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VIV’S LETTER TO HIS WIFE  

The following is part of a letter written by Viv (Vivian) to his wife Clytie dated 3 July 1916.  

We are still hanging about the old address but for a short time are out of reach of all except the longest range guns of the enemy.  The Push has started in the South and also we hear in the north.  Soon we may be into it here.  There is every prospect of driving the Huns back all along the line when we are all in and once we get them properly going will keep them at it.  It seems strangely quiet her after a spell in the trenches, where there was a raid on our front every night with its attendant bombardment and retaliation.    

The Germans didn’t cause us many casualties with their shells compared with the number fired but it is very trying on the nerves of the men who have to sit still and take it all without the power of effective reply.  Well anyway, it will make us all appreciate home when we get back, and I, for one will require a great deal of shifting to make me leave it again.  My mail is still arriving very irregularly.  It is almost a month since I have had a letter from anyone.    

It is hard to imagine how young men can stay at home.  Do they know that there’s a war on?   In France here one never sees a man married or single but he is in uniform.  Every family has lost some of its members and some, all their menfolk.  One thinks of what France is doing and compares it with our own effort.  Australia has no reason to be proud of the result.    

One thing the men who can but won’t, can be assured of is the hearty contempt of the real men in the trenches when they read of the recruiting results.  When they see it in the illustrated papers the crowds of apparently fit men still in mufti.  What will happen when this two hundred odd thousand return home, after their long and intimate acquaintance with pain and death?    

 I wonder whether the crowds of shirkers will welcome them and I wonder what their response their welcome will get.  

I haven’t heard from Bert or Vernie for quite a long while now and don’t know whether they are in France or not.  In another few months I’ll be cabling the date of my return etc.    Viv  

A CIVILIAN’S LETTER TO MY GREAT GRANDMOTHER.    

The following letter sent to my grandmother by an acquaintance – dated 10 August 1916 – that gives some insight into thoughts of civilians at home, at that time.  

Dear Mrs. SMYTHE,    

Happiest of mortals.  How proud you must be of your sons’ records.  If my mother could point to her boys and say this one is a DCM and this one won his commission on the field there would be no holding her.  And how I envy these!  I had ideas of going to the front once but since my illness I don’t seem to have the nerve to want to go.  I suppose like many other coldfooters, I will have to rest on the reflected glory from the fact that I have two brothers there.  I was very glad indeed to hear that your sons had progressed so far and it is my wish that they may yet go farther. For the fame that they have won and for the mother they’ve got, may they go unscathed through this war and live long enough to enjoy the pleasure they will have earned.  

ANOTHER LETTER BY VIV TO HIS WIFE DATED  23rd SEPTEMBER 1916

“Since arriving here, we have been resting and have not yet been in the trenches, which are, I believe, in rather a battered condition, not having properly recovered from the third battle of Y- (? Ypres –Ed.)  Was also greatly pleased to get the cutting from “The Sun”.  Do you know, that cutting is the only photo I have in my possession now.  You can make up for me, if you like, an Xmas box of a pocket wallet containing photos of both families, and I can promise you, it will give as much pleasure as anything bar being at home with you again." 

The weather has been very cold and wet, but today is gloriously fine and so comes out our friend the Taube.  We know he is about because we hear the anti-aircraft guns (“Archies”) and see the white puffs of the shells mottling the sky.  Those who have strong sight can pick out the tiny speck that all the commotion is about, flying so high that, with the slight haze the heat has brought forth, any large objects below must be indistinguishable.  Perhaps they are merely for “moral effect” to hearten their troops who must be disappointed to see so many of our machines flying so low while theirs hardly ever venture out.  If so, the height they keep is inexplicable, and is regulated by the range of our “Archies”.  The radius of the action of the Taubes is governed by the time it requires for one of our machines to reach their height. They take no chances. Our visit to the lines has been postponed, and disquietening rumours are afloat concerning an early revisit to the scene of our late activities.  None of us are hankering after more of “that”.   

Just had a message from Ernie Graham.  (He was a cousin to the boys – from Tasmania –Ed.)He is in the 52nd, and I believe is within walking distance.  He met one of our sigs. and enquired after me and sent a message that he was O.K.  Believe he has a stripe and is in transport.  If he has any sense he’ll stay there too.”    

(Afternoon) ---Ernie has just been over to see me (8 July – Ed), and is camped within a few miles.  He is looking well, but occasionally has trouble with his leg.  Alfie (his younger brother Alfred – Ed.) is with him, but could not come over to-day.  “A” Company played the Transport cricket to-day, and got a hiding by six wickets but our boys won’t be satisfied with that, and if the weather holds up, there’ll be some keen contests.  All our lads are keen on any sort of sport, and I think that it’s better for them to be playing than working until they get their dash back again.  I sympathise with your feelings in regard to the “Stay-at-homes”.   Stan, of course, has bad eyes, but even so could do some base work and release a fit man, as for the rest ---Well--    

The papers are, or were full of the doings of the Australians at Pozieres and thereabouts.  In the second stunt, many units went in under half strength, consequently the usual system of frequent reliefs for the front line was impossible, and the line became dangerously thin in places.    

