ANZAC Sons
Page 61
To his aunt, Percy wrote:
… Mum said I ought to write to grandmother, but I think it would be better not to, she would only worry. There was a good concert here last night in the Y.M.C.A, it’s the only thing to go to here. Fully thought Mum & Dad would have gone to the coast for a holiday it is what Mum wants after so much trouble. Yes things must be looking up out there, all buying motor cars, they don’t know the wars on yet, in regards foodstuff and other ways; if Fritz dropped a few of his bombs near some of them they might wake up. See some very funny letters in the papers from soldiers, some of them makes the people think we are on a bit of a picnic. I would not like to see any of mine there. We get good meals here, not such a lot of stew as there generally is …
It is not apparent from the chain of letters precisely when Percy was told of Charlie’s death, as some of his letters are missing. A regular writer, it is unlikely that he had failed to communicate with his family. It is clear however, that problems with communication not only contributed to disastrous outcomes on the battlefield, but made personal grief even more difficult to bear.
Hurdcott, England
2.5.18
Dear old Jim
Many thanks for your welcome letter of the 3rd March, yes Jim news takes a lot of getting now, its only the other day I wrote to you, so do not expect much. I dare say Jim, you like going to the Easter fair, it breaks the monotony of Mologa, so you are going to have visitors, you will be set now Jim. Mrs Stone putting in a good word for Ruby “eh”, she can spin a fair tale, I know she had a fair one, about me and the other you mentioned, but I hardly spoke to her. So Eddie would like to do it in, he was going strong when I left, spose he has caught that fever that is flying about. You were asking about those D.S.O and so on, Henderson got his for a stunt at Ypres, and he deserved it, the bar he got for another soon after, he is a real good in a stunt, always with the boys, I happened to be near him in the stunt; and he stopped with us all night and he had no occasion to. Davis got his for a raid in February, twelve months ago, he organised the raid, and it was a great success. Yes Jim, I’ll take your advice and be on the look out for a girl for both of us; spose you want one that can knock a bag of wheat about. Expect to be moving Saturday for Sutton Veny, so I will not be long out of France. Just had to leave your letter to go on parade, that [is] what I hate when its nearly finished, to have to leave it. Had a letter from Flo yesterday, she says the last letter from Charlie he was allright also Allan.
Well Jim old boy, must close
Hoping it finds you all well
I am your loving brother
Percy
Lieutenant Colonel Robert Henderson, DSO, was an officer from the 39th Battalion. He had sailed on the Runic as a major in the 38th Battalion and was awarded the Distinguished Service Order for his calm leadership in the dreadful days of Passchendaele. His citation describes the actions of a man who was highly respected throughout the 3rd Division:
East of Ypres, both during operations of the 4/5th and 12/13th Octr. 1917, this Officer stood out conspicuously on account of his absolute indifference to danger and of his leadership. On the 4th when he and his Battalion had reached their objective he personally supervised the digging in and re-organisation. He then remained in the shell holes with his men – his cheerfulness and high spirits having a wonderful effect in keeping up their courage and spirits. On the 12th his Battalion was in Reserve but was quickly absorbed as reinforcements owing to very heavy casualties. The various units had become mixed up and many Officers had become casualties so that it needed vigorous action by a senior Officer on the spot to re-organise. This task was carried out admirably by Lt. Col. HENDERSON in spite of the great difficulty due to the marshy nature of the ground and to the heavy enemy shell fire and perfect hail of machine gun bullets which were enfilading the position.
His example was a great incentive to all troops not only of his own but of other units.1
Lieutenant Colonel C.H. Davis of the 38th Battalion was also awarded the DSO in June 1917 for organising a composite battalion of men from the 10th Infantry Brigade to raid enemy lines at Houplines, north of Armentieres on 24 February 1917. This was the raid for which both Allan and Jack Lockett had trained and in which a shell blast had killed Corporal Paterson and wounded their mates, Charlie Mills and Spuddy Kerr. Frank Dee was also wounded in this raid.
