Letters from Harold Edward Elliott to his family January 1916 - June 1916 - Part 3

Conflict:
First World War, 1914–18
Subject:
  • Documents and letters
Status:
Open for review
Accession number:
AWM2018.19.70
Difficulty:

Page 1 / 10

get mentioned o thos show 1 There are all fr nother at all rorts of wokes about Iik Court the sul out King. They vay the Sle C.B after his home mean thenar incealed from Blame. ninilar instance one you is that a bst was arked for of people to be recommended for rewards. another neturn had to be rent of theer not innoculated for tholera & the tws wit got sided & the people who had doe dodged innoculation got D.S.P.S Cts & the others the heroes were ordered tgo for inoculatin or at a dated and fired upn Well dgar petI me odd a few words later & no mo jurs eptt tell you I love you jast miltin witten dear fet cwrolt Vanalay wak beter he Iother letter Stehday 30t No more news a Iongh we would have moved before the hit no nery dong to yet puither p.70 tKetpo Dicds
feter Jnr 1916 on o Kate your diar Tha letter dawd 19t Dec. It was shot of it otherfo ps writ 2 i is admounl t Ycon girt A at Bb way shot of the wee ho so glad to get you Hea. the nes I have anvery you thime tho in the R pirect tvel childrn wher the acpet are altoy wyn than 7 S f from gack where thud in t of the picture h about is paint X 100 you can pay that payo ti at that end of any month dpet & need not wait until gine throgh it at the tlf yearly date is letter t of I have had on letter By the whether you got about t telle $20 I sent you some tim oc0 L I know if you got it all risht hope todoy you Mom shill be I
whall o if it hadnt fem for that Sank tuy a Ingland I could hav out you $100 by now to help you pooeld gulie. What a gay time in children fats he havin with Father Ln this year. Tell the dailig. I a dleased with the thots & with then for gitter no good Soete laddllook a terrl wes darling wth stool. Mr very fard on tho Hwlyg loth tevo ill as you my t runnigo expends. I dont know how they wou I sabled to L Rober to tdy afall befou yesterday about the Frankse land. The priceg not dear kitp reaet ponlage. you ree t the un so mhet land along the Bay and is a ple will be payng 2 years time h our proces for the land. But a I do not wis you the worried about it the event of my death I called No Robert that I would nt pay amount. I mgnisted that t arde ght repay to you all Ihanand stake oner all my interest or it but he need not do this in which are will lose T hav 7 1
lat the io far putnt it cpknow amount is but it wnt very lay. Iou £20 perhaps. I agree with for hoever that in the presit rtate of affairs it is muct letter for us o thik about payng off the Mtee a puett than otherise. Wou wee the by luny o land at tether about soaci Major Fanell praed it a just as mown could be found. To glt it we has later thold it 12 years. other oftr t years O Fanill sold his right to M. Laidne & myself fr. Thil was aloays a apus of the owners hrn not Selity of up before the B yea of they dik tuny them Live calculated on his & he could then wonburde whereas if the mitalle allotm lt did not turn u asthy me todo 7 a belong bu years the et rate It, always looked tome a very good make same money & if wance to with very great regret that I seeth portunity pass me by but as Ijay 7 you if anything did happen t me sayp
Wkase would get thepall mined over it all swould the very uponed. Never have anything tdo ith the kind curchare whemes however kat they are all frauds & you always pay very dear for a howr lought that ady. Belt the money in the Savings Ban you have a few hundred raved ctel & day that as a depont & get the rut port the savings Banke on Mortgage then ravely tpay it off. That is o sest way alongs. I know the Rent Merchare I dea looks just lorely hos I have worked then all out & Sit is jut recessse wlodk is eaty that it tempt you but they are all mor or les trap. The lest are oblanned themg hulden rocieties But we will denle onr deks attlantion t cons. I think though that you cack next. You could should pay of him so toe pot it in the Bank it theren the wild get inl he don't take upon you Perbay we will have likenwis the next year. I I saw gact
✓ Dacks 5 regiment last night Thursday). They are I understand leaving for the Canae I hape to do soething for wck whretly motlyals. I reggnted to Bot Smilt that i might wake gack Framfrt officer but he did not acceps the idea think gack would be spluded at that work. Bob need a Tramport officer as his in is no good at all. I will try and arraves th o gack thranfned hill & perhaps get him apointed tangort ope would prefer that he got hs permti who ou Regement otherwise peope are mybty quiet to ray that it as due t Favountion & that is who a commanding office must to a mvery pooolle way t avoid of b is byst good work But th Tramfol os t overst can of a offcer the horres troggon it & a gackes is fond of porre &i a practical fam in would do that excellent Mn Dult who got thetCais a farm at Durva was my transfirt office originally bnthe lyged rhard recom
C over & have a fight the pangeor coa all untrack t seupt ofter 2 landing) thatI gave way slt him come over again. I cam wonderig who photo it was in Henderor uns you. The only one I can think of was one where then was a big fat Pelkish shell standing by. Thi wa just after we came out of that fortnighty nightnen bp or slette port when serminit. dn Walker & Frec my tthers killed killed & is had te sleego dinated our clother whe we could sley cat all I csed to verit the fontiee three or your time every night you me lucky to excape burise day. Under these cercamlar by shell i you way for give ever the mosttidy hermor for clooking a podke u you old nor was neve oe lity you know oall your breading I am roglad geordes o tynan baft nothen loth my love. I wonder did you get the account I sent by I kens dealh. I enlose not the a
9 2 pet 1916 Mrdearedr We have moved from telaleh & another place whieh I must no yet meate 4of. We are in keven ming an eary time at presentht n will more uy t theont lones then we will have very hard work dying trenche & gettlng mighty hitl ocato drink by all account Major Dengar whe cam into Co though Drveys Brygade is o the hands oer him yet Kong. By this nac I am writing to a Mrs Baste Hunrda Royal Hrenne Glen Hunll intm. have her wr now Capt Bastes. He jorned at Brondmeadows as a ternate. He was shot at Lone kine aple fom through everythinging to thes wilt only a little moundwa face which did not cam him d mis any duty. He is a really plided young fellow & take a worldyrugh ofy shoulden. M like having lapst Finlaym back again. He

