ANZAC Sons
Page 36
Dave Glass was 32 years of age with three small children when he enlisted in the 41st Battalion in November 1915. By the time of his death he had risen to the rank of sergeant.12 Dave had served in the Boer War in both an intelligence role and in the Natal Mounted Police. When he returned from South Africa he worked as a camel driver in Western Australia during the construction of the rabbit-proof fence. He married a local Mologa girl, Elizabeth Jones, sister of Richard and aunt of Eva. Dave and his young family had moved to Home Hill in Queensland where they owned a sugar plantation. Elizabeth occasionally wrote to Sarah Marlow during the long years of war, including the following undated letter:
Dear Mrs Marlow
No doubt you will wonder who this stranger is writing to you. I often think of you & all the anxiety you must have with your five boys at the front. You have truly reared a fighting family I do hope they will all return safely to you, but it seems a lot to hope now. I had a letter from Dave dated 22nd August he was then in England & very anxious to get to the firing line it seems no time since he was a little fellow going to school. I have a little boy now he is just 2 years & two little girls the eldest girl is going to school & promises to be rather clever I will not write too much & try again wishing you & your soldier sons all the good things you deserve I am one who too is anxious
Elizabeth Glass (nee Jones)
Riverdale
Home Hill
Via Townsville
Nth Queensland
Dave died of wounds on 3 March 1917 and was buried close to Armentieres. His widow and their children later returned to Mologa.
Charlie was enjoying a few days’ rest as he wrote home:
April 8th 1917
Easter Sunday
Somewhere in France
Dear Mother Father & Jim,
…we are still out of the trenches and had a day off yesterday and today, I got a lot of news in Joe Pickle’s letter his Mrs read it and pulled it to pieces she said it was a real old man’s letter all about the weather and crops and nothing about the housewife it was real good. We had C of E church parade this morning there was a big crowd there, the boys are quite satisfied that that is D. Glass that has been killed. Tom Roberts is back again with the battalion we get plenty of Australians papers over here there is a great pile of them on the bench today. Pearl said she sent the Bendigo paper but I did not get it, it would go somewhere else, it is no good sending papers as they seldom reach their destination. I got a letter from [Uncle] Arthur saying that he reckoned to get 5/5 a bushel clear on his wheat I wish they would make that last years wheat the same, Arthur has had a fair crop by the number of bags he got. I have not got any letters from [Uncle] George or the Mrs for a good while. I was sorry to hear that Grandfather was not well but hope he is better by now …
The letters Sarah sent to her sons clearly expressed her concern that the boys were not being truthful over such issues as the state of their health and were not writing regularly. Percy seems particularly frustrated … they were consistently writing home and were not responsible for the failure of their letters to arrive, or the fact that their letters were occasionally brief when time was scarce. The missing correspondence was probably at the bottom of the sea, a casualty of the German submarine attacks that plagued the English coastline.
France
9 April
Dear Jim,
… Mum seems to think I am keeping some things quiet well I would tell you, if anything was the matter, I think I used [to] always mention Allan’s name. Of course when I was isolated for the mumps, I could not mention Allan, because he was not with us. That would be the time we came to France, when you did not get any letters for, I know we did not have time to write for some time, I know I wrote a few lines and Mum was not satisfied with them, she seems to think it is an easy matter to write long letters, but it is not over here. Well Jim you must have been sick of the harvest, being on your own, it would be a pleasure to get it over. Geordie has got two stripes now, so he will be all right now. Allan has got one stripe now, my word he does go crook if you call him Corporal. We have had a lot of snow lately, I am sick of the look of it. Charlie is all right again. We had a letter from Albert, he expects to come over soon. Well Jim I have no more news so I will have to close.
From your loving brother
Percy
Charlie also wrote to explain the absence of letters:
April 11th 1917
Just got 2 more letters from Pearl
Dear Jim,
… Albert is still in Lark Hill I got a letter from him this week. Harry Street has joined the battalion but Albert did [not] come with him as he has not done the same amount of training … we are still out of the trenches it is a good while since I have been in on account of being in the hospital, I was sorry that you did not get any letters from Al & Percy of late but everybody has been in the same fix, don’t think that because you have not got any letters that we have not written … When Albert comes over he and I will be together, and A and P will work together, we will be in the same company but different platoons, the officer spoke to me about fixing him up …
On 15 April Percy and Charlie enjoyed their last night in the relative comfort of billets before returning to the trenches at Houplines on the border of France and Belgium. Allan, his second-in-command, and a senior officer, traversed the maze of trenches under cover of darkness. Artillery exchanges frequently bombarded the sector and, as the three men picked their way along the trenches, the roar of shells thundered around them. Now an experienced soldier, Allan knew when to take cover. As the men moved forward through the muddy, twisting maze, the breastworks of sandbags that formed the parapet suddenly exploded, duckboards were thrown into the air and clods of earth rained down on the men. Allan was alive, but buried under the debris. As his officer desperately dug beneath the soil, Allan fought hard to breathe against the crushing weight as he faced the terrifying realisation that his life hung in the balance. Moments later he was pulled from his tomb; he had cheated death, but was not unscathed.
