Extracts from letters by Herbert Gordon Carter sent to his Parents, 1914-1919 - Part 4

S.S. Canada  27
12. Aug. 1915
My dear Father
I am just giving you a few details of our action (8)
*Lone Pine.  Although the whole show was almost brilliantly carried
out yet the casualties have been pretty bad.
- On entering the Turkish trenches, I found them
in an awful state - dead men & debris all mixed up,
mostly Turkish dead, but some of our own too.
We removed a good many of the dead & cleared
the trench - a good many of my men killed -
but the majority of my casualties appear to be slight
wounds.  We had our 5th reinforcements given us
2 days before action. its a pity they are not better
trained -- After we had held them (the trenches)
for 3 days Col. Bennett told me to go & have a
good rest. - he suggested a month.  That is why I'm
here on my way to Alexandria.
Heliopolis No 1. Genl Hospital,
16. Aug. 1915
My dear Father & Mother
I rang Tuff (Sister U. M. Carter) up as soon as I
got here & looked forward to a cheery bright face,
instead of which came the news of poor Edwards' death -
It came as a great shock to both of us -
I don't think I shall be able to get back to Gallipoli yet.
- The doctors here talk about 3 or 4 weeks -

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Mena
4/9/15
My dear Mother & Father
I have been trying to persuade the doctors to
send me back to the front but they are inexorable.  They talk
of sending me to England for 3 months.
Ras-el-Tin
Convalescent Home Alexandria
27/9/15
My dear Father & Mother
Ashmead Bartlett's account of 'Lone Pine' was
very good.  I read it in the London D. Tel. Sep 3.  He only
makes one mistake; he says the 1st Divn did the attack
whereas it was practically only our Brigade.  We had
2 Coys of the 12th as an Extra reserve, but  they were only
in for a few hours; also the 6th Bn came in on the 3rd day
& relieved one of our battns - the 2nd I think - outside that
the 1st Brigade did the lot.
S.S. Minneapolis
21/10/15
My Dear People
I am on the war path again.
26/10/15.
Managed to get ashore - & went to the Battalion.  I got
a nasty shock to find that I hardly knew any of the officers
27/10/15.
I am now the only original Company officer here at present.
the others, e.g. Street, Wootten &c are attached to head quarters
Anzac. 1st Dec.
My dear People.
Very cold of late.  Snow fell solidly for 1 day.
Things fairly quiet.

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Anzac.
11/12/15
My dear People
You are now allowed to address me as Major. - moreover I'm
the senior' major in the Bn  I've received lots of congratulations.  Col:
Glassford spoke very nicely about it today.  You will also be pleased to hear
that Carter's Trench is now in existence - & has attracted a great deal
of attention - All the generals have paid it a visit & even Gen Birdwood
went out of his way to go down there this morning. The new trench
has been useful in foiling some little game the Turks had in hand.
- - This is probably the last letter you'll get from me
for some time.  I can't give reasons.
H.G. Carter
H.M.T Derfflinger (Huntsgreen)
Boxing Day 1915.
My dear Father & Mother.
Of course you know the details of the evacuation by now.
It was certainly a blow to have to leave after so much effort -
but I'm sure it's the right thing & that, moreover, it's the action of
a very strong man. ----  It was a case of sitting still &
trying to make each other as uncomfortable as possible.  I'm sure we
succeeded with the Turks opposite us, for we got them in such a state
that they would not fire thru' a loophole during the day and
even their periscopes had a bad time.  We could use ours ad
lib.   ----  The real evacuation was carried in 2 nights -
previous to that all surplus stores & all reserve troops had been
got off.  Old 'Beachy Bill' was kept worried with a search light from
a destroyer.  On the 1st night ¼ to 1/₃  of our troops slipped silently
down to the beach & off. - it was a lovely moonlight night too.  On
the 2nd night we went down in 3 batches - the first at night fall,

