Letters from Charles Edwin Gatliff to his family and a condolence letter, June 1916 - c. September 1918 - Part 15

3   3   13.9.17   
before he left England. Cardie McLean, his
brother, was killed last year at Guidecourt
where we were. While I was
at the Base I had a ride into Havre with
a big draft of reinforcements from all the
camps, about 3000 ^men I was adjt for the 6
mile march & was mounted on the
Camp commandant's charges. I was responsible
for the discipline on the march. After
seeing the draft to the station I had
a fine ride by myself back to camp.
Another day I took some of our details
to the R.F.A. gas school to receive instructions
about gas. We had a picturesque walk
of about 2 miles I handed my men over    
in the morning & then brought them
back in the afternoon. The gas school
was situated on the top of a range of
hills & as it was a fine day I had a
glorious view of Havre & the harbour on
one side & Harfleur the camps & the
Legarde valley on the other. While
waiting for my men I had a stroll
round Harfleur — there is not much of
interest there except an old church part
which dates back to the time when
Henry V besieged Harfleur. I sent you a
p.c of this church in July 1916, I lfancy 

4    3   13.9.17
a couple of days before I left the Base a
draft of 60 men arrived from the 4^th Light
Horse Regt (which was overstrength) for a rest.
Seven of them were men who came over with
me on the Ceramic. Talking about the
Ceramic - the last day at Havre I censored
a letter of Gunner Herd whose brother
Lieut Herd came over with me in charge of
the 13^th LH refts He was killed after
doing a six months flying course in the
A.F.C. in England a week before he was
due to go to France. His machine nose dived
& crashed to earth & Lt Herd was burnt
to death.  Lieut Sheedy of the 54^th Bty arrived
at the Base the day I left, after several
weeks in England thro' illness.
When I was in England "E group", to
which the R.B.A.A belongs, was reviewed
at Larkhill by the Duke of Connaught.
Fortunately we had a fine day (at that
time it was raining nearly every day) &
the review was a great success. The
duke is very like the portraits of the
late Queen Victoria
Fond love to all
Your loving son
Charlie

France 3
16.9.17
Dear Father & Mother
Hal came back from leave the night
before last. I went & saw him yesterday &
had dinner at his officer's mess. He is
looking splendid - better than he has done
for many a long day - the C.O. specially sent
on leave at the same time as Hal one of his
cheery young subalterns to brighten him up.
An Australian mail has been arriving here
bit by bit the last few days & I was
very disappointed because I was not getting
any ^letters. However Hal received two from Mater
last night in one of which she wrote that
Lil had received word that I was in N^o. 3
London General Hospital so I suppose you
all thought it was of no use writing
to me c/o of 51^st Bty. I have written to every
place I was in over in England telling
them to forward my letters here. Hal is
is going to let me have all the Home letters
to read that he received while I have
been away but the worst of it is Lil
doesn't write to him so I will have very
little news of her. This morning we
had a big church parade — all our divisional
artillery was present. After the service
General Birdwood presented decorations &
medals which had been awarded for
services during recent operations. 

2    3   16.9.17
The men received the medals but the
officers only had the ribbons of their decoration
pinned on their breasts — they will receive
their decorations from the King. Two officers,
Lt Goldsmith & Lt McMullen, from this (50^th)
battery & one, Lt Bennet from the 51^st Bty
received the Military Cross. This is some
battery that I am in three officers having
won the M.C. Major Thornthwaite being the
third - he won his on Gallipoli. I am sorry
at being away from the 51^st because I had
been with it so long & knew all the men -
for another reason I am glad (that reason
however is likely to be soon removed). We
have a very strong combination of officers
in this battery now - Major Thornthwaite, M.C who
was Brigade Major for our Div. arty for a long
time & for a little while was B.C. for the 51^st
as our B.C. & it would be hard to find a 
better one - he belongs to our permanent forces,
is a good gunner & administrator & has
a nice personality; Lieut Goldsmith M.C has
just been transferred here from the 54^th
Bty & is getting his captaincy. Lieut W.J. McMullen
M.C who was a sgt & then a section commander
under me for months in the 51^st is in 
command of one section & the other two
section commanders are Lieuts Taylor & Clarke
The former has been orderly officer to the C.O
in which capacity he had charge of the 

3    3   16.9.17
brigade signal communications & he has also
been acting adjt and I am supernumerary
officer. The men are all a fine lot & we
have all bay horses. The original 51^st horses
are included in the latter & when I was
in charge of 51 our horses were the best
in the brigade & it hurt us very much
when the batteries were reorganised that
we had to hand our bays over to 50 &
take chestnuts grays & odd colours. So
there is a fair bit of 51 in this battery -
three of their old officers & all their horses
all ^our officers had to attend an artillery
lecture given at Div Hdqrs to the infantry
officers  We travelled about 15 miles in an
old motor lorry to -, the place where
we were just before we went into the
line for the first time. All the officers
of one battalion, to which I used to do
liason very often this time last year,
were grouped together. I used to know
all their officers then but oh' the pity of
it I only saw two that I knew - all
the others had become casualties.
It is good being back here again amongst
all my officer chums it is almost like
being home again after being in the
training camps in England where
nearly all the officers are either cold -

