SEVEN
A LOT OF THE MEN THOUGHT
THEIR LAST DAY HAD COME
AT SEA, OCTOBER
Charlie was now almost two weeks into his journey on the Shropshire and heading towards South Africa as his reference to Uncle Arthur reveals:
Sunday at Sea [8 October 1916]
Dear Jim,
Just a few lines today we are not allowed now to put the date but today is Geordie’s birthday. I am getting on alright but my cold still hangs to me it is getting better now I used all the medicine that I got in Bendigo so now I go to the hospital dispensary and of course get it for nicks, I wrote home about 7 or 8 days ago and have also written to Pearl and Arthur & George our letter box closes on Thursday next as I will be seeing Uncle Arthur in a few days we are following the same course as Al and Percy. There are a lot on board that I know and nearly all of them have been a bit seasick. I said in my last letter that I felt a bit sick the second day out but since I feel splendid. Les Cant is in the hospital and also George Humbert and that young Miles that was in camp with me, they have got measles or influenza we get war news every day now by wireless according to if things are going good. I went to church parade this morning there is 2 Protestant and one Catholic Chaplain on board. There is a canteen on board but I could not get any ink so I had to write with a pencil, we get good food on board and plenty of it, the tucker here is far better than in camp. I suppose Albert is in camp now the two Stones didnt come as they were in the hospital. I hope to be able to get to some of the relations for christmas. Willie Crossman is down on our deck he belongs to Castlemaine lot I see all the Mologa boys every day Jim Baker is also on board. They have all sorts of games on board and a good band and a concert every Saturday night. I suppose by the time you receive this you will be harvesting and I suppose the crop will be pretty good, we don’t see much crop out here for water …
South Africa Durban
Oct 16th 1916
Excuse the type but I write this somewhat under difficulties.
Dear Mother,
Just a few lines to let you know that I am getting on alright my cold has completely gone I had to go on guard on the ship one night and being out in the fresh air all night done me the world of good and ever after that I slept up on top it is very healthy sleeping up in the sea air, so now I felt better than I have ever felt in my life. We landed in Durban at 4 oclock on Sunday Oct 15 and got leave from 5 oclock till 10 pm that night we were marched in the town and dismissed, I was out with Tom Roberts from the Ox and Bill Crossman we had tea and a good look round and today Monday we had a march for about 2 miles this morning and after dinner we were marched in the town and dismissed and we are allowed out till 11 oclock tonight so that is not too bad.1 I am writing this in a place called Wesley Hall it is something like a Methodist Church in Australia, they give all the soldiers and sailors tea and coffee and sandwiches cake and fruit including tomatoes free to all there are ladies waiting on the tables all day long I am sure I don’t know how they do it for nothing. I am sure this is the best place I have struck since I have joined the army they have also a band playing here tonight and they supply the writing paper free in fact they are only to pleased to do anything for the soldiers, they gave us a great reception as the boat pulled in. There are about 1700 men on board and we had great weather coming over it was as calm as the bullock creek. I felt a bit sick the second day but it was my cold I think that made me sick if it is rough I will not be sick I think I have gained weight for I can eat like a horse, things are very dear I sent a little present to Pearl it was a tea strainer I hope she gets it alright I registered it so she ought to get it I also wrote to her telling her that I sent it. I believe we will call at Cape Town for a day or two and I think we will be leaving tomorrow. I have written to you before and to Jim and to all the relations in Australia. Well mother I will draw to a close, do not worry over me as I am alright and getting on fine I hope all are well at home if Albert is in camp show him this note so goodbye all.
I am your loving son
Charlie
South Africa
Cape Town
21st Oct 1916
Dear Albert
Just a few lines to let you know that I am still alive and today we are in Cape Town we are not allowed off so far and I believe we will not be getting off here at all we had a great time in Durban we got there on the Sunday night at 4 oclock 15th Oct and left on the Wednesday morning at 7 am, it is a very nice town and we had a real good time it rained while we were there, but here we cannot see much from the boat there are a lot of ships in the harbour at present the table top mountains look very nice with the clouds on top of them they are very high if you come this way you will see them we followed close to land all the way from Durban the coast is very pretty especially near Cape Town we pulled in at 7.30 last night and it is very cold here today. I do not know when we leave but I think it will be today sometime. I hope this note will reach you alright I suppose you will be on the job when this reaches you be sure and try and get in the 38th. I believe we are bound straight for England now and this is our last port of call, I wrote to Jim and Mother and also to Pearl I hope they are all getting on alright. I am enjoying the trip first rate and feel splendid my cold has got alright. I am writing this and will throw it overboard to the South African soldiers to post so excuse the type as I have not much time. I hope you have a good trip over and hope to see you there so I will close for the present so goodbye and good luck.
I am your affectionate
Charlie
Charlie must have been surprised to discover that Albert was now steaming westward aboard the Port Lincoln, following the same route as the Shropshire across the Indian Ocean:
At Sea
21st Oct-16
Dear Mum,
Well we are out on the sea now. We left Royal Park yesterday morning and went onto the pier at 9 oclock and then waited there till two oclock. We then went on the boat and sailed at a quarter past two (Friday). There was a hell of a crowd at the pier and there was some sad hearts there when we left. All the men seemed to take it all right. We had to get up at 5 yesterday morning. I had nothing to eat from 6 oclock on Thursday night till 7 oclock on Friday night, so you can see I did a bit of a starve. And the tucker I had last night wasn’t much good for an empty stomach. We got butter on board, I think the tucker will be good when we settle down a bit. We anchored just inside the heads last night and are still here. I think we will be moving off shortly. There will be a few sick when we go, I bet. I got a bit of a surprise on Wednesday night, when I heard we had to sail next day. I went to the C.O. and told him that I had applied for harvest leave, and he said it was too late. He said if I had not stopped away without leave, he might have fixed me up. Then I tried to get it with Gil Hansford, but it was too late too. I would have liked to stop another week longer as I had no time to get anything. We got leave from a quarter to six on Thursday, so I went into town and got a wristlet watch. I didn’t have time to get anything else. I never got any notepaper, but I think I can get some at the canteen when it opens. We slept on hammocks last night, they are not bad, but I think I would rather have the boards. Well Mum I don’t know if you can read this as I am writing this on the boards. I don’t know if you will get this before we get to Cape Town but I heard the mail was leaving the boat at Queenscliff so I will close, hoping all are well,
I remain
your loving son
Albert
Don’t worry about me, I am in the best of health and spirits.
