TEN

… SORRY TO SAY THAT AL
HAS BEEN INJURED.

FRANCE, MARCH

While planning for the Spring Offensive continued throughout March, Allied troops began their advance to the Hindenburg Line and villages which had remained under enemy control for months, if not years, were systematically captured. Early in March, the 1st Division was withdrawn to the region around the town of Albert where George began training in the techniques of open warfare which now characterised the division’s front-line experience.

To the north, where Charlie remained in hospital, the 3rd Division was relieved from the front line and marched to Moringhem, west of St Omer, where training was hampered by heavy snow and rain. On 19 March Charlie rejoined his unit. Opportunities for the brothers to spend time together in the days leading up to his return were instead devoted to sourcing food from the French villagers. On 27 March Allan was promoted lance corporal and was given charge of his Lewis gun team.

Percy wrote to his parents:

Somewhere In France

1/3/17

Dear Mum & Dad

… Just a few lines to let you know we are as well as it leaves us at present. We are out of the trenches now I do not know for how long, there was not many killed last time we were in … I had a letter from Albert yesterday he was still in England he saw Geordie when he was on leave …

He added a note for Jim:

Smewhere in France

March 5

Dear Jim,

… You would not be sorry when the harvest is over, it would be a lot of work for you but you are expecting a good time with the new girl, my word Jim you are always changing, of course they say there is nothing like a change. Frank Dee got wounded the other night, I don’t know whether it was serious or not. Well Charlie is in the hospital with a cold, he will soon be out. Allan and I on [are] together. I am in the trenches while writing this, we are having a quiet time this time …

Your loving

Brother

Percy

Charlie was progressing well, as he told his mother in his latest letter:

France

6^th March 1917

Dear Mother,

… I got wet in the trenches and had a bit of a cold, the dugout that I had was very wet, so of course that did not improve matters, and I paraded sick and the doctor said that I had better go to the hospital, which is not a bad place either. Percy was with me when I left the trenches and I believe Allan joined him a few days after I left … Albert will be able to get with us as soon as he comes over. I suppose you will be done harvesting by now but the freight is so high which makes the price low in Australia. It is getting a lot warmer here now and will soon be springtime. I think the war will end this spring, or very soon, as our side seems to be giving them a ‘go’ now. Well dear mother I hope you are all well at home and not worrying over us, for we are alright, so I will say goodbye for this time with best wishes to all

I am your affectionate son

Charlie E

I do not know whether I told you that I saw Jack Price about 5 weeks ago, he was going to the mumps isolation camp.

George had much to tell Jim concerning his leave and visits to his relatives:

Somewhere in France

March 10 – 1917

Dear Jim

… I had a good look round London it was “Good o” I wish I could get back again, it was a bit stiff coming back but once I got back with the boys it was alright but am sorry to say one of my mates was killed while I was away he came from Australia the same time as me, he came from Gippsland, he had just come back from England on leave the night I left my unit. I met Gordon McKay in England he was on leave also, I was rather lucky getting leave as it has been stopped ever since I left to go and doubt whether it will start again. I left the trenches to go on leave and went in again when I arrived back, we advanced here and took 3 villages, Archie Bailey was wounded this is the second time, I don’t know yet how Ewan got on, Amos was alright a few days before we came out because I met him while in there, I have been dash lucky, we are out having a spell now but don’t know how long it lasts.¹ I haven’t met the others yet, they aint anywhere near us, they are in a much quieter part of the line. I received a parcel from Florrie a few days, tell her when you see her next, as I had wrote the day before receiving it, that I hadn’t got it, it was in perfect order, I also received one from home just before I left to go on leave. Well the winter is not over yet some days it isn’t too [bad] we had some snow yesterday but I don’t think there will be much more. I think I told you about 3 months ago that I was a Lce / Corporal, now I am a Corporal and receive a Corporal’s pay so you need not cable me any more money as I can draw 5/- a day if I like. Well Jim I will now close hoping all are well.

I remain

Your Affectionate Bro

George

As George wrote to Jim, Charlie was also writing home from hospital. It is clear that the eldest brother at the front was anxious to have all five brothers reunited in the 38th Battalion. Charlie told his family that, once released from hospital, he would soon be back with Allan and Percy.

France

March 10^th 1917

Dear Jim,

Just a few lines to say that I am getting on fine and will soon be leaving the hospital, my cold is just about alright … I have written a good few letters this last few days as we do not have much time in the trenches nor when we come out for a spell, I wrote to Geordie asking him if he would like to get with us as I think he would stand a good chance but I have not heard from him, but I told him not to come till he got his leave to England as he would miss it if he came to our Battalion … I saw an “Australian” here and see by it that the Government are giving 2/6 a bushel for the wheat on Jan 15 but last year’s wheat seems to be out of the question now, I think we have got all we are going to get for that lot. I will answer your letters when I get back from the battalion which I am not very far away…

Two days later Charlie took the opportunity to write once more to his family, aware that his time in hospital was coming to an end.

March 12^th 1917

Dear Mother, Father & Brother,

Just a few lines to say that I am getting on alright and will be leaving hospital in a day or so, Al and Percy are camped about a mile from here but I have not seen them, I met young Ken from Bear’s Lagoon he said they were well I will be with them again in a few days, they are out for a rest, he thought for about 18 days. I hope to get a pile of letters when I go back as I told Percy to get my mail, we get a lot of Australian papers here in the hospital, also get the English papers nearly every day, so we can see how things are going. The French farmers are starting to work up their ground, they fallow their ground the same as we do and manure it very heavily with farmyard manure, they have their manure heaps right in front of their doors it is a common thing to see the manure pits in front of the houses, nearly every house sells beer and wine or coffee eggs and chips, I don’t think they use much tea at all, I was in at one place back a bit from the firing line and had a plate of fried potatoes chips and 3 eggs and a cup of coffee they charged me 1/7. Fruit seems to be very scarce and what is here is very dear also vegetables are scarce. I don’t think they go in for fruit and vegetables like we do in Australia. They say that it is grand here in the spring the grass grows a great height, the trees have no leaves on them now and look as they were dead. I saw a thrasher at work about a month ago thrashing a stack of wheat the whole concern was similar to what they have in Australia, it was worked by boys, old men, and women, and it was not very far away from the firing line. I have written a lot of letters this last few days I wrote to Geordie, it takes a good while to get an answer back from him. I can get word back from England quicker, I have written to all the relations in England this last few days …

