Letters from Harold Edward 'Pompey' Elliott to his family, January 1918 - May 1918 - Part 1

France

4/1/18

My dearest Katie love,

I haven't heaps

of news to tell you. Our little General has

been made a Knight & Genl McNicoll & Brig Smith

have each got their C.M.G. Their rewards

only go up as far as 20th Sept & dont include

our big fight at Polygon Wood so I dont

know whether that will bring me anything

yet, It is quite possible that it won't

I have trod on too many corns in my time for

them to give me anything they can avoid it. Still

I ought not to complain for they gave me

practically everything I asked of them for

my boys at the time.

Henry Bennett got a C.B. He had the

C.M.G. before. Monash got a Knighthood as

did General McCoy. I fear that the war is

a long way from being over yet. The French are

making desperate efforts to meet the expected attack

Every fit man up to fifty must go into the

Trenches. every one of the peasants or farmers

old or young, men & women have got to go &

dig new trenches behind the front line for it

is certain that at the point the enemy

select for the attack they will march

through since nothing can resist the

awful torrent of shell fire - men can

only sacrifice themselves & kill whilst they

live leaving it to others to carry on the

good work in rear. If it be our fate to be

 

 

in the front row when the attack starts

I hope we shall take good toll from the

enemy whilst he is coming on. I enclose

you a copy of a menu sent to me by Col Stewart

showing you the Xmas dinner they were able to 

provide for the men. It isn't bad is it all

things considered & the men enjoyed it thoroughly.

We found it too expensive to provide even

a reasonable helping of Turkey for everyone

but a lot of the men bought Turkey or Chook

for themselves. My word there is a biting Jack

Frost here this morning. I can hardly

write. I had dinner with Col Dinchy

last night & they had a piano & a few

songs afterwards. It was very pleasant

& took my mind off my troubles for the time

being.

I am going to ride over & inspect his 

Battalion this morning. We had snow again

yesterday. I had a letter from Jessie Campbell at

Ellapool & she sent me a box with two squares of

their own honey in the comb. It was very dark colored

compared to ours but was very nice. It was heather 

honey. Her sister Mary who lives in Stirling has got

another wee baby girl. She had a girl & a boy

before.

This is just about all the news Katie

darling - No letters yet - I suppose they've

been sunk. Millions of love & kisses from

your very own

Dida Don

 

 

I

France

7/1/18

My own Darling,

Yesterday I got such

a big lot of letters from you all at once

One of the 19th finished on the 21st Oct. Then one of the

22nd & a teeny tiny one also of the 22nd Oct when you

first heard from Mr Stirling of Jack's death. Then

one of the 24th & another of the 28th Oct - it

was a great Blessing to get them & to learn

that you were bearing your trials so very

bravely. Truly there is nobody like you in all

the world. My own precious darling - I hope I 

will be able to come home to you & tell you all I

feel about you my brave & true & tender hearted

darling. God bless you a million times for all your 

sweet love - you are a true comforter & helpmate

to me. The poor dear wee laddie it just made

my heart ache to go home & love the dear little

desolate laddie when I heard of him asking me

not to be killed or die or get sick. He is just as sweet

& loving & true as you my own Katie. It is

very hard my darling but I must just try

to face my fate whatever it may be with what courage I can

muster. Yesterday we had a Church Parade

Intercession service & I spoke a few

words to the men before the Service.

