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I got over my little
complaint alright without being sent
to the hospital and cheated the old
pill surveyors once more. I am having
an easy time for a day or two as I am
not allowed to shake myself about by
riding.
Thanks for your congratulations
on my promotion, but it does not apply
to this force, only to the regiment in
consequently I won't get any more pay
worse luck. The only hope of any
promotion here is through casualties &
that is not a very nice think to look
forward to. It was a rather unfortunate
thing for me that
his examination for Major the first time.
You will remember he sat the same time
that I did and failed in one subject
by 10 marks. He failing in that subject
held my promotion up nearly a year, as
there were no vacancies for captain then.
Had he passed I would have come out with
I am afraid I am not keeping
a diary. There is really not the time to
keep it up, also I am quite sure that I
shall never forget the main incidents of
this ship, also the local colouring. I shall
be able to give you plenty of information
for anything you may require.
Did I tell you that I had
a letter from England from
Jones
nice letters & offering to do anything to
make out lot more comfortable. They
little know how horribly comfortable we
are. Really it seems a shame that
only a few days away men are dying
in thousands & we are enjoying ourselves
amongst the flesh pots of
turn will come though & then we will
Thanks for the cuttings of
the Guthrie case. I am returning them
as you wish. It is difficult to express
an opinion on the evidence, but he seems
to have got into a mess. What a place
It is a pity we have got an
old woman for a squadron commander,
he quarrels with everybody from the
suffers in consequence. If we had only
had
it is a positive tragedy that that man
is not here. One of the best officers in
N.Z & fated to remain, and when one
looks around & sees some that are here.
it is appalling.
turn out yesterday. I was not out,
but I climbed on top of some sacks &
watched the show through glasses.
What I saw of it seemed good enough,
but it was mostly sand & dust.
I am going to buy a helmet.
These hats are very little protection from
the sun now, which is becoming very
I hear those men who have
been returned to
rough time of it. I hope they are
distinguishing between those who went
back through no fault of their own &
those who committed bétises here.
Another batch went away last week,
but not to
to
Your remember that man
in
said he came into a little, contracted
many debts and cleared. He has ?
? in the Australian force as a Captain!
he has since been arrested. They have
some beautiful officers in that
officers
force, book makers, cab drivers & goodness
knows what else. The people are beginning
to distinguish between the Australians,
New Zealanders, and on the whole they
have very little time for the Australians.
If you have got my pressies
with pictures of
if I were you I would cut them out
& keep them, they will be very
I am glad you like the
pictures of the voyage, they will always
be interesting. They were taken &
put into album form by the Marconi
operator on board.
Had we known we were going
to be here so long you might have
been out here too. What an opportunity
had we known! Your turn will come through
and all will be well.
From what I can hear, there are
some family with stories being circulated in
here. I hope if you hear any you
will give them a denial. The behaviour
of the men is excellent - of course it
is impossible amongst 12000 men not
to have some who go rather far, but to
blame the many for the behaviours of
a few is very unjust - these men have
been taken from their little island & put
down in one of the pleasure cities of the
world,
Did you ever get my letter about
the capture of the Linden: I wrote a
There is no need to put my
number on either letters or parcels, rank
and name are quite sufficient.
My dear child I don't in the
least mind you writing to as many
people as you like. I am quite
sure that when we get to the serious
part of this business your letters will
be very much appreciated.
The Maori contingent have
arrived here, they look very well indeed,
only I can't help thinking it was a
mistake to send them to a country
like this. However it may be alright
for them, I hope it is.
I am going to try & get a
weekend off and go up to
to see all the French troops. The change
will do me good as I think I am
getting a wee bit stale. Lots of the
men are getting stale and we badly
want a break of some kind.
Blackmore is becoming more
intractable every day. The fitter he gets
that on the afternoon of the day I wrote
the beginning of this letter, an order came
out that three days leave would be granted
to a proportion of offices. Immediately
applied had it granted & took the next
train to
at the Majestic hotel & thoroughly enjoying
myself. Had breakfast in bed this
morning & got at 10 o'clock! It was
nice to sleep in a bed again.
is here with me & 2 others. We all
went out to the French camp this morning,
but I am afraid we were not very
much impressed, they seem to be a
fearful mixture & the uniforms seem to
There was 50,000 French
here & when we move, the
army this end will be half
a million!
The weather is glorious, the
sea breeze lovely, no dust &
everything in the garden is
excellent. You see we have
had 7 months without a
break on a fairly hard grind-
stone & I feel just like a
school boy.
Tomorow morning we are
The infantary leave on
Monday & we go about a
fortnight later I believe, as
soon as they have effected a
landing somewhere in the
Dardanelles.
This will be the last
chance of a holiday before we
settle down to serious work
and I am making the
most of it. Wish you were
here to dear.
Goodbye for the present
old girl, I am going down
to have a look at the
Kiss Helen & tell her that
just now her Daddy is younger
than she is.