"Creswick's War" book launch
Major Neil Leckie RFD (Ret'd)
CRESWICK’S WAR
Through the War Letters of
Driver S. G ‘Gordon’ Spittle MM
“The War Correspondent”
Since the centenary, in 2014, of the raising of the Australian Imperial Force (AIF) for service in “The Great War”, much has been written about the men in the “Front Line”, the Infantry, and to a lesser degree the artillerymen who directly supported them. The infantry was organised into battalions of about 1,000 men. These men could not have survived more than a couple of days if their needs were not met. Groupings of four battalions formed a brigade and each brigade had a “Service Corps” company of around 150 men supplying its needs. Ballarat provided the basis of one Service Corps Company.
In August 1915, a Ballarat Auctioneer, Captain John Brazenor, the Officer Commanding Ballarat’s Militia 18 Company, Army Service Corps was asked to form the 18 Company Australian Army Service Corps for the AIF. Brazenor went about selecting men from the volunteers in the Royal Park, Seymour and Broadmeadows camps. He selected men with a background that included working with horses, including Drivers, Shoe-Smiths, Farriers, Wheelwrights and Clerks. Over one third of Brazenor’s selected men came from the Ballarat and Creswick districts, many of whom Brazenor knew personally.
John Brazenor’s step-brother was Captain William Brazenor, a Company Commander with the Geelong based 23rd Battalion, then serving on Gallipoli. In 1918 William became the Commanding Officer of the 23rd Battalion. On return to Australia William would return to work with the Ballarat Water Board where he remained for some 30 years. Brazenor Park at Kirk’s Reservoir is named in his honour. John moved to Sydney. Both Brazenors would be awarded a Distinguished Service Order (DSO) for their “Great War” service.
18 Coy AASC would service the 8th Brigade formed in Egypt in 1915. The brigade did not serve on Gallipoli and would become a part of the 5th Division that was formed in Egypt in 1916. The other brigades of the division were the 14th Brigade and “Pompey” Elliott’s 15th Brigade. 18 Company would supply 8th Brigade with its daily requirements of food, water, ammunition, engineering supplies such as sandbags, barbed wire and trenching timber and the all-important letters from home, all on the back of their 1.5 tonne horse-drawn wagons.
One of the 18 Company drivers was Creswick born Gordon Spittle, who enlisted from Allendale. Gordon went to war with around 150 men of the 18th Company, Australian Army Service Corps (18 Coy AASC). Of those men about 50 came from the Creswick Shire, where Gordon came from, or Ballarat. During his four years of war, due to the relative freedom of being a Service Corps driver, Gordon was able to meet with well over one hundred men that he knew from the Creswick Shire, Ballarat, wider country Victoria and even from interstate.
Soldier’s War Service Records will tell facts: when did they enlist, when did they embark, when and where did they disembark, which unit they were in, if they were wounded or gassed, if so where they were treated and when they returned to their unit, what courses they attended, what promotions or demotions they received, if they were ‘Killed in Action’ or ‘Returned to Australia – RTA’, and if they returned home whether they returned as Medically Unfit (MU) or healthy at their Termination of Period of Enlistment (TPE).
But their records do not tell you what the men actually did on a day to day basis. Gordon wrote home weekly and many of his letters survived the years and were put into a book in 1994 called “The War Correspondent”, the nickname Gordon was given during the war by his mates. This book is based on those letters. He writes of what is was like delivering rations and stores to the front line with the occasional artillery shell landing nearby, the hard work looking after the horses and wagons in winter when the roads were like skating rinks, the grief at the loss of friends, the joy of leave to London and Paris, his thoughts on conscription and the ‘shirkers’ at home who wouldn’t enlist, and the happiness of receiving mail and parcels from home. Gordon was quite forthright in his opinions and wrote what he thought!
In addition to Gordon’s letters, the book includes facts from such books as ‘The History of the 5th Australian Division’ under which 18 Coy AASC served, other battalion histories, the Australian War Memorial and the National Archives Australia websites and other military websites.
Through the War Letters of
Driver S. G ‘Gordon’ Spittle MM
“The War Correspondent”
Since the centenary, in 2014, of the raising of the Australian Imperial Force (AIF) for service in “The Great War”, much has been written about the men in the “Front Line”, the Infantry, and to a lesser degree the artillerymen who directly supported them. The infantry was organised into battalions of about 1,000 men. These men could not have survived more than a couple of days if their needs were not met. Groupings of four battalions formed a brigade and each brigade had a “Service Corps” company of around 150 men supplying its needs. Ballarat provided the basis of one Service Corps Company.
