Chapter 10: Back in Egypt - Dysentry, Mumps and Training

From service record: 7 January 1916 Dysentery. Transferred to Egypt per "Essiquibo". Non cot case. Malta 11 January 1916 Admitted to No 2 Aux Conval Depot Heliopolis 21 January 1916 Transferred to Con Depot Helouan 2 February 1916 Discharged to duty ex Helouan and rejoined Regiment Heliopolis 3 Feb Letter to brother-in-law, Dave Lade:

Sister Maud, and brother-in-law, Dave Lade, with their grandchild. Letterhead of The Young Mens Christian Association with H.M. Mediterranean Expeditionary Force in Egypt. Heliopolis Feb 3rd 1916. Dear Dave As you will know before you receive this I am in Egypt again. I was sent to the convalescent home at Helouan, about twenty miles up the Nile from Cairo, and after having about a fortnight there was allowed to rejoin my regiment here. I could have gone home if I had wished, but as I felt so well I did not care about that, there being so many more in need of a trip than I was. The doctor was doubtful about letting me stop, as they make a point of sending typhoid cases home for three months; but here I am, and hope I will be able to see the war through before being sent home sick or wounded. I got another batch of delayed letters yesterday - about a dozen in all including one from you, one and a postcard (view of Strath) from Maud, and one from Hilda. They were very old ones - written mostly in September and August. Will Ross is a lieutenant in my regiment, and although I have seen him once I have not had an opportunity of making his acquaintance. I also met Dave Patterson, and he wished to be remembered to you. He has been sick, but is better again now. Will tells me that they have started what is very nearly conscription in Australia, and is not sure but what he might be called up. I think myself that Australia has done quite her share now, and will not be doing much good by sending her young married men away. Everything is very quiet in Egypt, but as you know there are possibilities of stirring times shortly. However, I cannot say much about that, as the censorship is very strict at present. We are having perfect weather in Egypt now, but I expect it will soon be getting warm again. I was glad to hear you have had such a fine season in Australia, and I suppose it was most welcome after last year. You said in your letter your nephew Perce was in the 13th L.H., so he will be in the same lot as Dave Patterson. It is not far from where I am so will try and see him shortly. You said you were a great believer in prayer for soldiers, and I am sure it will interest you to hear what fellows in the trenches have told me. I have been told by the most hardened of men that in the hour of greatest danger, they have offered up a prayer - the first in most cases since they were children - and have been surprised at the benefit they received. This is about all this time. Yours truly, Percy Remember me to all your people. AWM photos:Al Hayat Hotel, Helouan, used as a Convalescent Depot (P00156.019) Al Hayat - the Australian Convalescent Home (J06424)

From Service Record: 25 February 1916 Mumps (mild): adm No 4 Aux hospital Heliopolis 1 March Letter to sister, Maud Lade: No 4th Auxiliary (sic) Mumps Hospital Abassia March 1st 1916 Dear Maud As you see by this address I am in hospital again, this time with the mumps. I came in last Friday 25th and am getting on alright now, although my face is still a bit swoolen. I think they will keep me hear three weeks as that is the time they allow for isolation of mumps cases. A great number of the soldiers here are getting mumps for some cause or other. I had a number of letters the day after I came here including one from you and one from Dave. They were both written in Oct. though. However I had some later news from Mother also one from Berta. They were written in the middle of Jan. By the way I am to congratulate myself I suppose on the possession of several new nephews. I expect you would be disappointed - Mother especially - when you heard I was not coming home after all, but I think you will agree I did the right thing, as it would not be too nice returning when there was nothing wrong with me. In any case I would only have meant coming straight back again. We had just finished three days sham-fighting in the desert before coming in here. It was very interesting and exciting while it lasted although hard work. We used to get up early march out about five miles - sometimes further - and then double about in the sand all day. By the time we got in at night we would be tired enough. The 4th L.H. is very much over strength so all those who have come back from hospital lately have gone in what they call the details, and have no horses yet. The details consist of D + E squadron. I am in D squadron under the command of Lieut Ross. I was speaking to him for a few minutes the other day. I was to go to his tent and have a yarn with him but have not been able so far. He wished to be remembered to you and Dave. He is looked upon as a good officer and got the most points with his men in the sham-fighting. Auntie Sarah and Uncle Arthur are getting quite gay in their old age running about to the lakes and so on. I have not heard anything of Eric lately. Have been wondering if he has enlisted. Berta too was down Gippsland she says. I have not come across any more Strath boys. I fancy they most of them are down on the canal somewhere. We have a chap - Sgt Major - in our lot name of Purves. He comes from Yea, and used to visit Henny Yorston at Strath. I wonder if you know him. I have also seen Jim and Arthur Knoop. Arthur is in the next tent to mine and Jim is in the 8th L.H. Also one of the Collins from Break-a-day is in the 4th and a Pat Nelson brother of Mrs Mitchell of Strath. All these chaps belong to the late reinforcements. I think this is about all this time. I would tell you a lot more that would interest you, but the censor won't allow I'm afraid. Hoping you are all well Yours Percy I wrote to Dave about a fortnight ago.

Chapter 15: Flanders March - July 1916

From Service Record: 11 March 1916 - 23 May 1916: 2nd Division Ammunition Column (2nd section) 23 May 1916 - 22 June 1916 : 4th Field Artillery Brigade 22 June 1916 - 19 July 1917 : 11th Battery, 4th FAB (England leave c. 22 Jan-2 Feb 1917) From 2nd Division Ammunition Column War Diary (AWM Microfilm) April 1 Abbeville. 7.30am Arrived from Marseilles April 2 Abbeville. Headquarters and No 2 Section taking over horses, mules, harness and wagons. Marched for Blaringhem via Canchy – Le Boisle – Hesdin – Aire April 5 Blaringhem.Arrived and proceeded to La Belle Hotesse April 8 La Belle Hoteese. 2nd DAC filled with ammunition from railhead Triezennes April 12 Marched to Le Petit Mortier. Arrived 1 pm. All gun ammunition handed over to 34th DAC RFA. April 13 Le Petit Mortier.Relieved 34th DAC RFA. Ammunition (gun) taken over in dumps from 34th DAC April 18 Route march and instruction in trench disciplines. April 19 - ditto April 21 At this period the 2nd DAC were supplying daily an average of 25 wagons to report to 20th Army Troops R.E. at 6 pm? and finishing work (in the fire zone) at daylight also about 20 wagons per day transporting Engineers Stores from ERQUINGHEM and 20 wagons transporting ? from LA MOTTE about every 4 days. April 23 Marching Order Inspection, Dismounted April 29 New Syllabus of Training issued April 30 Le Petit Mortier to Grand Sec Bois 2nd DAC less No 3 Section and 6 wagons of No 1 marched to GRAND SEC BOIS via LE VERRIER-NEUF BERQUIN starting 2 pm arrived GRAND SEC BOIS 5.30pm. May 2 Grand Sec Bois. Training at Sec Bois – Harness Fitting, Driving Drill, Battery Drill May 3 -6 Harnessing, Driving and Battery drill May 7 Le Petit Mortier. No 2 Section plus 6 wagons of No 1 relieved No 3 Section at Le Petit Mortier – keeping up supply of ammunition and transport for Engineers May 21 60 Other Ranks attached to FA Bdes. Note’ The majority of them were retained permanently and new (less efficient) were transferred to the DAC in their place. 24 April 1916 Postcard from Percy Smith to Mother

Dear Mother I sent you a letter the other day …there is to say I had a trip to the hot water baths to-day and I can tell you it was acceptable after weeks of "grey-backs". I see by to-day's paper some Russians have landed in France, so things are looking up. What do you think of this card? It is hand worked. Remember me to all. Wishing you many happy returns of your birthday. Yours Percy. Letter from Percy Smith to his sister, Maud Lade: Flanders May 17th 1916 Dear Maud It is quite a time since I have written to you now, but as I write to Mother pretty often it is not so bad. I have had a splendid time in France (Flanders) up to date, and, with the exception of about three weeks of last month when it rained incessantly. The climate is all that you could desire. These last few days have been absolutely perfect, and it is marvellous how quickly the mud drys. This is the middle of spring now, and I can tell you the country is beautiful. The trees are in leaf, and all the hedges just a mass of white, and the fields just a mass of buttercups. The farm-houses are quaint old affairs with their thatched roofs and white walls (The thatch is over a foot thick on most of them) The people are most homely and you just walk into their houses like your own. Of course we pay for everything we get. One can spend a most enjoyable evening in most places. Nearly everyone can speak a little English, and, between their English and our French (about on a par) conversation is most amusing. We have not been doing a great deal of work lately. Carting mettle for roads and transferring horses and mules from one place to another is all. I was up close to the trenches with mettle on several occasions last week, and although there are hundreds of guns round about, never saw a shot fired, except the anti-air-craft. Of course one never knows when a shell will come along, and the roads and villages are torn about some. The farmers go on with their plowing just behind the trenches quite undisturbed, and it is nothing to see the shells land quite close to them, but it never worries them. The Germans have sent gas over on several occasions, but although we had our helmets ready, it did not reach us. It is only a waste of energy sending gas now, as the helmets are so safe. They are funny looking affairs, and go right over the head with two glass places in them for the eyes. There is a rubber tube to exhale with, and although you can exhale through it no air can come in. It is like the valve of a bicycle tube. There is some sort of mixture inside like tar, that preserves the good air for some hours, and the gas seldom lasts more than fifteen minutes. You can see it coming just like smoke on a damp day - rolling very low along the ground. It is most interesting to watch the aeroplanes duelling in the air. Most of them are fitted with a machine-gun, and you can hear it cracking away, hundreds of feet up in the air. Some of the 'planes are very daring and fly quite low over the trenches. The German gunners are not nearly as good as ours, and although their machines never come so low, they lose more than we do. As you know there are all sorts of troops in France now - South Africans, Canadian, West Indies, Aust., New Zealand. Russian and others as well. I have not had a letter since I landed in France although it is now about eight weeks. The 4th L.H. are pretty slow at sending them along. We are taking a lot of sick horses to the Vetinary hospital today and it is nearly time to start must close, with love to all Yours Percy I saw Will Ross the other day. He is now a Lieutenant (first) in the cycling corps. My address is 972 2nd D.A.C. 2nd Australian Divivison British Expeditionary Force France Photograph of soldier wearing a gas mask of the kind mentioned in letter (EZ0051) "The wraparound cloth mask featured a carbon filter (in a unit in the bag attached to the soldier's uniform) that removed impurities from the air. Note the fob watch on the soldier's wrist. " 23 May – Transferred to 4th Artillery Brigade From Positions Occupied by the 4th A.F.A. Brigade in France The 4th FAB was In Action at Armentieres in the period April 8th – July 2nd 1916. 22 June 1916 – Taken on Strength, 11th Battery, 4th FAB From 11th Battery, Australian Field Artillery: Brief History 18 Nov 1915 – 20 Dec 1918 (AWM 224; MSS13) 21 May – 3 June 1916 11th Battery Wagon lines at Just-le-Erquingham, supporting gun positions at Armentieres 4 June – 9 July 1916 Joined 11th Battery 22 June Wagon lines moved to Menen Gate near Steeuwerch 9 July 1916 Left area for St Marie Cappel (and then on to the Somme in subsequent days) “From April 2nd until July 2nd we remained in the same gun positions at Armentieres (the detachments from Plogsteert rejoining the remainder of the battery early in April). Our gun position was naturally a good one, and being situated at the foot of a row of poplars, was practically safe from observation. Great care was exercised in (illegible) as much as possible any movement near the pits in daylight, and in using flash screens for night firing, and thus we were able to remain in position for three months without attracting enemy fire. For some time after arriving here, our ammunition supply was very restricted and practically no firing was done, other that for registration. Later frequent night raids were made by the infantry, and in support of these we fired very heavy barrages. It is interesting to note, when compared with all later barrages, that the rate of fire was usually section fire 6 seconds or even at times 4 secs. There was no heavy shelling in our immediate vicinity during the whole three months and only one man was wounded in the time. While the guns remained in the one position all the time the wagon lines shifted twice, Just-le-Erquingham on May 21st and later to L’Menengate, near Steeuwerch on June 4th. On the night of July 2nd we were relieved by a N.Z. battery and returned to the wagon lines at L’Menengate which we left on the fifth of the month and moved to a farm some little distance from Baillieul. A few gunners went up to gun pits which we were going to take over but receiving sudden orders to move these positions were left and on the ninth we went to St Marie Cappel . . . “ [Unit moves to the Somme] From Bill Gammage, The Broken Years (1974) p. 151-52: "The first months on the Western Front were not severe. The Australians were introduced into the line at Fleurbaix, near Armentieres, where the trenches were not dug, as it is impossible to dig more than one foot without striking water, sand bag breast works are erected about 5 to 6 ft high & 3 to 4 ft thick which gives very solid cover & protection from rifle shots, but would not last very long under artillery fire…Everything is remarkably quiet on this sector, which is at present being held by an English regiment, very seldom is a shot fired…A considerable amount of movement is taking place all day long to which the Germans apparently take no exception, the idea being 'Don't fire at me and I will not fire at you' these sentiments were expressed to me by a British tommy (de Vine, D 27/4/16) Photograph of Fleurbaix, covering an area from Bois Grenier to Fromelles.(H15912A) Their gentle reception relieved many veterans. They contrasted it favourably with the dark days on Gallipoli, and agreed with the new soldiers that war was pleasant in France, because there were no great battles, but short stays in the line, comparative immunity, and comfort in the back areas. In a relatively tranquil atmosphere, the soldiers manned their breastworks, watched aeroplane 'dogfights', patrolled No Man's Land, sat out the German artillery's daily 'strafe', waited for the victory most thought imminent, and willingly undertook the formal raids to which their leaders shortly introduced them." From Diary of Gunner Kenneth Sydney Day (10th Battery): 13/4/16 Thursday. 4th Brigade went into action so we are kept pretty busy now, taking up ammunition and rations. The Tommies have a great craze for polishing all the chain work on the harness, so our drivers have got to start polishing theirs. We are under British Army orders now, and therefore, we have to copy the Tommies. The camp we are at present is mud up to our knees and we have to sleep in tents, which are very damp and muddy. We have only seen the sun a few times since we have been in France so far. It has been raining or dull grey weather all the time. 2/5/16 There is not much to put down for the next week or so, only we see plenty of aircraft; but do not worry much about them as they have to fly very high to dodge our shells. The weather is improving, and the mud is getting hard, so it is not so bad. We go down and have a hot bath once every two weeks, and wash every day from the drains at the sides of the streets. This water is not very clean but is all we can get… While in Armentieres an English officer told me not to mix up with the Belgian civilians, that 75% of them are against us, which afterwards I found out to be correct. During the next week or so, we made a good many trips with ammunition. We do these trips at night, as it is very dangerous to go about in the day time. Left Le Menengate (this is where our wagon lines were) at 3 p.m. for a new camp four miles away, called Le Petit Mortier (umpteen miles from anywhere). Arrived there at 4 p.m. and were put in billets. Each sub has one of its own. Our sub was a very clean one. The barn next door to us was burned down that night. We were all pulled out to get it out, but nobody was hurt except an old woman. 8/5/16 All the B.A.C.s were turned into D.A.C.'s as the former were not much use to us. They have mules to drive now, and have plenty of kicking matches. Date unrecorded (July 1916) " Left Le Petit Mortier at 5 p.m. on 4th July 1916, and drove five miles to a camp called Neuve Eglise. Arrived there at 11 p.m. the same night. It is a very large camp with plenty of grass around it, by way of a change from mud. This is a pretty place near the front, and there are plenty of shells flying about. On the second day I had my first experience with death. There is a 12 " Howitzer Battery each side of us, they roar all night. The germans send back 5.9s trying to hit them. I was standing near the road watching them, when a shell landed 100 yards from me, and went in between some A.C.C. men they can thank their lucky stars that it hit a tree first. It cut the tree into matchwood (a very tree at that). Two men were killed and two were wounded. Two of us carried one of the dead men down to their camp, and I must say I never thought a dead man could be so heavy. All the time they were sending over shells pretty thick, and when you are in the middle of the road, carrying a man that you cannot drop too quickly, you feel just a bit shaky in the knees. Our Battery is in action at a place called Ploegsteert. There are some fine woods round here - one of them is called La Hutte Wood. The Battery had several casualties at this place, but nothing very serious. It got too hot for us at the camp, so next day we left at 5 p.m. We marched through the towns Bailleul, Cassel (where our Australian head quarters are) and finished up at a place called St Marie Cappel at 11.15 that night. It is beautiful country, and well cropped. Stopped there four days and then pushed on to St. Omer. This is a fine town about the same size as Bendigo, with a fine river running through it. While at this place they took our blankets from us, and left us with nothing but a water-proof sheet and overcoats. I do a perish every night. From 11th Battery, Australian Field Artillery: Brief History … on the ninth [July] we went to St Marie Cappel where we remained until the 11th then that day entrained at Arques, detrained at Oeuveus and billeted at Le Chaussee until the 20th and then went to Puchevillers remaining until 27th when we went by road to the “Brickfields” near Albert, camped there until the 30th and went into action in Sausage Valley the same day. . .

