Letters from Harold Edward 'Pompey' Elliott to his sister-in-law, January 1917 - April 1919 - Part 3

Conflict:
First World War, 1914–18
Subject:
  • Documents and letters
Status:
Open for review
Accession number:
AWM2018.19.82
Difficulty:

Page 1 / 10

else. Kate w hir last letter wited me by mething scardaloris. H appear we cam this with a late that Mrs Moltaren had told her abouta tolicitor a meltoune having a letter rom a friend i which the writer bad made certain remarks about another General &thro was beer mead abroad. Katie assmed quite wrongly that the writes was one & wited me accordingly The was quite wrong for the mory a dated was not true soater alr? I speak the truth & my hear nnt written t any solicitor friend in wiltourne except M Rohit said nothing of tha kind to him about it. ToThis ffonded entt dratie tell me how the regreting in Baaby is the getting shorger. In he laibletter the raid the had yeer t re or lloyd agar as the was not will hithe said the trouke wasno verioin. I am glad the wee peopleare is ty wold heople like nane The Bualy peapsylone Fin Towberd Feda Frguesp
My dear Bast France I have m a lot 1 3/11 of letters from yor Dannwer o . They all cam while I wasin land. The pist is dated 25th Hec E quits a big let one. Ther then is another gannory & some one dated th 14 more leteeen I was a beng pleased to get then after bing in long without letters. I think oudilk I nolet are Very much alike in the photo you sent me. The last lot of phtoo are all Very nice tthy we laddie looks met a dear me roocol just as fll of mischief as ever be can be. I hope you keep a copydf all the photes you take is an aftreo. Neat line ther in take then nake little say bindig int a little quaker lady, by her curls again. The looks muct a guant little mite ther you do that I don't think you are a bt Kaling S Shuraet You teleme that gys monthwlike mine. Ther kate rays. of only had a bitle wreet month like the loddie the would b very beltty. Now what do you
that. I went & shook hard thick with tr King or Sturday & he gave vote me my P.M. S.. Weck nere wrot to me at all Doot know of the wrot to Johnin & rent the plto them. I liked mums phold that you touched in a lit, litter thow thotherne but I want a milirg one. Elleves & Fry wit me a circular t cons. tograpted. it wook at thei place. They are T goingt rend i a fiee copy of throme tassctioe. Wher it cmmes will rend it along tyout ree bont know if thereil be more that the her copy. They as shorg dear people for phtoo. About 3 350 a dozer I hear I was pleased t hear th litted poople beland so well at Lowes & Gavdmas to you think Gandma like n wee f I liked you story if the wee wites firding then Iwas ttockengs. I hwant is a dear were littlelady int she I ar every about pour Mis M Leod I tried to ind year in ander hut She was awa to Weymoltn ineahin
shal her mer has a got in a Hospital Ire asked romeone tget me her I was very pleased with address the Cittlelady's letter & tho lads. I wrote to the wee lady today & will writet the lad latern. I am writing t hear what you thought of the bay & if the filks arrived. I hope they did. It is much wamer now but very bet I muddy still. Thins are getter, most enciting now thatthe old prche are or the nhose. If only those spenits is Hustiale ad passed conscuption wed be pretty were theak through But nere mud Buly dear. We will wer through in the endl. I did not hear anything about the Iaroy people not nanting t leare thees forms before. Ithought Vasy did exceptiovally well or the conscription question. Ire just found of your letters dates the another X thor of conrs I mention the Serit far. letter. I want to cure you of widing then & have you only writd nce begat ones I Had a lovely hime inIland
and feel by hay letter buto made a drefful brle in the 250lovely quidlet I had rained un t send & to mun. Hope the last lot got to her all right. I nut thetr along atSmas. Hope also toget another lot along by gune. Iat old debt ought tbe gong down smething forely foor hope to care up for a house of our own. I found rome new cousis this eimy. Dwrtt mary (Uncle Roberte oidon) had a brother James feots. H. Seordis I as who is a gaman & I wilnt our & nayed thenva few days. They were all very good to us. We had a good time too yp at Mrs Edwards Well Bye non Bernley dear God lingod all Your ver marily Harl Beaps of Pogues