Charlie reminded his family not to be concerned over the various rumours and tales from friends and family, particularly from their Aunt Etta who had earned herself quite a reputation within the family for exaggerating the truth:

… I am now out of the hospital and in a reinforcements camp for 3 days, and will then be with Allan and Percy, I saw them last night, they are camped about ½ mile from here Percy had my letters I got 24 altogether… I got the money alright from the bank they gave the letter to Percy, Geordie got his leave he got 10 days he went to Lark Hill and stopped a night with Albert and the next day with him also he then went to London and then to Leicester and saw some of the relations, I suppose he will tell you all about it when he writes. I would have liked to have seen him Albert says he looks real well, he is now a corporal, he met Gordon McKay while in London, he said he saw Amos a few days before he wrote also Tom Alford. Albert is still in Lark Hill, I will keep some of that money for him when he comes over I will divide the rest between Allan Percy and Geordie I do not want any myself as I have plenty and a lot to draw on my pay book. I was down with Allan and Percy tonight we went into a shop and had steak and eggs and coffee for tea, so that is not doing too bad, they are both well, I saw Les Townsend he is camped with them, Jim said he heard that the ship I came over on was chased by a submarine, well it was not, we saw nothing in the shape of enemy boats or subs, you do not want to take any notice of the tales you hear especially Auntie Etties, why I heard that when I was in the trenches last time that I was wounded then I heard Percy was; Allan heard that he was on his way to Australia. They are only yarns, you do not want to believe any of those sort of things … Auntie Lee seemed a bit hurt because we did not go down to Devon, but I had no chance at all as I only got the one leave 4 days and two days of that went in travelling their place is a long way away from where I was, I could not possibly do the Leicester trip and there too, I thought Geordie would be able to go but he only got 10 days and I suppose half of that went in travelling, if I ever get back to England any time I will go and see them …

Charlie later wrote:

France

March 28th 1917

Dear Mother, Father & Jim,

… we are out of the trenches now and have been out for a good while and have shifted to another part of France but we will be going back again to somewhere we [censored]. We all sent a field card to you the other day, we were notified that there was a mail going to Australia and we had about five minutes to write in. I wrote to Pearl and sent you a card I got two letters from Geordie not long ago he is a corporal now Allan is a lance-corporal he was promoted today, I don’t think Albert will be over here for a good while yet by what he says, Allan was away with Les Townsend and a lot more training but they are back with us again. I said before that I got the money alright from the bank, we can buy a decent feed here this last two nights we went to a place, and had coffee, three eggs and some bread and butter, they charged us one franc (10d) for it, that is cheap to most places in France, and in this same place there was a child about 3 years old smoking a pipe and another boy about 5 years old smoking a cigarette I thought it was the limit it is nothing to see children smoking over here and drinking beer, nearly every house over here sells beer eggs and coffee, we are camped in farm places sheds etc they are nice and warm the days are getting warmer but still we get snow at times this is a much nicer part than where we were I think there must be about six months of winter over here, the farmers are ploughing now there are a lot of women working in the fields about here, the war news seems to be very good lately I think there will be a big smash this spring. I suppose you will be busy with the crop now men will be scarce over there now, is there any more about Mologa “declared war” I see Hughie Martin and Bill Street Peter Owens and all those from up about Pyramid every day. Well I will ring off for this time, I think Al and Percy will be writing also, I hope you are all well as we are so I will say goodbye

I am your affect son & brother

C.E.

To the south, as the snows thawed and the rain fell, the thought of the coming spring brought a touch of optimism for George, who freely admitted that he had now ‘had my share of it’ and hoped to be back in Australia for Christmas. As he wrote he queried the message he had received from Albert regarding the men from the neighbouring communities who were now casualties, asking his mother if there was any truth in what he had been told. Such was the state of communication on the front; family members and friends serving in different battalions often relied on letters from Australia or newspaper reports to discover that they had lost a brother or a mate.

France

March 29 1917

Dear Mother

… I think the cold weather will soon be over, this month is nearly out the time is flying, the clocks have been put back an hour it is supposed to be spring now. We are doing well on this front now, Fritz is being pushed back if the weather had been suitable he would have got a much rougher time. I am beginning to think we might be back in Australia for Xmas, well I hope so I have had my share of it. I had my photo taken in London while on leave and they have just arrived and am enclosing one in this letter it is a good one of me. I haven’t met the others yet they are a long way from here we are still on the same part of the line as I told you in my letter that I wrote from England. I sent a couple of brooches home from London I hope you got them, one you will notice was made over here by the name on it. I was fighting round there last year. Both Amos and Ewin are well, Albert was saying in his letter that Bob Campbell is killed, is that true, he also said that Frank Dee was wounded and Tracey killed, they are with Allan. I haven’t had a letter from Australia for about a fortnight the mails don’t seem to be coming so well now, well I will now close hoping all are in the best of health.

I remain

Your Loving Son

George

I am enclosing a photo of the gun I use. Put it away for me. I think I told you some time ago I was a Lance Corporal well now I am a corporal.

To the north, Allan, Percy and Charlie remained billeted in the safety of Moringhem. The bitter winter conditions continued to hinder their training and brought illness and discomfort to the troops, although Allan again reassured his mother that he had never felt better.

France

31-3-17

My Dear Mum & dad

… Well mum we are out of the trenches at present but are going back in a day or so, then there will be something doing. Well mum we have had a lot of rain this last few days and we have been out in it all. I can not tell you the exact stop where we are but we had 40 mile march here. Full packs up too and the country very hilly too but we got through it all right. It took us 3 days to do it. I had a letter from Geordie the other day. He is getting on well too. He is a Corporal now. I also had a letter from Albert. He is doing well and having a good time. I am in charge of a Lewis Gun team now and am a Lance Corporal. Charlie and Percy are in my team. So everything is good oh. Well dear mum everything is looking better now. The war and France. Things are beginning to look green now and I really think that the war will end soon. We are all well. I myself never felt better in my life. I have never had a cold or a day’s sickness of any sort. The winter will soon be over. Mum dear you have no idea what the winter was like. It was a fair terror. Charlie & Percy was lucky missing the worst of it.

