Letters from Harold Edward 'Pompey' Elliott to his family June 1918 - October 1918 - Part 10

Conflict:
First World War, 1914–18
Subject:
  • Documents and letters
Status:
Open to contributions
Accession number:
AWM2018.19.78
Difficulty:

Page 1 / 10

Coe Hou did you know it was no that Mr Pallack meant deares. Se docmnt my it was me. Wwill be lovely for you to have misslollic with you or the voyage darling. It seem a gong time towait but I wall be countery all the days now. the wontt will be oher I know you have started But about the t yu amive I will be entilled to a whole months lear & yous we just lanonialy. truf Vorsary together darly may God llers Ikeep you rope all myour bunedarlim medtes lovng that & wife gure the bt & preefert they you are My on alo the gel therehare MGarkd 2 or could be amorpen little metheant m Mary millars flove kino for you Verzom warring tida Don
France 23rd Sept 1918 My dearest Nate yous he Ba tt money of the 33t Br is any home or leave at prlsegt is I am going get him to late you home another bor of shell cartridge The long mes are terman. The two whort facter mes are our chute Sercrass can called Archees the small narrow one are the cases from the light gins which our Heavy lantes carry. They pre a bll Shell. In the bore I am rending you two copes of a pepost I diew up the reclars- Brettoneres attack one you will keep the other you will give to Col Dingar telling him that is is for his o peris Cpithati infornation alone & not for cieculation though he is at likety to now to or tell the relatives of oppensmer who did well the accounts at the end. then plided deeds & he may i he likes give those parts only to the Depos people to head. All the rest is for him alone. I have en away at a 6 days school on Tanks at a place called Intaindcan about 40 miles throther side of Paint had a very pleasant time ther I will write & tell you all about i Las H Money basn't much tim. Bye darling put fore for you veryou Dida Dr
m France dear tno 23/9/18 I am apaid yourrs see tcardalond neglected I late. I was sent of last monday in a terntls hurry to go to a perior youur khool or Tanks ets at a place called tontainblean about Comiles beynd Paris towards Marseilles we went t Paris by cart thence by tran the Sane day to Gontawllean. I as posting you wme views of the tocest which as one of the layest in France & the trer is a the middle of it. It was the great hunting feat of the yiek Kings. There are come lovely dures all through the Fored in enry direction The cityis a nice clear place mostly moden hulk a great townst resort in the summer. The piincizal right is thoold Frich Royal Palace called the clatio of Fontamblean, The views will show you aas uonderfully it is pmmisted. It murthave ten covely in Ihold timest ever now it is magnificent must of the best furitit the wonderful I apertry Pidtmisan stored anny owen the danger of tir Raids but the painted pranel & certings remain and an wonderfully find & rain as pirt as when paintty tome of the coloring nder is very very yie. We had not owr.
very hard but I was feeling very tired dut I so could jDenjy evergout as I would ave liked to do. I cane lack o Saturday. Sen Hobte is anny old Vercy sunning the those Yesterday he came round to ask if I would take a pt in England at the Bar. Wappears they are not satisfied with the Teamning & disciplive of the lamp ver then Poorold McCay suffer very muc froo illmen of annot got about & he has mostly did. Colonels wholareproved no good over here is charge & the mer knw it I have no repect for then discrplive infers so they wanted two Brigadien tgo over & bely thing along-bring the training u todate I was & straightury discipt. very tempted to take m thojok for an very tired & could do wita Rest. Bnorerer if you came to Eland as Iwas I would be lengover themn your arrival Bnt Fan, so destrartful of Birdwood that I darent take the offer in or hed thelve me there you ever & I am determined nt the quietty whelred in that way. If they wrent to get red of me they sus fight me
in thooper to the end Rorald Dickor is back here now looken very well. At Lt Money who distinguished himself very much at Villers Brettonenn has gone lack to Dustratio today. Ss Jasea him to take home a wooder lon with nome castridge Derman Sellca in it for you. Let me know Katie dear if you don't like them is I need not and any more We could get then nickelled to hure polishinng they would mate Umberelly kands etc all right I think people make songs of them two. If you lave todmany you can give some a at any ratioffer some b Focey & Lyn & Kory when you see them. I have a few over England for you too. I have no very long fellow here still that I will try tget out to you by the next lot of toldiers goging to Hustialia. I is bovely to ree how pleased all the old bays going back but they all l m vorry bleare at the very last & the Biggad will go into altior without them. All the raive it is a by mirtake and ought never t lave ben allowed. I shows the abvolute joely of allowing Politicians like Hughes to meddle with the Army. Those I thousand mer are the rregular Backbone of the Harny. of the rost of thing goes on I stall hare all my cat & most brurtwith
