Letters from William George Blaskett to his family, 1915-1916 - Part 13

Conflict:
First World War, 1914–18
Subject:
  • Documents and letters
Status:
Open for review
Accession number:
AWM2018.785.4
Difficulty:
3

Page 1 / 10

How would these malingerers like that lot. You hardly hear a complaint from our chaps, aldrough the food is notng like it is in australia. Yeterday was a tupical day except that the night marches are very frequent. A Tormight ago we narched from Jeloch Keber to Terapenm on he canal a distance of over 50 miles in 7o hours through sand over our ankles all he way, & carrying hull fon I Bords of Amusntion. We did that on fully beef biscurts & wates, and a very large rumber of men didnt finish. If bok me all my time to keep going I assure you, old man. I had to keep a pretty cliff upper lip to stop in the ranks. I wonder how he mutineers would like that. lost several pounds weigh in hat 3 days I got here but,
There is no doubt it was a wonderful March. It is he longest march ever done in Egupt. I and a record for Australian troops. Of course 16 miles a day is hothing on hard roads but its a very different proposition on soft sand You might have noticed in the paper that R.WE. Mead of Jameroo died of maningitis. He is the second man in the 11/16Sa. whs has had it. The oher fellow, Wallace is now back in Inctralian I think I have been very hucky indeed to Escape sickness so ar. Boh nead & Wallace were Clean leving good fellows, it seems such a pity bey should be taken ill. There is no doubt though that being a sectataller bliving a decent life is the finest way of (in fact, the only way to keep fitt in this awful Bad luck to it, the more I see Climak:
for of it the worse I like it. Shll it isn long now, & I suppose before long we shall be wanting to be back here. I see by your extremely interesting letter that in Mr Words opinion no smake can be a christian. Tell him. I hink no Thorkes can be a christion, or no real Christian can be a chirkes, whichever he lake. I may be bearred, but it seem to me, that fighting for Right against Might, is practical form of Christianity a very Sull, I think, You & Mew Goner, whom pleased remember one, are quite capable independertly oo jointly of downing any Woods berd, who talks twaddle I hope you got the liktle present I I can get to Carro, will send sent you. If
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How would these malingerers like that lot.

You hardly hear a complaint from our

chaps, although the food is nothing like

it is in Australia. Yesterday was a typical

day, except that the night marches are very

frequent. A fortnight ago we marched from

Tel-el-Kebir to Serapeum on the canal, a distance

of over 50 miles, in 70 hours, through sand

over our ankles all the way, & carrying

full packs & 120 rds of ammunition. We

did that on bully beef biscuits & water, and

a very large number of men didn't finish. It

took me all my time to keep going I assure

you, old man. I had to keep a pretty stiff

upper lip to stop in the ranks. I wonder

how the mutineers would like that. I

lost several pounds weight in that 3 days,

but, I got there.

 

There is no doubt it was a wonderful

march. It is the longest march ever done

in Egypt. Also And a record for Australian

troops. Of course 16 miles a day is

nothing on hard roads, but it's a very

different proposition on soft sand.

You might have noticed in the

paper that Pte N E Mead of Lameroo died of

meningitis. He is the second man in the 11/16 Sa.

who has had it The other fellow, Wallace, is now

back in Australia. I think I have been

very lucky indeed to escape sickness

so far. Both Mead & Wallace were clean living,

good fellows, it seems such a pity they

should be taken ill. There is no doubt

though, that being a teetotaller & living a

decent life is the finest way of in fact, the

only way to keep fit in this awful

climate. Bad luck to it, the more I see

 

of it the worse I like it. Well it isn't for

long now, & I suppose before long we shall

 be wanting to be back here,

I see by your extremely interesting

letter that in Mr Woods opinion no smoker

can be a Christian. Tell him I think no

shirker can be a Christian, or, no real

Christian can be a shirker, whichever he

likes. I may be biased, but it seems to

me, that fighting for Right against Might, is

a very practical form of Christianity.

