Letters from Harold Edward 'Pompey' Elliott to his family, May 1917 - December 1917 - Part 14

here where I can really trust anyone here to
look after things when my back is
turned. I was up the line this
morning on a bit of a will. The old
Broche spotted us & started firing
little whizz bang shells at us. We
scooted but the young officer who was
with me got a smack [[in?]] them [[?]].
with a fragment which went clear
through it- crushing the [[?]] badly.
The poor chap had been wounded at
Bullecourt & got the M.C there
He only got back a few days ago-just
missed the big fight & he wanted to
be in the [[?]] badly. He is
a fine boy not 20 & now I fear he
will be laid aside for long enough
I have had no cable from
you about the change of address
I had [[heard?]] so much of the little
home & the orange tree that I
shall be sorry when you leave particularly
when you have all been so well
there but you are right as usual
We can hardly stand by & see our
darling [[pets?]] health ruined
 

I am wondering how poor
Lyn is. I had just - had a
[[?]] note poor [[?]] thanking me
for my photo & telling me to

send Geordie back at once It
is sad about him never xxxx
seeing dear wee Jacquelyn at all.
It is a blessing though that she
came along to cheer up poor Lyn in
her grief-. It must have been lovely
[[?]] out with Mrs Dent, & wasn't
Gagy  [[?]] a darling to thank him so 
nicely by wanting to give him all
the oranges I'll love to see the
dear wee body- my own little
daughter. Tell her this I was so pleased
to see the picture of her dear little
Land that drew for me. Tell her
[[?]] tished it he was so pleased
about it I gave one of officers
going to London two daggers the
Boys took from Germans in the
big Fight- One has a sort of [[?]]
[[?]] [[upon?]] it - It is the badge of
a Sergeant Major of the German

[[?]] - I asked him to post them
 

to you. If you like you can
give the [[?]] one to the laddie
& the small one to the [[?]] - but
they are not nice things cruel looking
so if you dont think they are nice
thing for them to have you need not
give them to them.
It is getting very [[?]] frosty here
of nights now lour it will be colo
D know & wet. There was a bitter prow
last near at the end of
this month.
my [[?]] [[?]] are still looking
well.  The [[?]] was very seedy
during the cold weather but is
Very sparky now. Old darky,
[[?]] a thrifle stiff at times. Like
Dida he is getting old & thiss cold
nights shake him up I hope it
hasnt been drowned
I dont think there is anything
I can do about [[?]] [[lollies?]] [[brother?]]
in - law. It was at the first

Bullecourt fight a mad affair
when the British Den [[?]] let us
in badly & a lot of the boys were [[cut?]]
 

behind the German wire. If he
was taken prisoner they will be
notified is due course - if not
he is practically certain to be dead.
The 18th Battn is not only in a different
brigade but is in a different [[?]]
& miles & miles away. If I have a
chance I will inquire, but I cannot
promise to do so -  at least at present
as we are just scandalous  very busy
I [[?]] many things [[?]] about
They should write to the C.O. of the
13th Battalion direct. [[All?]] I can
do is to ask him & they might
just as well do that as ask xx me to do it
But I suppose the poor people at
home [[?]] at any chance to get
news of their missing ones so I shouldn't
be witing then. - But I have hundred
of things to think about just now & I
get [[?]] & [[?]] of it all at times,
its you ray it is a wonder I have
stood it all for so long your Geordies
death & this worry about Mr Roberts
is just the A..B.J  [[?]] [[?]] [[?]]

 

one did not laugh at times one
would go mad. And the men are is
funny - you know sometimes a
Bread gets wet & [[?]] & they give
un hard biscuits to eat - Sometimes
a little of the Bread is saved & they
give us that I make up the
shortage in biscuits a bit &
are very indignant at times when
they get only a small ration of
Bread. The poor Quartermaster's are always [[?]]
The other day they were short again
& the Quartermaster [[?]] was dealing
out the Bread
one chap looked at his share
then hailed the Quartermaster
"Look here-Quartermaster - is the
 my [[?]] bread ration or is
" [[?]] [[?]] Holy Communion"
Tell old [[?]] that story. He will

appreciate it.
You know the whole place is
just a [[?]] of huge
[[?]] [[?]] & all the [[farms?]] 

