Diary of Brigadier General Harold Edward 'Pompey' Elliott, 15th Brigade August 1918-April 1919 Part 7

After this was over they resumed their seats
& then we had the ones to receive the medals
marched in one by one from a side door.
The Prince pinned on his medal said a
few words shook hands & the man
saluted & went out the main door.
It all worked excellently well
& was based on a similar arrangement
more or less at Buckingham Palace
when the King confers decorations there.
Everyone seemed pleased & Genl Hobbs
& Genl Tivey congratulated me on the Show.
Dourlers  29^th Dec.  Another wild & bleak day very wet.
The inhabitants say that this weather
may last for a couple of months
should no snow fall. A pleasant
prospect. Yesterday afternoon
we had a Cinema show in a
hall in the Village which I attended.
We are doing a good deal of agricultural
work for the Villagers ploughing, loading
manure to the fields & spreading it
as well as carting firewood coal &
provisions from the railway for the people.
Relations are invariably good. We
disproved the allegation of loose conduct
against the ladies referred to several
days ago - The complaint appears based
upon malicious village gossip
 

Extract from Genl. E.A.H. Alderson C.B.
book called "100 notes made in Peace & War
Gales & Polden Ltd. Aldershot 1914
P 31.
To make History teaches one to read all
History between the Lines.
(a) I have been hunting or shooting with a man
and we have come back and dined at Mess
I have not recognized the story he told to
others about our day.
(b) I did not see a single really good
account and very few at all accurate
ones in any paper of any actions I was
present at during our late War (The S.A. War
1899-1902) -
I have noticed this in other Campaigns
also
(c) In some instances I have hardly been
able to recognize the accounts set out in
dispatches sent in of actions in which
I was present at.
(d) In one instance a dispatch as it appeared
in the "Times" made out that we had driven
the Boers East of a certain sprint when my idea
of it was that they had kicked us back
into Camp West of another sprint.
These things should not be but I think they
illustrate the truth of the note which
heads this paragraph
Another curious fact about History
is that it makes haste to record what
men do successfully rather than that
which they do worthily.

  
30^th Dec The weather is rather better today.
We have arranged to have our Cross
Country race this afternoon. The Prince
of Wales had desired to be present but He
cannot come today. We postponed it
last Saturday to enable him to present
the medals & previously postponed it on
account of the weather so we must get
it off our minds today.
Afternoon - Race came off. Quite a success
effort 240 competitors entered of
whom 190 finished - Time for leader
11 minutes. Genl Tivey & Staff attended.
31^st Dec. Genl Tivey told me yesterday that we
should not go to Germany, none of
Austn Corps were to go at all. The
weather was fine in the morning but
in the afternoon rain came on but
temperature remained mild. We were
disappointed with the truck load of
provisions which we had had sent from Paris
for our reunion dinner & had to postpone
this latter function. We sent away
Lt. Meara Staff Trainee to take
the place of. try & trace the disposal
of this truck from Paris.
1919 1^st Jan Dourlers New Years - day. Attended Football
match 59^th Br v 5^th Ma Gun Bn
former won. Had afternoon tea
with Col Scanlon at his HQ

2^nd Dec Jan: Attended at Div H.Q's at Solre-le
Chateau where conference was
held & various announcements made
& difficulties discussed
3^rd Dec Jan: Our provisions having arrived last
night arrangements for delayed
dinner was carried out.
this evening.
4^th Jan. Lecture by Canon Masterman on Democracy.
Major Feriss 58^th Bn came & reported the condition of recruiting 
existing in the 8^th Divisional Artillery.
5^th Jan. General Birdwood called & saw officers &
a detachment of the men. Madame Mercier
sent me up two little pairs of wooden sabotine
shoes to send out to the bairnies. They are nicely
carved.
6^th Jan. Dull weather - little doing. Visited Madame
Mercier to thank her for the wee shoes.
7^th Jan. Very cold weather. Sent some provisions
& an ounce of rum to Madame Mercier & her
family which her soldier son much appreciated
officers being sent home on draft called to see me
8.^th Jan. Very bright fine day. Sharp frost. Walked
to St Remy about 6 Kilometres to visit machine
gun Battalion after lunch & walked back later
Very enjoyable - the woods are bare & dreary looking
& the country appears thoroughly waterlogged at
this season
9^th Jan. Cold Stormy night followed today by rain
wind & cold. Thoroughly disagreeable day, Major
Dickson called & saw me regarding his permission
to proceed home in priority for his discharge