Well, I think, you & Merv Gould, to

whom pleased remember me, are quite capable

independently or jointly of downing any

"Woods" bird, who talks twaddle.

I hope you got the little present I

sent you. If I can get to Cairo, will send

 

1

A Coy

48th Bn

2.5.16

My dearest Mother,

Just a short

note ^(a la President Wilson) to let you know I sent

your birthday present by

registered post from Cairo

yesterday. I got back at 3.30

am today. I am feeling rather tired; I shouldnt 

have gone up but for that

draft, which I might mention

soon disappeared together with

some of my pay when I 

started buying up in that 

Indian fancy shop.

If I had about £2000

I think I could just about 

buy one or two of the things

I admired in one shop where

I bought your boa, which by 

 

2

the way, I hope you will like.

It seemed more brown than

black to me but perhaps it

was the bright light. Anyway

it seems a very nice one

& is good quality. It was

packed with the other things

in a long tin feather case.

I hope you will receive

it safely.

I got a Langtonian today 

containing my name as the

Roll of [[Stomary?]]. It also contained

tremendous references to boys

who have been killed in 

action, amongst them

[[Sirelt?]], Les Hills & Cyril Gilham.

You will remember ^one of the

Gilhams was serving with killed 

in the Boer War, & now this

 

3

one, who was with the Canadians

has gone over the Great Divide.

It seems very very hard for

poor old Mr Gilham to lose

teo sons like that. Young Jack

Gilham is somewhere in 

France.  I also received a

letter from Will Cleak.

He wrote xxx such as nice 

letter. I hope I shall get 

a chance to see them all.

I am pleased to be able 

to tell you I have been 

promoted to Sergeant. I

believe I mentioned it in 

a letter from the YMCA
Cairo, but you might not

get that, so I'm telling you

again. I stayed at the

"Anzac" Hostel" a home

 

4

for soldiers on leave, and on

Sunday night I slept in a

real square-dinkum bed,

with nice clean sheets & a

nice white pillow. My word

it was good. It is a good 

idea this 'Anzac' place; all

if it hadnt have been for

that I couldnt have gone

to Cairo because we cant

get there & back in a day &

Hotels are too expensive

for common or garden Sergeants.

I received your letters dated 

28th March, today, & noted

Charlie is going to [[Calton re?]]

I am sure he will have

a glorious time. You

say you expect I shall

do everything for myself

 

5

when I get back. Dont

worry, I'm going to have

a glorious loaf (not of bread,

though that will be acceptable;

I don't go much on Egyptian

bread). There was only

one fault about your letter,

Mother dear, it was too

short. Please tell me

all the news. Start from 

the beginning, as May says.

What may seem trifles 

to you in the way of news

are very precious to me.

I hope your health is 

better now, and the heat 

isn't worrying you too much.

I quite agree with you

that Ethel Wenham is  nice 

girl. She wrote me a very

 

6

jolly letter which I received

a few days ago. Have you

heard from Aunt Jane lately.

I had a letter about

3 weeks ago, which I answered

at once. I write to her

fairly regularly now. In

fact you & she are my two

main correspondents. I

pour out all my joys & sorrows 

to you two. I know how

you can share them both.

I saw a magazine the other

day containing an article

that appealed to me very

much. It describes the death

of two young Englishmen

(brothers) in German West 

Africa. They were the first

to be killed. On their

 

7

tombs are the words: - 

"Tell England that we that have

this monument,

That we who lie here died

content"

I think that is magnificent,

dont you?

Now, about parcels. I have

received 2. One containing 2

pr socks & one containing cake,

which by rotten bad luck was

mouldy. The Xmas pudding 

has not yet been sighted.

Nor has the birthday parcel.

The letters are coming very

regularly now, thank 

goodness.

Now I must close this

fearful long letter with

fondest love to you all,

 

 

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