Letter Home - 23 October, 1915

R.A. Mess

Ipswich

23 October 1915

Dear Mother,

We have had no mail this week, and can't think what happens to it as other men got theirs early in the week. Letters seem to come along any old time. There has not been much during this week, anyway nothing out of the ordinary.

We have weekend leave today, and go up by the 12.30 train, coming back tomorrow night. This marriage business seems to be very catching. Freyda is to be married at midday to Pyman. It is sudden news to me, but one never gets excited over these sorts of things in wartime.

We are to meet Mr and Mrs Rutledge in town today, and our dining with them tonight. I have been taking a slight rest since Wednesday:  during battery drill I was No. 3 gunner, on a gun, and lumbering up got my hand slightly jammed between the lumber and jam wheel, but it was only a scratch. However, the hand is bruised inside and I have to take it gently till it works off. It is just about all right now.

I was very glad when my duties at camp expired, as living under canvas in old England may be a healthy life to lead, but it has its disadvantages.

Mr Gilliard came down last weekend, to see how we were. He stayed till Monday morning. I went down to Felixstowe on Sunday for lunch. Felix Hotel was crammed with military, and we got what the other people left, which was not much. In the afternoon we had a glimpse of Shotley and then motored home for tea.

On Wednesday morning, I was orderly, unluckily. as the sergeant major came and knocked me up because there was a Zep hanging about. It was 4.30 by the clock and very chilly. We rang up the Mess, and the Adjutant said he had no word about any Zeps, so I retired again. We were informed a few days later that they were testing a submarine engine in the government works at that time, so it was a false alarm.

The OC put two 18 pound guns in a pit about 2 miles out of the town and set them at an angle of 45° for the purpose of using them as anti-aircraft guns. The whole mess have had arguments as to whether it would be safe to fire them or not, and we came to the conclusion something would go if they were fired. During the week they were inspected by an ordinance man, who said they were useless.

We are now getting 2.15 pounder anti-aircraft guns to take their place, which I hope will give a good account of themselves next raid.

Walford

(the next post will be a letter home dated 6 November)

Letter Home - 18 October 1915

RA mess, Ipswich, 18 October 1915

Dear Family,

There is a good lot to write about this week, but very little time to write. I was sent off for a week at camp on Wednesday night, and was camp orderly. Things were pretty lively for the first half of the night, as we had two Zep raids, one at 11.30 and the next at 1.45. The first one came over after I and two other officers had been in our bunks ten minutes. Of course, there was nothing for it but to turn out and wake all the men. Everything went splendidly - or rather was going well, until some silly asses outside Ipswich had a go at the Zep with a maxim. He promptly turned round and dropped five bombs, which made a fiendish noise. The bombs fell about one and a half miles away, very near a big camp, but I do not think they got anybody. We were nicely tucked in again when we were wakened up for the second time, and in the excitement I put my boots on the wrong foot, and there they had to stay. This one went straight over us. We could not see either, as there was a fog hanging over us. It was just a thin one but enough to hide us from the enemy.

The Tommies took a lot of looking after, as the silly asses would light cigarettes and strike matches. We put a couple of them under arrest, but it did not seem to do much good. I think if we had left them alone it would have been better.

Things are still going on in the same old way here: plenty of work to do, very little time to do it in. However we all muddle along and get strafed by the Adjutant, whom everybody loathes. Every day you get a sort of hopeless feeling with him that you can never do anything right, but who worries? There are some nice men here, but there are also some awful rotters who seem to think they are here on a picnic – a sort of don't-care-or-try brigade: why they joined at all, I don't know. There are very few English born men in the Mess - nearly every man has either come from the Colonies, or has just come back from living there. There are even some men from Rangoon and China.

Well, goodbye, it is so nice to see that we are getting the rain,

I hope you are all well,

Walford.

(The next post will be a letter dated 23 October)

Letter Home - 5 October 1915

RA Mess
Ipswich

5th October, 1915,

Dear Dad,

We have not had a letter from down under for some time, the boats seem to run rather irregularly. I hear that you had good rains and that there promises to be a fair season.