[[?]] heaps of [[broken?]] bricks
 

we send the ration up as
far as possible [[?]] long [[strings?]] of
mules - It is a terrible journey
as the mules fall into the shell [[?]]
& get bogged & are sometimes blown
up by shells & so on -
A long string were setting off in

the [[?]] the [[?]] [[?]] night one
of the men looked ing at them struggling

through & helped xxxx "Burke & Wills

"in this Blanky desert, " Bill"
You know sometimes with all

the guns going off [[stuned?]] you

some of them just [[?]] (&

the [[?]] of some of them nearly [[knocks?]]

your head off at times). you cannot

sometimes distinguish between

the [[?]] discharges of  the our own guns

& the [[?]] of the Big [[shells?]]

[[?]] [[newly?]] joined officers was with

an old one crouching in a bit of a

trench the [[?]] just about [[here?]]

with [[fear?]]. [[?]] [[?]] to the  [[?]] [[?]]

after a tremendous crash near

there - " W- [[?]] was the that ours "

[[Yes?]] said this & there with a gun - its ours [[?]]
 

"
Its a present from Frtz
The nervous one laughed up
thy roke of his years went from
yim. courage is a qrieer thing
use that. A whole lot of it is
custom. nots of the men think
any brave. But to thes day I cannot
help flovening a bet when a stell
crathes ntar & I ought to have goo
accustooned to it by now & the
involuntary fliach is, such a foo
thing - it wouldn't selp one abit
you cannot dodgee abit of whel
I had three litten nowr you this tome
n
darling. I think I got then allceps
thase tat are drowned & they till
you about them. Tometimes they are
very don coming along.
some you
Mars got letter of the rane date
as thins rome rater last week hir
that is the foult of those, yauser,
girls in Londor. The balks in the
gardn must be lovey. Icen
ake that. I vent you
50 by last
dail. I hope you get it all right
it will come thtongh the befence people
 

as the last lot did, Poor Geordie sent
me tack nearly all the money we borrowed
a few days lyte he was killed & thi enabled
me to rend it to you just a butle tater that
intended. I wish you would get a, letter
poor the Truster loy telling you now much
we ony now. I am worried but Roberts
have
may have kept any of it. If you gt the receipt
dilect from the Kuttees, that will rittle it
I am so disquoted with him after
him being so grateful t me lecauve I said
that as business was mie tobe bad & he would
have tgot mer in my place I would not
wantary of the propts of the hunness while
I was away & then to play this shably trick
on me. I am apaid his wife will be
broker hearted. Der Stillman, did very
po work. I have renthis name or a
he will likely got the M.C for it, It is
too bad that Geordee will lose his frn
now. Poor lttle guequetyn would ae
been proud, of its rome day
what has recome of poor old Miss
McFacharn now. The lonkins could
tell you. kertap if she
shas no place
ar land she would come along for about
 

10/a week oher boued & least the
bttle people. W would be wttr than
letterg them sey back.
that was very kind of Mr. Gilpe Katie
to give so much bour repot. I must
wiste& thank him. I ve never yet
cone is ever for the shrts. I kepo
his address for a long time but the
trts wer is long coming I am not
rune if I mit have St & I poss
keep my promisg twrite then o thank
him for then
people
I am disgusted with the mer in Hutiatin
mily thenbttles will bring peoplet
then venses. We have drwer the Bosche
sackt back but I doubt iou can
do much more fome of the Battalion
are not 100 strongwher they showld
oe 1000 & yet they expect us a
go, or. The Broche nighed oer thomand
poor the Runssan pont gust as
said he would & more are coming.
Some of the prisoners told us the
were at Riga & chaned the Rennan
2o miles - never once could theygo
em near enough to then to prec thot
 

no in lan t keep or fighting like
this thelp pimks like those
This will got to you about & was
inor deam. I will wish you
all noots of good wshy for Iway & new
Dea darting & wope that we will
ware a read Versary next I mas.
but it reems to be pretty remote
as
4
resent.
Tis
tcarie
Tell that wee laddie - Ill to after
him for that
stretchy when I come hhome
My word I will. But pertap if he is hg
theaf mee trome I'll give him thome
have now to sleep upon for his veryin
him would he give me& beg hear
lone tist
t& take lands withhis
dear loving hands - will be give hids
wis bitt land - & be never btame if
I could call him my ladditinn live
man. But perhaps tat ltter was drowneng
I had a letter you Major Hewilt. He
is settled in his plantetion is the
Hlomor Islands his still longs to be
in it wilt the boys. Millio Glove &tiske
for yours very sure sida Dor.