Mitchell Library, State Library of New South Wales
Gordon Thomas Edwards letters, 21 January 1916-7 August 1919
MLMSS 7991/Item 1
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Military Camp
Dubbo.
21.1.16
Dear Ida
There isn't much fresh news to tell you but I am sending along a note to let you know I am well. I gota card from Percy this morning, he told me that Mr. Tom Roberts from Stove Creek had enlisted, that should shame some of the single men around that part. The dust is still very bad the show groun is cut up with the men continually marching about, and when it is windy the dust rises in clouds. Things have been a bit lively in camp for the last couple of days, The men were paid on Tuesday and of course got drunk and played up old Harry on Tuesday night. I think there were about 30 men arrested altogether, some of them were real devils and gave the picket a lot of trouble. I was sent out yesterday with a dozen men, we brought in 3 and it took us all our time to do it.
[Following note written across top corner of the letter]
Tell Aub I will get home as soon as it is possible. There should be no difficulty next Sat. as I will have been in a month and leave is granted every month.
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At the trial this morning 5 men were discharged , so I suppose after dinner we will have to drum them out in ceremony. I suppose Mr. Rowe has departed before this, he didn’t do too badly considering all those bad friends he had in the district. I don’t think there is any chance of my getting off this week end either, as extra pickets have to be kept for a few days after every pay, and this time the men were worse than before so no leave is to be granted. Of course there are only a couple of dozen defaulters but they are a rough lot and might make a riot at any time.
I got my pay all right yesterday £4.10. so I will be all right now. I will have to buy a few things when I get out, but they wont amount to much if you could manage it Ida, I would like you to send me along I was going to say that shirt that Rosie left me, but don’t bother as I will get one in town tomorrow, dad will want all at home. You might send along a few tomatoes if you like they will reach me all right
[Following written along the side of the letter.]
No more news now, so I will close, Hoping you are all well at home with fond love your loving Bro Gordon
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Military Camp
Dubbo
27.2.16
Dear Ida
Your welcome note safely received on Friday morning, I didn't have time to write through the week so will give you all the news I can think of today. The chief event of the week was the visit of Colonel Ramicottion on Tuesday. We were generally inspected and I think he was quite satisfied with the camp. He seemed a nice old chap he asked me a few questions about the camp in general and the captain told me was pleased with the way I answered them.
The men from Sydney have not arrived yet, there are all sorts of rumours as to when they will come but a chap can't be sure till they arrive. I suppose you saw in the paper the account of his visit, by what he said I think the majority of the men sent from the city were the decent ones as they are not going to send the bad men to country camps. Eight new commissioned officers came from Sydney this week to help carry on, they are all black star men and will go to the front. The old Captain Martin , our battallion commander
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has been shaking the old Lieut.s up a bit, he has a set on all of those instructors who are hanging back and are not going to the front, and gives them a fairly rough time. The men who are going to the front all wear black stars on their epaulletes while the others wear gold stars so you easily distinguish them.
There has been quite a lot of amusements in the camp this week. On Monday we had a concert in camp. On Friday night we all got leave to go to the pictures and yesterday a sports programme was carried out, the public admitted free. The Captain is a great believer in sport so the camp life will not be near so dull.
The instruction is getting a bit more interesting now we will soon be doing musketry work and the time will pass quicker, the first platoon has had their musketry last week a lot failed in the shooting test. Those men will have to take some minor jobs such as ammunition carriers etc. they are not allowed to get into the actual fighting.
The weather has been nice and cool here this last week, we had a nice storm on Tuesday, and it layed the dust for a few days and cooled the air. I don’t suppose
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we will have much more warm weather after the end of February. I had to shift back to the old Barrack room this week again. Each company has to sleep together and the Barrack room was the quarters for A Co. the one I am in. It isn't a bad place, only where we were before we were divided off by partitions and each man kept his own place clean. At the pictures on Friday night the Mayor of Dubbo presented the camp with a number of band instruments. Several of the men in camp are old bandsmen so there was no trouble to get the band started. A band will make a good bit of difference to the marching. It is a great deal easier to march to music than without it.
I am having a pretty fair time in general. I have made a few friends in camp and they take me round to any little amusements they know of. Last night 10 of us went out to Talbragar in a car to a dance. I had a fine time it only lasted till 12 but was lively while it lasted. I am going out again to a tea party at one of the boys places this evening. I suppose
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you have Ciss with you by this, I had a short letter from Clarry yesterday and he said Ciss was leaving Sydney for home last week. I am going to try to get home for next Saturday so will keep all further news till then. I will write through the week again you will get it on Saturday. I may not know till Saturday though whether I can get off or not.
Hoping you are all well at home.
With fond love to all
Your loving Bro
Gordon.
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Military Camp
Dubbo
28.3.16
Dear Ida,
It has been decided that we are not to leave until next Wednesday, every man will be given the necessary training here and it is likely that we will not remain in Sydney more than two days. I have applied for final leave and have got it, from tomorrow night until Monday morning . I will get home tomorrow night and have a couple of days at home and then will go on to Sydney to see Clarry and Percy. I have wired to Clarry to see if he can get down on Sunday, if he cant I suppose I'll go onto Murdi.
When I asked for leave the Capt. told me that we would only be in camp in the show ground in Sydney for a couple of days so they mean to move us this time. I thought that I would lose my stripes but it will only be temporary as I will get them when we sail I think. You see no n.c.o.s are supposed to be going this time but they are giving us a chance. I am sorry that they are splitting us up, only 150 of us going, it is a pity that the rest of our company are not going, some of my mates are going but I'm leaving some behind. Will keep all news till I get home
Hoping you are all o.k.
With fond love
Your loving Bro
Gordon
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[Page very faint. Writing down the side of the page indecipherable as is some of the heading above the main letter.]
(No 1647)
2nd Rfts. 54th Battn.
Intermediate Base (left Albany 21.4.16)
Egypt
All letters will be sent to me from this address.
Write when you get this and Ill get a letter when I land.
Dear Ida,
Just a note to let you know that I am well. We arrived here yesterday morning and have been coaling up ever since then. We leave for Colombo this afternoon I am pleased to say that I have got over the sea sickness. I am feeling and eating real well now and enjoying the voyage. This place is a very pretty one looking at from the harbour. None of us were allowed to go on shore so I cant say what the town is like .
The town is situated right between two small hills on the edge of the harbour and the harbour is enclosed by a succession of hills, the country looks pretty barren , looks like [indecipherable] country . So far we have had a splendid voyage , the weather has been [indecipherable] and fine and calm. I daresay it will be a bit too[indecipherable] . I am going to try to get one of the coal lumpers to post this so that it will not be censored. I wrote a longer letter a couple of days ago I supposed it will be posted here, and you will get is with this one. Will have to stop now, Hoping you are all well, with love, your loving bro, Gordon. Tell Clarry and Percy my address.
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At Sea.
April 27th. 16
Dear Ida
It is now several days since we saw the last bit of Australia disappear and we now should have completed about half our voyage. The good weather that was experienced in the beginning still continues and having recovered from all the effects of sea sickness I am thoroughly enjoying the voyage. As each day passes it is getting warmer, the temperature now between decks is unpleasant, I daresay as we get farther north it will get a bit uncomfortable. Owing to our packed condition sports cannot be indulged in too well, and at times the trip becomes a bit monotonous. Our main occupation is physical exercise it is a great help to be in good health when entering hot climates every bit of strength is needed to ward off the different diseases found in such climates. Our one benefit
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on board is the Y.M.C.A. This association supplies us with reading and if needed writing matter and materials.
I do a good deal of reading, looking at the ocean is interesting for a while, but a chap soon gets tired of it. I have seen very little animal life since coming on board, with the exeption of a few flying fish have seen no denizens of the sea, of any kind. News to a certain extent is restricted, as everything passes through the censors hands so I shall wait till later to send you along a longer letter Ida, I may not write this time to the boys so you can let them know how I am when you write.
My permanent address will be.
Pte. G.T.E- No 1647 2nd Rfts. 54 Battn
Intermediate Base. Depot. Egypt.
All letters sent to this address will be forwarded on to me.
Hoping you are all well at home
With fond love.
Your Loving Brother
Gordon
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Intermediate Base Depot
Egypt.
11.5.16
Dear Ida
In a day or two our voyage will be over and we will be leaving the boat, we are now well up in the Red Sea and will be getting off in a day or two at Port Suez, so in case I shouldn’t have time when we get there I'll give you a bit of an account of our trip. I think I have told you of our first call at Albany, Colombo our next, was a bit more strange and interesting. After a nice and calm trip across the Indian Ocean we got into Colombo on the 1st and stayed a couple of days coaling up We were all under the impression that leave would be granted to go ashore but it turned out that owing to some of the boys playing up a bit before us, our only leave was a route march. However that was better than no leave at all, so we had to see
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all that was to be seen from the rank as we marched along.
The town is one about as big as Bathurst, there are some nice big buildings in it, although they are more after the oriental fashion large and low, none of them are more than three storeys high. After we left the wharf , our route took us at first out along the beach, a long esplanade stretching for a mile or more away from the town, then we wheeled and came back through the main streets to the military barracks where a pot of beer was our only refreshment supplied by the military. However the natives took care to keep on our tracks, and while we were halted we were able to refresh ourselves with bananas, pinapples etc for a mere nothing. While we were halted I managed to get a postcard or two to send along it is possible that you would not get them though as there was a deuce of a crush at the letter box.
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Of course what seemed so funny were the natives themselves, there are very few white people in Colombo, and the natives hold a great many of the positions of the place. What seemed strange were the remarkable number of rickshas, they are a small kind of sulky, pulled along by a native at a very fair rate, The natives are a very motley crowd, their dress varies in all kinds of ways, but in colours most of all. Some have only a kind of toga wrapped round the body, while others are dressed more in European fashion, the common feature seems to be the head gear a kind of scarf wrapped around the head, it does not necessarily keep the sun off either. The coal lumpers who came on board were great rogues and adept at getting money, we kept them busy diving for pennies, some of them are very expert at this and very rarely dive in rain. There is no real
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harbor at Colombo, only a large breakwater built across the bay behind which the ships anchor. The port is a very busy one, while we were anchored, ships were coming and going almost every hour. Since leaving we have had an exceptionally calm and cool voyage, and if the mythical gates of the inferno are no warmer than the realistic one at the entrance of the Red Sea they wont trouble me much. We have had a nice breeze all the way from Colombo and I havent felt the heat at all, but I daresay by my next letter I will have a different tale to tell of the land of Egypt.
Tell Clarry and Percy that I will write them both a long letter as soon as I get properly settled down in Egypt. Will sign off now Ida trusting that Mother and Father and Aub are all in the best of health, with love. Your loving Bro
Gordon
Don’t forget my number 1647
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Intermediate Base
Depot, Egypt.
May 20.16.
Dear Ida,
As often happens in these campaigns our plans were suddenly altered and we were brought on through the Suez canal to Port Said instead of disimbarking at Port Suez. For this I wasn’t at all sorry, as I wanted to see the canal, and as we went through the whole of it in daylight I had a good view of the whole surroundings. The canal is somewhere about 90 miles long and as we could only go through it at 4 or 5 miles an hour it took us a good while, you see we couldn’t travel in the night, had to anchor about mid way. The canal is well protected, there will be many many lives given up before an enemy crosses into Egypt that way, I have since seen actual trenches that our lads held against the Turks and ones that they are now holding. At the present time of writing I am at an old historical battle field Tel El Kebir, the heat is a bit troublesome, but otherwise I am feeling tip top. I had no chance to see Port Said, as we entrained at once upon disembarking. Cairo is about a couple of hours runs from here. I will have a look round the first chance I get, will write again soon, Trusting that you are all well,
With Fondest Love,
Your loving Bro.
Gordon.
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Y.M.C.A.
With The
Mediterranean Expeditionary Force.
14th May 1916
Dear Mother
I have once more a chance of sending you a line to let you all know how I am progressing. This is about our 8th day in Egypt and I suppose I am now getting acclimatised to a certain extent. The camp conditions are not of the best as we have been moving about a good deal and the dust and sand worries a chap a bit, where we are the whole countryside is composed of sandy gravel and when the wind blows etc. mind your eyes.
I cant say that I like Egypt or rather all I've seen as yet, we are camped in sight of the Nile but owing to some reasons are not allowed to either drink or bathe in the water. The river looks more like a large canal than anything, it flows so slowly through the flat country and its banks are so low and even just at the back of where we are now camped is an old battlefield, the remains of the
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old mounds used for cover from the enemy are still to be seen, and many of the boys have picked up numerous pieces of shell and old bullets. Also while some excavations were being carried out a few skulls were found, these would be more than 30 years old. Life here is a bit quieter than the other camps I have been used to. I have been on duty for the last week so havent had much chance to have a look around, the main city of Egypt is about 40 miles away, that is Cairo, but as yet I haven’t had a chance of seeing it, it is not Cairo that I would like to see as much as the pyramids and Sphinx, they cant be seen from here. It is wonderful the number of huts erected by the natives that spring up around a camp . They are made from a kind of reed, and are extremely cool on a warm day. Here anything can be purchased in the town a short distance away, when one goes down the main street at night it is like a little George Street, There are a few amusements, a circus and a couple of picture shows, I went and saw the circus, it was very good I thought. I am sure that a
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more clever contortionist and tumbler than a little Arab chap at the circus has never been seen in Australia. The actors were all of the dark races, with the exception of a couple of little French girls who were very clever on the tight rope.
