Letters from Harold Edward 'Pompey' Elliott to his wife, 1914 - Part 5

Conflict:
First World War, 1914–18
Subject:
  • Documents and letters
Status:
Awaiting approval
Accession number:
AWM2018.19.66
Difficulty:

Page 1 / 7

latee dearie I want you toke prond fore want to be woithy of you of you puide on me I would like todo homethheng great in the wart you dear me. Wou are my little lady love But I want to conl lack & see you & my sarling launies of so much & between the two I duinowhe are. That idry I want you topray good& lard fo me that Mr tday of tral I may thut out Aany mind all throught of you & of my weet ms I remember only my country my duty. It will belaid for you tak this my loved one but it is only by wet rachifices that our country can hrrive & it would be letter that you love me o iin the war than that we should lose the evar & you kay me. It is very very hard my t even to continulataly thought of mee meny you again yet who the lintones ere must lott play that when the lins come. I shall have no thought ofself but only fom whatere I may come But Iwill make you meserable thinking of this the day tefore yesterday a Turnaman mor &t hes wife came aut Camy He is ar elictucal engineer is tt Government knnice there. Hewise is an Englisherman who was a mure to c
t pospital hre when the narried him. Tey the has been here 12 years. We took them fo I apterno tea in o men & they were delighted. they lare insited iall t go outin untalients ttean Sundays n De Denchy mysll Capt Fain & M Ender are goin out after the Parode. Remember me to Lyn & the other Walken her is splended. He will be is the march tomorrow although generally he does not much out wilh the Regiment owing to the new joh I gave him as to has clencal wrk tods if can. I will try to tell you all about the Parade when I get lack tomorow night god llew key you my loect on my darling wed oner. The litter will fe v3 you lairs. The nail for churstratia closes at s0 a m. each Monday morning Monday morning 5.50 an Hereon I again love II am u hiight & early to finist thi letter to you. We had a breny nccessful porade yesterday my loys marched pludedly we left here at 5 o'clock & got int land dt 8 o'clock dhay. is it was me past
miles & the first four or five were de piltt darknens it in a very crediatl perpriance. At we lind the street par all the procemior pove which sows rather five but ae saw nothing of the cerenny of the toronation or of the prearnght of the Egyption mand which I believe was ter ingeming laton boys stood very steady I did well geerally but you old now had to port some of then andal including I think I rather a dtonisten him o has rever her sorted before. Byet way I am sending you a lopy. tr Pioclanation by which the Brihtt tken Khedise thne hultar of Sgppt kigg it for m as a curis I am sending also a packed of colored pltoof the Splime t it Pyramids to the Loll Daddie and a picture Book of Egypt for th hiette lady is they will know eda basns ppsst Men toomce t lose. Afe the Parade- Capo Maror, Lt Conder, L2 senchy & myself ment out to leaant m & this Vangton at as taluh of Caire called Natarich: near where the New realanden on campell. Thes is 90t
ont on the farther ride of Carro & or the nite of the ancient city of Helepoli called the City of om in the nable there ere saw a trell in which it was said thlaly child gions in bathed when the Holy Family gled into Egypt. It has fresh water in tall the nrrourdin will & the Catholic alcourt an brackis pot ty iijact Alongside a old Sycamore tree ender which they camped. Io point of fact however it said that this tree was only planted in 1625 but ias a cuttir from an older treon the mie a sit I wht died foldag ae one one net te then the young til in groves alogade hrom authrs chongnde in a leautiful little latholic lapel witt painting or the wall depecting the Varion seever gult on t drawere of the Innocenty th flight fo Egupt st Matuate is what nomble of the Yamby. He &over walter a Dorch not for anry nd rair the mostar scent monuvense of sgypt a buege grants Villar 7 jat square & 62 per high. It has atood the for $4000 years a nere before christ. cts it lase showed syn of crumbling it has been recetly shaythe by bard of gror. After in bangsseen sun all then mwent marey ad a good weas writ
t lopt tat fir tited yo ltle on it tack re muns tean it it Dear James Merda lor You will be pleased to 19 Dec that we am still holding our Thea end n we have ben rlected to represent the 2nd Jp Brigade tomorrow no cars of the occasino tho new Sltan Coronatio thee of tho other particularly the 5 Wanlers lot) ree rather buit about it & our fellows are potting it up at them They passed us today whilh ere were balted & th unnol chaff went on "day are you blokes comng into tor tomorrow uns o men greating Hut you reen very eocky that you nor the tooo up wo their reply Wy are greatly pertued by the niggers here Te follow the net out otty get then tobreak out on the lineI march & bf ypong futf rale I stopped our men doing it but they sill perterett then is yesterday I waned the me not to purchare but ihstead of clanny the migs away as usual I allved then to plear the regiment t the Maming ground. However ineart of halting as the uneal place I tok te Regiment away out o a long rout march & the
2 of the uw Khedin or hillar of Egypt tomorrow. Tommord is hurday for us but not for the people here Fridy is the nabmwedn Sunday oall the thop close or prisday morning sore open all day kudoy & evey ther day including friday afternon. They are ope prt about 7an until 10630011 every night & the Hotels etcane ot all night no foeloueace a any thin elve here. I am vory thed pror Mr Sith twulle but hope the a letterly now. If Bll nt left yet remember me to him & lettren we will be all glad the him stll her all thpeis are dunng out all right lacept going Herbi who I have made take the Pledge hre he will improve or conseynnnce giving gohintos I Lay ane two. the tat & are doing ppledidly the Boys are delighted to b pected for the exioation ceoird & were dlirong offat I are eclued Clnel Wanler o Ballile fir to thine the best Baler themelves and its we marched by them today our boys called out to them. chent you caming nto tim tomorrow? The 5t fel
amound back you nen pleased you orr the hers. makegout of course that ere triad up to with them for thyot instead of leng selected yor ment I am delighted. olear of the garded looking i me Dang o dongainvilles floming that lovely. You know I shall always be fod of tt old place. It was one very on wddnghing searie & sie lre it of only p that fut no dontt if you got a meettine hour that you delighted in I would roor like it juit as well Hon are a checky little brat takk in it I loe you- You we wther gave tdo wate I am with you. You lutte wthish i you would just to knok all away as thuoach mys Kate wipe I love you every tiug hit of you for you dear litte tres & you little not lego + sirces npo lovy body doun tende arm, that I'dlove be feel hound me the minuts & the little whtenenc that Id love to kin o Aitle chin & swreet long lip & dear bright runshine eyes I dear hitle curly ing- putate of you &every part- foe you its gustal my heart. my on lod wife the depr little mither of the moater well takn in to would my weet little mushine darligige That low I love you cleans one cr you content? I am glad you were plesed with what Lepse told you about H Bendigsperle 7

