Letters from Harold Edward 'Pompey' Elliott to his family, July - October 1916 - Part 2

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My dear old Katie
France

I received your letter 5/7/16
the piicoming ne with three photos in it) dated the     
8th may two days ago but I have ben puttyfery
have not had timet write Terterday myn
& my Brygide Major were taken by to ths
Front ws a motor cas boll the portion
of the line likely to be take over by t Bugade
when we go in to it. The country is very
flat exrywhen & c calterated practieally
right by to the trenches It was a finarn
day or the morning & the cority looked
jut a picture. The cherry trees are just
looded with pruit which will be quite rpe
in about awatherweek & the petloocs
lovely. Ther is a good ciot of applesn
pades on the trues but as yet they are very
small & unripe. The thenche are very different
to Tallipoli. There we used to digd ught dow
10 feet or deeper for protection. Tere that cannot
be done owing to the nater. The only thing the
done is to jule up the dirt in geant of you
in a longbege mound. The mysce aod for
200r 50 yords back is stug of
f& thiom one
is pont. Wher our chistration boy
& look one
this parapet ias only 3 feet thiek or is quite
 

good enough to key out a bullets but
no woe against big high caplorive shells
We are now engaged in thickening then
up to sopet through Toodness knw what
will be the resuls. Itt may or may not key nt
the shells. They ray is is quite good against
the videary occasinnal shell but toher one.
thereby strapp start
nothing will beey then
or barricade
out & the whole truac is youdd out sel
over the place. All along tarricade are excted
too to protect themer from the fragment of wheee
ir
dropped over of the bock & which fly back
towards the tarricake, I have lad i newor
guck sice he left Igypt I hear he wall
right but they were not in the part of the line
if I visited I was delighted with the photo
the
they are lovely. Tell Baby that I will one her
tre pogues & fot then. The dear wee people look
mer dainty w frets. I showed them wel
Madame Brunet & the was guits excitioner
them & wanted a know their names & all about
them. The childrer here are called masumilienc the
elders girl, year who is fighteng at Verdin Marre
Thereve who is about 130 16 & Pierse thibetteto
we would call him peter & gear is pronounced excaily as
our john & to really the some name. Marie is
 

C
the same a Mary & Therese as Sheresa
but manumeline is thoemeric of Monimilian +
I dont think we wre either name. The little letter
got to me iomhow before the other letter you said
you wire going to write for the some marl. It is
was
furng ion't it tho way the letters go. I an wiry
tohear of poor mes I srie. I have had ano ther letter
from Violet but there is not much news in it
it is writte before the laston but the addressed
is 15 Devisin instead of 5 Dro & it remse
have gone astray for a bis. The trenhes that we
wr are about 600 or $500 yards agan & there
is very vry little rifle fin & practically the my
wounds an from whitel tire. We are all gerting
vio belinet They are very heary & uncomportatle
but are a great protectitr to the head from thesyo
bullets is they tell me. I raw General Birdwood
in the Trenches. He looks very well indeed He is
coming to see my boys at B oclock the afternoon.
my boys are behdring very well endeed all the
people her that I ark sery they are Very pleased
with them. doight horever we get our first
pay nice we have ben in prarce & with every
for rather shop
ptve felling wine at 22c glass it is not the
greatly wobdered at if woe of then get of then
ear. The new Leallnders who were here before as
made rattres a
name for themselves this way. the
 

alongeing fu to bose the Brlist & Fuene
are maken a big attach along the Somone &
are laving a bg iuccen fis we lear. OhI
searly frgot Hlelt you. The local mayor tooe
myself & the Brigade Major home to Denner
Monday & we had a very nice dinner ahous
6 courses with a different rort of wise &
each course finisshing ap with clampagie
f Benedictire Ligner & Coffee auite a beap
ttyte. Well now the in truly I really
athe neas. We drore through a small Daktent
yesterday or the way to the Trenches & it war very
beautiful. In falot the whole place is a perfectpretion
but fit mush be anful in the trenche ir we
beather. It poured coming home last night
I one could only imagine what it would be like
The fields in all slippery clay &it must he
just awful. Ever in weedsummed there is wale
in the loston of all the trercher & they are floored with
caded dit
worder open floors a jost or so alove the botlon which
is full of water Million of love & Kenot you othe
thildt
deartie darliy futs. Till then that I was delighting
with the photogagled but I am not mune I like the wce
Dhurach witt her hair combed light down like that Madame
said it is tho latest parrs farhin for the ludies hend
laughed when she rawd it. Byeclear darling lony eaplt
nt wanat got beyletter & with uply o mei te f y
ver on feda son
 

