Diary of Harold Edward 'Pompey' Elliott, November 1916 - March 1918 Part 1

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Note 
The diary entries 
for the second half 
of Nov. 1916 are 
incorrectly given as 
Sept. 
 

Private Diary

of

H. G Elliot  Brig Genl

Cmdg 15th Inf. Brigade A.I.F. 
Vol III 
From 5th Nov 1916 
To 21st March 1918

Vol III 
6th Nov. Moved by Motor Bus to  
Flesselles from Dernancourt 
Brigade Head Quarters were placed 
in the Chateau of the Marquis de 
Chavigne’. Fine quarters after 
what we have been through. 
Dined at a Cafe, as our Baggage was 
not due till tomorrow 
7th Nov. Raining, A great blessing to be 
out of the trenches. Heard in todays  
news that we (acutually the 7th Aust. Brigade) which had 
captured some of the enemy trenches  
between Flers & Hallancourt had been 
driven out from old position  
by a counter attack of the enemy made 
at night. Directed to hold a Court 
of Inquiry into an alleged 
disturbance by the Brigade at  
Dernancourt.  The report originated 
from an excited 1st Anzac Sergt of Police 
who appears to have reported that 
the Brigade were killing each other 
with sticks. The facts were that there 
was rather a willing scrap between 
two Corps of the 58th who had got 
drunk & the usual crowd

having gathered they resented the 
Policemans interference & I believe 
some one punched him. 
8th Nov. A fine and clear but very cold day. 
Company Training carried on. Last evening.
M. Renaud our Brigade Interpreter introduced  
me to the Marquis de Chavigné. He is a very  
affable old country gentleman with a  
greyish beard. His age about 60. His Lady 
is in the South of France doing hospital 
work. He speaks no English & our 
talk was necessarily limited but 
he seemed a very decent old chap. He 
will call tomorrow afternoon to make 
acquaintance of my staff. He received 
me in a rather quaint but comfortable 
little smoking room. The chateau is  
rather a wandering old place of two 
stories. Part is evidently very old with 
a circular tower or keep annexed. 
There was evidently a small courtyard 
with an old gateway leading into it. 
in the medaeval style. Then one end of 
this was extended & a longer wing turned 
round to the left. It is this latter that is 
allotted to us. On the upper story

to which access is gained by a couple of 
flights of stairs there are a number of  
rather fine bedrooms. On the inner side there 
is a long well lighted corridor with the windows
opening onto the central courtyard. The 
Bed rooms open off this. They are large  
& well lighted by tall French Windows  
overlooking a small Park, which though 
rather neglected at present owing no 
doubt to shortage of Labor is rather 
pretty. The house is comfortably furnished 
& there are a few pieces of what appears to be 
old furniture. Comfortable but not by  
any means luxurious. The poor people 
about here are engaged in making what 
is called "Utrecht" Velvet. Our interpreter  
promised to take me to a cottage & show 
me the process of its manufacture.  
I hope to avail myself of the offer. 
The Marquis was kind enough to invite  
me to return with my wife after the 
war & he would drive me along the  
whole of the present front in his Car. 
I was very much down in the dumps 
today hearing of the failure of Conscription 
in Australia but on picking up a 

little Book "Daily Light" presented to 
me on leaving Australia by the Revd McRocke 
& somehow preserved although practically  
everything else I brought from Australia 
has been lost I turned up the lesson for 
today I was much struck with the following 
passage "He will swallow up death in  
" Victory ; and the Lord God will wipe away 
" tears from all faces; and the rebuke of his 
" people shall he take away from off all the 
" earth" : for the Lord hath spoken it."' It  
certainly is a cheering answer. 
I am dining with Bert Layh & his boys 
tonight.  
9th Nov. A bright Sunny morning. Had a  
pleasant evening with Layh and his Boys last  
night. The Boys are all engaged in smartening 
up Drill, marching & etc. It is quite good 
weather for it. I hear we are due back in the Trenches 
on the 18th Nov. Capt Osborne of Div staff 
came over to see out our Transport. Not many 
letters. Our H.Q mail has somehow gone astray as the 
Battns have received letters up to 18th Sept. but none for metus 
H.Q have come to hand yet. The Marquis de Chavigné had afternoon tea. 
10th Nov. Rode over to Montonvilliers where the 57th are  
Billeted . There is a fine old country mansion     

