Letterbook for Harold Edwin Salisbury Armitage, 1916-1918 - Part 7

107.
23.10.16 cont

Milt. Stanway has recovered - but Coghill was short of
men - that men who belonged to various other Bgds. have
been hustled from the bases to reinforce him - & Stanway has
gone to him.  This shows the need for Conscriptn. for
nothing spoils men more than to take them from a
'fighting unit' (of which they are intensely proud) - to
transfer them to one with a poor name  This will
spoil the A.I.F. in time - for we'll become like some
of the Pommy Regts - having a great name, but lacking
the pride & spirit to act up to that name.
A 10^th man considers it a disgrace to be sent to the
27^th or 32^nd - (the "dinkums" - & "hyper super dinks") or the
43^rd "if nots why nots" - (Census cards). Of course the 50^th
is a twin of the 10^th - so we rank as equals - but
just imagine a 50^th or 10^th in the 43^rd or 32^nd.
Our men want a real relief - at present they are
getting worn out & stale.
No more news now - hope you are all as well
as I am - & best of love & all good wishes to you all from
Rollo.
That Wattle-blossom was a spendid reminder of
sunny Australia - & is now suspended from
the ceiling of my "Happy Home."

108
Somewhere in France
28.10.16

Dear Father & Mother,
The mail closes tomorrow but I will
write a few lines now.  I put in for a job as a Staff Capt
on a Bg. Staff - but no luck - my chance may come later
Since my last I've had a big job (Staff - it was too) in
entraining our whole Divy. away from Belgium to this
place. - It took 23½ hours of continuous, strenuous work -
but I got every man, horse, vehicle,  &c., away well up to
time.  I came under notice of the Divn. Staff - so I now
have a "leg in" for something. else later on.
C. Co. doesn't seem the same. Beresford has been sent to
Eng. to our Tng Bⁿ with Major Herbert for 6 mos.  I
made 'Beresford' an officer, same way as Giles did me.
He fought alongside of me, & was a fine young chap, so
I am very sorry to lose him - as he was reliable too.
I couldn't part with Jim without feeling it very much,
for a better man doesn't exist.  I have now no 'crony'
of my own or superior rank - & the Bⁿ seems strange.
However we have to put up with it now - tho' it
seems strange without Jim on parade.
Well we are "near it again" - so no more news for awhile,
& I'll close with much love & kindest regards to all especially
yourselves Your loving son
Rollo.
Hope you're as well as I am.

109
S. in France 4.11.16

Field card - I am well - & recd. letter end Sept. Rollo.
S. in France 5.11.16
Once again we hear the roar of guns, & in this new Hades
we find it not only a very hot place, but very liquidy too.
From all accounts the very earth here is becoming semi-liquid.
The mud is awful - & conditions render any great advance
impossible - while it is a problem to keep our front line
from slithering away in the slime.  Commun. trenches
are impassible, & all traffic from rear to front is done
by night and overland, - incidentally falling into
great shell holes full of liquid mud.  We are being
well fitted out for going into action under such
conditions.  We ought not to be cold for we wear -
singlet, flannel shirt, cardigan or jersey, tunic, then
a sheepskin jerkin, & on top a greatcoat - so we will be
alright about the body. - whilst with whale oil, waders,
rubbers, two sets of gloves, (one fur lined) we ought to
keep free from Chilblains.  We are well looked after, & our
only 'grouse' is that we can't fix up a truce for the
winter months.
We've had a record shift.  In 10 nights seven diff.
billets - so we've done some travelling this trip.
We get a fine insight into the characteristics of the
French people this way - One of the places we stayed at
was a school house, & the master was much interested
by what I told him about S. Aust.  At another place