MOLOGA
At home, letters and cards of condolence were once again arriving at the farm. These would do little to ease the overwhelming grief of losing three sons. Cousin Eddie, who had attempted to enlist on numerous occasions, wrote to suggest that the family should demand that the AIF return Allan and Percy to the safety of Australia.
12-5-18
Wattle Park
Junortoun
Dear Uncle, Auntie & Jim
I received a great shock on Friday evening to hear that poor Charlie is killed.
They saw it in the paper on Friday. Charlie wrote a letter to Mum and Hilda opened it. He said he was doing up poor Georgey grave, and he was going to have a Photo taken, and send it home. I think that it is up to Uncle & Auntie to cable over to France, or the Headquarters, and send Percy & Al back again. I will now close from your
loving cousin
Eddie
P.S
Please express my deepest sympathy. I will be sending a card along in a few days.
The Pyramid Hill Advertiser reported on the enormous loss the family had suffered:
The sad news was conveyed to this district on Wednesday 8th inst, that another of our brave soldiers had paid the supreme sacrifice, that soldier being Sgt C E Marlow, of this district and husband of Mrs C Marlow, of 208 Barnard St Bendigo. Sergt Marlow left with the 3rd reinforcements for the 38th Batt. in September 1916. He was rejected twice previously owing to teeth regulations. He had been at the front for 18 months, and fought in the great battle of Messines with two other brothers and has taken part in other engagements. Sergt. Marlow, like three of his brothers won promotion in the field. He rose rapidly when the chance came to him and was recommended by his Captain and an officer of his Company for training in an officers school in England. He was unfortunately away on leave and lost his chance, which occurred a short time ago.
In a competition a few months back Sgt Marlow was paraded before a Staff Captain and complimented on his perfect order in which his equipment, kit, clothes etc. Prior to leaving for the front he was hard working, industrious young man, and for a short time had worked on the share system with his uncle in the farming line, and he made a big sacrifice in going to the war. He was a popular young man, and, like his two brothers who have been killed, was well built and a typical soldier. He was a member of St Luke’s Church of England, Mologa and was well known as a footballer …2
On Sunday night a large congregation attended as St Luke’s Church of England, Mologa, to pay tribute to the memory of Sergeant C.E. Marlow, who was killed in France on April 26th. The deceased soldier was one of five sons of Mr. and Mrs. C. Marlow serving the Empire and the third who has paid the supreme sacrifice. He was a regular worshipper at the church up to the time of going on service, and was very much esteemed by all. The Rev. Mr. Nichols, writes a correspondent, preached a most impressive sermon in memoriam …3
The following month the Pyramid Hill Advertiser published a letter of condolence sent to Sarah from Captain William Orchard of the 38th Battalion. Orchard was an accountant from Geelong who had married just prior to his departure. He had rapidly risen from the rank of private and had been wounded twice, shot in the face in March 1917 and then suffering an accidental bayonet wound in August 1918. He was awarded the Military Cross for ‘conspicuous bravery and devotion to duty in action east of Ypres on 4th October, 1917’. Faced with the loss of all his officers who had been killed or wounded, he took charge under heavy fire. He was admired by all his men. 4
Mrs Marlow has received the following letter regarding the death of her son, Charles:-
I cannot help putting pe
n to paper on account of the latest bereavement you have had and because of the very high esteem I had and have for your Charlie. I want to let you know that he was one of your boys whom I knew and he was held in the highest esteem by everybody. I know too well how futile words are but ask permission under the circumstances to say how sorry I am that such a grand chap should be killed by an insignificant and filthy Hun. I have known him intimately for twelve months and more and know his work. Many of the men in his ranks are better than their officers, to say nothing of the sergeants. I can tell you truthfully that I have often said to myself – The Marlow’s are better men than I am. They ought to be leading me instead of the other way about. You have lost in him one of those few real white men we know and again hear of, and I have lost a real friend and companion, to say nothing of the best N.C.O. I ever knew. I always felt safer myself and happier in nasty places when the Marlows were about. Please express my sympathy to Charlie’s wife. I thought it better to write to you. I think I understand how she will be feeling now, as I left Australia in the same circumstances as he did.
