Papers relating to the service of Stewart Murray Hansen, 1915 - 1917 - Part 20

Conflict:
First World War, 1914–18
Subject:
  • Documents and letters
Status:
Open for review
Accession number:
AWM2020.22.119
Difficulty:

Page 1 / 10

which will mch havd bscot any life has been kept by providence oy our ka ag I was fulle with one of a capttain betind the thre trench, he badly but thonsh the back & I was imboncteo Tesbgori showe ta had expsed r whole over the liver of the parapet in full view is a Linkerk henet 1000 parcs awal and corequently the saor was inf a flse and may have hit evne of a There happining are houly occuversed and one biss a noy lie where oe to prnt relar att are by fal the most seeme even during Aplik Eesay I th sutt received box of usefull miscells articles that slar of pareth a apprenche cander thoughtful soucted to the tobang io a Sypral it suck havn in ubd ten praker, an ilject hells of Turkey Scilized could go a gpalt an 19 w here to busing Yours Sewart
on
Htis 4 areular obta i tent a the ible
4 ry ttey t& tohe & all well about toth
Hundro Wert Sen Saturday 1 911 Dea ac The tog hope for sebet her at last Louse it p the sland of cut 10 mter from the famg tone After b of rau a a a wher the muct lt of re offically conprmed. The whol of the oreginate Cnstraton then Jealand Army Cps las a fu detachments from such Bgment, Imbartd it 1a Sunday 2th Sept fim lagae. He travella Risieas hav Parket Abbart sony lab e an ffem oat. The hip only terte afortown but owng to a defection theng year the placure t after lan micent cant protorged by Bng
5 Byade 76 cntinately the laitmon Brignall sonce ont the 6t I Wellams brk Boys ste DI forwardig one to Fant fhis Regiment Sak Son Sntlaton & Rob. Kig Ashs t she and that he had to talk Mana auten i so fnally sete yur moe at Aeanth pat Muster Hartan in ihipped ba on acont at wad at afitty. Ie then small for slepes of th havether our o Eabse& Eand of through th Cast, a distance of a about Donle The gtn well situabl or and in the misst of enoe purit of a fen saoble hune as gustry relieve other at wind poten f to Candrocape the few intabitants are Breed but then custonating dren
martly to peter pinted cloy ffr tandas pale the t cenes to s6 When & lett you know the for 20 toy flant Dumstenr) eot fect treaded to & culage after an annuul which pise everyting & every body The wale th w2 the alopiny fetth 2dep which he duly ontire asted opleted We are not got givee intag of inter t 6 a stac be gute & t fattored p agoin an prtyhappy t Duly Ere X ha H S Antala Gully S. King the I we
afie five leg te a Battl & 250 offeer 7t my low s Satll & 24 H Rebap 1778 Bastel a Asyute? Sotad 979 Officer srant of the lest About doe of there reguner e at Srch sowe my wil beloe was dewsend wtilt 400 al want ill this dould be curet Letter &paper up to end of July dily arrived all right evay whee a eurgt Your Stewart 1 Adpuant 15t t Li 2 Sat 14 Castaln s And G Boll BY 4

 

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which will crunch hard biscuits.                                             
My life has been kept by Providence only.
Four days ago I was talking with one of
our Captains behind the fire trench, he
was badly hit through the back & I was
untouched. Investigation showed that
we had exposed our whole bodies over
the level of the parapet in full view of
a Turkish trench 1000 yards away
and consequently the shot was entirely

a fluke and may have hit either of
us. These happenings are hourly
occurrences and one lives a risky life
anywhere on the peninsula.
We have proved that the firing trenches

are by far the most secure even during
an attack.
Today I thankfully received a tin
box of useful miscellaneous articles
These class of parcels are much appreciated.
Claude's thoughtful message attached to
the tobacco is a typical sentiment as
we encounted many such hours in
these forsaken, uncivilized hills of Turkey.
I could do a spell in some civilized

country as 19 weeks here is becoming

monotonous.
Yours
Stewart.
 

 

[[?]]-9-15.

Durrant's Post

Gallipoli

Turkey

Dear All

Letters and papers up

to 17th July arrived safely.

Nothing interesting to relate today

as things have settled down

very quietly. We are to be

relieved tomorrow so are busy

arranging details. The 5th, 6th & 7th

Brigades are relieving a good

number of the other Brigades

who have been here since the

beginning. Lemnos is our

destination for about a month

for rest.

Winter is coming on and before

 

 

2

long snow and bad weather will

set in. Up to now it has been

a hot summer but we are now

about midway and expect

bad weather any day.

Occasionally you might

forward at discretion the

following articles which are

always handy and particularly

unobtainable here. Woollen

socks, cotton singlets, vermin

powder, tooth brush & paste,

ink (small bottle) magazines

or illustrated papers, daily

papers, writing paper & envelopes,

carbolic soap, leather boot laces

chocolate, anything in tins.

Any of these are acceptable and

there are no shops to buy from

 

 

 

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although we own plenty of

money.

You may send socks as often

as you like and singlets should 

be cheap muck as we are not

always able to wash them &

they are usually thrown away

when we manage a clean one.

It is very difficult to obtain stores

from Egypt except by someone

you know & then transport is

very uncertain and time-Tables

most irregular. Your tinful

of sundry articles has arrived

minus matches but as these

are usually unnecessary where

there is a fire alight we manage

without. The contents were duly

appreciated.

