Letters from William George Blaskett to his family, 1915-1916 - Part 2

Conflict:
First World War, 1914–18
Subject:
  • Documents and letters
Status:
Open for review
Accession number:
AWM2018.785.4
Difficulty:

Page 1 / 10

490 Thou knowest, Lord
Talt Cloan, Uive Ctean, Fisht Soan, Fiar the same Adseciation Headgnatters Relorrnce: 123 Murray Street, Blackboy Hill Camp No. 1115 J No. 1128 PERTH. Perth Headquarters No. A1518 W.A. ricio Scanoe Occaarerr Jeitoan Camp Caypt 26 My dearest motie Deems more than a week since a last wrote to you and lots of eaciting thing have happersed tince ther. We arrived at Fort bereg about your on Sunday last and auchored oubide the harbor, about it pm another troopship tanthes day 0 Melboumne about Lo men aboard anid There We en
Talk clean, liveclean, Fight clean, Plar the same. Aiscistions Hendararton. Peternone 123 Murray Street, e Mn a MAN No. 1115 No. 1128 PERTH. FOTtK HeNSOAMONS N.NISIE W.A. FIELOSEAVICE VCARTNE TROOPSHIP. 18 there when Ioland Kanshorts we aaved ouring eman a hansbort path o Ky pisbane and Sydney auchored outside She was too displasement, and had $4,000 troops on board He expected toy or ttor 2 but we didnt Iistead in were told we might not 9o hll Fori days time o canden Si
Talk clean, Live clean, Fight clean, Play the same. Anecision Hie davaton. Reternence: Blackboy HiIl Camp No. 1115 R 123 Murray Street, No. 1128 PERTH. Perth Headquarters No. A1518 W.A. FICLO SCMVICE OCCAATMENT TROOSSINS. 181 or after all we diseimbert Tt in Wodnesday. He thought we were tentom at o0 and we had to get up at 430 on Wednesday But through tome mistake or oner we didnt ewham tll bsoom. all aay the coalies we watched has whe such dity Ke a times It was gu knaw what coveing t is like at these Wergn Bors about 20 pm w tn an ou abain a 0w Sar with hard anasthe Whipta lne was Deaver wit 4
Talkclean, tiveclean, Fisht Slean, Play the same; Association Headquarters: Relorrence: Blackboy HiIl Camp 123 Murray Street, 10. 1115 No. 1128 PERTH. Pertn Headanaters N. AISIS W.A. HIttO SCMIICE DESAATNEN TROOPSMIP. 28 Zerlaun, and it took his w I how Past 2 At 9.30 fr we arrived at smaila, which is about half way up the sung conal The wBld Ghurkas were stationed there, and wo got 2 same of him They a splended gellow forgot to tell you that while 2 wen an Lues a fracs transport with natos hooks baid cameut and
Talk clean, Live clean, Fight clean, Play the same. Association Headguarten: Retornonce. 123 Murray Street, Blackboy Hill Camp No. 1115 No. 1128 PERTH. Perth HeadauanteRS NO. AISIS N.8 FIEIO SCHNICE DCSARTMEN TROOPSHIP, 5 through the duey Canal So You remember reaain an Endiaw rajaw wh bent his Beisake mack a a hospital shil for indear ted. It is named he Loyally and was in Luly full of wounded when we were there. It is about the fined baat. I have ever seen. Tr passet I ships full of wounded in the Red sea. We heard they came from Salonik a I think they must be fighting fairly heavily up these. We t
Talkclean, Live clean, Fight clean, Play the same. Adsociation Headquarter: Pelephones: Blackboy Hili Camp No. 1115 123 Murray Street, No. 1128 PERTH. Perth Headquarters No. A1518 W.A. FIEIO SEPUICE OEPARTMEN TROOPSHIP, 26 181 get very likte was new tere, even A at cantime about our We went along aeright for about an hour after we lef Mr Ismaila, when suddenly the train fro te in balies, the engine and o carriage which sgiing aines abead and leaving us behind. After some delay batched hings up bit they before all 2 had got one of the brain and raided some ond
Talk clean, Live clean, Fight olean, Play the same. Adsociation Headqguartor: Relorvonu. 123 Murray Street, Blackboy Hin Camp No. 1115 No. 1128 PERTH. Perth Headquarters No. A1518 W.A. FitIO SCICE DESAATNEN TROOSMN. Geannt field. st was a very buight mosneight night, and also very cold most of the lads culdnt steep at a managed to get about an laud after that I watched the pcenery There is a oar Begahion along he railway Mor and again we would tomes In havn 25 Ateelin i further in wound a a tike causto I makye huts shrow by a few acres of rice-field and ohera ps all on 1
Talk clean, Live clean, Fight clean, Play the same. Association Headguartor: Relerrnce 123 Murray Street, Blackboy Hill Camp No. 111. No. 1128 PERTH Perth Headquarters No. A1518 W.A. FIELO SCAVICE OCPAATMENE ton through he wonderful nut wrigation. About 23o an oi Thursday we a ised at Jestorin and detained. Aft home I pay we matched came, a distance of about mite, wher we were served and with tea and layed down us, a shed about I 246 get some sleep. Herciele wers edhare step a Son hon leng assure you. We did about howes dult we pack up on hursday morning and had give a lease in the afte virroon Fune of a anos a went to the British Hdges to enquire about tin, but
at Talkclean, Live clean, Fight clean, Play the game, Asociation Headquarters: Relerronce: 123 Muray Street, AELR.H SRAO MI CANS V.II No. 1128 PERTH. Perth Headquarters No. A1518 W.H. FIEIO SEAUICE OEPARTMENT TROOPSHIP, 181 they caned tell me noting and referred me to he Dal at Alexandria have written to him and if crie should happen to be in caupt to try and find him am sending you some photo that were taken in Carso on Thursday. The names are back kow. Sgr. Sauth fewart Lqt LKel Yoel The Thillip Font dow Sal Beaskel whomin know, col me ken to sann miso you ca 20 As Thennon to no telcopoles maral