110
5.11.16

we had a grumpy old farmer - who begrudged selling
straw for my boys to lie on, he did all he could to
make himself disagreeable;- but he was an exception.
French cost of living is very high - & they do not waste
any foodstuffs.  Sugar is extremely dear - & meat a luxury.
Eggs are also dear - & the French are by no means as well
off as the English - who in comparison scarcely realise
that there is a war at all
I am very sorry to be an Australian since that Referendum
& must now call myself a Britisher & be proud of that.
It seems rot for a nation to turn its sons down when
they are fighting for it. - Here we are risking every -
thing for Australia - & giving our lives willingly, and
now they spurn the idea of properly reinforcing us.  A
more hellish idea has never been done that to NO the
Conscription Referendum - & Hughes seems to us to be
an oily-tongued devil.  He well knew the condition
of the A.I.F., & should at once have declared for
conscription & adequate reinforcements "straight out -
without referring the matter to a lot of people who have
no idea of our situation.  If I have luck to get back
I will make a warm corner for some of the great
"shirkers" - Our companies are only about ½ strength,
& many are physically weak - for in spite of medical
testimony only men between 20 & 30 can stand the strain

111
5.11.16.

At least 7 of my men are unfit on a/c of age - & out
of 104 men only 3 are over 35 & fit for action
The boozer soon gives to the pack - & is an impediment
so I make a practice of getting rid of my drunks quickly
That is what makes it so galling that fellows in Aust.
in their prime - wowsers & others - vote NO - or in other
words say - "Yes - let the silly volunteer fools get cut up."
- & then they'll get our jobs.
Well this is a weird sort of Xmas. letter to send -
& for the third time I'll be away from home at Xmas.
I quite thought we'd be back before this - but it will
mean at least six more months here - and when it's
over you can count me a "homer" in spite of all
my wandering.  I suppose George will be home when
you get this - and keen on making his start in the
North Sea.  It is some time since I saw a Xmas
tree - but next year I hope to make up for it.
I'm as fit as a fiddle - sincerely trust you are the
same, - my thoughts will be particularly with you all on
Decr 25^th - so accept my best wishes for a Very Merry
Xmas - & an exceedingly Happy & Prosperous New Year to
you all.  Much love to you all from
Rollo.
I hope the weather clears up about my birthday -
If the ground is dry I'll get a bit of my own back from
Fritz.

76 Omitted letter. 16.9.16. Read back to 72
N. France

Good news - but a surprise, but I'm off to England for 8
days on the 18^th.  That will give 3 days London 3 in Lpool,
& I hope 2 in Edinburgh - Time is short - so I'll have to move
I am tremendously excited at present and have written to
Boltons telling them.  My word I'll be glad to get away.
My last letter told you we had left the Somme front -
& we are now on the Belgian front ready to go into the
Ypres salient.  Some of our boys are in there already
& when my leave is over it'll be our turn.
The Co. is in A.1. condition - & everything looks lovely just now
I've just had your mail July 14^th Wumps complains
too that she hasn't heard - but I daresay about the time
you mean we were getting in from Sinai, & embarking for
France - otherwise I wrote regularly - often twice a week.
I got those "Australia Day" photos but no mail - so
I hope it comes before tomorrow night - as I expect to
be away by midnight
Don't take any notice of silly rumors - I've been
knocked out 3 or 4 times according to outside accts.
but it's all gas.  McAnna & others stopped writing
because they'd heard I'd got it at Moquet Farm - but
if anything goes wrong the Def. Dept. will let you
know quickly enough.  Its been my misfortune not
to get any honors out of my two stunts - but I
won't blow my trumpet & ask for decorations like
some folks have done.

74  16.9.16 omitted. Begins 76 - goes back 72.