Chapter 18: Flanders 9 Sep-24 Oct 1916

From 11th Battery 4th F.A.B Brief History 6 September 1916 left Hem. Entrained at Doullens, arrived Hopoutre Station (Belgium near Poperinghe) the same day and proceeded by road to Berthen, reaching camp same evening. 8 September 1916 left Berthen by road and taking up Wagon Lines at Ouderdoom , guns going straight into action through Ypres (close to Zillebeke) 23 October 1916 Left Ypres area and arrived outside Cassel. Back to Somme Leaving Sausage Valley on Sept 4th we returned to Vadencourt – stayed there one night and next day went to Hem, near Doullens. The following day we entrained at Doullens and detrained at Hopoutre (Poperinghe) the same day, went to Berthen where we billeted until the 8th and that day went to Ouderdoom where wagon lines were established. The guns went into action the same day near Zillebeke Bund(?) and remained in this position until Oct 23rd. This position was very quiet, there being no enemy shelling near us at all and our shooting being confined to occasional retaliation to enemy trench mortars, harassing fire and supporting an occasional raid. Most of the time was spent in improving the position which was made very comfortable. September 10th 1916Postcard to Mother France Dear Mother We have had another move since last I wrote and at present are in very pleasant quarters. The weather has been grand this last few days. I saw Clive the day we arrived and last night I met him again and a long talk with him. Harvesting and hop-picking is in full swing here at present, and after tea some of us go out and help a bit. At least we are supposed to be helping. Hoping you are all well. Percy

Chapter 20: The Somme 27 Oct to 31 Dec 1916

From 11th Battery, 4th F.A.B Brief History 24 October 1916 Left Cassel, arrived Polincove 27 October Left by road for Audruicq, entrained 28 October Arrived Lounque (?) Siding (Amiens), road to La Napelle, arrived 6am, left for Albert 10am, arrived Albert 29 October Left Albert 30 October Arrived Longueval where Wagon Lines set up. 30 October-24 November Longueval. Guns in action north of Flers. 25 November Left Longueval by road, arrived Vielle-sur-Corbie 26 November Left Vielle-sur-Corbie, arrived Bonnay 27 November Left Bonnay, arrived Naours. 27 Nov – 21 Dec Billeted Naours Photo of soldiers in Naours, 12 July 1916, on their way to the Somme (AWM EZ0163) 21 December Left Naours, arrived Buire-sur-Corbie [also Ancre] 22 December Left Buire-sur-Corbie, arrived Montauban. Wagon Lines established there. Gunners to Ginchy Leaving here on Oct 23rd we went to Cassel and stopped on the outskirts of the town for one night; next day going on to Polincove where we remained until the 27th when we entrained at Audruicq and arrived at Amiens the same day and moved to Berne sur Ancre where we camped for the night. The next day we took up wagon lines at Longueval and gun positions north of Flers. This position was practically under direct observation and consequently was heavily shelled. We had several casualties here, three men killed and others wounded. The transport conditions were very severe, the roads being muddy and full of deep shell holes, everything had to be packed and this combined with the weather and shelling made things very uncomfortable for the drivers. While in this position Major Derhani (???) was called to England to the 3rd Div. Major (then Capt) Milford took command of the battery. Leaving Flers on Nov 25th we stayed one night at Ville-sur-Corbie, one night at Bonnay and then arrived at Noaurs where we remained until Dec 12th [perhaps 21st – as per document Positions Occupied by the 4th A.F.A. Brigade in France and 11th Battery Brief History, first part] Left Noaurs Dec 12th [21st] and stopping at Buire-sur-Ancre, one night, arrived at Montauban where our wagon lines remained while the gunners went to Ginchy. The right section being attached to the 12th battery and the left to the 10th to form six gun batteries. Very little shooting other than harassing fire was done while in this area. Letter to sister Maud Lade December 1st 1916 Somewhere in France Dec 1st 1916 Dear Maud I am writing this in comfort thanks to a young French lady who very kindly invited me into write by the fire. Our billet [Sally: Naours] is very good to sleep in but there is not much convenience for writing. We have been out of action since last Saturday and although we had a rotten time for three days travelling about I am not sorry to be away, but am afraid it won't be very long before we are back again. We went into action on the 29th Oct and spent over three weeks in the mud and rain to say nothing about the frost and snow. We only had one day's snow, and I must say it was better than the rain and rather nice once ones feet got a bit warm, although it is hard to see much beauty in anything at four in the morning when your feet are several degrees below zero. Then one or two mornings when the wind was favourable Fritz decided to make things a bit more unpleasant by sending over a large number of gas shells in addition to his usual supply of 5'9" + 4:2'. However the bad weather didn't affect me very much, as I didn't even get a cold. Some of the chaps suffered a good deal though with swollen feet and bad colds. After coming out of action we travelled by road for three days and are now billeted in a village well behind the line. I am beginning to think lately that we are descending into something like the savages - go into the line and fight for a time, then out again and off some-where else to fight again. Yesterday I spent a most enjoyable day in a large town close by (eleven miles). ? they ? ? got the enjoyment was three good meals and a bath. Also I went through a fine old church which is quite as good if not better than the one I saw in Malta. I have been getting my mail very regularly lately and the day before coming out of action had one from you, mother, Laura, Bill + Cila. ? ? were all written about the 26th of Sept. This is the first time I have done any writing for some time so you mustn't blame the postal people if you don't get any letters for a week or two. During the time we were in action it was quite impossible to do much writing. Must close now Love to all Percy. Photo of wagon transport at Montauban on the road to Longueval. 21 December 1916. [AWM E00627] Photo of cleaning off winter mud at Montauban Dec 1916 [AWM E00016] Photo of Australian Comforts Fund canteen, Longueval, December 1916. [AWM E00034] Photo of sandbagged Australian cook house. Longueval, December 1916. [AWM E00032] Photo of driver giving his horse a drink at Australian Comforts Fund canteen, Longueval, Dec 1916. [AWM E00076] Photo of mule transport in winter mud, Montauban, Dec 1916 [AWM E00036] From: Gunner Day's diary: 10/11/16 Went back into action again; on our way we passed through Contalmaison, Freicourt, Mametz, Montauban, Bazentin and finished up at a place called Flers. It is a very hot corner and we had to leave our guns several times as the Germans got to know where our battery was located. We also had a good few killed and wounded - horses included. 24/11/16 moved out at 7 a.m. and drove back to the Brickfields again, six miles away, as we only had half our horses left and they were in poor condition. 25/11/16 Moved on the next day…..(Day went to hospital with a cold then had to find and rejoin his Battery) 28/11/16 I met one of our boys and he told me our Batteries were at Naours…. 22/12/16 After a stay of a few weeks we went back into action, to a place called Ginchy, or just alongside. We are on the main road between Flers and Ginchy. There are a good few 9.2 and 8 inch Howitzers, and a bit further on there are a few 15 inch Naval Guns, so there is plenty of row (noise) going on. 25/12/16 Christmas day, raining up till 9 a.m., and then by way of a change we had Sun for the first time in two weeks (we usually have grey days). We worked all day on Bully stew and strong tea, and got a Xmas box of an extra dose of rum. [insert awm pic support line in front of flers dec 1916] From John Laffin Guide to Australian Battlefields of the Western Front 1916-18. Kangaroo Press and Australian War memorial, 1992, p 83-84 The Australian divisions, except the 3rd, were ordered back to the Somme from the Ypres sector in October 1916 and took over the Flers front. There were dreadful conditions. There was cold, rain and mud. Flers was not shelled as often as neighbouring Gueudecourt and some other places but several units reported it too dangerous for occupation. Nevertheless the AIF used Flers as a HQ and sometimes reserve troops were sheltered in the ruins. On October 30 a brigade commander in the front trenches reported that his men remained cheerful but were worn out with exposure and that their rifles were covered with mud, despite all efforts to keep them clean. German and British troops, he said, were equally exhausted, hungry and cold and were walking about on the parapets looking at each other. Conditions steadily deteriorated and men waiting to make an attack were lying in mud and rain. On the night of 4th November three waves of Australian attackers were using a trench at the same time. The first wave of men arched their bodies over the trench to make room for their mates beneath them and lay there strained and uncomfortable in the rain. On the morning of 5 November, short-shooting heavy British or Australian batteries killed ten men of the 3rd battalion and wounded seventeen others. They had been ordered to fire during a gale and the wind affected the flight of the shells. In the confused and sometimes desperate fighting the 7th Brigade, which was the most heavily involved formation lost 819 officers and men. Four attempts to advance in this sector had failed but Fourth Army HQ ordered another assault. The earliest it could be made was 14 November and as winter wore on life became harder. Heavily, burdened, the soldiers reached the trenches exhausted. The mud was so sticky that men had to be dragged out by mules or horses. A rescue party broke the back of an officer whom they were trying to haul from the mud. It was not unusual for wounded men to be left lying in the mud for twelve hours because not enough bearers were available to carry them out. The trenches were nothing more than muddy drains where the men stood and shivered and waited for their two days in the firing line to pass. After that they spent two days in the support line where life was a little safer but no less uncomfortable. The attack of 14-15 November was only partly successful and led to the usual German counter-attack. Apart from the casualties, men were being steadily evacuated with illness, trench feet and sheer exhaustion. One soldier of the 24th battalion shot himself dead rather than face another spell in front trench. Some men suffering from trench feet crawled back to the dressing station to allow the stretcher-bearers to carry men with greater need than themselves. The First battle of the Somme ended on 18 November. Photo of support line in front of Flers, December 1916. [AWM E00576]