What puzzles a chap for a start was the money. The Egyptian coins are altogether different to ours and for a while one couldn't tell how much change to get when paying for anything. The main coin I think is one somewhat similar in size to our shilling - a Piastre, and is worth about 2½ d in English money. The main carriers of the place are camels and donkeys, it is very amusing to see a great big Arab riding along on a Donkey about three feet high, and I’ll bet Aub would be amused to see a long string of camels waddling along with a couple of natives perched up on their backs. Speaking of donkeys, one of the natives was willing to rent his, all day long for 5 piastres and at the same time run along behind him and keep him at a good
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Pace as long as one liked, so you see, a donkey ride is cheap enough here. I haven’t seen anything decent to send home yet, but will have a look round for a souvenir shortly. I am writing this in the YMCA room at Tel El Kebir, there are several and I can tell you are very welcome to a chap who has a few letters to write. There is no certainty that we will remain here for long, we are prepared to a move at anytime. There is a chance of seeing England before we get to the front but I think it unlikely. Its getting time for bed Mother so I’ll have to sign off, 4 a.m. each morning is my rising hour. In case I don’t write to the boys let them know how I am getting on. I am thankful to say that I am feeling in the best of health and trust to God that I will continue to do so.
Trusting that all at home are well
With fondest love
Your loving Son
Gordon.
Let Ted Carrigan have a look.
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Y.M.C.A.
H.M. Forces On Active Service.
10.8.16
Reply to 3 company 54th Bat
England 1916
Dear Father
A line or two to tell you that I was lucky enough to get out of Egypt at last and am now situated in a healthy part of old England. Word came through some few days ago that we were to pack for England and I can tell you we didn't take long about it. The trip took 9 days in all, from Tel El Kebir to the South of England and the experience was quite one worth having. Instead of coming around by Gibraltar we disembarked at Marseilles in France and came through France – a 50 hrs train journey to Havre where we embarked again for England.
The trip across France was one that I will never forget the country is at its best, that is just in the middle of spring and the scenery especially in the south of France very beautiful indeed. After leaving Marseilles the railway follows the valley of the river Rhone
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for scores of miles and on each side of the river are countless vineyards and fruit trees. I think I saw more fruit trees there in one half hours journey than I had ever seen before, there never seemed to be an end of them for hours on hours we passed vineyards and orchards without a stop and all the time you could see the river shimmering through the trees with a high background of hills behind. The hills beyond the river were all cultivated with vineyards just the same even the highest of them were cultivated wherever it was possible to grow a vine. This went on until we reached Lyons a town situated on the Rhone a good way up in France. After leaving Lyons we left the river and started to wind up the mountains following all the time a small stream winding in and out of the mountain. Here the scenery was even grander than before and here again the vineyards again shone out. That of grape growing is practically the only occupation of these hilly districts the hills make no difference to the vine growing they are each just the same as the level ground as long as it does not become too rocky to work them. The scenery crossing these hills was magnificent. All vegetation is so profuse, thicker than anything I have ever seen on the coast of NSW. What struck me so much was the greenness of the whole country. I never saw one single yard of soil that didn’t have a covering of grass on the whole journey.
Once we topped the hilly country we turned westward and made in the direction of Paris. We were not lucky enough to go through Paris we only just touched the outskirts coming through Versailles on the other side. Once we left Paris behind we came into the wheat growing country it is just harvest time in France
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now and I saw some splendid crops. Of course there are no big fields of wheat like those in Australia. The fields are cut up each man having his own little lot and the wheat fields have so many different shades in colour some being more advanced than others just the same as in the south of France the hills were cultivated here as much as possible. I was very sorry I didn't posses a camera it would have been very handy. Here again we followed a river for a long while I think it was the Seine, a fine big river the vegetation was very thick along its banks and all the hills beyond cultivated with wheat. Our destination proved to be Havre on the coast, where we got out of the train and spent the day and night in a small rest camp just out of the city. We went for a four hour route march here and I enjoyed it more than anything. We got into a birch wood they grew thicker than grass it was almost impossible to get along at all among the trees grew thousands of ferns and flowers and it was more like a park than anything else. One thing a chap noticed while passing through France
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and that was the great number of people in mourning. The nation is practically wholly in black and in many places we saw many wounded men getting about. Nevertheless the people have a fine spirit and done all they could for us. They were all confident in the end of the war and were very pleased with the progress our troops were now making. While we were at one station a couple of trainloads of German prisoners went by, they all looked big burly men . Our chaps are doing great work now in France I believe although the Australians are getting it pretty hot and are having heavy casualties. We are likely to be in England for at least 8 weeks now. Of England I can tell you little as yet. I have seen some of the antiquities though, that is the old druids temple at Stonehenge , (Ida might remember it) only a stone throw from here. Our whole battalion has got 4 days leave to go to London will be able to send along all news of the old country next week. We are all going up to London on Monday next. This is just a hurried scribble to let you know how things are going dad, will write longer later . Trusting all at home all quite well and assuring you that I am myself in good health, With fondest love to all
Your loving Son
Gordon
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Sunday
13.8.16
Larks Hill
Salisbury Plains
England
Dear Ida
Since writing the letter that you will find accompanying this one I was lucky enough to get some mail , and was very glad to hear from home, I think I got 7 from you and the photos. 2 from Percy and 1 from Clarry. I also got one from Elsie Edwards and one from Ivy and Violet. I can tell you that they cheered me up a bit because we had had no news of home since leaving. Now that mail is coming I suppose it will come regularly and it will seem more like old times to hear from home once a week. I was very pleased to know that all at home were well that Clarry had shifted up to Orange and best of all that Aub was getting well again. He’ll have to buck up and get well by the time I get back. I must look about and send him home something, a few cards for a start, till I get some money for something else, now that we are in England it is much easier for letter writing if the envelopes are stamped they go like an ordinary letter and are not censored as they were in Egypt. I am going to cable to tell you of my arrival in England
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you will get it long before this and it should put you in good spirits for awhile, we are not likely to leave England for at least 8 or ten weeks perhaps more and I may have time to get an answer to this before I leave for France again. We are having great victories all along the line now I don’t think the Germans will hold out much longer.
I have written to Clarry telling him all news and particulars, so get the letter from him when he gets it. Thank Rosie for me for knitting me the socks also Mrs Braddon . I will be on the look out for a pair or two in the next week or two, as yet I have plenty but the others will come in handy. I am writing this letter in a Y.M.C.A.place, there is no doubt they are a godsend to the soldiers. Thank the Dickerson girls for their letters. I was very pleased to receive them I will write as soon as I get a bit of spare time. Let me know how the reef and orchard are turning out I will be able to give dad a few hints on grape growing after what I saw in France. Will have to sign off now Ida, as I want to give Percy a note.
Trusting that Mother is keeping well, and that all the rest are in the best of health
With fondest love
Your loving Brother
Gordon
Don’t forget to tell Aub how pleased I am at his getting well and that I'll send him a card.
My address is
No 1647. Corporal Edwards
2nd Rfts 54th Battn
A.I.F.
Salisbury Plains, England
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Lark Hill
18.8.16
Dear Ida
Just a note to let you know that I am still feeling O.K. Since writing my last letter to you I have received several more and as yet you do not seem to have received any of my letters written in Egypt. I hope that they will turn up all right in time. I am glad to know that you have been fortunate enough to at last get some good rain, it should do our young fruit trees a lot of good, as well as the younger ones dad and Ted are planting out. I was also pleased to hear that you were all well and hope to always hear such good news. Thank Rose very much for me for the socks she is sending along. I did not write to her because I wasn't sure where to write and knew that you would let her know how I was. Several of the boys have gone up to London on leave for a few days. I would have gone too only I'm waiting for pay day next Tuesday. I have been made an act Sgt. and will now get 10/6 per day. That will have me 4/6 a day to draw here. This is only a short note Ida as I haven’t much to tell you just now. Since we
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landed here it has been raining a good deal off and on every day but today is a nice fine one. I think it is the result of the heavy artillery fire that goes on here, the men say that this often causes rain and the artillery has been practicing incessantly for the last week or more. The long days seem funny for a while. It is daylight from 5 a.m. to 9.30 at night, the sun doesn’t go down till 8.30. My ink has run out again, that pen of Mrs Braddons is still keeping well only occasionally I forget to fill it and it runs dry. I was glad to see that 6 oc closing of hotels won in Australia. I am sending you a few views of Salisbury it is only a few miles from this camp. I will take a walk over there as soon as an opportunity permits.
Will keep you well supplied with news every mail now
Trusting that all at home are still in good health, with best love to all at home
Your loving Bro
Gordon
You can always address my letters
On Active Service Abroad
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Larks Hill
Salisbury Plain
20th August. 16
Dear Ida
Just a note to let you know how things are going along. Havent received any more letters today but I daresay will get one or two early next week as the Australian mail should soon be along again. I hope to hear by your next letter that you have received some of those that were written in Egypt. By the way things are going I do not think we will remain in England very long we are now doing the 10th week training which only leave us 4 to do and then we may be shifted to France, if we are required there. By the accounts of the papers we seem to be doing splendid work everywhere and some seem to think that it will not be long before we have a big victory along the western front. The British now have a number of new aeroplanes which are supposed to be greatly superior to anything that has yet been produced and so far they have done great work against the German fortifications with them. There is a big aerodrome only a few hundred
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yards away from this camp and sometimes one can see as many as 12 or 14 up in the air at once. Some of the pilots carry passengers occasionally so I must try and have a fly before leaving England. All Australians are having a royal time over here, in London they get a fine time and a couple of chaps told me that when they were up in Scotland a week ago the people wouldn't let them pay for anything. Can't we rake up some relatives over here? Most of the chaps have had someone to look up.
I was very pleased to see by one of your last letters that you had had so much rain it will give all the new trees a good start. I daresay that dad and Ted have had them in long ago. Percy said that he was sitting for an exam just a short while after he wrote last. I suppose that means a shift for him if he was successful. We are having beautiful weather here just now but I believe that it is a regular corker here in the winter, but by then we ought to be away. No more new this time Ida trusting that all are quite well at home and that Aub is getting well and strong , with best love to all
Your Loving Brother
Gordon.
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C Company
54th Bn
Flanders
October 5th 1916
Dear Father and Mother
After so much travelling around I have at last joined up with my Battalion up here in France. I am situated now a couple of miles from the front line trenches and every few minutes the sound of the big guns shake the billet in which I am now writing. I have been in the front line several times and have been under some of Fritzs bombardment to, a chap soon gets used to them. It is nothing to be wakened in the middle of the night by a big artillery duel in progress and to hear the shells whizzing through the air, should one of the German shells happen to lob a few hundred years away followed by one considerably closer there is generally a bit of fun in the billets .
The rumbling of the guns lull one to sleep at night and act as a bugle to wake us in the morning. Every night from our window we can see the star shells and flares flaring over the trenches like a huge fire work display. Fritz,( we always call the hun by that) is a great believer in fireworks and if he thinks there is a likelihood of an attack from our trenches, then "No man's land" that part of the
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land between our front line and the German front line is lit up with flares and star shells as light as day. Some of the names of the German shells and bombs are Rum jars, Oil cans, Pineapple whiz –bangs and Minni Werfers while one of our favourite rations for the hun is termed a plum pudding. I don’t think they like the English plum pudding as well as we do though. The great drawback here is the rain , it rains nearly every day which makes it pretty uncomfortable in the trenches. Out in the billets where we come out of the trenches for a rest it is not so bad as we have a house to live in and when the door of the room is closed and the windows shut it is fairly warm. I am thankful to say that I am keeping well and in very good health so far. Since landing here I have received another four letters, three from Spencer and one from home. Percy's last was dated Aug 2nd and must have come along fairly direct. He mentioned that you were dispatching a parcel to me but as yet I have not received it or any other, they may turn up though now that I have settled down.
By all accounts the last winter in Australia must have been a very wet one, it should have been just the one for our young orchard. I saw in an old Dubbo paper that the Macquarie River had risen 28 feet. I also saw where old Mr Dickerson had passed away a month or so after I left. The surroundings should be looking well now around Stuart Town and cattle and sheep should be good property. I was pleased to know that Aub was getting on so well, and trust that he will be able to knock around
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with me when I get back again. Our departure from England was a bit sudden, we were supposed to put in ten or twelve weeks there, but as reinforcements were needed we were sent away after four weeks in the old country. We got there on the 9th of August and left on the 9th of September. I did not get up to London after all, may have a chance of going across on leave about Christmas. I daresay when the winter sets 1 in that it will be fairly quiet over this way and no doubt a good deal of home leave will be granted. Percy mentioned in his last note that Mr. Roberts was in Carmicheals' thousand, if I had known that before I could have seen him as they were camped near us at Salisbury.
