VX140286
Spr E M Harris
10 Austr Fld Coy
RAE (AIF)
Thurs 11/11/44
Dear Bert
You will no doubt be very surprised to hear from me after so many months of silence, but don’t let that worry you, as you might have guessed, I am averse to writing letters. Even though I only write once in a blue moon, you don’t want to think for one moment that I have forgotten you as I still retain very vivid and pleasant memories of you, your wife, young Don and Ruth, and of all the happy times I spent with you at Kenilworth.
As a member of this unit and as a poor lonely soldier, hundreds of miles away from home, I spent twelve months travelling about in various parts of sunny Queensland and I can honestly say that at no time did I feel nearer home than when I was at your place, and I might add that I was so struck by the homeliness, the kindness and the charitableness of all the folk in your lovely little town, that it would be the town of my choice if I were asked which part I’d like to go back to most.
When I think of that river with its cool, crystal-clear waters and its diving board, of the beautiful natural scenery all around you, not forgetting of course all the beautiful girls, and the mid-week dances and pictures of a Sat. night in the old hall, the whole vision is simply divine. You never know your luck in a big place like the South West Pacific, so I hope to have the opportunity of seeing you all some day.
I don’t know if you can remember any of the boys or not, but Harry Smith ("Golliwog" we used to call him), Bill Utting ("Rookie"), Perc and Tom, are all still with us. After waiting 22 months I was fortunate enough to get 24 days leave last March, so I feel much more satisfied now – especially as I got engaged while I was home.
Life here is just the same as ever and becomes fearfully monotonous and boring at times, but I suppose we’ll get a well-earned break back on the mainland one of these days. It’s getting very near to Christmas once again, and just think of the Christmas Day we had in ’42, so I send you all my best wishes for a happy Christmas and a bright New Year, hoping all the family is well.
Your sincere friend,
Ted
~
The Research Centre and the Australian War Memorial advised that:-
The book A purple patch : A History of the 10th Field Company Royal Australian Engineers (A.I.F.) 1940-1945 by Jack Bourne & Jack Lavery indicates that 2 and 3 Sections were based at Witta and that 1 Section was based at Conondale, and that their main tasks were road construction and maintenance.
I recently found the letter above among some old family photographs and as I can find out little information about the writer - Ted Harris (Sapper Edward Milton Harris) - I was wondering if there is anyone among our readers who knows anything of an Army presence in Kenilworth in 1942 when this young man was just 22 years old. Was there an Army Training establishment nearby?
Did the 10 Australian Field Company of Royal Australian Engineers provide guards for the Italian prisoners of war housed as what is now Kenilworth House? If you know anything please advise me at PO Box 198 Kenilworth Q 4574 or by email at lenore.meldrum@bigpond.com
