Letters from David Gerald Evans to his family, 1916 - Part 1

Conflict:
First World War, 1914–18
Subject:
  • Documents and letters
Status:
Open for review
Accession number:
AWM2018.785.61
Difficulty:

Page 1 / 10

training Battalio. 4 certann 10 1. 76 Mey dear Loene the Am nit tather a hurry leerote to Father & Hennie last week Mr Hs Stewart sent the letters. home. taken away from Hy Company was am left here the ast wal MLo La apo bax their mes yte 20 ets to like it is bat luck the men after being wirh them so Yong. nost o inl the I am goin, do a mashen instruction here b in tme hun ourse to know what them are going dont To4 case muct to tho with us Bill Asherwool is at present a & is a wrperal Fel et Rebir Yet see ho nav
toll in sar who Isaw his Bill About Isaw he ba to a ade canp hear Frank hown en Kitey wa hers written to me Ithink a have, gone have gone a paper from to the Brigade. 9or there are willw there yesterday letterss there usswited to machire of tan course this aon't know now pretty hard & will get on Campbell. Went through the last school + got ate, but he is a ppenar ir agening by propesses I saw tred Aat Fll Cran the the day Farthorno te Gallipoli from first was on is in the Artilleny 9 last they wski by a was
but otherwise abright Shavent much news for As You wrote all I cant last aner hst by ove 9 your Herall till further notico i Address th braining Battalion citoun X y
Address MPERIS th Fraining Putten Fectoun REINFORCEMENTS. 29.1.16 16y dear Father returned to My Battalion Yesterday having wmpleted my baching bun Cours got on fairly well and finished Of 930/0 for with an dverage. was most eight examo, t interesting and will probably come in useful some day. Machine Guns are easily the Most important Weapons of this war the Germans fund this out in the Russo apanese war, & though Sir San Hamilton who
was as British Attaghe to this war reported to his Goverment of the work they had done the British are only how waking up to the fact & increasing the Guns in every Battation by doubting the existing Humberr. from Harry & had a letter Yesterday dated also some papers sent in Denalla someone do not know who sent a Cable home last week changing my address the one above. to citement We had a little cx today We were enlying Were caller & Battalion JNL
Out reader to march out fires a shot lots of mew in case there was trouble who enlisted months after with the niggers but nothing the have been in it dour came of it It it by this tme. then you get this the wors. Hrm glad to hear Bother well, there is not is looking of the summer, well be over, it is a pretty trying the slightest need for her time for everyone at Kvcamp to Worry, about the I am in the summer, there is dy safe here as those at so much to do, suppose pome I am having a very Evan will have recovered Comfortable time and have of this time. very good mates. hope the boys will not have written several 90 from Redcamp to the letters home fast lately. way, if one goes from a family it is a favo hove to, all February thing. On the Geod bys will have been in came Son Your loving & have 12 month never Sera
No. .. N. J. C POSTMASTER CENERAES DEPARTMENE, VIOTORIA OHEe DAS SVR. 3 CR This message has been received subject to the Post and Telegraph Act and Regulations. All Complaints to be addressed, in writing, to the Deputy Postmast. General. F.INS-OI mber and Route. Alen Mns, Bie an AS RAR a o 6pm Bano 4 Jastern 519 Ho Ehans. Redcamp Wranairala Address Battallon 1 Faming feetown Well Evans Segratin
th Famen 162.16 E Buttation Leiton Eupt Dear Havry Received a letters from you don't think & have some time ago have not received answered it yet as to very hard to it any letters lately weitte them. have been warned to hold nyself in readiness to leave here and expect, to the the end go to tel et heber before week, there are about thirty officers going Mew So it Well be avrighs & a lot together, as they, are a bery decent Going Slow down pretty Ithings will be to be getting therre Am Glad but Gora from here Although this is the best home have had since founing tho the tucker is good & the Arme work ease we had a stiff, day Yesverday marching over the send with full pack & 220 pds Of Amin unition up began to wish the hight Horse, a lot of the was in
their tundles, they thew drapped don't, get ehough of it the 1 Russian Tpe Paper Says that have laptured oeruing I hope this tf true ag it, should be important Suppose of the Hawvest is how a thing 9 the past & you are beginning to then O putting o the hest crof 4 is just starting Spring here. I the lncerne cross took very Well the seem to 0Uicorne asd most Been hiht last oncort a hav Ake time Some of Vrry Merry had a them getting, will blethered vereiog mail here loming get Something thope today But et it. nelosing Y in Llteen Shopo Hey 1t A29 tliker bny the wis the bat hara sust Ten Off hot tood lack. Howis eralo
Turry fustralia We Oran &camp. Msyhu Wangaratta Victoeria

6th Training Battalion
Zeitoun
10.1.16
My dear Mother,
Excuse the pencil but

am writing this in rather a hurry
I wrote to Father & Minnie last week &
sent the letters home by Mrs Stewart
My company was taken away from
me last week & I am left here
with all the other officers, who have
also been parted from their men.
It is bad luck as one gets to like
the men after being with them so
long.
I am going into the School of
Instruction here to do a Machine
Gun Course to fill in time, I
dont know what they are going
to do with us & don't care much
Bill Asherwood is at present at
Tel el-Kebir & is a Corporal,
have not seen him yet.