Political matters are not looking too good over here at present, as Bulgaria certainly have their hand in with Germany, and Greece looks as if she will also break her alliance with Servia and Roumania. There is talk of the war going on for three years and also that we will have to have conscription in England.

We have had a fairly strenuous week - at least our 4th battery have. We were taken out on what they call an instructional battery on Monday, and it was the first time we had been out with a battery - and also the Tommies' and horses' first trip. You can imagine the result. I had rather an important position as a No. 1. It means I was in charge of a gun, and rode at the head of my near leader - I mean the left of him - and was supposed to repeat all signals, but, as I did not know them, we were not a great success. I must say that there is a lot of talk going on in this room as I write, and I keep putting in part of the conversation.

Well, we eventually came into action, and I had to supervise the work of the men on the gun and see that they were doing their work correctly, and before we had been in action very long we discovered that we had all been wiped out by our left section who were too far to the rear. However, I suppose one learns these things as one goes along.

Tuesday, was what is called driving drill, with the firing battery wagons. We had to ride the teams. I was in the centre, which is an easy position. Bee was on a leader. We managed to get along fairly well, but it is jolly hard with horses that don't know their work. On Wednesday, it was instructional battery again, with the same position allotted to us. We were a little better this time, but by no means good. Coming home the corrector scale, a brass instrument about two foot long, dropped off the gun. We ran over it which gave it a bit of a gliff. However, we were not as bad as the 6th battery, who ground a ladies' bike to powder—it was left standing against the curb. Thursday was a heavy day at the riding school, with a crowd of Tommies who did not know the horse's tail from its ear, and we, the officer, had a very rough passage, as they used to jamb in the centre and cross in front at a canter. The air was very thick that morning.

Friday, a big squad of us went out on reconnaissance. There were about 20 of us. You are taken down by lanes in the country. Then you are halted and have to find your position on the map. The squad usually has the senior sub in charge, and he has not much chance of keeping his brother officers in check. If the people on the road only knew what danger they ran in passing us, they would have a fit. Half the men have no control of their horses at all, which is not to be wondered at, considering they have only ridden for about seven days. One man, a Canadian who has rather a nice horse, tried to jump a gate. The beast took off too far before, and he crashed through it, finally finishing up on the horse's ear. The horse lowered its head and he slid nicely to his feet.

This morning was driving drill, but nothing exciting happened, except that we all got our legs well jambed and bruised by the offsiders squeezing the traces against our legs.

Walford

PS We were pleased to hear by the mail that the sheep country is looking so well and hope there is a good clip, but should think it very improbable

(I am putting this letter up a day early, as I'm not sure if I will be near internet access on the day. The next letter will be on 18 October.)

Letter Home - 2 October 1915

RA Mess
Ipswich

2nd October, 1915

Dear Mother,

There is little news this week, and am afraid there will be less every week now until we move from here. We are all quite broken into the place and its ways, some of which take some understanding. This week has slipped by very quickly: I suppose it is because the routine of work is always the same and also because one does not get much time to sit down and think about anything.

I discovered the other day they are trying to teach the officers here in three months what in peace time takes three years – sort of explained a great deal to one who is in the place and trying to get hold of things.

On Friday, or Thursday rather, we went out on horses with prismatic compasses and tried to find our way by the map and to sketch the country. I'm afraid we did not know much about it, but I suppose it will come later. The best part of the whole business was that we were out for a ride, instead of being in the riding school.

We were out with our battery today, and I had to ride one of the centre horses. It was rather exciting work as we missed several posts by inches. Most of the horses were strange to the work.

Walford.

Letter Home - 17 September 1915 and Bertie's Diary - 16 September, 1915

Bertie:

16 September, 1915

It was a very busy morning, rushing round after kit, which took a bit of collecting, as one is never quite certain what you want.

Walford:

211 Piccadilly, London, W.

September 17, 1915

Dear Mother,
Before starting this I will just mention we are in uniform for the second time, and my hand is a bit shaky as Bee and I have come down Piccadilly all out trying to dodge salutes. I should imagine saluting is all right in Camp but in town it is a beastly nuisance, especially when you feel as brand new as we do.

