"Till They Have Got Kaiser Bill "T. Anderson

(Chermside) Camp 23/6/1916

 

Dear Colina,

Your ever welcome letter to hand it came as a surprise to me to get one from you.  Well Colina I do not know how to start this letter to you.  Just fancy I was going to start it with Well my love that will tells you what to think of her feler (ed?) you noes I is married so I is just got to rite meried man tork like don't you noes so if there be any Dears in this letter it be only mistook for another word.  Well Colina, this soldiers life is no good to a man that loves a warm bed, your no sooner in it than you are out of it and let me tell you they keep you on the hop when they do get you out they give you 5 miles of a run as hard as they will let you go.  They say that they keep a few fowls here, but we never see them.  Well Colina, I only been back from home leave 2 days and I had a dreary ride the last 80 mile in the coach it was raining up and down it took five horses all there time to come down in one day and they had 8 changes of horses so you can see the roads where heavy.  I was glad when I got in the train again.  When you travel 400 miles you get tired of it.  The wife and children are all well.  Vera gave me a book of news to tell Aunty Dolly.  Talk, if she is not talking, she is singing.  Willie can talk like a good one now.  Nell's people think the world of them.  I had hard work to leave them I can tell you Colina, it is a sacrifice for a married man to make to leave them behind.  God knows, we may never meet again.  No one knows.  I know it is war, not a picnic that we are all going to, they all ask me why I have gone.  Well Colina I am not much with the pen but I tried to do my best at a little poetry, which I am sending you.  It is just what I felt like whenever I thought of the poor Australians falling.  We must go, or we would lose our flag, then God help Australia.  It makes me feel like having a fight with every single cold footer, I look at the likes of monkey face Bill Blake, I would like to be behind him when he is talking and grinning.  I bet he would curse the day that the old esquire (ed?) dragged him on this ball of mud.  If all the mad bruits (ed:  brutes?) brains were the strongest dynamite made, he would not have enough to blow his brainless head off.  I bet he will keep his mouth shut if I have to luck to come over to Rushworth before I sail, or he will get more than one of his cold footer mates as got since I left Rushworth I've got no time for them.  I could not talk civil to them without getting wild. Well Colina I think I have just about lost going to Victoria Monday as I've had 13 days home leave and I did not finish my musketry training.  If I had have been back 2 days sooner I would have just had time to finish my musketry training.  I am pretty sure that I am not going as all my mates got their full hit today and I did not, but I am not sorry as I want to go through everything before I sail.  The next unit that goes to Victoria is in 3 or 4 weeks. I may not go yet.  I might leave the machine gun and go in for something else but more than likely I will stick to the machine gun company now that I have been in it for so long.

There are about 200 machine gunners of my company going to (ed:  can't read place name).  They will arrive about Friday in (?).  I will find it a bit lonely after being with them for so long (ed:some words missing due to holes in paper) with them again before they sail.  Well Colina, my hands gets cramped whenever I try to write now.  I sit down to write Doll a long letter (the) other night and I had to cut it short as my hand got that way I could not hold the pen.  Well Colina I think this is all I have to tell you this time.  I will here now conclude.

I am Yours Sincerely

Thos Anderson

Write again my dear old friend

 

Remember me to Dad.  Tell him I am still kicking about on this little ball of mud.

THN Anderson

 

(ed:  Below is the attached poem referred to earlier in the letter)

 

T.H.N.N.

QUEENSLAND

He cannot tell you why he went.  He has no fine heoric word.  He only knows accross the sea the echo of the fight he heard.  He thanks you for no word of praise, for fame and cheer he does not  care.  He'd make hot foot for hell because those German cows aren't playing the game.  He left his wife and darlings who was all the world to him.  The things that used to matter most; he travelled hundreds of weary miles to get his(ed: next line looks like 'his hark on the cost').  

Oh why did he go?  He will not tell those he loves best.  He will not tell what makes him go.  I cannot tell, it's no good to me you will hear him say are Kings, for he is just like any other bloke whose silence hides some splended things; the boys in blue who are so fine will all some day come marching back to yo, still waving our dear old flag.  My dearest loved ones whom I love best, I'll be back with the rest to clasp you once more to my brest, so while out in the west just try do your best let Daddy and the boys do the rest for they will never let the cows rest till they have got Kaiser Bill.