I remain

Your Loving Son

Allan

We are getting a mail to night Hurrah.

ENGLAND, MARCH

As the new month began, Albert was enjoying his period in hospital recovering from mumps, although the English food shortages were causing him some concern. He was discharged from hospital on 7 April and promptly returned to the training fields of Salisbury Plain where he welcomed the letters from home and where news of his move to France was anxiously anticipated.

Salisbury Plain

Park House Hospital

Sunday, March 4^th 17

My Dear Mother & Father,

… I have been out here for a fortnight now, and have still a weeks holiday. It is a great change out here, but the food is not quite as good as at the camp, still its good enough when your doing nothing. They have cut us down to a slice and ½ of bread a meal now for breakfast and tea, and for dinner 1 slice and a small one at that. Food seems to be very scarce over here, but I suppose you have read about it in the papers. Well Mum, it is a very pretty place out here, and must look lovely in summer, there are a lot of villages round about and we generally pass through one or two when we have route marches, and the kids run out yelling. Left, Right, Left, Right. We get a great welcome in the villages. We get Red + [Cross] stuff here every second day. Last day I got a pipe, tobacco, cigarettes, tooth powder and brush. We get a pair of socks before we leave, also a toilet bag. The weather is much warmer here now, so different to when we first came here. It is grand to have the sunshine.

Park House Hospital

Sunday March 4^th

Dear Jim,

… My mate and 7 others out of my hut are out here with the mumps. The mumps only stopped on us about 5 days. Missed a pay-day by being out here, and might miss another yet, but it doesn’t trouble me, as I’ve got enough to keep me going. I told you in my other letter that I gave Geordie £4. he needed it more than I did. Well Jim, I suppose now the harvest is over you are busy with the garden. Think of all the tomatoes I am missing, not to mention water melons and other things. I often fancy tomatoes here. You could get them some time back at 7d a lb. I believe some of our chaps are going soon in the next draft, but don’t know how we will get on, I think we will be put back 3 weeks in the drill. Well Jim I suppose you have read all about the tucker scheme here. They have cut down on our rations a lot. We get a slice and ½ of bread a meal now, and not a big slice at that. People in Australia don’t realise how scarce food is over here. It is on account of the huns sinking all the boats …

Lark Hill Camp

Sat March 10^th 17

My Dear Mother & Father,

… I had a good holiday at the hospital, and didn’t like leaving except to get the letters. We had a heavy fall of snow yesterday, but I’m glad to say, its melting fast. They gave us an extra blanket, we have six now, so have a decent bed at night. It is not so cold here now, but when the snow melts it is as muddy as _____. I got a lot of red Cross stuff at the hospital, and before I came away was given a pair of socks, which happened to come from the Dingee Red cross, but did not have the name of the sender in it. When I got back here there was a parcel from Auntie. It was a box of mince pies, cakes and chocolate and was just the thing. I thought Ida would have written to say they sent it, but there was no letter. I had a great feed, I can tell you. When I came back, I had to go to the doctor, so I told him, I was terrible crook at the hospital, so he gave me two days no duty. I start drill on Monday. I never felt better in my life, but I had the chance of a few days off, so I took it. A fellow wants plenty of cheek at this game. One of the chaps in my hut got a Bendigonian yesterday, and I saw where Bob Campbell was killed, also young Hannasky from Pinegrove. I met him at Rankin’s Barn … None of our coy have gone to France yet and I don’t think any will be going till April. We are issued with waterproof capes now. They are very warm and look very flash. That Lt. Collins I told you about is supposed to go to France soon. He always gets sick when a draft goes, he should have gone 3 weeks ago …

I am, your loving son

Albert

A typical soldier’s postcard sent home by Albert.

Albert made his feelings very clear about his neighbours who had not enlisted. The name has been censored.

The soldiers always derived great pleasure from the parcels they received from friends and family. Albert mentioned that he was surprised to discover he had been provided with socks by the Red Cross, knitted in the town of Dingee not far from Mologa. The coincidence was worth mentioning in his letter home.

Albert also mentions Mologa Central schoolteacher Bob Campbell, from the 5th Battalion, who was killed on 23 November. Only two weeks before, he had returned to action after four months recuperating from a head wound.² Fred Hannasky, also from the 57th Battalion, was a 21-year-old farmer from Pine Grove who had enlisted in January 1916. He was killed on 1 December 1916.³ Ted Tracey was a member of the 38th Battalion.⁴ He had enlisted from Janiember East (Bears Lagoon) and sailed on the Runic with Percy and Allan. He was listed as killed in action on 27 February 1917, the date of the Houplines raid after which Allan had written to his mother, ‘… how on earth we came out of it alive I don’t know.’

The following day Albert replied to his father to explain why he had yet to rejoin his brothers. Sarah and Charles were anxious to ensure that their youngest son would soon be in the care of his older siblings. Albert was just keen to see the sights of England, many of which he had read about at school.

Lark Hill Camp

Sunday March 11^th 1917

Dear Dad,

… I was glad to hear the harvest turned out so well and that you are getting a decent price for it. I think the farmers are lucky to get 2/6 as they are not importing much wheat from Australia on account of the U boats … I was glad to hear you got my cable. You told me to be sure and get in with Charlie, well, I told you when I wrote before that he had gone to France a week before I got here, so there was no chance of getting with him as we have to do 12 weeks training here, but I suppose I am better off here, and Mum says in every letter not to be in a hurry to go to France, so I think you will be pleased to hear that I am not with him. Anyway I will have no trouble in getting with them when I go to France, Charlie is in the same Coy. as Al and Percy. 8 chaps out of my hut got the mumps and we are in 6^th week of training, while the rest are in the 9^th week, so according to that we should do another 6 weeks at least. Well Dad it is not so cold here now, it is a bit on the rainy side, but I think it will be fine again soon. Anyway I don’t notice the cold at all now, but about 6 weeks ago it was a fair devil I never want to see anything like it again. Tell Streets that Harry is still here and looking tip top on it. I went into Amesbury this afternoon, and went to have a look at the Church of England church. It is a terrible age, but I forget when it was built. I will tell you next time I write. The key of the door is over 9 inches long and weighs ¾ lb and you could put a hen’s egg through the key hole. All the tombstones are crumbling away with age, and the church has started to crumble in places. I will send you a photo of it when I get the chance to get some. The Sunday that I was going to see the Village Blacksmith’s shop, we were isolated. It is in a village called Fighldean, and is about 4 miles from here. I never thought that when I was going to school, that I would ever see Stonehenge or the Village Blacksmith’s shop. We have a bonza lot of fellows in my hut, 4 of them are from Bendigo. One of my special mates is from Bendigo. His name is Tom Dickinson, and he has an Uncle living between Mincha and Macorna. Another one is Gordon Swainston, he comes from Kyneton, and is a slight relation to Gamble’s. I see the Bendigonian nearly every week. Well Dad, I have no more news so I will close hoping you are all well, as it leaves me at present,

I am

Your loving son

Albert

They won’t tell us now when the mail leaves, I wonder what next.

