George
George was probably already aware of his next destination. I suspect his underlining of the word ‘chance’ is an attempt to beat the censor, hoping that his family will understand that the Australians were bound for the Western Front in France rather than the Macedonian Front at Salonika in the east where Germany, Austria-Hungary and Bulgaria had now defeated Serbia. In his next undated letter, as he describes the reorganisation of the Australian forces, he spells out the expected destination quite clearly, although a sense of uncertainty remains.
Egypt
Yeitoun Camp
Dear Mother
Just a few lines to let you know that we are leaving here in the morning to go down on the canal and that all the Australian troops are being formed up afresh again into different battalions they say that they are mixing the ones that have seen fighting with the new ones and have the battalions half of each, we the 6 of 21 are forming the seventh battalion, Ray Leed is going in the 58 Batt. and Jack Jamison and young Millar from Pyramid are in the 60 Batt they are splitting the old Battalions up all roads, they are forming a lot more Battalions now, and before they only had them up to the 32 Batt., so I think we will go to France later on, or they wouldn’t be making such alterations, it will be a long while before we get any letters, in fact we are not getting any now I have only received 5 since xmas, we were getting them very regular before xmas, but it doesn’t matter much as long as all are well. I haven’t much time at present as we have to pack up our things. So hoping all are well as I am at present.
I remain Your loving son
Geordie
Give the others my new address
My address
2748
Pte G.T. Marlow
7 Batt
2nd Brigade A.I.F.
On Active Service Abroad
Send the addresses of my relations in England
As George packed for the welcome move from the heat and dust of Egypt, he jotted in his notebook a list of items to be stored in his kitbag and those that would remain in his pack. On the following page he recorded his movements since 12 June:
In kit bag
1 Drawers, 1 singlet, 1 boots, 1 abd Belt, 1 Breeches, 1 hair brush, 1 service jacket, 1 towel 1 flannel Shirt, socks
In Pack
Shaving outfit, Laces, Tooth Brush, Knife Fork & spoon, comb, cap comforter, socks, field dressings, cord jacket, towel, Great Coat Housewife
Enlisted on June 12th 1915 went to camp 28 June Went to Seymour August 10
Bendigo to Broadmeadows Sept 5 Sailed from P. Melb. Oct 5 Arrived at Suez Nov 3 and went by train to the Yeitoun Camp and later went to Aredrome camp and then went back to Yeitoun and left there on Feb 24th at 8 am and arrived at Serapeum 2pm.
SUEZ CANAL, MARCH
The reorganisation was now almost complete and George was on active service, positioned along the Suez Canal as a reinforcement to D Company, 7th Battalion, 2nd Brigade of the 1st Division. The men of the 1st Division had moved to the front line in January, digging trenches and building roads, railways and pipelines in a 19-kilometre stretch close to Serapeum. They were preparing for an expected attack by Turkish forces now relieved of the defence of the Dardanelles and moving inexorably south. George next wrote home on 2 March, the day on which a desert sandstorm, blowing for the third day, completely enveloped sections of the trenches.
March 2nd 1916
Dear Mother
… Well it is very rough here today with the wind and dust and is also getting very hot I suppose it is getting a bit cooler over there now. Well I told you in my last letter that we were leaving the Yeitoun camp and going into new Battalions, well we are a long way from Yeitoun now and are in D Company Seventh Battalion Second Brigade Abroad, that is my address now. Ray Leed is in the 57 Batt Archie Baillie is in the same Batt. as me, he has joined the N.C.O. school to try for stripes. Well Mother we are not allowed to say anything about where we are or what we are doing, so I don’t know what to write about, so will close hoping all are well as I am at present.
I remain Your Loving Son
Geordie
A fortnight later, George wrote to Charlie of his rapid return to Cairo from Serapeum to collect some money his family had cabled. He expresses his surprise at the news that Allan has enlisted.
