Letters from Ernest William Baker to his Family, 1914-1918 - Part 1

Rabaul Garrison
6/11/14

Dear Jennie
I am just thinking of
you & wishing you in my heart
Many Happy Returns.  This will be
rather late in reaching you, (if it
ever does); but you will know my
thoughts were with you.
Every thing is quiet here
& althou a bit monotonous.  I am
getting a good deal of fun out
of it.
One great thing, is I
have been granted a permanent pass
which allows me to go anywhere
in the place.  So I may be able
to purchase fresh food & stores for
the officers mess, & if I want a
ride or a drive, I only have
to get a ferry or turnout, & there
you are.

So you see I'm very comfortable
& happy & having a really good time
You have often read about
the beauty of the South Sea Islands
& I must say they have not
been exagerated, no doubt you have
often also read about the beautiful
girls, but up to the present I haven't
been able to discover where their
beauty lies.  Some of the men are
a very fine stamp indeed; but the
women.  Uh! They give me horrible
sudders down the spine.
I had a lovely drive
this morning.  I went over the hills
through the "pass" to the other side
of the Island. to try & get some
fruit & vegetables.  I started at 6 o'clock
& it was simply delightful in the
cool but it was very hot coming
back & my poor horse was very
tired; but I let him jog along as
he liked & he was allright.
Perhaps you can follow me

3)
if I try & paint a word picture
First a straight level road
with banana & brown nut plantations
on the right with the hills behind
them & little bits of native gardens
& jungle on the left.  through which
you could now & again get a glimpse
of the glorious sparkling pacific.  Then
a sharp turn to the right & a
steady clime to the foot of the hills
with thick scented tropical vegetation
on either side. & palms often meeting
overhead.  Then up a steep mountain
road. which dissapeares into the face
of the mountain.  through a tunnell. (which
I beleive was made by Native prisoners)
out into the glare again on the
other side, then a long winding decent
with native villages & their crude paintings
& carvings scattered among the coconut.
pines, Pawpaws, Bananas, rubber trees, etc.
& finally down to the beach. where
you watch the natives paddling about
in their "dugouts" on the lagoon or wading

4)
up to their waists spearing fish.
A little further along you reach
the mission station where I pulled up &
the boys ran out & took charge of
my horse & gave him a drink. &
I had a rest & a chat with the
missionary & then the return.
So there you have some idea
of the sort of country this is.
I have no news for you
so will close wishing you the Happiest
Christmas possible in these terrible
times.
God bless & Guard you all
Your loving brother
Ernie

Answered
17/10/15

Gallipoli
Oct 22^nd 1915

Mother, Dad & Jennie
Dear ones
Just a short note to
let you know I am well & happy
I received your parcel "OK" & the
contents were simply "Top hole". But
mother dear you shouldn't waste your
money on me.  I have everything I
can possibly want.  The chemists shop
you sent me will last me 12 months
at least.
You should have seen us.
Leslie Grove an English laddie who was
away with me in New Guinea had a
parcel the same time, also from his
Mother & Dad in England whom he hasn't
seen for about 5 years.  Of course he
must rush round to my dug out to
open it. So we broke the two strings
together. xxxxxx By this time 3 more
friends must crowd in to see the cause
of the excitement.
Well! talk about school boys
thy they were not in it compared to us.

2)
There wasn't room inside, as it is only
6ft 6in long 4 ft. wide & 4 ft high, so we sit
at the door tasting lollies & chocolate & sampling
the different cigarettes, with grins of delight
on our faces, that would have made the
sourest old pessimist in the world happy
could he have seen us.  'On my word
I think we are nothing but a lot of
overgrown boys after all,
Up to then we were unable
to get anything like that, but now
there is to be a regular supply
every week of everything one could possibly
want.  From Keatings Powder to Shaving Utensils
& chocolates to Curry Powder & every kind of
tinned fish & Fruit etc that you could think
of & at the cheapest prices.  Ridiculously
cheap in fact.  So you see we are
well looked after now.
But wasn't I glad of that
parcel.  The Rose, Scented Geranium, & Ivy all
came safely.  It took me back to the
dear old Nest.  It must have been one
of the last roses of this year.  You couldn't
possibly get any pears to me, they would
be quite bad.  I shall have some of next

