Letters from Harold Edward 'Pompey' Elliott to his family, January 1918 - May 1918 - Part 6

for New Year 1917, or Kings Birthday
1917 or New Year 1918 is to be included
in this one unless for very special
circumstances. I don't know what
the idea is but the result will be
that neither Genl Tivey nor I can
get any recognition, for the Polygon
Wood fighting - I might have a
fare chance as from the praise
our Brigade got it might be
conceivably called "very special
circumstances" but the chance is
very much too slender to count upon     
particularly as I am by no means in
favor with Birdwood & he would not
miss a chance such as that to overlook me.
Perhaps I am unjust to him but he always
gives me the impression that he likes
everyone to adopt his views & gets annoyed
if you don't & I have never adopted his
views where I thought they were wrong
without a fight. You are right I will
be very lucky indeed if I get out of 
the matter without having to pay
the debt Roberts brought in the firm
 

I am hopeful however that the business

will pay off some of the claims
before I get back. What remains
I hope I shall be able to pay some
day for I cannot get over the fact that
people have lost money or may lose money
by to some extent at least relying on my
good name & it is a slur upon it if
they do lose altogether. There it is that I
don't think one of them who lost money knew me more
than casually & this trust was due entirely
to Roberts & not to me at all. Nevertheless the
fact remains as stated. Should I return
safely that aspect has to the faced. What I was
worried about was that should I get killed
every thing I own may be at once sacrificed
to the detriment of you and the Bairnies whereas
if I can get back in safety I maybe
able to pay things off gradually & yet
leave something for the Bairnies &
help them along. I would ask you to try not to
worry yourself at all about the matter
at present. Mr Bigg seems to be
hopeful of getting Roberts to retire
from the business altogether & to
 

leave the business in the hands of
some other firm who will be paid half
the profits for managing things and
the other half to go to satisfy the
creditors. I don't know if the
thing will really work well but
still something must be done
to keep things going. If I have &
sell altogether I may be barred
from starting again in Melbourne
or near it which would be
awkward. There is nothing more
to be done at present.
The defeat of the Referendum at
pre was a shameful thing. Noone
will ever convince me that the Germans
were not concerned in the matter.
The latest stunt is the posting
to men in the A.I.F. a paper
called the "Herald "preaching
that it is useless going on 
fighting; that the Germans
have wanted to make peace
for two years & the Allies
wont agree to it & that they are
 

being sacrificed for the Capitalists
& that they ought to refuse to
fight anymore. At present
we dont know where it comes
from but the matter is being
investigated. There is no doubt
whatever that it is run by
German money & that the same
tactics that ruined the Russian
& Italian Armies are now
being employed against us.
What the result will be one
cannot say for the men are
sick & tired of the war & there
are many who as the Conscription
Referendum votes showed who
would make Peace at any price
Over a year ago I wrote a letter
to Mrs Lowe saying that unless
proper reinforcements were
sent the Regiments would be
too weak to be any good in
the line & would have to be
taken out and used as labor 
Battalions. Extracts from this
 

were published not under my
name of course in the Melb Herald
My argument was that we
would be doing the work of nigger
Battalion at 6/- a day instead
of a few pence. Well a lot of these
blighters who are sick of fighting
read this & thought that would
be just a lovely idea & so
voted against Conscription.
in the hope that that would
be Result of not getting recruits.
I am glad at least that they
have been reached over this & it
is settled that as soon as that
stage is reached just one & then
another of the Battalions will be
disbanded & those that remain
kept up to strength from those
who remain are disbanded.
Of course this means the gradual
reduction of one force but it is
the xx only thing to be done, But
you cannot wonder at the men
here feeling that they have done
 

enough fighting for the shirkiest
cowards at home. Mind you
as the Conscription voting
showed we have a majority
of splendid men still fighting
but it is precisely these best men
who expose themselves most &
are thinned out at every fight.
The Germans are up to every
dodge to win. Nothing matters but
to win. With ours all sorts of things
are thought of before winning. I am very
glad you & Dear Bell are having at least
a little bit of a holiday. The Bairnies
will love being up at Croydon or anywhere
in the country I think. You must take
them up to Dandenong or Healesville
or somewhere again in Wattle Time.
Bob Marshall has not turned up
yet. I did not know of poor old
George Angus death before. He was
not very old. I wonder what was the matter.
I wonder would the lad like to go up to
Rory's place for a time. If he is to be
a farmer he will require to get accustomed
to country life early in his life
 

I did not know about McTaggart living near
you I remember finding a loan for him when
he was buying his house. I will enquire about
Pritchard. I am afraid I had quite forgotten
him but I do remember something about
him now you mention it I have such a terrible lot of things to
think about that I forget. In regard to
getting leave & resting out of the line
dont forget dearie that the war will
be won in the line. These new leave
regulations which have been made although
it is all done to please the men & their
people really seem to make it much
harder. At the present time I have
over 400 men from the Brigade away
on leave. That would make a terrible
difference if the Bosche attack us.
That multiplied by all the Brigades
in the British Army means a
terrible lot great many of men away when it
comes to a fight. I have looked
by my book & found a Sergt
Prichard who has a good record
& I have noted him as likely to make
a good officer. He is in the 60th - but

he joined us in October 1916 &
I think that would be too long ago
for you to have heard of him
from Mr Wilson. However if I
see Prichard I will ask him.
It is quite possible it may be the
same fellow. He is a very good
fellow if it is. I dont know
why Genl McCay should be
really unpopular. He has done
magnificent work in England sorting
out all the Shirkers & wasters
who under old Newton Moore were
simply living on the Commonwealth
He got rid of over 300 of them quite
recently & bundled them off home.
which was a great blessing. Tell
Baaby Belle the shortbread in the parcel
was splendid. We had it
for afternoon tea at Mrs Buckley's.
The tea was welcomed there also the
sugar. In England they are
worse off for these things than we
are in the field. All the tea we get
is vile tasting stuff it is true
but we do get some & they cannot
 

buy it at any price. In regard
to decorations - As far as English
ones are concerned I can only
get the C.B or a V.C & if I ever
can a V.C. will probably be dead as
only in desperate circumstances
could it be my proper duty to
take a personal part in a fight. I
have for too high a job handling a Brigade
[to be] able to do it properly by personally
[ki]lling Germans. It would be only
[if] the German actually broke through
[the] line & I had lost touch with my men that I
should go up personally & try to
lead them on again. Should that
happen at any time I hope I
will not be found wanting, but as
it would mean a big defeat for
us & desperate measures taken
to meet it I am not going to hope
for it. The C.B would almost
certainly have arrived for me
this Kings Birthday list except
for the new regulation & as I say
it may be waived is my case - but
I will not complain if I do

not get anything. I think I would
like the French Legion of Honor
though. I have been twice recommended
for it but the thing has not gone
through & of course that makes me
want it. But after all I have
enough. I have six already & if
the Gallipoli Star is issued I will
have that & I suppose when the
war ends a war medal will be

issued for that. So I begin to think
they are not of much Value after all
Then there is the question of a Knight
hood which is only promotion in the
C.M.G. or C.B to K.C.M.G or K.C.B.
I used to think that I was pretty
sure of getting to be Major General &
getting one that way. Our Sperrik little General recently got
one. But with the failure of conscription
I have given up hope of becoming a
Major General at all & also this
business of Roberts makes me
think that I would rather not
have one at all. It only makes one
wider known & adds to the disgrace
in that way. We are very very glad happy as we are

P.T.O.