Yours truly,
W.H. ORCHARD 5
Company Commander Major Arthur Maudsley also wrote to Sarah, promising that, with Percy’s return to the front now imminent, he would endeavour to keep her son from danger:
In France
8th May 1918
Dear Mrs Marlow
It was with much sorrow and regret that I learnt of your dear son Sergeant C E Marlow being killed on the morning of 26th April. I had not been away from the line more than a couple of hours when I heard of the sad occurrence & had been talking to him for a few minutes when I had been up inspecting the line – it evidently was a stray bullet that killed him – still these things will be and Gods Will be Done. He and his brothers were ideal fellows & respected by all as an ideal man. Your four boys have all served under me in my Company and no praise was or is too high for them. Lieut AS Marlow is doing exceedingly well and your other boy is expected back to the battalion any day & I will do what I can to keep him out of harm’s way. Please accept my deepest sympathy
Yours sincerely
A.J. Maudsley Major
Major Maudsley was himself killed a few months after writing to Sarah. He was Mentioned in Despatches on 28 May 1918 and died under shellfire on 31 August at Clery-sur-Somme.6
FRANCE, MAY
As the Allied forces waited expectantly for a further German attempt to breach the line, the Australians began to engage in their own private war with the enemy. From April to July, the tactic of ‘peaceful penetration’ became infamous along the fronts held by the Australians and New Zealanders. This tactic suited the Australian character as it involved the men in ingenious acts of stealth which developed spontaneously but soon became carefully planned sorties occurring daily along the line. The Australians’ aggression and their success as they moved along the German front, capturing entire posts and taking hundreds of prisoners, dealt enemy morale a severe blow.7 Prisoners, once relieved of their possessions by their captors, were known to reveal that the German soldier did not want to fight against Australians.
In mid-May 1918, the commander of the 3rd Division, Lieutenant General John Monash, was appointed to command the Australian Corps, with Birdwood moving to command of the Fifth Army. Major General John Gellibrand took over the 3rd Division. All Australian divisions were now commanded by Australians. This army of volunteers was spirited, tough and fiercely loyal to their battalions; but with every battle they won, and every day in the front line, they were running out of men.
The Australians had spent seven weeks moving in and out the trenches. They were exhausted, having received little rest for their shattered nerves and tired bodies. The 38th marched out to Allonville some 15 kilometres to the west of Ribemont and remained there for a fortnight. They left just prior to a German bombardment of their camp that killed 18 men from the 14th Battalion.
For Allan, the opportunity to rest and write home came as a welcome relief, an escape from the furore and uncertainty of life in the trenches:
France
Sunday
12-5-18
Dear Jim,
Just a few lines to let you know that I am in the best of health & I hope that you are all the same. I heard from K.Haw that you had been very ill, I can tell you I was very sorry to hear it & I hope that your are better ere this. Well dear old Jim we came out of the line a couple of days ago after a strenuous go, I can tell you it is a well earned rest. Our boys fought gallantly and have gained a high reputation over here. Well dear Jim I do miss dear old Charlie. I wonder how things are at home. It is a terror to loose 3 brothers. I suppose dear mum is broken up completely. Do your best to cheer them up a little I am doing my best to get Percy home I hope it works alright. I had a letter last night from him. He [is] still in England. I suppose you are very busy over there with the crops again. I think we will be home for the next harvest alright. Well Jim I met Dave Smith, Joe Walls, K Haw yesterday. They all look well & I was dam pleased to have a yarn with them. Well dear Jim I got 3 or 4 letters from you the other day & they were about 4 or 5 months old but still there was news in them. We have been very lucky for mail lately. In fact we have been lucky right through. I sent you all my photo before Charlie was killed I hope you get them all. Well dear Jim I am in the best of health and have not had a day away from the battalion though I am only telling you this in case you think I have been sick. Well dear Jim I am having a nice cross put up over Charlie like we put up over Geordie & Albert. I have plenty of money. No need to send any over. I have got £6 mum sent me. And many thanks for sending it. Well dear Jim I think I have told you all the news so will close with best to all.