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the 2nd about 9.30 & the last about 2.30.  I went with
the 2nd lot.  Our Bn was also asked to supply the covering party
for the retirement of the whole Divn - a great honour.  We embarked
on punts to steamers & arrived next morning at Lemnos.  thence
transferred to a larger steamer when they took us to W. Mudros
to camp.  Here we stopped for 3 or 4 days until we embarked on this
lugger which is apparently taking us to Egypt - At Lemnos we got
our 'comforts' - & a billy each & half a plum pudding - The men
were like a lot of children - shouts & singing as some queer article
was produced from a billy.
Your son H. Gordon Carter
Alexandria 27/12/15.
P.S.
Arrived safely. -- I'm rather proud of my record. The
Army Corps were on the peninsula just under 8 months of which
I saw the best part of 6, & as the Bn was resting at Lemnos
from Sep 10 - Oct 30. while I was in Alex: it makes only 1 month
missed thro' sickness.
Egypt
5/1/16
My dear People
I have rather a a big job on at present.  Our C.O. Major
Coltrain is dangerously ill, so yours truly is in charge of
the 1st Bn.
Egypt. 17/2/15.
My dear Father & Mother
The 1st Bn has split into two - one half
remaining intact, the 2nd half is called the 53rd Bn  We have
been reinforced with drafts - - -  I'm in charge of the 53rd
H.G. Carter

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Egypt
6/3/16
My dear Father & Mother
Again I've changed my address. - no longer with the 53rd
Bn but with the 5th Pioneer Bn. - which I've got the job of
organizing & perhaps having command.
The Mining Bn, due to arrive shortly will, I think, be split up
amongst the various Pioneer Bns. - This Bn will call for my
engineering talent to some degree & is therefore very congenial.
Egypt. 5th Pioneer Bn
28/3/16
My dear People.
Several matters of importance have occurred lately, not
the least of has been my interview with H.R.H. The Prince of Wales,
who shook me by the hand & gave me a very dashing salute.
Prince looked very nice indeed but had not the faintest idea of
what to say to me.  Genl Birdwood broke the awkward pause with
some well chosen remark otherwise the Prince might have been
blushing yet. ---- I don't think there's much doubt now of
my retaining command.  I am gradually getting my full
compliment of officers ---- mostly young - & want a lot of
teaching.  I've picked most of them myself - so only have myself
to blame for any deficiencies.  I've fortunately been able to get
hold of 3 Sydney University B. E.s who only had jobs as sappers
& get them commissions with me.
H. Gordon Carter
5th Pioneer Bn
My dear Father & Mother
We had our - inspection by Genl Godley - we had plenty
of rehearsals - the result was gratifying & well worth the
time & work I spent.  Genl McCay - our Divl Commander -

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congratulated me before the Bn on the excellence of their turn out.
& then Genl Godley complimented me on the fine unit I had.
3/5/16  Got a memo last night from the Division "One of the
best turned out Battalions the Corps Commander has seen in either
Divn (4th & 5th). ----- It looks as if we were going to move very
shortly.
Gordon
Cable.    June 19. 1916.  Ismailia
Leaving Egypt shortly.  Love.
Carter
H.M.T. Canada
21st June 1916.
My Dear Father & Mother.
The old skipper seemed to see something this morning, for
the boat started turning all sorts of fancy curves & the wireless message
flew to our big brother in front (as the skipper calls the T.P.O. that is
escorting us). And he, or she, began to speed up & circle -
but nothing happened
France. 2/7/16
My dear Father & Mother.
The journey thro' France (60 hours in the train) was very
interesting.  Troop trains are not expresses.  Then came the billeting
in a lovely little village - it was quite a new experience for the men,
& the presence if women & children is having an excellent effect. - I
don't think  I've heard a swear word! & the men enjoy taking part
in the Sunday domestic & farming operations - We can hear the
guns but are safely out of range of 'des obus"
5th Pioneer Bn
9/7/16
My dear Father & Mother
We have now moved to closer up the line - so expect
anything - We were gassed the other day, experimentally.
They also exploded one or two 'tear-shell' bombs - Your eyes
stream & smart like anything -