March 17th 1916
Dear Charlie
Just a few lines hoping all are well as I am present. I received word from the Anglo – Egyptian bank in Cairo saying that you had cabled some money to me, having shifted from Yeitoun before the letter reached me and being such a long way from Cairo I thought it was all up with the money but I saw the captain of my company about it and he told me to put in for leave and would try and get it through for me and it was successful so I reckon I was lucky, I got two days as would be unable to do it under that time. I got on a train at a siding called Serapeum at 8 oclock last night and arrived in Cairo at 1 oclock this morning I managed to get a bed but when I got up I was covered in lumps from flea bites. Well I have just been to the Intermediate Base depot and the bank to fix up the papers and have drawn the money ₤6. You can fix it up out of my pay which I hope is coming along alright. You would be surprised to see what a crowd of men go into the bank to draw money some cable for as much as ₤20 at a time. We cant buy anything down where we are only a tin of fruit now and again, no drinks of any kind we only get one of those water bottles full of water every day and have to wash ourselves and all out of it, and it is very hot down there and sand up to our necks, we are right over the canal in Arabia and have the trenches about 10 miles out from the canal, all of our brigade have been relieved from the trenches and the light horse are in them now and we are camped right on the edge of the canal now we get a swim about twice a week but have to go down in full fighting order, it is a bonzer place for a swim about 100yds across. You would be surprised to see what a lot of boats go through. It is a very rough place for horses they seem to be getting very poor. Well Charlie I think we will be shifting from there very soon perhaps within a week, it is too hot to fight there now I hope they send us to a cooler place this time. We were inoculated yesterday and have to be done again and are being fitted up with all the leather equipments and I believe they are going to get new rifles and different kind to what we have, when we shift. Amos Haw is in the same brigade as me and I often have a yarn with him, he says he received a letter from Rene saying that they haven’t received a letter from him yet he asked to tell you to tell his people that he is alright, she said that four more have enlisted from Mologa, including Allan, it was news to me as I haven’t received a letter from anyone for months but hope to get some with my new address as I told you all in my other letters that I am in the 7 Batt now. You can show them at home this letter or tell them the news. Well Charlie I will now close thanking you very much for sending the money.
I remain your loving bro
Geordie …
Tell Allan to write and send his address when he is about to leave as he wont know till just before he is leaving, what letters I write to him you could send to him in camp. Send the address of my relations in England when you write also say if they received those silks. I am writing this letter in the YMCA in the Gardens Cairo, it is very hot but not as hot as in Arabia. When we left Yeitoun our kit bags were sent to the Base, they never told us that they werent going with us, so all the clothes that we have had are what we have on us, you can guess we weren’t lousy a bit, so I am going to buy new socks and other things today.
While ordinary soldiers heard only rumours of their move to the fields of France, those in command were rapidly organising their embarkation. On 13 March the men of the 2nd Australian Division began to embark from Alexandria and were soon followed by the remaining battalions of I Anzac Corps. At this point, I Anzac consisted of the 1st, 2nd and NZ divisions under General Birdwood, while II Anzac, comprised the ‘new’ 4th and 5th divisions under Lieutenant General Godley. By July 1916, when II Anzac arrived on the Western Front, closely
followed by the 3rd Division, the structure of I Anzac Corps had changed again, now comprising the 1st, 2nd and 4th divisions. II Anzac consisted of the 3rd, 5th and NZ divisions.
As George waited for word of his impending departure from Egypt, he took a moment to record his movements in his notebook:
Sunday 12 March
Church parade in morn swimming parade in the afternoon
Thursday 16 March
Drill in morning enoculation in afternoon
March 16 on leave to Cairo arrived back at Serapeum on the 18th
March 19 visited by Prince of Wales 1916
Monday 20
General muster & inspection taking note of shortages.
BENDIGO, AUSTRALIA, MARCH 1916
In Australia, the formation of the 3rd Australian Division was now well in hand. The 38th Battalion was raised on 1 March 1916 on the outskirts of Bendigo, the new battalion training grounds entirely subsuming the Epsom Racecourse. The 38th Battalion was part of the 10th Brigade, 3rd Division, under the command of Lieutenant Colonel C.H. Davis.