Send a photo to Dolly Rouse 23 Chum St Golden Square
If you don’t get that full length photo from Kalmas, write and ask Myrtle for it. I told her to call for it. If you get it you had better order 18 and pay for them out of my allotment – don’t forget. These are the ones I want you to send photos too Auntie Etta, Annie, Liza and Florrie, Myrtle Stone, Myrtle Saville, Winnie Price, Mollie Gamble, Ralph Alford, Pearl Saville and anybody else you like, I think Mrs Stone wanted one too.
At Sea
25th/10/16
Dear Mum, Dad and Jim
Just a line to let you know I am not too bad now, I have been a bit seasick … the smell on the 2nd deck was enough to turn any fellow off. I felt crook when I went on the boat and the smell settled me. We had terrible rough weather and the boat rocks like hell. The only thing I ate was pears preserved which I got at the canteen. It is a rotten boat, and there is no comforts on it. The canteen is about as big as our dairy, and a trap door to get things through, and it is closed half the time. My mate managed to get some lemonade for me, and a few biscuits, I got a writing pad a while ago, but have got to wait till tomorrow for envelopes. On Sat and Sunday nearly every man on board was sea-sick, it was horrible to see the poor devils. The sharks done a hell of a business. The boat travels very slow, we will pass near [censored] tomorrow or tonight, but I don’t think we will call in there. We will be in calmer water tomorrow. It has been terrible rough so far, and a lot of the men are still sick. I never had a decent feed until today. The tucker is getting better now. I often fancied some before, but the smell of the 2nd deck used to finish me. There was bully beef for tea, and I was as hungry as blazes, so I got some onions out of a bag and had a feed. I had to go down a while ago and have another feed, and I could eat some more now. I think the trip will be real good from now on, but a day or two ago, I did not give a damn if the boat sank or not. You have to buy your own notepaper on this boat, they don’t supply you with anything here. We get butter on board, and plenty of salt so I am right. I never got any of those letters you wrote to the camp, but I got one from Bert Gibson asking me to go to his wedding, but I was too late as it was on the day I left Mologa … There was a fair few on Bendigo station to see me off, also a few at Mitiamo. Lily Stone gave me three khaki handkerchiefs and some oranges …
At Sea
Sunday 29/10/16
Dear Mum, Dad and Jim,
Well I am still going strong and enjoying this life a treat. We called in close to a port on Thursday night, but not close enough to get off. We only stopped there a few hours. I am feeling tip top now, and am getting as fat as mud, so my mates say. I have got a bonzer appetite … My word the tucker is a change after Royal Park. We don’t have so much amusement on board, No music, but there is plenty of singing and boxing. We had a C of Eng church parade this morning. About ¾ of our company are C of England. There are a terrible lot of boys in our company. There is 11 at our mess table and 6 of us are under 19 and two under 21. There is no news on board so I will finish this some other time. –
Nov 2nd
Well Mum, we are having a good trip. The sea is lovely and calm. We saw a few whales yesterday. Things are livening up a bit now. We are having a sports meeting on board on Tuesday. I am in the potato race and the “onion and bucket” race. Each company has to have 6 men in each event. We are having a separate potato race for our company tomorrow. The winner gets 5/-. We have run off some of the heats. I won my heat. We are going to run off tonight. There is about 8 of us left in it. I got vaccinated the day before I sailed, and it is just starting to take now. It is getting a bit sore. We expect to get to a port in a weeks time. I will write from there if we get off. It is the place where Allan sent the leaves from. We haven’t heard yet if the referendum passed. Well Mum this is all this time so I will close hoping all are well as it leaves me at present.
I remain Your Loving Son
Albert
We are going to do drill soon but it wont be much, as there is no room. Don’t worry about me Mum, I am quite well and in the best of spirits.
In the last days of October, Australians went to the polls and voted in the conscription referendum. Conscription was rejected, defeated by 72,476 votes from a total of 2,247,590. The issue had clearly divided the nation. Victoria, Tasmania and Western Australia voted in favour, while the remaining states were firm in their rejection. Australian soldiers also voted for conscription with 72,399 in favour while 58,894 rejected the proposition.2 While it was a blow to the campaign of Billy Hughes, the veteran politician would not give up easily and the conscription debate looked set to continue.
It is difficult to know how the mothers of soldiers such as Sarah Marlow might have voted. Her youngest son’s departure prior to the conscription vote and her allegiance to the staunchly pro-conscription Church of England may have prompted a ‘Yes’ vote consistent with the majority of Victorians. On the other hand, she may have sought to spare other mothers the anguish that she must have felt watching her boys depart. As the war entered its third year, reinforcements were needed more than ever to fill the places left by the dead and wounded. Despite Jim’s earlier rejection by the medical officer, it was still possible for the last of Sarah’s sons to be called up as the casualty list continued to grow.
THE BATTLE OF THE SOMME ENDS, NOVEMBER
As the bitter winter began to bite in earnest, the opposing armies on the Somme front continued their attempts to break through.3 Australian troops were sent in at both Gueudecourt and Flers, but the attacks were bogged down in the mud and all movement stalled in the morass that was no man’s land. Enemy trenches were briefly captured and held but then abandoned. British High Command eventually accepted that no significant gains would be made and the big guns fell silent in the now devastated Somme Valley. In some sectors the front line had not moved while in others between 11 and 13 kilometres of territory had been gained at the cost of over 600,000 Allied casualties, of whom 150,000 had been killed or were listed as missing.4
As relative quiet descended on the Western Front, raids and small attacks into enemy territory continued while the troops struggled in the personal battles with more immediate enemies: mud, frostbite, trench foot and the plague of rats that invaded the trenches and ventured into no man’s land to forage among the bodies of the dead. Wooden duckboards began to arrive to line the base of the trenches and provide solid footing along the routes to the front. Fatigue parties were kept busy improving the appalling conditions under which the soldiers were required to live and fight.
Albert’s friend Jack Price, who had hoped that Albert’s parents would consent to his enlistment, was blithely unaware that his old school mate was now on his way to England. Jack wrote of helping the local farmers harvest their mangolds, a type of beet used largely to feed stock. This young man from the country had enjoyed being a ‘cockie’ again.
France
Sunday November 5th 1916
Dear Albert
I got another letter from you yesterday and was glad to hear that you were all well. It is Sunday afternoon over here today and things are a bit quiet. We are billeted in a village a few miles back but I think we will be going further up to-morrow. It is a fortnight since we left the last front we were on. When you write again tell me what Battalion Geordie is attached to and I will try and find him. I suppose it is fairly warm over your way by now. You will be taking on a bit of bag sewing again this year I suppose to get hold of some ₤ S.D. to have a good time on. Charlie’s old job would suit you allright only I suppose you are wanted at home. We were cockies again yesterday pulling mangolds and heaping them up. It was a nice change and not a bad job at all. By what I hear Allan and Percy are over in this country now just arrived. I have just been down for a tin of 3 castles. They are I franc 75 centines for a tin of 50. I think I will soon have forgotten the English coinage. Well boy I want to get my hair cut this afternoon so I will close with best wishes to you all.
