Good luck
Your Old Pal
L.A. Roberts
I sent your photo home & it arrived safely L.A. Roberts 13
Now visiting relatives in Leicestershire, Percy wrote to Jim:
C/o Mrs Payne
33 Green Lane Rd
Leicester
17-4-18
Dear Jim
Well old boy how are you going on. You will see by the top I am in Leicester having a good time Jim. Last Saturday Flo and another girl friend of Paynes were here, well it was lively Jim, I wish you were here. Flo, as you know, works in Leicester she is a lively girl, Auntie is a hard case, so when they are all together things are very lively. The weather is terrible just now its raining every day makes things very disagreeable. I will be off to Scotland in a few days, they say Glasgow is a nice place. Ida had a letter from Charlie this morning; he and Allan were well when he wrote. My word Jim, Fritz is exceeding himself isn’t he; but we will stop him if it only takes two years now that we got the “god dam Yanks” I guess. I hope to have a lot of mail when I get back. Well Jim hope this finds you all well.
Your aff brother
Percy
Love from all
Percy remained in England while Charlie was positioned to the north in Belgium where Ludendorff was set to unleash the next stage of his plan: ‘Operation Georgette’.
TWENTY
… IT BREAKS MY HEART
TO WRITE THIS LETTER
On 9 April German forces attacked south of Armentieres sending Portuguese troops fleeing from their positions in a headlong retreat to the coast. Armentieres fell. The enemy was now heading for Hazebrouck, a key transport centre, with St Omer and the channel ports in their sights. Mount Kemmel fell and Messines and Passchendaele were lost with little resistance. Only a few months before, Allied troops had suffered enormous casualties capturing and holding the same villages that had now fallen into enemy hands.1
The 1st Australian Division, which had just arrived on the Somme, was turned around under shellfire at Amiens and sent back to the Flanders region. The men arrived at Hazebrouck on 12 April and immediately began digging new trenches which soon became the front line. A few days later, as waves of German troops advanced toward them, the men of the 1st Division mowed them down with withering machine-gun and rifle fire; the Australians held the line. Against the odds, the vital rail centre of Hazebrouck had been secured.2
On the same day that the 1st Australian Division arrived at Hazebrouck in the north, the 38th Battalion was moving into the front line at Buire to relieve the 40th. A and B companies were positioned on the left of the River Ancre while Allan’s D Company was on the right along the Buire-Ville-sur-Ancre Road. C Company remained in reserve in Buire. The area was under constant German artillery fire.
Charlie had received his orders to return to the 38th. Before he reached the line he dashed off a card to his mother:
7th April 1918
My Dear Mother
Just a few lines to say that I am quite well and not in the line I hope you are all well at home. I am not with Allan yet but may see him this week, I have not heard from Percy as I have not got any mail since I left the school but he will be getting on alright. We are having nice weather over here now and not much to do this last week. Well I will close for this time with love to all. I wrote to you a few days ago. Goodbye with love
From your loving
Charlie xxxxxxxx
All the lads are well and are in great spirits
Charlie’s card to his mother before returning to the 38th Battalion
As Allan wrote to his aunt and to Jim, he remained unaware that Charlie was about to return to the battalion:
France
12-4-18
My Dear Auntie Florrie
This is the first time I have written to you since being in France. I never used to write because Percy & I have been together all the time and he done the writing. Well dear Auntie I had a letter from Percy last night and he is doing well. I spent 4 days with him when I was on leave. I am well in the present offensive and having a time of my life. Thank God Charlie is still at the school. All the Mologa boys are going strong. I was promoted to First Lieutenant about 2 months ago & I forget to tell them at home. I get my letters regular & was very pleased to hear that they had a good harvest. I often get letters from Gibsons about Milne and for me to look him up. Well I don’t know his address nor know him from a bar of soap. Bert is surviving it well. I will say goodbye dear Auntie I remain your loving nephew.