One of the old 10^th Arthur Blackburn got the V.C. at Poizieres
but he did a marvellous stunt - the sort of thing that
old Livy would write about - Our Bⁿ (50^th) did not get
many honors. - "So many would have to be given that it
would cheapen them", - so one general said; - however
the men know who can fight, & who can lead, and
that is quite sufficient for me.
If Ins. Parra is about give him my best wishes -
He taught me many things in organization that are
mighty useful now - & my company benefits.
I daresay many of my men & junior officers reckon
me "a -- cow" - but by being such I'm making
them a real fighting Co. & they'll be glad later.
Every man is a 'bomber' - most know how to work
machine guns - about 1/10 are Lewis gun - experts, and
all know A to Z about bayonet fighting.  The whole
lot are good comrades, & I have an ideal Company
Steady,  why I've seen H.E. shell burst right alongside
& they didn't move an eyelash!!!
Balkan news looks better - as Roumania is coming in,
& at Salonika the position is not a stalemate - as
the Serbians have got in again, and are already
giving the Bulgarians 'socks'.
Down S. it looks brighter too - Peronne looks sick, & it
is said Combles & Martinpuich have fallen. Fritz bragged
we'd never get Flers - so I guess the Bapaume brass hats
will have to get ready soon for read-guard actions.

72 Omitted. (began 76)
16.9.16

I'm awfully excited - & planning how to pass the days
I must see the Tower - Whitehall, Parliament House,
British Museum, Art Gallery, Abbey, &c., but I
particuarly want to see the Guards and
Buckingham Palace - then I reckon Ive done London.
At Lpool, I expect I'll have to barrack for the
Australians - anyhow I'll give them "dinkum oil"
re K.A's - & I hope to dig up Hoylake relatives too.
Jock Hamilton wrote to his folk in Midlothia &
I got a note from his sister asking me to call.  I
hope I can manage it as I'd like to see Edinburgh,
the Forth Bridge tc., & perhaps our "Silent Navy"
By that time I'll have to turn - I intended to have
a real rest for my 'leave' but it looks like a rush
all the time, as I mean to see all I can of England.
My next letter should be from London!!! I
wonder if those streets are still paved with gold
they are with memories of our past anyhow.
No more news - so will close with love,
best wishes, & hopes you're all as well as I am
Good luck, success &c. &c.
Rollo.

112
Nov. 11^th
Xmas card from Rollo.-
50^th Battalion
- From Lt Col. Salisbury & Officers
21.11 16
Field card - Quite Well -
Letter rec:
France
23.11.16

Dear Father & Mother,-
I know you will be satisfied
to get any news from me - no matter what our conditions
may be.  Since I last wrote we have moved about
considerably & quickly, & the day after my birthday
found us taking over a certain sector of the front line
further to the right of our August position.  The
conditions are pretty bad - but the experience unique.
To get anywhere near our front line we have to
toil through about a mile of sticky mud, of varying
depth up to 8' or so - & deeper still in the shell-holes.
In wet weather this is infinitely worse.
We had about 3" of snow when we were right in
front - & you can imagine the mess when this began
to thaw at dawn - & with rain &c., we can claim to
have soldiered in every sort of weather & clime.

113.
France. 23.11.16

A military man sees nothing poetic in the alleged
beauty of a snowfall - (in the front lines anyhow)
This trip we merely held ground & didn't go "over
the top" - but we go in again in two days' time -
but we don't know if any special job is on.
Fritz is by no means running short of shells, & he
gave us a particularly hot time last trip - but a
merciful Providence spared me once more.
In your letter (Sept 17) you mention about so
many of our Stunts being on Sundays. We realise
that here - & undoubtedly the thought, that at that
time more than any others, - our dear ones are
beseeching the Almighty for our welfare - gives us
confidence, & the courage to get up & do what is required
in the face of the most hellish conditions
I have had some marvellous escapes - but that little
prayer "God help me" has often been answered, & I
hope will always so be - whenever I have to use it in
matters of supreme emergency again
We are well looked after - so don't worry on that
score - rubber thigh boots, leather jerkin well lined -
two lots of gloves - keep us O.K. - while we constantly
wear our greatcoats - & have a system of frequently
changing wet for dry sox &c. Whale oil is use freely,
& 'Trench feet" is practically non-existent