Chaplain Captain Williams our chaplain who

has just got the Military Cross & the other

ministers were there & afterwards he came & 

said that he wanted to thank me on behalf of the

ministers for speaking as I had done

 

2

His wife Mrs Williams is Secretary of the

Geelong Branch of our Depot & Mrs Freeman mother of Col Freeman is

President there. Our other Freeman Capt

W. Freeman of Warnambool District was

killed just before we moved out of the line this

last time by the premature explosion of a

French Mortar. I managed to get Ronald

Dickson a job in England. I think there is a

Bairnie coming - anyway his wife wrote &

asked me couldn't I arrange a job for him

in England because she had had him such

a little time. So I fixed it for him. I

was sorry to part with him too as he is a

very fine officer very cool & brave. I fear we are

going to have a terrible fight soon. The enemy

are sending all the best men from the Russian

front & any prisoners we get are full of tales

of the preparation the Bosche are making to

settle us for good this time. I expect it

will happen about the end of February -

They will come on wave after way wave with

terrible artillery fire just as in the Battle of Verdun

for months & endeavour to wear us down before

the Americans get here in full strength. It is a

slow process getting the Americans over here

with all the submarines & none of the French

Harbors can take the largest boats & the men

have to be landed at Liverpool & then brought over

here. I wrote a report on the Battle of Polygon

Wood which I hoped to be able to send to

the Depot to see what their boys really did

[*P.T.O.*]

 

 

(3)

but it only involved me in fresh trouble with 

Birdwood & others. It showed some of the British

troops up & some of their Generals too & Birdwood

ordered all the Copies I had had made of it

destroyed. It was a pity as I had taken

great pains to get the truth of it but you

see it is necessary that disasters should

be concealed & hurled up. It does not pay to

tell the truth - as I know to my cost

I doubt if I will ever be able to tell it again

so completely as I had destroyed the notes

I had made during the Battle - I have

reason to believe however that the gist of

my account was extracted by the

Historical Records people & will eventually

appear as Australian History but I

get my kick in the neck all the same.

I am so glad you like the little house

Would you like to buy it some day dearie

In regard to the Deferred Pay i am certain

you are wrong about drawing it. The Next of Kin

I am sure can draw it if you are killed

but not otherwise - The whole object of the Deferred

Pay Scheme is that it shall be a provision

for you when you are discharged & if the Next 

of Kin could get it before then naturally this

object would be defeated. Jack Scanlon

worked a point however whilst he was in

Melbourne & got it all invested in War Loan

but they didn't know at that time that he was

[*go to Back of P.I *]

 

 

coming back home & of course it was a good

scheme then for them to convert it into War

Loan Stock.  I enclose a paper authourising

you to draw it but I am certain you

wont be able to do so. You can get Roddick

to try. There will be something over £400 to £450

due I should think. It was 7/6 a day that

was kept back at first & afterwards 8/- a day.

If I was ever made Major General I can

draw the whole amount at once as there is no

deferred pay scheme for then they are supposed

to get enough to make full provision for themselves

out of their pay. I would not mind having the

opportunity. Perhaps I could then straighten up

the muddle Roberts has made. Mr Lowe writes

that things are looking better, that Mrs Roberts

paid in sufficient money of hers to keep the

creditors quiet for the time being & Roberts is

only to draw £5 a week & pay all the rest toward

reducing our liabilities. I'd like to hang him

He has been neglecting the bairnies & not getting in costs

or anything. I cannot understand it & wonder

sometimes if he has taken to drink or drugs. I had

a very nice letter from Mrs Denchy & one from

poor old Mr McCrae both on hearing of Geordie

& Jacky boys deaths. They are very kind people. I was

very glad that Geordie got his Military Cross

after all. It may cheer poor Lyn up a little.

I only got a mention & have been made a full

Colonel of the "Gooendor Rifles" I suppose it is

an honor of sorts but I fancy it is just a

 

 

(5

scheme to get out of giving me something better.