From your sincere pal
Jack Price
Allan and Percy had yet to reach France, while George remained on the deadly Somme front close to Pozieres. On 1 November he moved into the front line at Dernancourt where machine-gun fire and artillery regularly swept the trenches. On 6 November they were relieved and some days later were treated to the luxury of a hot bath, albeit one in which many weary soldiers had already bathed their filthy bodies. On 19 November George wrote to his mother telling her that he had been promoted in the field — he was now a lance corporal. His expression of disappointment that Albert had been granted permission to enlist will not have eased the apprehension that Sarah was enduring.
France
November 19
Dear Mother & Father
Just a few lines to let you know I am well hoping all are the same. I have just come out of the trenches again so have missed one mail and it was the xmas mail, we were in the lively part again and was raining nearly all the time so there was plenty of mud about, while we were in Charlie Fyffe and Charlie Wales were wounded but don’t know how bad I passed them in there one day that was the last I saw of them, they had a short turn in the firing line only about a month. Amos and Hughie Johnson are both well I was with them the other night we often see one another. You seem to think that Allan & Percy are here fighting well I had a letter from them about a week ago, they were still in England then and were well. I also had a letter from Charlie saying that he had arrived in England. I am getting your letters regular the last were written on the 24 September and one from Jim written on the 25 saying that he was down in Melbourne seeing Charlie off, I have had several papers one with poor old Ray’s photo in. I had a letter from Theo. Phillips also give him my proper address he had it addressed to the 7th Battalion. I received that small parcel which I thank you very much for. I was surprised about you letting Albert come away there are enough of us here now. Well we had a surprise two mornings ago when we got up to find snow on the ground but it wasn’t so very cold. Well I have a lot of letters to write so I will close. Wishing you all a happy New Year.
I remain
Your Loving Son
George
Later
Just received a letter from Allan & Percy, written on the 16 of this month saying that they hadnt left England yet also saying that they had a letter from Charlie and are going to look him up. I am a Lance Corporal now and in charge of a gun and crew, I think I told you before that we have small guns for firing bombs from our trenches into the enemies. Hughie Johnson told me that George Leed is in his Battalion and he didn’t know Ray had been killed. Will be writing to Jim in a few days time.
So Goodbye
George
While George’s luck was holding, his friends were less fortunate. Charlie Fyffe, a 23-year-old local farmer, had been serving in the 6th Battalion. He had enlisted in March 1916 but returned to Australia in July 1917 having been badly wounded on 11 November 1916.5 Farm labourer Charlie Wales from Bald Rock near Mologa was also a member of the 6th Battalion, having enlisted in January 1916. He was wounded in the leg on 22 September 1916 and remained in England convalescing until April 1917 when he returned to France. He was killed in the village battles of 1918, shot in the chest on 9 August near Lihons, some 20 kilometres east of Villers-Bretonneux.6
AT SEA, NOVEMBER
Charlie wrote to his family describing his journey as the Shropshire steamed up the west coast of Africa:
Sea
Dear Mother, Father & Brothers
I am writing you a few more lines today as the mail box closes very soon, yesterday we crossed the equator so you can guess that it is very hot here the boys kept up the old custom of ducking everyone under the taps and showers, and I can tell you there was some water flying. They would catch a man and put him under clothes and all, of course our clothes on board are the blueys and every man that got drenched joined the mob, and at times things were a bit fast some of our chaps showed fight, however they did not get me, we can get a drink of water on board as cold as ice and there is ice on the pipes that lead to the tank. It will not be long now till we reach the other side and I think I have a good chance of seeing Al and Percy there also I think I will stand a good chance of seeing some of the relations over there. They had a 1/-sweep on board for the Melbourne Cup and I won a 5/- consolation prize, we have been paid ₤1 since we have been on board. There was a splendid concert on board last night some of the items were very amusing, it was the best concert we have had since we left Victoria. There was also a good boxing contest last night one had a job to get near the ring for men. The weather has been calm all the way since we left Cape Town, in fact the trip all the way over has been grand. Tom Roberts and Les Cant and Bill Crossman are in the same deck as me I have got in good with a lot of fellows the Major said that the people of Durban thought we were the best troops that have passed through there. Well I suppose this will reach you somewhere near Christmas, so I wish you all a merry Christmas and a happy new year and hope the crop turns out well. I will write to you as often as I can when I get the other side, I have written a good few letters home and hope they all have reached you. I will now draw to a close hoping all are well as I am at present
So I will now say goodbye
I am Your Loving Son and Brother
Charlie
… Tell me how the conscription business is getting on I saw in the paper where 60,000 odd had registered … We get war news by wireless every day.
While writing to his parents and Jim describing events on board, Charlie’s letter to Albert also includes a dose of big brotherly advice. However, Charlie’s main concern was still the security of his money, as the AIF was not immune from petty pilfering. By the time his letter reached Mologa, Albert was nearing the shores of England.
… there are some very good singers on board also some good violin players, when you come over you ought to bring your mouth organ. Also you want to get a good money belt get one for your arm and put surplus money in it also have one as a belt round your waist to have cash that you need in it you want to take great care of your money belt when you are in a crush watching anything and at all times, remember if your money is gone your done, some fellows will get at the back of a man in a crush and cut his belt with a razor, that is why I say to have one on your arm also, and another thing don’t lend money to anyone unless you know you are sure of getting it back. I lent money here and had a job to get it back …
Sea Nov, 6th 1916
Dear Mother Father & Brothers
I am writing you a few lines before we land so as to be able to post them as soon as possible, we will land in about 4 days from now, after a grand trip we called at a place called Dakar at Cape Verde on the coast of Africa for a Gun it is about 1000 miles north of the equator … we landed at Durban on the 15th Oct, and landed at Cape Town on Oct 20th and landed at Dakar on Thursday Sept 2nd. I am feeling real well and have enjoyed the trip first rate so far the sea has been very calm tomorrow I think we will be going through the Bay of Biscay.
I have written to Al and also to Geordie and will write to Percy and the relations in England I think I will be able to see some of them as far as I know. I have so far no idea where Al and Percy are, we get war news every day by wireless. Nov 8th Bay of Biscay Later News, you will see by now that we are in the Bay of Biscay it is very rough, last night was the roughest night we have had, we have our life belts on all day in case of submarines but I think we are pretty safe, we are not allowed up on deck now for long if we are up on the decks we have to get behind deck houses, away from view, we are not doing any drill now and having a real good time down below playing games etc.
