Letters from Charles Edwin Gatliff to his family and a condolence letter, June 1916 - c. September 1918 - Part 17

N^o. 14     3    4.   3.10.17 
mighty glad I was of their company. We all
crouched in the shell hole with the horses
standing on the edge as additional protection
It is marvelous how the horses get used to
the shelling - shells were bursting all
around us & the din was terrific & yet
the horses stood as quietly as tho they were
in a comfortable stable. I warned the drivers
to mind out that if the horses got hit they
did not jump on top of us.  Suddenly there
was a terrific crash right behind us - I
involuntarily jumped to one side & into
another shell hole. When I looked at the
spot I had just left I only saw dead horses
then I saw the men struggling from underneath
them. On getting them out & into the
other hole I found that two were wounded &
one unhurt altho' all three had been badly
shaken up by the horses falling on them.
It was a godsend that we had the horses
for protection, otherwise we would have
been blown to pieces. When things quitened
down I left the drivers in the shell hole
& went for assistance. I found Hal &
the personnel of the 2 batteries in some
strong "pillboxes" made by Fritz. One good
thing about pillboxes is he can’t blow them
up when he is compelled to evacuate them
 xxxxx & they are a blessing for us when

4

N^o 14    4.      3.10.17
we follow him up as it would take
 considerable time to build protection from
his shell fire. Down on the Somme Fritz used 
to have lovely deep dugouts in his trenches

but just before he was driven out used to
blow the mouths of them in & in most
cases they were then useless to us. I sent
help to the wounded drivers & had a bit of
a yarn with Hal. As I said before he has
got a good strong pillbox for protection &
as here they rely principally on the big
guns when there is a S.O.S. He our 18pdr
gunners take cover whenever Fritz makes
things too hot. As I didn't know where my
battery was Hal said he would send messages
across there for me next morning & I got
back to the wagon lines. All the time I
was in the shell hole I was worried about
the driver who was holding my horse but
I was thankful to find he had had
enough sense to clear out when the fun
started. He came back for me just as I
commenced to set out for HOME. My
favorite horse, Snip, had been slightly
wounded so after riding him for a while
I got off & walked for a couple of miles
my excitement for the night wasn't all
over for just as we were entering the 
big town a Gotha came over & laid a
 

5    4    3.10.17
few eggs. As I was walking, I stopped & had a 
cup of hot cocoa at a YMCA dugout - I was
dying of thirst - I then caught up to my driver
(horses or vehicles are not allowed to halt there)
& let him go back. He then took a short cut
& joined me up but while doing so a Gotha
laid a few more eggs one of which landed
a few yards from here xxx he fell flat &
the splinters went over him. Coming back

I joined up with some of my old 51 drivers

& had a good yarn with them. There is not
the slightest doubt there is a dinkum War

in these parts. I have such a lot to write

about that I could fill pages but I think

this is enough for one letter. However as I
am waiting up until some of my drivers

return from carting ammunition I may
"issue a second edition" tonight. The

weather is still keeping fine I was almost

praying for a drought but now that I

have had an exhibition of Fritz's planes

dropping bombs I don't care how soon

it rains. In charge of wagon lines used to

be reckoned a safe job at one time but

it is now far too unhealthy for my

liking Fond love to all
Your loving son 

Charlie

 

N^o.15      Belgium 5

6.10.17
Dear Father & Mother,
The fine weather has broken at last,
Yesterday the wind was boisterous & it
was showery - & with our usual luck where
moving is concerned, we got orders to move
our wagon lines forward about 4 miles. This
was at midday - we had to pack up, trek, &
establish ourselves in the new lines & cart up
ammunition, etc. as usual last night. As it
was raining most of the time it was great joy.
The day before, we made a big attack capturing
an important ridge which dominated all our
positions. Unfortunately two of my best chums

amongst our officers were killed - Lt. McMullen, who

was a Sgt under me in 51 & accompanied me on

most of my F.O.O. trips at Fleurbaix & was then a

subaltern with me in 51 until last January

when he was transferred to 50 where I joined
him again last month; & Lt Bennet who was

a subaltern with me in 51 & was one of the two
who were with me all the time in Gun Valley.
Like Frank they both died good deaths, both
being killed instantaneously by small fragments
of 5.9 shell in their head. They were two of
our best officers both for their manner &
their work. They had both been awarded
the Military Cross. Bennet was a married
man with a little daughter the age of Dorothy.

N^o.15    2    5   6.10.17

Owing to being away ill in England I was
passed over when my turn for promotion came.
It was rather funny - one day I was issuing
orders as C.O. Brigade Wagon lines, being the
senior subaltern, & the next day I was receiving
orders, being the junior officer, all the other 3
O.C. Battery wagon lines having been made
captains. At present I am still in charge of
our battery wagon lines as our battery captain,

Goldsmith late of 54, is away on leave but
he is due back any time now - then I suppose
I will go up to the gunpits & carry out the
ordinary duties of a subaltern. It is a bit
hard after my record but Hal & Frank also
had a bad run - it is the luck of the
game. The main thing is to get back to you

all safely - promotion & decorations, altho'
very nice, are only a secondary consideration.
Hal is well & as he shoots his battery from
the B.C's dugout (one of Fritz's pillboxes) he is
not likely to come to harm. They buried
Bennet & McMullin in the same cemetery as
Frank & the rest of our officers who have been
killed - so they are in good company. I could
not bear to go to their funeral as they were

such good comrades of mine - & also because

of Frank. To replace Mac. Lieut Trenerry

has just been posted to this battery - he was

N^o.15    3    5   6.10.17

also a Sgt under me in 51 & a great friend

of Mac's. Q.M.S. Jack who was with the 4.L.H.
on Gallipoli & was my Q.M.S all the time in
51 is doing a month's duty with 50 as a N^o. 1
(Sgt of a gun) before going to the Artillery School
in England to secure a commission. He came
down from the guns a couple of days ago & is
at present doing sgt-major duties here at wagonlines

As Major Thornthwaite our 50 B.C. was also
B.C. of 51 for a while you will see that I
still have a few links with my old battery -

but I would like to be back there again.

