Letters from Charles Edwin Gatliff to his family and a condolence letter, June 1916 - c. September 1918 - Part 1

1   13   1.1.17 
Dear Father & Mother
A happy New Year to all — it has
started well for me for we received an
Australian mail today. It brought me 4
letters from Lil & one from Mater. I would
like to visit this part of the world 10 years
after the war. Is it so devastated that it
seems an impossibility for it to ever recover.
Towns now famous because of the "Great
Push exist only in name. In some cases
the only sign that civilization has been
there is a few twisted metal crosses the
remains of the cemetery. There are no remains
of houses; the lads having taking everything
that would burn for fuel; & everything else
for making dugouts or horse standing at
wagon lines. One has to look at the map to
see where the towns originally existed. When
we first came here I passed the place
where I imagined a large village still
existed & did not know till afterwards
that I had done so. As there are such
a lot of Australians about, nearly every
day I meet some officer of another unit
that I know. The L.H. are doing traffic
control work. On our way here after our
rest I met Lt Grieve at _____. Lil met him
at Seymour when he came to Melbourne
in the same train with us. I guess

2  13   1.1.17
I am mighty glad I got out of the L H as I
would not care for a policeman's job. Still
I will go wherever & do whatever the
authorities ^order whether it is a so-called
"coldfoot" job or otherwise - after all everybody 
here is "doing their bit" & so are a lot
of those in charge of camps at home - we
are all necessary parts of a huge war
machine. I got the pay for the men
alright on Boxing Day I had a 30 mile
ride to get it as the Field Cashier was
at a place where some of our infantry
was resting. I met there several infantry
officers who were in the same school
with me at Broadmeadows. Nearly all
of them have their third star but promotion
is more rapid in the infantry — anyhow,
if I haven't got my third star yet I
have been doing work for the last six
weeks which a major or captain should
do. In the British Army if you act in
a higher capacity you are granted
temporary rank after 15 days — this has
been amended so that you can carry
temp. rank immediately you commence to
act. They sent us the memo. but it had
"not applicable to Aus. Canadian or NZ forces"
at the top. Still the war has a long way
to go yet so there is plenty of time for me to 

3   13   1.1.17
obtain a captaincy. The traffic along all the
roads about here is very heavy & it is also
very mixed — long unending streams of transport
wagon ambulances guns ammunition pack horses
motor transport infantry all jumbled up. As
traffic is so great it doesn't do to leave a
couple of yards between you & whatever is
front of you for all along the road are ^drivers of vehicles
waiting for an opportunity to join in & as
long as they can shove their horses in the
vehicles will ^follow. As the traffic never stops
that is their only chance of getting to their
destination & that accounts for the mixed
procession. Several times when coming here
I was riding serenely along at the head of
the battery as I thought but on looking
back found I was leading a string of motor
lorries or else a party of A.S.C. wagons. The
battery commander is followed by the battery
staff of about 16 riders & then by the guns
& ammunition wagons. Consequently the
head of the battery was a vulnerable point
for any vehicle wanting to butt in & they
would wait until I got past & then
quietly push in behind & of course the
riding horses would have to give way to
the vehicles. It is hopeless "roaring" at
them as it is the only way, as I said before
that they could ever hope so get to their destination

4  13   1.1.17
In the letter received today Mater says
how good I am to write so often & that
my letters are appreciated. There are 3
reasons why I write — first, for Love's sake &
knowing how anxious you all are for news
of us & our safety; second, because I am the
eldest of the three & I know the other two
are not keen on letterwriting;  & third, for
which you have to thank Lil, I got into
the habit of writing letters every day
during my courtship days. There is
lot of work & worry attached to a B. C's
job I am good at letterwriting & yet often
when I get a little spare time I feel inclined
to just sit & smoke — hate the idea of
writing — so tired of seeing & typing up everlasting
returns — I told you once that this
was a "Paper Army". It is marvellous to me
how the Heads think of some of the returns
they ask for. I think a lot of it is done to
give someone a "soft" job at Hdqrs. I
generally have a smoke for an hour or so
before I can force myself to write you.
Mind! I want to write but am simply
not in the mood. So I can make allowances
for the other two, especially ^HAL who hates
writing letters at any time, — & so must
you, please. I will do their share & can
generally manage to let you ^know how they both are.