Allan S M XXXX
In the field
14-4-18
Dear Old Jim
Another few lines to let you know that I am excellent & I do hope that you all are the same. Well old boy I am well in it and enjoying the fun. It is absolutely the most exciting time ever I had. Talk about a football match between Pyramid & Mologa well it is nothing to it. One could easily buy a fight those days and it is the same here. Thank God that Charlie & Percy are not in it. I am as happy as happy can be. Mind you she gets awful willing and on my right at present there is a terrific go. We expect it here any minute. The Australians have the Bosch absolutely b- You ought to hear what the French people say about us. There is no doubt about it the boys are standing it gallantly. My lads will do me. We are getting splendid tucker, practically no sleep but everything is OK. We are on a jolly warm front. It is where poor old Geordie had all his severe fighting. It is disgraceful to think that we have to fight for the same ground again. Well Jim I suppose you are not sorry that the harvest is over. What lovely crops you had. No doubt you had a terrific lot of work. But it is worth it. What sort of a crop did Johnson have … Some of these cold footers must be having a hell of a good time over there. I think with a bit of good luck we ought to be home by New Year. What a rejoicing there will be when we get home. Some with wives and some without. I suppose you know that E Johnson is married and Charlie Cockcroft is just about. That is the way to do it. It will teach some those Ausy girls to flirt. I suppose you know that Ewen Johnson’s girl turned him down also Charlie Cockcrofts. Hughie’s wife is a Scotch lassie. I believe she is some girl too. Well Jim old boy between Mums & your letter I had told you all the available news so will close with best wishes to all
I remain
Your Loving Brother
I nearly forgot to tell you again that I was promoted to Lieutenant on the 3-2-28. I [am] well satisfied now
Cheerio Jim
ASM
Allan’s relief at being the only Marlow brother in the line of fire was not to last. As he wrote, Charlie was moving into the line to fight alongside his brother. Together they awaited the expected German attack as Charlie took a moment to write home:
14th April 1918
In the field
Dear Jim
Just a few lines to say that I am quite well also Allan, I got back to the battalion 2 days ago and got over 30 letters I wrote home last night. I got a letter from Percy to say that he was going on furlough, I think he was going to Leicester and perhaps to Devon, and then I suppose it will not be long before he will be over here again. I got about six letters from you, I missed a lot of mail when I was at the school, they sent it to the wrong school so they came back to the unit again. You asked me in your last letter if I thought Geordie got proper attention at the hospital and if he said anything before he died well I think, in fact I am sure he received the very best attention as the hospital is well behind the line and very up to date, I was unable to find out if he said anything in his last moments as it was too long after that I got word, (that was on the 7th Nov) if I had got word within a few days I would have stood a good chance of finding out … Allan … thought he would be going to an officers school but he was given his commission in France instead I missed a chance through being away on leave, since then all officer’s schools and commissions given in France have been cancelled till further notice as they have such a lot of officers on hand. We are getting on O.K. here there has been a fig
ht on but we are alright there is no need to be anxious, I will be writing home in a day or so, so will close for tonight. With best wishes to all I will say goodbye.
I remain
Your loving brother
Charles
The following day Allan wrote to Jim:
In the field
Monday 15-4-18
Dear Jim,
… Charlie just rejoined us 2 days ago from the school. He had a splendid time there, but had a lot of travelling about before he got here. He looks real well. He said he had an easy time at the school. I think he must have because he is terrible fat. Well Jim old boy I am still plodding along the same as usual. Enjoying life first rate. I think I told you in my last that I was sent out for another rest. Well I am busy letter writing I have wrote about 8 letters to you all home this week you will wonder what has happened. I believe there is another Australian mail in and we are all anxiously waiting for the news. I had a letter from Percy the other night he is in camp in England & expects leave soon. I was wishing he would not have to come back here. I wish we could get Charlie or Percy out of it. Well I suppose you are busy cropping now. No doubt you must have a lot of work to do. I suppose mum did not have much of a holiday. You people seem to be working a terrible lot but you should try and look on the bright side of things. Mum said in one of her letters that Geordie should have been with us. Well Jim it is the greatest mistake out for brothers to get together I have to much of it. Brothers are always together and if a shell comes it gets the lot of you …
The next day the battalion was relieved and the troops marched out to nearby Ribemont for a few days of rest. Charlie was pleased to receive a copious amount of letters which included the news of the Australian government’s decision to allocate land to returned soldiers. He had hopes of securing a block close to the forest at Mologa where, on his return, he could begin his new life with Pearl and their baby. Once again he tried hard to reassure the family that all was well despite the shock of the German advance.
In the field
19th April 1918
My Dear Mother, Father and Jim,
I got a big mail this morning 15 letters … I was so pleased to get them all so soon after my other big mail which I got from A.S. when I joined the battalion after being at the school. A.S. got about 9 letters this morning also so we are not doing too bad. I was surprised to hear of G Johnson buying a motor car also J Squire things must be looking up in Mologa lately. That seems a good move on the part of the “heads” in anticipation purchasing Crown and Major Anderson’s lands for returned soldiers, I saw by the Pyramid paper that they were having a look at the Terrick forest, I would like a slice of it myself and I hope they reserve it for the “Defenders” of the “Country”. I suppose you will all be in a great way at present over us on account of the war news but Allan and I are quite well and everything is alright Percy is still in England and on leave at present, I do not know how long it will be before he will be sent back here again. Jim said we never say anything about Bill Street well all that I know is that he died of wounds. I spoke to Harry about it but he was unable to find out much. I can tell you it is a hard matter to find out anything about anyone over here. We are having good weather over here at present we cannot buy any notepaper I got this off another chap but it answers the purpose. I heard that one of the Miles boys got a Military medal but I do not know how he got it …
Writing to his father, Charlie describes how much he is looking forward to visiting Paris once leave arrangements are reinstated and suggests that another trip to England would not be far away. He regrets the need for Percy to return to the front. Preventing another death was paramount to both Charlie and Allan.