We got our first letters from home last Monday, and I'm sure your fowl boy would look more like a tima tic than ever in my old suits. A lot has been done since I last wrote, in fact I doubt I will remember all that has happened.

On Saturday we took Colonel Appleton out to lunch, (when I say we, I mean Mr Gilliard and the five others of us). He is in the Colonial Offices in Victoria Street, and Mr Gilliard thinks he might be of some use to us. In the afternoon we were marched round to the War Office, where we were medically examined. Then Major Dawson had an interview with us.

He seemed a very nice man, much better than the first person we met there. He told us to go and order uniforms and said that we would have commissions in a very short time. Of course, he talked very nicely about Australians and said he would like to get a lot more of them and that they were doing splendidly. From the War Office, we rushed straight round to get our uniforms at a place called Moss, where they fit you out in a very short time.

On Sunday, we journeyed to Hyde Park in the morning to meet Bobbie Laurence, whom we took to lunch with us. Mim took Bee and self down to her hospital at Mitcham about 9 miles out. It is a beautiful spot for a hospital, especially the hall, which has enormous grounds, and a river to punt on. The men all seemed full of life, but it was very sad to see some of those who had lost their sight or who had been paralysed by shellfire. We met two or three Australian Tommies there. They seemed very good chaps, and I think they were pleased to see someone who'd just come over. We taxied Freyda back with us to Piccadilly where she left us to dine with a friend. She looks very thin and tired looking, I 1don't think she can be well. Dan came to dine with us that night, and after dinner we all went round to Lancaster Gate, where we met a regular nest of Australians, among whom were – Dunstulls, McArthurs and Russells from Carngham

On Monday, we lunched with a lot of people at the Ladies Empire Club. Philip and Bob were there, and we gained a lot of information from the former, who was back on five days leave from the front. Tuesday was spent at Greystones with the Russells -  at least we lunched there and took the train back about 4 p.m.They have a nice little house there - it is quite close to Brooklands and is very well sheltered by timber. Bo Fairbairn was there. Hhe looks fairly wel,l but does not look as if he had much go in him.

Mr and Mrs Russell look very well, but Joan is a bit off-colour. They say Alec is coming back on leave on Sunday, but doubt whether we shall see him or not. That same night we had the Carngham Russells out to dinner at Princes Rest, and then went on to Quinneys, which was a one-man show, but beautifully acted.

Wednesday, we had our uniforms tried on. In fact, we put them on and had a group taken at a shop nearby, with our right-hand man Mr Gilliard in the centre. The proof looks very good, and I will send you out one of each as soon as we get them. At 12 that day we caught a train from Holborn Viaduct – Mim, Uncle, Bee, Mr Gilliard and self, for Chatham. We had lunch there and, in the afternoon, had a look over portion of the naval dockyard. It was all very interesting, and we saw the latest in submarines and other odds and ends, amongst which was the Orvieto. There was also a new monitor - a peculiar looking ship, which has a 15 inch gun at the bow and stern. I believe they are building them for the Danube. We dined down there and returned in the evening.

Thursday, all our names were in the paper as being gazetted, so we all put on our uniforms, just to get ourselves used to them before going to the training camp. We have not heard where or when that will be, but have no doubt that we shall get notice at any moment.

Mim's leave expired yesterday, and she had to go back to work in the afternoon, which was bad luck. She was a bit off-colour but have heard this morning that she is quite well. She really looks very well - I think she is a wee bit stouter than when she left Australia, which is not saying much. She seemed keen to get back to work, just as we are keen to get going at ours.

We have been to lots of theatre since we came over but can't remember one from another. I don't think the reviews are a patch on what we saw last year, such as the Passing Show. They seem to be a kind of mixed grill the whole way through. The message has just come that we are all to proceed to the War Office this morning. I wonder what our fate will be. Well, mum, I think that everything has gone down - anyway there seems to be no more news,

Hoping you are all well,

your affectionate son,

Walford.
PS no time to read this through.

