Correspondence and photographs relating to Edward Randolph Cleaver, 1914-1918- Part 3 of 3

Out scouting
after the Turks
me with billy
in hand just
going to have
something 
to eat

ER Cleaver
Palestine
1917

DRL 4114 (4)

This has been 
my home for
months it 
is easily shifted
about from place
to place

E R Cleaver
Palestine
1917 [RC10100]

(4) D.R.L 4114

A.F.W. 8078.   (Crown Copyright Reserved.)

ACTIVE SERVICE
This envelope must not be used for
coin or valuables. It cannot be accepted
for registration.

NOTE:-
Correspondence in this envelope need
not be censored Regimentally. The
contents are liable to examination at the
Base.
The following Certificate must be
signed by the writer:-
I certify on my honour that the con-
tents of this envelope refer to nothing
but private and family matters.
Signature
Name only

E R Cleaver
23
36
 

[[^th L.H.BOE?]]
[Several letters may be forwarded in this
Cover, but these must be all from the same
writer. The Cover should be addressed in such
case to the Base Censor.]

Address :-
Mr E Cleaver
Sale
Victoria
Australia 

14 - 1 - 18
Dear Miss Cleaver./
As we have just finished the first
phase of operations & are back resting men & horses, I
take this chance of telling you how your late brother met
his death. At Beersheba, on 31st Oct, a determined
resistance was being put up by the enemy about
2 miles from the town, so our Brigade was ordered to
take the trenches mounted Your brother was in the first
Squadron that charged (led by myself), & after galloping
over two trenches, full of Turks, we dismounted at the
third & got in with the bayonet. Your poor brother was
killed in the act of dismounting by machine gun fire,
as were also his Troop Leader (Lieut Burton) and three
others in the Troop. His death was practically
instantaneous & he, with the others, were buried next
day within a few yards of where they fell. Arrangements
are being made, (now we are back,) to erect tombstones
over the graves, photographs of which I will send
you when completed. Our Sqdn casualties were -

two officers and ten other ranks Killed, and eleven
other ranks wounded, so considering we took over
500 prisoners there, they were extremely light.
A curious thing is that, like your brother, all the
killed but one, were men who had been with
the Regt. from the start, and stuck to it through
everything. Allow me to convey to you the deepest
sympathy of all the officers, A.C.Os. & men of the Regt
in your sad bereavement. Your brother was one, who
at all times & circumstances, was willing & ready
to do anything he might be given to do, whether in
the field or out of it, and by his conduct won the
esteem & respect of all who came in contact with
him. He is a great loss to the Regt, and is missed
by all, but especially by those who left Aust with
him in Oct. 14, I myself being one. His personal
effects were gathered up & have no doubt been
received by you ere this.
Believe me, yours very sincerely

Jas Lawson Major
Acting C.O.

Maffra Shire
Shire Hall.
Maffra         13 May 1918 

Dear Miss Cleaver,
I am in receipt of yours of the11th and am
glad to hear from you., because my two sons were in the same
regiment as your brother, and writing  to me of the charge at
Beersheba, the eldest Sergt George W French, said they had
lost a number of their men, who were the best men who ever
lived, he felt sad about it but finished up by saying they
died a glorious death. Recently my other son Jim who is a
handy chap conceived the idea to dosomething in memory of
his mates, so he found an old tahnk in the field, and with such
tools as he could make he cut out a sqare of aluminium_and
engraved the boys names ,made a nice cross and mounted  it
and set it up at Beersheba it was a 4 days journed from where
he done this work.He sent me photos of it, which I have sent
to Melbourne to be copied and enlarged, which I will present
to the relatives of the boys wo fell . I think it is a nivce
idea and shows the feeling that exists among soldiers. Your
brother was a general favourite. He did his duty well and his

Maffra Shire
Shire Hall.
Maffra

name will be revered with those who have given their all
to preserve our ideals of liberty and justice. Please  accept
my sympathy. We are all mourning the loss of loved ones.
I will send your address on to George, as I know he would
like to write to you.
As soon as the photos are finished I wil  send you one, as I
know you will prize it above everything

Yours sincerely
James Mench

You have no doubt read my sons
a/c of the charge which appeared in the 
[[Gh Times?]] of the 11 Feb. if not I can send
it to you to read.
JM

"Beabing,''
Maffra.
29th July 1918

Dear Miss. Cleaver

Under separate cover I am sending you the long delayed copy
of thephoto of the Beersheba cross, it is not up to by expectation
as it has been slightly enlarged, but Jim writes me saying thathe
is sending a larger photo of the cross and the graves to each of
the next of kin. He sent me one by last mall and it certainly is
good and you will appreciate it if itarrives.  The names on the
13 crosses at  the head of the graves can be read easily, Jim
wrote them on with a brush made by him from  hair he pulled out
of a mule's mane as they had no/brushes  ,The whole is enclosed
with a barbed wire and netting fence.He with a party of others
made a trip from Gaza with a waggon and mules and erected the
crosses and fence. I also send you a photo of each of my sons
Jim and George who rode with your brother in his last ride on
the 31st Oct '17.  I would like you to frame their photos with
his. Please send me a photo of your brother as I want to frame
all the boys with my own. I have received replies from 11 out
of 13, one of the mothers is in Russia, and the other Wickham I
cannot get yet. One of my boys George was recommended for a
Military Medal in the Beersheba fight, and was awarded a
Distinguished Conduct Medal in the battle on the Jordan last April.
With kind regards,
Yours Faithfully
James Mench

Miss Cleaver
Sale

Maffra Victoria          Aug 23 1918

Dearm m Cleaver

I enclose a set of three photos just received from Jim
who has asked me to Send them to you,he says the film of the enlarged
photo which I mentioned in my slast was lost in the battle of the
Jordan by the Flying Corps who were doing the enlargement for him
but these will give you a fair idea.

With regards,
Yours faithfully
James Mench

AUSTRALIAN COMMONWEALTH
MILITARY FORCES

AUSTRALIAN
IMPERIAL  FORCE.

AUSTRALIAN IMPERIAL FORCE
Headquarters  London

PHOTOGRAPH OF THE GRAVE
OF LATE

(Name) CLEAVER  E.R.
(No.) 91   (Rank)  Trooper.
(Unit)  4 Light Horse Regt.
Buried Beersheba 

Nearest Railway Station
Palestine

91 Tpr, E.R.CLEAVER.

4^th. Aust.Light.Horse.

51.10.17.

Name and Address of Correspondent to whom
Photograph sent.

(Name)  Father Y.C. E Cleaver [[Esq?]]
(Address)
Australia

Communications respecting this Photograph or the
grave of the deceased Soldier should
be addressed to --
The Officer i/c Records   Australian Graves Services,
A.I.F. Headquarters,   Australia House,
130 Horseferry Road, Strand,
London, S.W.1.    W.O. 2.

The Officer i/c Base Records,
Department of Defence,
Melbourne,
Victoria. 

S.L.S.S.Ltd B872A-28

D.R.L. 4114
[RC10096]

POST CARD
CORRESPONDENCE    ADDRESS ONLY
KODAK AUSTRALIA KODAK AUSTRALIA

Sergt. G.W French .D C.M 
4th Light Horse Regiment
volunteered 12. Aug 14

D.R.L. 4114 (5)