Chapter 22: Leave in England January 1917

Camelford

Letter to sister, Maud Lade:

Helstone Manor

Camelford
Cornwell
Jan 31st 1917

Dear Maud,
I wrote to Mother last week - the day after I arrived from France and told her about my journey across. The trip across (sic) was not very pleasant but you more than make up for that once you get here.
I spent three days in London and had a look at all the sights - St Paul's Westminster Abbey, the tower of London and all the rest - and then came along to this place where I only intended to stay a couple of days, but have been nearly a week now. I promised the son of these people I would come and see them should I ever be in England and I am glad I did for they are very nice and have given me a splendid time. The day I came here my mates went to Scotland, and I was to join them there in a couple of days, but this is too good to leave especially as you loose such a lot of time travelling about.
Camelford is quite a small village on the River Camel only a few miles from the sea, and the place where I am, Helston Manor, is just what you would imagine an old manor to be. The family (at home) consists of a grown up son, a boy going to school, and two girls, who have been taking me to see all the sights about.
On Sunday last one of the girls who is the organist took me to a little church about two miles from here, and I don’t think you could imagine anything so old fashioned as it is. The church, the people and the vicar, who by the way is about eighty-four - all seemed to be part of some by-gone age.
Monday we did the "block" in Camelford, Tuesday we went all around the country side, which is very nice even now. It must be lovely in the summer. And yesterday (Wed) we went to see some old slate quarries not far away. I don't know what is on today - at present it looks very like another fall of snow - but to-morrow I return to London, as I go back to France on Friday (2nd Feb)
The day before I left France we had just come out of action and expected to go to another part of the line, either somewhere near Thiepeval, or else right away from the Somme altogether, most likely to Armentiers, so we might take a day or two to find the battery again.
I was sorry to hear of your illness but hope you are better again now.
I have been keeping very well and have put on a lot of weight since coming here. I am somewhere about twelve stone now.
The war still continues but I hope we shall see the end this year. Germany will take some crushing, but I believe we are now in a position to do it. The coming summer will tell anyway.
Must close with love to all
Percy.

[I made contact with the Priest In Charge at Camelford, and he advises me that from the information contained in the letter the chuch mentioned is most likely 14th century St Adwena, in the parish of Advent, just outside Camelford.]

St Adwena church near Camelford

From The Anzacs (Patsy Adam-Smith, 1991), p 271ff:

The following was read to every soldier going from France to England on leave, circa 1917:

‘Complaints are still being received that Australian soldiers on leave in England do not salute officers in the streets. This is, of course, not only contrary to orders, but gives a very bad impression, as people in England judge the smartness and soldierly bearing of any troops very greatly by their manners in the streets; and in this matter of saluting is the most obvious and noticeable test that comes within their daily observation. . .

‘Officers will be instructed , when in England, to take the name of any man failing to salute, and report
him to A.I.F. Headquarters. Any man so reported will lose the balance of his leave, and be at once returned to duty. It must be impressed on all officers that it is their duty to report these cases. The reputation of the A.I.F. is suffering more than those serving in France understand or appreciate, through the slackness of certain men in this respect, and all must do their utmost to get this set right.

‘This order will be read out by the Officer in charge of leave men, to all parties before entraining.”

In reply, the men sang:

He went up to London and straight up he strode
To Army headquarters on Horseferry Road,
To see all the bludgers who dodge all the strafe
By getting soft jobs on the headquarters staff.

Dinky-di, dinky-di
By getting soft jobs on the headquarters staff

The lousy lance corporal said ‘pardon me please’
‘You’ve mud on your tunic and blood on your sleeve
You look so disgraceful that people will laugh’
Said that lousy lance corporal on headquarters staff.

The digger just shot him a murderous glance
And said, ‘we’re just back from the shambles in France
Where whizzbangs are whining and bullets are flying
And brave men are dying for bastards like you.’

‘We’re shelled on the left and we’re shelled on the right
We’re bombed all the day and we’re bombed all the night
And if something don’t happen and that mighty soon
There’ll be nobody left in the bloody platoon.’

Dinky-di, dinky-di
There’ll be nobody left in the bloody platoon

The story got to the ears of Lord Gort
Who gave the whole matter a great deal of thought
And awarded the digger a V.C. with bars
For giving that corporal a kick up the arse!

Dinky-di, Dinky-di,
For giving that corporal a kick up the arse!

*+~*+~

“Their time expired, they tramped to Victoria Station about which Richard Smith wrote, ‘The trains are lined up every night, one for the nobs, six or seven for us.’ The ‘nobs’, senior officers, travelled first class, had dining cars and bar service; the troops were packed ten to a small third-class compartment. ‘You can’t get near a lavatory,’ Richard writes, and perhaps his realism and comparison with the comfort and attention given to the senior officers reminds us that these latter knew no more of the tragedy and the horror of the front line than did the civilians of Mayfair, Montreal, Kings Cross or Yarrawonga. Their isolation made for complete segregation.” (p 279)

Photo of Horseferry Road, London , where AIF headquaters were located. September 1918. [AWM D00077]



****



Information about

THE PARISH CHURCH OF ST. JULITTA, LANTEGLOS-by CAMELFORD.A BRIEF HISTORY & GUIDELike that. of most Cornish churches, the dedication of Lanteglos-by-Camelfordbelongs to the "Age of Saints {the Fifth to Ninth centuries A. D.). SaintJulitta, a man, was one of the twenty-four off-springs of a fourth centuryWelsh Saint, King Brechan, all of whom were confessors, or martyrs in Devon,or Cornwall. For example, John of St. Ives, Endelient of St. Endellion, Menfreof St. Minver,Tethe of St. Teath, Yse of St. Issey, Morweena of Morwenstow and the ParishChurch of Advent (St. Adwenna). Typically, the church was originally anOratory founded near a holy well, St. Julitta's Well.The church is about a mile from Camelford in the Deanery of Trigg Minor and inthe Diocese of Truro and the Province of Canterbury. Originally, it was in theManor of Helstone, a village to the west of Camelford and at the time of theNorman Conquest under the patronage of Robert of Mortain, Earl of Cornwall,whose manor was said to have been on Michaelstow Beacon. The present patron ofthe living is Charles, Prince of Wales and Duke of Cornwall, who thus appointsthe Rector.Architecturally, Lanteglos Church was originally a cruciform Norman structure,but of this the only traces are in the north walls 6f the chancel and nave andthe east and west walls of the transept. The tower is fifteenth century.Battlemented and Pinnacled, three storeys and 70 feet high and contains 6bells. The roof is typically "wagon vaulted" with carved bosses. The font isfifteenth century, octagonal of Pentewan stone. The Lady Chapel was set up in1969. A perpendicular arcade supporting four central arches separates the navefrom the south aisle. The windows in the north are lancets and the rest haveperpendicular tracery. The east window has five lights with flamboyant traceryin the head. There is a similar one at Advent Church and they may have beenthe product of a Flemish work-man. In the upper lights of the aisle windows,there is a fifteenth century glass depicting Christ and His disciples.The Organ comments are crossed out.Of the Monuments, 'the oldest is a Saxon Cross outside the south wall, withthe inscription "Aelseth and Genereth wrought this family pillar for Aelwyne'ssouls and for themselves". There are various monuments to the Phillips andCarpenter families, notably the Revd. Win. Phillips (d. 1794). There are alsomonuments to Robert Blake (d. 1810), owner of the Delabole quarries and theRevd. John Wills (d. 1654), Rector of the Parish, and Mary Worthyvale (d.1638). Among the communion plate a chalice is dated 1576 and a silver giltalms basin bearing the Phillips Arms, and the inscription "The gift of CharlesPhillips, M.P. for Camel ford."

from: http://archiver.rootsweb.com/th/read/CORNISH/1998-05/0894077536

Chapter 25: The Somme March to April 1917. First Battle of Bullecourt.

