Summary
A two-page, hand-written letter from Australian World War I soldier Edgar James McCarthy, at Australian Headquarters, Salisbury, England, to 'Ethel' on 16 September 1916. He complains of the cold winter, and advises that he has joined the 'A.P.M Staff' (Assistant Provost Marshal - military police). He mentions other letters he has received, and meeting other 'boys' from Rosedale, his home town. He also advises that Sir John French had inspected the troops, and that the King and Queen were to inspect them the following week.
Edgar McCarthy was a 19-year-old labourer from Rosedale, Gippsland, Victoria, when he enlisted on 4 February 1916. As he was under 21 years of age, his father Henry gave his consent. Edgar was placed in the 8th Battalion, 17th Reinforcements (no. 5422) on 19 January and embarked for England on 4 April on the HMAT Euripides. He was shipped to France on 30 December 1916 and joined his unit on 4 February 1917 and his battalion on the 7th - probably in preparation for moving to the front. He was wounded in action on 16 April, including a fractured back and a severe head injury ('SW Head' may refer to a shell wound, although another document in his file refers to a gunshot wound). Edgar died at 8:40pm on 22 April at the 13th General Hospital, Boulogne, France. He had survived as little as ten weeks at the font.
Eight years later records in the National Archives indicate that his mother was 'still a patient at the Kew Hospital for the Insane'. Alice's incarceration was not related to the death of her son - she had been admitted there in 1899, probably as a result of post-natal depression. It is not known to whom this and other items relating to Edgar was given, although a note in the Museum's supplementary file says that the donation of his material was 'handed to me (possibly the donor) from his mother, Alice McCarthy, about 1950'.
Physical Description
Two lined pages. Letter is handwritten in cursive using black ink.
More Information
-
Collection Names
Military Memorabilia Collection, Returned and Services League (RSL) Collection
-
Collecting Areas
-
Acquisition Information
Donation & Subsequent Transfer from Victorian Branch, Returned & Services League of Australia Limited (RSL), Miss E. Simms, 02 Jun 1981
-
Sender
Private Edgar J. McCarthy - 8th Battalion, A.I.F., Salisbury, England, Great Britain, 16 Sep 1916
-
Organisation Named
-
Language
English
-
Inscriptions
Page one: (upper right corner) Perham Downs / England / Sept 16th 1916 / (from left) Dear Ethel / Just a few lines to let you / know how I am getting on. I am still / in England. I have been transferred / to the A.P.M Staff. It is getting very / cold here now I don't know how / I will stand the winter here. I have written several times to Eve but / the letters must have gone astray / as I have had no answer yet. / I had a letter from Uncle Harry from / Queensland a few weeks ago. / I get / my letters fairly regular now. / I have met some more Rosedale boys / here from France they are in a rest / camp. Sir John French inspected the / troops here last week. The King & Queen / are coming to inspect us shortly. Page two: Well I think I have just about run / out of news so I will close now / Hoping this finds you all well as / it leaves me at present With love / from Edgar / Address / no 5422 / l/lpe - / 8th Battalion / A.P.M. Staff / Australian Headquarters / Bhurtpore Barracks / Fidworth / Salisbury / England.
-
Classification
-
Category
-
Discipline
-
Type of item
-
Overall Dimensions
16.3 cm (Width), 20.4 cm (Height)
Each page
-
References
National Archives of Australia - Edgar James McCarthy, item barcode 1939171.
-
Keywords
Correspondence, Death & Mourning, Letters, Militaria: Australian, Military Memorabilia, Wars & Conflicts, World War I, 1914-1918