March 14^th

Dear Jim,

… Well Jim, General Sir Newton Moore inspected us yesterday.⁵ We marched 3 miles in mud up to our boot tops to a big review ground. It was a great sight to see the crowd of soldiers. The parade ground was a big paddock with two clumps of pine trees at the back, and as the ground was sloped, it looked very good. There was a hell of a crowd of soldiers, all from Lark Hill Camp. The Duke of Connaught is supposed to come over to see us on Friday, but as the duchess is very ill, I don’t think he will come. Rumour has it that the King is coming next week. They say that the Duke will go back and tell the King that we’re worth seeing. Anyway, I hope he does … The Allies seem to be doing well now. Things are getting a bit serious in the tucker line here. We cant get potatoes now, as there is a scarcity in England, but we don’t do too bad all the same. You remember me telling you about one of our corporals who tried to desert and got caught. He got two years clink in the Isle of Wight …

Lark Hill Camp

Sunday March 25^th 1917

My dear Mother, Father & Jim,

… The weather is much warmer here now, still we get plenty of snow. 50 of our coy are picked for the next draft. They are going tomorrow night I think. Harry Street is going, and all the other chaps that were in my hut, but the rest of us that had the mumps are left behind. We will have to do 3 weeks more training before we can leave here. Those that are going have only done 11 weeks drill. There is another draft going next week, but I don’t think I will be in it. I forgot to tell you in my last letter that I got the £4 you sent me. Thanks very much for sending it. I sent a cable to you last night saying I had received the money and was well. It only cost 4/6 so I thought it as well to send one. I am sending a paper, it has a lot in it about the Russian Revolution. Things are getting pretty serious here in the food line. We get good tucker, but some days it is very scarce, anyway we get eggs and bacon every Sunday morning, besides the porridge. Potatoes are very scarce here and some days we have ½ one each. Every night at 8.30 we get a dixie of soup for each hut, and it is just the thing. Lt. Collins came round at 2.30 this morning, and roused all the coy out they had to get dressed and go out on parade, for 10 minutes. I didn’t go out as I came off guard yesterday, and didn’t have any sleep the night before. He came in the hut and poked each fellow in the ribs with his walking stick, and one fellow said, “Whats the bluddy time anyway”. Collins is supposed to go to France soon, he has calmed down a lot lately …

Tell Streets that Harry is leaving here soon about the 20^th March

… I had just finished this letter this morning, when 50 of us were called out and ordered to get our full marching order on (as if we were going to France) and were told to be ready in half an hour. So we went like the devil, and got all our things ready to go. After dinner, we were given field dressing, rifle & bayonet, iodine and had to fill our water bottles, and we thought we were off. Anyway they gave us a bit of a lecture, and marched us in and found they had about 25 over strength, so all of us under the 9^th week were told to stop behind. The rest are now waiting to be called out again at any time. We don’t know what the game is, but I’m sure they are not going out of England. I think, myself that they are forming a battalion to guard the south coast of England, and so relieve an Aust. Batt that is there now. I may be called out again, but I don’t think so. We don’t know when theyre leaving, and things were very excited this morning, as the men were called out so sudden, and all the officers had their revolvers in their belts. Harry Street was taken out of the draft and put in with this lot that was called out today. It was the biggest hurry up that I ever saw. It generally takes a week to fix a draft up and we took about ¾ of an hour. We were inspected this morning by a Brigadier-general. Well Mum I will say goodbye, I may be leaving here any day now

I am Your Loving Son

Albert

The anticipation of leaving for the front was building as the weeks of training in the English winter were drawing to a close. Albert’s tension was palpable in the letters he wrote, as was the disappointment he felt when his mates departed before him. Albert sent home this photo postcard of his pals dated 26 March 1917. Seven months later, three of these men had been killed and another two wounded.

Lark Hill Camp

March 28^th 1917

Dear Jim

… I have been on fatigue today and finished at 3 oclock, so thought I would write a few letters to pass the time. I told you in my last letter about us all being lined up. Well all those that were called up are not going anywhere. It was a mobilization order to see how quick they could get a mob of troops ready if they wanted them. But the other draft of our coy that were picked out last week, left here last night for France. Harry Street did not go as he was called out at the last moment. I hear they are picking out a draft again this week, so I may be in that. I got a letter from Al last night, he had been in a scrap but was well when he wrote. There has not been any mail from Australia since I last wrote. The last I got was dated Jan 16^th. Well Jim, how would you like to be limited to 6oz of potatoes a day, that’s all we are allowed now, and I can tell you it’s a fat lot too, we get plenty of haricot beans here but the meat is hard to find when there is beans on the plates. Some days we get plenty to eat, and other days get damn little. One slice of bread a meal. One thing the tucker is well cooked. There was great excitement here last night when the draft was leaving. Nearly all my old hut mates have gone, they are bonza chaps, and I would liked to have gone with them again in a few weeks … How is Mologa and all the girls getting on. Remember me to Eva and any other of your favourites. Well Jim I am about beat for news, so will close hoping all are well as I am at present. I weigh 12 stone now, so am doing alright aint I, so goodbye, from your aff. brother

Albert

Have just heard that two boats with Australian mail on have been sunk.

Albert wrote: ‘The one next to me [Albert is standing second from right] with the moustache is Pte Harnell on the right is Pte Dickinson and Pte Burt. The one in the front of me is Pte Swainston and the other Pte Duncan.’