One of our best pastimes here is that of watching our Aeroplanes attack the enemy. Our airmen are by far superior to any of the Germans it is very rarely that a German Taube come over our trenches, but the allied airplanes are continually up. I daresay the enemy wastes thousands of shells every day on our aeroplanes. They can be seen bursting all around them and yet it is very rarely that one is hit. The famous tanks, as no doubt you have read about have done great work for us on the western
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front and is likely I hope to drive Fritz back still further. The Zeppelin raids on London seem to have come to a bubble too. Every time Fritz goes over now, he leaves one or two behind to tell a tale. I was very pleased to see that Lloyd Georges views of peace for Germany was so strong against them, now that we are at it we may as well finish them. One has only to look around anywhere here to see what they have destroyed, churches and convents and other supposed sacred buildings did not escape them. There is a church , or rather the remains of one only twenty yards from here which was destroyed only a few weeks ago by a bombardment from the German lines. Something that struck me as very odd was the number of civilians so close to the front line, there are thousands of French men and women to be found almost in sight of the front line trenches, they go about doing their work as if nothing at all unusual was happening.
Well Father I suppose by the time this reaches you it will be getting close to Xmas again. It seems no time since we had the last one and yet so much has happened since then. I suppose now that Clarry is close home and Percy will be on holidays that they will all be home for Christmas this year. Unless I happen to get away on leave at Xmas to London I suppose ours will be a very quiet and different one to the one I had last year. The soldiers don’t do too badly though at Xmas, as every man gets a "Xmas Billy" containing a plum
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pudding and cakes etc. I am sending along some little presents with this mail so you should get them soon after this letter. Ida will think that they are never coming but they will turn up eventually. When you write again you can leave the reinforcements out of the address as I am now with the old Battalion and my Company is"C". I trust that Ted Carrigan is still OK. I managed to keep my promise and send him along a letter from Tel el Kebir but since then it has taken me all my time to keep the home news going. I suppose I will soon be getting a letter or two from Clarry. I have only received one of his so far and would like to hear how he is getting on.
I will sign off now dad for this time; in case I don’t happen to get another note along before Xmas. I wish you all a Bright, Merry and Happy Christmas, and only wish I could be with you but don’t worry about me as you can bet I will be having a jolly good time once I get the old billy with a big plum duff.
With Love to all of you at Home
I remain
Your loving son
Gordon
[Page 36]
France
The Trenches
10.10.16
Dear Dad,
As I have not yet posted a letter written to you on the 6th, I am sending this note along with it, to say that since then we have moved up to the front line. I am still feeling quite O.K. and see no reason why I should not always keep so for although things are not too comfortable they could be far worse. This part of the line is fairly quiet just now, but it does not say it will keep that way. I am pleased to say that I have at last declared war on the Hun, and have spent a few hours pumping out the iron rations over the parapet. I was sorry to see in an old paper where one of the young Glawsons had died at home, both of the brothers, Tom and Jim and the two Blyghtons as well, are here. Hoping that all are well at home when this reaches you with fond love
Your loving Son
Gordon
[Page 37]
France.
November 7th 16
Dear Mother,
I am still feeling quite well, and was very pleased to see by some letters that came along a couple of days ago that all at home were the same. I received three, one from dad and one from each of the boys, they both were O.K. at time of writing. It must have been great alright to get so much rain, it should improve the country wonderfully after such a dry spell for years before, and will no doubt give the young orchard a great start. It should also be a good time for clearing now that the ground is so wet, I would have liked to have been home to give a hand. Clarry mentioned that he had secured a suitable house in Orange and was getting on well, and had been home for a few days occasionally. I was pleased to see that Aub was feeling fit again and trust that he
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will continue to improve as he has been doing. I think it was Perry who told me that Aub was going out for a night’s fishing with Clarry, a bit of an outing will do him good and if he moves around a bit, should soon get well. We are again out of the trenches for a bit of a spell and may be moving around a bit before we get back. It is a jolly good rest to get out of the mud for a while and to have a dry bed for a night or two. We are now situated in a small village, behind the lines, and it gives us a chance to clean up a bit. The villages of France are all much alike, they all have their small Estiminets and shops lined along the streets, nearly every house has its small corner of saleable articles. It is still raining and has been nearly every day since we came to this part. A chap doesn’t notice the rain so much now that we are out of the
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trenches, but it is very cold and uncomfortable at times there. I suppose the conscription referendum caused a bit of excitement for a day or two in Australia, I saw by to days paper that the anti vote was some seventy thousand votes in the lead, so no doubt the No’s will win the day. I suppose it was a surprise to some when the numbers went up. I thought by the way the newspapers advocated conscription that the favour was that way, but they evidently over estimated their strength. For myself, I that that the certain amount of disgrace that would go with conscription after the voluntary system had been tried in Australia, caused such a big anti vote. Also men who have been forced to enlist are not looked upon as comrades, by those soldiers who came voluntarily.
Clarry said that young Sid Smith
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sailed by the Ceramic but if he did I did not see him, the two Glawsons and Blyghtons though came with us and are now with me in the Battalion. There is no certainty that these letters will reach home Mother so I cannot say too much now, but you may be assured that I am feeling quite well both in health and spirit, and often think of those at home. I think that there are very few of us who do not wish at times that we were back home again, and it is often that we wake from a dream of home to the reality of France.
Trusting that all the family will keep in the best of health in the coming year, with fondest love to you and all the rest.
Your Loving Son,
Gordon.
[Page 41]
France
November 12th 16
Dear Father,
Your very welcome letter came to hand a week ago with all home news and I was very pleased to hear that everything was in so good a working order. That heavy rainfall should be just the thing for the young trees and should give them a great start. Last night I received another couple of letters, one from Ida and one from Florrie Dorman, now that we have joined the Battalion letters come along more regularly, and when a man gets a few letters every week he seems ever so much nearer home. For the past few days we have been resting, after having nearly three weeks in the trenches, but what our future move is I have no idea. Now that winter is coming on it is beginning to get a bit more uncomfortable, although as far as
clothing and equipment for winter is concerned we fare pretty well. Every man is equipped with his extra sheepskin vest and two pairs of gloves and various other articles for heavy winter wear, so no doubt we are likely to remain for the winter in some fairly cold spot. Yesterday, the battalion was inspected by Sir Douglas Haig and General Birdwood, but I cannot say what report was made of it. When we were up at our last billet, the Price of Wales passed through the village but I didn’t know till he was gone, so didn’t see him. I suppose the way the Conscription vote went was a bit of a surprise to you, dad. I would have thought that it was a sure thing, but the news and rumours we get say that the anti votes are still the lead. I daresay though that the refferendum will not
influence the government a great deal should they wish to put the compulsory act through. I am sure that a very large majority of our soldiers votes were against conscription, of course there were many reasons why that should be so, although it might be wondered at out in Australia. There is no doubt that the Australian soldier is quite as good as any that have shown up in the war so far and as long as reinforcements of the same standard turn up, Australia is playing a very fair part. Where we were in the trenches last, was one of the hottest parts of the line, it was one continual artillery bombardment. To stand back some miles, at night and watch a bombardment one would never believe that men could be under the barrage and stand the strain. We were sent up, at first to take a certain amount of the enemy trenches
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but owing to the rain, the stunt was postponed for a while. The same job has since been completed by one of our other brigades though.
With such a great rain fall as you have had, the wheat harvest should be large this year. I suppose the scarcity of men will be found in some places when the harvesting takes place.
How is Ted Carringan getting on, I hope the leg is still well. I should have written him a note occasionally but I suppose he hears all news from home.
No more to day dad.
Trusting that all at home are quite well, and that Aub is still on the mend, with fond love
Your loving Son
Gordon.
France
Dec.28th 16
Dear Father
Now that a favourable opportunity has occurred I will be able to let you know again how I have been passing the time for the last month or two. We are again back in rest billets behind the line after having spent nearly a month up in the trenches and I am glad to say I feel very little the worse for it. Of course the worst we have to contend with are the weather conditions which have been fairly severe of late, but apart from a very slight touch of swollen feet, owing to the cold I managed all right. It was a great thing to get out for Xmas. I thought that we would have had to spend it up the line
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but fortunately we moved down here a couple of days before. Under the circumstances I think most of us spent a very fair Xmas day and although it was very much different to last year we all made the best of it, Two of those parcels which were sent to me came along, but I happened to be away from the battalion for a while and they were sent back to Headquarters so I didn’t get them for Xmas, but they will be along any day now, which will do just as well. They will come in very handy just now. Since my last letter I have received over a dozen letters from home and the boys and was pleased to know all was so well. I, also got a long letter from Ted Carrigan and was very pleased to get it, remember me to him and
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tell him I will answer it soon. Letter writing here is a good deal different to what most people think, sometimes a chap cant get a letter through for a month at a stretch, so if you don’t hear from me as regular as you would like dad, you will know that it is because I have been unable to send a note along. Percy seemed to have good hopes of the new reef turning out something decent, I am anxiously waiting the next mail to hear further news, it should soon be along any day now. I have now joined the Lewis Machine Gun Section but as I will be still with the battalion, it will not make any difference in my address. It appears that all the conscription talk in Australia turned out a failure after all
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and the results proved very unsatisfactory to its advocates. I am sure that a very large majority of the soldiers votes in France were against it, why I don’t know. No doubt you have seen all the late paper talk of peace terms. I am inclined to think there is more in it than the Germans will admit, and I fancy they must be nearing the end of their teather. Now that they have had a bit of a flash in the pan in Roumania they have their chance to put in a few feelers and perhaps we will hear more about it before long. With Lloyd George at the head of the British parliament I think that we can rest assured , should any thing favourable in the way of peace terms turn up, he will not fail to give them
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good consideration,
This letter will have to serve for all hands for a while dad, you can let Percy and Clarry know how I am and that I will answer their letters as soon as possible. There is really nothing I can tell you of much interest there is so much I could say but it would never reach you. I have been very pleased to note by all your letters how Aub is improving in health and I sincerely hope that by the time I get back he will be quite recovered.
Well dad, I must sign off for this time,
Trusting that you are all well.
With fondest love to Mother Yourself and all the rest.
Your loving Son
Gordon
[Page 50]
France
Feb.7th 17
My Dear Mother
I have been unfortunate enough to contract the complaint of Mumps and in consequence am situated in the base Hospital for a few days until I am ready to go out into convalescent. I am not complaining at all, as I have had a fine spell and the rest in bed between clean sheets the first since leaving home is a very welcome change. I am very glad to be able to tell you that I am quite well again though the attack of mumps was fairly light I think and other than a little loss of appetite I suffered very little. I expect to be up in a day or so at least I am pleased to tell you at last that a couple of your parcels came along a couple of weeks ago thanks very much mother for them , I got the one containing the balaclava and the other one with the cake but the third one with the socks hasn’t turned up yet. Also at the same time I received a letter from
[Page 51]
2
Ida with all home news dated about the end of November. I sent a note along the evening I go it and trust you will get it before this one. I was pleased to know that all at home were well and that everything was in so good a condition around home and that the peas were turning out well. I hope that dads reef will keep on as it is and that at last his speculation will pay a little. Ida mentioned that Clarry had been home on holidays and that he had written to me, but those letters have not reached me yet, I daresay they will be waiting at the battalion for me. Only a day before I received your parcel we got one each from the Australian comforts, they were Xmas parcels but didn’t turn up until a few weeks after, they were nice parcels containing a lot of useful little things, and when I got two from home I was quite fixed up for all the little necessities . I noticed in the papers
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that many of the heavy storms in NSW had done a good deal of damage, and that the Orange district had suffered a good deal, I hope that none of our trees were affected or any of the paddocks washed away. We have not been having much rain here of late but plenty of snow instead. It was fairly sloppy when it first began but when the snow began to freeze and harden the conditions got much better. The last few weeks before I came away was very cold the only way you could get water was by chipping up ice or snow and melting it over the fire. Since I have been down here in Hospital there has been another heavy fall of snow. This kind of weather is much better than the wet as although it is cold it is fairly dry. There is great news in the papers concerning the latest German Submarine threats and it
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is expected that before long America and several of the smaller neutral countries will be at war with Germany. I cannot but think that it is a big bluff on Germanys part and they hope to crawl into some sort of peace before the spring comes on. For myself I think this spring will settle it allright.
I hope that Aub is still getting on well and that all the rest including dad are ok mother.
Trusting that this reaches you safely.
With fondest love to all.