1  France 13  3.1.17
Dear Folks at Home,
Your Christmas parcel came
safely to hand today & was much appreciated
I was like a little kiddie diving into his
Xmas stocking. I got all your little messages
of love but was disappointed at finding
none form dear little Mother, altho' I suppose
she was responsible for the commissariat
department of the parcel. Am well set up
with "smokes" now. I have smoked a couple
of Louis Coen cigarettes which somehow seemed
different from any brand we get over here &
at present, whilst writing. I have one of
John's cigars in my mouth & afterwards I 
am going to sample a pipeful of the South
African tobacco mixture. Everything will
come in handy as thro' our move the larder
is pretty low & altho I was in ____ , where
there is a big canteen, the day before
Xmas it was so crowded that I could
not get anything. The ^parcel was better being
delayed as I had Lil's parcel to work
on Xmas week. As I thought, I found
handkerchieves for Hal in my parcel - I
have sent them on to him. Altho' I 
generally have a big supply of socks, at
present I have only three pairs. I have worn
holes in the others thro' wearing large boots
because of swollen feet. This is only a letter of 
loving thanks so I will conclude Love to all
Chas. 

1   France      5.1.17
Dear Father & Mother,
As over six months have elapsed since I arrived in
France I don't suppose the Censor will mind if I send
you a few notes on my trip from Marseilles to Havre
(Certainly not - go ahead, old man.  C.E.G. censor.)
Sat June 24^th  Reveille 6am Breakfast 7a.m. Left rest
camp 7.30a.m. Entrained at Port Arène Left Marseilles
at 10.30a.m. Hal & I had charge of the trucking of guns
& wagons of our brigade. Biere was passed at 12.30 PM
then Miromas,  Arles at 2 p.m.  Tarascon at 3.p.m. & we
came to the Rhone at 3.30. The buildings, homes, barns
etc. are all roof tiled - easily seen as we are close to 
Marseilles - Marseilles tiles are now pretty common in
Australia. The country roads are very pretty & with
the tiled houses alongside them The whole country
hereabouts is very picturesque. Cypresses which hedge
the railway however spoil the view too often. Near
Marseilles we passed thro' a lot of olive plantations
Going further north we passed occasional crops of
oats wheat & barley which were very poor. A few 
vineyards were seen by they were sadly neglected
& had not been plowed. Mignonette & Larkspur 
were growing profusely along the line and looked
very pretty. Just ^before we reached Chateauneuf du Rhone

the scenery was perfectly charming - high cliffs,
which by leaning out of the carriage one could touch,
were on one side of the line & on the other was the
flowing Rhone with picturesque hills, valleys & 
villages on the far side of it. After C. de R.  

2  5.1.17
also very pretty. I was greatly attracted by the wildflowers
here which we grew in our gardens in Australia cornflowers, 
poppies & scabiosa were growing very profusely.
Hereabouts I saw a little table topped hill which reminded
me of the little Tafel Kops to be met with all over
South Africa. We had a halt at Orange for tea - it
was supposed to be for 3 hours but only lasted 1¼ hours
Arrangements been made for the officers to have
a meal (on payment) at the Terminus Hotel close to 
the Station (I have sent you pics of this place.) There
are some interesting old Roman ruins to be seen here.
A lot of the crops are overripe & want cutting. I 
was enjoying every minute of the trip so did not
bother about blankets or undressing but just
dozed in my corner. I awoke at 2.45 A.M. when we
passed thro' Lyons & also crossed the Rhone. I 
would like to have seen this famous city in daylight.
Sun June 25^th. I was properly awake at 4.15. A.M.
(old time it would be 3.15 AM) & it was quite light.
I think the daylight saving scheme is a great
idea - for this part of the world at any rate.
No fences are to be seen, long rows of trees in a
lot of cases marking boundaries - about here they
are mostly white mulberry trees, for sericulture
I suppose. The vineyards are increasing in number
the country is more populous & the crops are better.
At  Macon famous for red Burgundy wine we had a
halt of ¾ of an hour for breakfast. We arrived there at 5.30 ^AM
Passing thro' the vineyard of Burgundy the scenery 

3  5.1.17
is even prettier than that of yesterday. Our farm
gullies are pretty but the scenery here is of such a 
different type & our gullies are always so dirty with
dead trees & decaying undegrowth Here everything is
so clean, anything in the way of dead timber being at
once gathered for firewood. I think it even prettier 
than Kent, the so-called garden county of England.
We were at Somme at 7.30. At 8 a.m. the country
began to look more like that of the south of England.
We were at Tours at 7.30. At 8 a.m. the country

began to look more like that of the south of England.