490 Thou knowest, Lord

 

[Y.M.C.A. Letterhead.

"Talk clean, Live clean, Fight clean, Play the game."

Association Headquarters:

123 Murray Street,

PERTH,

W.A.

Telephones:

Blackboy Hill Camp No. L115

       "             "      "         No. L128

Perth Headquarters No. A1518

FIELD SERVICE DEPARTMENT

Zeitoun Camp

Egypt

TROOPSHIP.

28  11  1915]

 

My dearest mother,

It seems more

than a week since I last

wrote to you and lots of

exciting things have happenned

since then. We arrived at

Port Suez about 2 pm on

Sunday last, and anchored

outside the harbor; about

4 pm another troopship,

the "Hawkes Bay" from

Melbourne with about

800 men aboard arrived.

There were 2 New

 

[YMCA Letterhead]

 

Zealand transports there when

we arrived. During the night

a transport called the Ulysses

from Brisbane and Sydney

anchored outside. She was

15,000 displacement, and 

had 2,000 troops on board.

We expected to go

ashore at Suez on Monday,

but we didnt. Instead we

were told we might not

go till 2 or 4 days time.

The New Zealanders had

been there 3  days when we got

to Suez. On Monday however,

 

[YMCA Letterhead]

 

they went ashore. After all we disembarked

on Wednesday. We thought we

were to entrain at 12 o.c. and 

we had to get up at 4.30

on Wednesday. But through

some mistake or other we didnt

entrain till 6.30 pm. All day

long we watched the coalies

and such like on the wharf.

It was quite likex old times

You know what coaling

is like at these foreign ports.

About 6.30 pm, we

entrained in a train that

was about on a par with

the Port.Said trams. The

Whitstable line was heaven

to it. It is 160 ^miles from Suez.

 

[YMCA Letterhead]

 

to Zeitoun, and it took just

8 hours to do the distance.

Fast travelling isnt it?

At 9.30pm we arrived at

Ismaila, which is about

half way up the Suez Canal.

The 43rd Ghurkas were

stationed there, and we got

out of the train and spoke

to some of them. They are

splendid fellows.

I forgot to tell you

that while we were at

Suez a french transport

with native troops on

board came up and went

 

[YMCA Letterhead]

 

through the Suez Canal. Do

you remember reading about

an Indian rajah who

lent his private yacht as

a hospital ship for Indian

wounded. It is named the

"Loyalty" and was in

Suez full of wounded when

we were there. It is about

the finest boat I have ever

seen. We passed 2

ships full of wounded in

the Red Sea. We heard

they came from Salonika.

I think they must be fighting

fairly heavily up there. We

 

[YMCA Letterhead]

 

get very little war news here, even

less than in Australia. To

continue about our train journey.

We went along alright for

about an hour after we left

Fremantle Ismaila, when

suddenly the train broke

in halves, the engine and

the first carriage which

contained the officers going

on ahead and leaving

us behind. After some delay,

they patched things up but

not before all the lads

had go out of the train

and raided some old

 

[YMCA Letterhead]

 

jokers peanut field.

It was a very bright

moonlight night and also

very cold. Most of the lads

couldn't sleep at all. I

managed to get about an

hour; after that I watched

the scenery. There is a

wonderful amount of

irrigation along the railway.

Now and again we would

pass some Indians patrolling

the line; further on would

be a little cluster of

native huts, surrounded

by a few acres of rice fields

and other crops, all grown

 

[YMCA Letterhead]

 

through the wonderful Nile

irrigation. About 2.30 am

on Thursday, we arrived at

Zeitoun and detrained. After

some delay we marched to

camp, a distance of about ½ 

mile, where we were served out

with tea, and layed down

in a shed about 3.30 to get

some sleep. Reveille went

at 5.30. I could have slept

for some time longer. I can

assure you. We did about

3 hours drill with full

pack up on Thursday

morning and had general

leave in the afternoon.

Five of us went to Cairo.

I went to the British Hdqrs

to enquire about Ernie, but

 

[YMCA Letterhead]

 

9

they could tell me nothing, and

referred me to the D.A.Q. at

Alexandria. I have written to

him and if Ernie should

happen to be in Egypt, will

try and find him.

I am sending you

some photos that were taken

in Cairo on Thursday. The

names are: back Row Sgt Smith

Sgt W Stewart  L/Cpl Golley

Pte Phillips. Front row

Cpl Blaskett, whom you might

know, Col the Rev W F

Shannon, & Mr Crouch

of Y.M.C.A. West Aust.

Col Shannon is now

at Helipolis General

 

 

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