I remain
Your Loving Brother
Allan SM
Allan continued his attempts to have Percy repatriated to Australia despite the military machinations that seemed intent on sending his brother back to the killing fields of France. The death of three members of the family in the space of nine months had taken its toll on those at home and the surviving sons abroad. Allan was determined that Percy should not return to the battlefields of Europe; the risk of another death was too great. But Allan could control neither the might of the military nor the workings of fate.
As Allan was writing to Jim, so was Tom Alford who wrote describing his involvement in the defence of Villers-Bretonneux. Like Allan, he had become fatalistic and his talk of receiving a ‘full issue’, while tragic, was simply now the soldiers’ reality. They had witnessed enormous destruction, brutality and death and now carried that burden every minute of their time at the front.
France
Sunday May 12th
Dear Old Jimmy,
Expect you will be looking for a letter from me before this reaches you. I’ve pretty nearly given up writing letters altogether now. A few home and an odd one to you is about all I write. Your latest one was dated March 3rd. Glad to hear from you again & that you were all fairly well. As usual it is raining again not heavy but just enough to make things miserable especially if your damn dug-out leaks like ours. It never rains very heavy in France. Your just about right Jim I’ve pretty well forgot about crops etc. & it is about sickening this job day after day. We [have] been in hot and strong again this last 8 weeks but I still dodge the hun. It makes you feel a bit off to see the chaps getting nice little “Blightys” & hear of the times they have in Hospitals & leave in England. I think I have had as much continuous service as most & would not mind a spell out of France for a while but I suppose I must consider myself lucky to be alive after what we’ve been through. You only seem to come out of one stunt to catch another. It’s a moral one can’t go on for ever. I suppose a man will get a full issue one of these days. Expect you will not think this letter very cheering but you get sick of it not so much the actual fighting but the bloody bullshit known as red-tape & discipline. They reckon discipline is the main thing but I notice the Ausys, tho are supposed to have very little discipline, gener
ally come out on top. The poor bleeding Tommies are hounded down that much that they get very little encouragement to act on their on initiative if placed in a tight place. Your boys Division have been close to us but I haven’t come across their Brigade yet. I suppose you will know before this that we are down on the old Somme again only a damn sight further back than ever. It seems damn hard to think that a bit earlier than this last year we were going past Bapaume & about this time just coming out of Bullecourt but its all the same I don’t care a damn. I worry about nothing now, just take the good with the bad. It is wonderful how the troop knock the hun out at times. Our Brigade got great praise in the retaking of Villiers Bretoneaux in conjunction with a 4th Divy Brigade. She was a pretty hot joint I give you the oil. I tell you Fritz had me thinking a few times. The troops put the bayonets into him thick and heavy. It would make you laugh to hear some of the tales the lads tell. Mologa seems to be doing well in loves affairs lately. I saw photos of Peter Cox wedding in a Bendigonian. It must be funny with Bob & Mollie. There is no doubt she wants a man badly. What the hell are you doing? to see a nice tab like her wanting. She is the pick of the district. God bless my soul it makes you feel like standing on your head to hear about it. There won’t be many left single by all accounts directly. I expect you will have heard that Wilson Townsend was wounded in this last stunt. I saw their doctor & he said he didn’t think it was serious, although the back is a nasty place to get hurt in. Good luck to him I hope it takes him home. There seems to be a good many soldiers returning to Ausy lately by the papers. A good many have gone from this Batt.