In the field
April 22nd 1918
Dear Dad,
… Allan is here we are both quite well, I got a letter from Percy the night before last he was on leave at Payne’s I do not think he will be over here for about a month or more yet I was in hopes that he would get home but I think the offensive which is now on has caused a lot to have to return to their units. Les Townsend is here with us also Harry Street, I met Amos Haw about a fortnight ago he looked real well I spent the evening with him. I also saw Knowlson Haw he had just come from Hospital with a bad eye he is in the battalion next below us I saw Rupert Hercus, he was along with Knowlson, he was wounded last October and is now alright again. I got a letter from Hughie Martin sometime ago he was likely to go home but I have not heard if he has gone. Ewen Johnson and Charlie Cockcroft are in England and will be over here shortly. The crop at home turned out real well I think, and you seem to be getting a fair advance on it. There seems to be a lot of people selling out up Mologa way lately. I was surprised to hear that Gordon Carey had enlisted and one of the Coutts. I got that Money which you sent to the Commonwealth Bank £10 I got them to send it on to Ida she sends it on to me as I want it. I am looking forward to going to Paris when leave starts again and my turn to go on English leave again will not be long coming round. We are having good weather over here now the days are like the spring in Victoria and the nights are very short, at present it is light up till 9 P.M. and is light at about 3.30 A.M. I cannot say anything of where we are or what is doing but we are both well and getting on alright. I got a parcel from Mrs Bray last week I will get the parcels that Mother sends alright. Well I will draw to a close for this time with love and best wishes to all
I will say goodbye
I remain
Your Loving Son
Charles
On Anzac Day Allan wrote to Jim, his opinion on Percy’s return quite different to Charlie’s:
France
25-4-1918
Dear Jim
… Yes Jim I am First Lieutenant but I will bet you 100 £ that Miss B never got a letter from me saying so because I have never written her for 8 or 9 months. Well Jim I was sorry to hear that you had been sick but glad to hear that you were better again. You seem to be having a rotten time with headaches. Well you would not better them if you were here, and for God’s sake don’t ever think of coming here. There is enough of us here now. Myrtle Stone seems a jolly nice little girl I am glad she is with you all. Percy is still in England and I don’t think he will ever come back here. I am doing my best and of course I have a little weight now. Tell Mum that Major Maudsley is writing to her. He told me this the other night. Yes Mannix & his crowd seem a dirty rotten lot. Yes Jim we have been well in the offensive and no one knows what it is like. Well Jim old boy I wrote to you last night so news is scarce. Glad I got all your letters so good night old boy.
I remain
Your Loving Brother
Allan
In the early hours of 26 April, Charlie set off to collect breakfast and deliver it to his platoon, positioned in the forward trenches at Buire. It had been a long night. Enemy artillery fire had fallen heavily along the railway line. After four days in the front line, the exhausted men of the 38th looked forward to their relief later that day. On his way Charlie spoke to his brother at company headquarters and chatted with mates along the lines.
Between 5.30 am and 6.00 am, laden with breakfast for his men, Charlie picked his way through the network of trenches as he returned to the front line. He had just been warned to keep his head down, as a sniper was active in the area. The warning came too late.
With a palpable sorrow which he struggles to express, Allan wrote to Jim:
France
27-4-1918
My Dear Jim, Well dear Jim it breaks my heart to write this letter. Our dear Charlie was killed yesterday morning at 5.30. The bullet killed him instantly and he never spoke a word. I had just left him and gone down the trench to see the other lads when I was called back. Oh Jim it is awful. He is buried in a nice cemetery a good way behind the line I attended the burial with a lot more. It is awful to think that poor old Charlie has gone now. Oh I do hope he is the last. What awful lot of trouble we have had in a few months. Jim I do hope you all bear it the best you can. It has broke
me up properly. I am out of the line. It is awful losing 3 good lads like this but Jim you know someone must go. It is impossible for it to go on without somebody going. I am doing my best to get Percy home. Everybody tell me that it is a cert for one to go home so he can go. I am writing to heads in London. Jack Angus, MLA Angus’ son is doing a lot for me too.3 I do hope it works. Jim I will tell you in a later letter where our dear Charlie is buried. I am having a nice cross put up over him like we had put over Geordie & Albert. Dear Jim he was buried with full military honors. Tell dear mum & dad to try and bear up as well as they can. As it worries me I was never so broken up in all my life but Jim you know we have to keep going. Well dear old boy I can’t write anymore so will close with best love to all.
I remain
Your Loving Brother
Allan S.M.
Allan’s distress is clear as he writes to Jim.
Charlie had lost his life at the age of 26. He was never to hold his baby daughter and his wife was now just another young widow. Sarah and Charles Marlow had lost three sons to the relentless carnage of the Western Front. They did not have the opportunity to say goodbye, nor to grieve at a graveside. Jim, Allan and Percy had lost three brothers in nine months.
ANZAC Sons Page 59