You may have read the story of Mouquet Farm and how it was won and lost. (See Cousin Dorothy Bremner’s notes about this in her story The Smythe Family History– Ed).  If the supporting, flanking, or even attacking units had been full strength, the gap in front would not have occurred, or would have been immediately filled and so the situation would have been saved.  The wounded are being rushed back in indecent haste as soon as their wounds have closed.  The few left in the line have usually to do, or attempt to do, the work of a full unit ----so they are worked to a stand-still, and one finds it impossible to obtain any rest for them.  In a couple of days they are useless for offensive purposes, although they are still as game as ever.  This is, unfortunately, the reason why our operations were not as fully successful as the courage and spirit of the men deserved, and is also the direct cause of a great many casualties.       

Two or more attempts at a position are always more costly in life than one successful attempt would be.  The only reason why more than one attempt was necessary was not that we had to use tired men on almost every occasion, and not enough of them even had they been fresh.  

Our base depot is empty, and we are still waiting for men we should have had a month ago!  Where are they?  Still walking the streets!  You see them every time you go to town.   How many of us will be left by the time they step in to give us a hand.  I wonder? ---------. END

LETTER TO VIV TO HIS FATHER DATED 8TH MAY 1917  

This is a letter to Grandfather SMYTHE from Viv dated 8 May 1917.  I have paragraphed it for easier reading.  I believe he did not do this because of the amount of paper he had available.  This describes the 2nd Battle of Bullecourt and it was during this battle that Bert and two of his second cousins were killed in action.  When he wrote this he was not aware that Bert had been killed.   

Dear Dad, The stunt has “been and went” as we used to say and still I am whole and undamaged.  It was the stiffest fight my battalion has had yet and our own losses were proportionate but our men were splendid.  We went into No-Man’s Land in single file and formed up in a line 500(? Ed.) from the Bosche Line.  Fritzy expected us and showed it by numerous flares, the intermittent chatter of his machine guns as they searched for us and by two search-lights which played over the ground every now and again.   

         As we were in the lead we had to be out some little time to allow the rest to form up also, but this part of the operation went on smoothly and except for a little shelling without hindrance.  After seeing that the men were in position and knew their direction we lay down and waited for the moment to advance.  Five minutes before time word was passed down the line to get ready.  Almost before it reached the last man the sky, low down, behind us, burst suddenly into a flickering blaze of light as the guns behind us woke suddenly into life.  In a few seconds a torrent of shells screamed overhead and burst like a sparkle of jewels in front.  We rose and moved slowly forward, firing bayonets as we went.  No one hurried as there was plenty of time before that deadly hail was shifted back behind the first line trench, our objective.  We overtook the barrage near the wire, but within a few seconds it shifted on and was now concentrated on the famous Hindenburg line, a hundred yards ahead. 

Before the slowly advancing waves had been seen by the defenders and a continuous crackle of machine gun bullets whipped and tore the air around us.  But not for that would the advance stop. Calmly and coolly the men picked their way through the blasted wire and absolutely ignored the frantic machine guns.  Once through the wire we were supposed to lie down and wait until the barrage lifted, but with the enemy so close in front few thought of anything but getting at him and so they pressed on through our own barrage and were fighting in the front line three minutes before the barrage lifted.  As soon as the trench was cleared up we pushed along both flanks to connect up with or assist the people attacking on either side.  We soon found that except for a certain distance to the left where part of a battalion had got in, we were the only part of the attack and in a few minutes bombing operations were in full swing on both sides.  Meanwhile the waves had passed through and soon the success signal was seen from the second line.  Following the slowly advancing barrage, the last wave of our battalion steadily advanced and at the scheduled time signalled its occupation of our furtherest objective.  So we were completely successful while on our right and left partial success only resulted.   

On our right the attack was twice renewed but each time it wilted and failed at the wire. The right had increased as daybreak approached and as the barrage had gone on advancing the Boche machine guns and automatic rifles were undisturbed, except on the extreme end of their defence where our bombers (? Not sure of the word here - Ed.) were at work.  However, the attack had left us numerically weak for the length of the wire.  We held and we could little more than hold our own.    As the day advanced and it was seen that there was no chance of bringing the line up level with our own furtherest advance, we had to withdraw and be content with holding both lines of trenches. This we did, bombing almost continuously and holding off his desperate efforts to rip? (Not sure of this word – Ed) us off.  During the night Bert’s lot came in and relieved us.   I didn’t see him but my C.O. did and told him I was O.K.  We moved back to support and then to reserve and are now on our way out for a spell (we hope).  Bert was OK the day after we were relieved, as I heard from the Q.M.S. of his company.  As soon as I get time I’ll hunt him up, but that won’t be until we get to a place where we can stay a day or two.   

The Heads are particularly pleased with the fact that we got in and held on and the Bde. and Batt.  Have been congratulated by very high up.  The C.O. will probably get, as he deserves, both promotion and decoration out of it.  Various other honours will be flying about too and not a few rises will take place.  Well I must close this scrawl now.  Hoping that the account has not been too meagre – but we must respect the censor.  How are all at home and how are the siblings generally.  I am in the best to health and am no more miserable than I have ever been at home.  In fact I’m getting so callous now that very little is able to affect me.  Didn’t think I could become so cold blooded.  Still its necessary here or one would go mad.  Goodnight and good luck to you all.      Viv.  

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