how some of the men get mentioned
for ^doing nothing at all. There are all
sorts of Jokes about Dick Courtney
the "Dug Out King". They say the
C.B after his name means "Conceale
"Concealed from Blame". & there are
similar instances. One yarn is
that a list was asked for of people
to be recommended for rewards.
Another return had to be sent of
officers not innoculated for Cholera
& the two lists got mixed & the
people who had dog dodged
innoculation got D.S.O's etc
& the others the heroes were
ordered to go for innoculation on
at a date & time fixed upon.
Well dearie pet I will add a few
words later & no more just now 'cept to
tell you I love you just millions &
millions dearie pet. I wrote to Nana last
week telling her I got her letters.
Sunday 30th Jan.
No more news dearie. I thought
we would have moved before this but
no sign of doing so yet. Million loves
& Kisses from Dida P.T.O.
 

 

[* P *]
P.S. Major Layh is going into
Cairo on some business today
so I am getting him to post you
a bank Draft for £50-0-0
which I hope you will get
all right. You have been such a
saving old darling that I must
do a little bit too. If it hadnt
been that Sperriky old trip to England
it would have been over £100
for you
Did Capt Jacobs
send you the Turks
rifle & belt & bayonet
I gave him for you
If he didn’t write to him at
“Ellesmere” Alma Rd St
Kilda. He is home now
 

 

Tel el Kebir
21st Jan 19156
My dearest Katie,
I have your dear loving
letter dated 19th Dec. It was strange
you should be writing it & thinking so
lovingly of me when we were so anxiously
getting off the Peninsula. Of course I
love you little old love  I love oo ‘dicklers &
just wish I could take your dear sweet face
in my hands now & Kiss it all over & tell
you good I love you - just millions & millions
my dear darling sweet wife I should
be so glad to get your ^cutest snap shots of the wee
pets again dearie. The ones I have are very
sweet. You look thinner tho’ in the one
where the wee pets ^children are sitting on your ^Knee than
in the one I got before from Jack where Dhusach
is pointing ^her finger out of the picture. Oh about
paying off the £100 you can pay that
at the end of any month dearest &
need not wait until June though it
is better to pay at the half yearly dates.
By the way I have had no letter
yet telling me whether you got about
£20 I sent you some time ago. Let
me Know if you got it all right. I
shall be I hope sending you some 
 

 

2
shortly & if it hadn’t been for that
Sperriky trip to England I could have
sent you £100 by now to help you
poor old girlie. What a gay time the
wee pets ^children are having with Father Xmas
this year. Tell the wee darlings I am
so pleased with the photos & with
them for sitting so good ^well. Doesnt the wee
laddie look a merry wee darling on the
stool. It is very hard on the Finlaysons
both being ill as you say & running up
expenses. I dont Know how they manage
at all. I cabled to Mr Roberts the day
before yesterday about the Frankston
land. The price is not dear Katie for
beach frontages. You see they there is not
so much land along the Bay and in a 
few years time people will be paying
enormous ^high prices for the land. But as I
do not wish you to be worried about it
in the event of my death. I cabled to
Mr Roberts that I wouldn’t pay the
amount. I suggested that Mr Gardner
might repay to you all I have paid
& take over all my interest in it
But he need not do this in which
case I will lose the money I have 
 

 

