will be a hard blow to you as it is to me, Allan went away this morning to a military school at about 8 oclock and will be there for about 12 days. Percy had a lump come up on his jaw like mumps and the doctor sent him to the hospital about 2 days ago, I have just wrote and told them I expect Percy back next week I have wrote to them all in England and wrote to Geordie, poor Albert’s watch was broken he had his coat off at the time there was a letter in it addressed to you and one to Myrtle Stone I am sending them on there is also a card for mother I got all his things and his money he has been paid by the military the sum of £23/14/5 and up to the 30th June he had £25/8/- which left a balance of £1-13-7 which the military owed him on the 30th June. I cannot realise that he is gone but we will feel it, and will miss him very much, it is hard luck to be killed so far back from the front line which is about 2 1/2 miles away from here and only his second time under fire I know it is doubly hard on you so far away and to us here it is a hard blow under the circumstances I do not know where they will be buried but I think it will be near here, up to the present they have not buried them but I think it will be this evening they take great care of every man’s grave and place a nice cross over it with the name and number and battalion etc. it is near where we made the push I cannot tell you the name of the place or country but I think you will know. I am writing a few lines to Pearl and will put them in with this so will you send them on to her as I have not got many of these envelopes Albert and I used to always sleep together and go out together I can tell you I will miss him very much I will keep whatever things I can of his for you and I think Allan will get leave to England shortly so will eith
er leave them at auntie’s or send them home. I suppose you will think this letter is never coming but I can’t write somehow I will try and write you a line on Sunday I can guess how you will all feel at home and I can tell you we all share in your grief of our sad and sudden loss and I trust the rest of us will be spared to come home once again, you will be comforted to know that he died without pain and had no fear of shells or bullets, he died doing his duty to his country. I will say goodbye for this time there is nothing that I can say I know, that would relieve you of the awful blow, but let us hope that the rest of us will soon be home again, so goodbye with love to you all
I will remain your loving son and brother Charlie E Marlow
The next day Charlie’s grief was further compounded. Despite desperate efforts to reach the cemetery in time for the funeral, he missed the little service and Albert’s burial took place without him. He had promised to take care of Albert but had been powerless to keep his promise — now he had missed the final farewell.
18th July 1917
My Dear Mother,
I have just got back from Albert’s grave he was buried this morning at 11.30, of course being in the line it is hard to get leave at any rate I managed to get leave to the cemetery I hurried as much as I could but the Chaplain had just finished the service and had gone but there were 7 of our officers still there one of them was Mr Bowden who was officer in charge of the Coy that Albert was in. I went to his grave and the men had just started to fill it in the cemetery is well out of the reach of the shells and there are a lot of Australians buried there, they are all buried in a row and each man by himself, it is a nice little cemetery and will eventually be fenced off and well cared for, the English Government put a small cross over each man but very plain, so I thought I would have a nice one made and have it erected, I tried the pioneers and several others but did no good so then I decided I would wait till we came out which will be on Friday, and on my way back I called to see the Chaplain about it and he told me that our brigade has a special cross made and will allow no other to be erected he said it is a special cross made like [drawing] it stands about 3 feet high and is about 2 feet wide with full name number battalion and date of death I will be able to see it when it is put up the chaplain said there may be a chance of getting a photo taken but that is very hard as no soldier is allowed to take photos. Captain Chaplain Hayden was the minister who buried Albert, he belongs to the C of E and is attached to our battalion, he is going to write to you with regard to the name of the place it is Kandahar Farm British Cemetery and is about 1 mile from Neuve Eglise I am not sure if that is the correct way to spell it but I will make certain later, Albert was killed about 1 mile north of Messines and was taken back last night to the cemetery which as I said before was near Neuve Eglise which is about 4 or 5 miles from Ballieul (I am not sure of the spelling but will find out) that place you will find on the map, and it is in Belgium the grave run as follows Lt Wyndham, Lt Abbey, Sgt Onains, Albert, Sgt Cunningham first 2 officers 1 sergeant Albert and then another sergeant, I sent word to Geordie today also to Al and Percy it was hard Al or Percy not being able to see him but I am going to see them if I can on Saturday. Well Mother I have told you as much as I could about poor Albert and I feel it very much I am on my own at present, but poor fellow he died without pain in fact they all did, Mr Bowden the Lieutenant that brought Albert over told me that he was a good boy and always did his best, he said he was sorry for you and told me to tell you that he was given a good and proper funeral and buried with military honours there were 7 officers there including Major Hurry 2nd in command of the battalion and Mr Bowden, he has just joined us and so far has only been up in the line for an hour or so, when I was in Bendigo I was in his company and when I went out today he knew me at once. Well mother I will draw to a close for this time I will write again on Sunday. I can tell you I share with you the loss of our dear Albert. Enclosed is a note to Pearl you will send it to her, I will say goodbye to you all with love and best wishes I will remain
Your Loving Son
Charlie E
18.7.17
Dear Mrs Marlow
It is with the greatest regret that I write because it is to offer our deep sympathy in the sad loss of your son. It seems so hard when you have four sons at the front & your anxiety cannot be realized by us who are in it. Your son was in a dugout which was hit direct by a big shell & it killed and buried five men. We have been subjected to severe bombardment during the past week and I am sorry to say yesterday one shell snatched from us two officers, two sergeants & your boy who were taking refuge from flying fragments of shell. It is the most awful calamity which has befallen us since we came to France. Accept the sympathy of us all in this your sad bereavement. What else can we offer? We also express our determination to go on & revenge the death of our mates & your son which this war has so cruelly taken from you. He was a good brave lad & is sadly missed by all who knew him. Your other boys are feeling the loss but taking it bravely.
