Letters from Harold Edward 'Pompey' Elliott to his family, June - December 1915 - Part 15

15
And How is Mrs Cruickshank these days & Lil
Has her man volunteered yet? I suppose Mrs
C wouldn't let him. And Vera has she a man yet - 
with all her charms? And Minnie & Annie how
are they. I did not get Mr Trowbridges letter yet
I expect he didn't write. Have he & Clara made
up at all yet. What a million questions I should
ask you if I could pop down alongside of you for a minute
or two.
21^st Sunday. I have found out  from the Steward why our ports
are kept closed during the day. The reason is that if we
were struck by a torpedo on one side the ship might list over
& of course everyone would hurry away on deck & not stop
to close the ports. Then if they remained open the water
would rush in & fill her up ever so quickly & sink the
ship. So therefore they are to be kept closed which makes it
close & uncomfortable in the cabins & saloon. It is still

bright warm weather in deck-dorm here it might well

be the middle of the night with all lights blaring. Nothing

fresh in the way of news except that it looks surely as if we 

could arrive at our destination tomorrow as we have
had official postcards distributed in which it states that 

we arrived at our destination safely on Monday 22^nd Nov

Thats a joke if the Germans were to catch us after all

It seems tempting Providence.

16

highly much I do Some time be sure and send me another
packet of this nice thin paper. I have Baaby's gift but each
sheet is a separate envelope & that may do for her but I
like to write longer ones than that to ∧you my Pet cause you know
I love her & its hard always to say Goodbye or [[?]] I start. Where there

is no never. I just have to be with [[?]] things & other things that I could

sometimes is to talk to you about when you and I were all alone & together

my little Katie girl. I am a big [[?]]  old [[?]] in lots of  ways but

I do love my little Katie & my wee bairnies. I love to [[?]] every little

thing you tell me around them Katie dearie in∧ I your  last letter

In your last letter
∧ you mentioned telling [[Alda?]] Stewart about  Lt Greig but not

telling Mrs Greig your name. I am wondering why - whether

it was anything to do with what I said about my letter being

for you alone - I hardly meant that dear - but I didn't

want you to let anyone persuade you to publish them

in any of the papers. Hdxxxx  There is no harm in

telling or reading to your pals ∧friends any extract that praises

our ∧any of the boys but I would not like you to tell anyone

of anything I say against anyone.  The men who have

openly showed that they are afraid have to my mind been

astoundingly few - many are however hanging back in

England & some scheming to get back to Australia

& these could be the very first to insist upon getting

any jobs that are going there.   Well I don't think I shall

be one. So long as my strength & health holds I shall be with

that front line. I don't claim to be brave or fearless or anything

of that sort. I only wish I were some few seen to be so - but

I try hard to carry out my job however scared I may be about

17

(first few passages 'taped' over)

one might cheer her sorrow with same thought - he died [[?]]

could for her & for his country & ∧could tell his wee laddie that if ever

the turn came for him he should do likewise:

Monday Morning 22  Nov.  Dearest one - last night I wrote

a note to you & one to Baaby & posted them so that they

can go off to the mail boat as soon as we arrive as we

expect to do at midday. I dont  Baaby a "Dear" for looking

after you & the Bairnies as she does? Does the wee laddie still

call her "Bear" pf has he learned to call her "Belle" or

"Baaby" yet.  The wee chap must have known something when

he christened her "Dear".  Which of the two does Baaby love

best do you think? Does she make any difference between

them or does she love them as you do without difference

later.  We are now in [[M??Haklor]] which is crowded

with shipping. It is very bleak and cold & outside ∧ it was

blowing a gale but it is calmer here. We are anchored

in the inner harbor coming apparently awaiting orders

to move on [[?it]].

23rd Nov. Tuesday night: Rather warmer today Katie

We are being kept here still. About 12000 men were

to have gone off the shop today for "Salonitea" but 

later the orders were cancelled. I heard today

18

that the 2nd Brigade including of course the 7th Battalion are

back in "Anzac" our old place on Gallipoli after

their spell of the a couple of months.  They have

not I think done any fighting since I left them

I was hoping they would have gone to Salonika the

fighting there would I think be a little more

interesting.  When will it end?  That news mind you

(another set of passages taped over)

all the time I am  away.

24 Wednesday 2am.  Dearest for some reason or other I am

having a very sleepless night so I am putting some

of it in talking to you.  In your letter you said you would

(another passage taped over & words scribbled over)

round your [[?est]] again. I'll just never leave you my dear

dear darling Katie.  In every xxxx I'll pay you back a hundredfold

Wednesday morn. I heard today that the 7th Battn are

still here, that they attempted to go ashore at Anzac

but it was too rough & they had to return here.

