Letters relating to Oliver 'Trooper Bluegum' Hogue, 1915-1927 - Part 1

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Last letter (I think) from
EGYPT
7. 5. '15.
My dear Father, Mother, Ame, Jean, Tien, Clarrie, Phil,
Frank, Did, Mabel, Viva, Francie, Vera, Molly,
Mrs. K., Ida; Farmer Whyte, Percy Allen, All the
Nephews and nieces, Billy & Sophie, Viv, Linda,
Else, Mag M. &c., &c., &c)
Do you know I'm almost ashamed to write any more letters
from Egypt? Here we have been stuck here for months and
months while our Comrades have been doing all the fighting.
We suppose the G. O. C. knows what is best, but we were very
resentful at not getting a slap at the Turks onthe Canal.
However that is all over now and we leave in a couple of
days for the front. You have already heard how splendidly
our Infantry fought In the Dardanelles. I've seen &nmx
scores of the wounded and they are very cheerful and anxious
to get back to the front. Our Light Horse were very sore at
having to wait till the landing had been effected. Now we
find that it is so rough and mountainous that there is little
chance for Light Horse operations for some time. So our
Brigade volunteered to go dismounted and the offer was
accepted. It was a great sacrifice but the boys were
terribly anxious to get into the fun. We are leaving some of
the reinforcements and some Indians to look after our horses
We were on a route march and bivouac to Helwan when an
urgent message arrived from the General and we had to hurry
back to Maadi. Then there was excitement and cheering all
along the line. The days of the desert and heat and dust
and flies were past and at last we would get a slap at the
Turk.
We are now very busy getting ready to move off. I think
Brigade Headquarters will keep mounted, so I will probably
retain 'Herald' and leave the other horses here. We have
had so many false alarms of late; so many rumours about leaving
that came to nought that we wont believe anything till we
actually start off. But our machine guns are leaving tomorrow
and we should leave on Tuesday or Wednesday. If
that is so this will probably be the last letter I can send
from Egypt. I won't be sorry and I'm sure you’11 be glad
to know that the brigade is at last doing the work it set
out to do. This last letter should be a nice long one,
but we, are too busy to give me much of a chance.
There are of course several interesting sidelights on
the Dardanelles situation that will greatly interest pater
and Farmer Whyte. Winston Churchill was responsible for
the Navy commencing operations before the Army was ready
to co-operate. Kitchener was strongly opposed to this.
But Greece was to blame for they broke their promise.
England gave Greece £8,000,000 on the understanding that
she would declare war the moment the fleet started to
shell the forts. But Greece never did her share. That
Is why Ian Hamilton had to rush to the scene with an insufficient
force. This Force did marvellously well, but had
to face terrible odds. Reinforcements are now coming forward
from England and France and of course from Egypt where our
 

56 35
2.
7.5.'15.
reinforcements are. For some unaccountable reason the
Bulgars are hanging fire though they are threatening to come
into the fray every day. Same with Italy.
Our machine gun sections left yesterday, and were given
a rousing send off. The Brigadier made ^used a few well-chosen
remarks; the bank played "Auld Lang Syne"; the Maadi folk
turned out in full strength and cheered them off. They
were as happy as Larry getting away, and the fellows left
behind were miserable as bandicoots. But we wont be long now.
I have tried half a dozen times to finish this letter
but keep on meeting with interruptions. It will be a mighty
poor letter when it does get away.
I really must tell you this story; it happens to be true.
A wounded soldier at the hospital here got a lady I know to
write home for him. He had his jaw badly wounded and a bullet
through his neck and he started his letter "Dear Mother and
Father - I hope this letters finds you as well as it leaves
me at present". Another chap sent a letter from the Dardanelles
and it was not censored. It ran : "Dear Aunt. This war is a
fair cow. Your affectionate nephew." And that was all. The
best was one from the front. It was : "My darling Helen. I
would far rather be sleeping with you than with two dead Turks
in a trench." I hope Helen was his wife anyhow.
At the hospitals here the most extraordinary thing - so
all the doctors and nurses report is the amazing fortitude and
cheerfulness of the Australian wounded. They say they never
saw anything like it in the world. They are laughing and joking
all day chatting about the dirty Turks and itching to be back
again. I used to think the desire to be in the thick of things:
was a pose, or make believe, but I know differently now. They
are actually angry when told they must remain in hospital for
a few weeks.
[* withdrawn
w/w
(See attached)*]
Here is a true story : After the shocking way the Turks
mutilated our men the Australians never troubled to take any
prisoners.  Two Ambulance bearers were carrying a wounded
Turk to the base when he drew a revolver and shot one of them
dead. The other promptly drew a bayonet and cut the Turk
into pieces.
Some Sikhs were set to guard a batch of 30 Turkish prisoners
After about half an hour the sergt. of the Sikh guard came up
and reported for duty. The officer asked "What have you done with
your prisoners?"The Sergt. replied "Well you see, they tried
to escape."
Poor old Ted Larkin M.L.A. Sergt in the 1st Brigade was
badly wounded and the Turks got to him and mutilated him. But
their snipers cause us the most trouble. They hide in holes
covered over with bushes and stones. They have as much as 14
days ammunition and food. They stick there and pick off the
officers even after their own troops have retired. Our
fellows, when they get them, put these snipers where they wont
need any food for a "long long time"  . . .   I will try and send
a few lines before we leave. Good luck.
Love to all.
OL.
Pater’s last welcome letter arrived a few days ago.
 

