Letters from Harold Edward 'Pompey' Elliott to his family, January 1917 - April 1917 - Part 8

France
14/3/17
Dearest Katie Love,     
Here I am
once more back in the silly old
mud here in France. While in
England I had a heap of dear
long letters from you dated
27^th Dec, 31^st Dec, 2^nd January, 7^th Janry
& 14^th January. So no wonder I was
very pleased & happy. Sweet darling
loving letteres they were too. You are
the dearest darling & loveliest
bit of wifelet in the wole world. I care
so much about you old Dearie
The photos you sent are just lovely
darling. The little pets look the
picture of health & happiness - the dear
wee sweet pets. God bless & keep them
safe for Dida. Little [[?]] looks
very like our little pet Lady in the
one picture you sent of the three. It
must have been a nasty windy day.
I saw Mrs Duigan & her man husband in
England. I have fixed him up with
a job over there so she will be
happy. It would have settled him
 

14/3/17

 

completely & have had to come back
here. I missed seeing Jean
Norris as she had gone down
to Weymouth or somewhere
to be near her old man husband a few
days before I got there. However
I met a friend of hers & the
latter is to get me her address
Last Sunday Geordie & I went
to a place called Sunningdale
near Windsor to spend the day
with some South Australians named
Wells we had got to know. They
drove us over to Windsor & we
saw the outside of the Palace &
the inside of the Royal Chapel
of St George where all the Stall
of the Knights of the Garter are in
with their banners & coats of arms
still above them: While in London
I went to the Palace & got my
C.M.G.. It is very pretty. I have
sent it to Mrs Edwards to
keep for me until I get back.
to England. I wouldn't risk sending
 

is home just now until we [[?]] catch
these old submarines a bit. It is
very pretty. I also got the St
Anne Cross. It is rather pretty too
but it looks flimsy compared
to the British Orders. What a funny
old name Lyn gave her bairnie
But everyone will call it Lyn so
it doesnt matter does it. I told
Geordie xx all you said about the
Bairnie. I got Duigan to post the
Diary to you in London so that is
why it was postmarked London. Things
look better here. We are advancing
all along the line & we are having quite 
exciting times but we will fetch
up against something pretty solid
soon. I posted a little book of funny
rhymes in London to the laddie. You
can read them to the little people
& a couple of books of views of
Chester for the little lady. Major
Gull'saddress is "Major Shannon Gull
59^th Battalion A.I.F. France." He is away
ill just now but it is not serious
 

^He has just a touch of this ^same silly old
Bronchitis that I had. I soon
got all right in England but no
sooner am I back than I feel a
bit of the old choky sensation starting
again. Still the weather is getting
ever so much warmer. I am
hopeful that soon I will be quite
all right. I feel very fit as a fact.
Geordie looked very worn out when
he got to England but improved
greatly. His time was up on
Monday & I thought he would be
back with me but he got another
weeks leave. This was just as well
& he will probably be quite all
right when he comes back. Dr
Welsh's Col acknowledged my letter
asking for information about him &
said he would write & tell me about
it in a few days. but ^has never done so
yet. However as Mrs Crick^shank now knows
all about it I shall not trouble any ^further
 

with them again. Old ^Yes Bob Smith
is now Brig Genl now, as you say. If
my health last I don't think he
will get ahead of me dearie. My
boys have been doing excellently &
if I have any luck at all I may
come home Major Genl. Tivey ^I hear is getting
very rather jealous of all my mentions etc.
I enclose the order about myself &
Col Stewart & others to keep for
me. While in London I gave the news
of this to a Newspaper man so that
their people might know about it
quickly. While I was away Cam
Stewart ran the Brigade & did it
very well. You can tell Mrs Stewart
that the Higher Generals & myself were
very pleased with his work & I think
sooner or later he will be made a
Brigadier Genl which he quite
deserves. It is all nonsense if
the Boys say that they ^Australians are always
put in the hottest part of the line.
it must be only some sperriky a few who
ones say that. I have heard
 

none of my ^own men say that. & it
certainly not true. Since
Pozieres hardly any of the Australians
have had a big fight & that is over
6 months ago whilst the British
have been fighting all round us
& have lost very heavily. It
is only the selfish scrubbers wasters who would
say that. I wish I knew them
I would talk to them. But never mind
dearie. Tell the little laddie & the wee
lady that I am delighted that they are
so good  helping mum & dear. I am so
glad the wee pets are fond of one another
too. Does the wee lady still try ^not to boss
the wee laddie about it.. I had a very
nice letter from Mrs Roberts telling
me all about them wee pets. It was
funny about Mrs "Smith Melb" McKenzie
In your last letter you mention that
the wee laddie was not very well. I hope
he soon got all right. Apparently
you have not got a new house
yet dearie. I am very very
busy darling & cannot write a
 

decent letter so you must put
up with this one for the time
being. My darling sweetest
pet. God bless & keep you
always & love for Dida Don
Millions of love & kisses
for you & the wee darlings.
P.S. You can may have a copy made
of the marked paragraphs ^of Birdwood's letter &
have it posted up in the Depot.
 

France
17/3/17
My dearest Katie,
We Had ^a most exciting
time last night. The enemy started
to fall back in our front & we pushed
on & by 7 am all the long ridge that
has looked down upon us all
winter was in our hands without
resistance the enemy only thinking
of getting away. We were delayed
by the heavy ground & by the
enemy wire & he gradually got
a start of us as he thought only of
getting out of the way of trouble.
Tell the little people that we have
smashed down all the enemy's
front wall & he is running hard
away ^from us but people tell us he has
built up another  big wall about
9 or 10 miles back which we will
have to batter down now but I
think the old Kaiser must be getting
very scared about that jail that
is waiting for him when we catch
 

him which we will do one of
these days. I hope you will
send lots & lots of soldiers over
to help us. It takes a lot to
push down these old walls. But
it is lovely to feel them crumbling
down before us.
Geordie is not back yet. I think
Jack has been in the fighting over
on our left but don't know for
sure. He will soon get his
Captaincy now. Charlie Elliott
will be captain in a few days
now I think. He is not quite better
yet. Well Katie love I am ^very
drefful busy as you may guess
I got your dear loving letters of the
21^st Jan also Baaby's Belle's of the same
date. I will answer them fully
when I can find time but it
is likely that if we keep on the move
it will not be possible to write
very much for some time. Millions
of love & kisses from your very own
Dida Don.