From 11th Battery, 4th F.A.B Brief History In action throughout this time 18 March Left La Boisselle. Wagon lines between Le Sars and Le Barque at “La Coupe Goule” outside Bapaume 18 – 20 March La Coupe Goule 20 March Left La Coupe Goule 21 March Arrived Beugnatre (through Bapaume). Wagon Lines here. 2 April – 11 May Noreuil Valley Photo of Noreuil Valley. May 1917. [AWM E00506] “. . .moved forward to La Coupe Goule on March 14th. Here we supported the attack on the Grevillers Line and on the enemy being driven from this position and retreating through Bapaume on March 17th we moved forward to the intersection of the railway and Bapaume road at Avesnes-les-Bapaume. Although this position was swept with machine gun fire on the first night, it was evident that this was only the work of a small enemy rearguard, for by the next morning, we were out of range, our infantry outposts being about 10 000 yds ahead, and then only in touch with scattered enemy machine gunners and snipers. Photo of wagons passing through Bapaume. March 1917. [AWM E00594] Photo of troops passing through Bapaume, showing burning ruins. 17 march 1917. [AWM E00371] Photo of ruins of Bapaume. 19 March 1917. [AWM E00395] Photo of Albert to Bapaume Rd, 1917. With railway live alongside. [AWM H02138] On March 20th we went forward to Beugnatre and next day took over from the 12th battery in a position in rear of Vaulx Vraucourt. In this position we remained until April 2nd and then moved forward to Noreuil Valley, staying there until May 11th. While in this position we were subjected to very heavy shell fire. Moving from Noreuil to a position in rear of Lagnicourt and to the left of the main road we were again subjected to heavy fire, having many casualties and all the guns hit and out of action in one morning. Photo of Vaulx - Noreuil Road May 1917. [AWM P02321.064] From this position we moved about 500 yds to the right and remained there until April 28th. On April 29th we left the WL at Beugnatre and moved back to Ovillers stayed there one night and next day moved to Aveluy where we camped until July 9th.” Letter to sister, Maud Lade. April 18th 1917 Somewhere in France April 18th 1917 Dear Maud, Was pleased to get your letter dated 18th Feb. It is the latest mail we have had, and I was lucky in that there were only a few for the battery of that date, and I got a couple, one from Mrs Roberts of Cowwarr besides yours. You mentioned having heard from Mother of my being in England so imagine she must have had the cable I sent from there, as there has not yet been time for me to have answers to letters I wrote. We have had most awful weather this past month, and some good as well. It is a most peculiar climate this - one day is a perfect spring day (beautiful sunshine) and the next is driving snow blizzard followed by frost + rain. I can tell you it hampers the troops too and gives the Germans a breathing space. They want it too, and will want a lot more which they won’t get a little later on in the summer. I expect you know all about the latest big fighting and our fine successes in France this past week or two. I have written several long letters to Will lately telling about our doings since the beginning of last month so I won’t repeat to you as I expect you will have the letters sent along in due course. If you don’t get them write and ask. A chap by the name of Wood from Newcastle N.S.W. and now in the 15th Battery called to see me the other night. He had received one of Eva's parcels sent through some league or other, and she had written a letter in which she gave my address, and asking him to look me up should he happen to be near our battery. She also gave her brothers' address but I don’t expect he will run across them as they are in the infantry. I have not seen Perce Lade yet although I know he is not far away from us, but then we have very little time to go looking for people. As a matter of fact even when not actually on duty you don't want to be far away in case of a call out which will come at any hour of the day or night. We are faring fairly well still in regard to rations and besides we have our canteen in good working order again so generally we do very well. Lately we have been buying flour custard-powder + jellies, and you should see the dishes we turn out. There are five of us mess together in a hut we built from old German iron out of a ruined village. We have also a German stove, and can generally get coal from along the old railway lines about. Last Sunday for dinner we had rather a decent pudding made by another chap and myself. (We take joint credit for its success). Instead of the usual currants and raisins which we couldn't get we put dryed figs cut up very fine with the suet and although I say it myself it was beyond reproach. Then we make pan-cakes, and instead of eggs we use the custard powder. For supper every night we manage to have custard and jelly + café au lait (coffee + milk). So all things considered we do very well. I had a fine parcel from Cornwell the other week and expect another shortly. This evening I had a small parcel from Mrs Roberts - just a pair of socks and some cigarettes. The cigs. I gave away but the socks needless to say are very handy. Despite the severe winter (the worst in Europe for many years they say) there is comparatively very little sickness among the troops especially Australian. A doctor was telling me the other day that there has been less sickness among the Aust. Regiments than any other single regiment in the British army with the sole exception of the Guards who have hardly been in the line. When you take into consideration that we have been in absolutely the worst part of the line on the whole front it says a lot for an Aus. Power of endurance. It was only when the worst of the winter was over that we had any decent accommodation in the shape of huts built for us. As I have told you before we just had to scratch for ourselves in the way of sleeping accommodation. Must close now with love to all Yours Percy Tell Stephen I was glad to have his letter and will send him a card as soon as I can get somewhere to buy one. Photo of soldiers gathering coal left by Germans on the Bapaume road. March 1917. [AWM E00364] From Diary of Gunner Day: 13/3/17 Germans retired to within 1/2 a mile of Bapaume, so we moved our guns up to La Coupe Goul so that we would be in range of the Germans. 18/3/17 I am not too sure if this is the exact date because I am in a bit of a haze as regards to actual dates, during the next three weeks. Germans left Baupaume and we went in at 4 a.m. The 23rd battalion were the first I think, to enter; it is all in flames and nearly every house is mined or painted with tar and set fire to. Baupaume is a fair sized town (about the size of Ballarat or Bendigo) and is very old. All the fine trees along the main road have been destroyed by the germans and left there to rot. Trees that have taken years and years to grow. There is also a fair sized sugar factory and a very large railway workshop. There was only one place left standing intact and that was the Town hall which our smart Red tape Staff (thinking they were smart and not smelling a rat) took for their H.Q. Every other building had been destroyed, also an Australian Comforts Fund Canteen had the window in the same building. After they had been there for about two weeks, UP went the whole building, and everyone inside. I had just left the Canteen a few minutes before. It was a fine sight to see and a thorough job. The whole place was swept clean. From Baupaume we moved our guns to Beugnatre for four days, and then to Vaulx. All these places are small villages and are in ruins. 30/4/17 Went on to our Battery which is now at Noreuil, just on the left of Lagnicourt, where the germans broke through our lines, but we drove them back in four hours from the time they came through. I had to go on duty for nearly a month and we are very shorthanded. Reinforcements seem very scarce nowadays, so all the work drops on a few. Went up on Battalion work and came back from the trenches on the 2nd at 5 p.m. issued with new clothing as mine were in rags…. (Gunner Day was then hit by a bullet in early May at trenches near Bullecourt. He survived and returned to Australia from England on 11/9/17) From John Laffin Guide to Australian Battlefields of the Western front 1916-18. Kangaroo Press and Australian War memorial, 1992, p. 77: During the Battle of the Somme July – November 1916, Bapaume was the main British objective. However it was not reached and tremendous casualties, the onset of winter and stubborn German pressure brought the Somme campaign to an end. Following a strategic German withdrawal, the AIF 2nd Division occupied Bapaume from the west and southwest on 17 March 1917. Lieutenant A.C. White of the 30th battalion was the first to enter the town. He was followed by other soldiers, staff officers, war correspondents and official photographers. They found that the Germans had systematically destroyed the town and then set fire to much of it. The buildings around the main square including the town hall were the only ones in reasonably sound condition. The cellars were searched and a mine was found in the town hall and removed. On the night of 25 March a second mine, better hidden and operated by a chemical fuse, exploded. Sleeping in the town hall were about thirty diggers, including those who ran the Australian Comforts Fund’s battlefield coffee stall, and two French parliamentary deputies. The rescuers, who dug through the rubble all that night and the next day, could save only six of the thirty. Bapaume remained an AIF HQ for three months after its capture. Photo of houses ruined in German withdrawal from Vaulx, March 1917 [AWM E00418] Photo of field artillery preparing an 18 pounder site behind Vaulx, March 1917. [AWM E00430] Noreuil (the first Battle of Bullecourt) CEW Bean, Vol IV The AIF In France 1917. p207ff : The taking of the outpost villages 29 March 1917 “…a third attempt to seize Croisilles and Ecoust, made by the 7th British Division after bombardment by heavy howitzers, had failed… “The I Anzac heavy artillery and the field artillery of the 2nd Australian division had assisted by firing upon Noreuil.” (p 207) Photo of 18 pounder gun pit at Noreuil, May 1917. [AWM E00602] 2 April 1917 There was to be an offensive upon Arras, but it was separated from the Hindenburg Line by a chain of villages which had been broken at only one point, Lagnicourt. The date for the British offensive was set at April 1st (delayed April 2nd). The I Anzac Corps was to take Noreuil. “After the capture of Lagnicourt, the 2nd Australian Division was relieved by the 4th…The two artillery brigades of the 2nd, however, and the 12th (Army) Brigade of the Australian Field Artillery, remained in the line, the artillery of the 4th Division not yet being brought up.” (p 208) “The field artillery would first muffle the German posts around the village [Noreuil], and then advance its barrage so as to keep ahead of the troops. On the barrage reaching the Bullecourt road, forty minutes from the start, it would remain there for twenty minutes while the troops lay in front of the road preparing for the final assault. The barrage would then again advance and the road would be seized.” The battle was complicated and there were lots of losses, but eventually succeeded (the full battle is described in Bean Vol IV pp211-222) April 2nd – 6th “On April 2nd and 3rd, two brigades of the 2nd Australian Division and the 12th (Army) Brigade, A.F.A. – began to move into the depression leading to Noreuil , and on the 5th and 6th, advanced into positions hurriedly constructed by the engineers still farther down the side of the valley.” CEW Bean, Vol IV The AIF in France 1917, p 261 Photo of Australians playing 'pitch and toss' in the support line of the sunken road near Noreuil, 20 April 1917. [AWM E00453] From CEW Bean Official History Of Australia in the War of 1914-18. Vol IV The A.I.F. in France 1917 p 414 “Q” Group (and Div. Artillery under Lieut.-Col. R.L.R. Rabett – after May 10, Lieut.-Col. H.W. Lloyd) 4th Brigade. 10th Bty 11th Bty 12th Bty 104th How. Bty 5th Brigade 13th Bty 14th Bty 15th Bty 105th How Bty 12th (Army) Brigade 45th Bty (relieved on April 28 by 47th) 46th Bty Located behind Noreuil in the Noreuil Valley