Your loving son
Gordon
I will write a lengthier letter to home and the boys when I get into Convalescent in a day or so.
[Page 54]
France
February.18th 17
Dear Father
I am still in the base Hospital but am now quite well from the mumps and expect to be going out to Convalescent Camp tomorrow. I am pleased to say that I am now feeling as well as ever this three weeks of rest and good food has made a wonderful change , and I feel like a new man again. There is no doubt that the continual wear and tear of trench life soon tells on everyone . It is not the work, for there is practically no hard work done by us but it the conditions under which we have to live, but still it is wonderful how soon a chap pulls round after a week or twos spell. For the last few days it has been very mild down here but of course it may still be severe further up towards the line. Our present trouble seems to Submarine blockade of all vessels
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both neutral and British, but it appears our navy are fast coping with them. Also our land prospects seem to be very bright for the coming spring. If Sir Douglas Haigs confidence counts for anything we should stand a very good chance of seeing the end of the war before next Xmas. As I did not write to the batallion I have not received any more letters but a mate of mine is collecting them for me. I trust that the mine has turned out trumps before this and that everything around home is ok. When I get to convalescent I will get some ink from the city, Boulogne , not far away and will give you all news. We are handicapped a good deal here.
Trusting that Mother and all at home are quite well.
With Fond love.
Your loving son
Gordon
[Page 56]
France
February 20th
Dear Mother
I am writing this letter from the Convalescent Camp which I mentioned in my note to father a few days ago. I came up here yesterday and will remain here a day or so before going down to the base and then on to my unit. I am glad to say I am feeling real well again and am looking forward to getting back to the battalion. This is a fine place situated on a hill overlooking the sea, but we haven’t been able to see much of it owing to there being a very fair representation of a Scotch mist for the past few days. The town of Boulogne which is a fairly large place is only a couple of miles away really we are just on the outskirts and as leave is granted each evening, I will be going in tonight for a look around, I was here a few months back but hadn’t much chance of sightseeing then. If I get a chance I will have my
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photo taken before going back this time. I had a few post cards taken a few weeks ago but have heard nothing of them yet although they may be waiting for me at the battalion. I will be glad to get my letters as it is now some time since I have had any home news. The news of late in the papers has been most encouraging and every day brings a fresh advance and a new victory for us. Now that the winter is nearly over, every day sees our worst hardships disappearing for although we have a severe winter here France in spring time is very mild. I hope that all is still going on well at home and that the orchard is doing well with all the wet weather. I sincerely hope that poor old Aub is getting well again, I should like to get a letter from him as soon as he is well enough to write.
Trusting this will reach you safely and find you all in the best of health.
With fondest love to all
Your loving son
Gordon
[Page 58]
France
15.4.17
Dear Mother and Father
It is now some time since I sent my last letter home and I hope you have not been anxious about me as I have been fairly well all through this trip. Since coming back from hospital I have been in the line pretty constant and could not keep up my usual correspondence.
I am pleased to say that lately I have been getting my letters regularly and so have been in touch with home. There are so many and so much news that I hardly know how to begin to answer them. The last one I got from Ida was dated the 12th of February, and contained the good news that everyone
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were quite well and all was ok at Orangedale.
It was a pity that the rain spoilt so much of the young fruit as it did but perhaps the trees will be all the better for the good soaking in a year or too. As in Australia this has been one of the wetter years here for a long time and since coming here in September we have hardly had one fine day, and lately it has been raining constantly. I was very pleased to see that Aub was still doing well, perhaps he is on the real road to recovery this time. Also comes the good news that Ciss has another young daughter both of whom are doing well! I have had several letters from Clarry lately and he seems to be doing all right in Orange , he also has kept me well informed in home news of late. Percy informed me that he had spent the Xmas holidays up North so you must have had a very quiet Xmas all right. It seems no time to me since Xmas day, yet 3 months of the new year have already gone.
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I was glad to hear the happy news that Rose was contemplating marriage. Give her my compliments and best wishes when you see her next. I was sorry to hear that the mine had not turned out as expected but perhaps there is a chance of it making later on dad. Well dad the last month or two has been fairly lively for us over this side and I might tell you advantageous as well. Since Fritz started to evacuate early in February things have been moving up and I think and the popular opinion is, that the war is now drawing to a close. For weeks now our fighting has been much more open and no doubt you would see by the papers that our troops
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have again kept up their old reputation , I have been in the thick of it all through up till a few days ago, our battalion was in when the advance started and it only came out a little while ago. Really I fancy that at last we are in sight of peace. Anyhow I have every hope of starting for home before many months have passed, for a long time it did not seem that we were making much headway but now it seems that the weary wet nights we put in in such rain sodden ground, has turned to our advantage. The town of Bapaume , that the Germans boasted would take us nine years to take was taken with hardly a casuality and our men actually chased the Germans from one village to another. Every day we get news of fresh advances and more prisoners and the latest rumour is that already there is a chance of peace proposals before many weeks have
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"Abroad"
27.4.17
Dear Mother,
I was very pleased to receive another couple of letters from Ida, dated 17th and 26th o f February yesterday, and also one from
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rumour going around, though that all mail may be stopped in a while for a few months to Australia , but it may be only a hearsay. I have not written to Percy for some time so will have to send him a note as well to night. Have not much of interest to tell you mother so my note will only be a short one to night.
Trusting that this will reach you and find all as well as ever, with best and fondest love to all,
Your loving Son,
Gordon.
[Page 64]
Duston War Hospital
Ward 3
Northampton
England
16.5.17
Dear Mother,
I sent you a fairly long letter last week, with a fair detailed account of my being in Hospital and I trust you have received it safely by this. I am pleased to be able to tell you that I am feeling real fit, the ankle is getting on fine, the cut is healing up well and gives me very little pain. Although it was not dangerous, the size of the cut in the ankle will take a few weeks
to heal up so I shall be here for some time yet. I am now able to get up and wheel myself about the hospital grounds in a chair so the days don’t seem so long as they did while in bed. We have been having splendid weather here for the last week or so, nice and warm, such a change after the cold winter. I see by the papers that the weather has been quite warm
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in France too during the last few weeks. By the accounts we get through the papers the fighting is very severe over there now and I am watching the accounts every morning with great interest. That is where I just came from before getting my ankle injured or rather just a couple of miles to the right that is, of Bullecourt, where our Australians are again right in the stiffest part. I dont know whether it is my division or not that is taking part in this struggle as they had just been relieved when I came away but I daresay if they have not been in it yet they will be there ready to relieve one of the other divisions. So far I have had no letters since coming to hospital but am expecting them along any day now, we have a very nice lady who comes round every day and looks after the interests of
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all the Australians here and brings us any little thing we may need. Owing to the scarcity of petrol we do not go for motor drives as was the custom until a few weeks ago, the English people in general seem to be feeling the pinch of war a bit now. I despatched a couple of cable grams to dad a few days ago to let you know I was OK did the military let you know of my injury. The last cable was for money mother, you might think that I wanted more than seemed necessary, and that I ought to have had a few pounds saved up, for the matter of fact I have between four and five, but you will understand that this is the first chance since leaving Australia that I have had more than a days leave and I would like to have a look at the old country while I am here. In France although we did not get paid regularly, a chap could not save much, biscuits and bully beef, you know gets a bit tiresome after a few weeks solid go at it, and a chap soon gets rid of a few shillings on a decent feed or two when he gets near a canteen or shop of any sort. I trust this will find you all at home quite well mother, I hope Aub is still on the mend and is helping dad as he was some time ago, will send along another letter in a few days, no doubt by then I will have got a letter from home,
With best and fondest love to all at home, and to the boys,
With fond love from,
Your loving Son,
Gordon
[Page 67]
4.6.17.
Ward 3
Northants War Hospital.
Northampton.
England
Dear Mother,
I have not yet received any letters from home, I cant make out why, the authorities at headquarters must be deuced slow at dealing with the letters in the case of hospital patients, I am very pleased to say that my wound is getting on fine and I expect to be out in a convalescant home in a week or so now. I have been getting about on crutches for some time now, I cant put my foot to the ground yet, at least I can, but while I do so it will not heal. There is no pain at all in the ankle and it is only just a matter of waiting until the wound heals up. We have been having beautiful weather here ever since I came over nice cool sunny days, and everything is so green and the flowers
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have just come out into bloom . I have been down into Northampton twice, it is a fairly large place, but there is nothing of interest to see there. I went down on Friday evening to a garden party, a lady came up from the town and took four of us down to spend the afternoon at her party and we were treated very well. We had the usual games, singing , piano etc. and finished up with a fine supper. Yesterday I went down to the park to hear the Life Guards band play, they were very good and next Sunday the Grenadiers' are coming down here to play. It is astonishing to see the number of girls and young women in town. There are several big factories about here and they seem to all employ young women as munition makers. I got word to say that my money was deposited in the Commonwealth
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Bank in London, so I am getting a chap to draw it for me, and he is going to send it down this week. Thank you and Dad very much for sending it along so soon. There is so much difficulty in getting money cabled from Australia that I thought you might have had some trouble in getting it away. All we are allowed to draw in Hospital is 3/6 a week, it is just enough to buy papers, envelopes, etc. Things are a bit upset in England at present everything is rationed out. 1/4d worth is the total amount of dinner a chap can buy so there is no fear of spending too much in the food line.
I am anxious to get some home letters and am expecting them every day, as soon as I get them, I will write a long letter Mother.
Trusting that all at home and the boys are all well.
With fondest love to all
Your loving son,
Gordon
[Page 70]
Northampton War Hospital
14.6.17
Dear Mother,
Just received a couple of home letters dated 10th and 24th March. I was extremely glad to get them as they are the first I have had since coming to this hospital. I am feeling tip top, will soon be able to walk around on a crutch/ stick, I have had crutches for the last week or so. I was very pleased to know that you were all well and to hear of Rose's marriage. I am sending along a few photos that I had taken in the grounds. You may expect a long letter from me in a day or so mother. The chaps who are on each side of me are just chance hospital acquaintances. Had some more photos taken but they haven’t turned up yet.
You may expect them very shortly.
With best love to you all
Your loving son
Gordon
[Page 71]
Northants War Hospital
Duston
Northants
June. 20th
Dear Mother,
About four days ago I received three Australian letters, two from home, one of them yours and one from Percy. They were dated about 18th & 26th of March and were the first I have received since coming into hospital. I was very pleased to know that you were all quite well then, and hope that everyone is in a like condition now. I am glad to say that I am now getting on fine, I can now walk without crutches with the aid of a stick and apart from ankle trouble I never felt better in my life. Since coming across some six weeks or so ago the weather here has been splendid, it just reminds me of a nice Spring at home, every thinkthing is quite green and the sun is almost as hot as you would have it on a warm day in Australia. There is not much to vary the days here, we have a concert of sorts here almost every day, sometimes they are decent and sometimes otherwise, but they all help to pass away the long day
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The hospital is a very good one, but some of the rules are a bit off, for instance we have to go to bed at 8 pm and get up at 5.30 in the morning. This mightn't seem much to you but when I tell you that it doesn’t get dark until 10.30 or 11 at night, and a chap has to go to bed with the sun well in the sky you will see why it gets a bit tiresome. The end of the evening is really just the nicest part of the day, and of course we have to miss it and get into bed. Hospital life in England now of course is a good deal different to what it used to be. Owing to the food & all other shortages in England people cannot entertain the soldiers as well as they used, but with all that no one could have much to complain about. I think I told you that a large staff of the doctors were ladies, mine is a very nice woman and I get on very well both with her, and my ward sister, in fact because I have done a little writing and clerical work for them they want to keep me as long as they can. I don’t think I will be in a hurry to get back though for a while yet, as the last winter on the
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Somme front knocked a good deal of my old enthusiasm out, but you may be sure when the time comes that I will go over once more with the best of spirits, for there will be peace for none of us until the whole thing is over and utterly crushed. Even here in England the Germans are beginning to cause trouble with their air raids, and I think that it is only right that some of our flying chaps should give him a taste of what the English towns are getting. I have been down in Northampton several times, but it is not a very interesting place, it is a fairly large town but entirely manufacturing, boots are the chief manufacture and in consequence almost everyone is employed in the factories during the day and the town is not very lively. I sent along a few photos that I had taken here at the hospital a week or so ago. I hope you get them all right. I have had some more taken and will send them along as soon as they turn up. I received the money all right. Thank you mother I had no trouble in getting it from the bank in London, &
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hope that it did not cause you much trouble in sending it, This is a pretty bad time to be over here when everything is so scarce and dear, but I will have to be careful and make the best of it.
