Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

No. 1082 Jerusalem.
20/11/18.
Cpl. A. Baldwin,
Signaller,
2nd L.H. Regt. A.I.F.

My Dear Ruby,

The news of the armistice with Germany and cessation of hostilities on all fronts must have caused great rejoicings in Brisbane and elsewhere in the Allied countries.

The sudden collapse of all the enemy nations must have come as a surprise to everyone. I felt sure that the war would continue for several years longer and the sudden end seems too good to be true.

Well, the war-makers have had their way for the last 4'/2 years, and to what a pitiable condition have they reduced the peoples of Europe and the world in general. It is to be hoped that they will now be able to gaze with pride on the realisation of their ideal of a world in ruins, with half its population in misery and poverty, and many millions of them threatened with immediate famine. If the miseries caused by this war have not brought home to the people the urgent necessity of forming a democratic Government, and League of Nations to avert future wars by autocratic rulers, then war will surely come again, and the people will deserve the suffering which their ignorance and prejudice will bring
upon them.

I am glad to see the people of Germany and Austria are now moving in the right direction by endeavouring to abolish their useless monarchies, and establish Republicanism; but I fear that snobbish England will do her utmost to preserve the monarchies, as they do not like the idea of the spirit of Republicanism spreading throughout the world, for once it becomes firmly established, there will be no pretext left for the preservation of their own obsolete and degenerate monarchy.

The militarists are also against the abolition of monarchies, for they know that republican nations are not easily plunged into war, and do not favour the upkeep of large standing armies. It is some consolation to know that America is not likely to give the pro-German rulers of England a free hand in manipulation of the now chaotic Governments of Europe, and also to see that France receives just compensation for her terrible losses. In spite of the hysterical raving of the Tory, king worshipping English Press, in bragging of the "wonderful" exploits of their own snob ridden, flunkey army, all fair-minded persons recognise that it was the French, not the British army, which bore the brunt of the first German offensive and stemmed the tide of Prussian invasion which threatened the liberties of the world.

I hope that America will exert her enormous power to the cause of justice, and endeavour to act up to the decision expressed by her President, "that the world shall be made safe for democracy."

The sudden termination of hostilities must have caused great consternation amongst many of the military parasites, who have managed to worm their way, by all manner of underhand, red-tape influences to positions of luxury and ease, besides high pay.

The person I referred to in a previous letter to you is still here clinging like a leech to his good job in spite of all attempts of the Divisional Commander to send him back to Australia; he is doing all in his power to retard demobilisation by with-holding some of the 1914 men, who are due to embark for
Australia.

There are very few of the 1914 men here now, and I suppose it will not be long before the men who left Australia early in 1915 will be sent home. All the British troops are being withdrawn from Palestine and are going into a large demobilisation camp in Egypt, and I suppose the Australian and New Zealand troops will concentrate in Egypt, before embarking for home. It will take a long while to demobilise the A.I.F. unless our Governments shake up the military authorities, and compel them to take advantage of every means of procuring transport facilities.

This regiment is now scattered in Squadron detachments in various parts of Palestine and Syria; one squadron is with Desert Corps H.Q. at Damascus; another is at Suweileh, near Amman, where I rejoined the regiment on 14th Oct.; the remaining Squadron is here at Jerusalem with regimental headquarters. We are encamped about a mile from the old city walls, and I often walk into the city in the evenings when off duty, and the only duties we get now are the ordinary routine duties of a standing camp.

I posted a souvenir to you from the city the other night, it was a round olive-wood box, silk-lined, and I hope it will reach you safely; the parcel of plumes which you mentioned in the last letter has not yet reached me; hope they have not gone astray.

You will think me horribly careless, when I confess that I have at last lost the locket with your photos. It was dropped on the road between Essalt and Jericho on the recent journey from Amman back to Jerusalem. I am very sorry at the loss, for I have had it for such a long time and it had been once in the hands of the enemy.

I wish that I could give you some definite idea as to how long it will be before I shall embark for Australia, but we know nothing here and it may be months yet before we are actually on the ocean bound for home. But anyhow, it is good to know that hostilities have ceased, and the war is practically over; it is only a matter of time now, and we must all be sent home.

Although one cannot but feel happy that such horrible waste of life and wealth has at last come to an end, still it is saddening to think of the numbers of promising lives that have been wasted. Many friends of mine have died of sickness since hostilities ceased, and it is hard that a man should have survived several years of warfare only to die of disease just when it is ended. I have just written a letter of condolence to the parents of a friend who enlisted and came down from Atherton with me in January 1915, and who died of malaria the other day. Of the party of about ten who came down with me from Atherton to go to Enoggera, there are only two left, myself on this front, and a friend named Jim Lynch from France, who was invalided home some months ago. All the others have been either killed in action or have died of sickness during the war.

The hospitals in Port Said and Cairo are at present chock full of patients, most of them with malaria, contracted in the Jordan Valley, and deaths occur every day. I have been really most fortunate to have survived and escaped all the dangers and diseases which a soldier is exposed to. I know that the fighting on this front has not been nearly as heavy as in France, but it has exacted a high percentage of casualties, and the route from the Canal is dotted with graves of fallen soldiers all the way out to Amman east of the Jordan, and Gallipoli itself is one huge grave-yard of dead soldiers. France is, of course the same, only on a larger scale, as the armies engaged were much larger. It seems almost selfish to rejoice at one's escape, after so many good men have given their lives.

Surely it is over at last, and one can only hope that humanity will take care to avoid such a calamity in future, and out of the ruins of the old world, build up a new one on better and more secure foundations.

Say, Ruby, I sent you a few lines by Sgt. Wilson, a short while ago, and I hope he will deliver it to you. He offered to take a message to Australia for any of us, and I hear embarked at Suez a few days ago. Well my relief has just entered the Signal office and I must retire, so goodnight. Hoping you are in the best of health. Best wishes to your parents. Every good wish and regards from

Yours, Allan.

>> Citations - below are copies of the three citations that Alan Baldwin received:

List of recommendations accompanying:

Aspelt H. A. Pte 972 2nd LHR 26 July 1916
Baldwin A. Pte 1082 2nd LHR Near Ogrhratina

For excellent behaviour during reconnaissance of Oghratina. These men, with Pte Gibbs, formed a patrol. Gibbs was mortally wounded. Aspelt held enemy at bay til Baldwin lifted Gibbs on to a horse when both brought him out of action.

1st LH Brigade Anzac Mounted Division

>> Desert Mounted Corps 1-11-17 Date of Recommendation
Unit 2 LHR Rank and Name Sig. Baldwin A.

Conspicuous and devotion to duty as Signaller and Messenger. He both worked his helio and carried messages continuously under heavy shell and machine gunfire throughout the fight, though he was dazed by the explosion of a shell early in the day.

>> Citations - below are copies of the three citations that Alan Baldwin received:

List of recommendations accompanying:

Aspelt H. A. Pte 972 2nd LHR 26 July 1916
Baldwin A. Pte 1082 2nd LHR Near Ogrhratina

For excellent behaviour during reconnaissance of Oghratina. These men, with Pte Gibbs, formed a patrol. Gibbs was mortally wounded. Aspelt held enemy at bay til Baldwin lifted Gibbs on to a horse when both brought him out of action.

1st LH Brigade Anzac Mounted Division

>> Desert Mounted Corps 1-11-17 Date of Recommendation
Unit 2 LHR Rank and Name Sig. Baldwin A.

Conspicuous and devotion to duty as Signaller and Messenger. He both worked his helio and carried messages continuously under heavy shell and machine gunfire throughout the fight, though he was dazed by the explosion of a shell early in the day.