Letters from Harold Edward Elliott to his family January 1916 - June 1916 - Part 4

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mother is a widow lady & I thought     
she would be pleased to know what
a splendid fellow her son has grown
to be. because He was only a lad when
he joined us but is grown a greatly
six foot man now & every inch of
him a gentleman & soldier. The old
lady must be nice I think because
he xx seems to love her good very much. I've told
her if my wee laddie grows to be as
good a man as hers I will be well
pleased. In Lone Pine one old Turk
jumped over into the trench & thrust at
Barton with his Bayonet. Barton dodged
it & shot Abdul in the Tummy with
his revolver & the Turk fell forward.
Another Turk behind threw a Bomb
but instead of hitting Barton it hit
the old first Turk on the head & finished him
completely by blowing his head to pieces.
Then another Turk shot Barton through
the arm & broke it & he dropped his pistol
Then some on else shot the Turk & the
stretcher bearers took Barton to Hospital
 

& then the Turks got in again & our men
wavered & it looked as if the Turks would
win but I got in some a few fresh men
& told Lt Symons to take charge of them
& Charge the Turks with the Bayonet &
he did it & shot dead two Turks
himself with his revolver & the men went
at the Turks ^& cleared them out. x I recommended Symons
for the V.C. & a Sergt Ball & he got a D.C.M.
& the Trenches were full of dead men & blood
& brains. I wonder will I ever be able to
forget it all. So far I have no unsaid
but I would rather have my men's respect
than anything the King could give me
I would not go back to Australia with
my men speaking of me as Dick Courtney
Men speak of him  -" the King of the Dugouts"
Oh Katie there  I have as a lovely great joke to tell you.
You know Capt Tubb & Lt Symons
were both sent to England after they
got a bit well somewhat better the King sent for them
& had them to the Palace & presented
them with their V.C's. Well each was
taken in separately & had a little yarn
 

with the King & he asked Symons a
bit about his Regiment & Symons told
him that we had got 4 V.C's already
& had more casualties & done more fighting
than any other regiment & the King was
very interested & Symons said then then added - "I
don't understand why our Colonel has
never been even mentioned in dispatches
after being through it all & been wounded"
And the King asked my name & called
in his Secretary & took down my name
& promised to enquire into it. Wasn't
that funny & what a "neck" Symons
had talking to the King like that. But
it was good of him to say that & remember
the "old man" that used to sort give them of much
so scandalous. a rough time in Egypt. It is queer isn't it -
There is not a single Colonel who used
to push discipline his men so & now I think the
old ones at least would do anything
for me. I received a letter from Major
Weddell who told me this. Weddell
also told me that he met our General
Walker in England. He was wounded
 

Well they were talking about me &
the General said xx some of his recommendations
had not reached their destinations &
I was the first Battalion Commander
on the List to be made a Brigadier.
Thats all very well but mostly it is the
Staff men & [[ontarders ?]] like General some of
Army the xxxxx  xxxxx  the English officers into

are getting the promotions. Although
General [[?]] ^one of the Englishmen is a very fine officer
indeed. Well there is plenty of room
for good officers in the high British 
army & they might to keep them from
making our chances in our little
army. But as I say have said your love & 
respect & that my men are more
& one thats anything else. Everything
that I do my regiment  is in that you
may thin truly think me tho lest next husband
man in over the world - Paire I love you
dear little sweetheart such a big heap lot
& I want ot win all your heart so that you
may always be pleased you gave yourself
right up to me & never have a single
sad regret. Oh my dearie you have
 

done much for one & dear old Baaby too.
Your influence had always been for my good
& against evil. Dera old love lady - Dida Doo love me
truly & really millions I love you. [[Glad?]] you
said [[ paun ?]] next Jean ago? I have just
received your dear long letter with [[?]]
though may lot of many shoots of my wee
pets & yourself. They are just dandy. Wasn't
the laddie always look so fright & the wee
Dhurach so serious & grave. Surely she
should have been the Boy. I wonder though
will I always think so. The laddie must
be a dear little loving chap. Jack's regiment

is much further up the lines than us so
one wont see much of each other for a time
I made Charlie a L. Corpl yesterday. He
is coming on. I made Mrs Clarksons
nephew a Corporal on the Peninsula 
but since he came back too Egypt his
wound (in the foot) broke out again &
he has been sent away to hospital
again. This is all the news just nor
Dearie love sweet pet. God bless & keep
you all. Goodbye Million of love & kisses
fm your own Dada Doony 