THEATRES OF WAR, APRIL

News of the growing discontent in Russia had reached the far corners of the globe. Food shortages and the lack of basic supplies had led to desertion and mutiny within the Russian forces. Tsar Nicholas II abdicated and a provisional government was installed. In an atmosphere of unrest and discontent, support for Lenin’s Revolutionary Bolshevik Party was increasing while the military forces had virtually disintegrated. The failure of Russian forces in the east would release German battalions for deployment to the Western Front.

On the oceans, Germany’s strategy of the domination of sea passages by submarines had now resulted in the loss of some 200 vessels. The news on 6 April 1917 that the United States had declared war brought relief for the Allies, although it was not until 1918 that a substantial force of two million conscripts would arrive on the Western Front. Early 1917, however, would see the launch of the Allied Spring Offensive under the command of French General Nivelle.

BULLECOURT, APRIL

In France, the Australian divisions had continued to push forward towards the Hindenburg Line, clearing the sparsely occupied villages in their path. They were now positioned at the villages of Noreuil and Lagnicourt. The Spring Offensive was set to commence. On 9 April British and Canadian forces attacked to the north at Arras where tunnels and chambers had been dug by British and New Zealand tunnellers to allow the troops to approach the front unseen. The Allies suffered 150,000 casualties in their advance and held their newly won positions tenuously. The 4th and 12th brigades of the 4th Australian Division were to play a major role in maintaining pressure to the south. Their task was to attack the Hindenburg Line east of Bullecourt, a village embedded in the fortified German line. They soon discovered that the belts of German wire through which the Australians were to make their approach had not been cut by earlier artillery bombardments. The attack was briefly postponed until a tank officer suggested to the commander, General Gough, that his 12 tanks be used to spearhead the Australian approach, the tanks breaking through the defences and signalling once the way was clear for the advance. The Australians were sceptical. Victoria Cross winner Captain Albert Jacka, now an intelligence officer in the 14th Battalion, was sent out on patrol to assess the enemy positions. The Australian brigades were to attack towards a re-entrant, a hollow in the German line exposed to enemy fire from three sides. The line was heavily fortified. Jacka returned and argued vehemently against the action. Despite additional objections from Australian commanders Birdwood and Brudenell White, General Gough ordered that the attack proceed the following day.⁶

A blizzard descended on the front. The lumbering tanks, with their poor visibility and manoeuvrability, failed to reach the line in time for zero hour. As dawn was about to break the weary Australians, having lain in the driving snow through the pre-dawn hours, were ordered to withdraw. To their left, British forces entrusted with a frontal attack on the village had not been informed of the withdrawal. They attacked as planned and came under heavy artillery fire. The retreating Australians of the 48th Battalion were caught in the bombardment, suffering 21 casualties. Later that day, with the tanks now in position at the rear, Gough ordered that the attack proceed the following day in accordance with the original plan. There was one change: the infantry would not wait for a signal from the tanks. The troops were ordered to follow 15 minutes after the tanks moved forward. It was to prove a fateful decision.

At 3.00 am the next morning the men were sent out to lie on the snow and await the arrival of the tanks. Young Jack Price of Mologa went forward with the 46th Battalion and lay shivering as he anxiously counted the seconds to zero hour.

Only four of the 12 tanks arrived, but the attack proceeded regardless. The infantry reached the wire before the failing tanks and without artillery support. The Australians were forced to break through the barbed-wire fortifications to capture two lines of trenches. Machine-gun fire from three sides cut through the gallant men of the 4th Division as they desperately tried to cross the wire, hacking at it with their bayonets, clambering across the top and becoming hopelessly entangled. Eventually they succeeded, breaching that section of the Hindenburg Line without support, the survivors assaulting the German trenches. This was an unlikely feat given the formidable defences they confronted. Under fire from all directions, they held their position while sending repeated messages calling for more supplies and artillery support. Neither came. Observers reported that the tanks had advanced through Bullecourt and the Allied artillery refused to fire on the village for fear of striking its own forces. The reports were incorrect; the tanks lay burning on the battlefield.

Running out of bombs and ammunition and suffering severe losses, the Australians were driven back, trying desperately to bring in their wounded as they retreated. Most had to be left. The 48th Battalion was now hit by Allied artillery fire. The reality of the situation had been verified by front-line reports and the artillery, following orders, was firing on the retreating men of the 48th. It was a complete debacle.

At 2.00 pm the bombardment ceased as German medical orderlies made their way onto the battlefield to assist the wounded, including the Australians who lay outside the defensive wire. Stretcher-bearers collected as many men as they could before the informal truce ended at 6.00 pm. Of the 3000 men of the 4th Brigade who had been caught in the maelstrom of enemy and friendly fire, 2339 were listed as casualties. The 12th Brigade lost 950 soldiers. Over 1000 men had been captured. Some 80% of the attacking force had been lost.⁷ The First Battle of Bullecourt had ended in disaster.

Among those killed in the battle had been Albert’s good friend Jack Price, who died on 11 April 1917.⁸ His grieving parents later received a letter which appeared in the Pyramid Hill Advertiser on 28 September 1917.⁹

… I feel it my duty to let you know how your son Jack lost his life. He had been wounded in the thigh and myself in the face and left fingers, on April 11^th, at Bullecourt, when we both met, going back to the dressing station. I was hit a second time in the left arm, and indeed the chances are that I would have bled to death if it hadn’t been for Jack bandaging my arm for me. We both went further back and a whiz bang (shrapnel) landed alongside of me. I lay there for an hour and a half and as no help was in sight I decided to get up. I went to Jack to tell him I was going, but he had died. I can assure you he suffered very little pain. I could not see where he had been hit. It must have been in a vital part. I, myself, did not know that it has done any damage to me, except for being a bit shaky, until I arrived at the field ambulance, where two pieces of shrapnel were removed from behind my right knee, two from my left thigh, and one from my left shoulder. Jack went over in the same boat as I, in 3^rd reinforcements to 46^th Battalion. He went to C company and I to B. He died a brave soldier and I am sure a good son.

I am Yours faithfully

No. 1985 (Pte.) A.L. Rodger, B. Coy, 46^th Battalion, A.I.F.

Home Address – Main Street, Bunyip, Vic

P.S. I arrived home last Tuesday.

Jack Price had just turned 19 when he was killed at Bullecourt.