Arrived safe mail closes in a few minutes will write later. I am at a place called Bovington Camp near Wool in the County of Dorset.
I am Your Loving Son
Charlie
LARKHILL, ENGLAND, NOVEMBER
Having received a generous delivery of mail from Australia, Allan spent most of his Sunday writing replies:
England
Sunday 5-11-16
My Dear Mum
Well dear mum I got your most welcome letter dated 18 Sept I got 4 letters altogether 3 from home and 1 from L Sharp. I was pleased to hear that everything is looking well … About us being in action is a perfect rumour but it wont be long now as we are on the move now … I got a letter from Georgie last week. He is well. He said Amos Haw is only about 100 yds from him. Well Mum I have been on the look out for Charlie every week but every letter I get is that he is not sailed yet …
To Albert he included a note concerning the conflict at home over Charlie’s wedding:
… I went over to Perrin Downs yesterday to Joe Cocking but he had gone to France again. I believe he was on leave from the trenches. Albert what a time you must have had at Calival. The fuss over C- wedding seems to have quitened down a bit now. What a good job too.
The boys’ cousin, Ida Payne, wrote to her Uncle Charles from Leicestershire. Ida and their other relatives would provide a link to home which the boys would value; when in England they invariably travelled to Leicestershire or Devon to enjoy the company of their English family. Ida’s letter describes how life has changed in England since the war began.
33 Green Lane Road
Leicester
Nov. 5th. 1916
My Dear Uncle,
I was so pleased to receive a letter from you … I like to write to the boys as often as I can for I know how a letter is looked forward to when they are in the trenches. When I received your letter we had already met two of your boys and fine boys we thought them too. We are expecting to see Charlie almost any day now. I have not had a letter from Allan this week but he was expecting him to land a fortnight ago. I hear from George pretty regularly. Ethel writes to Percy and I to Allan. Percy & Allan sent us their photos last week. We thought they were very good. George has been hoping to get leave for some time now but has not managed it yet. Allan tells me that Albert has joined now, so you will only have Jim left. I hope for your sake that he wont have to come & I hope & trust all your dear lads may be spared to come safely home to you. My brother Clem is knocking about the Red Sea somewhere. He has been in one or two fights with the Turks & Arabs & was wounded once but we did not tell Mother so she knows nothing about it, but he is alright so far. He had a very narrow escape in one of the North Sea battles. Harry Marlow was badly wounded in France & has been in hospital for some time. He never writes to any of us. Friends are more to him than his relations. Neither he nor his sisters take after the Marlows. They all have their Mother’s temper & disposition. Uncle Ted’s son is in the “Blue Cross”. He looks after sick & wounded horses & has been out in France for some time. Am glad to say we are all pretty well & up to now have got on fairly well. Mother has had to turn out to work as things are so dear, it costs twice as much to live now as it did before the war. The war has not touched us much in other respects. We have not had the horrors of Belgium & France. The only things that can harm us are the Zepps. We have escaped them so far in Leicester but they have been over Corby twice. Aunt Edie was about scared to death. They dropped about 40 bombs near there during the last raid, but luckily they all fell in fields & no damage to speak of was done. I have a piece of one of the bombs that fell there. The holes were seven yards across and about 4 feet deep. It is not safe to go out at nights. The streets are kept in total darkness & we get heavily fined if our windows show any lights. But the darkness has saved us from the Zepps so we cheerfully put up with it. Mother sends her love & says she expects your boys will think their Aunt Lizzie is a funny woman. She told them some fine tales I can tell you. Aunt Edie is inclined to be dosy & Aunt Charlotte is rather shy but Mother is the saucy one of the family I tell her. She keeps everyone alive. Aunt Annie is very nice but is very prim & proper & one always has to be on best behaviour with her. Well, think I must close now. I will write again soon. Hoping this will find Auntie & Jim & yourself all quite well & not feeling too lonely. With love to all.
I am
Your loving niece
Ida Payne
Charlie arrived at Plymouth on 11 November. He travelled to Bovington Army Base at Wool in Dorset and immediately tried to send word to his brothers who were some 80 kilometres to the north. In the frozen English training camps, Allan and Percy were eventually reunited with their older brother and eagerly received news of home and of Charlie’s wedding. In mid-November the three young soldiers from Mologa were to see their first snow.
The twins wrote home with pleasure at the prospect of being reunited with Charlie.
Wednesday Night 16.11.16
My Dear Mum
… Well Mum we have finished our 12 day stunt and I am not a bit sorry either. We have had nothing but instructions lately. We have everything ready for the front now. They tell us we are going on Tuesday. So that is not to bad. I got a letter from Charlie to day and oh mum I was pleased to hear he has just landed and is [in] a camp called Bovington and where it is nobody seems to know but I am doing my best to see him on Sunday. He said he had a great trip over. I got another letter from Geordie. He is well and still going strong. I get letters from the Aunt’s and cousins every week. Flo Wilson sent us some socks cakes and cigarettes last week, it was very good of her. Tell Albert I got his wallet and the Pyramid papers. Mum I will lose all my letters in answer to the first we wrote on the Arabic. I am not sure but I think that will be the boat they are on. It is bad luck. I would love to have got them. I hope you get the parcel all right.
… Now Mum I want you to go for a holiday to Melbourne or anywhere after harvest. Now you can take as much of that money as you like the more the better and have a good time. Now Mum when you write don’t say that you didn’t have a spell that’s no good mum I mean it and you must go. If you don’t I will be annoyed …
Percy wrote of his reservations, aware that his departure for France was imminent:
Friday 16/11/16
My Dear Mum & Dad
… Charlie is over here now, he landed this week, he is not here, we are going to see him tomorrow, he’s about sixteen miles from here. Young Cocking and Clauss were over last night, they look real well. Cocking has put ten months in the firing line he got wounded in France, and got sent to Belfast, he had a good time he was then sent to Fairfield a hospital near London and now he is in Rollestone about three miles from us, he has to go away tomorrow. Clauss is quite deaf he expects to go back, but I do not think he will. We are going away on Tuesday, all our kit bags have gone away, I am sorry when we go, it will take some time to shift the Division. We had four days leave, we went to London, and we had a good time, it was very foggy while we were there, It will be xmas soon, we will have a different time to last year. Well Mum it’s a good life soldiering, have a few reserves some times. I think I have told you all the news so I will close.
From Your Loving Son
Percy
Within a few days Percy had been reunited with Charlie. Percy then wrote to Jim describing his brother’s visit and, in contrast to his letter to his parents, he tells Jim that he hopes to be in France soon to break the monotony of life at Larkhill.