e
TTSS
would only have champagne & wher they god
gull up away they went to Camp with me
bottle in cach land + me under cacharm
well I think thas is just about all the
news thro time. Madawe has some lovel
thubarb io the garden & she asked me har
night if we ate it in dustralia & I told her
Yes & the said the would give some bour
old cook to make for us. The also said
E
could bring noe of my fficers to her drawin roor
splay tho pians. Is tonight some are coner
Morwilgent
The night fyou last her dangete plaged
& rng to ut. She has a very small voice but
Very weet & she rang wich a pretty little rone
called in frend Le petits flear de Bois a
which
we might translate as the witleflower
of the Yours of course it is speaking of littler kolete
o ther like that giving in the prest & now as our Flowero
of the Foreish - one old favouret lament for the mer Killne
or tledder Field. I like Wadam Very much she i very
Kind. She is the Loctors second wife she told me &
only Pierre is her yon. The elder children an thor
of the first wife the tells me the is 31. I look
her tbe much older. The is pretty stont
Hell deamold gerlie yorthores know wher the will
reach you. We havens got a Senoor apponted
yet rale lister on I hear hongheld in
here
 

my dear old Ratrolore
France
2/16
Huve just received
a letter from Baaly dated the 29th ay but
none from you. We ren th muct.
worrse off yor letters here than in Egypt
I suppose it take a fortnight longer
to get them. No letter from you this
time. But ppect Ill get i son. My
poor boys are getting pretty ladly knoked
about. Capt Mai whowas a Dentetor welt
was killed yesterday his legs being blosor
by a whell & there other ofpeces were wouded
and a number of men. Foor fellow sone of them
were dreadful right after the Bonbardment
of the tranches & I was able tgit along. I saw
one luge hole madeby a shell that you
could put the kiddies play noure in
beingfully 15 feet deep & about the same
Square. to you may judge what a man
is like when oe of these huts him
About 20 we could not find at all.
no dontt they are either bned iy ade
the ruins or utterly horn to bits. We
have been relieved from that part of ts treach
how I am glad to may but any part of the lie
 

2
is just as bad as that when they concentute
then artilley upon it for on hour.
is. The only satisfaction to us is to
walet our artillery poind their trenche
to proqments in turn as they sometines
do. It is wicked to Ill the way there
quire lave laid waste the beantiful
country here abouts & it is sofertily
& bautiful, I have not beard from
Jackyboy at all or from gohiy svery
This is just a terny timibtter blt
you know I an all right. I nereicen
write mut of a letter wnlen I get on fo
you to inspire me. Has old godlisgem
a sice hovery meet tin. I would like to feel that
dear old head on myarn again & call you in
om dear wifie & re your dear bright eyes againn
I wonder when this old war will be ster Katie
darlig gut think of peace being declared
&counting the days litl we will be together
again. You ane a decvold prect long
girlie Lod bles & key you for ever ter
my darlig hullion of love Herris for you
tho wes pett forr Sida Don
 

France
#19/7/16
Dear lettterorfie
I am writing this is thmornen
& about 6 oclock this evening we will
start a fattle. Nothing e what is goin
on down or the snme but er
other wors it would be a very conscderatee
Battle indeed. I have taken ever,
precaution that I can think of t
help
my boys along & am now
awaiting the signal which will
launch is many of my poor boys
to their death. they are all eagily
awaiting the signal & we hope
to roplosing the enemys trenche
that we would lave much lloss as
all. Tertesday our astilley hiten
his trenche gent a lot & he wa
very quiet Part night compared
t hat he was prestously I think
he had had a felly full Ochamas
he got yesterday wont b the leass
circumstance conard & what he
will commence tgot in alout ashow
time & will conmin toget sented
Coclock tonight. Therom boy wel
 

dask accoss with the Bayonet &we
hope tgain quite a goood fet of the
front line. No one doutt that we will
in taking it. The troutl they
neceed
all seen to say will be to hold it
when in Lave it ion. I aw going
u to walet the assaultpo our
pont line. I cannot stay away
back here.
of mischance comee
can only say God fes & keep you
my onr dear little trump.
helpmate oour little weetpet
compit you always. I seen th
confident more for this time than
before that I will hall right. Pertape
you own faith in this belief is helper
One
Darlin little lady
edym
t

o you will healways
my veryoin fal & conaile right for ever yyu
the doar fute one thatI con on slatte to settald
my troubles ted. I should like the wee laddie to
have a chance to go to Duntion Military College
woone day. My will is in the Safe at the office mrssed
with my name & I think is a layy envelone endgised
privat Papers voweo dead btlold fore lady
sean of lond & kins for you & my ardear hltspet
iu
sid
 

P.S. Charlie has ben under fir the
last few days thi Captain speaks
very righty of his courage & coolen
I am sedy a postcard my weedhowed
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