Letters from Harold Edward 'Pompey' Elliott to his family June 1918 - October 1918 - Part 5

BOSTON: ST. BOTOLPH'S CHURCH.
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BOSTON: MARKET PLACE.
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BOSTON:
ST. BOTOLPH'S CHURCH, N.W.
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France
8/7/18
My darling Katie Love,
A few days ago
I received three dear loving
letters from you dated 21^st April
28th April & 11th May then yesterday
I got one from Becky Beck & one from
you dated 1st May with a lovely
lot of photos of all the
Kiddies. Doesn't little Dhurach
look a real boy in those clothes
& hat. There is no doubt she
should hae been the boy & the

dear wee laddie boy the little
[[l?rry?]] girl but done tell them so.
xxxxx do just as they are.
It is lovely getting photos
of them & to see they are
not growing up [[?]] stronger
to one. I [[?]] the Laddie a
darling & he taking to work 
the way he is. That is because
I mind if he worked hard at
his books he'd be better able
 

[[*(P.2. omitted.)*]
for our 'Versary. I will be going
on leave in a few days if the old
Bosche keep quiet. I sent
you a photo that was taken
of me at Xmas time. Im sure
I had [[smiled?]] which was a pity.
The other has no background &
does not show up much. When
you come over you'll be able to see if
I look nice enough for you darling
- but I'll never be good enough for you
my sweet wife however I may look
I am glad you are
going for the little change again
of in the holidays. But it wont
be much rest for you you poor old
darling. You should run up &
see Mrs Rory some winter time.
The climate up there at [[?]] is
love in Winter. Col Layh will
be in charge of the Brigade here
while I am away. He seems
just delighted at the idea. I think
 

he'd get a bit [[?iranky?]] if he
gets along much higher. He has
got along very well considering he
came away as only a Lieut. He
only took men the 37^th for a week
or two. He is now in Command
of the 60^th & is certainly commanding
it very well indeed. We had
a fine little [[?]] on the 4^th July.
I only had about 400 men
engaged as we only had to take
about 1000 yards of trench.
The boys were splended particularly
the 58 Boys from Geelong
under Capt ^Forbes Dawson. We did
not know that there were three
times as many Broches in these
trenches as we had ^imagined but notwithstanding
that we hunted them out &
Killed about 120 of them captured
17 machine guns from them &
64 primaries whilst the rest
rolled like rattles.
 

What a size that wee Dhurach
is & how strong for a wee girlie
of her age. She dwarfs all the others.
I hope you get another house
in the same Street dearie so as
to be near the School. I hope the
£50 quid let reach you all right
darling. I had along letter from
Mr Bigg explaining all the matters
He has circularised all my clients
& is going to withdraw them gradually
for Mr Roberts & try to keep them
together for me when I go back
[[?]] jack so well. He is doing
very well at our School & will
go to Cambridge next month. He
may get a trip to Paris tomorrow.
We have been asked to send some
men down & I nominated him
amongst a number of others but
he may not be finally chosen
as he has not ^got a medal a mention & xx they are
trying to get all men with medals
 

to go but many cannot be
matched so he may be finally picked
Jamie said our Bairnies were
very well behaved darling's so that
was a lot from Jamie. I hope you
are not making them too good. It
is nice for kiddies to be able to
make as much noise as they like
sometimes & to have fights too - that's
is boys. It teaches them & take their
own parts.
When the laddie is bigger I think
we will send him to Wesley
College. The Head Mistress of the
Sch Preparatory School there
who looks after the little boys there
is Miss Cooper. She used to have
the preparatory School at Ballarat
College & taught Geordie when he
was about seven. He always liked
him & will take an interest in our
well wee laddie in consequense
I know. I hope to see Georie Campbell
 

when I go on leave. Three or
four Battalions have been disbanded
altogether because of failure of recruits
but so far I have kept all my boys
together. I am awfully sorry about
poor Mrs Clarkson. It is very sad
indeed. Next group you send
to me you must try & get
wee Jacquelyn & Rosemary in
it. I'd love to see them. Aalso
next photo you & the Bairnies get
taken at a photograhers try Sears
for it. There is no question he is
good with Bairnies. I am
afraid it will be years still
before the war is done. & the
longer reinforcements are kept
from us the less likely it is to be
over. Well dear old Katie
love. God be with yuou & keep
you safe always. Millions
of love & wishes from your very own
Dida to you.
 

France
12/8/18
My darling Katie,
I am very
sad today. I have just
received the enclosed note
telling me poor Frank
Fischer has been killed.
I must have been quite
near him about that
time as the 6^th Bn marched
through my Boys & went
on to attack after we had
come to a stand still
We fight that way now.
They mark off a piece of their
map & you have to reach
a certain road or stream
or hill or village & then
you stop after use of [[?]]
& fresh troops are hurried
up & go through your
exhausted men & push
on to the enemy & so a
constant pressure is
kept up upon him
all the time.
It was so that day but
for some reason the relieving troops