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[Page 58]
his desire to play tennis with Nell again and added:I hope it won't be very long now Nell, before we will be partners in more than one sense.
He was mentioned in despatches after his previous battle and added that they were about to head back to the firing-line, commenting....Here's to the future, and may it turn out trumps and that he'd been promised a break in England after this next foray.
Our next correspondence is a Cablegram, dated 30th August 1916, merely saying:
Wounded head. Doing well. Gordon.
I could find no other telegram amongst the papers. However, dated September 29th, 1916, from somewhere in Belgium, Alan's friend, Wal Court, wrote:
I was very sorry upon hearing the news yesterday of poor Alan's death from wounds received in our second occasion of fighting in the Somme battle.
When the Australians took the village of Pozieres, the Bombing Section of our Battalion, which Alan was Corporal of, did splendid work, the Lieut. in charge being awarded the Military Cross, and Sgt. Baxter (now seriously wounded), the D.C.M. Alan's name appeared in orders issued by our Commanding Officer for splendid services in this engagement.
The last time I saw Alan, I remember it quite well, it was August 15th about 6 pm, we were all ready to march up to Pozieres Section (second occasion) and the Bombers marched past us, Alan waved to me and asked the following question "Well, Wal, how do you like your chance this time." I might say that this question was commonly asked of by the boys, especially those who were lucky and thankful to have come through on the first occasion.
Alan was wounded about the face and neck. I did not see him myself, but from enquiries which I made it appears the Bombers were in "No-mans land" bombing a German trench, the Germans saw or heard them and started throwing bombs, one of these wounded Alan; evidently it affected his sight for a minute or so, as he lost his bearings where our trench was, as he was singing out "which is the way, Come out and help me in." Some of the boys sang out and he quickly found his bearings and managed to work his way back to our front trench, where he was attended to by the stretcher-bearers, & a few hours later walked to the dressing station. I did hear that he passed through the 3rd Bttln. line on his way to the dressing station, as he gave a message to a 3rd Bn. boy to let Jack Nunn know he was wounded....
I try to imagine the shock that this news must have had on 20 year old Nell. I cannot find the telegram actually telling of his death, but imagine that she would have received his last few letters knowing already that he was dead.
Nell pestered the War Office until, approximately 2 years later, they sent her a photo of Alan's grave. Letters were also sent to her during the remainder of the war by several of Alan's friends.
These much treasured letters were thus gathered together and neatly placed in Nell's chest of drawers for 70 years until her death. She never married, like many women of her generation, and continued to wear her engagement ring. I wonder if she often re-read the letters, over the years? I now wish that I'd known of their existence before, and had been able to discuss them with her, as I still have so many unanswered questions. At least the letters have enabled me to catch a glimpse of the early life of a dearly-loved relative.
(Jenny Lawless is a history teacher and holds the degree of Master of Arts from Macquarie University. She would be grateful for any information that could be provided on: Corporal Alan Keats Gordon, No. 3324, Gordon Road, Lindfield of the 4th Battalion, killed in August, 1916 on the Somme, France. Jenny may be contacted through the Editor of Timespan.)
Page 48 Timespan No 27, June 1987.