Mitchell Library, State Library of New South Wales

Frank Coen letter, 15 April 1916
MLMSS 5147 ADD-ON 2085/Box 29/Item 8

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[Envelope]
Received 4th April 1916
F. Coen

Mrs. M. Coen.
Cooma St.
Yass.
New South Wales,
Australia.

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April 18th 1916

My dear Mama
I have not written to you or any one since leaving Ismalia. The fault has really not been mine as with the exception of a few days rest on the boat coming to Maiseilles I have been very busy. This letter then from the time I left Army Corps Staff on my journey to France.

At present I am well & though in the Danger Zone I am not in the trenches I am attached to General Legge’s General Staff 2nd Australian Division, but of this more anon.

I left Ismalia on March 25th for Alexandra boarded the troop ship & sailed on the 27th. I was allowed the choice of ships & selected a beauty. I was very comfortable, had a cabin to myself & no work to do. I need scarcely say I took full advantage of the rest. Our trip across was one more of anticipation than incident

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a ship ahead of us was torpedoed by the Boches, so we were in a constant state of readiness for a dip in the Deep Blue.

We arrived at Maiseilles on Friday 31st. I was inoculated twice on board against Para typhoid – 9 times in all I have had the needle in me since I enlisted on the 19th April last year. Add vaccination to this & I think I should be germ proof.

As I was saying good-bye to General Forsyth on board the troop ship, the Marquis de Beauvoir – a Bourbon & descendant of one of the oldest French noble families, introduced himself to us. He was very excited & enthusiastic about the Australians. He made a speech to the boys from the Wharf & they cheered him heartily. Incidentally he was very good to us. He took me to the Grand Hotel in his car & then sent the car back to the ship for my batman & luggage. He was kindness itself.

I stayed in Maiseilles until Sunday when I left for Paris. The trip was interesting

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particularly as I had been over the ground before I had the advantage of comparing France at Peace with France at War. At all the stations en route women & girls were acting as porters & doing the work remarkably well.

I arrived at Paris at 7.30 a.m. on April 3rd. To see Paris now one would never know France was at War except for the numbers of soldiers in the streets & the many women in mourning.

In the afternoon I attended Rosary & Benediction in the Church of St Vincent de Paul. The congregation numbered some 600. I noticed only 3 men the remainder consisted of women girls & children all in mourning. It was most impressive. All were in tears during the Devotions. It is no on the Boulevards or in the Cafés that one sees the grief of La Belle France, if you wish to look into the heart of this unfortunate country you must visit the churches. There you can arrive at some estimate of the grief of suffering caused by this hateful struggle.

During my stay in Paris I called to see the old Lady who kept the

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Pension where John Hughes & myself stayed during our visit in Paris. To my delight the old lady was there & though she did not recognise me at first, after a few minutes conversation she remembered me. She was frantic with delight & spoke so rapidly that my knowledge of French was hard put to it to keep in touch with her. She asked me to be sure & stay with her when I get leave to go to Paris. She is a dear old thing & I was more than delighted at meeting her again.

I left Paris at 8.15 a.m. on Tuesday April 4th, had a few hours at Calais – then after spending the night at a rest house for officers I reported back to the 18th Battalion on the following morning.

I was glad to be back with all my friends & take up regimental work again. Officers & men were quartered with french families who could not do enough for us.

Next day Friday we moved off bound for the trenches. En Route we were inspected by General Joffre. He looked remarkably well

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& looking at him one could scarcely imagine that he was the man responsible for the conduct of these huge operations. A healthier looking old man you would not see any where. I had an excellent opportunity of studying him as I passed quite close to where he was standing.

We marched 15 miles that day over hard cobble stoned roads. Bed was welcome that evening we were off again early next morning on a 9 mile march.

At our halting place we remained for a day & a half. I was billeted (living) with the Town Baker & his wife & children. They were exceedingly kind to me. The Germans were here on their advance on Paris & they behaved very badly. The Baker had two dear little girls aged 12 & 10 & also a little Belgian refugee girl aged 8. They were fine children & I spent many hours playing card games with them.