I received a letter from Ted Carrigan a week or so ago, was glad to get it, you might tell him that he may expect a letter from me very shortly , and mention in your letters to the boys that I will give them all the news in a day or so. I sincerely hope that all at home are enjoying the best of health and that everything is going on as well as can be expected. I trust Aub is still ok and that he is helping dad as he was when I heard from home last
With best and fondest love to everyone dear Mother
Your loving son
Gordon
[Page 75]
Duston War Hospital
June 24th 1917
Dear Mother and Father
I received another three letters from home a couple of days ago, and also one from Florrie Dorman. I was very glad to know that all at home were still quite ok and Aub's little message on the back of one of Ida's notes pleased me very much and I will be looking forward to getting a few more letters from him. Also I was glad to get a note from Mrs Dorman when she was staying at home, and I would like you to let her know mother when you write or see her next.
I am very glad to be able to tell you mother that my ankle is healing up well, I can now walk with a stick and I can get a boot on, provided it is not laced too tight. I daresay it will not be a great while before I am marked for convalescent now, there is very little to do at the hospital, but I manage to pass the time away by helping the doctor and sister a little. If I make myself useful you see they may not like to part with
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me for some time. The weather is glorious here now, we have been having real summer weather for weeks, and it is daylight from 4 a.m. to 11 p.m. at night. I expected to have some more photos to send you all but they did not turn out at all well, so the photographer would not develop them. I got a long letter from Ted Carrigan a week or so ago. I must answer him as soon as possible. Once I get about a bit I will have a bit more news to write about. I haven’t heard from Percy and Clarry for some time. Percy is a very good correspondent, but I daresay Clarry has a good deal of work to get over and therefore not much time for writing.
I have still hopes of being home for next Xmas mother, I think end of the war is almost in sight and would not be surprised at it ending any day.
Best love to you and dad and the rest.
With fondest love
Your loving son
Gordon
[Page 77]
Norths War Hospital
Duston
July 7th 1917
Dear Mother and Father,
I am very pleased to be able to tell you that I am getting on fine, my ankle is healing up real well and I can walk now almost without a limp. I have not received any more letters from home but am expecting some any day now as another Australian mail came in during the week. I have no idea as yet when I shall be leaving the hospital, nor for a week or two at least, and then I shall probably go to a convalescent home for a while. Now that I can walk about a bit I can pass the time away quite easily, this is just the ideal weather here and everything is looking at its best. The woods around here are particularly nice, we often go for a stroll through them. This part of England resembles the west coast of France very much, and the woods are just like those I went through near Havre last August. I have been out to tea several times lately and have had a real good time. The other afternoon I met the sister
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of Sir Harry Rawson, you will remember him, Governor of NSW a few years back; and we had quite a long chat about Australia, She says Sir Harry is never tired of talking of the Australians, and the good time he spent there. I am sending a little group on a couple of cards we had taken a few days ago, a couple of ladies, or rather four, gave us a strawberry tea, and we were snapped in the act. They are quite decent people, live in the town, their only brother is at present acting under the name of George Rosebury at one of the Melbourne theatres. The other boy in the photo is a chap called Hays, from Victoria, he is a jolly decent fellow, and we mostly knock about together. I have had several other photos taken, and will send them along as soon as I get them.
Best love to all at home,
With fondest love from,
Your loving Son
Gordon
[Page 79]
Northants War Hospital
England
15-7-17
Dear Father and Mother,
Both your letters of the 12th and 23rd of April came along in my last mail about a week ago, together with half a dozen from Ida and the boys. I was very pleased to hear from home as it was some time since I had heard, and was pleased to see that everything was as well as could be. I am now feeling tip top my ankle is almost healed up completely and has not left as big a scar as I should have thought, and in general health I couldn’t wish for better. I don’t suppose I will be here much longer, and I should be going on furlough in about a fortnights time at least. I have been treated splendidly while here, every day we had some kind of amusement, and almost every evening I have been out to some place or other. My mate here, a chap called Fred Hays, has been marked for Australia, and will be leaving in a weeks time, he had a severe wound in
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shoulder, and his arm is not likely to be of much use for a good many months yet. My doctor here has asked me to go and stay with a friend of hers, when I go to London on furlough and I think I will, she is an Australian by birth but has been over here for a good many years and the doctor says she is very anxious to have one of us stay with her.
With the mail I am sending you along a photo of a strawberry tea party we had in front of the sisters home a couple of weeks ago, it is a fairly large one and I hope it reaches you all right. The photo is of all the Hospital sisters, Matron and three patients from each ward; and the ladies who gave us the party. Also I am sending you another little snap I had taken with a couple of the nurses, a couple of days ago. I must not forget to tell you that I was very very pleased to get Aubs note safely, I am sure he must be getting on fine and what a big chap he must be, it will take me all my time to
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R ecognise him when I get back. A convoy came in yesterday with 40 Australians, and looking over the names I saw the name of Hansford,; I went down in to the ward and sure enough it was Sim Hansford of Mumbil. Also in a bed close to him was one of the Laurences of the Macquarie river. They both have Trench fever I think, Hansford told me that only a few weeks ago, he had met Thornberry and Les Cousins, and also Eric Hansen over in France.
Must sign off for this time dear mother,
With fondest love you and dad and all the family.
Your loving Son
Gordon.
[Page 82]
Northants War Hosp.
July 25th
Dear Mother,
My ankle is now quite well and have been marked for furlough in a few days time. I expect to leave here about next Tuesday and will go straight up to London. I think I told you I am going to stay with a friend of my doctors an Australian lady named Mrs. Cust, living at Highgate. She is very anxious to have me with her and I think it will be a good thing for me, as she will be able to show me around a bit and advise me where to go. Now that my time to go has come I am sorry to have to leave here, I have had a real good time in and both the doctor and sister and nurses have done all they could for me. Since coming across in May we have had the best of weather and I don’t think I could have struck a better time to see the old country. It is just three months ago today since I hurt my ankle, so you see I’ve had quite a long spell over here, and although I have been in the hospital the whole of the
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time I have had a real good spell if nothing else. I haven't had any more mail since the bundle I received about a fortnight ago, containing dad’s, Aub’s and Ida’s letters. I daresay mother you might think that I should write oftener but you know that life in hospital is fairly uneventful that is to write about and I don’t like writing about France, that will wait until I get back home again.
Ida has been a very good correspondent to me and although I mostly write to you, she will know that I write in answer to her letters as well as yours. By the number at the top of her letters, I think I must have got most of hers, since Xmas anyway. I was very glad to see that all at home was as well as ever in your last letters. And I am very pleased indeed to see that Aubrey is getting so well. I sent a large photo of the hospital sisters away a couple of days ago. I hope you will get it. I wonder whether you can pick me out. I am leaning against the ivy in the back row against the wall, and the man on my right is Cpl Hays my Australian pal while in hospital. I am also sending
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you half a dozen or so photos of myself, taken by an amateur just outside the hospital. I don’t think they are very good but they could have been worse. I was taken in my hospital uniform just coat and pants the dress is blue (fairly warm, and comfortable to knock about in) and white shirt and red tie.
Well mother, as soon as I have had my leave I will be able to give you a detailed account of my London experiences, so I shall have to sign off now.
Trusting that this will find you and dad, and all the family OK, with best and fondest love to you all
Your loving Son
Gordon
[Page 85]
Hollyside.
West Hill
Highgate
London
July 2
Dear Mother
I came up to London three days ago on furlough and am now doing my turn of sightseeing. Mrs Cust, the lady who I am staying with met me at Euston station and after I had completed my business at Headquarters was good enough to be my guide for my first day in London. She is an exceptionally nice woman , no one could help but like her, and she treats me just as her own son, Her husband Vice Admiral Cust is at present in command of one of the flotillas in the North Sea, and her son Jack is in command of one of the destroyers, She has one daughter too, a dear little kid of 12, Peggie and we have such good times together. This is a lovely house, one of the real old English sort with nice grounds at the back and is right up on the hill at Highgate. Front my window I can see
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nearly all over the city, I can see St. Pauls big dome and the spires of Westminster Abbey and Parliament House. I have really seen a great deal already, The Abbey, St Pauls Cathedral, Madame Taussauds, the famous wax works, many of the London Bridges and Museums, Bank of England, War Office, Exchange, Hyde Park and Serpentine, Buckingham Palace, Strand, Picadilly, Leicester Square, Trafalgar Square , Admiralty, Law Courts , and many more of the principal buildings and streets of London, and this is only my third day. I have also been to two theatres Oscar Asche in "Chu Chin Chow", and the Grand Oppra, "The Marriage of Figaro, by Gounod. Mrs Cust and Peggie and I are going out to Windsor one day next week and to various other places such as the Tower of London. This morning I had a look at the zoo, and happened to be there when the lions were fed. Saw plenty of old kangaroos and parrots, my word some of the old cockatoos can talk, as soon as they see an
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Australian they say "Hullo Australia, how are you" The King is going to church at Westminster Abbey next Sunday, so I am going to try to get a seat and see the royal church proceedings. Oh another thing of interest I saw, was Cleopatras needle, the one brought over from Egypt some years ago, it is now situated on the embankment of the Thames. Really mother I must not write any more tonight. Mrs Cust is waiting for me to have something to eat before going off to bed. She is such a dear woman and is good to me, I think I told you that she is an Australian, but has been over here with her husband for nearly 20 years .
Will write again quite soon.
With best and fondest love to you and dad and all the family
Your loving Son
Gordon
[Page 88]
"Holly Side"
West Hill
Highgate
London N.W.
Aug 8th. 17
Dear Mother and Father,
Tomorrow is the last day of my furlough, so I am just settling down to give you an idea of what I have been doing in the last fortnight in London. As you may guess I have had a great time, perhaps I owe a good deal for that to Mrs Cust the lady I have been staying with,She has been extremely good to me and could not do too much to make my stay a happy one. As I think I told you before, she is the wife of Rear Admiral Purly Cust and only has two children, her son Jack is a lieutenant in a destroyer and her little girl Peggie is a dear little kid of 12. Tomorrow I will be going back to a camp at Perham Downs near Salisbury, and then I suppose it will not be long before I shall be joining up my battalion again.
Well , I came up to London on the 26th July Mrs Cust met me at Euston, and after I had completed my business at Headquarters we spent the day in town together. Since then it has been one round of sight seeing
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and there is not much in London that I have not seen some way or other.The first place of interest that I saw with Mrs Cust was Westminister Abbey. Not so interesting for its beauty but for its age and Historical connections. It is here that all the ancient monarchs are buried and many of the old nobility of England and also the prominent men of different periods in English history such as poets, authors, musicians, clergymen and Statesmen. The old tombs are very interesting to see, though a good many have been sandbagged as war precaution. Also the royal chapel is very interesting in this we see the coronation chair which has done duty for so many former kings. Of course many of the old arches are quite beautiful, some of them dating back to the 10th century. Just opposite the Abbey is Parliament house, another grand building, but as I did not trouble to get a pass to go inside I only saw its street aspects. I suppose after the Abbey the next great cathedral to claim my attention is St Pauls, it is I think more beautiful than the abbey, although it is not near so old only dating from the 15 or 16th centuries. I went to see St Pauls with
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two of Mrs Custs nieces two Miss Custs and we climbed right up to the top of the dome and had a great view of London. Inside the dome is the whispering gallery, or rather the dome itself is the gallery, and from its railing one can see right down into the centre of the cathedral itself.
The next thing I went to see was Buckingham Palace. Of course there is not much to see on the outside only a great grand building interesting enough but yet I cannot explain it very well, Something I saw while there though was the changing of the guard at 10.30 , it did not impress me as anything very great as I think I have seen any amount of other guard change just as well, but perhaps if they had been dressed in their state guards uniform instead of ordinary kaki, it would have made all the difference. Another place of interest was the Tower of London here I saw first , the Bloody Tower, where the princes were murdered, then the court jewells and robes of state, and the white tower which contains all the ancient armour, weapons, and various other old antiquities of various kings, and various periods. Also the room in which Sir Walter Raleigh was imprisoned, and the axe, chopping
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block and actual spot on which so many of the old nobility were beheaded. Near the Tower is the Tower Bridge, the great bridge of London. Other places of interest which I saw but which I shall have to leave till another time were Law Courts, Australia House, National Art Galleries – various museums War Office, Bank of England, Cleopatras' needle, Hampton Court, Wesminister R.C. Cathederal, Admiralty House, Hyde Park, and Serpentine, Rotten Row where the fasionable riding takes place, Trafalgar and Leicester Squares, Madame Taussauds wax works exhibition, Nationall Zoo , and all the principal streets squares and circuses and many out of the way corners of London. On Sunday I went in to the Abbey for church , the King attended a special intercession service, and when he came out I was very fortunate in getting a splendid view of him also of Princess Mary, Victoria and one of the young princes. Will tell you more next letter but will have to sign off now. I am glad to say I am feeling tip top and trust that everyone at home is the same. I have not had any letters from home for some weeks now but trust to get a heap soon, with best and fondest love to you dear mother and Father and all the rest,
Your loving Son
Gordon
[Page 92]
No.1 Command Depot
Perham Downs
August. 12th 1917
Dear Mother and Father,
You will see that I am once more back in camp. I came down from London off my furlough on 9th August, and I can tell you for the first night I felt quite downhearted. It seemed a bit strange having to rest my head on a hard floor again, after having such a spell in good beds, but I am getting quite used to it now, I’m afraid I have been trained to well in France to allow the loss of a soft bed to interfere with my nights rest. I must say I shall never forget what a great time I had on furlough, Mrs Cust, the lady I was with, could not have done more for her own son, she even invited two of her nieces down from York so that they could be free to take me around . Mrs Cust said that she would
[Page 93]
like to write to you mother and I said you would only be too pleased to hear from her so you may expect a letter, perhaps you will get it before you get this. She is such a nice woman mother and was very very good to me, so when you get her letter, will you write and thank her for what she did for me.