Among the 38th Battalion’s initial intake were twins Percy and Allan Marlow, their regimental numbers 119 and 120 respectively. They were immediately sent to the machine-gun section as Lewis gunners. The Lewis automatic machine-gun was light and relatively portable compared to the larger Vickers gun. First used by the Belgians in 1914, it had proven efficient and lethal, capable of firing 500 to 600 rounds per minute, and could be operated by a lone gunner if required. Lewis gunners worked in a team, usually of five men, with supplies of ammunition and spare parts carried in the field. The gunners remained constantly on the move to avoid being registered by enemy artillery fire. The Lewis gun was a weapon of industrialised warfare and vital to defending trench systems from attacking enemy forces. Allan, after years of hunting rabbits in the paddocks and along the creek at Mologa, was a skilled marksman and soon to become the number one gunner.
Allan and Percy and their 38th Battalion mates boarded the train at Mologa for the three-hour journey to Bendigo. They were about to begin their lives as soldiers of the AIF. The local newspaper that served the community of Mologa reported their departure:
Messrs T Alford and C. Fyffe, the first recruits for the new army from Mologa, left here on Monday morning and would go into camp in Bendigo on that day. On the 1st March they will be followed by Messrs A Marlow, P. Marlow, J Townsend, E Johnson and W. Street. All have been prominently connected with the Mologa Football Club and other entities of a social nature in the district. Along with those who have gone, Mologa may be proud of these young men who are about to take part in the Empire’s great struggle.3
Almost 100 years on, I cannot help but wonder whether, had these brave young men been able to envisage the true horror of war, they would still have enlisted. Perhaps they would have preferred the ignominy of receiving a white feather to the nightmare of trench warfare. It is more likely, however, that the strong sense of duty, the patriotic fervour and the relentless propaganda would have combined to stir their souls and provide them the requisite courage for the ordeal that awaited. The passing of time has robbed us of the opportunity to ask.
While the early weeks of drill kept the boys busy, they still found time to visit family and friends in Bendigo, including the family of Charlie’s girlfriend, Pearl Clee. Despite the early bravado and thrill of military life that permeated the boys’ letters home, Sarah Marlow was clearly anxious for her sons, particularly Allan, who had been a sickly child and who she considered might not cope with the tough life of a soldier. Sarah’s concerns were quickly justified as many of the new recruits fell ill, a significant number isolated with meningitis. The men were later confined to camp to contain the epidemic. In his letters Allan does not mention the increasing rate of illness to his parents, pointedly asking Jim not to reveal to those at home that his mate Tom Alford was now in hospital. Allan was already protecting those he loved from the reality of his experiences; like many of his fellow soldiers his true feelings would be concealed in humour and ironic understatement.