In August 1915, a Ballarat Auctioneer, Captain John Brazenor, the Officer Commanding Ballarat’s Militia 18 Company, Army Service Corps was asked to form the 18 Company Australian Army Service Corps for the AIF. Brazenor went about selecting men from the volunteers in the Royal Park, Seymour and Broadmeadows camps. He selected men with a background that included working with horses, including Drivers, Shoe-Smiths, Farriers, Wheelwrights and Clerks. Over one third of Brazenor’s selected men came from the Ballarat and Creswick districts, many of whom Brazenor knew personally.
John Brazenor’s step-brother was Captain William Brazenor, a Company Commander with the Geelong based 23rd Battalion, then serving on Gallipoli. In 1918 William became the Commanding Officer of the 23rd Battalion. On return to Australia William would return to work with the Ballarat Water Board where he remained for some 30 years. Brazenor Park at Kirk’s Reservoir is named in his honour. John moved to Sydney. Both Brazenors would be awarded a Distinguished Service Order (DSO) for their “Great War” service.
18 Coy AASC would service the 8th Brigade formed in Egypt in 1915. The brigade did not serve on Gallipoli and would become a part of the 5th Division that was formed in Egypt in 1916. The other brigades of the division were the 14th Brigade and “Pompey” Elliott’s 15th Brigade. 18 Company would supply 8th Brigade with its daily requirements of food, water, ammunition, engineering supplies such as sandbags, barbed wire and trenching timber and the all-important letters from home, all on the back of their 1.5 tonne horse-drawn wagons.
One of the 18 Company drivers was Creswick born Gordon Spittle, who enlisted from Allendale. Gordon went to war with around 150 men of the 18th Company, Australian Army Service Corps (18 Coy AASC). Of those men about 50 came from the Creswick Shire, where Gordon came from, or Ballarat. During his four years of war, due to the relative freedom of being a Service Corps driver, Gordon was able to meet with well over one hundred men that he knew from the Creswick Shire, Ballarat, wider country Victoria and even from interstate.
Soldier’s War Service Records will tell facts: when did they enlist, when did they embark, when and where did they disembark, which unit they were in, if they were wounded or gassed, if so where they were treated and when they returned to their unit, what courses they attended, what promotions or demotions they received, if they were ‘Killed in Action’ or ‘Returned to Australia – RTA’, and if they returned home whether they returned as Medically Unfit (MU) or healthy at their Termination of Period of Enlistment (TPE).
But their records do not tell you what the men actually did on a day to day basis. Gordon wrote home weekly and many of his letters survived the years and were put into a book in 1994 called “The War Correspondent”, the nickname Gordon was given during the war by his mates. This book is based on those letters. He writes of what is was like delivering rations and stores to the front line with the occasional artillery shell landing nearby, the hard work looking after the horses and wagons in winter when the roads were like skating rinks, the grief at the loss of friends, the joy of leave to London and Paris, his thoughts on conscription and the ‘shirkers’ at home who wouldn’t enlist, and the happiness of receiving mail and parcels from home. Gordon was quite forthright in his opinions and wrote what he thought!
In addition to Gordon’s letters, the book includes facts from such books as ‘The History of the 5th Australian Division’ under which 18 Coy AASC served, other battalion histories, the Australian War Memorial and the National Archives Australia websites and other military websites.
Creswick's War book launch - Creswick RSL Hall, 25th August 2019
RSL member Robert Gowling introduced Major Neil Lecke RFD (Ret'd) - RFD Reserve Force Decoration f0r 15 years service, author of the book "Creswick's War". Neil gave a powerpoint presentation (see below) on George Spittle and his time in service through the letter that were sent home.

Book cover mock-up
Creswick’s War is not so much about war as about people! Samuel Gordon Spittle, known to all as Gordon, was born in Creswick North on 5 October 1891. He grew up in Creswick and was educated at Creswick Grammar School. His father, Samuel, had been a successful Carter in Clunes and Creswick during the mining boom. Seeing the mining era was coming to an end Samuel bought a farm near Allendale and named it Monmore Green after the green named Monmore in Wolverhampton, England, where he lived prior to emigrating to Australia in search of gold. By his own admission Samuel was no farmer and left the farming to his sons Stan, Willie and young Gordon.
In 1912 Gordon purchased his own farm, Mount Cavern, near Ascot. He was to take ownership of the farm on 1 April 1916 when the 10-year lease expired. About the same time his brother Stan purchased the adjoining property of Caverndale.