a 44 awny during the rext for month inteluding all the Colonal Col wholas Watmbein the only one not len out rince the reginning. All the majors too are entitled to go I all thtest ofDno as we coms too. We will be cuppled for the neat twel months prettywell, If Mr Hugher had been is the pay of the Termans he could not tav dealt in a more harl paralysing whote. Astant the will be away in thwater but the troops have the trained oue cannot tran then without officers chdine never knows what may happen timall account the berman are monry leavee & earth to tun out He drea of Tanlss & cito Tank guns Unler inpress or with the hras at mcwwhiles they are more ar len crippled we ma very will find the have inented a new &letterland tar ours or some othenew devilment that may change the whole gace of the war. It is like new hddling whilst kime was turning. I had a betes pou my Eduaid. Here ou was just home on leave from Naty & the was rejoicing thereat. She is going to writety you she said. The I caid which I enclose is of a very nicl huss in which I was Belitted or my return for England. It wasme of thmort comfortatly we were ever in Miltions of love & dithes yours bery our sida Do
France 24 ta 26 9/10 Very padm today the ooroed cottn has had sot brod ap because surtrationouedns and reinforcements, guit as well Col Lays has gone away or leave or he would be out of a job now. homan manall new Biltalion hus lad to be broker us too but he las gone to one of the remaining Battalins the 56 as they wir stl short of a Colonel. The men feel it very much Io most Brigades then tave ben prions trouble over it. In the 4 Bigade &n Brigads In Nerholo they ae the 1020 Very unnttled and mon hare beer threatenery timiting over thowhol thing. hope the rer well rmember when they got back to Hushatio wro tten were the real authors. humliation & that theyll lang to the nearest lampport - thork Sevindeels & Traitors Mannin. Tucto &the rest of thess We are ltitte wit asen anndt the old Buittefield aout Ioner were woinded yesterday
a germon trap. They lad fartives the hmb at interrals t a piece. were the lombs ever huced & the were placedn a prece of long grass then mr i dritting on the area & we man caught m Goot as the ware & this ret the lomb. off at ince caming all these nee the wourded I went for a moto car ride e towod the Torn of Wrienton & looken at the country witnuch interest I was a lovely day yesterday hed today it is wet I sloppy again Then is not muet news her but isnt it splendid news pou Palutin now ypon Saloncka. I guess old Hindenbug has a lot or his mind thene days well a there is nthe more to bay lol Dener lol Peavlor are steltannyn leave but dooe back wis any day Cal Watoon is with us oicee I have s meting for Colonel now wrt that junny bus alt good men bal Hewart rim very well indeed when I saw her yesterday but upret about the rom troull with his Brigads ycout he 6 narstall is me Indelios ery ou ded
My darling Katie France We lave lad 31 10/10 another three days dreadful fighting 29t 230t Sept & POct weare out of the time again now I enclose two telegrams which will thow you how splendedly the boys did but the poor old pregacle is cut 3 to pieces. To of my old) Boys Capt Neals & Hornly well Killed Neale lad feer right through from the very beginning & had never had a seraleto few ill at all. We was to go to Hustratin in a few days. He missed the last batch & go sometors & now all is ovr for him Hoor Mrs Somers. Her boy tos is give, I sent bem to a school where he did very well indeed
togot nomerated him the Cambridge school & told the m they were not to take fam up to the line this terme knt romebor he marged tgit up & one your our will burst prinaturely & kieled him. It seems that there is no avoiting our gate however lard we may try to do so. I am very sad as you very quess at the loss of is very many my brave boys. C Marstall din Very well as siral Sevt Stewart is well also Colo Senely Nataon & hanle wle did spleded work for me willion of lon & kises for you Very on tida for who is countiry all the days till you came darling pe


