Paul Warren Poet Dramatic Verse

1915 Hardtack Message

One of the scarce things on Gallipoli
Was writing paper for letters you see
And so the AIF was obliged to send home 
Letters written on anything that was found or known 

So in November 1915 Driver Percy Gordon Hendy
Sent home a letter to Victoria Australia across the seas
The only material he could find
Was a hard tack biscuit 
So he wrote his message on the back of it

It was processed with a service field postcard attached
Marked by the censors with their marks matched
It read wishing you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year 
The family framed and kept it as a Great War souvenir.

© Paul Warren Poetry

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Paul Warren December 21, 2022 at 11:03 PM Yes he returned to Australia. I believe his diary of his war years is with the Australian War Memorial.

Paul Bell December 18, 2022 at 2:35 AM The war to end all wars. Soldiers need to be imaginative, and I think we can agree he went above and beyond. Great memento. Hope Percy survived the war.