It would be weeks before the Marlows discovered that their mate had been killed.

George was positioned to the south of Bullecourt where four battalions of the 1st Division, some 4000 soldiers, were spread along an 11-kilometre line in front of the nearby village of Lagnicourt. On 15 April a massive German force of 23 battalions attacked the 1st Division line. The Australians were driven from their advanced outposts, five guns were destroyed and the village of Lagnicourt captured, albeit only briefly. Within hours an Australian counter-attack had forced the enemy from their positions and the German troops retreated to the safety of the Hindenburg Line. While significantly outnumbered, the Australians had again achieved a singular victory. Courage, tenacity and the effective placement of skilled and deadly Lewis gun crews had seen the Australians prevail. The 1st Division lost 1010 men, 300 of whom were now prisoners. Germany had lost 2313, of whom 360 had been captured. ¹⁰

George wrote to his family at home just days prior to the Lagnicourt counter-attack and also briefly described his experience in a letter the following week. Having now served over 12 months on the Western Front, George rejected the suggestion that he should attempt to transfer to the 38th Battalion. Not only would he lose his promotion, he is adamant that families serving together increased the risk of multiple casualties.

He later jotted in his notebook:

April & May 1917

Heavy Fighting

Bullecourt

Lagnicourt

France

April 12 1917

Dear Jim

… I had a couple of letters from Charlie yesterday, they are all well. Nearly all the chaps in Albert’s reinforcements have been sent over here and one told Al that they wouldn’t let Albert come away as he is too young, so he is lucky, I gave him some advice when I was over there, he said in his letters a few days ago that Harry Street was sent over here and said that Harry worries over going over here. Both Amos and Ewin were well when I last saw them. Harry Burrows, George Leed and Dave Kentish from Calival are in the same Battalion as Ewin. You remember the Jenners that used to play football with Macorna well there are two of them in the same unit as me now, Jim and Jack. I don’t know whether you remember them they have got fat, they used to be in the 7 Battalion. Charlie wrote to me asking if I would like to come in with them but I would rather stop where I am now it isn’t a wise thing for all of us to be together, and if I joined them I would lose the stripes. Well Jim we weren’t allowed to say anything in our letters about conscription, we certainly want the men. We have had a lot of snow this last few days also rain and has been very cold, we never had any snow this time last year. Well the fighting along here has been very successful lately, Fritz is getting a lively time of it … We are now in broken down houses that the Germans left in ruins as he went back, he even cut down the fruit trees and burnt chaff cutting and threshing machines that the French people left behind at the beginning of the war, they have been up to all sorts of tricks. Well I will now close hoping all are well as I am at present.

I remain

Your Affectionate Bro

George

Infantry soldiers were sceptical of the value of tanks on the battlefield and openly derided them. A newspaper article with the attention-grabbing header ‘Those Wonderful Tanks’ was carefully clipped and, despite its size, has survived the years among the collection of letters. It appeared in The Argus on 8 September 1917:

The accomplishments of the tanks are facetiously described by a private of the Bedforshire Regiment in a letter to his fiancée:-

“They can do up prisoners in bundles in straw binders, and, in addition, have an adaptation of a printing machine, which enable them to catch the Huns, fold, count, and deliver them in quires, every thirteenth man being thrown out a little further than the others.

“The tanks can truss refractory prisoners like fowls prepared for cooking, while their equipment renders it possible for them to charge into a crowd of Huns, and by shooting out spokes like porcupine quills carry out an opponent on each. Though ‘stuck up’, the prisoners are, needless to say, by no means proud of their position.

‘They can chew up barbed wire, and turn it into munitions. As they run they slash their tails, and clear away trees, houses, howitzers, and anything else in the vicinity. They turn over on their backs, and catch live shells in their caterpillar feet, and they can easily be adapted as submarines; in fact, most of them crossed the channel in this guise.

“they loop the loop, travel forwards, sideways, and backwards, not only with equal speed, but at the same time. They spin round like a top, only far more quickly dig themselves in, bury themselves, scoop out a tunnel, and come out again 10 miles away in half an hour.”

While at this point of the war the tank was much maligned, improvements to its design and employment over the coming months would see this monster of the industrial age become a valuable weapon of war.

Despite earlier thoughts of bringing the family together, both Allan and George now understood the nature of warfare on the Western Front. Sons, friends and neighbours were often together in the same battalion, frequently the same company, as was to be the case with Allan, Charlie, Percy and Albert — together in battle, together in support. One shell could destroy them all. George and Allan were steadfast in their decision that George should remain with the 1st Division.

France

3.4.17

Dear Jim

… Every letter I get you all say I must be sick and why don’t I tell you so. Well I have never had a days sickness since being over here. I never felt better in my life. Every letter I get from anybody they say I hope you are quite well again after your mumps and I have never had mumps in my life. Percy was isolated for about 2 months but he never had them. If a man gets mumps and he sleeps next to you well then you are isolated for mumps because they are contagious. If any friends do not know what isolation is please explain to them. Auntie Florrie says in her letter to Percy that she hopes we are better again and we were never sick. There is no need for any body to worry over me. I am always right. Yes Jim I suppose you are glad the harvest is over. We are going back to the trenches in a few days. Geordie is fighting a long way away from us so we cant see him. Mum says she would like us all to be together. Yes that is very nice in one way but Jim there is another way to look at it. It is the biggest mistake out because if a shell came it gets the lot of you. I used to think the same as mum but now I don’t … I remain

Your loving brother

Allan

George also wrote to the family at home:

France

April 26/1917

Dear Mother, Father & Bro,

… We are in the line again, we get plenty of it too, Al’s division seems to be having a good spell out so they say in their letters, I cant make it out, we have been fighting so long and never once have had a spell like them, and have held the worst part of the line of the whole British front through the winter in the bargain, anyway I feel just as fit as ever and have only been away from my unit once and that was on leave. Well where we are now is well into country what the enemy held a little while back they [Germans] have suffered heavy losses here, they attacked one morning with massed troops and were driven back with 1200 dead left behind, this was only a matter of a few hours fighting, I don’t see how it can last much longer. I saw Ewin a couple of days ago he was quite well also young Charlie Wales he is back in the battalion again. Dave Fyffe is in England swinging it he hasn’t heard a shot fired yet. Allan said in one of his letters that Frank Dee is wounded and that he saw Dave Glass’s grave. I haven’t seen Amos for a good while the last time I inquired for him he had gone away to some school and I don’t know if he is back yet. This letter I am sending in a green envelope it doesn’t be censored here but might be at the base, let me know if you have ever got any letters with green envelopes. I wouldn’t mind helping to eat some of those tomatoes and water melons, such a lot of the men here break out in scabies it is for the want of fruit and vegetables, I havent had them yet, Jim said in his letter that he hoped I went to see Auntie Lee well I never had time and they live a long way from England [London] it took a good deal of my time going to see Albert and Paynes. The chats [lice] as we call them are just as bad as ever I have only been free of them once and that was when I was in England. Well I must now close with love from

George

The green envelopes mentioned by George were issued by the army and were printed with a statement that restricted their contents:

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 contents of this envelope refer to nothing but private and family matters.