With the casual air typical of Allan he refused to seek medical treatment. He was overruled. Allan was admitted to hospital with suspected internal injuries and would remain for a fortnight. As his body recovered, the notification that Allan had been wounded was received at Mologa from Base Records Office, Victoria Barracks, Melbourne, dated 3 May 1917. The letter advised that Allan had been wounded but provided no detail of his condition. It would be another five weeks before the letters of reassurance arrived in Mologa.
Charlie wrote:
The Trenches
France
April 20th 1917
Dear Jim,
Just a few lines to let you know that I am quite well also Percy but am sorry to say that Al has been injured, we were not with him when it happened, the no 1 and no 2 go in the trenches the night before the others and it was on the first night that he was injured, he was walking along the trench when a shell blew the parapet in on him, and an officer got him out and he was taken away to the hospital, I have not seen him since and whether he is hurt much or not I do not know but one of the sergeants told me that he did not want to go out of the trenches but that he would be alright by the Morning. I will try and find out how he is, I am expecting a letter from him anyday perhaps he will have written to you, it happened last Sunday night, he could not have been in the trenches more than two hours when it happened I will let you know later if I hear anything of him. Albert is still in Lark Hill I heard from him last week he did not know when he would be coming over, I heard from Geordie some time ago he was quite well. It has been miserable weather over here lately they say that this has been the coldest winter for 35 years. Flo Wilson says she saw in the paper that this is the coldest April for 60 years, so you will see that it has been a bit tough …
Fear gripped the family at Mologa as they waited for news. Charlie’s letters of reassurance took over a month to arrive, during which time little more would be known of Alan’s condition. Th
ere is no evidence that Allan wrote of his brush with death or of his hospital stay during the fortnight. If he did write, his letters were either lost in transit or perhaps Sarah kept them elsewhere. It was unlike Allan not to reassure his mother that he was recovering.
Charlie continued to write in an attempt to keep his family informed and to reduce their anxiety.
The Trenches in France
April 25th 1917
Dear Mother,
Just a few lines to say that I received your welcome letter that you sent to Leicester, I suppose you will have heard that Allan had been injured, but I am pleased to say that he is getting alright again, I got a letter from him two days ago he said he thought he would be back with us in about a week or so, he was struck with a duck board and the shell blew the trench on him, there were two other chaps with him at the time, he was taken straight away to the hospital, which is not far from here. You have no need to be anxious about him as he will be quite well long before this reaches you. As you will see by the above that we are in the trenches but going out tomorrow, I am pleased to say that we have had some very nice weather here this last week and I hope it continues so. Jim spoke about A & P not getting their parcels well so far they have got every one that has been sent to them, it takes about a fortnight longer for a parcel to reach us than a letter … Tom Roberts was only slightly wounded and is back here again it did not take long for them to get the word about. Geordie was quite well the last time I heard from him… I got a letter from Ida and one from Flo this week they said they had got letters from Australia. Harry Marlow expects to get his discharge Auntie Wilson sent me his address. I will write to him if I can find time. Percy is here with me we are both quite well and hope you are the same at home I wrote to Jim a few days ago, I have written a lot of letters to you all lately I never seem to be done writing. Well I hope you will not be worrying about Allan or any of us in fact …
On the day Allan returned to his unit, Charlie penned a brief note to reassure his mother.
April 27th 1917
Dear Mother,
I wrote to you while I was in the trenches but was unable to post it I told you about Allan being hurt well he has just arrived back and does not look too bad so you will know now that he is alright, we are out of the trenches now I got a letter from Geordie this morning he is quite well he says Amos is quite well, Albert is still in Lark Hill but expects to be over here any day. Well I will say goodbye for now with best wishes
I am your affect son
Charlie
ELEVEN
I AM LEAVING FOR FRANCE
TOMORROW …
ENGLAND, APRIL
Throughout April, as George battled at Lagnicourt, Percy and Charlie held the front line at Armentieres and Allan recovered from his wounds, Albert was to remain at Larkhill where his training continued. The youngest brother knew how to shoot, he could drive a bayonet into a hapless dummy, survive a simulated gas attack and he could throw live bombs. He considered himself ready and anxiously awaited the news of his inclusion in the draft for the Western Front.
