Item 04: G. O. Hawkins letters to his family, 2 January 1915-November 1917 - Page 206
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[Page 206]
16
Now it is noticed by the soldiers that their General is slowly moving amongst the wounded.
Yes there he is, and no one can fail to note how he stops for a few minutes in front of each poor wounded man, speaking kindly to each as to a son, carefully enquiring as to the cause of their hurts and asking of what unit they belong, listening patiently to their modestly told stories, and praising and cheering them with soldierly words tempered with a humane sympathy quite non-regimental and wholly Australian.
There had been an important attack last night, levelled against an exceptionally well held position of the enemy, and the General knowing how his brave success achieved was here to personally see and comfort the wounded of them, and acquaint himself with the extent of casualties
"Did we take – farm general" asks one of the wounded
"Yes my boy, and we're holding it too. You did good work boys" replies the General
Then there is a volley of faintly uttered questions "Have we got such and such a place. Did we hold so and so. Did we beat the German at another point. How did they do on the left. What of the Right Flank? Wounds are forgotten for a moment. The great question is are we making headway are we beating the enemy? An answer to this