I also saw my doctor a couple of days before I came away, she came up to London to see Mrs Cust and of course I stayed in to see her, she is also a very nice woman and looked after me like a baby while I was in hospital, she writes to me fairly often, it is so nice to get letters nearly every day, I made quite a lot of friends while in hospital, and many of them send me along a note occasionally and it helps me to feel as if I am among a lot of old friends, instead of being so far away from home. I am pleased to say that I am feeling O.K. I am now in this camp awaiting, dental treatment. I have a couple of back teeth which need slight
[Page 94]
fillings and I am to go down tomorrow afternoon to have them fixed up. By all accounts I shall be here for at least two or three weeks, then I suppose it will be France again. There is a chance that I may get a staff appointment but I am not putting my faith on that just yet. There is no doubt that I have been very very lucky, all my old comrades of the battalion were killed or wounded at Bullecourt, a week after I left them, so you see, what I thought hard luck, might have happened for the best. Out of my company of Lewis Gunners I am the only surviving N.C.O. All the rest, 6 of them , were killed in action since I left.
I must sign off for tonight dear mother, will write again quite soon, Remember me to all old friends.
Trusting that all of you are quite well.
With best love to you and dad and all the rest
Your loving son
Gordon
[Page 95]
15th August 1917
Hollyside
West Hill
Highgate
London N6
My dear Mrs Edwards
Gordon left here on Thursday to Perham Downs. I daresay he told you he was staying with us. I promised him I would write to you this mail , as I know how lovely it is to hear from someone who has seen your boy and to know how he really is looking , our boy Jack is just 20 & at present is in a destroyer so I don't very often see him, so can well understand how you must long to see your dear boy sometimes & to know in yourself just how he is looking.
Gordon came to me straight from hospital and he looks simply splendidly
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Well, what a beautiful big fellow he is with his lovely curly hair. The wound in his foot is perfectly well & he did quite a lot of walking while he was here and his leg did not seem to get tired at all & he walks quite as well as before he tells me, and is not a bit lame. He is a dear boy and used to talk about you all so often, and of the fun he used to have camping out. I used to try to find out what he liked best to eat and at last after a great deal of questioning discovered his favourite pudding, he said mother would soon guess what that is, plum pudding cold with milk & sugar.
I was so glad my niece Nora Cust was here for a few days holiday, she is busy ploughing
and doing farm work, they were able to go out together & they both enjoyed it, I do think our dear Australian boys miss the companionship of nice girls and there are so few opportunities for them to meet any just now, as every girl is busy at some war work. I was born in Australia near Ballarat, Victoria, and as I am not strong enough to take up any definite war work, I try as far as possible to look after Australian boys, they do seem to love so to get into a house[?] for a little while. Gordon has written several times from camp, he is splendid about going back to a soldiers life again, how wonderful our boys, and all our men are. Dr. Gazdar told me about Gordon, a young cousin of mine who was wounded was under her, I think she is wonderful & such a good woman, so I asked her if she knew of any lovely Australians to be sure to let me know, so I have her to thank for sending your dear boy to us. Peggy & I miss him very much. I trust this horrible war will soon be over & that it may not be long before you have Gordon home again. With best wishes
Your sincere friend
Alice E.Purey-Cust
[Page 97]
No 1 Command Depot
Perham Downs
August 23rd
Dear Ida
Yesterday I received four Australian letters the first for about 8 weeks, I received one from you, one from Clarry, and two from Percy. I was very pleased indeed to get them and to know that you were all so well over home. They were all dated about 20th to 25th May, and you had just received my cable, and also one from the military authorities notifying you that I was in hospital in England. I received the money quite safely, thanks very much, I thought perhaps you would be a little doubtful as to whether it was for me, but it came along in good time all right. I am just about settled down to the regular military life again and am just getting into full swing. My spell in hospital, and then to finish up, such a splendid 14 days furlough in London made my coming back to camp again a bit hard. After spending such a glorious and comfortable few months of clean living and decent associations, I can tell you, it made me feel a
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bit discontented to have to go back to the old life.
I think I have told you what a real good time I had in hospital up at Northampton. I made quite a lot of friends up there, and the letters I get from them together with those from my London friends all help to make me feel much more at home, over this side, than I have for a long time. I think I told you that my doctor at Northampton was a lady, she was very good to me and it was through her that I got to know Mrs Purey Cust, my kind hostess and best of friends in London, Mrs Cust was such a dear woman she made me feel just as much at home as it was possible to do, and it felt almost like leaving home again when I came away. Mrs.Cust was not very strong, so she invited a couple of her nieces down from Lincoln to spend a week or two with her, so that I would have some one to take me around, and show me the sights of London, You can guess what a jolly time I had and there was not much that we did not get to see. Also the girls were able to get permission to show me around many places that I would never have been able
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to see on my own. Each morning we used to start out about half past nine and would not get back until about 12 at night, my routine for the day used to be, a bath, get dressed, morning prayers, breakfast, sight seeing in town in the morning, sightseeing out of town in the afternoon, come home for dinner at 7 oclock then back again to the city to a theatre at night.
I got a letter from Mrs Cust yesterday and it said that she had written to mother telling her all about my stay in London so I daresay you have received it by now, I mean by the time you will get this letter.
I had my photo taken while I was in London, I got a dozen post card size and thought that I would have some decent ones to send you, but when I got them they were such a libel on me that I thought it best to tear the beggars up. I only kept one, and I am sending that to you just let you see what a fright I look. Mrs Cust took several snaps of me, while at Highgate, and I am expecting to see them any day now, as soon as they come along I will post them on home. I have now got a bit
[Page 100]
of a staff job down here for a while , instructing again, I don’t know whether they will keep me for long or whether I will be going back to join the battalion, but I don’t think this will suit me for long, and probably I shall be going back in a few weeks. As soon as I rejoin I am sure of my promotion while over this side I am only a temporary rank again.
It is fairly decent here at Perham Downs we have very good huts to sleep in and the food is real good; it is wonderful how many of my old battalion mates are over here, I think half the old battalion are poking around the different camps.
Well dear Ida I think I’ll sign off for this time, I hear we have another big Australian mail in so probably I shall be lucky again
With best and fondest love to Mother, Father the boys and yourself.
Your loving Bro.
Gordon
Am enclosing three snaps taken by Mrs Cust, all she has developed so far, just came along, the little girl is Peggie her daughter, they were taken just at the back of her house.G.
[Page 101]
Overseas Depot
Perham Downs
September 8th 17
Dear Ida
I have received another couple of letters from home since writing to you last and was very pleased to see that they contained the same good news from home that everyone were quite ok. I am feeling real fit myself and cannot complain of anything. I have now shifted across into the overseas depot, this is the one from which the drafts for France are taken, so I expect I shall not be long now before I go across again. I do not think that I can complain at all for I have been over here about four months now, so you see I have had quite a long spell away from the line and its just about time I thought about going back to have another hit at Fritz.The jolly Russians have made a mess of things altogether and I think Germany has just about forced them into a defeat. This will mean an extra strain on us now I suppose, we shall have to push them for all we are worth on the western front to prevent them taking too much advantage of the failure of Russia. It is a jolly good thing that the Yanks have come in with us, they will be able to take the place of the
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Russians and at any rate we shall soon see whether all their boasting is going to result in deeds. While I was in London on furlough I saw some of them march through the streets, I don’t think they can come any where near our troops for smartness, or soldierly manners but of course that does not count for much nowadays what proves the soldier of today is the manner in which he faces the ordeal when it comes, and it comes good and hot at times, across the channel. My division has left the Somme for a while and are now up Ypres way, so I expect that is where I will join them up, and probably that is where we shall be for the next few months. That is where I joined them up last year, you remember I left England on the 9th September just twelve months ago tomorrow, and joined my battn. up at Armentieres, we were there for a couple of months and then shifted down onto the Somme for the winter. At first we were fighting just in front of Albert, but when we pushed the Germans back in February we passed right through Bapaume, and afterwards on towards Cambrai, finishing up at Bullecourt, I think I have told you how my battalion fared there, only fifteen of my company came out whole, nearly all my old mates were
[Page 103]
killed or wounded; among them the two Blyghtons from the river, and the company is now composed of nearly all new reinforcements.
We have been having beautiful weather here on the plains, although it rained a good deal a couple of weeks ago. There is one thing about this country and that is that it does not take long for the rain to dry up here like it does in some places. You will be able to pick this place out easy enough, it is down in Hants. We are about a mile from Tidworth and the closest large town is Andover, about ten miles away. There is not much to tell you of interest of this place as apart from the military camps, Salisbury plains is a fairly desolate waste of country. I haven’t been round much since coming down off furlough. I did think of putting in for four days leave, but it is pretty hard to get now. I believe, so I shall give up the idea. I often get letters from Mrs Cust she is down at Brighton by the sea side holiday making. I sent you some snaps she took of me while I was with her, I hope you will get them all right, also some others I sent about the same time. I also get a good many letters from some of my friends in Northampton, and also from Mrs Custs' nieces at Lincoln,
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they assure me of numerous parcels and other good things once I get over to France again.
I have not written to Clarry for some time Ida will you tell him that he may expect a letter from me very shortly. I don’t know how it is but somehow the days slip by and I do not notice that the time flies and I do not write. I see where there was a little trouble with the railways in New S Wales, but I think it must have been settled satisfactorily alright. Can you give me the address of George or Charlie Grimes or Joe Warn. I have met nearly all the old Stuart Town chaps but have not yet ran across those.
George Sullivan is over here somewhere I think in England, and young Jack McCormick from Store Creek is in this depot.
I am so glad to her that Aub is getting on so well and growing such a big chap. I hope he will be quite recovered by the time I get back.
Will have to sign off now dear Ida .
With best love to you all, mother, Father, Aub and yourself
Your loving Brother
Gordon
Remember me to Ted Corrigan
[Page 105]
30.11.17
Christmas, 1917
54th Battalion
A.I.F., France
[Two side of a "Field Post Card" dated Nov 30 17. Addressed to Mather and with a Xmas poem on back.
Also an army fill in card just saying "I am going well" and dated 21.09.17
Neither were transcribed]
[Page 106]
France
October 6th
Dear Father,
I am once more back with the battalion, and have again settled down to active service conditions. I am glad to say I am feeling real fit, and am ready for another go at the Hun. I came across about a fortnight ago, just in time to face it again and have had the usual luck. Our boys have been doing great work as you will have seem by the papers, and perhaps some far reaching effects may result. I cannot tell you where we have been, but each day the newspapers proclaim
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it to the world. I am now in a different part of the country to that which I left some months ago, the country around here is fairly picturesque and is just at its best now; by climbing onto a rise you can see for miles away through the green low lyings hills, and here and there are small red roofed villages. Of course the old line is much the same, there is not much difference in that anywhere, the old sounds and sights are very familiar. Just at present the Boche seems to have a craze for Bomb dropping, Not only does he bomb the civil population
[Page 108]
But we get our share as well, each night we get that experience. Several of our old district boys have gone under in the last few months, both of the Blytons were killed and the two Glawsons both wounded, and there are a good many new faces among us.
I am glad to say that I have received a good many home letters since coming across, the latest were dated about August 3rd, and I was very pleased to see that all the family were OK. I do not think that I have missed many of my letters, I missed a few about the end of July, but since
[Page 109]
then I have got them very regularly. Fancy, Braddon has sold out at last, I never thought he would have got such a price as he did. Things seem to be in a bit of a mix up in NSW at present, or rather it has been, I often wonder what some of the beggars would do if they were over here. I see that Holman has been commenting on some of us over this side, I don’t think you need take too much notice of some of his statements dad, some of them may have some truth, but some fly wide of the mark, you must remember that he has been talking to all sorts of men
[Page 110]
and what one says, does not signify that the majority agree.
Up to the present we have been having great weather, but I daresay now that the winter is drawing on we must soon expect a change.
I will have to sign off for this time dad, I was very pleased to see that Aub was getting so well, and sincerely hope he will continue to do so.
With fondest and best love to mother and yourself, all at home, and the boys,
Your loving Son,
Gordon.
