Letters from Harold Edward Elliott to his family January 1916 - June 1916 - Part 14

7
prove me wrong in my estimation of them
but his were satisfied to go on any old
way & of course he got the Blame. I think we
are beginning to get even General Tiveys Brigade
beaten now. In todays orders there is a comment
all in our favor on the severity with
which crime in this Brigade is treated
& the leniency with which it is treated in
others & the remark made that as a result
the crime is least where it is dealt with
more severely. We have had a lot of the scum
of the army from the old Divisions unloaded
upon us & I gave them fair warning that
if they played up they were in for it. One
man we gave two years hard labor to the
other day for refusing to obey his orders &
today one 12 months for a similar offence
but not quite so flagrant. Both men were
thorough bad characters. The first had a
wife in London & another in Melbourne & when
they stopped all his pay for his first wife he
wouldn’t do any work & told his officer so. He 
said he wasn’t going to be a "Backshirt Soldier"
i e one without pay. The other had been hard at
work all the morning but when the afternoon came
he refused to go out said had done enough
for the day & wasnt going to do any more. He had 
 

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previously been sentenced for pretending to be ill
& for being absent without leave. So he was a bright
soldier also. Well dear lovey darling pet you'll
be getting tired of hearing these tales of the boys
so I'll stop. By the way the 2nd Vol of my
diary is getting pretty full. You have the
first. Could you get another made at
Sands & M^cDougall like it. I think mother
bought a packet or so of Indian notepaper
& got it bound up there. Anyhow you can
show them the book & ask if they can make
one like it or with even thinner paper so long
as it is strong. We 14/5/16. We have now
received definite orders to return to our old post
and the 14^th Brigade will take over from us here
tomorrow and next day. This will give our men
a chance to do some smartening up drill which
they require as a result of being now nearly
five weeks in the Desert. Yesterday & today
have been very hard days indeed. My Staff
Capt is ill in Hospital & now my Brigade
Major says he is feeling very much off color
My shoulder is nearly better but is a little
stiff & sore still. My ankle also is quite better
but it seems very weak & gives with me still sometimes
^It is a Nasty hot wind day this dearie pet. Not a bit nice.
Does oo love me Kit. Millions & millions & do you truly want to lean
dear little old head upon me my sweetest darling love. I would like
(over leaf) P T O 
 

[*OMIT - over whole page*] 

to be sitting with you now in your dear wee house & feel
that dear old darling head resting on me. 'Specs” I'd be
just Kissing you all away dear one. It seems such
a dreadful long time since I had a letter from you
dearie. 'Specs it isn't long really - only about 3 weeks
but it seems about a year since I heard your
dear old loving voice talking to me. Tell my dear
wee bairnies I love them good & am always thinking
of them. Tell the wee Dhusach when the Shawl comes
for her, if it does reach her all right, that she
must put it away for her bottom drawer or
he first ball. I hope Mrs Milne chooses nice
things for you. I wish I could have done it
myself dearie pet. It would seem to be more
from me would it if I chose it myself but Katie
will Know that love sent it. My own dear little
loving sweet wife God bless & Keep you safe & happy till
I am with you again. Give my wee Dhusach a Kiss
from Dida - the first dear wee sweet bairnie that you gave me. Do
you remember dearie how pleased we were with the wee darling &
how we used to weight her every week to see if she was growing good
Poor little wee Billikins did not have half so much attention but
we love him just as much all the same don't we Kit. Do you
love one more that the other the least bit dearie. Don't forget to tell me all
all about them when you write dearie - all about their little ways
& if they "hep mummie" still.. Millions of love &
Kisses my sweet pet from your Very own Dida Don.
[* D.R.L. 3297 ;  2DRL|0513 *] 
 

