Letters from Harold Edward 'Pompey' Elliot to his family, November 1918 - February 1919 - Part 11

I long to be back home again
with you all. It is very silly of
course but I have been through
a lot of things dearie & am not
what I was once. I am hopeful
that this rest will build me up
a bit so that I can be quite
fit when I reach home eventually
It has been raining very
heavily & all the hills are white
around us & the grass & trees
are covered. I have little of
interest to tell you dearie because
as I say I can take no interest
is things about me. Perhaps I
maybe able to write better in my
sent letter. You see we have
had no letters from Australia
since Xmas for some reason
& so no wonder in a way that we
feel lonely & miserable. If only we
had something of real interest
to do one would feel better
Goodbye dear Katie & God Please
Keep you & those people always
Love & Kisses for your Very own
Dida Don 

Bryn Derry
[[?]]
Vic [[?]]
North Wales
9/2/18
My dearest Katie,
I have very little
news at all. I am feeling
a little less depressed today.
If ^there is a hard frost on top of the
snow but very bright morning.
Mrs Edwards son was invalided
& arrived at Liserpool Hospital
on Friday is Patty & Mrs Edwards
went by yesterday to see him.
He is pretty well again now & was
allowed take him out to
afternoon tea but must remain
under observation for a time
at least.
I shall leave here in Wednesday
next & go down into the South
of England. It wont be so cold
there probably
I will be a great relief
when I am started on my way
home again dearie. I am pretty
tired of being away now. I guess
you will love me always after this
With many Kisses alone from
Your Very own Dida Din 

Moreton Hampstead
Sunday 16/2/19
My darling Katie,
I have as yet received no
mails at all since ever as long ago
6 weeks I think. But I hear one at
least has arrived in London & on
my return there next Thursday
I expect to get a whole bundle
of news from you. The news of the Influenza
epidemic in Melbourne which I have
read in the papers here is very serious &
I am naturally very anxious about
you all
On Saturday next I go before the
King at Buckingham Palace to
receive that B. & .D.E.O. decoration.
I am not a bit keen on going &
would prefer to get them sent to me.
I left Mts Edwards place on
Wednesday & went to a little town
in Gloucestershire called Moreton-in-Marsh
I was here met by a pony cart &
driven 4 miles into the country to a place
called Chastleton - a tiny village of
half a dozen houses clustered by the 

roadside near the Manor House called
Chastleton-House. On the way I was
shown two objects of interest on a Square Stone
Killan marking a cross road where the three
Counties of Oxfordshire Warwickshire & Gloucestershire
meet. Nearby they showed me an
old farmhouse what is said to be the birth
place of the famous notorious Judge Jeffreys
who sentenced so many rebels to death after
Monmouth's rebellion under James II.
Mrs Whitmore-Jones who had
invited me to call [[you?]] here was
very kind. She lives in an old but
neat & comfortable cottage near the
Manor Satn as she has not enough
money to maintain the big house which
is let to Tenants. However as these
latter were away in London at the
time the following day my W.-J - took
me over the whole place from top
to bottom including a secret chamber
where the then owner remained hidden from
Cromwell's troopers after one of the
battles of the Civil War. The place is
like a muserm with its antique
furniture - old Tapestries much worn
& moth eaten swords pistols & armour
pictures & [[?]]. 

Later on she showed me a lot of old
lace which you would have appreciated
better than I could. Also a wonderful
piece of embroidery which was brought
from India by Mrs Warren Hasting whose
Husband was Viceroy of India some 140
years ago. The work looks as if it had
been finished yesterday. & is very beautiful.
yous W.J is absolutely wrapped
up in the old place & as the has no
children and is the last of her direct
line she doesn't know who to leave the
place to. She has relatives but they
like herself are too poor to keep the
place up & her principal anxiety
appears the to discover a wealthy relative
who would be willing to undertake the
upkeep of the old place though the
might readily sell the place for a
large sum of money & do much more
good by leaving the money to some of
her poorer relatives.
However that is after all her
business & she has been kindness
itself to a whole lot of my boys
with whom she got acquainted
in various ways. She is a great
correspondent & writes to most of them
still. She collects & passes on quite

a deal of information about the
Brigade & then keeps those particularly
who have gone to India in touch
with our doings over here.
On Friday last I came South
as far as [[Soreto?]] where I stayed the
night & went to the cathedral & oh
object of interest tha next morning
I have a fr views of then whct I
will send tyou soon. Testurday I
came on him to see Mrs Sdiwrds
noto mirs wartha Vreterhar Tomorrow
I will run into forguay which is not
for away to see anthing the famil
Mir Ho Woeterham returning here
the same night. I shall prtabl
remain here ther until Thurday when
I shall lave to go lack to Londor is
as to be ready for the mristiture
or Satudlay following. I hope to
see Slore Faber- She is living in London
for the time being &a few other pople
you returning to Franc. It soill
not be long nd befor ear rlait fir

a
Anotiali
younbery aan sectadon
 

Berners Hotil
BernerSt
Longon
my dearest katio love
22/2/14
an back nce
more in London & this morning
went once again to Buckinghan
Palace & shook land with
thoking there &
received
the C.H. which is veryleke the
soone
C.M.G. but lardly as maca
deceration. The L.S.0. as you
know is a pretty hidtd lross.
I took tO.M.S. to a furn
of gewellen t have it altered
as it has now t be norn round
theneck.
I am leaving all three
there at Records bect
Horeferry Road also P Anne
as I car lave then youra
to Hustratio at any timonow
I ported a doty papers
& certificates relating tother
orders t you the otter day
Please keyp them for me.
dear don't let my lost
letter worry you too much
At time I get yearful fits
 

Ar
 

of depremon when I can secnthing
but misery for us all & I wake
up romture in the middle of the
night with a shock & my heart
feel as if it is or fire severy
nerre aches becaun I can se
no may out anyihere & no peomise
gettingor with the weights dit
eter
overr me. I have ler stuving
to throw it off with all my power
& today as any rate for the
morent I am letter & hoping
wome may will be shew to us.
Mr Begg wrote very hopefully
though as far as I could see
then was little t have hishopes
on in what he wrot about.
Ats you say dailing your love
needs tobe very great toputry wiih
me & mymy but here did any
one need thatlove more than I
do now.
I have been thinking I thinking
& possibly I maybe able to
arrange for the interest on
Ylorys thare the paid to her
 

It is a pity that it should not
& left t accumuate so that she
would get a decent runn tlire
upon at mother deathwher the
ertate is divided up which was
what the will ained at bit pertaps
it will satisfy her letter than
waiting. However we shall be
able totry that at least
The watherhere today is
umplymetched a colld mig
just the rost of Influenzaday
I am tryngt avoid getting
itby stopping indoves is
as tavoid dampness.
will be going back to France
or Wednerday (to day is Saturday
I had a letter from Capt Solld
We rays things are all right
there- th5.
has hen disturded
& joined with the 5y
as then
were tooford men t keep
lird Biltens in the field & the
amalganation encilled one net
of tramport anial wehicles the
handed in with monythant
of all your patience willne dartu
It I hope you wll always jorent