At this place we could hear the war of the heavy guns day & night. At this place At night flashes could be seen. By day aeroplanes & balloons could be seen with the burst of the anti-air craft guns, exploding all around them. Yet no one even the little children seemed to take notice. One would think that

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that these occurrences were part of their every day life since birth.

In these districts all men women & children, have gas helmets always with them in case the Huns commence shelling with gas shells. At one place we passed on the march about 11 a.m. The school children were out for recreation. All had their gas helmets slung round their necks ready for instant use. And yet they were playing as merrily & happily as the school children are in Australia today.

On Sunday 9th April I took the R.C.’s of the Battalion to Mass at a church about 1 ½ miles from where we were billeted.

I was to move off with the Company to the trenches on the night of Monday 10th April. At 12.30 p.m. I received an urgent message to go at once to the front line trenches & take over portion of the line from a british company, I started off on horse back & had a most exciting ride. As I neared the front line shells were flying about. As I neared the farm where I was to leave my horse a shell landed about 30 miles yds from me. The horse took a

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a fit & I nearly came off.

I reached the Farm safely but as I was hitching up the steed a shell landed on the roof of one of the farm buildings. For five minutes you could see nothing but dust smoke & debris. I fixed up the horse & proceeded on foot I had gone about 30 yards when a German shell (high explosive) landed on the building I had just left. So my luck is still in. I pushed on & ½ an hours walking brought me to the front line.

Just before reaching the front trenches I came face to face with a miracle. About 400 yards in rear of our front trenches there are a few buildings. One of these (before this happening) was of buck built around a large sized wooden cross with crucifix attached. A shell had landed on this edifice, demolished the roof & yet the Cross & Crucifix are still standing there without a scratch on them. The sight made a great impression on me.

One hears so often of such incidents that they fail to convince us deeply, but to see the reality is most convincing. Surely some Divine Agency must have operated in this instance. The Buildings all round are a mass of ruins yet the

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Cross & Crucifix are in tact.

I reached the Firing Line & took over about 200 yds of the trenches from a British Regiment. I completed taking over about 1:30 a.m. No sleep that night, it was raining & bitterly cold as I had only my great coat with me it was no use lying down. Too cold to sleep. The Prussians were in the trenches opposite us about 300 yds distant. Everything was quiet that night. The boys were all keenly alert & in great heart.

Next day Tuesday 11.4.16 I was busy getting matters ship shape. The rain was continuous & the cold intense however the Huns felt it as much as we did.

At 2.30 p.m. next day I received orders to report to the 2nd Australian Division Headquarters General Legge. I handed over my section of the front line, had dinner with Colonel Wisdom, commading 18 Batn. & started off. I had 3 miles to go. My only hope of getting under cover for the night was to catch our Battalion Transport.

After searching for 1 ½ hours, I found a limbered waggon after waiting an hour for some stores form the front line we started off. The driver got lost & instead of being an hour on

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the way we were three before we reached our destination. Fortunately I had my compass with me otherwise I feel sure the driver would have wandered into the German lines. However I was under cover & comfortable by 12 a.m. Little incidents like this are the [indecipherable] of campaigning.

Next morning I pushed on to Headquarters per horse & here I am. I started duty here on 13th April with the chief of the General Staff. The work is highly interesting as the general staff is the fighting branch of the staff. Of course we are a little distance from the firing line but we have a few moments of excitement occasionally. On Sunday last 16.4.16 a Zeppelin came cross here & dropped some bombs. No damage done, one fell in a field, one in a village near by but failed to explode.

The weather here is wretched since I landed it has been bitterly cold & wet. I am not permitted to lapse into details but when I return you shall have the story in full.

As I said in opening this note I am as fit as a fiddle. I cannot say how long I shall be on the staff but I fancy for some time. We are very busy at present so I shall close with fondest love to yourself Mama & all at Home. My kind regards for all who enquire for me.

Love to you all
Frank

[Transcribed by Sandra Mutton for the State Library of New South Wales]