with a spacious deerpark around it. Some 
lovely Beech trees Hazel Copses etc. There is  
a very fine spreading Chestnut tree in the  
stable yard Bare of leaves of course but a  
fine sight. A Beach tree on the edge of the  
wood made a very fine sight with its Autumn  
tint. Whilst there the acting Div Commander 
Genl  Tivey (McCay has gone on leave to London) called 
to say Genl Haig Commander in Chief was coming 
to see us tomorrow. 
11th Nov. General Sir Douglas Haig came along 
about two oclock. He is an able looking 
man with a projecting chin slightly grey 
moustache. He rode round looking 
at the different Battalions. My orders 
as received were that the men were to be 
seen at their ordinary work. The work  
for the day was a lecture on & the marking 
out on the ground of a "Strong Point" of a  
type recently communicated to us 
by G.H.Q. This led to a considerable 
dispersion of the Companies & he did not 
seem quite pleased with this. Next  
time I'll have them all assembled 
It is as well to know your man 
in this sort of thing. I had intended 
to have them assembled but gave way to my

B.M. who pointed to the order. Whoever reads this 
take note that when you get an order of this 
kind always make your work for the  
day close order drill or smartening up 
drill, for even with a general who 
as Sir D. Haig was a cross country rider 
& Polo player yet now up in years he 
will get tired visiting scattered Coy's 
& if they are doing the same sort of work 
loses interest in it entirely & ge is  
apt to get cross.  But if you have them  
all handy & ^they give a smart present & 
stand steady he will go away quite  
pleased. I Noted that the 58th had some  
rusty bayonets & the M. G. Coy badly  
want a barber to shear their locks. 
12th Nov Sunday.  Today we had church  
Parade for the whole Brigade.  Col.  
Holden Chaplain General for Australian  
forces came along & preached the sermon  
General Birdwood was there.  Afterwards  
he presented medals to men who had  
won them. He looked worn & old but 
was even more genial than ever.  Particularly  
to me. The show went off very well & the  
men marched past pretty well

I saw just one or two out of step evidently 
new recruits. But all round the men 
looked very well and strong indeed 
The day is dull and misty probably 
more rain tonight. We are to go up to the  
trenches again very soon probably on the 17th 
Inst. If it has not been taken before then 
there is a bit of Trench that I badly want 
to get hold of & will have a try for. I am 
sure we could render it quite untenable 
by  Trench Mortars if only we can get a 
supply up there. Found quite a lot 
of letters up at the Chateau on my 
return there 
13th Nov. Heavy Bombardment from the front heard during 
the night. Dense fog this morning. The B.M.  
went into Amiens today. Got him to buy  
me a shirt. The Brigade who took over from us 
at Montauban took the opportunity of looting 
all mine. Read through an abridged 
edition of "Ordeal by War" - by one Oliver. 
Finely written & exposes the utter 
incapacity & imbecility of the Liberal  
Leaders like Lord Holdane, Asquith & 
even Sir Edward Grey to deal with the crisis 
the knew to be approaching

14th There was news this morning that 
we had quite a good success yesterday 
near Thiepval where we got a couple of  
villages & several thousand prisoners 
A rumour reached us that our Brig 
Genl Glasfurd of the 12th Brigade was 
killed. The day has been bright & clear 
though chilly as always here 
15th Another bright cold day. There was 
a severe Bombardment in the distance 
last night & early this morning. I 
sent some money to Paris through 
our interpreter M. Reynou. His sister  
is to buy some silk & scarfs for Katie 
& send them home for me. Col 
Wagstaff came around in the afternoon 
& told me that it was very likely 
that we would go further to the South 
this time when we went into the line 
as the British were taking up a  
wider front. This was confirmed 
by news from our Brigade Interpreter 
who saw some of his old regiment 
the Chasseurs Alpines who told him 
they were moving off for an unknown 
destination . He was of opinion it would

be Verdun where a new push was being 
made. During the last few weeks the 
French have been making very fine 
progress in the region of Verdun 
& have regained practically all 
they lost during this first six months 
or 7 months of this year. 
16th-Nov Today there is another rather bright morning 
but very sharp & frosty. Bert Layh has 
to organize the Divisional School established  
at Montonvilliers in the old Chateau there
pending Mason’s arrival there. He 
has been transferred to the 59th & seconded
to the school there as has Mason 
also of the 59th who has tempory  
rank  of Captain given him. 
Geordie called today. He is acting
R.M.O. to one of the Battns of the 14th 
Brigade during the absence of one 
of the regular M.O’s on leave. 
He is looking well. Our Baggage  
went in this morning to Dernancourt 
Had afternoon tea with the Marquis 
he was Kind. Later - Capt Bean the 
War Correspondent man came along & 
had dinner with us. Then