All letters sent from the front were first read by an officer of the unit and censored if any of the contents were believed likely to betray the unit’s location or contained other sensitive information. Sending a letter in an official green envelope and signing the declaration ensured that personal information would not be read by other members of the unit. Green envelopes were randomly opened at the base to ensure that soldiers were complying; there were penalties for those who did not and consequences varied according to the significance of the breach. Green envelopes were highly valued. The brothers often sent their letters home together in one very bulky green envelope.

The 38th Battalion had marched from its rest camp at Moringhem on 5 April in a tedious journey plagued by snow drifts, wind and driving sleet. Allan, in charge of a Lewis gun team, suffered in the harsh conditions. The hand carts on which the guns and ammunition were transported frequently stuck fast in the heavy snow. A 60-kilometre journey over two days laden with heavy packs and little rest left the Victorian boys exhausted, their feet blistered and bleeding as they reached Armentieres.¹¹

France

7-4-17

My Dear Mum & Dad

… We have just come back from over a 40 mile march which took us 2 days. We all feel well on it too but a terrible lot of the boys are down to it with their feet. I had another letter from Albert yesterday. He is well and enjoying himself. Geordie too is splendid … it is a lovely day today and we are having a rest. We are going back to the trenches in a few days. I always have to go to the trenches a day before the rest of my team as I have to take up a position. I have been promoted to a Lance Corporal and am in charge of a Lewis Gun section. Charlie & Percy are in my section. Some of the boys have just come from the cemetery and they told me that Dave Glass’s grave is there. I used to see Dave a good deal …

Like Allan, Charlie wrote to tell his family of the death of Dave Glass:

Somewhere in France

7 April 1917

Dear Mother, Father & Jim,

… I am in the Lewis gun section with Al and Percy my address will be 2123 Pte C.E.M. “D” Company machine Gun Section “_” Battalion A.I.F Abroad the reinforcements mail takes longer to get to us than the old battalion. Al and Percy got a lot of letters, you seem to think that Al has been sick, well he has had splendid health since he has been over here and he has not had a day’s sickness in France, you must remember that we cannot always write and then the letters go astray. He wrote to Auntie Ettie the same time as you and she got her letter but yours has unfortunately been mislaid if he had been sick he or Percy would have told you. Percy did not get to the trenches with him as he was isolated, one of his mates got the mumps and as he slept next to him he was isolated so that was why he did not go in with Al. Percy and I went into the trenches for our first time together and Al did not go in that time but was away on special training for a raid which was successful and all the local boys got on alright. So Dave Glass [was] killed some of the boys came across a grave with Sergeant D. Glass and with the battalions number and he is in our division so we reckon it was him, it is hard luck for his wife, I got the Pyramid paper that Jim sent also got a Bendigonian that was sent to Albert but it was an old one, we are still out of the trenches and got a day off today, tomorrow is Easter Sunday and I hope you have got duck for dinner as we will be having “something” like that here.

Dave Glass was 32 years of age with three small children when he enlisted in the 41st Battalion in November 1915. By the time of his death he had risen to the rank of sergeant.¹² Dave had served in the Boer War in both an intelligence role and in the Natal Mounted Police. When he returned from South Africa he worked as a camel driver in Western Australia during the construction of the rabbit-proof fence. He married a local Mologa girl, Elizabeth Jones, sister of Richard and aunt of Eva. Dave and his young family had moved to Home Hill in Queensland where they owned a sugar plantation. Elizabeth occasionally wrote to Sarah Marlow during the long years of war, including the following undated letter:

Dear Mrs Marlow

No doubt you will wonder who this stranger is writing to you. I often think of you & all the anxiety you must have with your five boys at the front. You have truly reared a fighting family I do hope they will all return safely to you, but it seems a lot to hope now. I had a letter from Dave dated 22^nd August he was then in England & very anxious to get to the firing line it seems no time since he was a little fellow going to school. I have a little boy now he is just 2 years & two little girls the eldest girl is going to school & promises to be rather clever I will not write too much & try again wishing you & your soldier sons all the good things you deserve I am one who too is anxious

Elizabeth Glass (nee Jones)

Riverdale

Home Hill

Via Townsville

Nth Queensland

Dave died of wounds on 3 March 1917 and was buried close to Armentieres. His widow and their children later returned to Mologa.

Charlie was enjoying a few days’ rest as he wrote home:

April 8^th 1917

Easter Sunday

Somewhere in France

Dear Mother Father & Jim,

…we are still out of the trenches and had a day off yesterday and today, I got a lot of news in Joe Pickle’s letter his Mrs read it and pulled it to pieces she said it was a real old man’s letter all about the weather and crops and nothing about the housewife it was real good. We had C of E church parade this morning there was a big crowd there, the boys are quite satisfied that that is D. Glass that has been killed. Tom Roberts is back again with the battalion we get plenty of Australians papers over here there is a great pile of them on the bench today. Pearl said she sent the Bendigo paper but I did not get it, it would go somewhere else, it is no good sending papers as they seldom reach their destination. I got a letter from [Uncle] Arthur saying that he reckoned to get 5/5 a bushel clear on his wheat I wish they would make that last years wheat the same, Arthur has had a fair crop by the number of bags he got. I have not got any letters from [Uncle] George or the Mrs for a good while. I was sorry to hear that Grandfather was not well but hope he is better by now …

The letters Sarah sent to her sons clearly expressed her concern that the boys were not being truthful over such issues as the state of their health and were not writing regularly. Percy seems particularly frustrated … they were consistently writing home and were not responsible for the failure of their letters to arrive, or the fact that their letters were occasionally brief when time was scarce. The missing correspondence was probably at the bottom of the sea, a casualty of the German submarine attacks that plagued the English coastline.