Chapter 27: Flanders July to August 1917

From 11th Battery, 4th F.A.B. Brief History 9 July 1917 Left Aveluy, arrived Sarton 10 July Left Sarton, arrived Estrée-Wamin 11 July Left Estrée-Wamin, arrived Ramecourt (outside St Pol) 14 July Left Ramecourt, arrived Aire 15 July Left Aire, arrived Staple 16 July Left Staple, arrived SteenVoorde 18 July Left SteenVoorde, arrived Dickebusch (Swan Edge Corner). Wagon Lines established “On July 9th we left Aveluy and stopping at the following places, Dacton and EstreeWamin , one night each, Ramecourt two nights, and one night at Auvers, Wiltes, Staples, and Steenvoorde, reached Dickesbusch on July 17th. Here we established wagon lines. The other batteries of the division went into action at Spoil Bank, and some of our guns went forward to register positions near Hill 60, a few hundred yds behind the front line. These positions were to be registered so that our attack being successful the other batteries could come into gun positions, already registered. This being done, we became a relieving battery, and took over the various positions in turn, to give the other batteries a spell. “ Painting of horse lines at Dickebusch, 1917. [AWM ART02888] Photo of an ANZAC camp at Dickebusch (15 Nov 1917) [AWM E01380A] From AP Pearson service record: 19 July 1917 Transferred to 2nd D.A.C. from 4th F.A.B Taken on strength Dickebusch 19 July 1917 Crime 9 July 1917: Conduct the prejudice of good order. Military discipline in that he failed to attend an ordered parade. Award: 10 days F.P. No 2 by C.O., 4th F.A. B. on 19/7/17 Total Forfeiture: 10 days pay @ 6/- = 3 pounds. In the field From War Diary, 2nd Division Ammunition Column (DAC) 19 July 22 Other Ranks taken on strength from 11th Battery 4th AFA Brigade (and 22 transferred to 11th Bty) 20 July to 9 Sep At Dickebusch. Lots of mentions of carting ammunition. Engaged in ammunition support for various Flanders battles. Letter to sister Maud Lade August 19th 1917 France August 19th 1917 Dear Maud, I wrote you a short letter or a card just after I received your last letter which is some time ago now. Since then we have been having rather a busy time, mostly night or early morning work carting ammunition to the guns. We have been in this spot just a month now, and are not too far from where we were last Sept & Oct. The line has advanced some since then however, and, although there is still a small salient, it is nothing like so great as it used to be. Our infantry are not in the line yet + for convenience the artillery (three divisions 1st 2nd & 5th) is attached to the 24th England division. The 3rd & 4th divs. Are a little further round on the right of us. Our infantry have had a well deserved spell of about four months now, but am afraid it is nearly at an end now. I was at the gun-pits with ammunition last Thursday morning [16 August, my note] when a big bombardment opened previous to the good advance that came off some time later. [“Battle of Langemarck”, my note] We had just unloaded and were leaving when they started - a quarter to five I think it was. On some rising ground between the eighteen pounders (ie field -guns) and the heavies I saw what was I think the best sight I have seen in France. From the heavies in front came a continuous roar & the flashes lit up everything, while looking back at the field guns the flashes seemed to shoot out of the ground in a thousand places. Besides that there were the numbers of all-coloured lights the Germans send up as signals to their artillery for support. Our infantry send the same sort of signals for artillery support. S.O.S. signals they are called. S.O.S. means, save our souls in army code. The "stunt" considering the mud and previous bad weather was very successful and a few more will leave us in a good position for the winter if the war lasts that long which I am much afraid it will. There is no appearance at present of it being over before. I have not met any of the Strath boys who are here. Clive has been a couple of times to see me lately. He looks well and expects to get home on furlough shortly. I hope he is not disappointed, but it is rather a large order to send men to Australia from France on leave, especially now that all possible shipping space is required for other things. A lot of our mails from Australia lately have been lost consequently letters are few & far between. We are expecting a big Aust. mail in a few days time. It has arrived in England safely so we are sure to get it now. I think I told you previously I received the photos of the children you sent. They are very nice. Must close now with Love to all at Hazel Dell Yours Percy I had a nice parcel from Cornwell not long ago - "tres bon for soldier" as the French say. Tres bon means very good, tres being pronounced tray. From John Giles Flanders then and now The Ypres Salient and Passchendaele, Picardy Publishing, 1979 p. 142: The Third Battle of Ypres was a series of separate struggles which culminated in the fight for Passchendaele in late October and early November. The assaults were: Battle of Plickem Ridge 31 July Battle of Gheluvelt Plateau 10 August Battle of Langemarck 16 August Battle of the Menin Road 20 September Battle of Polygon Wood 26 September Battle of Broodseinde 4 October Battle of Poelcapelle 9 October First Battle of Passchendaele 12 October Second Battle of Passchendaele 26 October – 10 November From John Laffin Guide to Australian Battlefields of the Western front 1916-18. Kangaroo Press and Australian War Memorial, 1992: Battle of Plickem Ridge, 31 July – 2 August 1917 This was the opening battle of the Third Battle of Ypres. The 1st and 2nd division were engaged as supports for British divisions. Among their objectives were Shrewsbury Forest and Inverness Copse. The Australian artillery were mainly involved and lost many men – 16 officers and 137 men hit. (p 35) From: John Laffin Western Front 1917-1918 The Cost of Victory. Time-Life books, North Sydney 1988. " In the middle of 1917 the overall situation … was critical for the Allies. The British had been victorious at Messines in June, mainly because of the dash and determination of the Australians and New Zealanders, but it was a relatively minor operation in the great movements of the war as a whole. " (p 8) " With the British and Australian hold on Messines ridge consolidated, the way was open for the more important offensive which Haig, now a Field marshal, planned to deliver from Ypres, or "Wipers" as the troops called it. The official British title for the operation was "The Battle of Ypres 1917". Haig had three consecutive objectives. The first was to capture Passchendaele to Gheluvelt ridge, though ridge was a misleading term for the arc of gently rising ground 10 kilometres east of Ypres. Possession of this higher ground would give security to Ypres, observation towards the east and a jumping off point for an advance to the Belgian submarine port of Zeebrugge. The push would have several phases. The second objective was the strategic railway which ran through Roulers and Thourot. The final objective, another 16 kilometres further on was a line from Courtrai to Zeebrugge. In the event, neither the second nor third objectives was achieved. " (p 12) July 1917 “Third Battle of Ypres” From: CEW Bean Vol IV The AIF in France 1917: “The great bombardment of Ypres began on July 15th.” (p 701) “Leaving the Somme on July 8th and 9th, the artilleries (now two brigades each) of the 1st, 2nd and 5th Australian Divisions after a week’s march reached the bleak village of Dickebusch, three miles south-west of Ypres. In the muddy fields around this cluster of poor cottages they placed their waggon-lines. But the batteries marched out almost immediately under the orders of several of the Fifth Army’s southern divisions, to which their brigades had been allotted, and to which their heavy and medium trench mortar batteries had already gone… The preliminary bombardment had begun before the Australian artillery from the Somme arrived, and the brigades went straight from rest into the feverish tension preceding the battle. …One of the main differences between the conditions of “Third Ypres” and those previously experienced on the Somme was that, whereas at the Somme the German artillery fire lay perhaps more heavily on the forward area, at Ypres it thrashed the roads, bivouacs, and battery positions for miles back. It was no longer blinded by the complete suppression of its airmen. The British airmen were usually able to drive most of their opponents from the vital sectors during certain vital hours, but on numerous occasions during this battle the German air force, though its tactics were less daring, held the upper hand. The result was that, if troops in the front areas suffered less from German bombardment than at the battle of the Somme, those in rear suffered more; even casualty clearing stations far in rear were shelled; and the battery nests at Zillebeke were one of the most important targets. “ (p 704) “The artilleries of the 2nd, 4th and 5th Australian divisions were doing similar work [to that of the 1st Division] but with less opposition, though all were shelled with the new “mustard” gas and suffered steady casualties.” (p 706) “On the 28th, after several postponements, the counter-battery bombardment began. From now on the enemy was to be given no rest, and no chance of getting up ammunition supplies, or reliefs without considerable loss. For three days and nights, the howitzers, heavy and light, pounded the known German batteries, while the eighteen-pounders sprinkled the enemy’s forward battery areas with shrapnel or, by night, drenched them with gas. The last night’s work was particularly severe. In the 2nd Division’s artillery, for example, all batteries opened with gas at midnight and continued steadily till 3.50, when all guns on the battlefield passed to the continuous twelve hours’ task of covering the attack, and to the many calls certain to be made on them later. It was recognised that this must greatly strain the endurance of both artillerymen and guns. “ (p 707) “Many who have described that opening barrage and the responding German flares – probably the most wonderful display of fireworks that was ever seen. Early in the day the infantry whom the 2nd, ist and 5th Divisions artillery were supporting were reported to have reached the second German line, and all these batteries had to go forward. Those of the 2nd division crossed the canal (except the 10th battery which was already beyond it) and, after moving at the trot – there were strict orders against spectacular galloping – their leading batteries opened fire again according to programme, from their new positions north of Hill 60, within 46 minutes, having suffered only slight loss.” (pp 707-08) “ The official British title of the offensive is “The Battle of Ypres, 1917” and of this phase of it (July 31-August 2) the “Battle of Plickem Ridge”. “ (p 707) From CEW Bean Vol IV The AIF in France 1917, p 704: July 22 The 2nd Division’s artillery went on the night of July 22 to the southernmost division, the 24th, and formed a field artillery group with headquarters at the Spoil Bank and most of the batteries just south of the canal. Photo by Frank Hurley of transport on the way to the front. August 1917. [AWM E02060] The role of the Australian artillery and drivers in August From: John Laffin Western Front 1917-1918 The Cost of Victory. Time-Life books, North Sydney 1988. " The great offensive began at 3.50 am on July 31. The only Australian division heavily engaged at that moment was the 3rd…The 4th Division…was in close support." (p 13) "When, at the end of July, the Diggers of the 1st, 2nd (my emphasis) and 5th Divisions were moved north into rear areas of Flanders, they were fit and rested and as highly trained as any units on the Western Front. At this period the Australian artillery, detached from its own divisions, was still heavily and dangerously engaged. Infantry units were frequently relieved but the gunners had to stay on, supporting one division after another. The gunners themselves said that the bravest men were the artillery drivers, who day and night took their horse-drawn wagons through enemy barrages to get ammunition to the guns. Major R.G. Manton, commanding the 15th Battery told a war correspondent, 'Wagon-driving was looked on almost as a cold-footed job before, one which did not take a man into action. But like all those Australians who were supposed to be in fairly safe jobs, the drivers take a pride in showing what they can do when they come into the thick of battle.' The 1st, 2nd and 5th Divisions were camped in the area around Hazebrouck. In this town was the HQ of General Sir William Birdwood, who still held overall command of the five Australian and the one new Zealand divisions…" (p 17) From CEW Bean Vol IV The AIF in France 1917: “From the August fighting the Australian infantry was so fortunate as to be spared, but the detached artillery bore its share. That of the 2nd Division, whose new battery positions were north of Hill 60, now began to suffer severely, but the impact of the suffering had somewhat changed; in this morass of a battlefield (on August 4 one of the 2nd Division’s guns was so bogged that only one wheel could be seen above the mud) the services of supply bore a heavy share of the strain. A war correspondent records on August 17th a statement of Major Manton, whose battery, the 15th, had so far lost 35 men. Manton said that in this phase of the battle the palm should go, not to those who, like himself, worked at the battery positions, but to the drivers from the waggon-lines at Dickebusch, who daily and nightly brought up ammunition across the mud. These Australians (he added) had won themselves a special name on this battlefield for the way in which they went straight through the nightmare barrages laid on the well known tracks which they and their horses had to follow. Where many might hesitate, these men realised that the loss would be less, and the job better done, if they pushed on without hesitation.” (p 729) “It was looked on almost as a cold-footed job before”, Manton said, “one which did not take a man into action. But. . . . like all those Australians who were supposed to be in fairly safe jobs, the drivers took a pride in showing what they could do when they came into the thick of it.” He added that even the animals came to know when a shell was coming close; and if, when halted, the horses heard the whine of an approaching salvo, they would tremble and sidle closer to their drivers, burying their muzzles in the men’s chests.” (p 729n) “It was undoubtedly through the conduct of the drivers, as well as through that of the gun-crews and observers, that the Australian divisional artilleries in this battle – as General Gough wrote when they left his army in September – “earned the admiration and praise of all.” “Artillery casualties were still high, and the provision of officers with sufficient experience for battery command became a recognised problem. Other losses were replaced by drawing constantly on the ammunition columns at Dickebusch, and also by attaching reinforcements to the batteries. Whereas infantry in this battle were quickly relieved, the artillery had to stay on, supporting division after division. Some regular relief was obtained by officers and men at the battery positions changing over with those at the waggon-lines, and some rest was also necessarily provided through destruction of guns in action. “ ( p 730) Photo of Australian artillery in the area near Hill 60, 22 August 1917. 105th Howitzer Battery.[AWM E01030] Australian artillery in the third Battle of Ypres. The 105th Battery (4.5 inch Howitzers) in action in the area near Hill 60, in which the artillery of the 1st and 2nd Division took position on 31 July 1917. The first day of the Third Battle of Ypres. Almost the whole of the artillery of the AIF (which suffered severely), but none of its infantry, was engaged in the main attack which opened the Battle. The guns advanced to this position on the heels of the British infantry two hours after the commencement of the attack. In the distance is Zillebeke Lake. Comment on August events from CEW Bean Vol IV The AIF in France 1917 Adapted from p. 720 ff: The Tragedy of August The early part of August saw huge rain downpours: “. . . the rain continued to pour beyond all reasonable expectation. Even in the drained country far behind the battlefield the farmers’ carts had in places to splash for half-a-mile through shallow lakes of water on their way to the market towns. Streams and drains, their courses damned by the tearing up of the ground, were no more than a string of waterfilled mud-holes, in many places impassable. “ After the 12th, there was a temporary improvement in the weather. “The battlefield was still largely waterlogged, and Haig in his despatch after the fight [on the 12th] admitted that it would have been preferable to wait before striking his second main blow. But if he had done so he would have had to relieve all the troops, and there was no certainty that the weather conditions might not become worse. . . he was deeply convinced that the Allies could not afford to give them any respite, and was not prepared to wait longer for the sake of making success certain. . . “ p. 727: “Of the continual local attacks that had been made in August, little is said in the official despatches, the reader of which might almost gather, that, apart from the second general attack of August 16th, the operations of August were regarded by Haig as being of minor importance. Yet in this maintenance of pressure by the old Somme methods, and in the least adapted for attrition, lay the tragedy of the August offensive. “ “The fighting in August overtaxed and discouraged British troops to an extent which their stubborn Commander-in-Chief did not realise, but which was obvious to everyone in touch with the true feeling on that battlefield. . . The German troops saw it clearly, as the British infantry staggered through the mud to attack them, and it was from the statements of German prisoners that some notion of the facts, which gave cause for anxiety, came to the ears of General Gough. The truth was that these strokes, aimed at the morale of the German army, were wearing down the morale of the British. Whether British commanders were aware of the facts or not, it was the August fighting that gave to the Third Battle of Ypres its baneful reputation. The fighting at Passchendaele two months later merely added to this. “ August 16th : “Crown Prince Rupprecht, who had often been impressed by the staunch bearing of British prisoners, was shocked on August 16th by one of them saying that they would gladly have shot down the officers who ordered them to attack. . . . German historians admit that their own troops were suffering to the limit of endurance; von Kuhl even believes that they suffered more than the attacking British, and in some respects their morale unquestionably suffered. But this effect was much alleviated by the fact that they won most of these fights, and the British lost them. The German official history claims the battle of August 16 as “undoubtedly a great success” for the Germans.” Photo of flooded road near Ypres, August 1917 [AWM E00626] "A 13th Brigade motor vehicle on the rain flooded road during the rains of August. This road, in a back area in Flanders, was photographed as evidence of the weeks of rain which followed the British attack on 31 July at Ypres. The rain, commencing on 1 August, gradually brought the British advance to a standstill. It was eventually determined to wait for drier weather. " From: John Laffin Western Front 1917-1918 The Cost of Victory. Time-Life books, North Sydney 1988. "Field Marshal Haig reviewed the 2nd and 5th Divisions on parade on August 29 and commented to Major General Brudenell White, the AIF's chief staff officer, that they could not have marched better had they endured years of peacetime training. White, who had been largely responsible for winning the Australians their long rest, already knew this. Photo of 2nd Division inspection by Field Marshall Sir Douglas Haig, 29 August 1917. [AWM E00681] "...due to inclement weather, the afternoon's planned aquatic sporting activities were postponed." The 3rd Division came out of line…but the much-used 4th Division, deleted and tired, was not withdrawn to rest until mid-August. C.E.W. Bean, the ever-present official war correspondent …noticed that, at least in the well rested and reinforced 1st, 2nd and 5th Divisions, a "marked eagerness" came over the men as action became imminent." "Each man had faced up to whatever private problems this battle had in store for him, " Bean said. "There flew around the messes grim jokes as to whom should inherit his friend's boots or binoculars, and, despite old dreads and horrid memories, men were obviously keen to put into use the drill they had been practising and confident that they could outplay the enemy. The excitement of the great game, which must be won, mingled with their other feelings." (p 17) "On the very day, August 29, 1917, that Haig inspected the AIF 2nd and 5th Divisions…General Plumer and the corps commanders knew that the task of capturing the key position on Passchendaele Ridge would be given to I Anzac Corps. It had also been decided that II Anzac Corps would enter the battle first to relieve and then support I Anzac." (p 26) From Patsy Adam-Smith The Anzacs. Nelson 1978 " In the eleventh century Ypres was the greatest town in Flanders and some of the beautiful buildings of the Middle Ages were still standing when World War 1 began. The beautiful Cloth Hall, a rich Gothic architectural jewel, had been battered to rubble by early 1915 by German gunners with high explosive shells. It became to Australian soldiers as famous a landmark as the diving Virgin of Albert. Ypres is only a few miles from the French frontier and for 800 years it had sustained many sieges, many occupations. (It had been attacked by the British in 1385 and again in 1680.) By 1905 it was described as a phantom town, a cemetery, deserted by commerce but carefully guarding the great buildings erected in its years of prosperity. The best known of these had been the Cloth Hall. By 1916 there was scarcely an Australian soldier who did not send home a postcard of the ruins of this building. In the closing months of 1917 the third battle of Ypres was a watershed of men affected and changed by the years of war and the ceaseless un-human life. The knew the name of the city but not its pronunciation and called it - sometimes wrote it - Wipers. 'No battle in the war could compare in dreadfulness,' the German official monograph stated. 'This battle in Flanders was the worst of the war, so bloody.' It comprised eleven full-scale attacks, five of which the Australians spearheaded. (The Canadians were the spearhead for another four.) The Australian casualties were 38 000 in eight weeks and this caused an insoluble problem of reinforcements. The battles, according to a German authority, 'wore down the German strength to a degree at which the damage could no longer be repaired.' Most Australians call the battle Passchendaele because it was in this area they fought. Others call it Menin Road because it was along this road (which led into the ancient city) that they tramped to their various areas. The road became the via dolorosa along which men limped, were wounded, died and despaired. Almost one million men were 'lost' in this Third Battle of Ypres, half of them British (including Commonwealth) and half german, and the eight offensives in the mud made 'Wipers' a name to make men shudder. 'After ipers I knew I'd get home,' Thorvald Kook said, 'To live through Passchendaele was to come out the other side of hell.' Neither side knew exactly what it was fighting for, nor even the confines or content of the contested territory. They just ranged backwards and forwards over the churned-up, sickened soil. The third battle of Ypres has been called 'the greatest battle of materiel in history'. The British had a gun to every six yards, the French one to every two-and-a-half yards. The Germans had built small concrete forts, known as 'pill-boxes', and with their four-foot thick walls could shelter numbers of men until the artillery barrage had passed, when they could rush out and attack the attacking infantry. To combat this, a 'creeping' artillery-barrage was introduced with the infantry following close behind the artillery as it moved across, so that they were able to surround a pill-box before the Germans could emerge. Some had only a door at the back, others were loop-holed to enable machine guns to fire from within, and all around the fighting became particularly fierce." (pp 280-281)

