Extracts from letters by Herbert Gordon Carter sent to his Parents, 1914-1919 - Part 6

45
June 2   1918

My dear Father & Mother

The Hun is certainly a wonder militarily - broken our
line 3 times this year.   - pushed 36 miles in a week on the
Somme - about 10 miles at Ypres - & now 20 miles in from his
original front at Soissons (in 4 or 5 days) - - I believe old
Foch has got a good deal up his sleeve. & I have a good deal of
faith in him - when we entered the scene of action we
found some British regiments retiring before considerably inferior
numbers - all plumb scared - Its not any boast that we
did stop the Germans for there was very little stopping needed - one
only had to stand one's ground & the Hun had no weight behind him.
- I blame the present English officer a good deal for the
present state -  the men are O.K.  - The bottom of the whole thing
seems to be this "social qualifications " which they go so ratty on
in the English army.  - the military qualifications seem to
be left in the background. I have often been appalled at the
ignorance of even senior officers on military matters and
they seem rather to glory in it. The officers can be
divided into two types - the first as fine a man as you can
want & knows his job thro' & thro', the other one is as
described above  

France
June 18. 1918

My dear father & Mother

 - Please send me a book entitled "Alternating Current
Phenomena" called by a gentleman called C.P. Steinmetz; also "Radiation"
Light and Illumination by the same author - among my
technical books - These will afford a good opportunity for study
during the coming winter, as there seems no chance of the
war ending this year. -

46
July 9 1918.

My Dear Father & Mother

 - The Australians are still making a name for themselves,
& this capture of Hamel village was not a thing to be despised.
If the Americans turn out to be of the same calibre as our
chaps ... - - we have the Bosche beaten for certain -
Up to the present they have not had anything like a good show
except the Chateau Thierry stunt. -

France
July 31

My dear Father &  Mother

Since my last letter the war situation has greatly
changed. That wonderful counterstroke of Foch has made all
the difference & turned the whole German offensive in to the worst
defeat they've suffered. They are now struggling to save themselves
from a very dangerous salient. It would seem as though this
present struggle may end in something really decisive -
The French have some fine generals now. The way they handled
the Hun attack east of Rheims was masterly.    -
I had a very interesting morning lately. I got news of a
daylight raid - - & was able to get a point of vantage, about
2 miles off - - where you could look down on the whole scene.
With my glasses one could see  - first our men going over
under the barrage & disappear into the Hun trenches
amongst the flying dirt & smoke - half an hour later they
went back in quite good order.  - 15 or 20 minutes later you
could see odd Bosches crawling about  - I had an
American officer with me, who is attached for instruction &
he was very absorbed.

47
France
14/8/18

My dear Father & Mother

- At present we are in the midst of this push of
Foch's  - The 1^st day (Aug 8.) was about the best day out the
Australians have had. We had to follow close behind the infantry
& make roads good. The tank now is a valuable fighting
weapon & we seem to understand its use a great deal better -
- I never saw so many prisoners come in before, & they
didn't seem in the least annoyed about it. We got our road
thro' 40 minutes ahead of time which pleased the authorities -
for by its aid the armoured cars got through & played up old
Harry with Bosche transports etc. Since that day - the
Bosche has increased his resistance. - It is now one of those
hot August days - dust filthy - air fighting tremendous.
We collared a lot of guns

Aug 28. 1918

My dear Father & Mother

- It seems as tho' we are on the point of
seeing the consummation of all the trouble. - The Hun
has been out generalled  - The great point is - that
we have not as yet made any definite offensive - all our
pushes have been on comparatively small fronts. over a
big area - first here then there - breaking down resistance
& using up reserves. Up to the present
the American strength seems to have been hardly touched -
all this reserve available - encouraging to us as - 
discouraging to Hindenburg.

France    48
Oct 4. 1918

My dear People.

My last letter was written over a month ago - but
what a month it has been - The surrender of Bulgaria - & today I
hear Turkey has also thrown in - far more important event
is that I have had leave and seen my daughter. I have
returned to France prouder than ever.
Gordon

France
18- 10- 18

My dear Father & Mother

Its now exactly 4 years since I left my natal shores
- & I am looking forward to the time when I steam in again
- The end is more or less in sight now  - Today is
about the greatest day we've had Lille, Douai and
Ostend all captured -
19.10.18 News still good. two big towns near Lille captured
& another slice of Belgian coast  - Germany inside
seems anything but a happy family - Events have moved
with a fearful pace the last month - I'm very glad we're
off all the old battle grounds - from the sea to Verdun - &
that quagmire of Flanders is almost all behind us         Gordon

France
Nov 11. 1918

My dear Father & Mother

Well here we are at the last day of the war. - news was
received this morning of the cessation of hostilities - It is just great
to think that the days of whizz-bangs & five-nines & H.Vs are
all past. Not to mention machine guns & other delightful things.
we are The fracture of the Hindenburg line was our last
view of the war.    I have got 75 days leave & have

49

wired to Kathleen to meet me with Betty in Paris.
Gordon                                                   

Pensione Minerva. Nice
7/12/18

My dear Father & Mother

Firmly established at the above address
we could not have chosen a better place (except Australia) for our
leave [Here follow accounts of the district the Opera,
Monte Carlo, Monaco etc]

Pensione Minerva Nice
Dec 22   1918

My Dear Father & Mother

I heard from the Ballation about a week ago
they should be up in Germany by now 
Gordon

Hotel Bentinck
Margaret St London W.1
March 15    1919

My dear Father & Mother

I have been appointed O.C. troops on the
'Wyreema'. It will give me plenty to do. Incidentally also
it gives us the best cabin
Gordon

H.M.A.T. Warwickshire
Indian Ocean
13^th May 1919

My dear father & Mother

We were changed to this boat only a week before we
sailed. We expect to arrive in Fremantle May 18 &
Sydney 28^th or 29^th. - The 'boys' have been
very good - we got an excellent reputation in Colombo &
had no absentees -
Your loving son Gordon

H.M.A.T. Warwickshire
Gt Australian Bight
22^nd May 1919.

My Dear Family

Everyone had leave in Fremantle & enjoyed it.
Only 8 boys got left behind. However I have delivered all the men
safely from Port Said & England to Australia. Everyone in good spirits
- no trouble whatever on the boat - a few agitators!
Gordon.