 

T.H.N.A.

QLD

 

Editors note.  I have left all original spellings intact.  Some words were spelt inconsistently throughout the text.  Semi colons are authors own but otherwise I have inserted periods and capitalised following sentences where I have seen that it will make the letter easier to read.  

"The Mumps" A Guthrie

D Corp (4196)

1st Pioneer Batt

1st Aus Div

On Service Abroad

 

In Hospital

France

10/6/16

 

Dear Colina,

As I am having an enforced holiday through catching the mumps I thought I had better drop you a line.  I haven't had much time for writing as we have had plenty to do, Besides, there is so little to write about, a letter takes such a lot of thinking out, I will be in here for three weeks anyhow.  My face was very much swollen the first 6 days but is going down now.  You would laugh at the shape it was.  One thing that is very acceptable here is the good bed.  It was lovely getting between the sheets.  I met Eric Williamson over here one day.  He looks splendid, and a lot stronger than he used to in Rushworth.  He is about the only one I've struck.  He told me Chris used to be in his battalion but was transferred into another and I don't know where he would be now.

The weather over here is very changeable & is very cold at times.  I don't like the thought of putting in a winter here at all.  We stick to the thought of getting home for next Christmas, and hope we do.  My mates reckon I was awfully lucky getting the mumps, as they view the 3 weeks isolation as a holiday.  I would like to get back in about 2, as it gets monotonous in these places.  We get the English paper here the day after it is printed, so we do alright for news.  There was a little excitement in the place last week when the news about the navy & Lord Kitchener was in.  I suppose it created a bit a stir over there too.  We are badly off for mail.  I had a couple from Vic but nothing from you or at home.  It is a long time now since I heard from you & haven't had one from home since the first week in March.  It is too long altogether.  The men they have looking after the letters are too slow altogether.  We never get much Australian news over here but there are a good few recruiting and a good number in the Castlemaine camp.  I caught a glimpse of Hughes when he was passing in a motor.  He spent a good while over here.  I would a lot sooner be over here than in Egypt.  We get better fed over here too.  The Germans were a bit lively where we work one night last week & some poor chaps were buried through the artillery.  I didn't have to go out as I was on fatigue the next day.  There were some nasty sights I believe.

Well Colina I am about stumped for news and will have to close.  Remember me to everybody  & let us hope it won't be long before I am back to see you all again.

 

Yours Sincerely

A. Guthrie

Links to War Memorial records for Don Anderson

http://static.awm.gov.au/images/collection/pdf/RCDIG1068491--10-.PDF Recommendation for Military Medal

http://www.awm.gov.au/research/people/honours_and_awards/person/R1545596/?roll_type=Awards Information on his Military Medal

http://www.awm.gov.au/research/people/nominal_rolls/first_world_war_embarkation/person/R1736713/ Embarkation details

"Enjoying Myself So Far" A Guthrie

France 9/4/16

 

D Company

1st Pioneer Batt

1st Australian Division

 

Dear Colina,

A few lines to let you know I am well & enjoying myself so far.  We had a pleasant trip over except for the usual few things we have to put up with.  We had a long train journey 3 days and nights in train so had a good opportunity of looking at the country.  It looks tip top and the women were all busy working in the fields.  We passed through several large towns and over some fine rivers + through a lot of tunnels.  There seemed to be a town then a tunnel nearly everywhere.  We were in a small carriage 7 of us and couldn’t stretch out to sleep + you can imagine we all felt a bit tired but we never got tired of looking of looking out of the window.  There was always something to look at.

We are billeted now at a farmhouse in the loft & will be fairly comfortable while here.  We could here (sic) the guns as soon as we got here & they keep going pretty constantly.  It won’t be long before we are in the trenches to have a turn.  It is fairly cold here but is better than Egypt so far although if we have to sleep out we will notice it.

We can buy beer + bread + butter here at the farm.  The people are at work late + early  + have some old-fashioned ideas.  The people along the line all seemed pleased to see us, all giving us a wave.  We had tea at several stations which was very acceptable.

