Letters from Harold Edward Elliott to his family January 1916 - June 1916 - Part 16

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

Page 1 / 10

better & quite as young looking as when I londed ir sgypt gust exactly as 3 wo before they ray. so you ean jurt thenk of that deane + not worryabout my looks in tha told photo. The only difference I mysly car detect is that my fair is much greyer than when I left you but otherwise I think I look just the some. I'm getting a hade too fat I think but that will connet itself wher weget int the trente once more, bot you worry about sording anythngi deciet. We get all + more then wer need otherer waite a lot evn ther as they buy purt ats for themaln Frank Fercher is mertake about his brother. Lone tine was in the right centre of our position as Arzae. It was taken by the 1s prigade ender General Syth, V.C. & held by the Victorions mostly under ye you oldman. Ther were no W. realarders in that show at all. But the same night that oucking was taken the N realanders advanced on the enteem lep of our position tormed Dertryer Heco Banchoper Hill Little Table Tof - whnot was a curious hill wilh he top bulging over the sides like a mushroon - Ine would think it was impooitbere to climb up it lot alon take it fom an evenight sunehor they foind crack & crevices by the rocksi got there a laymited all the Turks or it withous pong a thot. Then jouring ey with the E Brigade they stormed Rhododer dimn Ridge & Channs
Ban the crest of the ridge-how which the could look into the Sandanellys owe all though we had nor wher we heard it. They heln this ridge all next day without Good or nates ther chnent night trome of the Breteos troop who had landed at fusla Bay - the Cnnaught Kange Wiltthir Regiments. They were tnoe three time as humerous as the New nalurdaes when they relieved yet next morningwhen the urk attached agaistry ran away. The Turks came on a denve manes but if N.2n Australim were ther we would have held then but there inexpenaced Eiglist & Irish boys cleared out & left the Tunhe & we never got then lack again but our artitly War Ships & Machive guns took a parful tall of the Tuirks dense marsed. The Hilloide werepaved LTMIECY with their read for week after to you can lett Frank it was or this brave fighting us the Hope of Channk Bair or the Horming Table Bot or Bunchopes Hill that his brotherdied but the WLis mums claim home Pene as well. That was our very orn & then fell as Iwe told you 344 mer &t officin of the pvorold ? our of a dotal of 511 & 16 ofece leaving as minoon 167 me &4 ofpars unvounded & this was to hold it only. To take it sme $1500 new South Welshime dded It is sid the Teks lat 3000 mer in lonng isstrying a
regai it but that the truth we shall in all probability never know. Bacly told me in her letter about the soyne De ladd talking to my soldie was in the tran startling myld lady Well darling puet that I thok deals with all your letter. Facking the inspiritor of yu letters I am apaid you will find my last me or twio ratherdull but them is lott. hewe thrsfor you. I sent in a e letterI posted yisterday a fer reeds off a tree which gion on I smailia Hne that has an avenne of them & in the hottert day you can ride along under then without a speck of mr reaching you. The trus ar like by umbullar or cast side of the road yfoor a perfect archuno rops father plumer like waitly leaves but sopot moe gradful. The lark is also very like wastle bork but the flowers are large tell, shaped things like atpyent Rhododudion innetting & the wheet agardens are somply a llaze of searlet with then as night the air is secuted every where wilh then he pepare. M Vean Mrs Milne is coming thee we tonight & I will try tgtt the name from him Probally the reeds would have tihe steeped in he tertin tke vottle reeds byou planting. You mighsgim Directory gome of them to the Notanical Tardins of you like I never saw the treetyou & it would be a great atteaction I'm rine, & perhaps you could no got them to gras younlf. Fts Joth Parkhere there is one aroying in to alont 40 fas nigh but most eithe unt ar
not over thirty. There is of course no roin here intuely & they are watered by erregation. The climate in bot I dry. The seed are borne in huge long pots you benches to 2ft Cirde lorg like biegd leave & they veer to long o yor a long lm for example last year pod are itl tanging o the trees although they are. flower again now. Well darting lose wwent pet - General McCay has gentbeen along. He went with me & inspected out Harnen. You know we have a lot of Horses & casts enconnectin inth Brigade. He wel very pleased & was of opinion that the turn out of the 15 Brygad was the best in the Division. To you ree I am still trying tbe worthy my dear lady love & my boys are all helping y. What ds you think of thes for erman tricks. We for a lot of Bully beep fror America is tens. In me yous time we found a lot of spikes with fo barbed points like prhhooks put in the weat - I inppo by iome keno crosking for the firm in the hope that some usfortuate would get is stuck in his tongne to far however no one has her hurt. I was a cluvsy edea but it just whows you what they would do. Its just as well it eront posson. General McCay is very rad, tays oving to sme trouble about shypping we are going to be delaed again to perhapes of te all you may got another letter fror her from me. Bost hagh will be havy a fine flutation with th with if thes is is. Ho went atay yesterday. Millions o girls a king for wia on perytodyx