19 Nov
Dear Jim
Well Jim, just a few lines to let you know, we are still alive, well Jim we are having snow for the first time, it has been going a day and a night. The place just looks like what you see it in the pictures, there are snow fights every where, it hardly safe to move out side. Well Jim Charlie is over here, we went down to see him yesterday, he looks real well on it, he is a good way from here. There are a good few chaps from up that way with him, they will not be long before they are with the 38. We expect to go away soon, all the letters have to be censored, so I cannot tell you much about us. I am not sorry we are going away, it is monotonous here. Well Jim we had four days leave, we went to London it was very foggy while we were there, but we had a good time. We had a letter from Geordie he was saying that it was hot over there, he was well when he wrote young Charlie Wales is wounded, he went there with Charlie Fyffe. Joe Cocking and Clauss were here the other night. Cocking has had a long run in the trenches, he put ten months there. Hugh Martin is in the 38 now, he was in the second of the 38 and they were transferred to us, to make strength. Well Jim, you were asking about the girls, but I do not know anything about them, to shy to speak to them. You had some time at Jones by your letter, but Jim was it really Eva; hows the girl in Bendigo. I reckon you ought to get married, it near time you made a move Jim, because she cannot wait to soon. How’s Nelly and Bill getting on I hear they are doing well. You have had some rain Jim, it ought to do a lot of good. Well Jim I think I have told you all the news so I will close
From Your Loving Brother
Percy
Give all the girls my love Jim
… It will take some time to shift the Division across, they are always saying when is the 3rd Division going to declare war, you can bet it will give them a surprise when it gets to France, for most of the men are sick of here. Dave Glass is in this Division. Hugh Martin is in the 38 now, he came over in the 2nd reinforce 38 and they were transferred to make up strength …
Joe Cocking was 23 years old when he enlisted in January 1915. He originated from Castlemaine but worked at Pyramid Hill as a bootmaker. A member of the 21st Battalion, he was wounded on 26 August 1916 and, as Percy described, Joe was shipped to Belfast and then returned to recuperate at the camps near Salisbury. He rejoined his unit on 12 May 1917 and returned to Australia in August 1919.7
Charlie wrote:
Hurdcott Camp
Nov, 19th 1916
Dear Father, Mother & Brothers,
I am writing a few lines to let you know that I have shifted from Bovington Camp, Wool, to Hurdcott Camp Salisbury Plains we arrived here on Friday and I met Al and Percy on Saturday and I think they will be over today. I am 15 miles from where they are. I wrote about half a dozen letters and sent nearly as many wires before we could arrange to meet the O.C. of my company would not let me off so that made it worse and then we were shifting, I wrote to them as soon as we got to Wool but they were away on their 4 days leave, I arrived here about a week to late or they could have come to Bovington Camp anyhow I saw them yesterday they both look real well and are getting on alright I gave them 3 sovereigns and sent one with them for Geordie. I also saw Hughie Martin Bill Street Les Townsend Albert Brooks Hughie Martin is in the 38th now and they are going to France very soon and will train there for a while and then go into action. I got a letter from Ida Payne she gave me a great invitation to go up there when I get my 4 days leave which I think will be at the end of this week so I intend to go there we will have to go to London and then to Leicester. Al and Percy were up and saw them all, it has been very cold here this last few days it has been snowing here this last day or so, yesterday was the first snow that Al and Percy saw since they have been here. They have been issued with a new kind of boots and a new hat and all new underclothing. I wrote to Geordie when I came here first and expect an answer this week Al got a letter from him last week he is getting on alright, I am sending him a tin of cake and cigarettes etc. This is the third letter I have written to you since I have been in England, I saw Horris Wingfield yesterday he left about a week after me he is in the 6/60 Batt. Wilsie Townsend and Jack Sinclair and Jim Baker of the 5/60 are still at Bovington Camp and I think they will be going to the front very shortly. Everything here is very dear. Al says it is the same in London. When Albert comes over tell him to bring at least ₤10 and get a belt for his arm like mine and one for his waist, and tell him to be very careful of his money and things on the boat. When I was coming over a lot of fellows lost their money belts and things through carelessness. Well I hope you are all well as I am and hope you get all my letters. I will write again after I get my leave. I suppose you got my cable alright. Well I will say goodbye for the present
I am your loving son & brother
Charlie
AT SEA, NOVEMBER
As George and the latest contingent of Australian reinforcements were safely disembarking on the shores of England, Albert’s transport was just a few weeks behind. His journey was not as calm, comfortable or uneventful as that which Charlie had enjoyed:
At Sea
Nov 9th – 16
Dear Mum, Dad and Jim,
Just a few lines today before we call at port. All the letters have to be in by tonight, so we must be getting near land. It is 3 weeks tomorrow since we sailed. All the men are writing letters. We cant buy envelopes on board, and the Y.M.C.A. man only gives us a few. Well, we have had a good trip so far, and there is a little more fun now. There has been two real good fights this week. They fought till they dropped. We had a great concert here on Friday night. The sports were held yesterday and Tuesday. I was on guard from 8 am on Tuesday till 8am on Wednesday, and so I had to pull out of the sports, as I was too tired after being up all night. The potato race was not run till Wednesday. I got wet through when I was on guard, so did not fancy running in the sports. Our company won the tug-of-war. There was great excitement over it. The tucker on board is not too good (censored). We had sausages for breakfast this morning and they were lovely. I only ate five. But some days we get stew twice a day, and it is rubbish. We get hardly any jam or butter now. Plenty of bread but nothing to put on it. Everything at the canteen is terrible dear. I never buy anything there, as it’s a waste of money. It is pay day. We get a shilling a day on board and the other shilling when we get off the boat. We get paid every 10 days. I will draw about ₤2.15 when we get over and I have ₤3 put by in reserve, so I have plenty of money. Besides there is the shilling a day we get on board. Well Mum I will write when we get to port …
Albert took the opportunity to write a lengthy letter frankly describing his experiences of life on board. He planned to beat the censor by posting his letter by civilian mail at Durban:
Letter No 4
Port Lincoln
At Sea
Friday 10th 16
Dear Mother, Father and Jim,
Just a few lines to tell you a little I couldn’t tell you in my other letters. We are supposed to call in at Durban tomorrow or Sunday, and if I get ashore I will post it there, so it wont have to be censored. Well to start with, we are the advance guard, yet they stuck us in the worst part of the ship, we are in the 3rd deck, and it is a buggar of a place. There is very little fresh air down here, and the first few days on board it smelt awful, and was enough to make anybody sick. The tucker at first wasn’t fit for pigs, but it is a lot better now, though some days it is not good at all. We get the stew twice a day sometimes, and it is rubbish. We hardly ever eat it. There are rumours about that we are going to be put off at Durban, but I don’t think there is any truth in it. There are 1200 men on board and a lot of them are kids. When we called at Fremantle, we put off 3 cases. One man fell down a ladder and broke his legs, so he was put off. Also two others that had diptheria. There are a few cases of measles on board now. We have got some rotters of men in our company and they are as dirty as pigs. We also have two officers in our company. The C.O. was terrible cut up that day we sailed from the pier. A lot of the men took it bad. They were all right till the