etters from Harold Edward 'Pompey' Elliott to his cousin Emily Edwards, July 1916 - December 1918 - Part 1

France
23/7/16
Dear Mrs Edwards,
Since writing last my
division has been engaged in a most
bloody encounter with the enemy.
God knows why this enterprise
was ordered apparantly as a feint
to distract the enemys attention
from the Somme area. However it
was the division was hurled at
the German Trenches without
anything like adaquate
preparation & although we
broke the German line & captured
nearly two hundred prisoners the
slaughter was dreadful & at length
we were ordered to retire. Of
our Battalion of 900 strong in my
Brigade I could only muster 2 officers &
106 men most of whom were employed
as machine gunners signallers etc who being in the area & is
did not ^actually reach the German trenches
at all. The others suffered almost
equally severely with the exception
of the Reserve Battalion which I was
not allowed to employ as it became

speedily evident that the result
result of employing it would only
add to the useless slaughter.
I am glad to say that my poor
boys behaved magnificently. We
attacked in four waves & there
was not the least hesitation
in any one of them although they
say the preceding waves going down
before the machine guns like corn
before the reaper. We have been labouring
night & day to get in the wounded
from no mans land in spite of the
constant fire from snipers by day
& machine gun fire by night. Yesterday
ten men succeeded in getting in 6 & were
then shot themselves fortunately however they
got  back but the man they were carrying
was Killed outright. One of the best of my
Commanding Officers was Killed &
practically all my best officers the
Anzac men who helped to build up
my Brigade in Egypt are dead
I presume there was some plan

at the back of the attack but it is
difficult to know what it was. One
can only say - It was an Order. I
trust those who gave the order may be
made to realize their responsibility
We have got in some hundreds of wounded
mainly at night most of them with
several wounds. These machine
guns are truly an invention of the
devil in the hands of the Germans
They play backwards & forwards
over the plain while a leg or an
arm is seen to move. & the poor
wretches must remain as still as
the dead amongst whom they lie &
our rescuers frequently pass close
by without distinguishing them.
I am as you may guess not particularly
happy but I am consoled by the fact that
none of my own local arrangements
went wrong & that the responsibility
for the failure ^if failure it was rests entirely on higher
authorities. We are said to have accomplished
our object. viz to direct the Germans attention
that may be so but the price was dear
Yours Very sincerely
HE Elliott

France
27/7/17
Dear Milly,
Many thanks for
your letter of the 18^th Inst.. I fear
you are very far from well. Patty
tells me she is coming home for a
month & that you propose to go to
Dartmoor. I sincerely hope you will
soon improve. General Holmes was
General of the 4^th Division mine is the 5^th.
No announcement has been yet made
as to his successor, but Brig Genl
McLagan an English officer who
accompanied us to Gallipoli)(Yorkshire
Regt I think he was) & subsequently
to France has taken charge temporarily
I don't know for sure if he will
get it as the Commonwealth have
lately strongly objected to giving
all the better positions to British
officers & that is probably why
the Appointment is being held
up. Any how I fear I have had too
many quarrels with H.Q. staff to
stand much chance unless their hands
were forced. I've got a very pretty

quarrel on with them now. Wieck
was promoted & they have sent me in
his stead one [[Street?]] a Captain
A pet of theirs who never did any
soldiering before the war. I'm objecting
strenuously. Don't know how I'll get
on probably kicked out. We are very
busy preparing for a move I think towards
the firing line again. It is a very hot &
sleepy day today. Expect a thunderstorm
tonight
It was very good of you to write to me
when I am sure you were just about worn
out. Poor Patty is having a trying time
I have written to Layt telling him his
letter to you had miscarried. He has been
passed fit for Light Duty & I expect
will be sent to Salisbury Plain or
thereabouts. He is to be reboarded in a
month.
I am sure you would like Colonel
Holmes - a fine able looking man - quite
one of the best British officers I have
met - that was my impression of him
though I saw him for such a short

time. I have had two letters from home
dated 20^th & 27^th May last. All was well
Violet was very pleased with herself. The
girls at the School she goes too now had
got up a little Concert & one of of the
items was by a number of the little girls
& she was chosen as one. They came on &
sang a little baby song with various
movements & gestures. They were very
well drilled & looked very pretty &
were quite a success, my wife says.
The story we of the never never is
quite true. It is Mrs Gunn's own
story. And after her husbands death
she left the place & came home. It
has never been taken up by anyone
else but is widely known to most and
travellers. But the postman is dead
He was drowned just before the war.
One of the Rivers was up but he
would not delay & tried to cross
The Black Boy with him could
have saved him by throwing
away the mail but was
forbidden & ordered to ride on