(1)
Egypt
22/5/16
Dear Katie love,
Very sad & lonely
me yet. No letters this time ^mail. I am enclosing
a letter I got from Mrs Milne about the Silk
also the Samples she sent. I am sending
her some money so she can buy the Black silk
when she likes. I would love to see the
Laddie in his "Tarbush". It is the Red Cap
all the people here wear who think themselves
of any importance. I have seen them worn
at home as smoking caps but here they
are the commonest headgear of all amongst
the natives. All Government Officials &
army officers of the Egyptian Forces &
Police must wear them. I hope you will
like the things dear, old lovie Kit. I am
glad after all I didn't buy the Black
Silk for you myself or they might have
Cheated me scandalous mightn't they
The "Mouski" is the native market where
they sell all sorts of things. Now this
is only a wee ^little letter for there is nothing new
Oh I've just heard that I have been made
a Brigadier General as from the 1^st March
Are you feeling very puffed up dearie to be a
"Mrs Brigadier General" who is the Daddy of
your wee Bairnies. I am glad they have 
 

(2)
chosen
had to recognize me at last [[corner missing]]
I am not as thankful to them as I mig [[ ditto ]]
have been had they treated me the Same
as the others who got their steps. They
have dated me right back of course so
that puts me right as to seniority. My
boys are doing Very well although ^General M^cCay
criticised them unfavorably this morning
for something not altogether their fault.
I am satisfied they will give quite as
good an account of themselves now as any
of the others. We are hearing all sorts of
doleful yarns of our boys being smashed
up again in France but I am ^will not
believeng any of it until I hear it
officially. M^r Hendersons other Son who is
a Chaplain is up at Tel el Kebir & wrote
me a wee note telling me of his arrival &
asking how he could see me. Now dear old
darling love. God bless & keep you & my
wee darling pets. Don't tell the wee laddie
his little red cap is coming but tell me
what he says & whether he looks nice in it.
I think he will look a wee darling. If he is
please tell him to send Dida a tish for
it. I hope the wee lady will be pleased with her 
shawl too if Mrs Milne is able to get her one 
Millions of love & Kisses to you & we pets 
& Baaby & Nana from Dida Don 
[* D.R.L. 3297 (3 vol S.)  ;   2DRL|0513 *]
 

(1)
Egypt
29/5/16
My darling Kit,
I was delighted yesterday
to get a big fat ^long letter from Baaby with a lot
of little stories about the dear wee Bairnies, about
the laddie running to speak with one of Dida's
soldiers whom he recognized by the "wed & bown"
of his colors in the tram & about him getting all
his pants wet in the Sea which is just what a
wee laddie would do. So you must just always
take his bathing togs or another pair of pants for him
& not have people laughing at him again ’cause ^because he
had his aunties bathing pants on. It was a shame.
Also about Dear wee Gaga ^the Dhusach making a face washer
for "Dida" all by herself. Isn’t she a wee pet to be
able to do that for me. And she told me also about
the wee laddie calling ^saying that "Jackie Boy" ^was his man & that
I am Gaga's ^Dhusach's man. . He is a funny wee laddie
Baaby said that in your last letter you said
you would like a Scarf for a present. Unless it
was in a later letter than the last I received I don’t
think this is correct. In the ^last letter I got I think
you said a cream or white silk or plain Black. but
I dont think a Scarf was mentioned at all I wish
I had Known you would like a scarf dearie
pet as I would have got Mrs Milne to buy you
one when getting the piece of silk. I may have
a chance of bobbing ^running up to Cairo again however
for an hour or two before I go & I will see 
 

[[Page 2 of this letter is missing. Ned.]]
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[*OMIT - over whole page*]

