Letters from Harold Edward 'Pompey' Elliott to his family, January 1917 - April 1917 - Part 12

a lall in the rane time. I had for moster
the time only tro Battales inder Best halfh
who did slades workI on delight
OBiller
with hm- This nar lad all in four &
yet I lad to rd edagh & Herart &
help him out Noss my men are radge
full of light today hearted tbe let of road
merdly for 3 days sirit wer a clarce t
recore. Mine never lad any wict spelld indee
bad togo up do part of his shipt for him
Brd ere had oe goke or him. We captined a      
truch mtar & is did they but his me
mme is lay or knocked by they would not
He bothered castirg theres array is as it was
a muct mee one that thm togot before Best
Lagh quietly prapper, his for the new good
oe to help havea borely trophy yerer he
get it sack to loburg for the sull hall there
Ire got all my lord guit ken or plty
trophres for the Full halls at home & no
walts now tine they are they alway dy
then back to rapty. I hope the ministro
lands them to the Comprty fand people to
hee firsh We tope they all goo tmme rately t
 

thanks very much is for wvantery to send
me they ntay
sop I told you a long tund ago that the
Sulphus lags from Mrs Feighton cancalory
all reply & they were send out to theboys
but I don't think anyoe ever wose them; all
the doctors laughed at Storder of thes lergang
ptiction us all tell MrsD. by came
all right & thatI sent a littes thanking
ber& ask bee of she evr got it. Be mc
tell Mrs Waishall & the thunsts that then
is absolutely sotting in the stories about General
McCay & I would gladly serre ender t
tmore otht anyf th othe ted
Generals about. His oe fuult of which he cses
being rapidly cied w that if Dencial Bido
of anylody arked him to make an aftacts he
would at it cheufully no matter how directful
the danger. He believed it th a soldier
Thens not to reaim why
duty
Thei but t do & die
And be himself would like Lord Cardiga
have with utmost crolness onarry
ont the Valler of See
have lead inmen, out th monct of Helle
 

I then ked was the sust to tealk him that
thes was not always the truest duty that
omduty demaides that of we thouh we
were leny tll td imposrbilities & sand
t Berdwork & the others I tell them
is & say? I am ready volling to bead my
mar to thi altack but you mustfilel
enderstand that I think it is mede
& you will lave tlake all rerprnsibility.
It is just wonderful how there peoples earlite
entherreamn varushes if you put that propositinn
u against them particularly of th in
writing. Of course one must feel very rined
nes grond for they will sometinglid some
ore the willing t late or the h & of te
& meceed your nane would be plane dirt:
he fax thanks to your prayers delin everytime
I have refured tatteck & some one elre
has tried it ne thy got it on the neek tha
proyig judgment correct & where I have
done it altoct stioped that it could be
done the inccere can ben almost a mucce
That n what you prayers have done buttter wife
or you jard keep going ro that I may alway
 

be inspired to do port what is right. The
otherday I wanted to go on & ders forlidde
Frity promply day truske & putcy wil
like pin & made what s really an cary
jl atpert a very ditheulte & much lon
pascaured. A littl while back I moraged
to par oer to one of th other Herion the
last of the Senior ppeen dimmped or me
in Egypt. He made on ar pul are of himely
& lat oer doomen. I think bell get the
rack all right. Then another Derroin
will me from then & they too made a men
& lost a lot of over to the same of the 3t De
who rade no mitater scaptured erce is
many more trio that angone else wane great
in tlaid the vart delight of or trominal
General for whe enrything an th garder is just
lovely! I laren'd remanything of gaekyboy
Trey aront for a rest now I shall try a see
Mrs Murrell a London. Her bry and re of
my forgeants inth ornan kifles bepore the
dar He ans a meeboy, & I had my eye a him
on an officce but he irno very bying them quen
rayshl filled out ino a piret
strappir fellow
fomeae was salled & was agreat sparoulite wththa
 

Armonor is Parte Sunday. Gord Friday bas
come & gone & none has taken any wotice
but o an going thave a by churchparate
tomorrow. Never med about the wee goey hid
dil t oudld many pot I'll lyyree
a fair when I come som & they sull tuldne
latter
the demantingfor you th
ater y persure the good rull alages
H the phrtos I sent last mail will
show you I am again the pieture of health
Peopleall lelt we huwell daw lookinga
albhough the part two day hve been bisterly
cold with mowe & rair & slect I dontfiel
statall I sam a by comiitet
a liltle store that seeps me as warm a
toaot & a filld an earychan that umcone
find in an old Rorthe du out. I nere
ten really is comfortat n, rand ever at
it Brunets because then I was oo a shayes
spere. In my little aud that myboys have
moubt I a really & truly athome Ilare
apernon tea or craoa & cakes ar preits
Iime the tee has no flaror but tt st
& warr & that is theman thing.
 