I have written in my notebook that it beggars description.
Varennes at 8 a.m.  Large wheatfields, good crops
which are a mass of lovely red poppies & blue
cornflowers. No oaks are met with only plane & 
elm trees. Chalons at 8.15. Country evidently a

dairying district - large herds of cows, which are a 
treat to see after the lean humped Egyptian
variety. Then more fields of wheat until 
Pully is passed at 8.45 when we come to
another wine growing district. Chateaux & nice
houses in woods are passed which are very
pleasing to the eye after the Egyptian mud hovels
which are flat topped & plain. Another thing which 
makes this trip additionally ^charming is the fact that
for the last week or so we have seen nothing
but the wide expanse of the waters of the
Meditteranean & before that for a couple of
months nothing but the sands of the desert.
Chagny at 9.15 the country not so pretty now.
At 9.45 we arrived at Beaume another 

4   5.1.17
famous centre for Burgundy wine. The roads are all
lined with fine avenues of either poplars planes
or walnuts. The vineyards here have little patches
of crop here & there; as there are no fences. I suppose
they belong to different owners - they must be a
mighty honest crowd in these parts. We 
arrived at Dijon at 11 & departed at 11.25 a.m
Dijon! dear to the poets for its wine women 
& roses. Plombieres a pretty little village amongst
trees in a valley was reached at 11.35 a.m.  Velius
at 11.45. Statue of Virgin Mary (or Christ crucified)
could be seen on highest peak of a range of hills.
Railway along the side of hills - overlooked
lovely grounds of a chateau. The pretty little
Stations all along the line here would anyone
of them the prize for the best kept
station in Victoria - they all have lovely
gardens with plenty of roses in full bloom.
- & no advertisements!  Down below us is a
very fertile valley with heavily wooded ranges
on the other side. Malans at 12.10 - old ruins of
castle on a rocky hill top - like the castles
in Germany. Ten minutes in a tunnel. Blaisy
Bas 12.25. Very like a country scene in
England - rich grass lands but no stock on
it - people (women & old men) cutting it for
meadow hay, as it is called over here.
Our carriage is next the engine & they use
coal briquettes for firing - they are very dirty 

5  5.1.17
& we have to keep the windows shut to keep out
the coal dirt & smoke. Verney at 12.35 Ternassy at
12.45. Lot of mistletoe in trees about here. Altho' the
mistletoe is considered such an essential part
of an English Xmas not much of it is produced
locally. Tons of it are imported from France each
Xmas. Long rye grass in paddocks & occasionally
a herd of fine dairy cattle. Les Laurinas (pic. sent)
reached at 1.30 PM; stayed there an hour for lunch.
Slight rain Montbard 2.45; prettiest station
I've seen so far. Avery Le Faire 3.25; still raining
but am feeling far from miserable it is so good
to see the rain once more amid the trees.
Four minutes in tunnel Pretty bridge scene
across a canal. Tourne 4.10 p.m awfully pretty
chestnut park; Brenon ^5 PM canal alongside railway
French soldiers on leave boys & old men to 
be seen fishing in the rain all along
the canal. [[?Jorjey]] 6 PM. Still showering at
La Roche from 5.45 to 6PM but did not get
out of train - Large depot for P.L.M. (Paris - Lyon -
Meditteranean Railway C^o) engines about 100 of
the largest type could be seen in the yards
& they all had steam up. From La Roche to
Etigny where we arrived at 7pm grass
lands gave way to wheat fields once more.
Yonne river here; its banks like those of the
Rhone are very low. The telegraph poles
catch my eye. They are not large tree trunks