Letters from Alexander Sutherland Mackay to his Family, 1916 - 1917 - Part 1

23^rd Reinforcements
3^rd Battery Field Artillery
Warren
Marrickville
Sydney
3/10/16

Dear Mother,
Arrived yesterday after
as good trip down. All arrangements    
were made for our tucker, had a good
dinner at Toowoomba & tea at Wallangarra
It rained off & on nearly all day
yesterday & the same today. All the
places along the line were covered
in water. Although not much
sleep, we enjoyed the trip
thoroughly, especially along the Hawkesbury.
Hampers of roast fowls, sandwiches

fruits & sweets were handed in
at several places, so we arrived with
little appetite. Every place was
closed when we arrived on account
of Eight hour day. Leave was given
us in the afternoon, but the rain
blocked us from going anywhere.
The rain caused the usual procession 

^to be postponed but we had the luck to see two
fights. I never saw so many drunks
in a city before & the number of
eligibles knocking about, makes
one feel very sore. We saw some
returned soldiers speaking in
opposition to some labour crawler
& anticipated a scrap but it
didn't come off. I believe they had
one earlier in the day. They are

all expecting trouble here, if
conscription comes in by all
bodies of labour going out on strike
If the military are called out I
think they will soon come to their
senses. Anything in the shape
a scrap last night. Bill Nott
was fair in the midst of. Im
sticking close to him, if we do
get trouble, his face bluffs a lot.
This is not a bad camp, but
there is no doubt the N S Wales
fellows are not catered for like
the Queensland fellows in any shape
or form. They used to tell us that
at Enoggera we now realize its
a fact. Half the fellows here have
not been issued with uniforms

the blankets are not nearly the
quality we received. We are blessed
as the December quota but I hear
the October quota has been put
back so that it will be probably
late in December when we depart.
Leave here is fairly plentiful, if
on duty one day, you get the next
night off & three weekends in four.
Of course I don't know Sydney well
& most of the Queenslanders are in
the same box. I'm not sure how
long it will take to go from here
to Mosman & will have a shot
first fine night to see Aunt

Belle. It takes us over half an

hour to get by tram to town, but

probably the boats run frequently
 

& will enable me to do it on

night leave. I think we are 

on duty next week end so

will not be able to go out this

week. It seems a farce waiting

here six weeks & haven't touched

a gun, all food drill. Its the 

same with the drivers, very different

to our drivers. The horses are never

attached to the guns, they simply

ride them along the roads at a

walking pace occasionally a trot.

Only one horse a man, some of the 

men do not even know how to sit

& hold a horse goodness know what

will happen when they get like

our fellows, riding one & 

3/10/16

There is evidently some unexplained

restraint between the Queenslanders 

& the N S Welshman. Our fellows

the Wales men get their

uniforms tailor made & are mostly

city fellows. However as far as I

can see they do not mix much

together. It seems ridiculous, probably

things will change the other side.

Its fairly cool here so you will 

relish the change. I suppose you

will be down shortly. Well mother

I'll drop a line to Aunt Belle

& let her know Im down.

Love to all & a kiss to Audrey.

your affect son

Alex

When you come down please bring my fountain pen. I thought it would

be useless but will do to address envelopes

December Quota
Field Artillery
The Warren
Marrickville
Sydney.
19/10/16
Dear Mother
I visited Mosman last night & was
surprised to find you had gone. I'm jolly glad
you decided to go with Aunt Belle as it would
be company for you on the journey. Don't hurry
back Mother, you will be much better off in
Bathurst &  the cool climate will no doubt do you
the world of good. I suppose Audrey is in the
boom with Aunt Janey. Uncle Jim told me
he posted your letter to me on the Tuesday
night, but to date it has not arrived. I was
wondering if you had put the number of the
reinforcements  or the Quota in the address. If
not probably some other Quota has it. Monday
night I stopped in Camp, being tired after the
week end, Tuesday we were on guard, I struck
the first shift this time the worst spasm being from
4 till 6am. At Mosman last night I nearly fell
 

asleep so left fairly early. We go on guard
tomorrow night & remain on until Monday over
the week end. I say we, but I mean the December
Quota, I'm not sure which day I strike, Saturday
or Sunday. In any case the whole Quota has
to remain in camp. Haven't broken leave
so far but will probably make my debut
next week. Read the letters you left behind
from home. Leslie evidently had much better
luck this time with his chickens. I wrote to
Mrs Stewart thanking her for the socks &
shortbread, also dropped a line to Beryl.
October Quota leaves next Wednesday, November
will probably leave the end of that month, so we
will be here for a good spell yet. October crowd
will just about get the coldest period in England, we
will strike it nicely. Another Brisbane contingent
should be down shortly. Today they kicked out
fellows for the Officers school soley from N SWales.
They say they cannot interfere with the Queenslanders
it seems a bit hot, but does not worry me as I
haven't the slightest ambition in that respect. It would
be different if one was taking it up as a profession.
in any case the stripes to a Sergeant, only hold
good here, so once might just as well wait until
 

he earn them on the Field. You undoubtedly
have a better time as plain gunmen or driver
so that will do for me. Visited the horse lines
here today for the first time, if the Queensland Officers
saw them they would take fits, the lines are awful
compared to ours, all uneven, horses of a poor quality
& feed bags made of the ordinary half chaff bags simply
slung on over halters. Ours were properly made of
canvas & clipped on, so that the horses could not shake
them off. One does not always wish to be cracking
up Queensland, but barring the camp & the tucker,
Queensland is miles ahead in every respect of
N SWales. It would be an eyeopener for some of
the heads here to go up & see our system of running
things. Well mother I can't write of anything other
than camp so will close. I sincerely hope you
will visit Gowan & Harrington & have a good time
generally before, ^ dreaming of^ coming back. Norah is evidently
filling the bill at home so there is absolutely no
need for hurry, on your part.
Love to self, Audrey & all at Bathurst. Suppose
Granny is as big a marvel as ever
Your affect son
Alex.