4
Katie dearie I want you to be proud of me & I
want to be worthy of you & of your pride in me. I
would like to do something great in this war for
you dear one. You are my little lady love. But
I want to come back & see you & my darling bairnies
oh so much & between the two I dunno where I
are. That's why I want you to pray good & hard

for me that on the day of trial I may shut out
of my mind all thought of you & of my
sweet ones & remember only my country &
my duty. It will be hard for you to ask
this my loved one, but it is only by each
sacrifices that our country can survive &
it would be better that you lose me & we

win this war than that we should lose the war

& you keep me. It is very very hard my

love even to contemplate the thought of never

seen you again yet when the time comes we
must both pray that when the time comes I

shall have no thought of self - but only

to win whatever It may come. But I will

make you miserable thinking of this

The day before yesterday a Tasmanian

man & his wife came into Camp

He is an Electrical Engineer in the

Government Service here. His wife is

an English woman who was a nurse
1 go to Back of p-2 -

 

5

@ at the Hospital here when she married

him. They She has been here 12

years. We took them in to afternoon

tea in the mess & they were delighted.

They have invited us all to go out in 

instalments to tea on Sundays. In a

Lieut Denchy myself Capt Mann & McLt Conder

are going out after the Parade.

Remember me to Lyn & the other Walkers

Ken is Splendid He will be in the

march tomorrow although generally 

he does not march out with the Regiment

owing to the new job I gave him as he has

clerical work to do in Camp. I will

try to tell you all about the Parade 

when I get back tomorrow night.

God bless & keep you my loved one &

my darling wee ones. This letter will be No 3

from Cairo. The mail for Australia closes at 10

a.m. each Monday morning

Monday morning 5.50 am. Here am

I again love. I am up bright & early

to finish this letter to you. We had

a very successful parade yesterday

My boys marched splendidly & we

left here at 5 o'clock & got into Cairo

at 8 o'clock sharp. As it was nine
Go to Back of p 1

 

6

miles & the first four or five were done in

pitch darkness it was a very creditable

performance. As we lined the street

we saw all the procession pass which was

rather fine but were saw nothing of the

ceremony of the Coronation or of the

Swearing in of the Egyptian Guard

which I believe was very impressive but our

boys stood very steady & did well generally

but your old man had to sort some of

them pretty xxx xxxxxx up including xxx

xxxxx. I think I rather astonished

him. He has never been sorted before. By the 

way kit I am sending you a copy of

the Proclamation by which the British sacked

the ^old Khedive & ^appointed the new Sultan of Egypt.