However, The Great War intervened, and Gordon would be in Egypt when the lease expired. Samuel took over Mount Cavern on Gordon’s behalf.
War had been declared on 5 August 1914. To Ballarat (and Creswick) it meant that the 8th Battalion, a part of the 2nd Brigade of the Australian Division, would be raised from 14 August. Hundreds of men from the Ballarat District joined up. Gordon did not immediately volunteer, however, on 17 July 1915 he decided that his civic duty to the country of his birth meant that he must enlist. Along with good mate Harry Holmes, Gordon went into Creswick and caught the train to Ballarat where they both enlisted. That day the pair would meet Les Walter from Coghill’s Creek and Frank Thomas from Ascot.
Little did they know that Ballarat born Harold Reid had already enlisted on 8th July, another Ballarat boy, Les Sim, a member of the Sim & Co Timber Merchants family, had enlisted on 13th July and Joe Fawcett was enlisting in Melbourne that same day. Two days later Ray Blight from Ballarat enlisted in Melbourne on 19th July and on 30th July Jack Nase from Ullina also enlisted.
Creswick’s War is not so much about war as about people! Samuel Gordon Spittle, known to all as Gordon, was born in Creswick North on 5 October 1891. He grew up in Creswick and was educated at Creswick Grammar School. His father, Samuel, had been a successful Carter in Clunes and Creswick during the mining boom. Seeing the mining era was coming to an end Samuel bought a farm near Allendale and named it Monmore Green after the green named Monmore in Wolverhampton, England, where he lived prior to emigrating to Australia in search of gold. By his own admission Samuel was no farmer and left the farming to his sons Stan, Willie and young Gordon.
In 1912 Gordon purchased his own farm, Mount Cavern, near Ascot. He was to take ownership of the farm on 1 April 1916 when the 10-year lease expired. About the same time his brother Stan purchased the adjoining property of Caverndale.
However, The Great War intervened, and Gordon would be in Egypt when the lease expired. Samuel took over Mount Cavern on Gordon’s behalf.
War had been declared on 5 August 1914. To Ballarat (and Creswick) it meant that the 8th Battalion, a part of the 2nd Brigade of the Australian Division, would be raised from 14 August. Hundreds of men from the Ballarat District joined up. Gordon did not immediately volunteer, however, on 17 July 1915 he decided that his civic duty to the country of his birth meant that he must enlist. Along with good mate Harry Holmes, Gordon went into Creswick and caught the train to Ballarat where they both enlisted. That day the pair would meet Les Walter from Coghill’s Creek and Frank Thomas from Ascot.
Little did they know that Ballarat born Harold Reid had already enlisted on 8th July, another Ballarat boy, Les Sim, a member of the Sim & Co Timber Merchants family, had enlisted on 13th July and Joe Fawcett was enlisting in Melbourne that same day. Two days later Ray Blight from Ballarat enlisted in Melbourne on 19th July and on 30th July Jack Nase from Ullina also enlisted.

The Ascot Boys plus Frank Thomas
The nine young men went into various camps in Melbourne and Seymour.
They would soon set out from Melbourne on the adventure of a lifetime. All nine would return!
At the time of their enlistment Australia was heavily involved in the Gallipoli campaign. On the Gallipoli Peninsula there was the Australian Division of 3 brigades, which was a total of 12 battalions, along with the 4th Brigade that was a part of the New Zealand and Australian Division.
A second Australian division had been raised and it landed on Gallipoli on September 1915. However, in Egypt there were enough men available to raise an 8th Brigade, also of four battalions. Each Brigade needed a Service Corps Company to keep it supplied with food, water, ammunition and engineering supplies such as sandbags and barbed wire.
Captain John Brazenor, of the well-known Ballarat Brazenor family, was the Officer Commanding the 18th Company of the militia’s Army Service Corps in Ballarat. On 30th August 1915 he was asked to form a Service Corps Company, to be known as 18 Company Australian Army Service Corps, to support the 8th Brigade in Egypt.
The nine young men went into various camps in Melbourne and Seymour.
They would soon set out from Melbourne on the adventure of a lifetime. All nine would return!
At the time of their enlistment Australia was heavily involved in the Gallipoli campaign. On the Gallipoli Peninsula there was the Australian Division of 3 brigades, which was a total of 12 battalions, along with the 4th Brigade that was a part of the New Zealand and Australian Division.
A second Australian division had been raised and it landed on Gallipoli on September 1915. However, in Egypt there were enough men available to raise an 8th Brigade, also of four battalions. Each Brigade needed a Service Corps Company to keep it supplied with food, water, ammunition and engineering supplies such as sandbags and barbed wire.
