As part of our online coverage in the lead-up to Anzac Day 2020 the Free Times is featuring a series of letters from World War 2 discovered in recent times by a Warwick resident tucked away in an old piece of furniture during a home ‘clean-up’.
The letters were written by a Corporal Harold Mathison of the 12 Australian Army Corps RAE (Royal Australian Engineers) to his sweetheart Elsie Matzkows in late 1943 and early 1944. Harold was at the time in Townsville while Elsie was in Warwick, staying with a Mrs F Reimers on Grafton Street.
Harold’s letters were passed on to Warwick-based military historian – and good friend of the Free Times – Deborah Wheeler, who transposed them in the hope of perhaps discovering a little more about Harold and Elsie.
Today we feature the third and last of Cpl Mathison’s three letters, this one dated Friday 21 January 1944. If any reader can shed any more light on Harold and Elsie please feel free to contact Deborah Wheeler on 0414 852 492 or email – read@deborahcwheeler.com
• Tomorrow – Anzac Day, Saturday 25 April – Australians are being encouraged to ‘Light up the dawn’ by lighting a candle at 6am on their driveways and balconies – and the ABC TV will broadcast the Australian War Memorial Anzac Day commemoration live from 5.30am and on ABC local radio…
FROM CPL HAROLD MATHISON – TO ELSIE…
Q104824
Cpl. H. Mathison,
12 Aust Army Cps. R.A.E.
Townsville
Friday 21st Jan, 1944
My Darling Sweetheart,
Please excuse me for my poor effort of letter writing lately; you will be thinking Darling that I have forgotten you and don’t love you anymore. It is just the opposite Pet for I am always thinking of my Sweetheart, and I shall always love you in that wonderful way that we love one another.
I have received two letters from you Elsie and I have had no time to answer either yet, one I received in hospital and the other I got yesterday afternoon. I spent one night in one hospital and then was conveyed by ambulance to the other, where I spent the second night. This second hospital is near where we spent our Christmas dinner so I have seen a little more of the countryside. Came down yesterday by train and one sees some beautiful scenes and country; one station is very pretty for all around it are ferns, orchids etc. Then I saw the falls that I have so often wanted to see, but I am afraid I was disappointed in them. Very little rain has fallen and so there is only a trickle of water over the falls; I will take a trip up there when the wet season has flooded the river.
Some of the wet season started last night for it rained then and part of the day; we went bush and loaded poles in the pouring rain. It was a change and I quite enjoyed working in the teeming rain.
Well, [Toky?] I went to see the doctor about my headaches and he gave me an examination, but so far I do not know the results of the consultation. All I know is that I still have the dashed headaches; my head is not the best tonight after pushing poles around all day.
Where we are at present we have only a few yards to walk and we can bathe in the briny; after work it is a pleasure to wash the perspiration off in the sea.
I will write again tomorrow [Toky?] to make up for the letters I have missed writing you lately.
I wish I could have a holiday with you now Dearest seeing that you are on holidays; I feel like a holiday at present.
Well, Darling my page is at an end so I will bring this short letter to a close with LOTS & LOTS and LOTS of LOVE from,
Your own lonely and loving Sweetheart,
Harold
XXXXXXXXX for [Toky?] whom I love with all my heart.
Love to Mother, Aunty May & Fred