I forget exactly the details. I think
"The Fizzer's" (wasn't that the Postman's ^nick name)
horse stuck in The Bog & got drowned
The Black boy was leading a spare horse
with the mail on & he wished to throw off
the mails & get the Fizzer in that horse.
But was sent on & the Fizzer was drowned
trying to swim out.
It made quite a little sensation at
home at the time. Their is another book
by Mrs Gunn called The Little Black
Princess in which she deals more
closely with the Blacks & is very
interesting.. Mrs Gunn is still living
in Melbourne. I don't think she
has written anything else.
A am very well indeed apart from my
quarrell with the Staff. My next letter
will be from a new address. & perhaps of more
interest as nearer the firing line.
With Kindest regards to J.C & Lloyd.
You haven't given me your Dartmoor [[hostess?]]
address.
Yours Very sincerely
H.E. Elliott.

Belgium
14/2/18
Dear Milly.
I received your letter some time
back just as we were on the move back here
Just as we got settled I was asked to
attend a G.N.Q School on Machine
Gunnery in its latest developments of
Barrage fire direct or overhead which
occupied me for several days. On
my return I was detailed for a Very
unpleasant & complicated Court Martial
on an officer which again lasted several
days - so that I trust you will
excuse my seeming neglect to acknowledge
your letter. I have also received a very
cosy woollen vest which I presume is
the one referred to as being made by
your mother in law. Will you please
convey my thanks to her for her
very kindly thought for me. Though
the Winter is far milder than last
year it is still quite cold enough
to make such a garment a great
comfort here. Owing to want of
shipping accommodation our supply
from Australia of such comforts have
largely ceased & yesterday I was
notified that a sum of £310
had been placed at my credit to
purchase comforts for the men in England

or France in lieu of sending the goods
themselves.
Yes, It would have been rather awkward
had I parted with any copies of my
Report on the Polygon Wood show
to any except official Sources, but
the Censorship regulations kept me
from doing that at the time.
I wonder whether all such "Camoflage"
business is really in the best interests
of the war. G.H.Q have however so decided
& presumably they are the best men we
have for the job & they ought to know.
I was interested to hear of the
indications of an early Spring with
you. Here there is no right sign yet
except the "catkins" or whatever they
are called on the hazel bushes. The
Willows even show no signs of life. If the
Hun permits our tour of duty in the front
Area will end about the middle of March
& we should then be due for a rest & I may get
leave then. On the other hand I shall be
most anxious at that time to supervise
the training of my boys on the latest lines &
may, - if the weather is good. be desirous of
remaining with them. I am glad to
say that I am keeping pretty well
so far. Of course we have had an easy time

The Hun is keeping extremely quiet
& seems to have all our people guessing
as to his intentions. Some of our people
had a very successful raid a few
nights ago & got over 30 Huns & 3 Mach-Guns.
There is no further news of the
Valentine expedition & I do not think it
had any real foundation. I have had
further letters - everyone developed the
measles in turn but all are now
better. I had a letter from Jack's little
wife. She seems brighter though Katie
tells me she look very thin & sad &
that at times my mother look heart
broken. - Jack always was her favourite
child. Violets latest child is a marvel
of goodness - a real angel child - but her
son makes up for her by getting into
more mischief that 6 ordinary youngsters
My brother Rod was down for a visit
recently. After a little experience of
him he advised that whenever they had
a little spare time they should put
it in giving young John a hiding -
for he'd be found to deserve it before the
day was out in any case. However I expect
the young rascal will get out of that pretty
soon. Judith & "Jacquelyn" Jack's little one
are I hear both sweet little things & all the