Letters from Percy to sister Maud and brother-in-law Dave Lade

The following letters, cards and postcards were written by my grandfather, Percy Smith between December 1914 and October 1918, from his arrival at Broadmeadows Expeditionary Encampment, to almost the end of his was in an Artillery Brigade Camp in Wiltshire. Between times there is correspondence from Egypt both pre and post Gallipoli (but nothing from Gallipoli itself (he was there for a short time only), and from France - the Somme and northern France, and Belgium. There are letters from Feb 1917 and Jan 1918 when he spent time as a guestof the Stephen family in Helstone Manor, near Camelford, Cornwall. For a full account of his service, and the social and battle conditions, see the separate blog entries.

1914: Broadmeadows Camp, Victoria Broadmeadows Tuesday (postmarked 2 DE 14) Dear Maud Just a line to say I arrived here alright at about 4.30 yesterday. I have not had my riding test yet, but expect it won’t take place for a few weeks. We had an easy day to day. About 5000 were taken to the Merri Creek for a washing day. We are at present located in a Y.M.C.A. tent at the furthest point of the camp from the walkway. My address is F Squadron Depot Military Camp. Percy

Broadmeadows Friday (Postmarked 5 DE 14) Dear Maud I received your card yesterday. I think the best day for you to come out would be Sunday. I shifted into my tent yesterday and am now located at the very end of the camp nearest Melbourne. Ask for F Squadron Depot. I would like you to bring me out 1 pair socks, blacking brush and a tin of nugget. We are having a good time here, and have splendid camp mates. This is all now Good bye Yours, Percy Broadmeadows Monday Postmarked 12 DEC 14 Dear Maud I was sorry I could not up to the train on Wed, but was having my riding test that day. I passed it alright. It has been raining to some time here yesterday and to-day. Most of the infantry have gone on to the boats and will be leaving shortly. There are rumours that all the light horse will be shipped to W.A. for their training. Of course I don’t know how true it is. I have not been out to Northcote since you were there. If you only saw the camp now you would not think too much of it. There is a foot of mud all over the place. I have had a bad cold this last day or two. I went to the doctor this morning and got a pill for it. Yours as ever Percy. 1915: Broadmeadows Letterhead: Church of England (Home Mission) Tent Expeditionary Forces Encampment Broadmeadows Tuesday Jan 19 1915 Dear Maud, Just a line to say I am still in the land of the living. We in the Depot have been reorganised, and I am now in B squadron Depot. There is another lot to go away on the 26th, then we will be the next, one month later. But there is just a chance that some of us will be sent this time, as there are shure to be a few deserters. We have had some terrible days (north winds) here this last week, but it has started to rain now and looks like continueing. Some of us went to St Kilda on Saturday, and had a most enjoyable in the baths. I don’t think it will be possible for me to get up your way before I go, as I will have to go home, before I go. I was out at Northcote on Sunday. Edna is out there – came down with Berta. Mabel is coming down this week to see about Edna’s eyes. Well I think this is about all this time. Hoping to see you before I go Yours Percy. Broadmeadows Thurs 1.3 1915 Dear Maud I had your letter on Saturday. I have been transferred from B squadron to A, but expect to be shifted again to-morrow to make one of the next lot of reinforcements to go away. It will not be necessary for Dave to come down next week-end, as it is shure to be some weeks before I go. Should our squadron not be taken as reinforcements it will be formed with two others into a regiment to be part of the new contingent which won’t leave until May at the earliest. I might tell you three squadrons form a regiment and three regiments a brigade. That is, of course, Light Horse. Infantry form into battalions. I have not been able to get home yet on account of being shifted but will do so soon as we are settled again. We are having frightful weather here lately – dust storms every day. I have just come off guard – 24 hours – 6 P.M. Sat until 6 P.M. Sunday. This has occurred three times this last three weeks – rather unusual. I have not seen any Strathites in camp yet, but there are a lot from Gipps that I know. Well I must now conclude as I have to fall in shortly Yours, Perc

Broadmeadows Tuesday 16. 3. 1915 Dear Dave, As you know I have been to Gippsland, but have now returned, and will be pleased to come down as I will not be leaving for a week or two yet. I think the best way for you to come out here would be to go out to Northcote first and then come from there; or if you come on a Saturday I could meet you at Broadmeadows, as we do not drill as a rule on Saturdays, but then of course it would have to be in the afternoon, no visitors being allowed in early in the day. So, after all, it would, perhaps, be better to go to Northcote first. I had a nice stay at home – seven days in all. I had a nice trip to the lakes one day which was very enjoyable. Yours with love to all up there. Percy I hope Maud will be able to come down also. I am shure Stephen would like a visit very much. PS. Tuesday 13. 4. 1915 Dear Maud, Just a line to explain my wire. We received orders last night that we would not go before May but now they tell us we will be going on Tuesday next. We are supposed to be waiting for horses. However, when I am certain of going I will let you know as soon as possible. I sent a wire to Mother also. She was coming down on Wednesday I think Gus was coming also. I went out to Northcote on Saturday half expecting to see you. I missed the last tram from Essendon coming back so had to “pad” it with three others, and arrived here at 1.30 A.M. rather tired. We have had a lot of rain, so you can imagine what the camp is like on this black soil. Hoping to see you soon Yours Percy Letterhead: Melbourne Young Men’s Christian Association Undated (but probably mid-April 1915) Dear Maud I received your card to-day. We have been granted leave for three days, so I am going to Gippsland on Saturday evening. There is no chance of my going away next week so you will be safe to come down any time. There was talk of our going on the 10th but that is impossible now that we have been granted leave. We have been having rather cold days here lately – showery and miserable. I must now conclude as it is time to fall in for afternoon parade. Yours in haste, Percy I was very pleased with your fine present, and thank you very much.

Broadmeadows Wednesday (undated, but towards end April) Dear Maud You will think I have forgotten you, but I haven’t, so here goes. I have had rather a bad time since Saturday and was unable to take advantage of a days leave we were granted on Eight Hours day. I was playing foot-ball and got it wrenched. It is swollen a bit still, but is getting alright now. We have had no definite news of going away yet. We hear all sorts of tales, the latest of which is Saturday, but I think the middle is next month is nearer the mark. Charlie Keir (?) has been granted four days leave with the expectation of going away on the 6th of May; but if they do it will be rather extraordinary, considering it is not a month since they inlisted. There is a lady comes to see a chap in my tent and she has brought us all sorts of woollen things., including three pairs of home-knitted socks, woollen scarfs, caps, mittens etc – not too bad of her. I have had my photo taken, and will send you one when I get them, which should have been to-day, but the man is not here, so will have to wait. Mother went home last Monday. I went in to the train to see her off. If we do not go away on Saturday I might be able to get up to your place for a day or two, but I can’t promise you as there is no certainty. The camp is very quiet at present, there being nothing of note going on. I notice by the papers there is a great battle in progress, and the Allies are having to fight their hardest to Germany back. There seems to be no doubt now that the first contingent (Clives lot) have left Egypt and gone to Turkey, where we will follow I suppose. As I am in the reinforcements to the 4th which is the Victorian L.H. regiment in the 1st contin. I have just had my underclothing issued, and find it of good material. Well it is dinner time now so Good-bye Yours Percy Broadmeadows Tuesday 4 May (undated, but sailed on 6 May, which was a Thurs)) Dear Maud, I received your letter to-day. We have had news of going away, and, according to present arrangements willl go on board boat on Thursday, leaving here on Thursday morning. We have had everything issued, including knife, fork, spoon, shaving outfit, brushes and comb, all sorts of underclothing (three of each) and mufflers, and field dressings. That is just for use on the boat and where we land, and then we get another outfit issued and put away for use when required, as you can see we are well looked after. The name of the boat is the “Palermo” and will probably sail from Port Melbourne. My knee is much better and will be all right in a day or two. I sent the photos home, so you will probably get yours from Mother in a day or two. I thought I saw Dave Patterson on the Flinders St station on Sunday evening but before I could speak the train had come so I had to go. Enclosed you will find a P.C. of myself: I got a dozen. Should any of your folks come down on Thursday you had better go to Northcote and go with them to the boat. I will write to you as soon as I have a chance. Yours Percy 1915 - 1916:Egypt