if you were in my place & wanted to please a
dear old sweet pal something dicklers - to give
her something that would be a real delight to her dear
old heart & make her want to give me a big heap pogue
every time she had to use it because it was
so nice & handy or for any other reason at all
So long as it pleases you best of anything
else in all the world I won't mind a bit. If
you would sooner have something to wear clothes
or jewellery or anything of the Kind or something
useful in the house. - Tell me just whatever you
want most in all the world - 'cepting Don, of course
I Know you will want him but you can't have him till
old Kaiser Bill has done with him - you poor old
darling but any - other thing in all the world. If
it is too dear it doesn't matter Kit I will tell
you if I cannot get it for you - But tell me dearie what
is your hearts desire & I will try to get it. Now you won't
cheat a bit will you dear old love. Let me please you Kitty
dear so that you will love me ’dicklers 'Cause I do want your
love my precious sunshine girlie. I am so sorry your letter –
(- for you must have written me at the Same time as Belle –)
has gone astray but may be it will turn up soon
Anyhow I am quite cheered up since I got Baaby’s
telling me all about everything & Know that you & the wee
pets are well.. Soon I think we will ^soon be moving from here
I enclose a snap ^shot one of my boys took in the Ismailia
Gardens. These gardens are just lovely now
P.T.O. 
 

- 4 - 
they have Bourgainvillea all over them &
Jacarandra & another tree growing in the
Streets. It has a leaf something like -
Cape Wattle but ^a softer green & it is just
a mass of red bell shaped flowers a big
or bigger than the largest petunias. Some
are so covered with the bright Scarlet
flowers that you can hardly see the leaves
& They are planted on both sides of the
streets in some place & they look a glorious
sight. We have had a Very pleasant
weather this past week but it is commencing
to get Very hot again. I suppose we will find
it all the other way very soon. I wonder
if we will be anywhere near Jack
over the other side. Well lovey pet I must
stop now. No news much to tell 'cept I
love you more & more than ever my sweet
wee sunshine lady Millions of love &
Kisses to you & wee sweet Bairnies from
Dida Don.
Tell the wee laddie I was pleased with him
for being nice to my soldier man. He must always
take off his hat to Dida's soldiers because
they are so good.
[* D.R.L. 3297 (3 vols)  ;   2DRL|0513 *] 
 

- 2 - 1 -
Egypt
3/6/16
Dearest Katie,
I was very disappointed to
hear from Mrs Milne that she was not
able to get any black silk like the White
Camels hair Kind. Eventually she bought
some one dress length of a very nice black silk
(she sent me a pattern) for Nana & a Shawl for
Dhusach from a different shop. So my poor
old Katie didn't get her black silk after all
neither did Baaby. But let me Know if
you would like black silk like Nana's
also Mrs Milne says she could get black
silk (French) with satin finish which looked
lovely but she though Mrs Campbell might
think it too young for her. So tell
me all about what you would like.
Mrs Milne says she will be delighted to
buy anything any time I let her Know
Tell me also the Kind of Scarf you
meant dearie or at least Baaby meant. – Would
you prefer a fluffy sort of thing like the Shawl
I sent you last year or a silk stuff with
embroidered flowers on it like Dhusachs
shawl. At least I haven't seen this Shawl
but I think I Know the Kind from Mrs Milnes
description. If you haven't done so
yet could you send one of my little 
 

- 2 -
"Essendon Rifles" Badges to Mrs Milne. She
used to admire them very much when we
were here last year but I would not take a
hint - then. I didn't know them so well either as
I do now & She has been Very good at different
times. You must apologise to Baaby for her
disappointment about the Black Silk also.
I mustn't count my chickens before they are
hatched out this time. About the camels hair
black silk. The reason the people gave
Mrs Milne for it not being obtainable is that
the hair used comes from Arabian Camels &
Persian Camels & owing to the War supplies have
ceased to come in. [*OMIT*] So little love lady will
have to forgive her old man not getting her what she
wanted. But you won’t Keep back any tishes for that
when we meet will you darling 'cause you Know
I would get you any thing in the world that I could
to make you happy in your wee home. Baaby told
me in her last letter about the dear wee laddie
coming to her & saying I'm so happy because
Mum is happy & Mum is happy because Dida's
happy. Isnt he a dear little chap. I'm a heap
of style now I'm a general - tell Baaby. I have a bright
red band round my cap. The badge for the Cap is a
bronze circle of laurel leaves. On the top there is the
Royal Crest consisting of a crown with a lion