[Page 111]
Flanders
Nov. 8th 17
Dear Father,
I have not had any more home letters since I wrote to you a week ago but I am expecting some every day now. I wrote a short note from Ypres and then sent a few Xmas cards home, which I hope will reach you before Xmas. We are now out in billets for a short while, but I expect it will be the trenches again in a few days. We had a pretty rough time a few weeks back, but the results showed that we came out well on top again. I cannot make out what the people of Australia can be thinking about to allow all those strikes, at a time like this. I can assure you that the boys over here pass some damn strong comments on the strikers who will not come and fight. Do you know dad that the Australians have earned a name over here, that will
[Page 112]
never be forgotten. The Australians are recognized as absolutely the best fighters in the world, they have achieved more and are still doing more that is in proportion, than any nation in the war, We are recognized as being the best fighters.The Americans, the English & French all acknowledge it and the present day fighting tactics of the British army is taken from the defence and attack at the Hindenberg line by the Australians. I could tell you a lot more dad, but its not allowed but you will see from what I said that when those strikes occur at home, we over here do not get a square deal. Although things at present do not look too promising on the Italian and Russian fronts, I feel sure that we are steadily gaining the upper hand and from the little that we see on our part of the Western front, I can tell you that things are not quite
[Page 113]
as bad as they may seem. Now that the Americans have entered in earnest we should soon have big results over this side, and that will make up for the revereson on the Eastern fronts. We have proved beyond doubt that on the western front, at least, that the Germans are being steadily defeated, they will not stand up to our troops, and when the time comes for it, I feel sure we will utterly defeat them. I am glad to say dad that I am feeling quite OK and hope to carry on right through the piece. No more news this time dad, so, hoping all at home, and all the rest of the family are all quite well, and wishing everyone a Happy & Bright new Year.
With fondest, and best love to you, mother, and all the rest
Your loving Son
Gordon.
[Page 114]
France
Dec 1st 1917
Dec 2nd
Just received the parcel ok with cake and all. Many many thanks. My birthday today just came in time, didn’t it, the cake was a snorter. Socks were just what I wanted. Thank Marjorie for hers.
Gordon
Had a letter from Mrs Cust in which she says she got a letter from you and was so pleased to get it.
Dear Mother
I was very pleased to receive three letters from home this morning two from Ida and one from you, dated Oct.9th. I was so glad to know that everyone was well at home and that all else was in good condition. I had a note from Percy about a week ago and he mentioned that my note from "Hollyside," had reached him safely , but I have not heard from Clarry for a long time now. I was very sorry to hear that his little girl had passed away. I am glad that my large photo reached you all right. I thought you might like to have it and it will always be something to look back upon. Have you or Ida or any of the family any new photos if so I should very much like to have some, it is a jolly long
[Page 115]
long time now mother since I came away and I would like to have a look at your dear face once again.
You will notice that tomorrow my birthday. This is the second time in France the last one I had right in the trenches but it is not quite so bad this time as we have just come out for a while. I am afraid that my Xmas parcel must have gone down on the Port Kembla, as it has not reached me yet. I have given up hope of seeing it now. I am not faring too badly though, I have had two nice parcels from England within the last couple of weeks. I received one from some lady friends at Northampton, and the other from my Lady Doctor. I have not had a letter from Mrs Cust since the death of her boy Jack on the destroyer "Strongbow" but I am
[Page 116]
expecting a letter from her any day now. I am so glad that you wrote her thanking her for her kindness to me.
I am so pleased to hear that Aub is getting on so fine. I am waiting anxiously to hear from him, I am sure he must be able to write a good letter now.
Remember me to Ted Carigan mother when you se him. I have not written to him for a long time but must send him a note this time out.
Must sign off for this time dear Mother
With fondest love to yourself Dad and all the rest
Your loving Son
Gordon
How is Ted Halliday .Haven't word of him for ages.
[Page 117]
France
Dec 9th.1917
Dear Mother
I am writing to tell you that I received your parcel quite in good order a few days ago. I had almost given up hope mother of it ever reaching me but it came along alright just in time for my birthday. Everything in it was OK. And the cake was a real good one by jove we had a great tuck in the night it arrived.
We are again out of the trenches for awhile and if we have any luck should be out for Xmas and the New Year. So far we have been very fortunate in having fairly decent weather, it has not been cold at all so far. I only hope it lasts for a good while. I had a letter from both of the boys
[Page 118]
a few days ago. Clarry told me all about his holidays and how things were in general. I also had a very nice letter from Mrs Cust saying that she had received a nice letter from you and was so glad of it. No doubt she would reply to it and I am sure that you will see for yourself by her letter that she is a very nice woman. As I will be out for a while I shall be able to write to you every few days, so this note dear mother will only be a short one, Don’t forget please to send me along your photo, if you have one, I should also like one of Dad and all the rest, if you have some.
With fondest and best love to all
Your Loving son
Gordon
[Page 119]
France
January 6th. 1918
My Dear Mother
I have been waiting for some days in the hope of getting an Australian mail before writing home but as it has not come along as rumour had it, I am writing today. Well all the excitement of Christmas and the New Year is over and we have settled down to the same old things. I think I told you last letter mother that we were likely to be out of the fighting for some time. We were fortunate in getting into a quiet countryside for Christmas, in fact we are still here. We are situated in between two rows of hills and although the snow is on the ground it is not very cold nothing like the cold weather we had at this time last year. We had a
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little better Christmas day also this year. Our company had Xmas dinner altogether we fixed up an old French barn with tables and forms and sat down in the good old Xmas way. Let me see, I think I can remember what we had, and you will know what the troops get on Xmas day. Our first course consisted of Soup then Fish then followed Roast Beef Cabbage potatoes carrots and Roast Pork, then came the Plum Pudding and nuts etc. To drink we had mineral waters and French beer. Our New Years celebrations were much the same but there were not so many elaborate preparations . I assure you I thought of you all dear mother on Xmas day, but things may have been far worse, and perhaps by next Xmas we will b all together again. My friends in England have
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been looking after me wonderfully well, I received four parcels just before Xmas from different ladies, and one yesterday, from dear Mrs Cust. I have not heard from her for some time, but am expecting a letter daily. We have received very few letters within the last weeks but here are rumours of a big Australian mail shortly. I was very sorry to see that
conscription had been turned down again. I had a vote on the question this time, but it turned out to be a lost cause. I think most of the soldiers voted yes, although no doubt there were many who did not. Of course it is mainly those chaps who came away expecting to have a good time and found out their mistake too late, who squeal against compulsory system. Thank goodness I was
[Page 122]
not one of those, I am just as anxious to see the thing through now as ever I was, and if I had the choice of giving in or fighting for another ten years for victory, I would say fight on. Anyhow I feel sure that this year will see the war through.
No more news today mother, I will write to dad and the boys in a day or two.
With fondest love to all at home, dear mother,
Your living son
Gordon.
Remember me to Ted Carrigan and all other old friends.
Has Aub had any photos lately. I would like one if he has . I hope he is quite O.K. Am expecting to hear from him shortly
[Page 123]
France
January 12th 1918
My Dear Ida
I was so glad to get two letters from you a couple of days ago .They were dated 22nd & 29th. Of October and were numbered 41 & 42. I was very pleased to hear how well everyone was at home. I was only wondering the other day if you have heard from the Kirkbys, and was surprised to hear that Blanche & Vera had been staying with you. I would like to see the snaps of the orchard allright the trees should be looking fairly well after two years of good weather. It wont be long now until it is two years since I left it doesn’t seem long but I have had quite a number of experiences in that time. At present
[Page 124]
we are billeted in a French village about 3 miles from the sea shore, in between Etaples and Boulogne. Leave can be obtained to both places, but I have been in both several times previously so have not troubled them this time. The class of French people around here ,that is on the coast are a filthy lot. I daresay the war has made them worse, but at any time I should imagine their standard to be pretty low. Leave can also be obtained to Paris, but at present the cash balance doesn’t permit the trip so I shall have to wait until later. I am going away on the 15th to an Army Corps School of instruction, it will be a change for a while and perhaps something may turn up out of it.
I think your reply to Mrs Cust was a very good one Ida. I’m sure it expressed all
[Page 125]
that was necessary and it was very well worded. I have not had a letter from her for some time, I expect she will have received your letter by this and will tell me about it but I got a nice cake, from the Army & Navy stores in London a few days ago, and I expect it was she who sent it.
I will have to sign off now Ida, for this time,
With best love to yourself, Mother , Dad & Aub.
Your Loving Bro
Gordon
I had a letter from Ted Carigan and one from Percy a few days ago, am writing to both of them to day. Remember me to Rose when you write to her next.
[Page 126]
France
Feb. 12th.18
My Dear Ida,
I think I told you in my last letter that I was going to the Australian Corps School for a course of instructing well, I came here on the 15th of January and still have another week to go, so will be joining the battalion again about the 19th. This Australian Corps School is a school for Officers and N.C.O.s, all N.C.O.s having to pass the standard infantry tests here before going to the Officers Training College in England. As far as the tests go, I have done exceptionally well, but as to whether they will take notice of it in the battalion is another matter. This school is situated on the old Somme battlefield
[Page 127]
just behind the famous Pozieres, it was built here so as to get as near the actual thing as possible. It seems so deserted about here now, but, some 14 months ago when we first came down here the German shells and machine guns were plentiful enough. The place is just like one big bare cemetery, wherever one looks little wooden crosses, and mounds stare at you from all directions. Of the towns of Pozieres, Contalmaison and all the rest of the once flourishing places, scarcely a brick can be found and the stately virgin statute on the top of the Albert cathedrral still hangs suspended in mid air.
My battalion is now up about Messinnes and Polygon wood you will easily find the places on a war map Ida, just over the Belgian border, we have
[Page 128]
been up there now ever since last September. A good sized town that you will easily find which is close to where I will be for the next few months is Ypres. Do you remember me telling you of a friend of mine, Reg Gilligan in Dubbo camp, well he went away some months ago, got to the O.T.C. in England , and came back as an officer a month or so ago. He is here at the school with me now that is why I can tell you all I am, for he censors my envelopes. I had a letter from Mrs Cust yesterday but she did not mention receiving a letter from you so I suppose it has not turned up yet. There are a few Yanks around here now, they seem decent fellows but of course we don’t know what they can do yet.
I’ll have to sign off now dear Ida, with fondest love to mother, father, Aub and yourself.
Your Loving Bro.
Gordon
[Page 129]
France
25.3.18
Dear Father
I received a couple of letters from home a couple of days ago, one from Ida and one from Percy, dated about the 4th of January. I was very glad to hear that all were well, and that the orchard was looking well too. Percy told me that those young apple trees on the hill in front of the Home, had grown splendidly. How did the young orange & lemons grow, did they do well? I am glad to say that I am still quite O.K. we have been in the line again for a good while but have had very few casualties, in fact a chap is pretty stiff if he gets a crack when there are no stunts on. The weather has stuck to us wonderfully this year, we have had very little cold weather, and very little rain, and from the beginning of the month we have had quite warm days, consequently the conditions are not nearly so bad as they were this time last year. There should be big things doing in the Spring, and I have every confidence of seeing the end of the war before very long. Of course I cannot tell you much
[Page 130]
Dad, but I would like to be able to give you some idea of how we are progressing. I think I shall be going on leave to England, shortly. I cabled home for some money a few weeks ago, and as soon as it comes along I will be right. I had a long letter from Mr Staines some weeks back, he wrote from some place on the South Coast , and I sent him a long letter in return. I am writing this letter from inside an old German pill box , these pill boxes are really large cemented dugouts, and are fine shelters from shell fire, and they make great shelters for us as well as Fritz. He must have spent a good deal of money in building these places, as most of them are very thick walled, and fitted up with electric lights. Of course the electric lights are not here now, our artillery saw to that in the battle of Messines, when these particular pill boxes were taken.
I'll have to sign off now for this time dad, sincerely hoping everyone are well
With best and fondest love,
Your loving Son,
Gordon
[Page 131]
France
April 16th
Dear Mother
It is some time since I have had a chance to write home for we have been kept fairly busy for the past few weeks. I am glad to say I am still doing splendidly and apart from feeling a bit tired am quite O.K. I sent along a field card a few days ago, I would have written then but hadn't the opportunity . I received quite a bundle of letters from home about three weeks ago, they were all dated about January, and I was glad to see by all of them how everything was in such good order at home.
[Page 132]
I was a bit [indecipherable] hear that you have [indecipherable] letter from my hospital pal Fred Hays of Melbourne.I did not know that he was back so soon. Probably by the time this reaches you he will have called at Orangedale, and you would se what a decent chap he is. We had many a good time together at the hospital and he will be able to give you an idea of how I looked. I didn’t know that Sim Hansford had returned either he seemed to be pretty well when I saw him last. I have heard too that another couple
[Page 133]
of chaps from our district are going back, Tom & Jim Glawson of the Macquarie River, they deserve a spell anyhow, they saw a good deal of fighting while they were here. We are having fairly decent weather here now, it is a little bit cold, but nothing like we had last winter, and as the Spring is coming on we shall soon get some warm days. Only for the recent disturbance of the Western front I should have had my leave to England before this, but leave was stopped a few weeks ago and it may be sometime
[Page 134]
now until I can get across. I have begun to wonder mother, whether your letter reached Mrs Cust, I had a letter from her about a fortnight ago, and she did not mention getting yours and I think she would be sure to do so when your letter reached her. Perhaps though it has not turned up yet. I was so glad to hear that Aub was getting on so well. I hope he keeps on improving as he is.