he had a talk with me about the 
Scrap on the 19th July at Fromelles
17th Sept. 6 a.m. Very dark & cold. Just up
to start for Dernancourt. Went  
with Col. Wagstaff & Major Vaserelly
our Div staff Via Rainville Querrier
& Bray sur Somme Maricourt to  
Bernafay Wood to see H.Q of Guards 
Division. Very cold heavy frost on 
the ground all day. Returned 
Via Convoy to Dernancourt where 
Brigade Assembled. 
18th Sept. 6 am. Mounds of snow all 
over the ground. Looks like more 
Rode up to 3rd Guards Brigade H.Q. 
Greatly impressed by their good 
arrangements. Defence Scheme disposition
etc. Bitterly cold. Rain in evening 
Camped at our old spot in Montaubun 60th at Mametz
19th Sept 59th & 60th move to Trones Wood early 
this afternoon preparatory to going into 
the front line. Communications still very 
bad owing to wet. 
20th Sept. 59th & 60th Bn move to the Front line 
tonight. The weather is milder today. 
Last night I noticed a curious

phenomenon. The wind was blowing 
from us towards the enemy & over 
his lines hung a heavy bank of 
clouds. Owing to the wind the 
discharge of our Artillery was 
almost entirely inaudible but 
the flash of its guns were reflected 
back from the bank of cloud like 
sheet lightening & so clearly 
that you could see peoples faces 
by the flashes which were practically 
continuous. 
21st  Tivey's Brigade arrived last night & we had a 
very crowded time. Heavy Bombardment 
last night. 59th & 60th moved into front 
line. H.Q move into Adv Brg H.Q. 
near Flers this morning. 
Later, Moved to Adv. Brig H.Q's took men 
from 3rd Guards Division at 11 a.m. 
Brig General Cochran acting Br Major. Capt 
Warner. Was visited by Guards Div 
Commander Mjr Genl. Fielding & G.S.O.I 
Lt Col. Haywood. The latter was a subaltern 
of the Coldstream Guards when we were 
Brigaded with them under Col. Henniker 
in South Africa. There was a bit of a

mess up with the Rations. Our Rations 
train broke down & did not arrive 
at all. I had to get rations from Dump. 
60th Bn did badly through not having a  
transport officer available, having 
given him leave & expecting their Q.M. 
to do both jobs. 
After lunch I walked up to Bn Hqs of 
59th & 60th at Needle Trench. Shelling fair 
two or three landing from 20 to 50 yards 
from the path but as ground was very soft 
did no damaged. Passed 14th Field Div
Dressing Stn & Dr Maudesley in charge. 
He seemed pretty well rattled. Next 
door to us here is Cam Robertson late C.O. 
9th Br who was wounded & went back to 
Egypt with me after the Landing. He has been 
promoted to Command the 12th Brigade vice 

poor Glasfurd killed the other day. 
22nd Sept. Rather mild weather Foggy. Very 
good report from Knyvett . I.O of 59th 
Battn who appears to have done very 
excellent work. 
At 1p.m. I walked up to the Adv Battn H.Q. 
at Needle trench. About 8 pm started 
with Lt Kynvett to reach front line. The

enemy threw up a heavy Barrage 
causing us to deviate considerably 
to the right of where we were intending 
to go. We got almost inextricably tangled 
amidst the slush & shell holes & after 
wandering for hours found ourselves at 
last with 58th Brigade lines to the right about 
800 yards of the position we intended to 
reach. Thus it was now impossible to 
reach without making either a long 
detour or walking along behind our
trenches for these latter are impassable 
except in the occupied spots which are 
often a couple of hundred yards 
apart in full view of the Boche who 
was sending up violent illuminations 
of red green & norg other lights & shelling 
heavily. I was also more than doubtful 
in view of our previous wanderings whether  
we might not actually pass over our trenches. 
& walk into the Boche lines as constantly 
occurs on both sides but more frequently 
in the case of the Boche than ourselves 
So I decided to wait whilst my 
Guide went on & reconnoitted
the route he proposed we should

go & then return for me. I waited 
an hour & as it was then bitterly cold & I 
was very wet & cold to return home 
I did so & fortunately picked up 
the track from which we had strayed 
got back quickly enough. Today 
I found that my guide had 
actually met the fate I foresaw 
for he crossed over the German 
line like ours only a succession 
of shellholes was discovered fired 
upon & fled. He fell into a shell 
hole & the Boche then threw bombs 
after him one of which wounded him 
in the foot rather severely but he got 
back eventually. He was a very 
brave chap but not apparently 
gifted with any great sense of direction. 
Boche Aeroplane fell in our lines near 
Rose Trench. Pilot Killed. Two 
Boches wandered into our lines. There were 
five four in party. One was shot two one ran
two surrendered & were brought in as 
prisoners. 
General Birdwood called while I was 
out.