3)
years crop instead & I'll pick them myself.
I am so glad you liked my
photo.  I find I have quite a number
of friends in Sydney who write to me
constantly.  I received one today from
the girl who sent that to you, telling
me that it had gone & that you must have
received it by now.  It was a snap
taken by Leslie Grove. (whom I have already
mentioned) a few days before leaving Liverpool NSW
for the front & I expressed a wish in her
hearing, that I would like an enlargement sent
to you.  She immediately volunteered to do so,
& secured, I afterwards discovered, the negative from
Leslie.  I gave her your address never really
expecting to hear any more of it.  I feel
now as if I ought to apologise to her for
doubting her promise.  It was real
good to go to that trouble & expense
for a comparative stranger.  We were only
introduced by a fellow soldier of mine at
the camp a week or so before, while on
a visit to him.
I received Jennie's double letter to
a day or two ago but found a difficulty
in finding paper to reply on, until your
supply came to hand. So the next page is

4)
especially for her.
I am glad young Chambers recovered his sight.
After all you did in the hospital without
avail & then one little act of God &
instant recovery.  The age of miracles has
not passed.  I see that every day
here.  Why only this week I can tell
you of two instances. - A large high explosive
shell fell among a few of my friends who were
yarning and - did not explode.  Last
evening about 5 o'clock a fellow, Norman Lewis,
was standing upon a knoll about 20
yards from us & Whiz-Bang Mr 75 comes
over our heads & into the ground about 50 inches
from him, blew a big hole in the earth, & never even
scratched him.  I might mention here, he
is one of the coolest customers I have
ever met.  Simply turned round & said
"Nearly got a new dug-out" & walked
quietly on about his business.
I have not come across Regie
here.  You must remember there are a
good many miles of front & its highly
improbable we should meet.
Why on earth do you wish you
were me.  Since you have been nursing
& helping to patch up damaged soldiers, you
appear to have become quite blood thirsty

5)
Not a bit like the dear quiet little
sister I left behind.  Still I'll give
'em one for you if I get a chance; but
I've a few little debts of my own to wipe
off first.
I would just loved to have caught
you all in your "Robes des nuit" when the
Zepps passed over.  I'm very thankful to
think you came to no harm.  If only
I knew you were all safe from those
diabolical machines I wouldn't worry.
I say Dad!  Here, play the
game fair.  It's your turn to write
to me.  Dont let the girls do it all.
Just a few lines about yourself & "biz"
& any old thing that comes along.  What's
C  Ken Smith doing?  I know you simply
hate writing.  Well just between you ourselves
so do I, but we must make an effort these
times. What!
I am going to try & send
Rosie a note.  I guess with her little
brood she doesn't have much time to write
& goodness knows I ought to write to
all the Aunties; but really I haven't too much 

6)
much time.
What do you think of the
enclosed envelope isn't it a fine idea
By the way the corrections are quite
in order. My promotion was gazetted today.
I am very glad, because I know
you all will be glad to see our
officers place some confidence in my ability
to carry out another an important, responsible
I should say, job.
Good night dear ones, God bless
& guard you all.
Your loving Son & brother
Ernie

Oh! I say Jennie!  I didn't get those photos
of you.  I wonder where they have got to
I expect they will wander round & get
returned like the letters did. & if
you are writing, just tell that wife
of mine, that those letters she had returned
to her, bears my name on the envelope., & therefore
my property. Just let me catch her destryg
destroying them. Thats all! I waited paitently

[*till October 1915 for them & by jingo I want 'em.
Destroy them!  After travelling about 30,000 miles without
me having seen them! Preposterous! Never heard of such a thing! Destro*]