Attended conference at Division to
Post Bellum Army changes in
organization etc.
Dourlers 10^th Jan. Very cold morning. Frosty- foggy. Held an inspection
of Transport which was very satisfactory except
for some limbers on loan to T.M. Battery.
which were not quite equal to the others.
Received invitation to dine tonight with the
14^th Brigade HQs which I accepted. Genl Hobbs
proposed to inspect the Brigade today but
subsequently cancelled that for a personal
call this afternoon. Columns of French Transport
passed through the village going & returning
from Marberge I think where the pre war
garrison is being restored.
Genl Hobbs called with Genl Tivey. He says that
the trouble with the 3^rd Div Artillery is now settled.
Said he had spoken to Genl Birdwood about my complaint
& latter had said that he had nothing against
me. except certain irrational conduct that he had
already spoken about. He asked Genl Hobbs would
he recommend my promotion to Command
a Division & Genl Hobbs replied that
he would. Not likely to do me much
good now.
11^th Jan. Weather dull & cold. Staff Capt went out
a few miles to fish with Belgian Interpreter
& caught a few trout this afternoon.
Last night the 10^th they spent several hours
watching for wild pigs on the edge of a wood &
got nothing at all for their pains
 

Dourlers 12^th Jan Sunday.  Received a letter last night from Capt H. Wrigley 60th Bn
now in the Army giving news of a few of the others of
my boys who went into the Indian Army
It is a dull bleak day. One of the 59^th men is
writing an account of the country & its people &
the effect of the transition from a state
of practical slavery under the Bosche for
four years to a state of Comparative Freedom
upon their deliverance by the British
Armies in November 1918. He asked me
to write him a sort of Introductory
Note which I agreed to do.
13^th Dull day. Some fishing in the Park..
14^th Dull. Genl Tivey called. Preparations made
for big drafts to be sent to Australia
next month.
15^th Slight rain during night. Still dull. Arrangements
made for Cross Country race this afternoon & 59^th
Bn arranged for a rifle match with a French
Chasseur Alpin Battn near Maubeuge
to be held on Thursday.
[*Arrow pointing to entry on left page*]
16.^th Clear Bright morning. Very heavy rain
came on yesterday afternoon & it was necessary
to postpone the mat cross country race
We are having a little difficulty in our
efforts to help the people. We sent limbers &
teams to the mayor for assistance to the
Commune in general. The mayor made use
of them for his own profit- rather than for
his neighbours causing discontent & protest.
He had even sent back limbers as not required when he had
satisfied his needs rather than use them for 
others

16^th Afternoon. Held Rifle match with the
French a Bn of Chasseurs Alpin stationed
at Solre Le Chateau. Quite a lo number of
Officers of theirs attended & several fired
We won by 107 points. Match 10 shots each
at 3100 & 300 yards - Teams of 10 men
The Chasseurs wore a dark blue uniform &
the officers a black & silver tunic.
The Major Commanding the Bn wore a
Cross of the Legion of Honour, the Croix de France
with many palms & Stars signifying mentions &
also a British D.S.O.

1918 Doulers 17^th Jan. Day cloudy but mild little rain. In the
morning we held a 3 miles cross country
race good performance, bad start. In afternoon
we held a meeting of representatives of the
Brigade when Genl McNichol Inspector Genl of
Education addressed the meeting on the
Repatriation Demobilization of the force & also
on Education.

18.^th Jan. We I arranged a ride into Maubeuge in the
Afternoon. It is very old fashioned walled
town with huge moats & ramparts.
captured by the Germans after Trisses
when after a 3 week siege the town
& its garrison of 35000 Frenchmen
surrendered. No sign of bombardment
but the Bridges over the Sambre in
the town itself were destroyed
by the enemy in his retreat. Has
a very ancient looking town Hall
& a monument in the Square in
memory of the Battle of Wattigny
fought around Dourlers & neighbourhood
in 1793 when the Austrians met & defeated
the French Revolutionary Troops. Weather
rather cold & I was stiff after the ride of
24.2 Kilometres - Somewhere about 15 miles.
The town has been regarrisoned by French soldiers
Chasseurs Alpin & Morroccans, & others
19^th Jan  Attended conference at
Divisional Headquarters on the

17th Jan subject of Demobilization the progressive
reduction of Bns preserving units intact as
long as possible allowing for Drafts from
each unit in proportion -  Formation of Brigade
groups for purpose of furnishing embarkation
quotas of a thousand men at a time.
Other discussions of present equipments
arms & ammunition of an Infry Battn.
20^th.  In morning rode into Maubeuge
In Evening had Capt Lindost &
Lt McDonald of 57th Bn to dinner
Lindost told us amusing stories
about the retreat as he knew it in the
Kemmel Area where he was sent to [[Wrar?]] to [[force?]]
with personnel from the School - was made
B.M. no Brigade staff or papers - had
three files made of bits of wire & couple of
sandbags to carry them in - Bosche
advance finally checked by there
old men who were too weak to get
out of the Trenches to run away so
stopped & fought
His Brigadier had a sign made - which
consisted of a painted Ship with flapping
idle sails. to indicate that there at last
there was "no wind."
21^st Very fine day. As I am to go on leave
Shortly I had a Brigade Parade which
is probably the final one of the Brigade