band played “Auld Lang Syne”, then they cut up a treat. A few of the men out of our company are wanting to go back. I think there will be a few desert at Durban, and a good job if they do, as they are only a lot of wasters. I don’t know what they will be like when they get to the front. When we were going from North Melb to the boat, one fellow jumped out of the train, and I believe he was killed. Another chap tried to jump overboard when we were on the boat a few days. He threw his boots over, and was just going to jump over the rails when two chaps caught him. We haven’t got room on the boat to turn round hardly. We cant get notepaper or envelopes on board, and everything at the canteen is dear as hell except cigarettes and tobacco. It doesn’t pay to smoke on board as there are too many hummers [cadgers]. We have just had tea, and have got orders about going ashore, so we must be getting off right enough. The men are as excited as blazes over it. I will finish this letter when I get ashore. There is great fun after “lights out”. The men get yelling out like sheep, and you would think they were a big mob to hear them. After we pass Cape Town the boat will be in darkness and we will have to use our life belts as pillows. I don’t know if we will be calling at Cape Town but I think we will be. We are not allowed to say much in our other letters, so if I have anything special to say, I will write it in the envelope, so you always want to be careful opening them. Some say we will not be going to England, but I think we will be. It will be a long trip yet, as this boat only does 13 knots an hour. There is a terrible lot of gambling on board. I will number all my letters from this out, this is No 4, you will know then if you are getting all my letters. If you get my photos taken off don’t forget to give them to those I told you too. You can pay for them out of my allotment. I hope you are getting all my money alright. I am going to make a will on my paybook, you can make one that way; if I go out you will have no trouble to get my money then. Well Mum I am enjoying this life a treat, and don’t mind the tucker a treat, sometimes it is real good and other times it is rotten, but I don’t mind it at all. I am getting as fat as mud. I have got an enormous appetite, and am nearly always last at the table. There is a young Ross on the boat. He knows Allan well, he used to be a porter at Pyramid. I met him in the train that day I was going down to Bendigo to enlist. I had a yarn with him today. He is a bonza chap. I have got some decent mates on board. There is another porter on our table. He knows Uncle Jim Mahoney and Uncle Tom. Well Mum I will say goodbye for the present. Sunday morning – well we have had very rough weather yesterday, the roughest we ever had, a lot of the men got sick again, but I was all right. We slackened down to 2 knots an hour at yesterday dinnertime, and have been like that till this morning. We can see the land now, we are going at full speed now. I think we will be able to get in today. We could not get in yesterday as it was too rough –
Monday morning. Well Mum we arrived into Durban pier Sunday at about 12 noon. We were let off at 1 o’clock for a march, but we only went a few miles. We had to march in about 6 inches of sand. We came back to the boat at about 4.30, but were not let off. We are going to get off at 1 oclock this afternoon. There are dozens of niggers around the boat, selling fruit. It is very cheap here, and they are doing a great biz. It is a change to get a bit of fruit. The harbour here is very pretty, and there are a lot of boats in at present. There is a range of hills about 600 feet high running for miles around Durban. It is covered with scrub and flowers and looks very pretty. We had to march along at the foot of these hills and the niggers have poultry farms against the rocks. The niggers are busy coaling the boat now. I think we will be leaving here Tuesday morning. We might be calling at Cape Town. Well Mother I will write a town [letter] when I get in the town. We are allowed out till 10.30 tonight, this is all this time, so I will say goodbye, hoping all are well as I am at present.
I remain
Your Loving Son
Albert
Monday 13/11/16
Dear Mum,
Just a line to let you know I am well. We got leave off the boat at 1 oclock and have to be back at 10.30. I am having a look round Durban. It is a very pretty place. There are a mob of soldiers about. There is two transports in besides ours, also a hospital ship with 300 men going home. I had a great ride in the ricksha a while ago, the niggers can travel some
Goodbye
Albert
At Sea
Thursday Nov 16th 1916
Dear Mother, Jim and Dad,
Just a few lines to let you know I am on the ocean again. We left Durban at noon on Tuesday the 14th and are making towards Cape Town now, we expect to get there tonight or tomorrow. I think we will be getting off there, so I will be able to post it without it being censored. We had a good time at Durban, but not half long enough. I sent a few cards from there. I did not have time to get much, but outside it is lovely. We could ride free on the trams or trains, and we had free meals at the Y M C A. My mate and I went into a hotel for dinner, and the niggers were waiting on the tables. I had a feed of soup, then some rump steak, they are awful slow, but it was a flash place, all the same. We ordered pudding, but got tired of waiting, so we walked out and had a free dinner. Half of our fellows did not pay for their meals there. I had 3 lunches at the Y M C A. I had tomato sandwiches and it was free. The place was crowded. I forgot to say that we were anchored across the bay from the town, so all off the boat, went across to the town side on a barge. We were all lined up then and marched to the Town Hall. It is about 2 miles from the pier. We were then dismissed and it was about 2.30. We had to wait about 2 hours for the barge to take us across. I got a bit of a surprise in Durban, I thought we would be able to get fruit cheap there, but they were awful dear, grapes 1/-6 lb apples 3s each oranges 1 d each. At the pier the fruit was fairly cheap, but the people told us not to buy fruit off the niggers as they were “rooking” us. The Durban people are very nice, and the girls are respectable. I never saw a soldier with a girl. The last lot of soldiers that were there played up top-ropes, and at first the people would hardly look at us. They said that the name of Australia fairly stunk in their nostrils. There was no beer sold to soldiers and some of them were wild about it too. A few of them managed to get some and stopped all night in town. The M.P.’s went to get them next morning, and brought 3 of them back. They were half drunk, and just as they got on the boat, they jumped overboard. The boat was anchored in the bay, and they bought them over on a motor boat. The three men swam towards the motor boat, but the boat moved away from them. Then they waited till the three of them got exhausted and then picked them up. The guard had a hell of a job to lock them up. They are being tried today for desertion. Two of our company deserted at Durban, besides men from other companies. We left Durban at 12 noon on Tuesday and could see land all the way till this morning. There are also two boats near us now. One is a very big one and going to Cape Town. I think it is a troopship. There were 5000 Australian troops at Durban on Monday, also, a lot of Tommies and South African Inf. There were Tommies out of 29 different regiments. I was talking to some of the Essex Regiment. The Tommies are going to India and German East Africa. They are very quiet chaps, different to the Australians. It is rumoured that we will be at Cape Town for three days, I think we will be getting off there. Well I will finish this in time to post it at Cape Town if we get there. They got a newspaper called the “Port Lincoln Lyre” printed in Durban, it is all lies but it is a fit funny. I am sending you one. They gave us one each. Don’t lose it ______________
Friday
Well Mum we got into Cape Town at 2 oclock this morning and they took us off the boat at 9 oclock for a march. We marched out away from the town about 4 miles. We did not go near the town at all. It is a very pretty place. The town is between Table Mountain and the sea. Well Mum, I do not think I will be getting off at all. I am trying to get this posted on the pier, this is all so I will close hoping all are well.