(The diaries proper do not begin until November - there will be no more posts until the next letter we have, which was written on 2 October 1915)

Some Pictures and Bertie's First Diary Entry

Bertie:

Bell A, S McCaughey, Walgord, Sanger and self left Australia 26th July by the P and O Majura (?). Came overland from Marseille, landed in London at the beginning of September. Mildred met us at Victoria. Next morning were introduced to RS Gilliard, who did all the dirty work connected with getting our commissions. We were all gazetted in the RFA on 23 September and posted to the baby camp at Ipswich. Our quarters at the latter place were at the horse Artillery barracks. There we did six weeks of training.

At 1 PM on 15th September we were ordered to proceed to Southhampton by the 2 PM train from Waterloo the following day. There were 10 of us from this camp who received marching orders. We applied for leave straight away. Bell was left out of this. This is quite a new thing the officers to go to the front without first going on a course. We had only been in training for six weeks. Most of us packed up right away and went to London that evening. It was a tremendous rush but it did not take us long to get on the move.


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With the caveat that I am the world's worst photographer and these pictures are only photographs of old black and white snaps in an album at home, here are some pictures taken of and by my grandfather while in Britain during training and later in France during the war. Sadly, they are in a haphazard order, dictated by my inability to control Blogger technology well:

This is my grandfather. He has written this caption beneath it: "Yours truly, trying to keep out the cold before an advance on Bapaume." 

The caption on this one says "A trench at Beaumont Hamel named Taupin, inhabited by gunners, as shown by the wires, and much strafed.

Nisssan Huts at Aveluy, with 2 Master Sergeant and his horse in distance

A sea of mud where the steeds water at Aveluy

FS Siggers, a smart gunner and a stout friend

Ipswich reconnaissance ride

My Ginger after a blizzard, Goense Peroud (?)

Cruikshank (South Africa), Siggers, Hoyland

Cruikshank, Siggers, Hoyland, Evans

Bee writing up after reconnaissance at Ipswich

Fixing a camera for aerial photography

The horse lines and wagons after a blizzard

On the march. Poles up after water and feed

Loupart Wood, a glimpse of it near a corner most British battery used as a zero line. Taken after the Bosche retired

Nether Avon, where Foster was when we first landed

Nether Avon, with Sam, Mim, Daw, Bell and Uncle

Crossroads near Bapaume - the Hun left them mined, they were all like this

Front row: Siggers, Suttie, Self; back row: Evans, Cruikshank

Grant Suttie

Our position behind Bailleul sugar refinery

Our position near Courcelette, X, to right, equals Mess entrance, O, to left, equals telephone pit, connected by mine shafts

There is no caption on this one but my mother thinks they were ready for a turnout parade for which they were given the wrong directions, so their efforts were in vain

Friends and Relations

In my grandfather's letters and diaries, he mentions lots of people. I will try to list them here, updating when necessary and providing any information I have about them. If anyone else in the family can shed light on any of the people that we can't identify, please get in touch.

Bee - my grandfather's older brother, Bertie, with whom he went to Britain to join up

Mim - my grandfather's sister, Mildred

Freyda Shaw (who marries Pyman) - Thank you to Liz Landy for providing this information: "Lawrence Lee Pyman was born on the 13th March 1917 to Ronald and Catherine Freyda Pyman (nee Shaw). She came from a family of Australian sheep farmers who owned a large station in Victoria, Australia and was brought up in the correct manner, dressing for dinner each night. Catherine was sent to Germany before the Great War 'to grow up' and have an education, under the watchful eye of a devoted governess who was very keen on German opera! On the outbreak of WW1 she returned to Australia, where she met an Englishman, Ronald Pyman (known as George by his family), who worked for Asiatic Petroleum (Shell) in Melbourne, and after a short whirlwind romance, they married in 1916.
Ronald volunteered to serve 'the old country' and enlisted in the army with the Middlesex Regiment. Catherine meanwhile joined the Voluntary Aid Detachment as a nurse and was sent to France. Lawrence would never see his father, who was tragically killed in action on the 3rd May 1917, whilst serving as a Lieutenant on the Western Front with the 15th Battalion of the Middlesex Regiment. On this day, the British attacked the Germans on a 12 mile front just east of Arras. Lieutenant Pyman is buried in Bay 7 of the Commonwealth War Graves plot in Arras Cemetery, France. " etc.   This is taken from the web page www.bbm.org.uk/Pyman.htm

I have a collection of Purrumbete photos I have been working through and I had noted Freyda Pyman and her baby son Lawrence  in one of them. The photos are mostly of  John Manifold (son of W.T. Manifold), Barbara his wife  and their  young son John Streeter Manifold in 1916 - 1917. John was 5 years older than Uncle Wal.  He enlisted in the Royal Horse Artillery in 1916. Some of the photos are  named but sadly many are not.