as it is now much reduced in strength.
I was  had to present some medals which had
been won some time back in a rifle competition
near Ch Daours & took the opportunity as so
many men are going away to thank them for the
work they had done.
In the afternoon the men voluntarily assembled
under their officers & marched round the
Chateau cheering me & I made them another
speech. I was very pleased with this little
action. A very beautiful night followed
clear & bright very cold.
22^nd Jan. Very beautiful day. Genl Carruthers
from Corps H.Qs called and discussed with
me the preparation reaching of a report on the Fromelles
action, General Tivey called and 
discussed question of precedence of
Brigades in the demobilization & I
agreed. This suggestion as to both being drawn [[telicille?]] what
Brigade should be first to furnish
a draft for embarcation in accordance
with demobilization instructions.
I received a letter from Chap Capt Rogers 57^th Bn
thanking me for my speech to the men
23^rd Snowing this morning. Lt Shroeder
our Sig Officer started for Australia
today. Another match with Chasseurs
Alpin today on their own terms
with rapid fire & we won easily. Our
5^th M.G. Bn fixed a match with them & also
and we won but mainly because one of their
Guns jammed

24^th Jan Bitterly cold today. Snow fell
Very lightly yesterday but very little
remains today. Capt Lay returned from
Brussells last night- having spent a day
there.
25^th Jan Conference at Division H.Q
& drew lots to decide the
sequence of Brigades for Demobilization
under the scheme proposed
& I drew "A" group which
ensures us precedence
26^th Jan. Commenced leave. Proceded to
Charleroi by Car met Genl McNichol
at the Officers Club there & proceeded
with him to the train where got place
in Staff Car with B. Genl Cranford
Col Stewart. Col.
all of British forces We discussed
Post Bellum Army, Educational
Systems etc rather interesting.
27^th Jan Train very slow. Next morning found
us near Douar & it was next
evening at about 11pm that we
found ourselves at Boulogne where
I stopped at Louvre Hotel
28^th Jan Very good passage across to
Folkestone where we boarded
Pulman car & arrived in
London. We were in

London about 3 pm. Reported myself
at A.I.F Hdqrs where I saw Brig
Genl Dodds also Genl Birdwood
who looked old & worn out I thought
Dodds looked tired also, I collected
my goods at Kits Stores Hammersmith
where  & went to Berners Hotel. Felt
tired.  Tried war records office by Treloars[[?]]
24^th Jan. Called on Col Buckley also at
Records office & arranged with
Treloar to see Brigade Diaries etc
for July 1916 to write narratives
of Fleurbarn fight for Genl Carruthers
In evening called upon Lady Harrowby by invitation
30^th Jan. Went to War records read things
War Diaries & found a narrative
that I had prepared at the time &
arranged for Treloar to have it
copied. This narrative is regained
by Genl Carruthers at Austn Corps
H,Qr. I will be able to amplify it
slightly. At 5.30 pm called on
Col Buckley and went down with 
him  to Wellings  where at the
Acland's there was a fancy
Dress Dinner Party preceded
by dancing to celebrate the
closing up of the house for as
a hospital

31^st Jan In morning watched some
of the patients still at Mrs Buckleys
toboganning in the snow which
was Im told 10 inches deep. In
afternoon I returned to town. Met
Admiral Fullarton at Hotel where
he had called to see me & was
just about to leave when I walked
in. I found also a letter wire
from his sister Mrs Edwards
asking me down here at once as
Mrs Carter another sister
was staying with her & was
anxious to meet me during
her stay otherwise I would
miss seeing her.
1^st Feb Left  by the train from
London at 10. 30am which arrived
at Ruabon and then at 3pm
about. Snow covered ground everywhere
but not very cold. Carriage met
me everyone very kind & good.
2^nd  Feb. Went to church at Trevor
with Patty Edwards & Lloyd.
In afternoon Lloyd Edwards & I 
walked to Bryn Howell to see the
Coster Edwards. & later on went
to Trevor Hall where we met Edwards clan
for afternoon tea

? Mon 3^rd Feb Rather Bright morning with 
mist. In morning went for walk
with Patty Edwards up round
across the valley. In afternoon I
walked with Mrs Edwards
to Llangollen township
about three miles very pleasant
? 4^th Feb. Tuesday Rather bright misty later
In morning went for a walk
over the hills with Patty Edwards
There was still a good deal of 
snow on top. In afternoon
walked will Mrs Edwards
about 3 miles to call on friends
of theirs named Darlington
a colliery director & his
sister. Very pleasant walk
& nice house. We walked back
also in slight drizzle. Felt
very fit.
Mr  Lloyd Edwards was 
off color & had to stay in bed all
day. wrote to Col Acland in reply
to his letter regarding memorial
at Digswell church & to Capt
Finlayson on the same subject
Wed 5^th Feb Wante to Rather dull slight
snow falling. In the afternoon