Papers relating to the service of Stewart Murray Hansen, 1915 - 1917 - Part 1

PERSONAL RECORDS.

A.W.M. File No.12/11/709.
CAPTAIN. S.M. HANSEN. M.C. 14th BATTALION. A.I.F.

D.O.W.

Original Letters.

7/2/1916 - 24/9/1916.

181.11
54/49
54/23
WAR OF 1914-18 

The Official War Historian of the Commonwealth

Government (Dr. C. E. W. Bean), after his study of the

collection of private war records preserved in the Australian

War Memorial Library, wrote:

"The private diaries in this collection furnish some of the most

valuable historical records, but, like all private memoirs which were

not compiled with any historical purpose, they should not be

regarded as first-hand evidence except where it is certain that they

are so. The diarist is almost always sincere in his desire to record

accurately, but he is subject to no obligation or inducement to 

indicate whether he is recording his own observations or incidents

told him by friends or heard at third or fourth hand at the mess-table.

Thus, in some of the diaries in this collection, scenes described with

vivid detail, and without any warning that they are told at second

or third hand, have been found to be completely inaccurate in 

important details. A certain number also have been written up

or revised long after the events, though doubtless usually from notes 

made at the time. In most cases the student must rely on his

experiences and on internal evidence to guide him in judging what is

and what is not likely to be historically accurate." 

A.W.M. 12/11/709.
Captain S.M. HANSEN, M.C., 14th Battalion, A.I.F., who       
died on 7 February 1917 of wounds received at Gueudecourt
on the Somme. Other biographical details concerning him
are: architect, of Williamstown, Vic., born Williamstown,
educated of a state school as well as the Melbourne
University High School and Workingmen’s College; enlisted
in the A.I.F. on 14 September 1914 as a private., served in
Egypt, Gallipoli and France; age at time of death, 25.

Stewart Murray Hansen — Enlisted as a Private
Sept. 1914. Promoted to Sergeant in 14^th. Batt. A.I.F. Oct. 1914
Obtained his commission for bravery on the field (at Gallipoli)
May 1915. Appointed Acting Capt & Adjutant
July 1915. Gazetted Capt. & Officer commanding
C. Comp. 14^th. Batt. 4^th. Brigade A.I.F. March 1916.
He designed & engineered Courtney's Post.
which was highly commended by British experts.
Mentioned by Gen. Cox. for conspicuous bravery
at Moquet farm France. Awarded M.C. Oct. 1916
Passed qualifying exam. in Military Engineering
for further promotion.
Recommended for his Majority 1917 also DSC.
by Gen. Brand.
Killed on his 25^th Birthday at battle of
Guidecourt 7/2/17. 

A.W.M. File No. 12/11/709.
LETTERS FROM

CAPTAIN S.M. HANSEN, M.C. 14th Battalion, A.I.F.
1915-1916.

1st letter
Heliopolis
7/2/15
Dear Mother, 

We arrived at Alexandria on
Sunday 31^st January after an excellent
voyage lasting almost 6 weeks. Our
stay at Suez was very short but the

remaining part of the tour was highly

interesting. Passing along the canal, seeing

strange country and black faces, Indian

troops entrenched along the canal banks

awaiting the coming of the Turks and
Warships of friendly nations with their
guns sweeping the desert, one was kept
busily occupied with many interesting

thoughts. The voyage through the canal
lasted nearly two days owing to a force 

of Turks being close at hand. 

2

Port Said was reached during during
the afternoon so we had a splendid view

of this foul city. We were cheered by

'soldiers' and civilians from one end of
the canal to the other - a very unique
occurrence owing to the canal being lined
with soldiers. These men have since
repulsed a large body of Turks & inflicted
30,000 casualties mostly prisoners who
are being guarded by Manchester Territorial
at Abassiah about 2 miles from Heliopolis.
A march through Alexandria on the Monday
did not impress us with Egypt, the streets
like rubbish tips, filthy & stinking and
buildings mostly decayed. However the
European quarters are magnificent.
14/2/15
After being up all night in charge of the
disembarkation party we entrained for
Cairo - about 6 hours journey.
3

It was very strange to me to make the
niggers work, especially as they are back
schemers; the consequence was I had to
detail one man per gang to keep them
moving, otherwise we would have been
going all the next day as well.
The only way was to belt them across the
back, exactly the same was as their
own native policemen treat them.
They enforce the "move on" byelaw with
a whip which each policeman carries
in addition to a sword.
The train, after running to Cairo
goods yard shunted off to the
Heliopolis line - our camp -
We are camped on the outskirts of
the cleanest and finest City in
Egypt - the European tourists
resort during the Winter.
We are the only "Tourists" there this winter 

4
The nights are very cold but the days are
infernally hot.
We are situated on the desert on
which we do all our work - its very
heavy work at present -
The desert is barren gravel with
plenty of gravel hills, no trees, grass,
habitation or water, just desert
across which we march backwards
and forwards day after day carrying
out are sorts of military tactics &
operations. The walking is heavy
owing to the soft nature of the sand.
We are called the second Australasian
Division under Major-General Sir
Arthur Godly and include all the
first New Zealand force, in fact
we are the only brigade of the second
expedition that has been attached
to the advanced trained divisions
owing to the superiority of our training,
according to reports 

5
20/2/14
I visited Mena camp at the Pyramids
16 miles from here - cost me 1½ piastres
about 3¾d - and saw all the
Williamstown boys who are all
in good health and having a
splendid time. Les Hansen, Tom
Allen, Andy McDowall, Geoff Hall
in fact every Williamstown boy
attached to the Infantry, They are
all getting fat despite heavy work.
The Authorities are treating us well with
leave. Heliopolis is in bounds and
may be visited any time after parades
Cairo is open to 40 men per company
per night. We get Saturday afternoon
Sunday afternoon & one whole day
per week holiday which we
make up for by longer days and
night work, however everybody is
satisfied and very keen to be properly 

6
trained and proclaimed "fit" by
Kitchener's staff here. The sooner we are
"fit" the sooner we will get into
action.
Ron Dawes son of Pilot Dawes, is at
Abassiah with the 6^th Manchester
Territorials who are at present the
British Egyptian Garrison I spent my
last holiday with him at their barracks
which are only 15 mts by tram from our
camp.
Everything is cheap here especially
tucker. Oranges - according to how you
beat the natives down - 6 for ½ piastre
which equals 1¼d, this is 2½d a dozen.
A plate of 3 poached eggs 1½ piastres - to
3d. Tomatoes 1¼d a dozen.
We ride into Cairo - 6 miles - for ½ piastre
= 1¼d.
7
I am sending views of places which
I have visited since landing here
with notes of my own on the back
These p.c will give you some idea of what
we see every day & will explain the
place better than a letter or written
description. You must take care of
them for future reference as we
can't carry souvenirs about with
us.
Although we get more time to write
letters here than Broadmeadows we
write less, perhaps because we go
out more everything being so
strange.
I miss the girls, as the only English
or Australians here are the Nurses
and they are always kept busy.
The remainder are either Foreign,
High Class Egyptian or nigger
population