France My dear Baat 3013/11 Iwas very pleased Daman to t your letter of th2 Shael con wure turback but we o chann the have len n bug of the monte Sermanice to 1 that I never got a clarce i attend to it. Vesterday we can out for a rest for the pist time ince ther I was amused at the stones of the little lad & Belle what a cutolittle wthir Werart. It has ber very wett cold he is. the last week with fine alcha blwces but it it a great relief to through age the mnd & plush out ent beautiful yar country ogan but what a ryir the t behad him. the hour eas lo, anale llow up. burnt & sarix hindred yards along the street then an buge crattes 60 fat long & 3 of deir bow oherright across it thect roods to kelp us tack but withataing y this I wisted we caught.
his tail to rome tune my boys got several marim & treach mortenss two pounful portate rarch light that they ed t walet the roads at night but the loy meaked up & insbed then the boys are not a sit scared of the Huss Dunrgore attack 6 of my byoandig a opec were cut offty a party 120 Sermans. They charged right through the middle of them & gos lack roply itene Killeds & that particular 12 wo d hart of rom were specially picked trots alver the our lad brought up f oveo miles to wtake a Village we had captured. I brought the May befou the Divisioal General &c i go to recommerd himfor + for the last week ereame the V bein eongratulated about once a Mer General ddy at leasts. wagh our ko Commander wh - is reguitet t be one of the bord igale Frand himl wo thowork on by pered.
lave done & cane to vent me He sad with him General Eendwood & General Hobls I each of them lad senral general or their hts fr janey all thess General fer peopl visiting -patier oll mo corgedtulaphi But antgo woeeled head pasly, guest you t Kate keer a prome yor my voys takes that I woud make a mistaks Ever now althongh envaction was bee a brilliant wecess owe inflicted dreadful lon or te Hem (in oe pot I say 15 deal Germons piled one or top of thother tone of in a rnke road where our nachere giv iind then, I lost 10 oficers (2 killed) & nearly 400 me we got sone 30 oner as wll as the Machine Bens at & we killed a opee wh had all the sernor plase up him & this was avery great help to everyoe as weknew nearlexactty what was a our Fron But you can judge what it might be if made a mertake M
bor singly lost evertody our resht & left F 3 days I bad the strictest Ede not tadvane anyfurther engnall roit hefalties & we wad to go outn from of the pritesf or our right stake Mr o. illage then & hold them until they came up & look then over & Baoly dear please dont consider a yer willengs week sent about tt clarge from Northcol Inro pick or the prettest little hono yn cas le a thncest part t the wbet that you like best & lats pates & the wee pete there he lappy If thins goo as they are I dont ee how the Commanowers can get out of ge agot of toldiering of thear & 5/0 10/- a week int nake much diffirence Ratreging non. I'll be serding be an the B0 pretty son so that wll belt her pears. of tr Truster a ht she will le cappy t promise Basly dear you unnt witanglager or wear wuwelfout howethanti
I am sending out to katy soe comer of more photos Selrco & Fey lootof me. When I was ve a tordo they asked me, to go & be taken o th lave gives me i Der a fee copy of the three position. liped. you would like one like it hope you are o lettme Ill getis o one. I harnt re any ig gacky boy yor some tybe but t they came on oof the live a prodays ago he sughta blow along bere any time larlie Elliow is a Coptant now not is wilt is silard dulling recruety I think gack will te Eaptan very woor Noa juty 3d didnt get Dim Over my Bricade then I could belt Iim along This is just about all the news Baath dear cept to send you heaps I lover & poguer BByne fove to wee pet Busly dea Deda fo