4   3   16.9.17
footers" or "duds" (officers returned for
further training) - but alas! there is many
a dear face missing - some of our
finest officers were killed during the
recent heavy slaughter of artillerymen
When the batteries were reorganised
last January I gave up all hopes of
getting my third star but now I
should be the next to get a captaincy.
There are only six M.C.s in the whole
of our divisional artillery, five of which
are in our brigade, three being in this
battery. I am glad that I have my
little bit of south African ribbon to
wear as otherwise I would feel bound
to try & get a piece of ribbon on my breast.
Tom Kennett (Lt) who was evacuated
from Hal's battery with varicose veins
but was sent back you will most
likely xxx be sent home to Australia -
if he does we will get him to call
on you & tell you all about us.
Enclosed is a clipping re soldier's graves
I have written asking for a photo of
Frank's grave to be sent you.
My legs are not troubling me a bit
& I have already told you that Hal
is in splendid health. I hope you all are.
Fond love to all
Your loving son Charlie 

France 3
19.9.17
Dear Father & Mother,
At last I have received some Aus
mail one letter from mater dated 24.6.17
& one from Ern dated 8.7.17. They had not
been redirected anywhere so I am in hopes
of receiving a budget of redirected letters
any day now. No letter from Lil!! Mater
mentioned having received about 9 letters
just previous to writing so I suppose Ern
& Lil also received the same number.
This battery had about 60 casualties
during the last offensive so we have
a good number of reinforcements with
us now. In censoring their letters
two things stand out — they always head
the letter "Somewhere in France" - the old
hands are content to put just "France"
& they all remark (with good cause)
how dirty the French people are.
Australia's first V.C. Captain Jacka
came over from England on the same
boat with me this last time - I had
a yarn with him in the Officers'
Club at Boulogne. He has the V.C. &
bar & the M.C. & bar & also 3 gold
stripes (wounded badge) I think they
ought to send him back to Australia
as a shining example to "coldfooters". 

2   3   19.9.17
We are really having a "rest" this time
out of the line. The last (so-called) rest
we had was last November at NAOURS
- then we were all praying to get
back to the line, as we were situated
in a dirty town, scattered all over
the place, & it was very wet & cold.
Here we are situated right on the
banks of a canal - billets & horse lines
close together - with a large wood
on a hill close behind us. The country
is all green & is very picturesque &
the view from the window of our
officers mess is rather typical of
Australia. There are a couple of fair
sized towns not far away & about
20% of the men are given leave to go
there every day. We have been "out"
about a fortnight & so far have only
done cleaning & overhauling - training
is being started now but only during
the mornings - except for an hour for
afternoon stables the men are free
from midday so they are enjoying
themselves immensely & are looking
very fit. As this is their first spell
since last Nov. (& that was no good) 

3   3   19.9.17
I think they deserve to have a good time
Our infantry after the Bullecourt stunt 
had a spell out of the line for 3 months.
They are also being very liberal as
regards leave to "Blighty", all our men
have now had leave there once & they
are starting on their second round.
The officers are starting on their third
round Hal being the first to go. I
will not miss a turn altho' I was
away three months as I was the
first subaltern to go in both the
first & second rounds - owing to the
last offensive leave was delayed for
a while & the second round was
only finished recently - of course I
will be one of the last to go in
the third round but hope to be
over in Blighty early in December.
Paris leave is also being granted to
officers four went today. I am not
keen on going there - for one thing I have
already seen its sights & am tired of
everything French & for another funds are
low after my three months in England.
Fond love to all
your loving son
Charlie 

France 3
23.9.17
Dear Father & Mother
Last night I received a batch of
redirected letters - two from Lil dated
N^o.90 5.6.17 & N^o.92 27.6.17, two from mater
dated 29.5.17 & 3.6.17, three from Ern dated
27.5.17, 11.6.17 & 24.6.17 respectively; so at
last I have received a lot of news about
all you dear folk in sunny Australia.
A strange coincidence - Lt Kennett & I are
both only supernumerary officers now;
he to 51 & I to 50, & yet we are both
acting battery commanders & incidentally
the only officers with our batteries - the
other officers being mostly on leave. Both
49 & 113 have a major & 49 four "boots"
& 113 three. When I came to 50 there
were 7 officers - now I am the only one -
3 are on leave in London, 1 on leave in
Paris, 2 were transferred to another
unit, & 1 is relieving at Hdqrs an officer
who has gone on leave. There are
about 50 men from this battery away
on leave, so I have my hands full
getting all their work done — altho' a
syllabus of training has been issued
we have not been able to do any of it
as being so shorthanded all our time
is occupied with looking after the horses
& cleaning & overhauling harness & equipment.