(3)
so far put into it I forget now what the
amount is but it isn’t Very large. Some
£20 perhaps. I agree with you however that in
the present state of affairs it is much better
for us to think about paying off the Trustees
than otherwise. You see there was a pretty
big lump of land altogether about 20 acres
Major O’Farrell fenced it in first as
no owner could be found. To get it one has
to hold it 125 years. Then after two years ^later on
O’Farrell sold his rights to Mr Gardner
& myself for. There was always a
possibility of a few of the owners turning
up before the 125 years were up
& we calculated on buying them out ^if they did turn up
& we could resubdivide in
suitable allotments whereas if athey
lot did not turn up as they were
sure to do then after the twelve ^15
years the land would belong to us
if we paid off the back rates
It always looked to me a very good
chance to make some money & is
with very great regret that I see the
opportunity pass me by but as I say
if anything did happen to me my poor ^you 
 

 

(4)
old Katie would get dreffully mixed over
it all & would be very worried. Never
have anything to do with the Rent
Purchase schemes however Katie they
are all Frauds & you always pay
Very dear for a house bought that
way. Put the money in the Savings Bank
until you have a few hundred saved
& pay that as a deposit & get the rest
from the Savings Bank on Mortgage
then save up to pay it off. That is the
best way always. I Know the Rent
purchase Idea looks just lovely but I
have worked them all out. & It is just
becauuse it looks so easy that it
tempts you but they are all more
or less traps. The best are obtained through
building societies. But we will devote
our attention to paying our debts
dearie. I think though that you
should pay off Jack next. You could
put it in the Bank for him so that
he will get interest on it there even
if he wont take it from you.
Perhaps we will have better luck
this next year. GooJa I saw Jack 
 

 

(5)
last night (Thursday). They ^(Jacks Regiment) are
I understand leaving for the Canal
shortly. I hope to do something for Jack
shortly also. I suggested to Bob Smith that
he might make Jack Transport 
Officer but he did not accept the idea
I think Jack would be splendid
at that work. Bob needs a Transport
Officer, as his own is no good at all. I
will try and arrange that to get
Jack transferred here & perhaps get
him appointed Transport officer. I
would prefer that he got his promotion
in his own Regiment otherwise people
are mighty quick to say that it was
due to Favouritism & that is what
a Commanding Officer must try
in every possible way to avoid if he
is to get good work. But the Transport
Officer has to oversee care of all
the horses & waggons etc & as Jack is
so fond of horses & is a practical
farmer he should do that excellently
Mr Tubb who got the VC & is a farmer
at Euroa was my Transport officer
originally but he begged so hard to come 
 

 

(6)
over & have a fight (the Transport
was all sent back to Egypt after the
landing) that I gave way & let
him come over, again. I am wondering
what photo it was Mr Henderson sent
you. The only one I can think of was
one where there was a big fat Turkish
shell standing up. This was just
after we came out of that fortnights
nightmare up on Steele’s post when
Permezel, Ken Walker & Greig were
Killed & so many others Killed &
wounded. As we had to sleep in
our clothes when we could sleep
at all – I used to visit the Sentries
three or four times every night &
you were lucky to escape burial
by shells every day. Under these circumstances
you may forgive even the most tidy
person for looking “ “broke a Croak up” ” & your
old man was never over tidy you Know
for all your breaking in.
I am so glad Geordie & Lyn are happy
Give them both my love. I wonder did
you get the account I sent to you
of Ken’s death. I enclose with this a
P.T.O.

[* Sheet I left out of a letter I wrote to Violet last
week. Please send it on. She will wonder whatever happened
to the letter. Millions of love & Kisses to you & the wee pets
& Baaby & Nana. (You are all just darlings ) from Dida *] 
 

 

[ * 2DRL|0513 *]

P.S. I have had a letter
by this mail from ^cousin Issy. She
said she had sent some photos
of me on to you in case they missed
me. You must send one to Mrs
P. Buckley. Digswell Place
Welywn England ^& one to Mrs E. Lloyd 
Edwards. Bryn Oerog via Llangollen          
LLANGOLLEN North Wales as I           
promised them one 
Also one to Mrs Milne
Vill at the address given
on the enclosed Card.
She is little Majory’s Mum 
[*Welwyn*]
[*Bryn Oerog*]
[*L*]
 

 

Egypt
2nd Feb 19156
My dearest one,
We have moved from Tel el Kebir
to another place which I must not yet
tell you ^speak off of. We are in Reserve &
having an easy time at present but
soon will move up to the front lines
when we will have very hard work
digging trenches & getting mighty
little to eat or drink by all accounts
Major Duigan who came with Colonel
Tivey’s Brigade is not far from us ^though I
haven’t seen him yet though By this
mail I am writing to a Mrs Bastin
“Kuranda” Royal Avenue Glen Huntly
I have her son now Capt Bastin ^with me. He
joined at Broadmeadows as a
private. He was shot at Lone Pine
after going through everything up
to then with only a little wound in the
face which did not cause him to miss
any duty. He is a really splendid
young fellow & takes a world of weight
off my shoulders. It is like having
Capt Finlayson back again. His 
 

 

 

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