We can’t make anything of the French language but there are a good few who can speak ours & we get all we want.  We won’t have a chance of being free here I don’t think.  We are getting a lot of marching  & the roads are hard after the sand, & make our feet a bit sore.  I tried to get into the Engineers with (indecipherable name) but didn’t get the transfer although he said it would be alright.

I haven’t had any letters for a long while now & suppose won’t get any for a time.  I hope you are all keeping well.  Remember me to everybody.  I am feeling very well as our rations are a lot better over here.

I will close now with best wishes.

Yours Sincerely,

A Guthrie

"A Fox Abroad" A Guthrie

4196

18th Rem 5th Battalion

2nd Inf Pde

AIF Abroad

 

9/2/16

In Hospital

 

Dear Colina,

I have got another dose of measles as soon as we (landed? Hole in paper).  We are getting looked after very well & will soon be right again.  I didn't get a severe attack as I had them only 4 or 5 years ago.  We had a very fair trip across and came up to our camp at Heliopolis by tram from (Suez?).  We came in the dark worse luck & didn't see anything.  Mabel's husband came on board ship at Suez & had a yarn.  It was nice to see him and he told me a good bit.  It was a pity that the boat was a day late as he had leave the day before we arrived and had to overstay it till we came.  He is looking well.  We had a day free when we got here & had a look around.  We are near Heliopolis and had a look through there then we went down to Cairo.  You would see some queer sights there if you were here.  There are people of all tongues there.  We were pleased to find the YWCA where some English ladies serve refreshments.  We enjoyed them first coming off the boat.  They told us that it never rained here, only about 1 a year, but it has rained twice since I've been in hospital, pretty heavily.  (We are ? Hole in paper) close to the Pyramids & won't be long before we have a look at them.

I saw Rushworth on a (hat?) the other day but didn't know him.  We have met a lot of C/Maine (ed. Castlemaine, Vic) boys (who?) came over before, also Lt Col Field.  He says he will try and get us in his lot.  We will have to do a good lot of training over here before we will be considered properly fit.  We are getting used to the Egyptian money & know a few words of the language.  We have still got the (fox?) we brought over.  He attracts a lot of attention.

 

(Ed:  there is a large chunk of paper missing in the last bottom left hand corner, so I can't make out the last few lines, but the signature is clear)

"Heliopolis" A. Guthrie

Heliopolis (Cairo)

 

6-2-16

 

Dear Colina,

Just had a letter from you from Dingley (?).  I have not had many letters so far.  I don’t know where they get there.  I have been back in camp for a week since I had the measles and have settled down again.  I was out at the zoo yesterday with my mates they have an awfully fine giraffe there + a few other fine animals.

We have been trying to get to the pyramids since we got here but haven’t had a chance till today & are going out this afternoon.  There are a lot of places about here that are mentioned in the bible that we can get guides to take us to & that will be interesting to see.

We had a good tea at a French restaurant in Cairo last night.  I met Les Merkel in a camp near ours & my mate and I are trying to get a transfer & into the engineers.  It will be a lot better if we can.  It is easy to in the Camel Corps but I don’t fancy them at all.  The Nile is a fine river & there is a fine lot of green stuff of all discriptions(sic) growing about.  Such a difference from the desert where we are camped near.  We are getting better food now and can buy a meal now & again in Heliopilis (sic)  We are going in Cairo tomorrow for a fortnight on duty and will have a look around.  There is nothing much more to tell you so will close with best wishes.

Remember me to all

Yours Sincerely

A Guthrie

"Old News" Don Anderson

Undated (envelope is postmarked 1916)

 

Dear Colina,

Your two letters reached hear last week.  I was pleased to hear from you.  I wrote to you from England & from hear but you had not got them by your letters.  I sent you a postcard also.  Doll said she only received one letter from me since I have been away.  Well I got sick of writing to her when I did not get any answer.  But my mail will come hear all right now as they will know where to send it on to.  We had a fine lot of xmas boxes sent to us & they were just the thing.  I must write a reply to mine today.  I have not met anyone from Rushworth hear yet.  But I suppose their kicking about somewhere hear.  You come across them when you don't expect to see them.  You must have had heavy rains, I hope it don't spoil the crops.  We are just about in mid Winter Hear & the days are very short.  I won't be sorry when the Spring sets in.