I remain
Your loving son
Albert
Albert’s letter was posted in Cape Town and the newspaper was sent with the letter. Soldiers were invited to submit their writing to the Port Lincoln Lyre, a publication designed to amuse and entertain during the long weeks of travel across the sea.
Albert continued his voyage to England and, on the day he turned 19, he began a journal-cum-letter to his family documenting his eventful passage up the west coast of Africa. The Port Lincoln had struck trouble but worse was to come.
Port Lincoln
26/11/16
Dear Mother, Father & Jim,
Just a few lines to let you know I am tip-top. We left Cape Town on Friday the 17th Nov. I wrote to you from there and sent you some silver leaves. I had to throw the letters over the side to get them posted. We got into Cape Town on the Friday morning. We were taken off in the morning for a march. I was disappointed because we were not given leave. It is very pretty around Cape Town especially Table Mountain. We have had a lovely trip since we left the Cape, but had bad luck last night. We were travelling at full speed, when a blade of the propeller broke. The boat must have hit something as there was an awful jerk, and it shook for hours after. They think it must have hit a boat that was sunk about here. A lot of the men thought their last day had come. We were travelling very slow today, on account of the blade being off. A lot of the men never slept last night. As soon as the boat hit. Some of the men rushed below and put their life belts on. We have to put our life belts on every Saturday. All the lights on deck are out at 7 p.m. and there is no smoking after dark. We are in the danger zone now. We are supposed to call in at a port called Dakar on Wednesday but we might not be there for a while now, and I suppose they will put a new blade on there. The tucker was rotten last week. We had a lot of S. African mutton on and it was as poor as bones, and half rotten, but it was not eaten. The tucker is better now. We get stew twice a day about 5 days of the week, but it is hardly ever eaten. We get porridge every morning. We passed a big boat an hour ago. There is a boat coming to tow us into port, so the yarn says. The boat is jerking like the devil. It is hard to write. Well Mum, it is my birthday today. It is Sunday, we had Church parade this morning. Well this is all this time. I don’t suppose this will be posted till I get to England. I sent you a paper from Cape Town, called the Port Lincoln Lyre, it was printed in Durban. They are getting another paper out next week. I will send one home. Don’t forget to keep them - Last Sat we were all paraded on deck in uniform to hear the sentences read out of the men that deserted at Durban. They were charged with desertion, striking an officer and N.C.O., swearing, drunkenness and resisted the guard. Three of them got 3 years penal servitude, and one got two years. We are duty company every Tuesday. I was on guard last Tuesday _______________
Dec 6th Well Mum since I wrote that we have had some shifting about. On the 28th Nov the boat altered her course 3 times and then stopped. It seems we were chased by submarines and had a narrow escape. We started again next morning and went for Freetown, the capital of Sierra Leone – At 10 am the ship ran into a sand bank about 5 miles from the harbour, and they tried all day to shift her. Next day the 3rd after a lot of messing about we were taken off the boat and put in barges and taken to the pier for 3 hours and then they marched us up to the Barracks on the top of Mount Aureol. We had our water proof sheet and two blankets to carry up. It was the stiffest climb I ever had. It is a lot higher than Pyramid Hill, and as Freetown is in the tropics, it was almost too hot to walk. We got to the top at dark, and wet through with sweat. A lot of the men fainted before they were half way up. We stayed up there two nights and had a good look around. The niggers were selling oranges, bananas and cocoanuts, almost for nothing. By hell, we ate some fruit. The oranges were a lot bigger than cricket balls, and were just lovely. The bush is called jungle and is the prettiest place I ever saw. All around the barracks grow shrubs and flowers and some lovely roses. I never saw such lovely coloured leaves in my life before. There was dozens of different kinds, they grow wild. I packed up a lot to send home, but when we changed boats I had to leave them behind. The bush around the garrison would beat any Australian garden for flowers. I will never forget the lovely scenery. On the 2nd Dec we marched back to the boat, got all our equipment, and then went back to the pier and left all our kit bags in the goods shed. We marched up to the barracks again before dinner with our web equipment on which weighed about 50lbs, we stopped the night at the barracks and then got up at 5 next morning and marched back to the pier, then we went on board the New Zealand transport [Willochra] and left Sierra Leone that afternoon. We got a great reception on board. It is a lovely boat, and the tucker is great. There are 1 000 N. Zealand troops on board and they are all fine fellows. We reached a port called Dakar on the Wed 6th Dec where we took on a gun and some coal, left there the same day, and are now on the way to England. I forgot to say that Freetown has very few white people in it, as it is so hot. It was over 120 in the shade when we were there, and that was supposed to be cool. A lot of the men got a heat rash there, and I think a lot would get malarial fever if we stopped much longer. No doubt it is as near hell as I have ever been, the sweat just ran out of us there, and we were not sorry when we left there. We did not get off at Dakar, it seems a nice little place and not as hot as Freetown. I got some post cards of Dakar which I am sending to you. We have been 7 weeks on the trip now, and I don’t think we will get to England before a fortnight. This is a fast boat, but she is altering her course a lot, and is going south now and instead of north. There are submarines about, and it is rumoured there is a naval battle and that some of the German ships got out. I was on submarine guard today. We had a rifle and ten cartridges. There is 120 men on guard with rifles, there must be something doing. The officers say that this is the most adventurous trip that troops ever had. We had a rough time on the Port Lincoln for the last fortnight. The tucker was awful and we couldn’t eat it. It was no use making complaints they never took any notice of us, so we were all glad when we got on this boat. She has been a passenger boat, and is fitted up lovely. The tucker is fit for a king, and I don’t mind how long the voyage takes. We can get hot baths on board, we have our meals dished out to us, and it seems just like home. We have lime juice for dinner instead of the tea because of the hot weather. We are going to get soup when the weather gets colder. The New Zealanders are the finest lot of soldiers I ever saw, no kids among them. They are printing a magazine on board. It is going to be finished in London. I am sending one to you. Dont forget to keep it. We came on the boat too late to get our names printed in it. When we left the Port Lincoln there were 50 men in the hospital with the measles. That young Ross I told you about in another letter was left behind in the hospital at Freetown. He was very bad when I last saw him. Well Mum I think this is all this time so I will conclude hoping all are well as I am at present. I have been tip top ever since I left. I will write when I get to England, so goodbye
From Your Loving Son
Albert
Remember me to all the Mologa people
Continued …
Albert did not finish the chronicle of his experiences on the Port Lincoln until his safe arrival in England. It would be at least another fortnight before the reinforcements would sight the mother country.
