Letters relating to Frederick Warren Muir, 1915-1916

H. M. Hospital ship

“Glenart Castle”

28.11.15.

Dear Mrs O’Donnell

Long before this

reaches you, I know you will

have had official intimation 

of your Boy’s death, but I 

thought you might care to know 

what few details I am able

to tell you. He was brought

on board to us very seriously 

wounded about the head &

face on Friday morning 26th and 

all that was possible was

done for him and he seemed

to be getting on nicely & took

his food well, but suddenly 

last night he got worse &

died at 2.50.am this 

morning ^28.11.15 There must have 

been more serious internal 

damage done, than was 

suspected. He was quite

sensible & did not seem to 

suffer much till just

shortly before the end when 

he became unconscious.

He will be buried at sea.

All his letters, papers, books,

purse watch & camera, I have 

done up in a parcel & sealed 

& written his name etc. on

them & also your address, so 

trust they will reach you in 
due course though the 

Government offices. The

enclosed letter I found 

amongst his papers, so

venture to enclose it.

May I also send you my 

deepest sympathy in your

great loss. It may be some 

small comfort to you to 

know that he had a women’s 

care at the end of his young

life, for there are Sisters

in all wards on this boat 

& I know they personally 

looked after him & did 

all they could for his comfort

& welfare.

His name is one more added 

to Australia roll of honour, 

she has certainly given of

her best, fighting for a 

high principal -

Yours in all sympathy
(Mrs) Sr. H. L. Reddoel
Matron
 

Tel-EL-Kebir
Egypt 23/1/16

 

Dear Madam.
Being a dear friend
of your son Fred & probably the last of

his Illawarra mates who saw him alive

I feel i must write & tell you of the esteem

& love we ^all had for him & how griev
we feel his loss. I had only known poor
Fred twelve months (it was at Mena Camp

I just met him)- but I quickly grew fond

of him & often paid him a visit at Mena 

Camp. When we left Egypt last year to go 

to Gallipoli we got separated, his unit

landing at Anzac & mine at Cape Helles.

On my return to the front early last August

I had the good luck to be put ashore at

Anzac Cove where I g again had the pleasure 

of meeting Fred & during the week I

remained at Anzac I spent some happy

hours with him in the trenches. As I

had to rejoin my battery at Helles I did

not see Fred again till we met in the

rest-camp Lemnos Island. In camp at 

Lemnos we saw much of each other & by

the time had become close friends & were

often together. It was there last October I

saw him last as he bid me good bye
before proceeding again for Gallipoli.

After the evacuation his battalion came &

camped beside us ^ ^again at Mudros Lemnos Island

2

& when I sought for him I received 

the sad tidings of his death. The war

has taken as victim most of my dearest

friends of the 1^st - division but none was more

dear to me than your son. I feel consoled

by the thought that he died heroe's death

fighting for freedom & justice against

tyranny & military oppression. You have

my heartfelt sympathy and I can realize

how terrible your grief must be for I

loved him too

Freds friend

G. Lewis

Moascar

4th February, 1916

 

Dear Mrs O'Donnell

Your Xmas card came

to hand a few weeks ago for which 

I thank you. I have been trying

to find time to write to you but

have been so busy with parades and

other things that I have not had 

an opportunity.

Since our return to 

Egypt we have had a busy time

undergoing training, and I expect that

we shall soon be taken to a new 

battle front.

I was deeply grieved to

hear that poor Fred was killed

and I wish you to accept my 

deepest sympathies

2.

Whilst on the Peninsula the 1^st Battalion

were about 2 miles away from our

position and I was unable to get

round there. On Sunday last I

was able to go to Tel-el-Kebir and

whilst there I went and saw the

Sergt. Major of B. Coy who was one of

Fred's mates.

The Sergt. Major said that on the 

night of the 25th November Fred went 

into the trenches as a relief. The

Turks on that night were troublesome

and it was thought that their snipers

had got into advanced positions. Two

chaps had been wounded during the 

evening and at about 10 pm.

Fred whilst shooting through a

loophole was hit by a bullet in 

the forehead. He was taken to

3.

the Hospital and next morning a

Corporal took Fred's pack and belongings

to him, Fred was then pretty weak

but when asked if he wanted any 

letters written or anything done 

replied "No, that he would do his

writing on the boat". The Corporal

says that he thought that Fred

would pull through and that Fred 

thought the same. News was

afterwards received from the Hospital
ship that Fred died of wounds on

at 3 am on the 28th November. It

came as a surprise to them and

they were all grieved to hear the 

news because Fred had been so

well liked and such a favourite

with all the boys. The Sgt. Major

said that he intended writing you 

but had forgotten your name and

asked  me to express his deepest sympathy 

to you.

4.

I have been trying to see 

someone here who was in Alf's

Company but up to the present have

been unable to locate his Brigade.

It is very hard on those at

home not being able to get any news

because the news received from the

Defense Dept. is very meagre.

I have not yet heard whether

my brother Ned has left but I 

suppose he shall soon be along with 

his Battalion.

The weather here just now is

hot during the day & very cold at night

I am now getting ready to go out on

an all night bivouac and an attack

at dawn so shall close hoping that 

you are well.

I am 

yours faithfully
H. [[?]] Neaves