How did you know it was me that
Mr Fullack meant dearie.. He
doesnt say it was me. It will
be lovely for you to have Miss Collier
with you on the voyage darling. It seems
a long time to wait but & I shall
be counting all the days now.
The worst will be when I know
you have started But about
the time you arrive I will be
entitled to a whole months leave
& won't we just have a really &
truly 'Versary ^time together darling
May God bless & keep you safe
always my own true darling, my
sweetest loving pal & wife. Just
the best & sweetest thing you are in
all this world my own
dear darling girl. There never

was or could be a more perfect
little sweetheart & wife than you
Millions of love & kisses from your
very own waiting Dida Don

 

France
23rd Sept 1918
My dearest Katie
^The Bearer Lt Money of the 67th Bn is ∧ going away
home on leave at present so  I am going to
get him to take you home another box of shell
cartridges The long ones are German. The
two short fatter ones are our Anti Aircraft
cans called "Archies" the small narrow
one are the cases from the light guns which
our Heavy tankss carry. They fire a 6lb
Shell. In the box I am sending you
two copies of a report I drew up on
the reclass Brettineres Attack, and you

will keep. The others you will give to

Col [[?]] telling him that it

is for his own perusal & information

alone & not for circulation ^or publication though he

is at liberty to show the or tell the

relatives of officers & men who did

well the accounts at the end of

their splendid deeds. He may if

he likes give those parts only to the

Depot people to read. All the rest

is for him alone.

I have been away at a 6 days school

on Tanks at a place called Fontainbleau

about 40 miles [[??]] & [[??]] side of Paris &

had a very pleasant time there. I will

write & tell you all about it as Lt Pompey

hasn't much time. Bye darling pet Love

from your very own Dida Don.

 

France

23/9/18

My dear Katie Pet,

I am afraid you've been

xxxx at only neglected of late. I was

sent off last Monday in a terrible hurry

to go to a senior officers school on

Tanks etc at a place called Fontainbleau

about 40 miles beyond Paris toward Marseilles.

We went to Paris by car & thence by train

the same day to Fontainbleau. I am

posting you some views of the Forest

which is one of the largest in France & the

town is in the middle of it. It was

the great hunting seat of the French

Kings. There are some lovely [[??]]

all through the Forest in every direction.

The city is a nice clean place mostly

modern built a great tourist resort

in the Summer. The principal sight 

is the old French Royal Palace called

the Chateaux of Fontainbleau. The views

will show you how wonderfully it

is furnished. It must have been

lovely in the old times & even now

it is magnificent. Much of the best

furniture & the wonderful tapestry

pictures are stored away owing to

the danger of Air Raids but the

painted panels & ceilings remain

and are wonderfully fine & seem as

best as when painted. Some of the colouring

is very very wonderful one. We had not to work

 

2

very hard but I was feeling very tired

& so could not enjoy going out

as I would have liked to do.

I came back on Saturday. Genl Hobbs

is away & old Genl Percy ^is running the

show. Yesterday he came round to

ask if I would take a job in

England at the Base. It appears

they are not satisfied with the Training

& Discipline of the Camp over there.

Poor old McCoy suffers very much

from illness & cannot get about, & he has

mostly "died". Colonels who have proved

no good over here in charge & the men

know it & have no respect for them

& discipline suffers. So they wanted

two Brigadiers to go over & help things

along - bring the training up to date

& straighten up discipline. I was

very tempted to take on the job for I

am very tired & could do with a

rest. Moreover if you came to England

at Xmas. I could be living over there on

your arrival. But I am so distrustful

of that old Birdwood that I darent take

the offer up or he'd shelve me there

for ever & I am determined not to be

quietly shelved in that way. If they want

to get rid of me they should fight me

 

(3)

in the open & to the end.

Ronald Dicken is back here now looking

very well. old Lt Money who distinguished

himself very much at Villers Brettoneaux

has gone back to Australia today. So I asked

him to take home a wooden box with some

German Shell cases cartridges in it for you. Let me

know Katie dear if you dont like

them as I need not send any more.

We could get them nickelled to have

polishing & they would make Umbrella

stands etc all right I think. People

make gongs of them too. If you have

too many you can give some at any

rate offer some to xxxx Hong & Lyon & Rory when

you see them. I have a few over in

England for you too. I have one very long 

fellow here still that I will try to get

out to you by the next lot of soldiers 

going to Australia. It is lovely   fine to see 

how pleased all the old boys are going ^to be back

but they all seem very pleasant tho

very lost ^knowing the Brigade will go into

action without them. All the same it

is a big mistake and ought never

to have been allowed. It shows the

absolute folly of allowing Politicians

like Hughes to meddle with the

Army. Those 7 thousand men are

the regular Backbone of the Army.

If the rest of things goes on I shall

have ^to send all my best & most trustworthy

 

 

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