Of course the lists for the Honor List was closed

on the 23rd Sept just two or three days before our

big fight at Polygon Wood. The Honors for this last

so far as they were not immediately awarded

after the Battle will be dealt with in the Kings

Birthday Honors such things as C.B. & C.M.G.

are always granted in periodical lists & not

as immediate rewards. I see Henry Bennett

got the C.B. & McNicoll & Bob Smith the C.M.G.

each. They did very well indeed. From the

fuss made of my Brigades work at Polygon Wood

I might to get a C.B. out of it for it was

in its results more important than that of any

of the others - good as they were. Tell Lyn that Geordie

would have been very pleased to have had his

Military Cross. He was a bit disappointed that

it had did not come out as an immediate

award but he was told it was noted for the New 

Year List. I was afraid that the death would

cancel this. I hope poor Lyn is plucking up

heart again. Is anyone fixing up her pension

for her. She is entitled to about £2 a week

for herself for life & £5/ a week for Jacquelyn I think until she

is sixteen. She will also be entitled to Geordie's

share in my fathers estate after Mothers death &

she will get 1/3 & Jacquelyn 2/3s of it.

Poor old Nana. I hope she is bearing up under it

all. It must have been a great blow to her. Yes,

darling love we are fortunate in having the dear wee

laddie. I expect he will be the only "Elliott" of the

[* P.T.O. *]

 

6

next generation unless Rory has some. And do you remember when

first he was promised us - poor wee chap - we did not know

He was a miracle sure enough. I am sure he was sent to be your

special comfort & stay in trouble darling. If anything

should ever happen to me dearie just be good & brave & bright

& cheerful as you are. Be sure my thoughts will always

be with you watching over our laddie. One could be content to

die if to have you always proud of him - but there is more

than this. If there is any heaven & mercy existing surely it

will be all right for those who voluntarily expose there

bodies to mutilation & death for their country & for 

liberty. One cannot help shrinking a little from

death which comes in horrible forms here but we

cannot let the Germans win. I told the boys on

Sunday that I could not leave them - even to go home

 on leave - knowing what was in front of them this Spring

Yet sometimes at times I feel that I have reached t he limit of

my strength & that I cannot stand the strain much

longer. I can imagine now how you felt before your

operation. I am always tired & sometimes my head

aches scandalous dreadfully & my nerves seem all raw &

aching. At others I feel pretty good except for for the tiredness

Poor little Gagy Dhalsath & laddie. What a shame they have the silly

old measles. I remember having the things when I was

grown up & how nasty I felt. I hope they get

over them quickly. There is a rumor that

Genl Birdwood is going to leave us & Genl McCoy

get the A.I.F. If that were so it would

be good for me I think but I doubt is is all a

rumor. Gen McCoy has been doing splendid

work in England without doubt - he has

 

 

(7)

done a wonderful lot of good work there & I

would like to see him get his reward, I dont

think his health would stand the strain here

though he looks splendid just now.

Genl Tivey & a good many others don't like

him but he would do me every time.

Well Katie dear old love I haven't any fresh

news to tell you. It rained last night &

melted all the snow or nearly all but

it has got cold & Jack Frosty again. I have

cheered up such a lot since I started this

letter my head is better too. It does me

good to have a talk with my darling sweet

little loving wife. Take every care of yourself dearie

 

 

France

15/1/18

My dear little Katie pet,

It is Its such an

nasty ugly windy rainy muddy stormy

day. The snow is has all melted & gone & to the land is all

so wet & muddy & dreary. We are still at the same

old draughty house but we should be very

thankful to be away from the Trenches

for it must be very horrid there. Yesterday

I went over to a town where General Tivey

lives to see a sports meeting of the 8th Brigade

It was very cold & I did not enjoy it

much. Poor old Tivey is as jealous as

anything of me these days. Some one told

me that when he was over in London he was

telling everybody that it was his Brigade

that saved ours from being wiped out that

day at Polygon Wood. He made such a song of it that

they quite made a joke of it like the

"Lord Tivey" of Baupaume Stunt.

It is rather funny isn't it Katie love.

Some of the people here have got letters up to 22nd

November but mine have got delayed again 

& I have none later than the 2nd Nov or nearly

3 weeks earlier. I enclose a little letter

I got from Miss Brunet. It says

"First of all, I present my best wishes for

"a Good (New) Year.

"I wish the same for your wife & for your

"bairnies a very good health. I wish with

"all my heart that this year you will