Letters from Harold Edward 'Pompey' Elliott to his family January 1915 - May 1915 - Part 6

3
I hope you will like them as well. You dear
old girl. Your delight when your old man
gives you any little old thing is just lovely
for him & tempts him to spend all his spare
cash in buying things for the wee home. I hope ^and that they
all get home safely. I havent posted them yet as I
hope to get some stuff for a white silk & camel hair
frock for you one of these days & I will send the
lot together. I was most tempted to buy an
Egyptian or Turkish tea set of the same workmanship
as the vases but they are rather expensive & the
cups are tiny little one smaller than egg cups
& are without handles. They would be useless except
for the intensely strong black coffee they drink here
& would be merely an ornament. Major McNichol
bought one set & sent to his wife. I am anxiously
awaiting news of the arrival of the silk shawl etc
I sent you. I do hope you like it. But you are
such a darling that you are sure to tell me
it was the loveliest in the world even if it was
not a bit nice. I must say though that it
makes it just lovely to give you things. So you
must not give me too much credit for kindness
my little pal. I wouldnt change the tiniest little bit of
you or any of your sweet loving little ways for all
the world & only trust that my little ones will have
PTO
[*2DRL/0513*]

4
even a small share of their mother's charm & grace.
I love to think of every little smile & kiss you gave
me dearest. It is very sweet when you are far away
to think that some one loves you so truly & well & is
watching & waiting for news of you. There is
a rumor that another mail will arrive today.
I hope this is true for I am sure of a letter from ^you
my darling little true heart who never fails to
send one to me. We were told last night that we
will be leaving Egypt very shortly now.
The 3^rd Brigade i.e. West Australians Tasmanians
& South Australians are to leave camp on Saturday
to Embark at Alexandria & our Brigade early 
next week. But our destination after leaving
Alexandria is not stated. Everybody hopes it
will be France but it is thought it may be
Syria or even Turkey especially as the
British Fleet is now bombarding the Turkish
Forts in the Dardanelles. Whatever our
destination however it is probable that we
shall soon see some real service now
& I expect then that just as at Ismailia our
letter writing will be cut down to the official
postcard allowed. Well darling Katie
I must say goodbye for the time being. I wish I  had
you here now to say goodbye to you properly. Just shut
your dear bright eyes & imagine you are here with
me with my arms around you. Now I lift up your
little chin & kiss the sweet lips that love me & kiss your
bright eyes & little soft cheeks & your chin & back
again to the dear lips - There now was that a nice goodbye
darling love. I will soon be back dearie so try &
not be too lonely & sad my pet. You must try
[*to be looking so good & bright & fresh & well that Dida
will fall in love with you all over again & want to hold you tight
straight away. But I will love you just the same however you are for [[?]]
are my Katie. The dearest sweetest & best little wife that anyone could have
God bless & keep you my darling*]

(5)
29/2/14
Dearest love Here I am again. The latest news is that
we are leaving here next Thursday but where we are
going after getting on Board ship at Alexandria is
still much in doubt. There are all sorts of rumors
Jaffa in Syria has been mentioned - so that we may
take the Turkish Forces still threatening Egypt
in [[?]]. Constantinople so as to threaten the
very heart of Turkey. Alexandreatta in northern
Syria. Marsailles in France & even Persia have
been mentioned as possible destinations. I myself
think the choice lies between Jaffa & Constantinople
but have no definite ground upon which to have
my choice except the general military situation.
It would be most important for Russia and the
Allies generally to free the Dardanelles & get an
outlet for the Russian wheat ships.
You must still continue to address your
letters to the same address which will find us
where ever we may be.
To day is a horrid dusty day & the wind
is shaking the tent so that my table is
continuously trembling. Hence my writing
will be even worse than usual but
you won't mind that I know. Oh I forgot
to say that I got two letters from you
one dated the 27^th Jan & one the 17^th Jan Also
a letter from Lyn with snap shots of the ^children wee
pets at the Beach.