Captain John Brazenor, of the well-known Ballarat Brazenor family, was the Officer Commanding the 18th Company of the militia’s Army Service Corps in Ballarat. On 30th August 1915 he was asked to form a Service Corps Company, to be known as 18 Company Australian Army Service Corps, to support the 8th Brigade in Egypt.

Capt John Brazenor
Captain Brazenor reported to Melbourne and quickly went around the various camps in Melbourne and Seymour and selected men for his company. The men had to be experienced with horses and wagons. Of the 145 men he selected for 18 Company, 53 would come from the Ballarat and Creswick district and among them were Gordon, Harry and the other seven men. The nine would serve together for the next four years before being discharged in 1919.
On 8 November the company loaded its horses on two ships and on 10 November the men left Melbourne with Gordon and seven of the others on the Troopship Bakara, while Ray Blight was on the Troopship Ascanius.
Captain Brazenor reported to Melbourne and quickly went around the various camps in Melbourne and Seymour and selected men for his company. The men had to be experienced with horses and wagons. Of the 145 men he selected for 18 Company, 53 would come from the Ballarat and Creswick district and among them were Gordon, Harry and the other seven men. The nine would serve together for the next four years before being discharged in 1919.
On 8 November the company loaded its horses on two ships and on 10 November the men left Melbourne with Gordon and seven of the others on the Troopship Bakara, while Ray Blight was on the Troopship Ascanius.
Bakara and loading horses
The men arrived in Egypt on 8 December but would remain on board their ships for 4 days before unloading commenced. Gordon’s war did not start well! Along with around 100 men from the Bakara Gordon found himself in hospital with ptomaine poisoning. Gordon would spend his first Christmas at war in hospital.
Shortly after disembarking in Egypt, 18 Company had moved to Ferry Post on the Suez Canal, where it would spend ten weeks. Gordon joined 18 Company at Ferry Post and began to learn the art of war as a Wagon Driver in the Service Corps.
The men arrived in Egypt on 8 December but would remain on board their ships for 4 days before unloading commenced. Gordon’s war did not start well! Along with around 100 men from the Bakara Gordon found himself in hospital with ptomaine poisoning. Gordon would spend his first Christmas at war in hospital.
Shortly after disembarking in Egypt, 18 Company had moved to Ferry Post on the Suez Canal, where it would spend ten weeks. Gordon joined 18 Company at Ferry Post and began to learn the art of war as a Wagon Driver in the Service Corps.

Ferry Post
On 1 March 1916 the company moved to Alexandria where it would receive reinforcements, extra horses and wagons. However, a big change would occur there! The Australian government needed to raise two additional divisions to fight alongside the 1st and 2nd Divisions in Egypt, as well as the 3rd Division then being raised in Australia. To do this the first four brigades’ battalions were spilt in half to form another four brigades of four battalions. The 8th Brigade, which had not seen service in Gallipoli, was allocated to the 5th Division, along with the newly raised 14th and 15th Brigades. The 14th Brigade had been raised from the NSW 1st Brigade, while the 15th Brigade was raised from the Victorian 2nd Brigade that included Ballarat’s 8th Battalion. The 15th Brigade would be under command of Brigadier ‘Pompey’ Elliott.
To service the 5th Division, three new Service Corps Companies were needed. Capt Brazenor’s 18 Coy would provide the nucleus of 10 Company to service the 5th Division HQ, 28 Coy to service the 14th Brigade and 29 Coy to service the 15th Brigade. There was a lot of shuffling of men from 18 Company, however, most of Gordon’s mates remained in 18 Company.
On 1 March 1916 the company moved to Alexandria where it would receive reinforcements, extra horses and wagons. However, a big change would occur there! The Australian government needed to raise two additional divisions to fight alongside the 1st and 2nd Divisions in Egypt, as well as the 3rd Division then being raised in Australia. To do this the first four brigades’ battalions were spilt in half to form another four brigades of four battalions. The 8th Brigade, which had not seen service in Gallipoli, was allocated to the 5th Division, along with the newly raised 14th and 15th Brigades. The 14th Brigade had been raised from the NSW 1st Brigade, while the 15th Brigade was raised from the Victorian 2nd Brigade that included Ballarat’s 8th Battalion. The 15th Brigade would be under command of Brigadier ‘Pompey’ Elliott.