ENGLAND, NOVEMBER
Like his brothers, Charlie was immediately granted leave and quickly took the opportunity to meet his English relatives for the first time:
33 Green Lane Road Leicester
Nov 30th 1916
Dear Dad,
I am sending you a few lines, well I have got my four days leave, I was at Hurdcott Camp, Salisbury we took the train from Wilton to Waterloo, then I caught the train at St Pancras, London at 3.40 pm for Leicester I had written to Ida to tell her I was coming, the train took about 2 hours to get to Leicester from London, when I got out at the station a Y.M.C.A. man came to me and asked me if I was a stranger here and told me he would show me where I wanted to go. I told him I had a cousin coming to meet me, and all Australian soldiers wear their felt hats in England and the Tommies wear caps so it was easy for Ida to find me as there was only another Australian soldier there. I was walking to the gate and we recognised each other she said I was so much like Allan, we walked home it is not far and I saw Auntie and Ethel and May, May is a very pretty little girl she is ten years old, auntie has a nice place and is very good to me it is just like being home I have to go back tonight by 12 oclock. I have written to all the aunties and got letters from them all. Ida took me to Drayton yesterday I saw the following first of all I saw your father’s grave then saw the church he used to go to, and the place where he always used to sit. I am sending you a photo of the church which you can have till I come back, as I could not buy them here this time so auntie gave me this one for you, this church was built by the Romans it is called St. Nicholas, the name of the parish is Bringhurst. Another card is the bridge at Great Eastern [Easton] you cross over this bridge to get to Drayton, also a photo of where your father lived and another where Auntie said you used to go through going to work. I saw Auntie C. Wilson Auntie E Patrick, Cousin Flo Wilson Cousin Alice Marlow 2nd cousin Grand uncle Ted’s girl, Uncle Walter Patrick Grand Uncle Ted Marlow Uncle John Wilson, Cousins Annie Marlow and Grace Marlow you brother’s two girls. I also saw another little church at Drayton, but your father did not go there very often it was called St Leonard’s. I also saw Grandfather’s old bible which he said was for you, Auntie Wilson told me I was to bring it back with me, he has all the dates when all the family were born, also when Jim and I were born. Your father lived next door to where Auntie Charlotte lives and I saw his old armchair. Ida sent word to Aunt Charlotte that we were coming and also to Flo Wilson and to Aunt Edith and Aunt Charlotte sent for Alice Marlow and Grand Uncle Ted Marlow they all came to Drayton to Aunt Charlotte’s place. Uncle Ted Marlow was very pleased to see me I think he is about 73 but he looks real well and is a grand old chap. Al and Percy did not see him Flo Wilson is a very nice girl and very good looking she got a letter from Jim that day it was dated Oct 15th he said I sailed 3 weeks and told her Albert was up on final leave, so he cannot have been long in camp, so when I go back I expect to get letters from home and from Pearl, as I have had no mails from Australia yet. I was afraid the mails went down on the Arabia but I think they must have saved them. I told them in another letter that I saw Al and Percy and gave them 3 pounds and sent a sovereign to Geordie as far as I know Al and Percy are in France I saw them on Sat Nov 18th and they were to go on the Wednesday Nov 22. I got a letter from Percy on the 20th Nov he said they were to go in the Wednesday they were camped 17 miles from me I have written to Geordie but so far have not got an answer as I told him to send the letters to the base as I would be sure of getting them there I sent him some cake and cigarettes and a pair of socks Pearl made for him and a handkerchief and some matches. Al and Percy hear from him regular. I am leaving some money here with auntie to send a tin of cake etc to Al and Percy before Christmas, she says she will only be too pleased to do anything for us … Your father is buried about two chains away from Bringhurst Church which I enclose. You can see just the top of a tree by the back of the church on the right hand side that is the cemetery it is very small covers about ¼ of an acre.
If at any time you want to know where we are or anything about us write to.
To
The Commandant
Administrative Headquarters
130 Horseferry Road
London S.W.
… Auntie Lizzie gave me a silver tie pin which your father used to wear as a keepsake. I will leave it here to when I come back
* * *
ENGLAND, 2011
In May 2011 we travelled to Salisbury and drove through Larkhill, today the home of the Royal School of Artillery and surrounded by green, rolling hills. It is a stunning albeit chilly day, the birds are singing and, in contrast to Percy’s description, there is not a drop of rain. This is where the sons of Charles and Sarah prepared for their time in France. We had come from Salisbury where the boys visited the magnificent cathedral. Only a few minutes further from Larkhill, we arrive at Stonehenge and wander there for a while, contemplating the significance of the site as had our forebears before us. Among Albert’s possessions which arrived home from the war was a copy of Stonehenge: Today and Yesterday by Frank Stevens, Curator of the Salisbury Museum in 1916, in which Albert had carefully recorded his name and company details. We stand at the ancient site; in the distance beyond a ridge is Larkhill.
We then travel on to Leicestershire, to find the tiny villages in which the sons of Charles and Sarah sought refuge in their brief moments of respite. With Charlie’s letter in hand, we drive the narrow lanes of the English countryside to follow in his footsteps. We have previously found relatives living in Leicestershire and they meet us for lunch in the small village of Medbourne from which we know many of our relatives originated. We visit surrounding villages and the churches mentioned in family documents, the sites of weddings and of funerals and eventually we find Bringhurst, the tiniest and prettiest of villages on a gentle rise in lush green fields. It is here that Charlie writes that his grandfather was buried in 1910. There is no headstone; perhaps there was once a simple wooden cross, but it exists no longer. The local curator lends a hand and a few days later we discover the resting place of my great-great-grandfather in Bringhurst Cemetery. A headstone has been erected to honour our ancestor. At various times the sons of Charles and Sarah stood here and reflected on their heritage. They travelled by train from London to Leicester and trekked the lanes we drove along to find their family during their short periods of leave. They sat in the village churches and contemplated the history of the family that lived here centuries before. It was their footsteps that brought us here and incredibly, it felt remarkably like coming home.