Russells from Carngham - a family whose property, Carngham, was in the Western District of Victoria (there are other Russells from other properties in the district, who may pop up later in the narrative).

211 Piccadilly - Carlyle Club (Thank you, Bim Affleck)

McArthurs - also from the Western District, from a property called Meningoort

Dunstulls

Dan - possibly Dan McKinnon?

Rutledges - graziers from near Bungendore. Their son Foster eventually married Mildred

Bo Fairbairn - lived in Queensland

Uncle

Mr Gilliard

Siggers. Cruikshanks, Grant Suttie and Evans - fellow officers with whom my grandfather became close friends (Cruikshanks was from South Africa)

Introduction

My grandfather, Edward Walford Manifold, (known to his family as Wal), and his brother, Bertie, grew up in the Western District of Victoria. At the outbreak of World War I they, along with many others in the district, were keen to support the war effort and, to that end, they travelled to Britain to join the British Army.

To modern eyes, their decision might seem unpatriotic but, like many Australians at the time, they regarded the interests of Australia and the “Home Country” as indivisible. Also, as country people, they had skill and experience with horses, and so it probably seemed to them that they would be of more use in the Royal Field Artillery than in the AIF. On top of this, my grandfather had earlier attended Cambridge University, and this meant he had direct experience of the old country and many bonds of friendship with English people. Although they are part of a somewhat forgotten group - there is no acknowledgment either in the Australian War Memorial or the Imperial War Museum of Australians who have chosen to fight within British forces in any conflicts - the two brothers were far from being alone in the choice they made.

My grandfather left letters and a detailed set of diaries covering the years he spent at war  from 1915 to 1917. In this blog, I plan to publish both the letters he wrote and the diary entries he made, with each post appearing on the date corresponding to the date my grandfather wrote it. The resulting document will, I hope, provide one more perspective on the experience of World War I.

This entry from The Corian , the magazine of Geelong Grammar School, following my grandfather's death in 1959, provides a little background about him, for those who would like to know a little more:

"Edward Walford Manifold

Walford Manifold, who died at Mondilibi, Mortlake, on October 23, was the last surviving son of the late Mr W. T. Manifold of Purrumbete, Weerite: his brothers were John and W. H. (Bertie). E. W. entered the school in 1903 and played in the XI and XVIII from 1908-1910, when he left to enter Jesus College, Cambridge.

He rowed in the second Jesus boat 1912-13, in the Lents, and enlisted early in the 1914-18 War in the Royal Field Artillery. He proceeded to France in 1915 with 48 Bty., 36 Brigade, RFA, after training in England; promoted 1st lieutenant in 1917 and Captain, July, 1918. Late in 1916 he was awarded the Military Cross for the following act of gallantry: "He laid a telephone line and maintained it for 24 hours under very heavy fire. Twice he visited the advanced posts, recrossing ground which was unheld by our troops, and succeeded in obtaining much valuable information. He displayed great courage and determination throughout."  This was in a F.O.O. at Thiepval.

In September, 1918, he was granted leave to Australia, where later he was discharged to R. of O. After gaining land experience in Western Queensland, he purchased Mondilibi in 1922, and in the same year married Miss Margaret Lorn Alston, who predeceased him.

He always retained his great interest in the School, and for some years served on the O. G. G. Committee. A memorial window in the school chapel is in memory of his young son, Derek.

He was a keen grazier, a willing helper in all local activities, as well as maintaining a long and active association in the affairs of the Ballarat Diocese.

To his three daughters we extend our sincere sympathy."