I wrote to Lucy.  Is she still at the same place?  As I addressed the letter in care of Lucy Spence & I hope it don't go astray you may tell her if she don't get it.  Just address any letters c/- Batt. A.I.F. France that is all you need put down now and I will get them without any trouble. You might tell Doll if you see her, to put the same.  I suppose Tom will be over by now.  He will find plenty of news to write back.  I would like to see some of the letters he will write.  You cannot write anything much from hear, or I would give you a good account of what I have seen in my travels over hear.  But you will have to wait awhile yet.  I hope you all spent a merry xmas.  We had some plum pudding for ours, and so we did not do so bad after all.  I have not heard anything more about Alec Guthrie It cannot be true about him losing his arm, or you would have known, so I hope it's not true.  Cris will soon be back down hear now.  We have woollen coats and gloves to wear now for the Winter & they are tip top for the cold weather.

I suppose there all busy with the harvest now.  Did you have much crop in?  How is Mick getting on?  Have they had a go at the fishing yet?  It's out of the question hear, so I will have to make up for it when I come back.  I did not get the Age you sent.  The Whale Lucy mentioned must of got it instead of me.  It will be late news to read when I get it.  But we don't know what day it is sometimes so it won't make much difference how old the papers are, we are glad to get them.

Well Colina, I have not given you much news so I will try and give you more next letter & you will have to excuse these few lines.  There is such a noise going on I cannot write much so I must ring off.

I remain Yours Truely

Don

Clan Cameron

Just a bit more information, if you ever have a hankering to look up some Scottish family history, the clan Cameron website is a great resource. I find typing Nan's name in is the easiest starting point, but all of us are on the vast genealogy database (not our children, though you could write to the admins and they would add them). If you start  here http ://www.clan-cameron.org.au/getperson.php?personID=I15663&tree=cameron1 and keep on clicking on names in the pedigree, you can see back to Nan's own great great great grandparents, and uncover some flagrant inbreeding (first cousins) along the way.

You can also see just how far back the name Colin/Colina goes in an unbroken line in our Cameron line (Mat's middle name is Colin).

"Just Friends" Don Anderson

 24.06.1916 

Dear Colina,

I received your letter on Saturday and was pleased to hear from you as I did not expect to hear from you.  We are not sailing till Monday next they have been putting us off every week. whatever their reason is.  But we are going for sure on Mon as they told us today this is our last week in camp and the boat will be ready on Thursday. The Ashier is the name of the boat we are going on.  I won't be sorry when we do go.  We are going to Sauldry Plains (sic. Ed I am unsure of the place that is being referred to here, but it could be Salisbury Plains) it is 45 miles from London.  There is three men in our camp that knows the place.  So we will have someone to show us about.  They will send all the Boys there now from Australia.  As it will be the main camp now.  I was to meet Lucy on Saturday night at the tower.  But it was too late when I got in so I went to a party out at Footscray.  She will recon (sic) that I am a bouzer (sic).  I will have to tell her some excuse.  There was about 500 of us went to a play on Friday night we went in by train with the band then marched up Burk (sic) Street.  We had a good time and it cost us nothing.  And we are going to another on Wednesday night.  I expect a letter from Doll tomorrow. Things must be very quiet up there now.  It is very cold down hear (sic).

Well Colina I will be very pleased to hear from you when I go away and I will leave it rest with yourself about only in friendship.  If I would have known you would have had me there would of been no 15 years about it.  But you would never give me a chance as you know you would never go anywhere with me on your own.  You always got Doll or Lucy to go with you.  And I used to think you only done it to choke me off so I took it that way when you went to - (ed. can't read the word)  So then I did not care how things went then that was why I left Rushworth.  But I would not let anyone know so I hope you won't.  You're the only one that ever I cared for.. or ever will.  But you need never worry about me been a pest to you anymore as its your wish for us to be only friends.  So the coast will be clear for you now and I wish you every happiness as may meet again some day.  If I have the luck to get through the war.