tovood Egypt 14/6/16 eling fatic Goodness know when the will reach you nince all letters are forhdden for the time being until we an outof Egypt, I warlaged to got leas to run up to Kanis on Monday & get admitted to fiel menderhy with the pasoe Iis close th rograme. Give my kindregards to Brother & ang wher you next ree him wre he while then I called rou mr I ree wee waydry, but she was arleef & we did not distrirt tel & I could not wait. Ofter the weeting me & Mrs Milne camet m goodly tme at the hotel & they told for ver Wayjons was scanatons oferded beause hel then didnt wake her to see me cried. They had anther visitor & wayory told her her musing was naughty be causedh wanted tear about my listleboy & girl & munng wouldn't wike her the me grnt teokenig thing about it. Isn't the a fun bttle Mrs Mnilore had just got the little Boesdon Rifles Brdge. It was guit a rurprive & her & the neened very pleased to have it. On Monday morning I went out headi to see th branfords again
GOOTT 2 Little Ian has guite recovered from h attac ens that he had b I was. Typhord & lono plandid. Hilga looked much thinner They have a play homor like our wee nes widl a Bead in it tood were havg great from. they don't gave school wih moner month in Sgypt so they have a holiday all day long to you remember anyoe named, Royald Hickoon for Warnanton His people have a by store dow ther for years some lime but he himself has been in Lordr. of recent year for expenira in Brying. He ram a very decent boy. He is an officer with me. is dong very good work ideed. He would be about 27 years old. He is rather whorts stot but is a very good nunner & it is a great goke with his Regiment the 60 Hec. i Fan ren offcers of other regiments who Ad themel wht thei wening to mateh themulres with Dickor who dlnnys manages to ay just by a very little i as to encourage them &pot in one sle in. You wouldn't think he could in a bet to look at him & herce of comn the joke in taking toothers down. He is y jolly litte chap & very popular. I met another boy here who know you a at medeod from New. He is 8t0 with eeral Fiverys rigude He m
he saw you it a Daelic weeting- you & Ihuat. He is an old Ballarnt College Knows Geordie quite will king B2 as the sant therwith him. His mother Mrs McLlod was also at Bullarat College in the old days then it en a mined Boyor Girls School. They are not related he letter me to you of the other McLeods at kew or Doct Vale. I don't think I ever heard you wention then people tore He tells one Mrs Vorris is now a London Is that so. I nivr got to gee her while shewos in sgypt. We had a cmvened ports meeting the morning & what do you think- My loy wo the Champmety. The ing of War & thopeer kecay race were th mosteritiry events owe how lost after great conterts with Iiven Brigade who we quite wre about it. pariiculally be caus major sengar who recevtly transfencover & us fom them ran in the ofpeir race for us. I was greatly disrppoited that we did not do bester io the Best Turned out Limberd Waggn & Pack Hore. In the latter we got only third beng beater by too other conpetiton the Dililtery tor & I think the tgraller 2d But neither the 8th MnJantaynos the 14th Infartry could get a place at all 2 the ewbd Wasior Empeliton s looked leauliti
Con 20 mult would get well, up but we oned get on letter than 4. beny heater by the St Lul tmnbeane, to drtellery& the orgralectio But the judge said they were all plended the 14th Iy Brynd came next after us & the of Brigade never got into the find roundis tildor a prenouday all but were put out in the tpound, & did not come into the show y king at all to that you see wfor as the Infantiy fine & ssmple were concerned my boys Relfit then ends up very well in deed I am as you may guess very will pleased about it my Hoys also wor the Hrgt gery & the half mile but were hadly leater in the gumpiry competitin for rac in the yd& holes in the bhotal 22 land also in the helay ye n fot pe $800 m & allay rar to Meyetes yds Tamponreps in gortinately no one other the Brigade wr all of there it estillery war one & Sr Brigade anothert is or so that we ultinabe prushed 4½ point ath good & got guit ance lot of prize money for the Boys. We are not tee any more litter there as onr atony port office has cloard done & to packingup it tages Ias that ad dear to the room we get a more uou us theletter dont you thank
On Board thy arliatie Ned 21Gue I feel as if I had ben neglecting your sead on Wis a whole week today since I tarted a letter to you at I swailia i sgype which I could not post viny ttll the P.O. being cloved buo frfar we should give ary our morement. Well on Filday we got away in the Main about 5 T0 &g0 to, Alexandua once more at about 1 an & kindled aboard this old Dut- I cannot tell you hese name becouse of the tensonty regulations, I hav of cours a calit thy self which homee io very sifferen from the dragnificine along the Olympn it complain of that but but wo worled + the jst granls along at 10 dnots on hour p that, we will be a whole week getting som distration wen as the TEYEOSSSNPST car lake u that is. We got or at 1 am the next day we loaded all our hore id & at 6 pe prilled out into gray at the Hartor As hoever no eocort was avoitally for us that day we had to remain in barlor until 6 for the nent night surday ther away we
2 Biled. Went day Monday therwe witting to re tit there has & our bitly destroyer escort placging round us. It was very hot + close Panute under cover particularly for the men on the groff deck wht is berealt the houses int in the Breze it is becautiful Went morning Tuerday we were parsing land & as honod exprosse bad hglams picking out the little vellages &ct. I rem a lavrer rocky land without any thady bee othr tyve it relief yet by the Books it iso Yertile & popsilons land. There was quite a considerable anxiety this day as it was thought that here if at all we would be sleatly to intraune attack but & we were joined by verial other destroyer & sowany evening as we reared the coart of Gieece we were joned by thee nyne inceper who kept bforr side retirn the laid cenaied somelns. The oreather much the Son However nothing happeied & today in are out in the open was again no ner of land +our excort heve lift I suppose we are fanly rafe Dis fomonow in pars the um teery.