Heliopolis Egypt 10th July 15 Dear Maud Yesterday was a red-letter day with me, as I received my first letters from home, except one or two that were here before me. I had two from you, two from mother, three from Will, and one from Mabel, besides papers from Mother. I expect you have heard from me by this time, as I have written to mother every week – sometimes twice – and to you and the children several times. There is talk of our leaving for the front shortly, but I cannot say for certain if it is true. I have already written you or Mother, a description of what I have seen, so will start from then and tell you what I saw yesterday. I think it will be interesting. I went to what is called the Citidal. It is a great place of worship near Cairo, and was built many years ago. The person who built it received a large sum of money on its completion, and then had his eyes put out, so he could not build another like it. No person is allowed inside with boots on, and we had to pay 1 piastre (21/2d) for a pair of shoes. Inside there is a great thick carpet – I should say two or three inches – which is wonderful in itself. The main temple is quite round, and I would say about 80 ft in diameter. All round it is lighted with electricity – over one thousand lights in all. This is the second best mosque in the world – the best being in Constantinople. (I hope I will be able to see it too) Just inside is the well that Joseph was put into, and , as you would imagine it is sacred also. About three miles from our camp is a well called the Virgin well where jesus is said to have rested. There is a little church or chapel there and you can get a drink (?) the water that Jesus sweetened. All the water in the wells about here (???) salt or brackish, except this one, and it is splendid to drink, having been sweetened by our Lord during his stay there. There is also here a great tree under which Jesus rested from the sun during the heat of the day. I went with a chap to a place called Heloun where there are a lot of wounded. This chap’s brother is there wounded, and he showed us all around. The building is a great big hotel, where all the wealthy tourists stay, and I must say it is a grand place. Most of the chaps are able to get about and do for themselves, but as they are so well looked after there is practically nothing for them to do. Their meals are all set down for them in a great dining room – nearly a thousand sit down together and their food simply splendid – everything they could desire. Of course they deserve looking after, as they had a hard time at the front, and did some splendid work against big odds. There is no doubt the Aust did great work, and you want to hear the English chaps that are here wounded sing their praises. I expect you have seen a lot of casualty lists by now. There are a lot of wounded compared with the killed, and the most of them go back to the front after a while. According to the papers here recruiting in Aust is on the up grade again – over 6000 one week in Victoria. But this is rather hard to believe. I can tell you there are some troops here now – 90,000 passed through Alexandria on their way to the front the other day – mostly English. I was sorry to hear about D. Green – I saw it in a paper before I got your letter. Well, I must close now. Remember me to all your folks. Yours, Percy Letterhead of The Young Mens Christian Association with H.M. Mediterranean Expeditionary Force in Egypt. Heliopolis Feb 3rd 1916. Dear Dave As you will know before you receive this I am in Egypt again. I was sent to the convalescent home at Helouan, about twenty miles up the Nile from Cairo, and after having about a fortnight there was allowed to rejoin my regiment here. I could have gone home if I had wished, but as I felt so well I did not care about that, there being so many more in need of a trip than I was. The doctor was doubtful about letting me stop, as they make a point of sending typhoid cases home for three months; but here I am, and hope I will be able to see the war through before being sent home sick or wounded. I got another batch of delayed letters yesterday - about a dozen in all including one from you, one and a postcard (view of Strath) from Maud, and one from Hilda. They were very old ones - written mostly in September and August. Will Ross is a lieutenant in my regiment, and although I have seen him once I have not had an opportunity of making his acquaintance. I also met Dave Patterson, and he wished to be remembered to you. He has been sick, but is better again now. Will tells me that they have started what is very nearly conscription in Australia, and is not sure but what he might be called up. I think myself that Australia has done quite her share now, and will not be doing much good by sending her young married men away. Everything is very quiet in Egypt, but as you know there are possibilities of stirring times shortly. However, I cannot say much about that, as the censorship is very strict at present. We are having perfect weather in Egypt now, but I expect it will soon be getting warm again. I was glad to hear you have had such a fine season in Australia, and I suppose it was most welcome after last year. You said in your letter your nephew Perce was in the 13th L.H., so he will be in the same lot as Dave Patterson. It is not far from where I am so will try and see him shortly. You said you were a great believer in prayer for soldiers, and I am sure it will interest you to hear what fellows in the trenches have told me. I have been told by the most hardened of men that in the hour of greatest danger, they have offered up a prayer - the first in most cases since they were children - and have been surprised at the benefit they received. This is about all this time. Yours truly, Percy Remember me to all your people. No 4th Auxiliary (sic) Mumps Hospital Abassia March 1st 1916 Dear Maud As you see by this address I am in hospital again, this time with the mumps. I came in last Friday 25th and am getting on alright now, although my face is still a bit swoolen. I think they will keep me hear three weeks as that is the time they allow for isolation of mumps cases. A great number of the soldiers here are getting mumps for some cause or other. I had a number of letters the day after I came here including one from you and one from Dave. They were both written in Oct. though. However I had some later news from Mother also one from Berta. They were written in the middle of Jan. By the way I am to congratulate myself I suppose on the possession of several new nephews. I expect you would be disappointed - Mother especially - when you heard I was not coming home after all, but I think you will agree I did the right thing, as it would not be too nice returning when there was nothing wrong with me. In any case I would only have meant coming straight back again. We had just finished three days sham-fighting in the desert before coming in here. It was very interesting and exciting while it lasted although hard work. We used to get up early march out about five miles - sometimes further - and then double about in the sand all day. By the time we got in at night we would be tired enough. The 4th L.H. is very much over strength so all those who have come back from hospital lately have gone in what they call the details, and have no horses yet. The details consist of D + E squadron. I am in D squadron under the command of Lieut Ross. I was speaking to him for a few minutes the other day. I was to go to his tent and have a yarn with him but have not been able so far. He wished to be remembered to you and Dave. He is looked upon as a good officer and got the most points with his men in the sham-fighting. Auntie Sarah and Uncle Arthur are getting quite gay in their old age running about to the lakes and so on. I have not heard anything of Eric lately. Have been wondering if he has enlisted. Berta too was down Gippsland she says. I have not come across any more Strath boys. I fancy they most of them are down on the canal somewhere. We have a chap - Sgt Major - in our lot name of Purves. He comes from Yea, and used to visit Henny Yorston at Strath. I wonder if you know him. I have also seen Jim and Arthur Knoop. Arthur is in the next tent to mine and Jim is in the 8th L.H. Also one of the Collins from Break-a-day is in the 4th and a Pat Nelson brother of Mrs Mitchell of Strath. All these chaps belong to the late reinforcements. I think this is about all this time. I would tell you a lot more that would interest you, but the censor won't allow I'm afraid. Hoping you are all well Yours Percy I wrote to Dave about a fortnight ago. 1916:France and Belgium 24 April 1916 Dear Mother I sent you a letter the other day …there is to say I had a trip to the hot water baths to-day and I can tell you it was acceptable after weeks of "grey-backs". I see by to-day's paper some Russians have landed in France, so things are looking up. What do you think of this card? It is hand worked. Remember me to all. Wishing you many happy returns of your birthday. Yours Percy. Letter from Percy Smith to his sister, Maud Lade: Flanders May 17th 1916 Dear Maud It is quite a time since I have written to you now, but as I write to Mother pretty often it is not so bad. I have had a splendid time in France (Flanders) up to date, and, with the exception of about three weeks of last month when it rained incessantly. The climate is all that you could desire. These last few days have been absolutely perfect, and it is marvellous how quickly the mud drys. This is the middle of spring now, and I can tell you the country is beautiful. The trees are in leaf, and all the hedges just a mass of white, and the fields just a mass of buttercups. The farm-houses are quaint old affairs with their thatched roofs and white walls (The thatch is over a foot thick on most of them) The people are most homely and you just walk into their houses like your own. Of course we pay for everything we get. One can spend a most enjoyable evening in most places. Nearly everyone can speak a little English, and, between their English and our French (about on a par) conversation is most amusing. We have not been doing a great deal of work lately. Carting mettle for roads and transferring horses and mules from one place to another is all. I was up close to the trenches with mettle on several occasions last week, and although there are hundreds of guns round about, never saw a shot fired, except the anti-air-craft. Of course one never knows when a shell will come along, and the roads and villages are torn about some. The farmers go on with their plowing just behind the trenches quite undisturbed, and it is nothing to see the shells land quite close to them, but it never worries them. The Germans have sent gas over on several occasions, but although we had our helmets ready, it did not reach us. It is only a waste of energy sending gas now, as the helmets are so safe. They are funny looking affairs, and go right over the head with two glass places in them for the eyes. There is a rubber tube to exhale with, and although you can exhale through it no air can come in. It is like the valve of a bicycle tube. There is some sort of mixture inside like tar, that preserves the good air for some hours, and the gas seldom lasts more than fifteen minutes. You can see it coming just like smoke on a damp day - rolling very low along the ground. It is most interesting to watch the aeroplanes duelling in the air. Most of them are fitted with a machine-gun, and you can hear it cracking away, hundreds of feet up in the air. Some of the 'planes are very daring and fly quite low over the trenches. The German gunners are not nearly as good as ours, and although their machines never come so low, they lose more than we do. As you know there are all sorts of troops in France now - South Africans, Canadian, West Indies, Aust., New Zealand. Russian and others as well. I have not had a letter since I landed in France although it is now about eight weeks. The 4th L.H. are pretty slow at sending them along. We are taking a lot of sick horses to the Vetinary hospital today and it is nearly time to start must close, with love to all Yours Percy Field Service Postcard To Mrs D Lade I am quite well I have received your letter dated 16th March Letter follows at first opportunity. June 18th 1916 Field Service Postcard To Mrs D Lade I am quite well I have received your letter dated 26th June Letter follows at first opportunity. 21.7.1916

September 10th 1916 Dear Mother We have had another move since last I wrote and at present are in very pleasant quarters. The weather has been grand this last few days. I saw Clive the day we arrived and last night I met him again and a long talk with him. Harvesting and hop-picking is in full swing here at present, and after tea some of us go out and help a bit. At least we are supposed to be helping. Hoping you are all well. Percy

Field Service Postcard To Mrs D Lade I am quite well I have received your letter dated 29 July, 13 December 15 I have received your parcel dated 22 June Letter follows at first opportunity. 14.9.1916