With fondest love to yourself ,Dad, Ida and Aub
Your loving Son,
Gordon
[Page 135]
Australian Imperial Force
Base Records Office\
Victoria Barracks
Melbourne 28th May, 1918.
Dear Sir,
I now beg to advise you that Lance Corporal G.T. Edwards, has been reported wounded.
His postal address will be-
Mr No.1647 Lance Corporal G.T. Edwards,
54th Battalion,
Australian Imperial Force,
Abroad.
Don’t fail to send change of address to Base Records, Melbourne.
In the absence of further reports it is to be assumed that satisfactory progress is being maintained, but anything later received will be promptly transmitted, it being clearly understood that if no further advice is forwarded this department has no more information to supply.
Yours faithfully,
Jmlean Major,
Officer in Charge, Base Records.
[Page 136]
Address all letters to the Battalion as before (until youhear from me again)
Bingham Hotel
5, Southampton Buildings,
Chancery Lane, Holborn,
London. W.C.
30-6-18
Dear Dad,
I am over in England again as you see, and just now am spending a few days on leave before going into the Officers Cadet College to obtain a Commission. I am afraid it is a good while since I wrote my last letter home, things were in a deuce of a mix up in France for a while and I did not get my usual letters away, but I trust my field cards reached you O.K. I have been expecting to get across here for some time and have been putting off my letters in consequence of being able to write in detail as soon as I got across here, I am
[Page 137]
glad to say that I am feeling tip-to, and now that I shall soon have my commission the life as a soldier will not be quite so hard. I sent along a cable home, as soon as I landed here a few days ago, just to let you know that I was safe, and also, as I will be in need of some money. I daresay dad, you will think I want a deuce of a lot, well to tell the truth I do need a good bit for a start, you know I have to keep myself in everything, and live as any officer does, all on my usual pay until the completion of the training course, of course then I will get my Officers allowance of a guinea a day, and will soon be able to pull, what money I spend now in training
[Page 138]
As yet I do not know what part of England I will do the training in, but it will be either Cambridge or Oxford I think. I will know as soon as I report to Headquarters on the 5th of next month when my leave is up and I start work. The course will last about four or five months I think. I don’t think I told you that I received quite a lot of home letters, about a fortnight ago, all dated about March and I was glad to see how well you all were. I am not going to write a long letter now dad, but as soon as I get settled down, I will be able to write you an account of some of the
[Page 139]
doings in France. Over the other side a chap cant say much, but here thank goodness a censor does not read everything. For the past few months, in fact since the big German attack, we were in the line at Villers – Brettoneaux, you will possibly remember the name, as we had some pretty hard fighting to hold it, in fact it was taken from the Tommies and we had to take it back as it was such an important centre. However, will go into the war next time and give you all the inside information I can, but I will sign off for this time.
With fondest love to all at home ,& the boys.
Your loving son,
Gordon.
[Page 140]
D Company
No 6 Officer Cadet Battn.,
Magdalen College.
Oxford
18.8.18
Dear Mother,
Since I received the bundle of letters dated in April and May, a couple of weeks ago I have not had any more home mail. I am thankful to say that I am getting on splendidly and am feeling as fit as can be, and I hope all of you are enjoying good health at home. This is a very nice time of the year in England, and we are having exceptionally fine weather. I am just beginning to know Oxford now and have made a few acquaintances, but there isn't much time to go
[Page 141]
around, because we are kept fairly busy at the college. I think the worst part of the training is about over now, so the work will become a bit more interesting as each week passes. We had our first examination last Friday and I passed quite easily, getting 72 per cent in marks. Of course the Exams' don’t count much at least the written ones don’t, it is the field work that counts most, and as I have had a good deal of practice at that, I haven't much to learn. They are fairly strict about leave here at the College, we only get about 7 days in three months, so we don’t get far away from Oxford. The city itself
[Page 142]
is a very slow old place , any of our towns such as Orange would beat it hollow for business, but of course the age of the place, with so many old colleges and traditions make it the important and renowned place that it is. I spend most of my spare time looking around the various colleges or else in a canoe on the river, I had no idea that canoeing and rowing was such good sport until I came here. There are fish of sorts in the river but I have not tried my hand at them. I don’t think they could come up to the old Macquarie cod, and it’s a bit too tame catching fish you cant eat.
[Page 143]
Well Mother I had a new experience the other evening, I went for a fly in an Aeroplane, another chap and I went for a walk down to an Aerodrome just out of Oxford, and we had no difficultly in getting a pilot to take us up. I went up with an American pilot, and we flew from Oxford down the Thames to Reading and back again. I was in the air for about 2 hours I think, all told. It seems a bit strange at first, but you soon get used to it. It is almost impossible for an accident to occur now, the machines are made so thoroughly and even if the engine
[Page 144]
does go wrong or anything happen to the pilot, the machines are so perfect that they will glide to the ground and alight themselves without much of a bump.
One of the Mrs. Daltons from Orange is living here at Oxford, I don’t know which one, she has invited some of the Australians boys around. I don’t know whether I will be going yet. I used to know some of the Dalton boys, but perhaps it isn’t the same family.
By jove , Clarry would have made a name for himself here at Oxford, the great game is cricket, and there are cricket ovals
[Page 145]
everywhere. I play myself but I dont make much of a fist of it, football is my best game and that is out of season now. For the adjutant of this battalion we have Captain Spooner, the great international English cricketer, and he takes a great interest in the game , and plays for each college in turn. Among the staff officers there are also many county cricketers, so almost every afternoon after parade we have to go to cricket.
I wonder if it would interest you to know what my days programme consists of. We have to get up at 6 am. And have breakfast at 8. We parade from
[Page 146]
9 till 12 and have lunch at 1 p.m. Then we parade from 2 till 4 p.m. After which we can get out into the town until 7. At 7 p.m. we have to dress for dinner, and parade for dinner at 7.30. Dinner is a very solemn affair. All the old Dons of the college and the officers of the Company dine with us in the great Hall, and before dinner begins we all have to stand, while the President says Grace, which is in Latin as follows.
Benedictus,benedicat per Christum Domenum Nostrum, which means Let this our meal be blessed by Jesus Christ our Lord.
[Page 147]
When grace is over we all sit down and carry on with the dinner, which though not what might be called an elaborate one is very good and solid. Now Ida will able to say grace as we say it, and as it has been said here for 500 years. After dinner is over we get permission to leave and then go up to the music room where we can sing and listen to the piano until 10.30 when we are supposed to go to bed.
I had some photos taken last week will send some along in a day or two.
No more this time dear mother, with fondest love to all at home.
From your loving Son.
Gordon.
[Page 148]
"D" Company
No. 6 Officer Cadet Battn.,
Magdalen College
Oxford.
24TH Nov. 1918.
Dear Mother,
I have not written home for some time now and as an Australian mail is sailing next week I am taking the opportunity of sending you along a note to assure you all that I am O.K. I’m afraid I have not kept up my usual home letters as frequently as I should have done, but once I came across to England I knew that you would be at ease and know that I was safe and out of danger. Since my last letter home the Armistice has been signed, and
[Page 149]
so that settles the possibility of my getting knocked out by Fritz . In all probability it will not be long now before we start for home, and I hope to be back with you about the middle of next year, if not earlier. My stay at Oxford has been a very pleasant one, and I suppose I will be a bit sorry to leave it, but the prospect of seeing Australia again will outweigh all my regrets of leaving here.
We as cadets are placed in rather a funny position now, it isn’t quite certain whether we will obtain our commissions or else be demobilised as cadets, but there is every chance of us getting commissions, if it is only for the trip
[Page 150]
home. In any case I shall not mind much, only a first class passage home would be much more comfortable. I was up in London for seven days about a fortnight ago, we had a weeks leave after our examination, and I went out and saw Mrs Cust again. She said she had received a letter from you recently and was answering it in a day or two.The day on which the Armistice was signed was a great day over here, the people almost went mad I think, there were several demonstrations in Oxford.
I can’ t make out whats gone wrong with my letters, I haven’t had a letter from home for a couple of months at least. I know the mails couldn’t have gone
[Page 151]
down, because other boys receive their letters regularly. I am afraid the parcels must have gone astray also I have ceased to hope for them now. Anyhow it doesn’t matter now, because I shall soon be able to see you all personally and then we can explain everything.
With best and fondest love to Dad, Ida, Aub yourself and the boys,
Your loving Son,
Gordon.
[Page 152]
Nov. 1st
Dear Mother & Father,
To wish you all at "Orange Dale" a very merry Xmas & a happy & joyous New Year.
With fondest love to all.
Your loving Son Gordon
[Page 153]
Charleroi
Belgium
20.1.19
Dear Father and Mother,
As you will see I am once more back across the channel , but this time there is not much danger because of that. I completed my course of training at Oxford and obtained my commission on the 2nd January and arrived back here to the Battalion a couple of days ago. No doubt you will be notified by the authorities of my promotion. I suppose you have been wondering whether I received all the money which you cabled me from time to time. I received it all ok. and must thank you for sending it along as you did. Now that my pay is increased, I shall be able to save a little more, I did not make any alteration in my
[Page 154]
allotment, because it is hardly worth while seeing that in all probability I will be home before long. As yet we do not know definitely when our turn for demobilisation will come, but it should not be very long. The great difficulty is the shortage of shipping as transports are hard to obtain to take the troops back. So far most of the men who left Australia in 1915 are on their way to Australia, or rather in camps awaiting transports, I should get away in the early 1916 lot, but I may be kept back for a good while seeing that I am only a junior officer. This part of Belgium is one of the nicest I have seen, we are well away from the old firing line and most things are untouched. The germans were in occupation here three months ago, had been here since 1914. They took lots of money and stock etc, from the people but left the houses intact. The people here are a very decent lot. I am living with a couple of
[Page 155]
girls who keep house for their brother, he is a doctor, & is away most of the time. I am very comfortably situated, have a fine big room, lovely bed with eiderdown quilts etc, and half a dozen wardrobes & full size mirrors, almost like living in a grand hotel. I get all of this for a franc. = 10d a day, which is paid by the military as a billet allowance for officers. We lead a very lazy life here now. Now that the war is over the Australian soldier has very little to do, all we do is to play games, & pass the time away in sports, but the time drags when there is nothing to do. The city of Brussels is only a couple of hours journy, and Mons and Namur are even closer, I have been to see the famous Mons, but have not been to Brussels yet. We have a good deal of spare time now to travel around.
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so if we are here for some time it will be a great chance to see a good deal of Europe in general. It is a bit of a welcome change to travel as an officer after having been in the ranks for so long, there are so many more priveleges, and one gets treated better everywhere. I think I was exceptionally lucky to have been out of the last few months of the fighting, my battalion suffered heavily again. They were in the Peronne and St Quentin fighting, only one officer out of my company came through.
I have not had any letters from home for a couple of months, they must be going astray somewhere. I hope everything is OK at home.
Sincerely hoping that all at home are in the best of health, with fondest love to all,
Your loving son
Gordon
Address Lieut G.J.E
54th Battn
A.I.F.
France
[Page 157]
Australian Imperial Force
Base Records Office,
Victoria Barracks.
Melbourne.
30th April, 1919.
Dear Sir,
I have to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 20th inst., and in reply to state advice has been received that your son, Gordon Thomas Edwards, 54th Battalion, was appointed 2nd Lieutenant on 2.1.19, but same has not yet been promulgated in the Commonwealth of Australia Gazette. This Officer proceeded to Officers Cadet Battalion, England, on 19/6/18 ex 14th Australian Infantry School. It is not the practice of the department to notify next-of-kin when members of the Australian Imperial Force are granted a commission or transferred from one unit to another.
Mails addressed as under should be redirected on arrival abroad to wherever your son is located:-
2nd Lieutenant G.T. Edwards,
54th Battalion,
Australian Imperial Force,
ABROAD.
Yours faithfully,
JMLean, Major,
Officer i/c Base Records.
T.J. Edwards Esq.,
"Orangedale"
Stuart Town,
N.S.W.
[Page 158]
Telegram
Commonwealth of Australia
North Fitzroy
16 1/- 11.35
Vic
Thos Edwards
Orangedale
Stuart Town NSW
Arrive Sydney Saturday home Wednesday am well best love
Gordon
Orita
411
[Transcribed by Rex Minter, Judy Macfarlan for the State Library of New South Wales]