else. Katie in her last letter sorted me
up something Scandalous. It appears
[[ One ? ]] came to her with a tale that
Mrs Maclaren had told her about a
Solicitor in Melbourne having a letter
from a friend in which the writer
had made certain remarks about
another General & this was being
spread abroad. Katie assumed
quite wrongly that the writer was
me & sorted me accordingly. She 
was quite wrong for the story as
stated was not true & whatever I
say I speak the truth & also I
have not written to any solicitor
friend in Melbourne except Mr Roberts
& I said nothing of that Kind to him
about it. So I’m ofended with Katie
Tell me how she is getting on Baaby Is she
getting stronger. In her last letter she
said she had been to see Dr Lloyd
again as she was not well but he said
the trouble wasn’t serious. I am glad the
wee people are so lovey [[ Kind ]] to old people like Nana
& Mr Trowbridge. Bye Baaby Heaps of love
& pogues from your Dida. 
 

 


France
14/3/17
My dear Baaby,
I have such a [[ a ]] a lot
of letters from you to answer Baaby
dear. They all came while I was in
England  The first is dated 25th Dec
quite a big fat one. Then there is another
one dated the 14th January & some
more between. I was a heap [[ very ]] pleased to
get them after being so long without
letters. I think Judith & Violet are
Very much alike in the photo you sent
me. The last lot of photos are all
Very nice. The wee laddie looks such
a dear wee rascal just as full of
mischief as ever he can be. I hope
you Keep a copy of all the photos you
take in an album. Next time
when you take them make little Gagy
into a little quaker lady by binding
up her curls again. She looks such
a quaint little mite when you do that
I don’t think you are a bit flattering.
You tell me that Gagy’s [[ Dhurach ]] mouth is like
mine. Then Katie says. If only Gagy [[ Dhurach ]] had a
little sweet mouth like the laddie she
would be very pretty. Now what do you 
 

 


think of that. I went & shook hands
with the King on Saturday & he gave
me my C.M.G. Medal. [[ Wrote ]] [[ Violet ]] never
wrote to me at all. Don’t Know if she
wrote to Johnny & sent the photos on
to him. I liked Mum’s photo that you
touched up a bit, better than the other one
but I want a smiling one. Elliott
& Fry sent me a circular to come &
get took [[ photographed ]] at their place. They are
going to send me a free copy of
the one that I chose. When it comes
I will send it along to you to see
Dont Know if there will be more than the
free copy. They as shocking [[ Very ]] dear people
for photos. About £ 3-3-0 a dozen I hear
I was pleased to hear the little people
behaved so well at Lowes & Grandma’s
Do you think Grandma likes our wee [[ them ]]
pets ? I liked your story of the wee
mites finding their Xmas stockings. Dhurach
is a dear wise little lady isnt she
I am sorry about poor Mrs McLeod
I tried to find Jean in London but
she was awa to Weymouth or somewhere 
 

 


where her man has a job in a Hospital
I’ve asked someone to get me her
address. I was very pleased with
the little lady’s letter & the lads. I wrote
to the wee lady today & will write to the
lad later on. I am waiting to hear
what you thought of the [[ Cap ? ]] & if the
Silks arrived. I hope they did.
It is much warmer now &but very
wet & muddy still. Things are getting
most exciting now that the old Boches
are on the move. If only those sperriks [[ people ]]
in Australia had passed conscription
we’d be pretty sure to break through
But never mind Baaby dear. We will
win through in the end. I did not hear
anything about the Yarry people not
wanting to leave their farms before. I thought
Tassy did exceptionally well in the
Conscription. question. I’ve just found
another of your letters dated the
2nd Jan. Of course I mention the Sperriky [[ short ]]
letters. I want to cure you of writing
them & have you only write nice big fat
ones. I Had a lovely time in England 
 

 


and feel big heap [[ much ]] better but [[ a ? ]] [[ I ]] made a 
drefful hole in the £ 50 lovely quidlets
I had saved up to send to Mum.
Hope the last lot got to her all
right. I sent them along at Xmas.
Hope also to get another lot along
by June. That old debt ought to be
going down something lovely. I Soon
hope to save up for a house of our
own. I found some new cousins
this time. Aunt Mary ( Uncle Roberts
widow) had a brother James Scott.
who is a Jamaica Merchant. Geordie
& I went out [[ to his home near London ]] & stayed there a few
days. They were all Very good to
us. We had a good time too up
at Mrs Edwards.
Well Bye now Baaby dear
God bless you all
Yours very sincerely,
Harl.
Heaps of Pogues
 