I wonder when the war will end - it is

all very well for the diplomats to sit back

in their comfortable chairs & say the peace

terms are not favorable enough but I
guarantee if they were over here in the firing

line tomorrow they would want to make

peace the next day. Russia seems to

have stopped retreating - perhaps because

the Germans do not want to have too big

a line of communication for the winter - I

wish they would let the Japs in on that

front against Fritz, & also against Russia

if necessary. Fond love to all

Your loving son

Charlie
 

15       Belgium 6

19.10.17

Dear Father & Mother

Have just come down to our wagonlines

after a 6 days tour of duty at the gunpits &

had a very giddy time of it. My legs are quite O.K.

& I have never felt better in all my life - I have

quite a healthy appetite now. I think it was

because when I went up first Fritz kept

me on the move so much that I haven't

had so much violent experience for many a 

long day. Three refills come to hand - one

is in Lt. Taylors torch - other two being sent

up tomorrow. Am O.C. wagon line Captain

Goldsmith is away as brigade liasion officer &

I have been trying to write two letters at

once one to you & one to the O.C. at gunpits

hence the above couple of lines crossed out.

I have so much to write about that I

don't know what to put in this letter

as it is only a short one to let you

know that Hal & I are both alright. I

spent several hours in Hal's dugout a

couple of times owing to Fritz being

nasty so had opportunities of having

good talks with him. As this will

reach you about that time I wish you

all a merry Xmas & a happy New Year

Fond love to all Your loving son

Charlie

16     1    Belgium 21.10.17
6
Dear Father & Mother
I rode across to ______ this afternoon
with Major Lister & saw Frank's grave. It is
well kept & has a good plain cross over it.
I have already sent home an extract
from orders stating that no monuments or
tombstones can be erected over fallen
soldiers until after the war. The graves
in registered military cemeteries, such as
the one Frank is buried in, are kept in
good order by the Graves Registration Unit.
Capt W. Knox, Lt J Pascoe-Webbe, & Lt WJ
McMullin, all of 50^th Bty, & Capt Steele &
Lt Hopper, killed with Frank, are all
in the same cemetery. When I haven't
written you for a little while I find it
hard to get into the letterwriting mood
again. For one thing I like to be alone
when writing - at present three of us
are camped in the one tent. Things
are pretty quiet at the wagonlines except
at night when the Gothas come over
"laying eggs" & generally some time during
the night we get a few "quick dicks"
(high velocity shells) thrown at us.
Heard today that Hal is O.K & so am I.
Fond love to all
Yours lovingly
Charlie

N^o.17      1     Belgium 6        22.10.17

Dear Father & Mother

My old battery (51) wagon lines adjoins

ours here & I often go across & have a yarn

to the officers & men. Now that I am not

in that battery the men talk more freely

to me. Today one of them told me that when

we moved forward several months ago to the

Doignes position (where we got "blown out" after

the Lagnicourt "stunt") some of the men felt

rather "windy" until they saw me go out

souvenir hunting - that "bucked them up."

Lieut McMullin of this battery, who was killed

the other day, was one of my old 51 sergeants.

His place has been taken by Lieut Trenerry

who was another of my 51 Sgts. The latter, who

did not get his commission until several

months after Mac., is always talking about

the days when he was a Sgt under me &

I am glad to know that I earned the respect

& confidence of the men of my old battery 51.

As I am writing this I can hear the hum

of Gothas overhead with every now & then

several loud "crumps" when they lay some

eggs. We are quite used to them now as

they are a nightly visitation - it is when

anything is new that one feels a bit "windy"

When Fritz first started using high velocity

shells we didn't like them at all, but now

we take no notice of them even tho' it

N^o.17     2     6     22.10.17

the shells are falling near, they seem to be

whizzing right into you. A few nights ago four

of us were talking in my tent when four H.V.

shells went over - we took no notice & were

very surprised when one of the drivers came

& told us a few minutes after that one had

landed in the horse lines behind our tent

& killed several horses. That was at our

previous wagonlines. When I woke up after

my first night here I found that an H.V.

"dud" had landed during the night about

20 yards from my tent. So you will see that

the wagon lines is not the health resort it

used to be. One thing - we are not worried

with Gothas & "quick dicks" in the daytime

whereas up at the gunpits the strafe goes on

day & night. I have just been warned that

I am F.O.O. tomorrow so that means I have to

get up at 3 a.m., ride up to the gunpits &

walk from there to the front line so I will

conclude this & try to get a little sleep.

I have received several home letters redirected

from the Base P.O. the last few days. I will

answer them in my next letter. I will try

to see Hal tomorrow.

Fond love to all

Your loving son

Charlie