“Belgium” Sept 26th 1916 Dear Maud We are having a very quiet time just at present and this past week enjoying beautiful weather in rather comfortable quarters. I have not had any letters for over a week now, but I believe there is a new mail in and hope to get one or two from that. We are making preparations for the winter in the way of building huts and stables and in the course of a week or two hope to be very comfortable. In our battery we have a man by the name Tom Neil, a cousin of J Neil of Broadford. He knows Perce Lade very well and is going with me to-night to see him. I suppose the Tom Neil that is with us is some sort of relation to the Lade family. I have just received a letter – 20th August – from Will. It is the first of the new mail I wrote of previously. I have had a slight cold in the head this last day or two. The first I have had since being in France. Later Sept 29th Since I started this I have received a small addition to the mail – a parcel from Mother and a letter from an old 4th L.H. mate of mine. The parcel was sent early in June and addressed to the D.A.C. so you see it has been sometime on the road, although it arrived in good condition and was most acceptable. The letter included an invitation to call on my mate’s people in England (he is an English chap) should I ever get there. You may be sure I will do so if I get half a chance. The address is Mrs R Stephens Helstone Manor, Camelford, Cornwall, England. Yesterday I met a chap who was on the peninsula with me and left sick about the same time (typhoid too). He was more lucky than I was, and went to England direct from the peninsula, only arriving back to duty a week ago after almost twelve months doing nothing at home. See what I missed by a stroke of bad luck. I did not go to see Perce Lade the other night – was out all night with ammunition to the guns instead – but will try and see him some other time. Yesterday I had to take a despatch through a certain town not far from our battery. It was the first trip I have had through the same place in daylight although we often go through at night, and really it is terrible to see all the damage that two years of bombardment has caused. The views you see on post cards give very little idea of the real state of the city. Remember me to all With best love Percy Letter to sister Maud Lade December 1st 1916 Somewhere in France Dec 1st 1916 Dear Maud I am writing this in comfort thanks to a young French lady who very kindly invited me into write by the fire. Our billet [Sally: Naours] is very good to sleep in but there is not much convenience for writing. We have been out of action since last Saturday and although we had a rotten time for three days travelling about I am not sorry to be away, but am afraid it won't be very long before we are back again. We went into action on the 29th Oct and spent over three weeks in the mud and rain to say nothing about the frost and snow. We only had one day's snow, and I must say it was better than the rain and rather nice once ones feet got a bit warm, although it is hard to see much beauty in anything at four in the morning when your feet are several degrees below zero. Then one or two mornings when the wind was favourable Fritz decided to make things a bit more unpleasant by sending over a large number of gas shells in addition to his usual supply of 5'9" + 4:2'. However the bad weather didn't affect me very much, as I didn't even get a cold. Some of the chaps suffered a good deal though with swollen feet and bad colds. After coming out of action we travelled by road for three days and are now billeted in a village well behind the line. I am beginning to think lately that we are descending into something like the savages - go into the line and fight for a time, then out again and off some-where else to fight again. Yesterday I spent a most enjoyable day in a large town close by (eleven miles). ? they ? ? got the enjoyment was three good meals and a bath. Also I went through a fine old church which is quite as good if not better than the one I saw in Malta. I have been getting my mail very regularly lately and the day before coming out of action had one from you, mother, Laura, Bill + Cila. ? ? were all written about the 26th of Sept. This is the first time I have done any writing for some time so you mustn't blame the postal people if you don't get any letters for a week or two. During the time we were in action it was quite impossible to do much writing. Must close now Love to all Percy. 1917: England and France Helston Manor Camelford Cornwell Jan 31st 1917 Dear Maud, I wrote to Mother last week - the day after I arrived from France and told her about my journey across. The trip across (sic) was not very pleasant but you more than make up for that once you get here. I spent three days in London and had a look at all the sights - St Paul's Westminster Abbey, the tower of London and all the rest - and then came along to this place where I only intended to stay a couple of days, but have been nearly a week now. I promised the son of these people I would come and see them should I ever be in England and I am glad I did for they are very nice and have given me a splendid time. The day I came here my mates went to Scotland, and I was to join them there in a couple of days, but this is too good to leave especially as you loose such a lot of time travelling about. Camelford is quite a small village on the River Camel only a few miles from the sea, and the place where I am, Helston Manor, is just what you would imagine an old manor to be. The family (at home) consists of a grown up son, a boy going to school, and two girls, who have been taking me to see all the sights about. On Sunday last one of the girls who is the organist took me to a little church about two miles from here, and I don’t think you could imagine anything so old fashioned as it is. The church, the people and the vicar, who by the way is about eighty-four - all seemed to be part of some by-gone age. Monday we did the "block" in Camelford, Tuesday we went all around the country side, which is very nice even now. It must be lovely in the summer. And yesterday (Wed) we went to see some old slate quarries not far away. I don't know what is on today - at present it looks very like another fall of snow - but to-morrow I return to London, as I go back to France on Friday (2nd Feb) The day before I left France we had just come out of action and expected to go to another part of the line, either somewhere near Thiepeval, or else right away from the Somme altogether, most likely to Armentiers, so we might take a day or two to find the battery again. I was sorry to hear of your illness but hope you are better again now. I have been keeping very well and have put on a lot of weight since coming here. I am somewhere about twelve stone now. The war still continues but I hope we shall see the end this year. Germany will take some crushing, but I believe we are now in a position to do it. The coming summer will tell anyway. Must close with love to all Percy. Somewhere in France April 18th 1917 Dear Maud, Was pleased to get your letter dated 18th Feb. It is the latest mail we have had, and I was lucky in that there were only a few for the battery of that date, and I got a couple, one from Mrs Roberts of Cowwarr besides yours. You mentioned having heard from Mother of my being in England so imagine she must have had the cable I sent from there, as there has not yet been time for me to have answers to letters I wrote. We have had most awful weather this past month, and some good as well. It is a most peculiar climate this - one day is a perfect spring day (beautiful sunshine) and the next is driving snow blizzard followed by frost + rain. I can tell you it hampers the troops too and gives the Germans a breathing space. They want it too, and will want a lot more which they won’t get a little later on in the summer. I expect you know all about the latest big fighting and our fine successes in France this past week or two. I have written several long letters to Will lately telling about our doings since the beginning of last month so I won’t repeat to you as I expect you will have the letters sent along in due course. If you don’t get them write and ask. A chap by the name of Wood from Newcastle N.S.W. and now in the 15th Battery called to see me the other night. He had received one of Eva's parcels sent through some league or other, and she had written a letter in which she gave my address, and asking him to look me up should he happen to be near our battery. She also gave her brothers' address but I don’t expect he will run across them as they are in the infantry. I have not seen Perce Lade yet although I know he is not far away from us, but then we have very little time to go looking for people. As a matter of fact even when not actually on duty you don't want to be far away in case of a call out which will come at any hour of the day or night. We are faring fairly well still in regard to rations and besides we have our canteen in good working order again so generally we do very well. Lately we have been buying flour custard-powder + jellies, and you should see the dishes we turn out. There are five of us mess together in a hut we built from old German iron out of a ruined village. We have also a German stove, and can generally get coal from along the old railway lines about. Last Sunday for dinner we had rather a decent pudding made by another chap and myself. (We take joint credit for its success). Instead of the usual currants and raisins which we couldn't get we put dryed figs cut up very fine with the suet and although I say it myself it was beyond reproach. Then we make pan-cakes, and instead of eggs we use the custard powder. For supper every night we manage to have custard and jelly + café au lait (coffee + milk). So all things considered we do very well. I had a fine parcel from Cornwell the other week and expect another shortly. This evening I had a small parcel from Mrs Roberts - just a pair of socks and some cigarettes. The cigs. I gave away but the socks needless to say are very handy. Despite the severe winter (the worst in Europe for many years they say) there is comparatively very little sickness among the troops especially Australian. A doctor was telling me the other day that there has been less sickness among the Aust. Regiments than any other single regiment in the British army with the sole exception of the Guards who have hardly been in the line. When you take into consideration that we have been in absolutely the worst part of the line on the whole front it says a lot for an Aus. Power of endurance. It was only when the worst of the winter was over that we had any decent accommodation in the shape of huts built for us. As I have told you before we just had to scratch for ourselves in the way of sleeping accommodation. Must close now with love to all Yours Percy Tell Stephen I was glad to have his letter and will send him a card as soon as I can get somewhere to buy one. Carte Postale Somewhere in France June 18th 1917 Dear Maud Yesterday I had from you a letter dated 9th April. It was part of the first mail we have had for some considerable time. Many must have gone under. We are having a spell just at present, but except for being able to have a swim every day, one is just as well in the line. This so far has been a remarkable summer in France – practically no bad weather since the early spring. I have slept out every night for a month now and saw shorts only. So you see it is slightly different to the winter. Love to all, Percy Field Service Postcard To Mrs D Lade I am quite well I am being sent down to the base. Letter follows at first opportunity. I have received no letter from you lately 17.7.1917

France August 19th 1917 Dear Maud, I wrote you a short letter or a card just after I received your last letter which is some time ago now. Since then we have been having rather a busy time, mostly night or early morning work carting ammunition to the guns. We have been in this spot just a month now, and are not too far from where we were last Sept & Oct. The line has advanced some since then however, and, although there is still a small salient, it is nothing like so great as it used to be. Our infantry are not in the line yet + for convenience the artillery (three divisions 1st 2nd & 5th) is attached to the 24th England division. The 3rd & 4th divs. Are a little further round on the right of us. Our infantry have had a well deserved spell of about four months now, but am afraid it is nearly at an end now. I was at the gun-pits with ammunition last Thursday morning [16 August, my note] when a big bombardment opened previous to the good advance that came off some time later. [“Battle of Langemarck”, my note] We had just unloaded and were leaving when they started - a quarter to five I think it was. On some rising ground between the eighteen pounders (ie field -guns) and the heavies I saw what was I think the best sight I have seen in France. From the heavies in front came a continuous roar & the flashes lit up everything, while looking back at the field guns the flashes seemed to shoot out of the ground in a thousand places. Besides that there were the numbers of all-coloured lights the Germans send up as signals to their artillery for support. Our infantry send the same sort of signals for artillery support. S.O.S. signals they are called. S.O.S. means, save our souls in army code. The "stunt" considering the mud and previous bad weather was very successful and a few more will leave us in a good position for the winter if the war lasts that long which I am much afraid it will. There is no appearance at present of it being over before. I have not met any of the Strath boys who are here. Clive has been a couple of times to see me lately. He looks well and expects to get home on furlough shortly. I hope he is not disappointed, but it is rather a large order to send men to Australia from France on leave, especially now that all possible shipping space is required for other things. A lot of our mails from Australia lately have been lost consequently letters are few & far between. We are expecting a big Aust. mail in a few days time. It has arrived in England safely so we are sure to get it now. I think I told you previously I received the photos of the children you sent. They are very nice. Must close now with Love to all at Hazel Dell Yours Percy I had a nice parcel from Cornwell not long ago - "tres bon for soldier" as the French say. Tres bon means very good, tres being pronounced tray. 1918: England Helstone Manor Camelford Cornwall January 12th 1918 Dear Maud As you will by the heading I am in Blighty again on leave. It is not quite twelve months since I was here before. I came down here yesterday afternoon after spending one day and two nights in London. I left the battery on the 8th and got to Calais the same afternoon after a train journey of three or four hours. We stayed in Calais one night and crossed to Dover the next afternoon arriving there about two-thirty. It is only a short trip – an hour and twenty minutes – but nevertheless I was very sick as it was terribly rough & stormy. I saw the white chalk cliffs of Dover but was too sick to appreciate them at the time. We arrived in London Victoria station at about 5.00 the same afternoon & after getting a clean rigout were free to go where we liked. I went to bed early & in the morning was quite recovered from the sea sickness. The next day I went to see a mate of mine who was wounded at Ypres. He was at No 1 Auxiliary Conv Hospital Harefield which is about thirty miles out of London. I found him alright and just about ready to return to France. It is not so cold in England this year as last. The country around here looks very much brighter than before. I told you in previous letters about our leaving Ypres on the 22nd Nov after just four months in action, on I think the worst front we have yet been on. Well we went to a place called Steenwerck just near where we were when first coming to France and after nearly a month there went into action again near Messines. Just at present it is a very quiet front & we have done very little since getting there. The infantry are doing a lot of ? and other work such as building strong-points & putting down a lot of wire. We are expecting to leave there about the middle of this month & when I return to France I expect I shall find the division somewhere else. They have been sending one division at a time to Bolougne for a rest. The fourth, fifth and third have been or are there now , so it is now our turn. Probably the Americans will be taking over from us for a time. There is a lot of talk in France of our going to Palestine, but I hardly think it is likely that we will be sent to such a hot climate right at the beginning of summer after winter in France. Still they want men there & as the Americans are getting a big army in France now they will be able to spare us easily. I believe the Americans have over a million men over now, as well as a large fleet of ‘planes. There is a decided shortage of certain food-stuff in England just at present, due of course to the loss of shipping during the past twelve months. There are an enormous number of ships required to transport the American army and that of course means less for us. But still England is a long way from starvation, and there is not much shortage in France yet. Must close now with love to all Percy I have not had any letters for a long time & have not had the Xmas mails yet. Heytesbury Wilts 16.6.18 Dear Maud I have been waiting for a mail from Aust before writing you, and yesterday it turned up – six letters in all including two letters & the photograph of the little girls on the pony. The latest letter was written on the 21st Nov and came straight from the base post office. In London without going to France. I have only had one lot of letters go to France since coming here, and they were sent in mistake to the 11th battalion instead of 11th battery. They were Feb letters and owing to the mistake, I got them just a month late – after I had received the march ones. However better late than never. I have been having not a bad time since coming here and it has been beautiful weather all the time, with the exception of odd days of rain. So far this is easily the best of the three summers I have spent in this part of the world. I had a weekend leave to a place called Farnborough a fortnight ago. Spent a most enjoyable time in very good company. I told Mother & Laura about it last week as no doubt you will hear from them. On Tuesday I am going on two days leave to London. I will tell you how I came to get it. In this camp they are very particular about the soldiers being well dressed & polished up, and as a sort of incentive they give the one who is best dressed going on guard or picquet two days leave. As you can imagine there is rather keen competition, for a couple of days in the summer to go where you like are worth having. As a rule the chaps who, like myself, come over from France for a spell, don’t do duties of that sort, so I had not had an opportunity to get it, and it was only as a favour that I got the opportunity this time. I had previously applied for two days leave and was refused, but the major told me if I liked to go on picquet and have a try that way I could., so the result is I am off to London on Tuesday morning returning by midnight Thursday. In your letter you mentioned about the great battles going on in France, and since then as you know there have been others equally as great; this time it is the French who are bearing the brunt of them. How well they are bearing them you will know long before this reaches you. I told you before how lucky or unlucky our division was to miss the main part of them. The other divisions (four) and the New Zealanders did great work on the Somme and in the north too, and the French give them all the credit of saving Amiens. The fourth div. especially did great work. The morning they went into the fight they marched (poised) twenty-four miles, sometimes across plowed fields, and without a spell beat off twelve attacks in massed formation. The thirteenth time they, with the third division me the attack half way with the bayonet and drove the Huns back some distance. That is supposed to be the greatest bayonet charge of the war. Anyway it was the end of the advance on the Somme. The French thought such a lot of the work that they gave the fourth division as a whole the right to wear the Croix de uerre, which is a great distinction. Croix de Guerre means Cross of the War, and is more than equal to our military medal. For some unknown reason The British government wouldn’t allow them to receive the honour, but have given them something of their own. They are now called the royal fourth division. I notice by the morning’s paper that Mr W.M.Hughes has again arrived in England. He received a great welcome in London, and was met by his son who is a private in the A.I.F., and who is at present recovering from wounds received in France. There is one thing the Anties can’t accuse Hughes of, i.e. he didn’t want to send others where he wouldn’t send his own son. There is no doubt he could have got his son a nice job somewhere here in England where he need not have gone near the firing-line. There are plenty of such jobs about - too many in fact. I am glad to know that you are having such good seasons. It is some comfort to know there is some prosperity in the world. Just at present I am afraid there is very little this side. Must close now as it is almost time for church parade. We have our church parade in the village church of Heytesbury. The church is the best thing about the village which is very small. Love to all Percy Christmas 1918 – small card From Percy to all at Hazel Dell Enclosed with the Christmas card was a small photo wrapped in paper, upon which was written "Uncle Percy's Gun Battery". There is no indication of where or when it was taken, but I assume it is the 11th Battery, 4th Field Artillery Brigade, 2nd Division.