Letters from Harold Edward 'Pompey' Elliott to his family June 1918 - October 1918 - Part 11

France
14/10/18
My dearest Katie.
I have received two
dear letters from you – one a ^long one big
fat one spread over all the end
of July & finished up on 1^st August
the other a little one dated the
1^st August just a last word with
one for the mail closing 2^nd August
I got them only two days ago
so you will see what a time
it takes now for your letters
to get to us.
I sent you a cable the
other day to come along as
early as you can as I
will be entitled this
winter to 75 days leave
in England instead of
going to Australia. Col
Denehy hasn’t gone yet
but expects to leave in a few 
 

2
days time. I have £50 saved
up in my Book for you
I am wondering if I should
Cable it out to you or keep
it until you come in. We
are out this time I think
for a good long rest. I posted
you some views of a Town not
far away last week. It is
Very pretty about here &
we are far out of the reach
of shell or from the sound
of Guns. It has been very
wet – but the men are all
pretty comfortable. Col
Denehy has a delightful
house to live in. It owner is
a Count & a French Naval
Captain & it has all sorts
of nice things in it – inlaid
furniture & oak carvings etc
We are in a comfortable house
here but nothing grand about 
 

3
it at all. I am delighted to
hear that everyone thinks our
wee Bairnies are so healthy
& strong. Poor old Katie love I
did not Know before how sad
you felt over poor old Geoff
M^cCraes death. He was a splendid
fellow there is no doubt.
Katie I am glad to say that
Norman Marshall fixed up
the Mutiny in the 14^th Brigade
over the break up of the 54^th
Battalion. He has wonderful
influence with all the
Boys. I am very glad now
that I gave handed him to Cam
Stewart for that alone. A lot
of people thought I was foolish
to give up such a Splendid
officer but I knew Stewart
would need a helper or two
& so it has turned out & after
all it is the Country we are 
 

4
serving & not merely our
own Brigade or Battalion.
The war news is very good
these days but people out
there are sure to go to the other
extreme now & fancy the war
is won & that we dont need
any recruits at all. &
that is just what Germany
is aiming at getting us
to believe. Before I forget I must
in this letter wish you just a
Million Happy Xmases & New
Years even if you haven't dida me
with you darling – But all
the same I hope you are with
me spending our anniversary together
in England by then. I had a letter
from Col Duigan he said he &
his lady think our Laddie is
the image of me. What do
you think of that ? 
 

[* Pages 5 & 6 omitted *]
7
and Jacquelyn too.. I am sorry
for poor Lyn. It must be Very
hard for her to Know what to
do for the best. Genl Stewart
& Marshall are quite well.
If Genl Stewart goes away at
all Col Marshall will act for him.
I had that in mind when I let
him go over there as there were
a number senior to him here.
I saw Col Mason over here
today. He is very well indeed
I think he is getting a job at
Genl Monash's Head Quarters
as Provost Marshall  i.e.
head of the Military Police
but I am not quite sure
if that is so or not.
I think you will easily have
enough money in hand to
do the trip home. If necessary
I can draw 25% of my
deferred pay for you 
 

8
Whilst you are over here
That will be about £150
I think. I'm afraid I am
hopeless in the matter of offending
people who do wrong Katie.
They have just got to be told
I cannot afford to lose my self
respect. & I would do that
if I submitted to the things
that go on. I must say I
think I have got them pretty
scared of me & I don't think
they will care to pass me over
again dearie. I am glad the wee
people love their little Cousins. I
would like to see them great
mates. You will Know by now
that I did go to Ullapool Katie & saw
your cousins & that I liked them.
They were good & try country folk. I had a
letter from old Mr Cameron from
Edinburgh. Nanas father. When
I was there he asked me for a photo 
 

9
and I got one & sent it to him
He wrote me a very nice letter
back & asked me to come there
& make that my home when next
in England.
I wrote & told him that I thought
you would be coming over about
Xmas & I would take you to
see Edinburgh & that we would
go & stay with them. So mind &
Know all about Nana his daughter & her two
babies & everything. He says
they are over in Paramatta
now. I am enclosing you a
bit of my Croix de Guerre
(which means War Cross) Ribbon
for you to see. To show the Class
2^nd I wear on the ribbon a tiny
Gilt Star.The 1^st Class has a
bronze palm leaf – there are
several other classes each with
a distinctive sign. 
 

10
Give the dear wee pets a big big
love from me darling. & tell
them I love them just all the
moon and stars & remember
all the messages they send to
me real good when you come.
I wish the wee darlings were
coming over too.
Mr Shields hasn't left yet
so the Shell cartridges are
here still. I have three cases
of other curios much the Same
in England. I think I have
found a way of getting them
out to you. They are with
my Uncle James Scott at
present. He is just back from
his trip to Jamaica. Wasn't
it hard luck about poor Stan
Neale Katie Killed in our last
fight & just due to go to Australia.
I am getting Ronald Dickson
made a Major darling. That
[* will please his wife Very much
I Know. Bye darling Katie wife
Millions of loves & Kisses from Dida Don *] 
 

P.S. Will send you
the ribbon later on
My batman has taken
it away to sew a piece
on my second jacket. 
 

France
19/10/18
My dear old sweetheart,
I have
received your letter dated the 21^st 
August but the three of four others
that you expected to catch that mail
have not yet arrived. Perhaps
they will come along today. A week
or so back I had your letter of
the 1^st April so there must be a lot
in Between these. I am sorry
too for poor Hugo – I wrote to him
just after Frank was Killed. I
wrote also to Elsie but have
not had a reply. The news
still is Very good but it is
raining here nearly every day
and we cannot get along very
fast now so this will give the
Hun a chance. I hear there is
a prospect of us having to go in
to the front line again pretty soon
I am glad you got Capt Dicksons
photo darling. I am just having
him Maj made a Major. His lady
will be pleased, but if the war
goes on & all these officers who are
on leave in Australia come back he
may have to revert back to Captain.
Poor old Col Denehy was very upset
this morning. Genl Hobbs went
round with me to see the Bns