 

2
I saw his Officer who told me
about Bill -
I saw Wilfred Evans yesterday he is
down on ^the Ma'adi Camp near Frank
Ridgway.
I think a lot the letters written to me
have gone astray & have gone
to the Brigade. I got a paper from
there yesterday & there are millions
of letters there unsorted.
This Machine Gun course is
pretty hard & I don't know how
I will get on. Campbell went
through the last school & got
a Special Certificate but he is
an engineer by profession.
Tell Evan that I saw Fred
Fairthorne the other day he
was in the Gallipoli from first
to last & is in the Artillery
he was looking a bit thin

 

3
but otherwise alright.
I have'nt much news for you as
I wrote all I could last week.
Good - bye
Your loving son
Gerald.
My address till further notice.
6th Training Battalion
Zeitoun
Egypt.

 

Address -
6th Training Battn
Zeitoun
29 . 1 . 16
My dear Father
I returned to
my Battalion yesterday having
completed my Machine Gun Course
I got on fairly well and finished
with an average of 93% for
eight exams, it was most
interesting and will probably
come in useful some day.
Machine Guns are easily the
most important weapons
of this war. The Germans
found this out in the Russo-Japanese

war, & though
Sir Ian Hamilton who

 

2
was a British Attaché in this
war, reported to his Government
of the work they had done, the
British are only now waking
up to the fact & increasing
the Guns in every Battalion
by doubling the existing
number.
I had a letter from Harry
yesterday dated 12.12-15 &
also some papers sent
by someone in Benalla.
I do not know who.
I sent a cable home last
week changing my address
to the one above.
We had a little excitement
today. We were inlying
Battalion & were called
AWM2017.1366.1

3 

3
out ready to march out
in case there was trouble
with the niggers but nothing
came of it.
When you get this the worst
of the summer will be
over, it is a pretty trying
time for everyone at Redcamp
in the summer, there is
so much to do, suppose
Evan will have recovered
by this time.
I hope the boys will not
go from Redcamp to the
war, if one goes from
a family it is a fair
thing. On the 17th February
I will have been in Camp
12 months & have never
4
fired a shot - lots of men
who enlisted months after
me have been in it & out
of it by this time.
Am glad to hear Mother
is looking well, there is not
the slightest need for her

to worry about me I am
as safe here as those at
home -

I am having a very
comfortable time and have

very good mates.
I have written several
letters home just lately.
Love to all,
Good - bye
Your loving son
Gerald.

 

Copy
7.2.16
CABLEGRAM.
Eastern 518 Cairo 4th 6 pm.
To Evans.
Redcamp
Wangarratta
Address. 6th Training Battalion
Zeitoun Well
Signature. Evans

 

16-2-16.
6th
Training Battalion
Zeitoun
Egypt
Dear Harry
I received a letter from you
some time ago & don't think I have
answered it yet, as I have not received
any letters lately it is very hard to
write them.
I have been warned to hold myself in
readiness to leave here, and expect to
go to Tel-el-Kebir before the end of the
week, there are about thirty officers going
& a lot of new men so it will be alright
going together, as they are a very decent
lot, things will be pretty slow down
there, but am glad to be getting

away from here, although this is the
best home I have had since joining
the army, the tucker is good & the
work easy, we had a stiff day
yesterday, marching over the sand
with full packs, & 220 rds of ammunition
up, I began to wish I
was in the Light Horse, a lot of the
 

 

2
men dropped their bundles, they
don't get enough of it.
The paper says that the Russians
have captured Ezerum I hope this
is true as it should be important
Suppose the Harvest is now, a thing
of the past & you are beginning
to think of putting in the next crop
It is just starting Spring here &
the lucerne crops look very well
the seem to use most of the lucerne
green.
We had a concert last night
& had a very merry time Some of
them getting well blithered.
I beleive there a mail coming in
today & hope I get something
out of it.
Am enclosing fifteen photos in
this letter. Most of them taken
on the trip to the Sakhara
Must ring off now Good Luck.
Yours
Gerald 

 

On Active Service
Harry Evans Esq.
Redcamp
Moyhu
Wangaratta
Victoria
Australia
[*Censored
A.G. Campbell
Lieut*] 

 

 

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