I really don't think you'd see much differnce
io he except when my lais bay gone ptty
white by the temples & a wee bit puthr back
on the fop atpart fom thatI can recne
charge myself & slore youju th roae ad
Fre landed Der th$100 to the Brigally
Iwlitnt Committee who will ipend it
mostlym entre regitatle which an very
reaile & diendfully dear op bere Northat
we are out of the almed & really got the
Bosche or the more ahead as crayne is in
great pirit but I par i will lictecked
for guiteantle by the Indenli line an
pot of as. Ibe wire there is from 800 to
690 yords thick in pont of it & the gins
ae started ser lv antul wees
woind just like the naves of a sloring
rea or a rocky reach from ceasig her
anny pratument by ngtnday
& erely for minutee th woll broken boy the
 

crashing
catn roor of some monstious gin
12 weh gin which momentarly drown the
roorof its len water as the war of a lio
might plence the Gapper of & pack of dogs
thymenting it when the Teneral are
ratisped that the mre is well cut w will
Gs or again. I never leard ruet an abourd
edea as indig the old 1s fwision mer home
on leave. In the put place evrr offcerwelt
expennce is reguired to tlack thenew
boys& aroid the mertakes that we las falle
int is ofted. In the reeplace the ships
required t lake then hre cannot
&c paid Every shy tas can carry
goods must go as laid as it cat&
keep the people i Ergland pon staring
with the prtnar rending nurdredg
ships a month & of the people a Enland
are staived int gunndering what urevill
all onr fighing care been Weithe can the
ma be spoild bp ane eithey I never
heard nct medness. o she would get
iy a petiter for Conscripting to pain
time as many oner as we lave bere now
 

is that we could go right away back
outof round of the uns for a month
sell instead of whit we are out of steping
Im tenpodmedroads stelt unde
stell fou then would be greated pense in is
to you nt lard on anyore who iugust such
a thing I would be guit andnew & the solictie
of the inggestion is so great when you know
what a templation it might prove tthe
por denls ben to dewaid w How
wouls it took if relyin symth people
at Hore protecting then one me shold
all denard the latter lack to Hustiater
If they ever did thatI think I would choot
myself for very shame & yet that is what
shch petitior if largely signed would
tempt men tdo I his could t took
order Amyone to be whot a tho pce of a
Pelition like that tyi then home the
Goverment as nad t permit wch a
petition to be signed wont evry kerred
gernor & evry slussed Femon
& Autstor crank in the Countrywck
& nor it - of comre he will. Swuld
 

seen t them iot the best thing in the
woild t get all nnr best & most experince
officers omer will out of the way just whe
they are most needed or the rpst. Went
th rejectin conscription the Petiter
ss jut the very maddest ttiig I rs av
blard of gondeed nt expect mhe howeor
any consideratoon until old lais Billhe
curradued for good & all are of orclase
ther Potrdan Palan abruthes cars line
we do it. And I'm just about as ricks the
War as I golty well can be. Now desie
nngtaty& I don't know when the
made will begong out but ttfeller is
ir
gitting you adl fat i dle
prs stost have thlovel wan
bath my servant has gotall read for
me- What it you think of that & then il
pos int bed share a toly sleen in spitig
all the popsing & granbliy of shoold gins
dl mech
de
them
ldhims tim m
Pry tan non chdate me was
ermes Bymmp Fide
 

My dearest Katie, eay
France
wo letters 10/4/17
fou you dated the 18th 12to Ich. This weby
jur pou the 4 Feh. I wonder an
the me in letwen drowned. It look like
it doent it deane & I suppose the
snay prote of the dear sitter peopie will
be, in them. Hut it be sad for you of you
sare t wait 3 month for letters & what a
be pile you will have to read at the end
is Im bory to keep a writing tym just
the name. I enelose the regirtiation sliz for
the parcel with the Germar soln Helmet
in it for the laddie. He will surely
whik the Chstas when that come
goe him gell him it belonged & a naughly
old Hair Bill soldrer that didn soldier
killed because he was is noughty. I don't
know a bit of this is time because lapt
miroon foud it in a dy out in
a place called Runcourt that wecln
the Terman out of chyhord be got met
a fright be rar away without in
nelmet& now it will elong tdear