Letters from Harold Edward 'Pompey' Elliott to his family June 1918 - October 1918 - Part 2

as old as Gagy ^Dhusach. You must try
to teach them little exercises
with dumb bells now. Tell them
it will help to make them
good ^big & strong like Dida
You can get a little Chart
with the dumb bells maybe –
Little wooden ones or Steel
Spring ones would be best for
them. Please congratulate
Hugo for me about his little
son. I suppose the other wee
thing will be left out in the cold
now they have one of their very own.
I hope not. Tell the laddie boy he
is a big big comfort to me. I
think of him always & I am so
glad I have a wee man who will always
look after mum & Dhusach for me
& work hard for them when he grows up.
That is just the best comfort of all dearie
I am so sorry about poor
Miss M^cLeod dearie pet. 
 

Do you remember Mrs Hart at the
Wedding – ^of  her daughter when poor old Sperriky
Courtney made such an ass of himself
Katie darling. Well poor
Mrs Hart I believe ^has died. She
had a cancer in one eye & it was
taken out. It went to the other
& into the brain & Killed her.
I am sorry too about poor
old Trowbridge. I was hoping
he would continue to Improve
I asked you some time ago if poor
Major O’Farrell was still living or
if he had died. But that letter
must have gone astray as you
did not answer. Have you
heard of "Will Dyson" He married
Ruby Lindsay one of the famous
Artist family of Lindsays – He is
himself one of the official artists
of the A.I.F. & a very fine fellow
too. He has been twice wounded
going right after the boys into the 
 

battle so that he can see with
his own eyes just what they
are like & draw pictures
to show all the people at
home what the boys have
gone through.
Tell the dear little people
I am so glad & pleased that they
love me so much & always
send tishes to me. Tell Gagy ^Dhusach
I got her letter & was very
very pleased with it & will
answer it quite soon & tell
her what a darling girlie she is to
try & please her dida so. Tell them
that you & they have all my love & all
my thoughts & I just want to
spread my arms out wide &
take you all three right inside
them & give you all such a big big love
Millions of love & Kisses from
your very own Dida Don 
 

P.S. Down South by the
Marne the Bosches
are driving the French
back rather roughly. I
would not be surprised if
we are again called out
to stop the rush but
this spot where we are is the most
dangerous as any serious advance
here would cut the armies in two 
 

France
8/6/18
My Darling Katie,
We are still
Camped in the woods & it is
just lovely but the old
Bosche started being nasty
again this morning making
big attacks. so far he has not
gained much but the guns are
rolling & booming like a
stormy sea again this
evening. It looks like a
Stormy night too but we
must just make the best of
it if we are called out.
Col Watson of the 58^th Bn
had his Andrew "Berry"
Dinner today. We were
fighting for our lives on
Anzac Day so it had
to be postponed until today
Watson was hoping to get
a photo of the Tables so as to
send it out to the Berry
people. It should look
like a big big picnic
under the trees - Watson 
 

is a great Asset always
Cheerful & full of energy
Have you met his wife yet
She was a daughter of a
Dr Ryan who I think used
to practice at St Kilda.
Her brother was with us
until a week or so back
Now he has left us for the
Indian Army. Today I had
letters from Hector Bastin &
Bowtell-Harris two of my
7^th Boys Splendid Boys too.
They are in London, waiting
for a boat to join the Indian
Army. We are losing a
Magnificent lot of officers
to the Indian Army now
They seem to be breaking their
necks to get Australian
Officers to join over there.
Probably they expect trouble
as we hear thousands of
German & Austrian prisoners
in Russia & Siberia are
being armed by the Bolshevics
& Germans in Russia itself 
 

and what is more likely
than an attempt to reach
India through Persia
& Afghanistan.
I haven't any news
Oh yes in the Birthday
Honors I got a C.B. for the
Polygon Wood battle no
doubt as the lists had
to be in last February
for that. Tivey got a mention.
Genl Hobbs is away &
Tivey has the Division. The
Lord preserve us from going
into action under
him – that's all I say. He
is becoming a bigger old
woman with the progress of
time & everyone seems to be
taking a rise out of him half
the time.
Tell Dhusach & Laddie Ine’s Jack
came to see Dida today & he
is looking. Splendid. He is
attending a School I am
running & if he does well
I'll send him over to 
 

England to Study for ^promotion an
Officer. I think he will do
Splendidly. He is under
Col Watson who thinks
a great deal of him already. 
 

France
13/6/18
Sweetheart Wifelet,
I wonder if you
are coming over to me. Will you be able
to leave those dear wee pets of ours even
for a little time. If you don't I think ^doubt 
it will be just ages & ages before I
see you because with the Americans
coming by the hundreds & thousands
it will be years after the war
ends before we can hope to get
home & already they are talking
of forming Schools to train the 
men & educate them whilst we
wait over here.
We are going up th into the
line any day now. We are warned
& just waiting  They think the
Bosche might be going to attack
here soon & that may Keep us
out a few days longer as we don't
want to be caught in the middle
of a take over.
We had a big Sport Meeting
last Monday  General Monash
came along & seemed very
well pleased indeed 
 

[*Page 2 omitted*]
will take him in there.
They are very full ^at present. Ine's Jack
is looking blooming. He is
doing well at the School &
will be going to England
shortly I think & Study
^for promotion to be an officer. I wonder will
all the sperriks I’ve given a hand
up to can do as much for
me when we go back to business
Well darling love Sweet
Kate. I dont seem to have
the Very least bit of News
for you. Another boy I have at
the Class is Neil Freemans
young brother. He is doing
well too & will soon have his
trip to England all right
I think.