But if is a (text missing from hole worn in paper) day stop over there now if its a good place I am getting 2 or 3 days off at the end of this week.  I was going to take a run up home but I won't bother, I will stay in town till Sunnight (sic) as we will have to pack up 3 oclock Monday morning.  I have met a lot of my pals in town, there (sic) all coming to see us off Monday.

There is a concert in the next room hear and the noise would deafen you and yu cannot write either as there all around you like bees writing.  I suppose Bub will be a real cockey now when he is ploughing but he will be a great help.  Is George staying at your place yet?  I think Doll will have to make him hurry up or they will be like old Charlie Robertson, 29 years courting.  I have left all I have to Doll and so much a week so she will be all right after I go away.  She is the only one I care for and i will never forget her as she was always so good to me.  But keep it to yourself what i have said as I would tell no one else, only you.  I will write and tell you all about my travels.  So I hope you will keep your promise and write.  As I will like to hear how you are all getting on.  You may think I have wrote you a long letter this time but it will be the last hear so I hope you will drop me a line before I go as it will be a good while before i will hear from you again.  I only want you to write as a friend and I will never want you to write as I asked you before.  But if you ever change your mind there will be no waiting when I come back.

So now i must ring off I remain yours Faithfully,

From Your Old Friend Don

(note scrawled in top margin of last page reads:  You said I did not give you much news on the letter I wrote you well it was just as long as the one you wrote to me.  So I knew you meant something when I got it as it was just like a (can't decipher word... wire?)

The Bride of the Sea

2014 is the centenary of World War I, and as such, I have been working on a big (long) project of transcribing the letters that were sent to Nan from the trenches, and composing a book of them to keep, using au.blurb.com .To this purpose, I was going to collate it all and then put the idea out to all of you, so that you could have copies of the book printed too, if you so chose. This is still the focus of the project, but it did occur to me that I could share the letters and stories with you as I go, by creating this blog.

I have transcribed about 35 letters thus far, and there are probably about 15 to go. It is a fiddly, time consuming, totally fascinating job. The letters are not in any particular order yet, and there are other letters from before, or outside of the war and a couple from Poppy from World War II, but I will begin posting some of the transcriptions to give you a taste. We will be scanning all of the originals too and I will include these over the next little while.

Most of the letters are from Don Anderson (Nan's future husband, and our great grandfather), Charles (Charlie) Anderson, Tom Anderson, and a few others. The letters are always one solid block of text, eschewing paragraphs, and sometimes ignoring every rule of punctuation, not even bothering about full stops. I didn't know what to do with spelling errors and the like, whether to leave them in and write (sic), or leave them as is, or fix them and write an editorial explanation. There is a range of all three in the transcriptions as they stand,mans perhaps you can give me your opinions on how I should edit them for the book.

I want to write mostly about the letters, and the interesting task of transcribing them, but I will try to throw in pieces of family history as well, so that those who have no background, can find context. These are stories that belong to all of us, though Nan (Colina) left the letters to mum, where they have lived all these many years in the sea chest which arrived from England (the families were Scottish) with Sarah Gillies Cameron on The Bride of the Sea in 1845. The ship disembarked right here in Geelong, and it carried 2 of our great great great grandmothers (for my generation, but add another great for our children), Sarah Cameron and Lucy Guthrie, as well as a few other family members. These were Nan's maternal and paternal grandmothers. The rough family tree below was drawn up by my brother Grant, in direct consultation with Nan.

I hope that you can magnify this to see it clearly, photography is not my strong suite. The tree doesn't mention Josh, Xave or Sam and precedes broad knowledge of Jim, but Grant was mostly focusing on historical knowledge, and I include this so that you will be able to see who the letters are from, and where they fit in. The Anderson property was across the road from "Bushies", on Stanhope Road, outside Rushworth, and all of the letters are addressed to Colina Cameron at Stanhope Road, Rushworth.

I hope that you find these letters as interesting as I do, and share them with your children. They are such an amazing resource, and one that most families cannot lay claim to. Please get in touch if you have any questions about the project.

Love

Dani