I beg to remain
Yours Respectfully
RW Gollan Lieut
Long before Charlie’s letters arrived at Mologa, the cable from AIF Headquarters in London reached Albert’s parents. It was dated 26 July; records indicate that confirmation of the cable was received by Headquarters from Mologa on 30 July. Charlie’s letter may not have reached the farm for another four or five weeks. It would be four days before Charlie was able to make the long trek to find Allan, still training behind the line, to break the devastating news. George received Charlie’s letter the same day; four days later Percy was also to hear of the loss of his youngest brother.
George wrote to his family and, while clearly distressed, he also appears almost emotionally disconnected. He had survived Pozieres and Second Bullecourt. He had been on the front long enough to expect that such news was likely at any time. All the brothers could hope in the future was that luck would be on their side.
France
July 22nd 1917
My Dear Mother, Father and Brother
I suppose long before this letter reaches you, you will have heard of the sad news about Albert being killed I got word from Charlie yesterday saying that he was killed on the 17 of this month it was a terrible shock to me when I opened the letter he was doing gas guard on the company headquarters when the germans started shelling and one killed him outright Charlie said he was not far away and a sergeant came and told him but when he got there he was dead, it is very hard on us all but we must cheer up and hope for the best. He had just joined them up before that big fight in Belguim and was in it, Charlie said he was very game, so cheer up he has died a hero and not a coward. I am glad I met him while on leave I didn’t think that would be the last time I would see him. Well Dear Parents and Brother it is very hard on us all but it is no use being down on it as it wont improve matters but we must hope for better luck in future well dear Mother Father and Brother I will now close hoping all are well.
I remain
Your Loving Son
George
I cant write any more you will quite understand why. Geo
Two days after he wrote, on 24 July, George left the horrors of Pozieres and Bullecourt behind him to deal with the personal tragedy that had now traumatised his family. A train took the 2nd Brigade to Caestre in northern France and, following a lengthy march, they reached their billets close to the village of Sainte-Marie-Cappell, seven kilometres north of the rail junction of Hazebrouck. Other than his brief meeting with Albert in England, this was the closest George had been to his brothers since he had left Australia’s shores. Determined to find his brothers as soon as possible and personally farewell his youngest brother, George had written the details of Albert’s burial in his notebook:
July 18th at 11.30am
“Kandahar Farm”
British Cemetery
Neuve Eglise
Allan wrote home to console his family and to reassure them that there was honour in the loss of their son and brother.
For the first time he addresses his letter to his ‘Darling Mother’ and, despite including his father and Jim as recipients, the letter is truly written to his mother alone.
In the field
22.7.1917
My Darling Mother, Father & Brother
It is with the greatest sorrow that I have to write you this letter. It absolutely breaks my heart everytime I think of it, and it is how poor Albert was killed. No doubt you will have heard that he was killed but that would be all. Well mum it was on the same ground as what we took some little time back and in which he took part in. And on this particular sector the artillery is very active, and at times you would wonder how it was possible for a man to live. The lads [are] having a rough time, and we must expect some one to go, and dear Albert along with 2 officers & 2 sergeants were the unfortunate ones to fall from the explosion of one shell. He was on gas guard at our company office not up in the front line but in support. Fritz had been shelling the trenches pretty heavy. A shell came and killed him by concussion. The boys tell me he was not hit at all. Concussion from a shell kills one instantly. Dear mum there is one thing we will never forget and that is that he was one that played a great part in the taking of M - which we got a week or two ago. This ground on 3 previous occasions was taken by other troops but lost again and dear mum we are one of the overseas troops that help to capture it and to day we hold it. In that battle which was actually the first one he had been in, he played the part of a good soldier. Dear Mum I had just gone away to a school that morning at which I am now and I only knew yesterday (Sunday) that dear Albert was killed. Charlie came down and told me. Mum I could have died and went back with Charlie and we went up to the cemetery and I saw dear Albert’s grave. Charlie told me he got buried with full military honors and he is buried in a very pretty place. Dear Mum I know it is hard on us all, but do try and look at it on the bright side. Mother try & forget it and don’t worry as I think we will be home soon. Dear Mum things are very lively here and we must expect some to go. Well dear mum Percy is away in the hospital with mumps he will have a lovely time because they are not serious illness. We had a letter from him and he is getting on well. We have absolutely everything of dear Albert’s. I go back to the battalion to morrow I have had a lovely time here. I believe we are getting our blighty leave soon and it will be a few days rest for us. Well dear mum, dad & Jim I think I will close with best love to all.