France

9 April

Dear Jim,

… Mum seems to think I am keeping some things quiet well I would tell you, if anything was the matter, I think I used [to] always mention Allan’s name. Of course when I was isolated for the mumps, I could not mention Allan, because he was not with us. That would be the time we came to France, when you did not get any letters for, I know we did not have time to write for some time, I know I wrote a few lines and Mum was not satisfied with them, she seems to think it is an easy matter to write long letters, but it is not over here. Well Jim you must have been sick of the harvest, being on your own, it would be a pleasure to get it over. Geordie has got two stripes now, so he will be all right now. Allan has got one stripe now, my word he does go crook if you call him Corporal. We have had a lot of snow lately, I am sick of the look of it. Charlie is all right again. We had a letter from Albert, he expects to come over soon. Well Jim I have no more news so I will have to close.

From your loving brother

Percy

Charlie also wrote to explain the absence of letters:

April 11^th 1917

Just got 2 more letters from Pearl

Dear Jim,

… Albert is still in Lark Hill I got a letter from him this week. Harry Street has joined the battalion but Albert did [not] come with him as he has not done the same amount of training … we are still out of the trenches it is a good while since I have been in on account of being in the hospital, I was sorry that you did not get any letters from Al & Percy of late but everybody has been in the same fix, don’t think that because you have not got any letters that we have not written … When Albert comes over he and I will be together, and A and P will work together, we will be in the same company but different platoons, the officer spoke to me about fixing him up …

On 15 April Percy and Charlie enjoyed their last night in the relative comfort of billets before returning to the trenches at Houplines on the border of France and Belgium. Allan, his second-in-command, and a senior officer, traversed the maze of trenches under cover of darkness. Artillery exchanges frequently bombarded the sector and, as the three men picked their way along the trenches, the roar of shells thundered around them. Now an experienced soldier, Allan knew when to take cover. As the men moved forward through the muddy, twisting maze, the breastworks of sandbags that formed the parapet suddenly exploded, duckboards were thrown into the air and clods of earth rained down on the men. Allan was alive, but buried under the debris. As his officer desperately dug beneath the soil, Allan fought hard to breathe against the crushing weight as he faced the terrifying realisation that his life hung in the balance. Moments later he was pulled from his tomb; he had cheated death, but was not unscathed.

With the casual air typical of Allan he refused to seek medical treatment. He was overruled. Allan was admitted to hospital with suspected internal injuries and would remain for a fortnight. As his body recovered, the notification that Allan had been wounded was received at Mologa from Base Records Office, Victoria Barracks, Melbourne, dated 3 May 1917. The letter advised that Allan had been wounded but provided no detail of his condition. It would be another five weeks before the letters of reassurance arrived in Mologa.

Charlie wrote:

The Trenches

France

April 20^th 1917

Dear Jim,

Just a few lines to let you know that I am quite well also Percy but am sorry to say that Al has been injured, we were not with him when it happened, the no 1 and no 2 go in the trenches the night before the others and it was on the first night that he was injured, he was walking along the trench when a shell blew the parapet in on him, and an officer got him out and he was taken away to the hospital, I have not seen him since and whether he is hurt much or not I do not know but one of the sergeants told me that he did not want to go out of the trenches but that he would be alright by the Morning. I will try and find out how he is, I am expecting a letter from him anyday perhaps he will have written to you, it happened last Sunday night, he could not have been in the trenches more than two hours when it happened I will let you know later if I hear anything of him. Albert is still in Lark Hill I heard from him last week he did not know when he would be coming over, I heard from Geordie some time ago he was quite well. It has been miserable weather over here lately they say that this has been the coldest winter for 35 years. Flo Wilson says she saw in the paper that this is the coldest April for 60 years, so you will see that it has been a bit tough …

Fear gripped the family at Mologa as they waited for news. Charlie’s letters of reassurance took over a month to arrive, during which time little more would be known of Alan’s condition. There is no evidence that Allan wrote of his brush with death or of his hospital stay during the fortnight. If he did write, his letters were either lost in transit or perhaps Sarah kept them elsewhere. It was unlike Allan not to reassure his mother that he was recovering.

Charlie continued to write in an attempt to keep his family informed and to reduce their anxiety.

The Trenches in France

April 25^th 1917

Dear Mother,

Just a few lines to say that I received your welcome letter that you sent to Leicester, I suppose you will have heard that Allan had been injured, but I am pleased to say that he is getting alright again, I got a letter from him two days ago he said he thought he would be back with us in about a week or so, he was struck with a duck board and the shell blew the trench on him, there were two other chaps with him at the time, he was taken straight away to the hospital, which is not far from here. You have no need to be anxious about him as he will be quite well long before this reaches you. As you will see by the above that we are in the trenches but going out tomorrow, I am pleased to say that we have had some very nice weather here this last week and I hope it continues so. Jim spoke about A & P not getting their parcels well so far they have got every one that has been sent to them, it takes about a fortnight longer for a parcel to reach us than a letter … Tom Roberts was only slightly wounded and is back here again it did not take long for them to get the word about. Geordie was quite well the last time I heard from him… I got a letter from Ida and one from Flo this week they said they had got letters from Australia. Harry Marlow expects to get his discharge Auntie Wilson sent me his address. I will write to him if I can find time. Percy is here with me we are both quite well and hope you are the same at home I wrote to Jim a few days ago, I have written a lot of letters to you all lately I never seem to be done writing. Well I hope you will not be worrying about Allan or any of us in fact …

On the day Allan returned to his unit, Charlie penned a brief note to reassure his mother.

April 27^th 1917

Dear Mother,

I wrote to you while I was in the trenches but was unable to post it I told you about Allan being hurt well he has just arrived back and does not look too bad so you will know now that he is alright, we are out of the trenches now I got a letter from Geordie this morning he is quite well he says Amos is quite well, Albert is still in Lark Hill but expects to be over here any day. Well I will say goodbye for now with best wishes

I am your affect son

Charlie