 

P.S. My leg is still a bit
troublesome. My horse was
a bit restin yesterday& 
plunged a good deal
& it swelled up abit
last night as a result.
But I am having it
massaged & trust soon
be all right again
P.P.S I just discovered 
a lot week or so back
that 3 had for addressing
your letters to touring
number. The first timer
you underlined the
No I saw my error
 

Egypt
7^th Feb 1916
My dear darling Katie,
There is nothing much
that I can tell you in the way of news
my dear old pal it is a dreary dusty
sandy place but we can get a rain
occasionally. There is lots a deal of work for
the men but it is deadly dull for 
me. I feel quite lost. We are in rescue
& the men are all day loading waggon
etc building roads etc but for
myself I just loaf around. Occasionally
I get so a few men to sort dress down, While 
I feel pretty well generally I am not
quite myself is that the least opposition
excites me to great anger temper. I do my

best to control it but a man gave me
a bit of cheek tho & this day & I nearly
had a fit I think. I suppose it is
the result of the strain & worry. I
was never very even tempered as my you
dear ^old Katie Kinross & I shall be
very glad to be out of it all &
back with you soo thing conformity
to make me letter again. But my Katie I hope
you will be very patient with me some you dear
 

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then is me one that will love me good
if you dont. I will do my best to be good
dearie pet. Tell my darling wee pets I got have several me
photo of them when they are looking up & mummy
& mum is holding up a lol lol a something
& muma has got her love dove a funny old
way in the back of her head & I wish I was with
them & love them good there is another picture where
mum has both of the cuddling her thing good
& I felt as if I would to go up & put my arms
around the three & kiss them near & tell 
them they are just an "armful of darlings
In another picture the wee laddie is kissing &
loving mummy good & dida wonders if the
wee dear laddie will put his arms around
Dida like that when he comes home.
And Dida got another picture where Gaga Dhurack has
her sunshade up & and looks a dear wee sweet
girlie & she has her arm round the laddie
& the laddie looks a dear wee cheeky merry
boy. & Dida wants to come & kiss them big heaps
In another picture the wee laddie has
Dida's cap on & a gun & he is saluting the
wee lady with his hand ^ & his cap & that is not right 
for a soldier because when he has a gun
 

-3-
and he wants to salute he puts the rifle 
up on his ^left shoulder & holds the butt with his
left hand & salutes by putting the left right hand
across his breast & slapping the butt with
of the rifle with the palm of his right 
hand. & ^Tell him that "Dida" sorts his men who when 
they have a rifle salute by touching their

caps with their hand. But the wee laddie
is only a dear nice boy & doesn't know.
So "dida" wont sort him but will only
give him such a big love because he
is a good little brave soldier & doesnt

cry when mum looks him up or 
he falls & hurts himself. & Mummy
sent "Dida" such a lot of other pictures
that made "Dida" just delighted but
he soon wont know hot to carry
them all. And tell them Dida saw

uncle Jack & he was well & loves the 
little pets just as Dida & Mum does
My dear darlings I wish I was back
with you all. I am sad & weary & I 
don't like Dida "sorting" people always
& unless they are sorted they wont
do things I chave and no-body else except
 

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Major Layh seems to be able to "sort"
them at all. Poor old Geoff McCrae
is not a bit good that way, One day
while I was ill Geoff had to sort reprimand
some one or rather some one wanted
sorting reprimanding loudly the first wanted Bert
Layh to sort them & next when Layh
said "No it's your place to do that."
He said "Well what will I say to him"
& when Layh told him off he went
& did it. But that shows that old
Geoff is not ^yet good enough to be a C.O. He

is a dear old chap probably his father
is the sinew. As He is as loyal to me as you
could wish but ^ is a little lacking in decision
Alf ^Jackson is not so bad but also hates sorting reprimanding
people up. I felt a great difference
in the Regt when I got back to it in
this way. I have straightened things
up a lot but it is weary work.. I 
have picked out a whole lot of men to
train for non Coms & in the whole they are
coming on very well indeed. Well dearie
pet I hope to add a little more who
before the mail closes & I hope to have ^another letter
from you by then. Did I tell you I saw