6
One of your had the pcard in from the wee sets children
You give them a kiss from xxx Daddy for sending it. I was
delighted to hear that Jack is with you and that he likes
the wee pets children so much. I hope the new cure does benefit
Nana Grandmas rheumatism. I suppose ? Foge will have left you
before you receive this. I am anxious to know how she
likes the wee ones too. I am enclosing a copl couple
more sn snap shots. You can see I am still "Hale &
Stout" All my officers are well again. I have just
had Capts. Blezard & Jackson made Majors & all
the 2^nd Lieutenants made 1^st Lieutenants. I am sending
back to Australia this week three of four water wasters I
am sick & tired of punishing & who are of no manner
of use at all. Unfortunately I am sending a number
of others who have developed serious illness.
A couple of the men going back who live at
Northcote have promised to go & see you. One is
Sergt Hoad who I am sorry to lose another
belongs to the 5th Regiment but knew me at 
Stawell. He was a good chap I believe.
Perhaps some of the wasters may find out your
address & come & try to sponge on you. If so
be sure who they are & then act accordingly -
One fellow named Smart is a real bad egg
them Field & Hewett are nearly as bad. 
Sandford's only fault is that he gets rolling drunk
tight about every second night & wants to fight
all & sundry. In every single case however

[*2 DRL/0513*]
drink is at the ? Bottom of their trouble. In some
regiments men have been convicted of criminal matters 
such as stealing. One man went into a jewellers shop
& tried to make off with a tray of rings but was caught
But all mine I am glad to say are offences such as
drunkedness & resisting the Guard or trying to
escape. Two got six months for striking Sergt
Hadd & on got 12 months for trying to desert
He got into plain clothes & took a job in Cairo
& was arranging for a passport to leave the Country
when he was caught.
Well darling Katie I dont think there is much
more news to tell. Ken Walker is well & happy &
his Captain & officers are very well pleased
with him. He will probably be Sergeant 
one of these days & perhaps an officer before
he comes home. Miss Rogers brother had not
however been a success. He got drunk a week
or so back & lost his two stripes & is back in the ranks
now & as he is not very good at his drill he
will be some time getting a start again. He is 
however a very good shot & this may help 
him later on. It is very awkward I had a 
letter from Miss Rogers asking when I was
going to make her brother a full Corporal
I have not replied yet. Well my own true
darling pet. I will close now with heaps of love & kisses
to you & everybody of your little family. Love to Barty & Nana
& Jack. Your [[affect]] husband
Dida Donny.
[*P.S. A man of mine from Footscray
was knocked down by a tram in Cairo 
& killed. His name was Martin. A very good
man. It is very sad.

Mena Camp
Egypt
3/3/15
My dearest wife
Here I am again. It
is Wednesday a lovely day & we are
having a holiday. As however I was up until
after one o'clock in the morning on Tuesday Monday &
last night I propose to take the holiday
in having a sleep.  I suppose you were surprised
but I hope not alarmed by my wire to Mr Roberts
to send me £35 to get a cheque from you to come up
Its a matter of fact a week or so back when we did
we would be moving so soon. I chose some 
pretty things for you from a man in town intending
to pay him as my pay came due. However this
move came on & as I don't think we will be here after
this week I became anxious to pay all my debts
here before leaving.  I hope you will like the dress
stuffs & wont think it was extravagant of me.
I will send you back the money as soon as possible
so as to help to keep the your old black book respectable
darling. I did wont wanted to send you some really
nice pretty stuff for your a frock. You poor old darling
you have not had much so far. The kind 
of silk ^sent is so I understand practically
unobtainable outside of Egypt is wonderfully
lasting but you have to be careful about
washing it as I understand it shrinks.
At least Mrs Milne said so to me.