33.
The work we do is very interesting - We are actually in billets &
only go up to the trenches from day to day or night to night to carry
out the various jobs - so that the men are only 6 or 8 hrs there. per
diem. with 2/3 reduced risk.
France
21/7/16
My dear Father & Mother
'been in a stunt already.  Lone Pine on about
6 times the scale. - over in 24 hrs. The weather has been good
we've had a good deal of trench digging - my piėce de resistance
so far was the construction of a mile of trench tramway -
completed within 3 nights of the order being received - the last 500
yards over open country swept by machine guns.  The whole of the
material to be man handled.  I had to survey the line - thro'
ruined houses, over ditches &  trenches, banks & hedges -
It had to be done entirely at night.  I haven't had a night's rest for
a week.
7/8/16
My dear People.
My 2nd in Command Major Peters got caught by
shrapnel when riding through a village.  I don't think he'll live.
This war is very weird - you stroll along a perfectly
innocent looking country lane when all of a sudden you get
your hat blown off by one of our own guns - you look
round & see nothing - The other day I had to go rather
a long ride (12 miles) an aeroplane bomb dropped about
200 yards off - some bomb too - Looking up I'm blest if
I can see the plane - only just hear the engine -
France
13/8/16
My dear People
The Huns shelled a cross road the other day & it's extraordinary
the holes these shells make - yet the road was still passable

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& they only got one man for something like 250 shells.
I have been given a fairly large job - with a free hand - so can
show whether I'm any good.
The hum of an aeroplane is almost
perpetual now.
France
8/9/16.
My dear Father & Mother
My promotion to Lt Col. & definitely in command of this
Bn dating from 28th Aug - has recently occurred. -
I met the General the other day going round our work - he seemed
more than pleased.
France
26/9/16.
My dear Father & Mother
- There's a terrific bombardment going on not very far
from here - about as bad as I've heard yet. & the ground shakes -
I was rather amused at one of the general Staff officers
telling me that I was not half 'rude enough' to my men.
He has been brought up in the regular army where this is more or
less in vogue & you curse & swear at a man who trespasses.
Such is unnatural to me & I have purposely avoided
it as I find that by trying to give yourself a false character
you are liable to make a fool of yourself.  Consequently I
do not bluster at all to the men & when I have a bad egg
before me I seldom give a lecture - it does no good - but
deal it out solidly with maximum punishment. -
I try as far as possible to deal with the officers who control
the men.  Although my manner is mild & I purposely keep it so
when anything goes wrong all that happens is a private interview
between the officer concerned & myself. - Consequently the Divn
get the idea that I don't have much discipline. ---- I'm sure
my attitude is the correct one & they will see it in the end.
H Gordon Carter

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S. Westrn Hotel
Southhampton
6th Oct 1916
My Dear Father & Mother
Arrived in London on the 4th
S. W. Hotel Southhampton
Oct 12. 1916.
My return to the unit takes place tomorrow.
(Most of these 2 letters refer to his fiancée - Sister King - now at Nettley Hosp)
France.
24/10/16.
My dear Father & Mother.
We are in the thick of the fighting, & in a 'dug out'
again.  I got back from my leave to find the Bn moving
from the quarters we had made so comfortable. - The last 2
days I've spent reconnoitreing our position.  Our worst trouble
is mud.  Although I've only walked about 10 miles - it's
equal to 15 or 20 along good roads.
Gordon
France 11/11/16
My dear Parents.
I am still living in a German Dug out - another
one this time - quite a spacious apartment.  Your letters comment
on certain casualties.  Lives go far faster than in Gallipoli -
& one gets a sort of fatalistic feeling & honestly it's not the
least good thinking about anything except your job.
I was out at the front line the other day - & the air is nothing
but the eternal screech & whistle of shells.  I am beginning to
feel my feet as Lt. Col: -  We have quite a little esprit de corps
now & I trust this may develop.  The men do buck up in their
work & take an interest in it.