 


France
30/3/17
My dear Baaby,
I was Very pleased
to get your letter of the 21st January
which came some time back but we
have been so busy chasing the
Germans since the 17th of the month
that I never got a Chance to
Attend to it. Yesterday we came
out for a rest for the first time
since then. I was amused at
the stories of the little lad & Belle
Stewart. What a cute little rubbish
he is. It has been very wet & cold
this last week with fine patches in
between but it is a great relief to be
through all the mud & slush out
into the beautiful grass country
again but what a ruin the Hun
has left behind him. The houses
Are all blown up & burnt & every
hundred yards along the streets
there are huge craters 60 feet
long & 30 ft deep blown over right
across the streets & roads to
Keep us back but notwithstanding
we caught up to him & twisted 
 

 


his tail to some tune. My boys
got several maxims & trench
Mortars & two powerful portable
search lights that they used to
watch the roads at night but
the boys sneaked up & rushed them
The boys are not a bit scared of the Huns
During one attack 6 of my boys [[ and ? ]]
an officer were cut off by a party of
120 Germans. They charged right
through the middle of them & got
back safely with only one Killed &
1 wounded & that particular 120
were [[ part of some ]] specially picked troops which
the Hun had brought up for over 100
miles to retake a Village we had
Captured. I brought the officer
before the Divisional General & he
is going to recommend him for
the V.C. For the last week we were
being congratulated about once a
day at least. Even General
Gough our Army Commander who
is reputed to be one of the best
fighters in France himself was
impressed by the work our boys 
 

 


have done & came to visit me
He had with him General Birdwood
& General Hobbs & each of them had
several Generals on their Staffs, [[ to ]] So 
fancy all these General “Sir” people
visiting Katie’s old man to
congratulate him [[ me ]]. But I shan’t get
swelled head Baaby. [[ But just ]] Just you & Katie
Keep on praying for my boys’ sakes
that I wont make a mistake.
Even now although ever action
has been a brilliant success & we
inflicted dreadful loss on the
Hun, (In one spot I saw 15 dead
Germans piled one on top of the others
in a sunken road where [[ one of ]] our machine
guns surprised them), I lost 10
officers (2 Killed) & nearly 400 men
We got some 30 prisoners as well
as the Machine Guns etc & we killed
an officer who had all the German
plans upon him & this was a very
great help to everyone as we Knew
nearly exactly what was in our
front. But you can judge what it
might be if I made a mistake. My 
 

 


boys simply lost everybody on our
right & left & for 3 days I had
the strictest orders not to advance
Any further under all sorts of
penalties. & we had to go out in
front of the British on our right & take
some of the Villages there & hold them
until they came up & took them
over. Baaby dear please don’t
consider a few shillings a week
rent about to change from Northcote
Just pick on the prettiest little
house you can see in the nicest
part of the Suburb that you like
best & take Katie & the wee pets
there & be happy: If things go on
as they are I don’t see how the Commonwealth
can get out of giving me a job at
Soldiering after this war. & 5/ or 10/-
a week wont make much difference to
Katie just now. I’ll be sending her
another £ 50 pretty soon so that will
help her pay off the Trustees a bit &
she will be happy. So promise me
Baaby dear you wont wait any longer
or wear yourself out house hunting 
 

 


I am sending out to Katie some
free copies of some photos Elliott
& Fry took of me. When I was over
in London they asked me to go &
be taken & now they have given me
a free copy of [[ in each of ]] the three positions I
liked. If you would like me
like it I hope you will tell me
& I’ll get you one. I haven’t seen
anything of Jacky boy for some
time but as they came out of the
line a few days ago he ought to
blow along here any time. Charlie
Elliott is a Captain now but is
still in England drilling recruits
I think Jack will be Captain very
soon. It is a pity I ddn didn’t
get him. Over to my Brigade, then
I could help him along.
This is just about all the news
Baaby dear ‘cept to send you
heaps of loves & pogues. Bye now
Baaby dear. Love to wee pets.
from Dida 
 

 

 

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