19

Saturday 28^th  The 7th Battalion left here on 

Thursday evening last for ANZAC but no provision

was made for me to join them. Today I interviewed

the military landing officer again & asked

to follow them. His answer was that I couldnt

go at present & as a matter of fact that I 

was being withdrawn tonight to go to Egypt

If this is so it  reflects great credit on the

staff here for sending them over on Thursday

to bring them back on Saturday in addition to

leaving me behind here when the Regiment went

on.

Sunday 29 Nov. Things are getting most unbearably dull here

there is absolutely nothing to do & no books to read

or anything. As a result there is a good deal of drinking

amongst some of the young officers &  a fair amount of

gambling goes on. There was some money missing from

different cabins on our deck & some sort of inquiry resulting

in an officer being placed under arrest on suspicion

 - not an Australian - thank Heavens. He had been

gambling heavily it is said, and was seen coming out

of one of the cabins  from which money was missed. One

of the men on Board attempted to commit suicide by

cutting his throat. I really cannot wonder at it as

the monotony of this week has been appalling.

- We will take root & grow sprouts soon unless

we  get a move on somewhere. A little snow has

commenced to fall.!!

Dear Kit

This is the big

last letter I promised

you long ago. Dont

know if you can

read it.

[*16^th to 29^th  Nov 1916*]  

At Sea

20^th Nov 1915

My dearest wife

I have a long letter written in post each day

as I came from England but owing to the Censorship I prefer

not to post it just yet but will let you have it as soon

as I reach the Regiment & bring it up to date making

it a complete record of the voyage. It has on the

whole been very pleasant. We should arrive at port

tomorrow D.V.  The weather had been g good but

owing to the danger from submarines everyone on

board has been more or less anxious. There

are 18120 Australian & 3 New Zealand officers

on board with some 50000 or so others & there is

a total of some 7500 souls aboard. What

a prize to the enemy if they could contrive to

sink us before we could get into the field

They cannot do much tonight except by accident

so there is only tomorrow morning - we arrive at

noon all being well - I am sending you a postcard

which may reach you quicker than this. We

cannot say the name of the port at which we shall

arrive tomorrow that being forbidden but I have been

there before after we left to go to the front. I wonder

can you guess it.  Well dearest Pet

You will soon, I hope, get a great big long letter

from me with all the news day by day since we

left England & for the present   Goodbye & Godbless

& keep you for always [[?]] 

Kisses for the dear Bairnys fr[[?]]

Didd    

[*20^th 1915 

At Sea*]

Mrs H.E. Elliott

29 Mitchell St

Northcote Victoria

Australia

[*H.S. Elliot*]

1

20^th Nov 1915

My dear Katie,

I am still on Board this ship

It was most annoying. The 7^th Battn were ashore

until yesterday when they went off back

to the Trenches & I was left here. I would

like to kick some of these staff officers

off the earth. I told them I had information

that the 7^th  was still ashore but they

said they had bone back some days ago

but would inquire & if they were still here

would send me to join them without

fail. Now they gave let them get away.

However I am in hopes of being sent to rejoin

them immediately. I hear they have

greatly impressed & are looking very fit

& well & that Lrd Kitchener received them

the other day & talked to them very

nicely. I am, sorry I was not there

It is warmer & calmer today than

for some days. I am still keeping back

that long letter I promised you to send 

as soon as I join in with the Regiment

2

I do hope you are getting your strength 

cack again dearie you must have 

had a weary time of it. I am

looking forward to your letter with the

account of Geordie's wedding. Tim

& Lyn will have a closer bond now pet.

If Geordie has any news of me he can

pass it on to you through Lyn & I can

do the same for him through you.

[*D.R.L. 3297  (3101 S)*]

There are very great indeed at ANZAC

so we hear. / Both sides after the fighting in

August last appear to have been quite

content to sit down ∨ respectfully &

look at each other∧. If they had any

common language the boys would be

quite good friends with the Turks

by this time. I ought to see Jack soon.

I believe they are in  our old trenches

at the Lone Pine position. I have carefully

watched the casualty lists but both he

& Major Smith seem to have successfully

escaped trouble so far

Goodbye now dearie pet &  with heaps of

love & Kisses for you & the wee pets from

Dada [[?D]]

_2DRL|0513