To service the 5th Division, three new Service Corps Companies were needed. Capt Brazenor’s 18 Coy would provide the nucleus of 10 Company to service the 5th Division HQ, 28 Coy to service the 14th Brigade and 29 Coy to service the 15th Brigade. There was a lot of shuffling of men from 18 Company, however, most of Gordon’s mates remained in 18 Company.
Allocation of AASC companies with the 5th Division
5th Division - 10 Coy AASC
8th Brigade - 18 Coy AASC
14th Brigade - 28 Coy AASC
15th Brigade - 29 Coy AASC
To all but those who were fighting it, the fighting in Turkey and the Middle East was just a side-show to the real war, the West Front, or as we know it, the Western Front.
In May 1916 Captain Brazenor was promoted to Major and transferred to 10 Company at HQ 5th Division. Then in June Gordon and his mates prepared to move to France and the real war. They left Alexandria on two ships and arrived in Marseilles a week later. After two days in Marseilles the company boarded a train made up of trucks that could carry 40 men or 8 horses. Their trip to the north of France would take 48 hours with the men being on the train for 52 hours.
5th Division - 10 Coy AASC
8th Brigade - 18 Coy AASC
14th Brigade - 28 Coy AASC
15th Brigade - 29 Coy AASC
To all but those who were fighting it, the fighting in Turkey and the Middle East was just a side-show to the real war, the West Front, or as we know it, the Western Front.
In May 1916 Captain Brazenor was promoted to Major and transferred to 10 Company at HQ 5th Division. Then in June Gordon and his mates prepared to move to France and the real war. They left Alexandria on two ships and arrived in Marseilles a week later. After two days in Marseilles the company boarded a train made up of trucks that could carry 40 men or 8 horses. Their trip to the north of France would take 48 hours with the men being on the train for 52 hours.

Travel across France
The company arrived at Hazebrouck and moved into an area near Armentieres known as ‘The Nursery’ not far from Fromelles, a name that would soon become infamous in Australia’s military history. Just a few weeks after arrival at ‘the front’ the 5th Division was thrown into the Battle of Fleurbaix, a battle that in more recent times has been known as the Battle of Fromelles. Due to censorship Gordon could not say much about the battle. In his letter of 24 Jul 1916 Gordon wrote: ‘up to the present we have had little cause for complaint, tho’ many of our brave lads have since lost their lives, while others have been maimed and wounded, but still it’s all in the game, and it’s surprising how callous one becomes and there’s no such thing as sentiment by what I see of it’.
The company arrived at Hazebrouck and moved into an area near Armentieres known as ‘The Nursery’ not far from Fromelles, a name that would soon become infamous in Australia’s military history. Just a few weeks after arrival at ‘the front’ the 5th Division was thrown into the Battle of Fleurbaix, a battle that in more recent times has been known as the Battle of Fromelles. Due to censorship Gordon could not say much about the battle. In his letter of 24 Jul 1916 Gordon wrote: ‘up to the present we have had little cause for complaint, tho’ many of our brave lads have since lost their lives, while others have been maimed and wounded, but still it’s all in the game, and it’s surprising how callous one becomes and there’s no such thing as sentiment by what I see of it’.

What part did Gordon play in that battle? 18 Company was equipped with wagons that were normally drawn by two horses and had a capacity of 30 Cwt, or 1.5 tonnes. It was tasked with drawing, or in other words picking up and signing for, then delivering supplies between 8th Brigade’s rear area and the front-line battalion’s rear areas. There was some danger to the wagon drivers when the German artillery shelled the supply routes. Occasionally they would also receive the odd long-range machine gun fire. In either case a wagon driver would be most unfortunate to be wounded.

French Farmers
At the time of the Fromelles battle, harvesting had commenced in earnest and stooks were fast making an appearance in the paddocks. Reapers and binders in the same proportion, but overall smaller than Gordon was used to, and needing just two horses, were seen. During the day the men were helping the farmers harvesting, while by night they were carting engineer stores such as sand-bags, cement and road materials to Fleurbaix & Armentieres. Some of the company carted road metal for filling in holes in the road caused by artillery shells bursting. It would take a full wagon load to fill each hole.
Gordon said that ‘the hardships are not as great as in the early days, (there he was referring to Egypt), particularly in this country anyhow, as everything is so up-to-date with motor ambulances etc., and good roads right up to the trenches that (so) no time is lost in rescuing the wounded’.
At the time of the Fromelles battle, harvesting had commenced in earnest and stooks were fast making an appearance in the paddocks. Reapers and binders in the same proportion, but overall smaller than Gordon was used to, and needing just two horses, were seen. During the day the men were helping the farmers harvesting, while by night they were carting engineer stores such as sand-bags, cement and road materials to Fleurbaix & Armentieres. Some of the company carted road metal for filling in holes in the road caused by artillery shells bursting. It would take a full wagon load to fill each hole.