-5-
better & quite as young looking as when I landed
in Egypt. Just exactly as I was before they say so
you can just think of that dearie & not worry about
my sad looks in that old photo. The only difference I myself
can detect is that my hair is much greyer than
when I left you but otherwise I think I look just
the same. I'm getting a wee shade too fat I think but
that will correct itself when we get out the trenches
once more. Dont you worry about sending anything to me
dearest. We get all & more than we need & the men
waste a lot even then as they buy fruit etc for themselves
Frank Fircher is mistaken about his brother. Lone
Pine was on the right centre of our position at
Anzac. It was taken by the 1st Brigade under General
Smyth V.C. & held by the Victorians mostly under
your old man myself. There were no N. Zealanders in that
show at all. But the same night that Lone Pine
was taken the N. Zealanders advanced in the
extreme left of our position stormed Destroyer Hill
Bauchopes Hill Little Table Top - which was a
curious hill with the top bulging over the under like
a mushrom - One would think it was impossible but
somehow they found cracks & crevices if the rocks &
got there & [[?]] all the Turks on it without
firing a shot. Then joining up with the 4th Brigade
they stormed Rhodadendron Ridge & Chanuk

 

[[B?]] the crest of the ridge - from which they could
look into the Dardanelles & we all thought
we had won when we heard it. They held
this ridge all next day without food or water.
Then the next night some of the British Troops
who had landed at Suvla Bay - the Connaughs
Ranger & Wiltshire Regiments. They were
two or three times as numerous as the New
Zealanders whom they relieved yet went
missing when the Turks attacked again they
ran away. The Turks came on in 

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