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Western Mail, Thursday 11 May 1933, page 2
Lagnicourt and Mouquet Farm.
Dear "Non-Com.," - It has often been in my mind to write you a few lines to tell you how much your red page and "Just Roamin' Around" are appreciated. The Diggers Diary has oft times recalled names and personalities on of the past, those years of travail. Jim McDermott. "Micko" Walsh, L.C. Cooke, Harry Reid, etc., familiar forms and faces of those hectic and tragic days. Your personal touch has moulded the red page in a form that must appeal to all diggers. In these days of all fatigues, and no pay. when books are luxuries only to be dreamed of your Roamin' Around helps mightily as a mental tonic.
In your "Symbols of Sacrifice" covering the 11th Battalion, you state that Lieutenant Pope, V.C. and his outpost fought to the death. Brig.-General Bennett, in his "Great Deeds of tho A.I.F.," also stated that there were no survivors of this epic. About two weeks ago I saw a photo, of Bob Lowson (ex 11th) in "The Western Mail” at the opening of the Upper Swan show. Bob and I were clerks together at a city firm and on Christmas day, 1919. Bob told me the inside story of Pope's outpost at Lagnicourt.
I know that he is a real live, survivor of that fight and if Bob could be induced to tell the story in print as he told it to me that day it would be a thriller, equal of the best. Bob was taken prisoner (I fancy he said "we" surrendered which infers there were other survivors), but there was no thought of surrender until every round of ammunition had been expended and the Germans had closed in with bombs. I hope that this reaches Bob's eye and that he will give his story. I am unaware if the official account also states that there were no survivors.
"Non-Corn.," could yon give a detailed account of the two lost companies of the 51st at Mouquet Farm, September 3-5, 1916. I lost many personal friends in that affair and have never heard or read a full account of it. Captain Tom Louch, ex-Adjutant of the 51st is another digger who could, if he would, shed some inside light on that tragedy. I believe that there are yet many interesting sidelights of those war days to be told if only the right diggers would talk or write, but, ah, there's the rub!
Now, "Non-Com.," I must close wishing you and your pages many years of life; they are greatly appreciated.
“One of the P.B.I," Kudardup, W.A.
(It is certainly encouraging to know that the pages are appreciated. Re Bob Lowson and Lagnicourt, I hope he does see the above letter. I am sure all readers would welcome the story of a survivor of such an epic stunt, a story which necessarily has had to be left largely to the imagination of those who read the grim signs afterwards. I will give the full details of the lost companies at Mouquet Farm within a week or so, and will then invite comment. I agree with you that there are wonderful stories yet to be told if the digger would only talk, or, better still, if he would plant a pen in a perhaps, unaccustomed possie between his fingers and write to "Dear 'Non-Corn.' " for preference! There's no one can tell a story better than most of those chaps who think that story-telling is beyond them. - "Non-Corn.")