Gordon said that ‘the hardships are not as great as in the early days, (there he was referring to Egypt), particularly in this country anyhow, as everything is so up-to-date with motor ambulances etc., and good roads right up to the trenches that (so) no time is lost in rescuing the wounded’.

Gas Marks
While the 5th Division recuperated from its devastating introduction to war, it remained in ‘The Nursery’. On 22 August the company was introduced to gas warfare. The men quickly learned how to put on a gas mask and how difficult it was operating with a gas mask on.
A day for the drivers there could mean a round trip of up to 32 kms to pick up the rations and other supplies and deliver them to the battalions. This often meant heading off in the dark early in the morning and not returning until late in the day. Then the horses needed to be attended to before the drivers could look after themselves. This procedure was carried out every day, but not by every driver, every day!
Life was not all work and danger. The Service Corps men had day leave to places like the city of Hazebrouck or Amiens and later longer periods of leave to London or Paris and in some cases as far as Nice. Gordon’s first leave saw him head off to London with Les Walter and Harold Reid.
While the 5th Division recuperated from its devastating introduction to war, it remained in ‘The Nursery’. On 22 August the company was introduced to gas warfare. The men quickly learned how to put on a gas mask and how difficult it was operating with a gas mask on.
A day for the drivers there could mean a round trip of up to 32 kms to pick up the rations and other supplies and deliver them to the battalions. This often meant heading off in the dark early in the morning and not returning until late in the day. Then the horses needed to be attended to before the drivers could look after themselves. This procedure was carried out every day, but not by every driver, every day!
Life was not all work and danger. The Service Corps men had day leave to places like the city of Hazebrouck or Amiens and later longer periods of leave to London or Paris and in some cases as far as Nice. Gordon’s first leave saw him head off to London with Les Walter and Harold Reid.

Wolverhampton
From London the boys travelled to Edinburgh, Aberdeen, Glasgow, Birmingham returning to London. The next visited Wolverhampton (being the ancestral home), near Birmingham, where Gordon stayed with relatives. He visited Monmore Green in Wolverhampton, the park that his father had named their Allendale farm after.
Not long after their return from leave the boys found themselves in the Ypres region supporting the 5th Division in the Passchendaele Campaign. The conditions there were the worst they had encountered with the autumn rains and the artillery shells turning the countryside into a quagmire.
From London the boys travelled to Edinburgh, Aberdeen, Glasgow, Birmingham returning to London. The next visited Wolverhampton (being the ancestral home), near Birmingham, where Gordon stayed with relatives. He visited Monmore Green in Wolverhampton, the park that his father had named their Allendale farm after.
Not long after their return from leave the boys found themselves in the Ypres region supporting the 5th Division in the Passchendaele Campaign. The conditions there were the worst they had encountered with the autumn rains and the artillery shells turning the countryside into a quagmire.

Passchendaele Mud
The winter of 1916/17 was the worst winter in France in 20 years. Fortunately for the boys, the winter of 1917/18 was far less severe. The 5th Division were fortunate in being able to spend their winter behind the lines in a rest area near Boulogne just near the coast. Originally Gordon, Harry and Harold were billeted in a farm, but after a few days they moved into a brewery, which had its compensations, especially as the horses could be stabled indoors. While the weather was not so bad as the previous year it had its problems. The horses had much difficulty in retaining their footing on the frozen roads.
Late January 1918 saw the 5th Division back in the front line near Messines in Belgium. For Gordon and Harry February meant another period of leave. This time to Paris!
The winter of 1916/17 was the worst winter in France in 20 years. Fortunately for the boys, the winter of 1917/18 was far less severe. The 5th Division were fortunate in being able to spend their winter behind the lines in a rest area near Boulogne just near the coast. Originally Gordon, Harry and Harold were billeted in a farm, but after a few days they moved into a brewery, which had its compensations, especially as the horses could be stabled indoors. While the weather was not so bad as the previous year it had its problems. The horses had much difficulty in retaining their footing on the frozen roads.
Late January 1918 saw the 5th Division back in the front line near Messines in Belgium. For Gordon and Harry February meant another period of leave. This time to Paris!

Paris
They visited such exotic places as the Palace of Versailles, galleries, a tapestry factory, the Eiffel Tower, Napoleon’s Tomb and attended the Opera.