 

 

4

The only address needed in

future is

Lieut S Hansen

14" Battalion

4th Aust Inf Bde

Egypt

I wrote a note to Len Linklater

& sent a messenger who brought

back a reply "All well".

Frank Clark also forwarded a
note by same messenger.
My duties will not allow 
time at present to visit them
as it would take about

six hours there & back to the

position they occupy but am

doing my best to visit them

before we depart for our

month's holiday.

Good luck. Still well.

Stewart
 

 

Mudros West

Lemnos

Saturday 18-9-15

Dear All,

The long hoped for relief has at last

eventuated and we are snugly housed in

tents on the island of Lemnos about 40 miles

from the firing line. After being over 20 weeks

in sound of shot & shell and continuously in the

danger zone, you can imagine the feeling of all

concerned when the much talked of rumour was

officially confirmed. The whole of the original

Australian & New Zealand Army Corps less a few

detachments from each Regiment embarked at 1 am

on Tuesday 12th Sept from Anzac. We travelled

on Kedieval Mail Packet "Abbassieh"  and

being an officer, enjoyed a Saloon cabin and

saloon meals. The Trip only lasted a few hours

but owing  to a defective steering gear, the pleasures of

a sea Trip after such recent experiences were of

necessity prolonged, much to our joy. Our

relief was only made possible by the arrival of

the 5th, 6th & 7th Australian Infantry Brigades
 

 

2

I came in contact with only some of the 5th Brigade

& 7th Brigade. Unfortunately the Victorian Brigade

(the 6th) was sent to the opposite end of our line

so I saw nothing of any Williamstown Boys.

Frank Clark, sent me a note & I forwarded one to
Len, by a Lieutenant of his Regiment. I also

heard that Ron Fowler, Tom Linklater & Bob King
are with the crowd as Arthur McShane came to

see me on the boat and stated that he had been

talking to them.

We were all delighted to receive a large mail from

Australia before we relinquished our position

at Durrant's post.
On arrival at Mudros Harbour we transhipped to a 

small ferry and disembarked at a jetty. We then
travelled over the picturesque bare slopes of the

Island of Lemnos, through the maze of Convalescent

Camps to our new Rest Camp, a distance of

about 5 miles. The spot is well situated on

rising ground in the midst of small primitive

villages consisting of a few rubble homes & a store.

The old windmill and Monastery relieve other

portions of the landscape. The few inhabitants are

Greek but their customs and dress are
 

 

3

exactly similar to picture of ancient Holland.

Pointed clogs, baggy trousers, patent caps &

windmills all over the landscape. The women

have huge skirts and are dressed like pictures in

"Dutch Cleaner".
When it rains it lets you know. Not having seen

rain or its effects for so long (last December) we

were treated to a deluge after our arrival which

swamped everything & everybody. The water went

down the sloping fields 2" deep. Since then the

Brigadier General Monash has had me

designing and supervising a scheme of draining

which he duly criticised and which is now nearly

completed. We are not yet quite settled down owing

to shortage of tent accommodation but when this is

overcome we shall be quite a happy family until

fattened up again. Our next move is quite unknown

but am not trying to think about it at present as

we are quite happy in our new home.

Summary of our "time" since leaving Australia

  H.M.A.S. Ulysses 6 weeks Reserve Gully Gallipoli 8 weeks
  Heliopolis, Egypt 10 weeks Rank Advanced  (no home) 1 week
  H.M.A.S. Seang Choon 2 weeks Australia Gully   4 weeks
(Courtney's Post) Monash Valley 5 weeks Durrant's Post   2 weeks
  Gallipoli   Mudros West   2 days
 

[* Confidential *]

This will not convey much information of the difference

in comfort but Broadmeadows becomes easily first.

We are feeling happy again but our Regimental

Strength is very low. 

13th Battalion    260 officers & ranks

14th Battalion    241     -                -

15th Battalion    178      -                -

16th Battalion    300     -               -

A Brigade Total 979 Officers & ranks

About 200 of these rejoined during the last two

days while we were at Mudros so we are

very much below war standard which is 4,000 total

all ranks. All this should be secret.

Letters & papers up to end of July duly arrived

so "everything is all right everywhere"

Yours

Stewart

A/Adjutant 14' Bn.

Future address

Lieut S Hansen

14' Battalion

4" Aust Inf Bde

A.I.F. Egypt

 

 

 

Sarpi Rest Camp

Lemnos Island

23-9-15

Dear All

Received letters dated 8-8-15 also parcel of

books and a tin of writing material for which many

thanks. These parcels always arrive in good condition

and as long as they are wrapped up well & addressed

plainly they will be sure to reach their destination. The

P.O. arrangements are very satisfactory.

      We have now spent a week on the Island of Lemnos

away from the "Hell" at Gallipoli. The weather is

somewhat different to what we have been used to for the

past twelve months; biting winds and seas too

choppy to land stores. We are enjoying the change and

rest immensely and will probably return again in

about a month's time, after refitting and reorganising

I will be greatly overjoyed when our Naval Reserve

reinforcements arrive as I understand Geoff & Vern are

attached to us.

Received quite a large assortment of mail this time

and will endeavour to answer them as time permits.

Last arrival here of the original Aust & N.Zealand

Army Corps. I have been trying to trace some

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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