2
There is nothing much to tell you. I have had
Capt. Jackson & Blezard made Majors & they are
very pleased of course about it. The 3^rd Brigade
got off all right. The went to Alexandria
& were packed like sardines on a troopship
without any hammocks & packed off. Where
they went we do not know but I thinnk it
can only be a few days sail otherwise
their health would suffer packed together like in 
that ^manner. Hence we are expecting to land in
Syria or Turkey or thereabouts very soon
after we have leave here. We are told to have
everything in readiness to leave here
on a few hours notice. We are also told
that after we leave here there will be a
very strict censorship & you wont be
able to learn where we are but we will
be able to let you know we are well etc
so that you need not worry. But I wont
be able to make love to you then old lady. To tell
you how I love my own sweet darling wife & how
I miss her. But you will know my precious
pet that I am always thinking of & of
of our little darling pets ^ones & wanting
to do something to make you proud of
me & glad I belong to you. [[?]] And you will
love me always my darling wont you. Your

Omit. 3 P.T.O

love is precious to me little wife. You are so
much my very own - my dear little true pal - my precious
little wife. Just all mine & no one else. My dearest
truest possession. All my heart calls out to you
sometimes when I have time to stop & think of you
Katie darling I want you to know that if anything
happens to me - that you were my true love - that
I was perfectly satisfied with you as my wife. If I was ever
cross & nasty & horrid to you darling at any time
during our five wedded years it was not because I
did not love you or that you did not satisfy me or make
me happier than every or any other woman in the 
world could have done but just my own contrariness
You must know and tell my bairnies that Dida loved Mum
& thought she was the best & sweetest wife in all the world
& Dida asked them to be so good & obedient to her always
& to make up for Dida being nasty sometimes. But I
wasnt nasty always was I dearie. I was good & loving to you
too & I am greatly comforted by the thought now that
you too were happy with me for those years. Katie darling
love it is very sweet for me to feel that you were
happy with me & my bairnies. I am so glad. You had
a sore trial to bring them into the world but oh Katie they
will reward you with much love. I am delighted that 
the laddie is so good & obedient to his little [[?]]
- the dear wee laddie. Some day he will look after you
like a little man. My own sweet love - What can I say
or do to make you know & realise that I love & reverence you.

4
You are one of the sweetest & truest women that ever lived that the more I lived with you & the more I saw of you the greater 
was my respect & love for you & the more I desired to win
your good opinion & your love. My dear little sweet lady
let all your loving tender heart come back to me in return
Your love is precious to me Katie. No matter what happens
to me whether praise or blame comes to me for the handling of this Regiment
in Peace or in War the only think I truly desire to gain fro it
is my little wife's "Well done."  This absence from you will I think
improve me from your point of view dearie - perhaps not in some
ways - but it has at least taught me how dear you are
to me & how welcome it would be to see your sweet face once
more & have your dear arms around me.  If every you 
read in the papers that my boys have done well you will
know that I am pleased not for the reputation or praise it
will gain me but because I will say that will raise me
a little even the tiniest little in my dear sweet wife's estimation
& perhaps make her love me & want me back more than ever
It is very selfish & mean of me Kit dear but its cheers & makes
me happy to think of you wanting me back with you &
waiting with loving arms ready for me. Little darling true
wife God bless & keep you safe for me - What a meeting
there will be. Oh my love just think of it. Just think
of you and the wee pets waiting for "Dida home" & then
Dida coming in. Can you imagine whatever would
happen. I think sure enough some one would
be hugged most nigh to death. Well old

sweet wife when you just get silly old postcards
from nowhere of no date telling you I am well or ill
you must just take out this letter & read it
over & know that some where & at that very time
when you are reading Dida is & is thinking still
all that he has told you of in this letter. That he will
never change. That he has no pleasure in looking at or being with any
woman in the world but yourself or any desire for them. What more
can tempt him now for the memory of you puts all other thoughts
out of his mind.  I wish all our boys had the memory of a
good true sweet little woman wife like you waiting at home
for them. It would keep them straight. Not that I want
to complain of my boys. Taking all the temptations they
have had thrust before them here they have done
wonderfully well. Day after day they toil through
heavy mud up to their Boot tops & double over it
in their heavy Kit & the Sand gets into & dirties their
rifles every few minutes. But you never hear a grumble
from one of them. Now about half a dozen of them 
have just about gone to the dogs altogether but it is only
indulgence in drink that has brought their downfall
They are good fellows enough at heart & with very very
few exceptions. Think of what Collingwood would
be like if hawkers with with hand barrows were allowed
to sell drink in the streets without any licence or
other restrictions free to make any filthy mixture & sell
it for drink. Half And about a penny a glass. Half
the place would be in delerium tremens in no time.