On return to his company Gordon found that he had some diverse roles such as delivering rations, but also helping the local farmers plough their paddocks. It wasn’t long after their return from Paris that the March 1918 last German big push occurred. The Australian Divisions were rushed to the Somme and helped stop the German advance before they reached the important rail city of Amiens.
The great Allied advance began on 8 August 1918, The Black Day for the German Army. All the Australian Divisions were involved. However, Gordon, Harry and Harold missed a lot of the early part of that advance as they were on leave again! This time Gordon went to London and then on to Ireland, a country he just had to see.
They visited such exotic places as the Palace of Versailles, galleries, a tapestry factory, the Eiffel Tower, Napoleon’s Tomb and attended the Opera.
On return to his company Gordon found that he had some diverse roles such as delivering rations, but also helping the local farmers plough their paddocks. It wasn’t long after their return from Paris that the March 1918 last German big push occurred. The Australian Divisions were rushed to the Somme and helped stop the German advance before they reached the important rail city of Amiens.
The great Allied advance began on 8 August 1918, The Black Day for the German Army. All the Australian Divisions were involved. However, Gordon, Harry and Harold missed a lot of the early part of that advance as they were on leave again! This time Gordon went to London and then on to Ireland, a country he just had to see.
Laggan River, Belfast
On his third leave gordan returned to England and went to Ireland visiting Dublin and Belfast. On returning to London he attended church in St. Martin's in the Field in Trafalgar square.
On his third leave gordan returned to England and went to Ireland visiting Dublin and Belfast. On returning to London he attended church in St. Martin's in the Field in Trafalgar square.

Trafalgar Square
From the 8 August Allied offensive, the war was over in 100 days. For the Australians the war was effectively over in early October when the understrength weary divisions were withdrawn from the front line. The war ended just a few weeks later.
In early 1919 the 5th Division found itself in Belgium on its way to Germany to be the Australian representative division in the victory marches through the German cities. For the Australians this did not actually eventuate as the men were being progressively withdrawn for return to Australia. For Gordon, however, it meant a visit to Brussels. ‘I have been to every capitol city of every country I have visited, so I am going to Brussels!’
From the 8 August Allied offensive, the war was over in 100 days. For the Australians the war was effectively over in early October when the understrength weary divisions were withdrawn from the front line. The war ended just a few weeks later.
In early 1919 the 5th Division found itself in Belgium on its way to Germany to be the Australian representative division in the victory marches through the German cities. For the Australians this did not actually eventuate as the men were being progressively withdrawn for return to Australia. For Gordon, however, it meant a visit to Brussels. ‘I have been to every capitol city of every country I have visited, so I am going to Brussels!’

Brussels Palace of Justice
After Brussels, Gordon and his mates made their way to England and returned to Australia over the May/June period and most were discharged on 15 August 1919.
Censorship:
Throughout his letters, that Gordon sometime referred to as referred to as ‘Epistles’, he could not write very much about the war itself. For example, following the Battle of Fromelles he wrote:
On 24 Jul 1916, five days after the battle Gordon wrote ‘up to the present we have had little cause for complaint, tho’ many of our brave lads have since lost their lives, while others have been maimed and wounded, but still it’s all in the game, and it’s surprising how callous one becomes and there’s no such thing as sentiment by what I see of it’.
Later, following Monash’s brilliant Battle of Hamel, the plan for which was used for the 8 August battle that became the beginning of the end of the war, Gordon wrote on 7 July:
‘During the early hours of Thursday morning our boys, and some of the Yanks, hopped over together. It was a most successful raid as they achieved all their objectives. The bombardment was the heaviest I have heard this year, but of courses, didn’t last for long.’
Characters:
During his talk at the book Launch, Major Leckie spoke of a few of the characters he found among Gordon's acquaintances. The first one to come to his attention was a Frank Duncan. "I could not find a Frank Duncan that had any connection with Creswick or Ballarat. However, later in the war Frank was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant and as there was only one officer named Frank Duncan in the AIF, I had found my man. Frank had come to Australia from Scotland in 1913 and all indications were that he was known by the Spittle family. Frank enlisted in 1915 and headed to Gallipoli with the 223rd Battalion. He transferred to the Machine Guns. At Pozieres in 1916 he was awarded a Military Medal. In early 1917 he was commissioned. He would be gassed and later awarded a Military Cross in the 1918 actions near Mont St Quentin, near Peronne.