Lark Hill Camp
Sunday April 7th 17
My Dear Mother & Father,
… I have just come back from Church Parade, it is a lovely day today, we have had some awful weather, over a foot of snow Monday night. We went for a route march next morning and coming home got wet up to the knees. We went down to Figledean and saw the Spreading Chestnut tree, and the Village Blacksmiths Shop. It is a very pretty place around the village, and the river runs through it. We were out on a Review again yesterday, took our dinner out and were inspected by Brig Gen Sir Newton Moore. There was 20,000 of us, it looked tip-top. All the “heads” were there, and all the people from the villages around. It is rumoured that the King is coming tomorrow. I hope he does as I‘d like to have a quiz at him. Harry Street left in a draft a few nights ago, and poor devil was crying when he left here. I nearly got isolated again. The corporal in our hut got mumps, so we thought we would shift out of the hut, so about 2 hours after we shifted the hut got isolated. All of us that had the mumps expect to be warned for draft this week. I met Sgt Jameison here a few days ago, he used to be school teacher at Bald Rock. He knows Al well. Jim would remember him, he used to play football with Pyramid. Jimmie O’Hare is still here, he has been in the “clink” a good part of the time. I got a letter from Charlie this week, he has not been too well on it. Allan is a Lance-Corporal now. If the King comes tomorrow we may get 4 days Kings leave. I’d like to get leave to go up and see Auntie at Water Farm [Devon]. There was a concert here last night, any amount of amusements here. I got 5 letters from Australia this mail one from Auntie Etta. It’s a wonder I got it as she put the wrong number. The Composite Batt that I told you I was in, has been knocked in the head. We heard here that the Port Lincoln was sunk a few weeks after we left her. No damn wonder. Well, Mum, I am beat for news, so I will close hoping you are well as it leaves me at present.
I am
Your Loving Son
Albert
Lark Hill Camp
April 9th 1917
Dear Jim,
… I stayed home to do some washing, and write letters. I used to take my washing to the laundry. They wash them lovely there & very cheap at that, but they take a week or ten days to do them so I did not take mine there, as a fellow don’t know where he will be in 10 days time. There is a draft going tomorrow week, and I may be warned to go on it. I have done my shooting, and today went through the gas-chamber, which is a small air-proof hut, and into which about 30 men go in at once, and they turn on the gas, which is almost harmless, but not smellless. I forgot to say we put the gas-helmets on before we go in. We stop in there about 2 minutes, come out, and keep the helmet on for an hour, and double for 5 minutes. We have to be able to put the gas-helmet on in 20 seconds; when we get to France, we get a box respirator, besides the helmet. Well Jim, it was a buggar of a day today, the cold wind nearly cut my face away, it is burning like blazes yet. I think there will be more snow tonight, we get more snow now than when we first came here, but it isn’t half as cold, I suppose I am used to it, and don’t notice it. We are not allowed to have fires in the huts now. I don’t miss them much, except for making toast. I think we have to throw live bombs tomorrow, supposed to [throw] 3 live bombs before we leave here. Each bomb weighs 22 ounces, and you have to throw a dummy bomb 30 yards before they let you throw a live one …
The following week, Albert wrote home:
Lark Hill Camp
Sunday April 15th 1917
My Dear Mother, Father & Jim,
… I have not been warned for draft yet, so I think I will be here for another fortnight, at least. All the 4th/38 have gone except the war-babies, and the ones who have been in hospital. I have not heard from the boys since I wrote to you, last Sunday. There has been some awful weather this week, rain, hail & snow, but it is a grand day today. We went to Church parade this morning and they put us on fatigue work as soon as we got back from church. My mate & I were eating an orange each the other day, and we threw a bit of peel in the gutter. Collins the O.C. (I told you about him before) saw us and gave us 7 days C.B. That shows you what sort of a buggar he is. Another chap got 5 days C.B. for not having his chin-strap on his chin. He’s a cold-footed buggar, if I see him in Australia I’ll break every bone he’s got. He crimes a fellow for a thing like that, and then asks you to (play the game). All the other officers call him “Lizzie’. There was a bad accident near here this morning. An aeroplane came down from a hell of a height and fell in Durington village, just missing a house. He was badly hurt, and they said he was dying at dinner time. We have not been getting too much tucker lately, and last night there was a bit of a row in the mess-room. We got two slices of bread and dripping for tea. Food seems to be getting short all over England, and I think the food shortage will end the war, if it ever ends. The British are capturing a lot of villages now, and by today’s paper they are closing on Lens and St Quentin. I am sending a
paper by this mail you may see some interesting articles in it about peace …
Lark Hill
April 18th
Dear Jim,
Just a few lines to say I am well. I am sending you a few photos of my mates. The hut group are the chaps in my hut, but a lot of them are out of the 5th Rfets. Well Jim, there was another review here yesterday, this time the King was there. It was a grand affair about 30, 000 Australians taking part. When he first arrived we presented arms to him, while the massed bands played the National Anthem, then he inspected us, followed by about 30 “heads”. Then there was the “March Past” the saluting point, when we got to where the King was, we got “Eyes right”, so we all had a good look at him. When he was leaving all the men gave him 3 cheers. By hell it was a grand sight, I wouldn’t have missed it for a fiver. I got a letter each from Al & Charlie last night, they were all well. Well Jim. I am going in the next draft, I think it leaves on the 24th. I should have been in the last one, but the coy clerk is out of the 4th refts. and he wouldn’t put me in it, because Tom Dickinson & Alex Duncan had to stop till this one goes. The clerk is a cobber of mine & he used to be in camp with the Stone boys.