Military Camp
Bendigo Monday 6-3-1916
Dear Mother Father and Brothers
Well Mum I enjoy this life first rate so do the other lads. Well they are rocking the drill into us. We got the rifles today so it looks like if somethings doing. Our Officers are all first rate men you could not better them don’t matter where you go. There are about 1100 men in camp now and another 600 coming in this week so things will be pretty lively soon. We are still up in the grandstand but we are shifting to B company tents tomorrow thank god as the grandstand is very draughty and things seem to be so unsettled up there but still the life is lovely. Well mum when you write still address the letters to Z Company because I am not sure whether we will be going away to Melbourne this week or not. It puts a lovely feeling through you when you see about 1000 men marching and the band playing I often think if only I could get at the b___ germans. Well mum I got a letter from Jim and one from a friend in Pyramid and by hell they were welcome too. Jim has not been to good according to his letter. We all went to Bendigo on Sunday. Percy and I went to Gibsons but I only stayed a little while but Percy stayed till late. I went to Clee’s for tea. They are bonzer people. I really did enjoy myself. The old man and I did have some fun. Well as for Annie I simply love her I think she is of a lovely disposition. At 9 oclock I left for camp but not a dam move could I take till I had supper. Then mum and dad and Annie and I went to [the] fountain and then they bid me good night.4 I must go up there every time I come into Bendigo so they say and by hell I am going too when ever I get a chance. It is simply lovely to have a place like that to go to. I am taking Percy with me next time too. There is nothing to go into Bendigo without you having some friends to see. I do like old dad he is a great one to laugh. Well mum you have heard enough about now as for the camp. The tucker is not the best and it is scarce at present on account of us new recruits being in Z Company. Z Company consists of men who cannot get on with their drill and new recruits. We are all in B Company but have our meals with Z Company on account of there being no tents for us but we will be shifted tomorrow. There must be about 50 chaps here that I know – and it seems like home with one or two exceptions. Well mum I expect a letter from you tomorrow this is about the 16 letter I have wrote all together now. There is boxing here tonight but I am too busy to go. I will drop a line every day while there is something to write about. Well mum we have all had a bit of trouble at night but are over it now. There [are] any amount of amusements here such as concerts boxing bobs coits and billiards. In the day time one really has no time to think of anything but drill. I am going to drop Jim a line now. It is raining now but we are quite safe so goodnight mum. I hope you are all well as it leaves us now at present.
I remain Your Loving Son
Allan S
Pte A S Marlow
… Percy is busy writing in the Salvation tent but I don’t know who to____. Tell Albert I will drop him a line.
Bendigo
Tuesday 7-3-16
Dear Albert
Well Albert things are progressing well I have just stopped laughing I am sure I laughed for about 20 minutes at Peter Owens. He went to salute an officer very smartly and he gave himself a hell of a hit on the nose. It was so funny. They rocked the drill into us today very solid. About 120 men came into camp today and there is a hell of a crowd here now. I got mum’s and your letter today. If you come down Thursday come out to the camp on Friday you can get in at 4 oclock. We will be in Bendigo Saturday and Sunday that is if I am not on bloody guard it looks like if I am going on but never mind it is all in the game and the game must be played. Well Albert there is a concert here tonight but I am too busy writing. Alby Windridge is here in camp just camped by us. I suppose things are quiet up there. I also got the paper you sent. I am quite settled down to this life now and I like it [in] town. Well Albert the lights are about to go out so goodnight. Will write tomorrow. I am writing to George tomorrow.
I remain
Your loving Brother
On the same day, Percy also wrote home, describing his increasing adjustment to life as a soldier:
Bendigo
7th
Dear Mum & Dad
Well I am still alive, hoping you are the same. We are just enjoying the luxuries of camp life, we got our residence in the grand stand, sleeping between the seats, the other night one of the springs broke. Well Mum it is a good life a bit stiff for a start but it will be all right after a while. We get bread and jam for tea boiled beef for breakfast stew or curry for dinner, not a bad course is it. It would make you laugh to see us at meals, we look like a lot of tramps. There don’t seem to be any more coming down from up that way. I suppose their feet is too cold. We get off of a Sunday and half a day Saturday We got to march in next Saturday. Well Mum I think I have told you all the news. So I am your loving son
Percy
A little over a week later Allan and Percy were making arrangements to come home:
16-3-1916
Dear Jim
I received your welcome short note today. Sorry to hear that your head has been bad again. Well Jim I think it to be certain that we will be up Saturday morning and will leave about 3 oclock on Sunday as the car will have to go around to Streets and Townsend place but some of you go to the post office Saturday morning and if I am coming I will send a wire so don’t forget to go to the post about 10 or half past but I think it a cert that we will be home. But tell mum and dad not to put their weekend holiday off for me. Well I am tip top and the other boys have recovered from their inoculation but, next week will be a bugger on account of us to be vaccinated. Well Jim this is a hurried note as I want to catch the post you will get this tomorrow. We had an easy day again today. Tom Alford is in the hospital but don’t say a word to any one but them at home. I have not seen Albert since Sunday.
ANZAC Sons Page 8