As Frank had no family in Australia, in 1919 he made the decision discharge in England. The AIF said no! You will return to Australia and discharge there. Frank supplied a letter from his 70-year-old Guardian former guardian who wanted Frank to return to Scotland and take over his “House Agent” business. Again, the AIF said no! Although there was no application to marry in his Service Record, Frank produced a letter from his wife's doctor that stated that his wife’s health was not suited to Australian weather. Surprisingly this letter did the trick. Frank resigned his appointment as an officer in the AIF and was demobilised on 16 November 1919 and returned to Scotland.
Another character that showed up early in Gordon’s war was “Add” Brown.
Andrew Brown he enlisted in Ballarat on 24 September 1915 and where he commenced his training on 19 October. He was accepted into 18 Coy on 4 November 1915 as a Driver. He was granted six-months unpaid leave from 18 July 1919 and he was to RTA at his own expense! “Add” did not RTA. He was to travel to Brazil in South America during this leave period as a Metallurgist. The family believed that he had “lost his life on a mining and exploratory expedition” in South America. As he did not RTA and report to the Army for discharge, “Add” was officially listed as a “Deserter”!
Romance
While Gordon was “at war” he was still a man and had an eye for the ladies. In an early letter he wrote to his family that he had received a letter from “Muriel” a lady that the family obviously knew. No information has been found to how the Spittle and Eddy families knew each other, but I would guess that their families knew each other. Muriel was a Staff Nurse when she left Australia about 6 weeks after Gordon enlisted. She was in Egypt when Gordon arrived there, but they did not meet. Muriel moved to France and was at Wimeraux, near Boulogne when Gordon moved to France.
The pair first met on Gordon’s first leave to London in August 1917. He was able to visit Muriel for an hour before he caught a boat to England. On return to France, Gordon met her again. He wrote:
Muriel made up a hamper, and the pair of us spent a few hours on the beach at Wimeraux and which needless to add I greatly enjoyed.
The pair would meet several times during Gordon’s second leave to London."
During his talk at the book Launch, Major Leckie spoke of a few of the characters he found among Gordon's acquaintances. The first one to come to his attention was a Frank Duncan. "I could not find a Frank Duncan that had any connection with Creswick or Ballarat. However, later in the war Frank was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant and as there was only one officer named Frank Duncan in the AIF, I had found my man. Frank had come to Australia from Scotland in 1913 and all indications were that he was known by the Spittle family. Frank enlisted in 1915 and headed to Gallipoli with the 223rd Battalion. He transferred to the Machine Guns. At Pozieres in 1916 he was awarded a Military Medal. In early 1917 he was commissioned. He would be gassed and later awarded a Military Cross in the 1918 actions near Mont St Quentin, near Peronne.
As Frank had no family in Australia, in 1919 he made the decision discharge in England. The AIF said no! You will return to Australia and discharge there. Frank supplied a letter from his 70-year-old Guardian former guardian who wanted Frank to return to Scotland and take over his “House Agent” business. Again, the AIF said no! Although there was no application to marry in his Service Record, Frank produced a letter from his wife's doctor that stated that his wife’s health was not suited to Australian weather. Surprisingly this letter did the trick. Frank resigned his appointment as an officer in the AIF and was demobilised on 16 November 1919 and returned to Scotland.
Another character that showed up early in Gordon’s war was “Add” Brown.
Andrew Brown he enlisted in Ballarat on 24 September 1915 and where he commenced his training on 19 October. He was accepted into 18 Coy on 4 November 1915 as a Driver. He was granted six-months unpaid leave from 18 July 1919 and he was to RTA at his own expense! “Add” did not RTA. He was to travel to Brazil in South America during this leave period as a Metallurgist. The family believed that he had “lost his life on a mining and exploratory expedition” in South America. As he did not RTA and report to the Army for discharge, “Add” was officially listed as a “Deserter”!
Romance
While Gordon was “at war” he was still a man and had an eye for the ladies. In an early letter he wrote to his family that he had received a letter from “Muriel” a lady that the family obviously knew. No information has been found to how the Spittle and Eddy families knew each other, but I would guess that their families knew each other. Muriel was a Staff Nurse when she left Australia about 6 weeks after Gordon enlisted. She was in Egypt when Gordon arrived there, but they did not meet. Muriel moved to France and was at Wimeraux, near Boulogne when Gordon moved to France.
The pair first met on Gordon’s first leave to London in August 1917. He was able to visit Muriel for an hour before he caught a boat to England. On return to France, Gordon met her again. He wrote:
Muriel made up a hamper, and the pair of us spent a few hours on the beach at Wimeraux and which needless to add I greatly enjoyed.
The pair would meet several times during Gordon’s second leave to London."