Letter from H G Kilby to the Editor of the Sydney Morning Herald

Wybalena Rd
Hunters Hill . 12 June 1916
The Editor
Sydney Morning Herald.
Sir.
I enclose a letter forwarded to me by last Mail.
If you think it of sufficent interest. you are at liberty
to publish it. only please leave out the names.
Yours faithfully -
H. G. Kilby
 

Barratt

PR82/8
Lowestoft, May 1st 1916.
Monday afternoon.
Dear Mr. Barratt,
Many thanks for P.c. and once again our little town
has come out more than fortunate in such a small loss of life.
It was a very exciting night as the bees had been buzzing
about, and the guns had been doing their duty, and at times we
could distinctly hear them dropping the Easter eggs. At 3 a.m.,
all was quiet so I went to bed, and at 4.15 a.m., I was soon awake,
and in a few minutes it seemed as though the town would soon be a
mass of ruins, and the shells fairly whistled overhead. We had a
fair share in this road. I made haste and had my crew under the
table on the lower decks and smothered plenty of bed clothes over
and around them and must say they were all really good, and did
exactly as I told them. The children were not in the least
frightened, so in a very short time I was able to try and help
those who did not come off quite so fortunately. One piece of
shell, 34 lbs, was picked up just outside my back that had gone

right through one of my neighbour's houses. The factory was not
hit. One piece went through the church at the top of the road.
Opposite me and just below it was fairly bad. Some of the shells
were picked up that did not explode, 12 inches, and the  Mayor told
me that it was estimated they weighed half a ton each.
It has been a very pitiful sight here since to see the
poor people who cannot afford to go out by train pushing the prams
with food and a few clothes to go outside the town and sleep with
the children in fields and on the roadside. it is estimated that

7,000 to 8,000 have left the town this last few days. I do hope
we shall soon be able to stem this tide, but I cannot help saying
that I should myself feel much happier if my wife would go away
with the family, but they refuse to go without me, and my place
is here as long as there is trouble about. Even if we cannot do
any good, we are doing the best we can, and if they let us alone
for a few nights we shall soon get the people back again. About
200 houses were hit, some slightly, and damage is estimated at
about £50,000, but that is nothing compared to the shock to the
people.
I am more than glad that you allowed all the recipients
of the Adelaide Fund to go on again, as even if people have just
enough to live on, how much nicer it must be to be able to get a 
little extra in times like these.
With kind regards from us all,
Ever yours,
W.J.H.