Dear Whyte;
This should interest you. It
is published at Sir Ian Hamilton's Headquarters
Some distance from Anzac. Anzac Cove
gets its name from Australian New Zealand Army Corps.
Rather cute isn't it? Sounds indigenous too.
We are having a hot time here. Only recreation
is dodging shrapnel.  I'm an adept now.  The
dirty dogs torpedoed 2 of our battleships on
Tuesday.  I saw the Triumph sink.  Am sending a
"story".  Call on Clarrie for it.  Rehash any
of my letters you like for material for
[[granny?]] or the book.  Please cut out all
references to mutilations.  Scores of our
chaps swore they saw them, & perhaps there
was some but Ive seen none here
& I question it.  I hope nothing was published.
We found Sergt Larkin's body on Empire Day.

It was riddled with bullets.  A machine gun
must have got him.  It was not mutilated
though several men in base hospital told me he
was.  Im fit & well.  In trenches all day.
Have had some wonderfull lucky escapes.
Ill have a good story if I win through.
Kindest regards to Percy & the boys.  Love
to all the girls, God bless 'em.
Yours Oliver H 

63
[*over*]
PENINSULA PRESS
Tuesday, May 25th, 1915
Newspaper articles - see original document
 

72
UNION-CASTLE LINE [[?]]
Anzac Cove
23-6-15
Dear Whyte:-
We've had an envelope famine
here lately. Not one to be had for love or
money in the whole peninsular. We've
been using old envelopes &c & making
post-cards out of cardboard boxes. But a
couple of days ago I got a whole day away
from the dugouts & trenches & visited the
Hospital Ship 'Gascon' now lying off the Cove.
While there I pinched a few sheets of paper
& a couple of envelopes & one of my
first acts (after getting nearly up to date with
my love letters) is to drop you a line.
I have asked the home folk to show you
my circular letters, as they will give you
a fairly good idea of our circumstances.
I had an absolutely great day on the hospitable
Hospital Ship. Duty kept me busy till about 4
PM & I was free till 8.30 when the Sweeper
arrived to take us back to the Cove. We
are fairly safe now in the trenches
& the dugouts but all the same it was a
real delight to spend a few hours away 

2
from the rattle of musketry & the
general surroundings of trench warfare.
Also I had a real good feed. Not
lunch & dinner but FEED. And
to cap it all I had the joy of talking
to some nurses for a space & that
was worth all the rest. I had not
heard a lady's voice for 6 weeks....
There is not much real news
to tell. We are easily holding our
own here & waiting for the signal
to move off & wipe the Turks off
the map. I hope it will be soon
as we are anxious to get
to Constantinople then swing round to
Germany. I've not seen much of
Bluegum's stuff xxxxx lately. Was wondering
if it was worthwhile continuing. In
any case the is no hope of doing
so for some time . . . . I was anxious
to find ^out about the alleged mutilations.
It's rather important. When the hundreds
of wounded reached Cairo they all
told pitiful tales of the way the Turks
mutilated our dead & wounded. 

3
Several swore they had actually seen Larkins
body mutilated. Yet we found him with several
bullet wounds but no sign of mutilation. I know
lots of of our fellows who wrote home (myself included)
telling about this. But since we arrived here we
have heard practically nothing about it. I am very
inclined to disbelieve the whole lot; though I have heard
of one case & I questioned the man very closely & he
swears he saw & helped to bury one of our chaps who
was shockingly mutilated. In any case I want you to
Know these facts, in case xxx the subject Crops
up in Sydney. Saw Charlie Bean yesterdy. He heard the
same tales but so far has had no confirmation.
I am Still enjoying perfect health - never better in my life
|DRL|0353 

4
In this Stationary trench warfare I found that with
our regiments in the trenches there was but little for
an orderly officer to do, so I got permission from the Col R
to take charge of a troop in the firing line. I had a
week living in the trenches all the while & had a great time.
Also I had some miraculous escapes. . Col R is about the most
Strenuous Brigadier in Anzac. He does the rounds of the trenches every
day. Since landing I've seen several of the A J A chaps
Bean, Lowrie, Reynolds, Halloran & Boland. There are others
knocking round, but I've not seen them. Bob Lowrie came over
from Lemnos one day & returned to the hospital where he is Capt Quartermaster
 I think. Gave my Kind regards to all the boys. I hear Ross is
coming. Hope to meet him in Berlin. I can read as many
letters as the boys can send, so tell them to scribble a line.
Our Brigade has had 5 weeks in the trenches. Im not allowed
to tell the Casualties. Best love to all the girls. Tell Percy
that Shelby is well. Good luck Oliver H 

Gallipoli
17-7-15
My dear Old Dad :- Ive read your last
letter half a dozen times. Ordinarily
this should be considered some compliment.
But when I tell you that
I had to read & answer 39 letters
last mail, you will see how much my
spare time must have been taken up,
& appreciate correspondingly the attention paid
to your valued epistle. I am quite
ready to echo Dick Cook's eulogy of
the literary capabilities of '[[Jimmy Ody',?]]
(provided of course that he still gives
me honorable mention.) By your letter
I judge that the stories & the cables
coming all together, made good reading. I
have sent in all 4 Cables from
this side of lake. The first - just before
leaving Egypt was to let you know 

2
that we had not then left for
the scene of operations. The second
sent by Lt Alderson was one I got
him to take from Gallipoli & send
from Alexandria. Two others should
reach you stating "Oliver well" from
Crawford Maadi, & "all well" from
the military authorities at the base.
But before the last reaches you
you will have received some of
my notes from Gallipoli.
One seems to have thought
that I might have been wounded
& got Alderson to send the Cable
to reassure you. But so far in
spite of some extraordinary escapes
I xxxxxx have to be recorded but
no injuries to myself. In our last
scrap I was struck by a shrapnel
bullet. But the bullet must have