Keep it for me as a curio. I am sending

also a packet of colored photos of the Sphinx 

& the Pyramids to the Tree Laddie and

a picture Book of Egypt for the little

lady so they will know xxxx haven't

forgotten them. U wee sweet loves. After

the Parade Capt Mason, Lt Conder, Lt

Denchy & myself went out to tea with

Mr & Mrs Vaughan at at suburb of Cairo

called "Matarich". near where the New

Zealanders are camped. This is
Go to Back of A p 7

 

7

out on the farther side of Cairo &

on the site of the ancient city of Heliopolis

called the city of "Om" in the Bible. There

we saw a well in which it was said

the baby child Jesus is bathed when the

Holy Family fled into Egypt. It has

fresh water in & all the surrounding wells

an brackish & the Catholics account

for it by this fact. Alongside is an 

old Sycamore tree under which they

camped. In point of fact however it is

said that this tree was only planted in

1675 but is a cutting from an older

tree in the same sig site which died of old age

The present one is nearly dead but a fine

young tree is growing alongside from a cutting

Alongside is a beautiful little Catholic

Chapel with painting on the walls depicting

the various scenes such as the Massacre of the

Innocents, the flight from Egypt etc

& over the alter a lovely group of Statuary

in white marble of the holy Holy Family. Then

not far away we saw the most ancient

Pillar 7 feet Square & 67 feet high. It

has stood there for 4000 years or more

before Christ. As its base showed signs of

crumbling it has been recently strengthened

by bands of iron:. After Mr Vaughan

had showed us all these sites sights we went

home & had a good tea with

[*Mrs Vaughan and met several other English people

All very nice. Well must close up now. My xxxx
much love. millions of love & kisses  from  xxx Daddy *]

 

Dear Katie The underwritten was a letter I started to Capt Kyle
but finished your letter on the back so must tear it up
Mena Cairy
19 Dec.
Dear James
You will be pleased to
hear that we are still holding our
end up We had been selected to
represent the 2nd Inf. Brigade tomorrow
at Cairo on the occasion of the new
Sultan's Coronation. Some of the others
particularly the 5th (Wanliss lot) seem
rather bent about it - & our fellows are
poking it up at them. They passed us today
while we were halted & the usual chaff went
on. "Say are you blokes coming into town
tomorrow - was our men's greeting."
"Huh - you seem very cocky that you won
the toss up" was their reply -
We are greatly pestered by the niggers
here. The follow the men out & they
get them to check out on the line of
march & by offering fruit for sale. I
stopped our men doing it but they still
pestered them so yesterday I warned the
men not to purchase but instead of chasing
the nigs away as usual I allowed them
to follow the Regiment to the training
ground. However instead of halting at
the usual place I took the Regiment
away out in a long route march & then

 

2
of the new Khedive or Sultan of Egypt.
tomorrow. Tomorrow is Sunday for
us but not for the people here. Friday
is the Mahommedan Sunday & all the
shops close on Friday morning & are
open all day Sunday & every other day
including Friday afternoon. They are
open from about 7 am until 10-30 & 11
every night & the Hotels etc are
open all night. No factories ect
or any thing else here. I am sorry
to hear of poor Mrs Smith trouble
but hope she is better by now. If Bob has
not left yet remember me to him &
tell him we will be all glad to see
him. tell him all the officers are turning
out all right except young Heron
who I have made take the Pledge in
hope he will improve in consequence
giving Johnston & Leigh the two of
the best & are doing splendidly The
Boys are delighted to be selected for the
coronation crowd & were slinging off at the
5th Colonel Wanliss Battalion also xxx are inclined
^to think themselves no end the best Pratts. As we marched by them
Today our boys called out to them. Aren't
you coming into town tomorrow? The 5th fellows

 

 3
answered back "You seem pleased you
won the Toss" Making out of course that
we tossed up for with them for the job
instead of being selected for Merit. I am
delighted to hear of the Garden looking so nice
Fancy ^and the Bougainvillea flowering. That is
lovely. You know I shall always be fond of the
old place. It was our very own wedding home
dearie & I will love it if only for that but
no doubt if you got a sweet time house
that you delighted in I would soon like it
just as well. You are a cheeky little brat to ask me
if I love you - You are never game to do so when
I am with you! You l[[talk]] rubbish & you would
just be Kissed all away as [[?]] says -
Katie Wife I love you - every tiny bit of you for
your dear little toes & your little soft legs & sweet
soft lovely body & dear tender arms that I'd love to
feel round me this minute & the little [[whitenesses?]] that
I'd love to kiss & little chin & sweet loving lips & dear
bright sunshine eyes & dear little curly wig - just all 
of you & every part - Love you with just all my heart -
my own loved wife - the dear little mother of the sweetest
wee bairns in The World - my sweet little sunshine
darling wife. Thats love I love you dearest one
Are you content? I am glad you were pleased
with what Lizzie told you about the Bendigo people
P.T.O 

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