Private J. W. Garratt, 1st Light Horse, July/August 1915

The Henty Observer 

and Culcairn Shire Register (NSW)

18 August 1915

Bully Beef and Biscuits.

Mr Arthur E. Knobel, of Pleasant Hills, has received a letter from his cousin, J. W. Garratt, with first Expeditionary Force, from which we are privileged to extract as follows:- 

"I am going to start with asking you to excuse me for not writing lately I think I sent a couple of picture post cards, but one cannot say much on them. We were allowed to write letters at the front, subject to censor, but one could not get writing-paper nor envelopes for love nor money.

Well, old sport, I was right in the thick of it for six weeks, and I went stone deaf.  I could not hear the shells bursting, although I could feel them.  Every time one burst close to me I thought my head would break.  The pain in my head and ears was almost unbearable.  I stood it for a good while, I was frightened to see the doctor, because I knew he would send me to the hospital ship.  If one has the least thing wrong with oneself, off he goes to the hospital.  However, my O.C. made me consult the M.O., and the consequences were I was packed off to the hospital ship and from there thence on here, the hospital at Heliopolis.  

At present I am getting on famously, I can hear pretty well with one ear, although the other is still a dummy.  I know now what the horrors and glories of war are.  But still I am not down-hearted, and would go back to-morrow if they will let me.

I suppose you heard about poor old Charlie Manson.  I will never forget that morning.  The Turks charged our trenches with fixed bayonets, and we simply mowed them down as they came on, giving them such a hot reception that they beat a hasty retreat back to their trenches.  Poor Charlie fought like a Briton, and in the excitement of the fray got right up on the parapet, thus exposing himself to a heavy Turkish machine gun fire.  He got hit right on the forehead, and rolled down out of the trench stone dead and into the line of fire.  We could not get at him to bury him for several days.  We did so after when an armistice was agreed on to bury the dead.

E. Moffat, of Boree Creek, died the same way, and about the same time.  They both got killed about 3.30 a.m., 18.5.15.  I was on the burying party the day of the armistice and what an experience.  The ground between our trenches and the enemy's was strewn with dead.  Some of them dead for weeks, so you can imagine what it was like.  But it is marvellous what a man can do when he has to.  

The men are pretty well fed at the front; one can make some very dainty dishes with bully beef and biscuits.  The only drawback is the water.  There is plenty of drinking water, but none to wash with.  It is nothing to go without a was for eight or nine days.  Use is second nature.  

The Turks, to give them their dues, are good soldiers and very brave.  But the Australians are better.  They have done things that one would think almost impossible.  One of the Turkish prisoners asked if Bastard was the Australian god.  You see the Turks when charging call out to their god; one always knows that they are coming when you hear them singing "Allah, allah," and the Australian reply "Come on you b———'s."  Once when our outpost captured a party they started singing out "Allah, allah," and one of our lads said "Yes you can bring that b——— too."  

Our brigade had charge of what is called Pope's Hill, and a warm spot it is.  The Turk's trenches are from 20 to 300 yards from us.  They are bonsers at throwing hand bombs, but we have a Japanese machine that throws a 14lb bomb any distance up to 450 yards, and contains a very high explosive.  Our [?] do a great bit of work scouting and bomb throwing. 

Well, old boy, I hope when you get this that I am back again with the regiment blazing away at those despicable Turks. Of course, I have had a few narrow escapes whilst over there. One in particular, when we were called out whilst in the middle of our breakfast; three of us were running up the road to join our troops. As soon as we got in the danger zone they started blazing away at us.  One of my mates stopped one in the arm, and the other got it in the side and has since died. My luck was in that day, for when we got to the trenches a bomb burst close to me killing one and badly wounding several others.  However, I am still alive and very anxious to get among the chaps in the danger zone again regardless of consequences.

I hear that the Riverina is getting a fair share of rain.  

Well, good-bye for the present, Arthur.  Tell your mother and sister I got the socks O.K., for which I thank them.

P.S. — I have opened this letter to let you know that the doctor said I could go back on the 10th (day after to-morrow) — Hooray.

Soldier Identified: Private John Walter Garratt, Service No.: 365, No. 1 Light Horse Regiment, A.I.F. Returned to Australia, 20 October 1915.

Wounded of the 1st Australian Light Horse Brigade and the Royal Welsh Fusiliers, seen at a dressing station at the foot of Pope's Hill. This photograph was taken immediately after the attack on the Chessboard, at a site within a hundred yards of the trenches. (Courtesy: Australian War Memorial)

Sources:

1. From our Soldiers (1915, August 18). The Henty Observer and Culcairn Shire Register (NSW : 1914 - 1950), p. 2.
2. Wounded of the 1st Australian Light Horse Brigade and the Royal Welsh Fusiliers, seen at a dressing station at the foot of Pope's Hill. This photograph was taken immediately after the attack on the Chessboard, at a site within a hundred yards of the trenches. Australian War Memorial