Cecil Mills Collection - Wallet 2 - Part 3 of 22

6 
rotten tomato sauce.  No bread, but some 
biscuits that were not too hard.  Then we 
had some starch like blanc mange & jelly & a 
good big enamel pot of tea.  I was never very 
faddy about my food as long as it was not 
highly seasoned, was I? Just as well now 
or else I'd have to get out of my little tricks. 
Fancy Johnnie being able to say Dad so soon. 
Can he really say it, or are you only imagining 
he says it, because you want him to? I can just 
imagine what a little pet he must be growing to 
be by your description of him & also by the 
snaps. The Collection of snaps youve sent me 
are great, & you can send me just as many more 
as you like as long as you are both in them, looking 
as nice as the last lot. Saw Johnnie Wiedon 
down at the 19th Battn today, he told me 
Docker had a spill from his horse the other day 
& dislocated his shoulder & at present is in the  
Hospital. Dock has a good job as Quartermaster. Hope 
no one will have beaten him for it by the time he 
gets out of the Hospital. Today I tried on all my 
socks & gave away some that did not fit me. Have 
got about 20 pairs of good wollen ones, so you 
can see I wont want any more for ages. 

7/ 
There is really nothing I want sent to me. 
While we are in Egypt we can buy practically 
anything we want & if we go away, we probably 
would not get anything that was sent to us. 
Lots of the chaps are taking heaps of photos 
with these small pocket cameras. Ive not 
bought one. The photos are too small, & any- 
how I don't want anything to remind me of the 
war when it is over. Ill be only too glad to forget it 
all, as speedily as possible. The evening shades 
here are delightful. The camp is situated on 
rising ground & we can see for miles across 
perfectly level irrigable agricultural land, all 
nice & green with occasional clumps of trees, & 
a ridge right away in the back ground. In the 
shadows it might easily be a stretch of that 
meadow land out from Broadmeadows, going into 
Melbourne. But the shades of colouring are 
very different. I cannot attempt to describe them. 
Am Company Orderly Officer tomorrow and I take 
over a new Platoon, which has about 10 of the 
men I brought over in it. They all seem glad Im 
coming along to them once more. Have had 
no time to write to Percy or my Father this 
week, but will do so this next week, of course

8/ 
their letters might catch the same mail, as 
I have no idea when the Aust: Mail closes 
No more now, So with love to all & a 
big hug to Johnnie. 
Your loving Husband  
Cecil

  
Lt. CBMills 
23rd Battn 
No 16 
On Active Service  
Abroad 
Australian Base 
12-1-16 
Details P.O. 
Censored  
NG [[Pillon?]]  Lieut. 
AIF 
  
Mrs. C B Mills 
C/. Dr. A Burne 
Kinellan 
Dalley St 
Waverley 
New South Wales 
Australia 

16:1:16 
Dearest.  This is the particularly private bit, in 
which I'll answer the questions in your letters & 
make any other remarks that are not for any one 
else. I note that Harry thought Dangar should 
have gone. I think that probably you will have 
your work cut out to keep him at home before long, as 
he was feeling it pretty badly when last I saw him. 
Be sure & use all your influence to keep him at home 
as your father cannot spare him. If conscription 
comes in, then someone else decides, but there is one 
of your brothers there out of two & I'm here out of 2 
in my family. Hope the new togs won't be worn out 
before I get home, so that I can pass my expert opinion 
on them. Anyhow £5:4:0 per week will give you 
plenty of money to buy more, thats if the bally old 
Defence Dept pays in your £8:8:0 each two 
weeks regularly. If they have not been doing it 
get Percy to write for you & see what is the 
matter. It must have given you a shock to have 
your old friends back to see you after such a 
long time. Hope they will not visit you quite 
so frequently in future & more regularly, & with  
no more trouble than is to be expected. I'd also 
forgotten about the possibility of their return. Did 
not think they would come until John was weaned.

2/ 
I think the printed envelopes are good, they are so 
plain that it is almost impossible for the Post office 
to make a mistake. Your letters have all reached me 
now, excepting the one you posted to Freemantle.  
About cashing cheques at Waverley Branch. The credit 
there is for you to cash cheques there for £3, you 
can also pay out any money you like by cheque 
& can overdraw your a/c up to £120 at any time 
if the occasion arises.  If the Overdraft gets paid 
off, draw some money out & pay it into your 
own a/c in the Savings Bank. You can do that at the Savings Bank of 
NS Wales in  Sydney I think, or even at any of 
the Branches, but keep a small o/dft at the Bank 
in Melbourne. I knew old JGMann would 
spread himself when you went to see him. 
Pettit, Mrs Wragges brother is still OK & with 
the 23rd. I have not looked him up yet: but will do 
so the first chance I get & will give him the snap 
of Mrs Wragge & the little girl. Have just been 
speaking to one of the Officers of the Coy he is in and he 
says Pettit is a very fine chap. Am sorry to hear 
of that little trick of Johnnies, playing with that 
part that he should not. Keep the smacking up, if  
Mither cannot tell you something better. Its the 
only cure Ive heard of

3/ 
Pipes can be bought in Cairo just as well as in 
Sydney or Melbourne, the only difference is in 
the price. The same brands in Cairo are slightly 
cheaper than in Australia. They are gradually 
getting the good brands of Tobacco also but 
they are slightly dearer than in Australia, 
only about 2s a tin though. Ive read all 
your dear old letters through tonight again 
Sweetheart, & Im so glad they are all so 
cheerful. I do hope you feel as happy as 
they make me feel to get them. So far your 
old man has only been a member of the big 
Australian Touring party, but it will not be 
like that always I suppose, though a great 
number of chaps reckon we have seen our last 
of the fighting unless we are taken away from 
Egypt. Well my Dearest I'll finish off the 
other letter & as first Post has gone, or rather 
is going Ill clear off & make up my bunk 
& turn in. It sounds very nice to hear the 
bugles at night, starting right away at the 1st 
Brigade in the distance & each Brigade taking 
the call up as the other finishes. There are 6 
Brigades of Infantry alone (4 & 8 are not here) & 
a Brigade has 4 Battallions, & a Battallion 
has about 1100 men without transport &c

4 
so when you come to think of the Transport,  
Army Medical, Artillery, Engineers & 1 Regt of 
Light Horse (not Dicks) & all sorts of other Details,  
you may realise in a way, that this is "some" 
camp as the Americans would say.  
A great big hug to my Bestest Ever Wife &  
another one for my second Bestest Boy. That  
reads rather funnily. I want to say that he comes  
2nd bestest to you old Darling. 
Your ever loving Husband 
Cecil.

No 16  
On Active Service  
Abroad 
A.I.F.Inter.Base P.O. 
26.-JA.-16. 
CAIRO 
  
Mrs C.B. Mills. 
C/- Dr. A. Burne. 
Kinellan 
Dalley St 
Waverley 
NS Wales 
Australia 
W.A. Cully Lieut.
23rd Battn.