Letters of Thomas Rampton Hunter, 1940-1944 - Part 11

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Late in the afternoon one of the guides suggested that we may

like to bathe in a pool beneath a waterfall. We were all very keen on

this idea after our hard day's walking and with towels and soap, followed

him for about a mile down the gorge and came across a most picturesque

setting for a water-fall. Only small with about a 10 foot drop, the

crystal water fell into the pool bordered by water cress. Pink

oleander bushes growing in profusion helped to beautify the scene.

Dusk came too soon and the colors increased in their intensity so

much that it will be a living picture in our memories forever. I

doubt if a color-film in movie-camera could ever catch the finer 

tones. The only true conception is to actually see this grand sight.
Fooks, the tea-maker, a rare character with high cheek-bones, blue-
black long curly  hair and a pointed beard, after our meal of bullybeef, informed us that he would do an Arab dance and with the three

guides dressed in white and Fooks in his black and white robes, they
commenced in the light of a tiny fire. He brandished two wicked looking daggers dancing before his friends to a chorus of “hey-dee-dee-
hey-dee-doo” they worked themselves into a frenzy. The story of the
dance was interpreted as one of a simple love theme where the principal 
dancer was seeking a reply to a love message from his sweetheart.
The dance was very fascinating and took about fifteen minutes and
in the circumstances it was unique for here were Bedouins dancing on a
ledge outside a Nabataean cave in the heart of Petra - a huge extinct 
metropolis that flourished between the fifth century B.C.and fifth
century A.D.  and was at its heyday during the first centuries B.C. and 

A.D. During these periods it had been occupied by the Nabataeans, Romans
and later by the crusading Christians.
At daybreak next day, the ponies from the nearby village were
brought out by Arab boys and quicktly packing we rode our way back to

the police post at Wadi Musa. It was a very enjoyable ride on the
sure-footed arab ponies which travelled their own way amongst the loose 
rocks while we took our last look at the carvings and water-channels
cut in the sides of the deep narrow gorge that is the only entrance to 
Petra. A handful of men could hold this gorge or Siq against an invading 
army making the city a natural fortress and an ideal place to store the
loot from caravans traveling north from Arabia.

About 8 o’clock we left the fort in our car and proceeded to Aqaba
at the head of the Gulf of Aqaba off the Red Sea. Travelling  across a
lot of desert until until we arrived amongst huge jagged mountains, some
to 5000 feet in height, we finally arrived at Aqaba and were most
disappointed. Only an Arab village and two police posts. From here
we could see four countries - Arabia, Trans-Jordania, Palestine and
Sinai (a province of Egypt).
We had intended to return north via the Wadi Arabah - a huge
valley that is an extension of the fault that contains the Dead Sea
and reaches from there down to the Gulf of Aqaba. The Palestinian
police advised us not to take this route for the road was dangerous
and wandering Bedouins had fired at a car two days previously. This
advice gave us the alternative of returning the way we had come or
taking a road through the rugged Sinai Mts. We chose the Sinai route
but felt discouraged when the car stalled on a very steep hill.
 

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To get the car over this hill the six of us had to push, and the revved
up engine would carry the car forward a yard at a time while we chocked

the wheels with large stones from the roadside. Starting and stalling
alternately we ever so slowly reached the top feeling very tired and
thirsty for the temperature was at least 110 in the shade - and
there was not any shade. A few miles further up at the lonely frontier
post at the border of Palestine and Sinai (Egypt), the soldiers would
not, at first allow us to enter as our passes were not for Egypt.
However, they rang the Governor of Sinai and we gained permission to
go through. Boiling petrol in the carburettor gave us some trouble but
eventually we started and travelled about 160 miles across the Sinai
Desert, a terrible place with roaring plains studded with black stones
of various sizes and bordered by mountains on our right. The stones
bounced underneath the car knocking a hole in the silencer. All one
saw were forts and small wireless posts about 30 miles apart. Occasionally
the black goat-skin tents of wandering Bedouins were noticed,
their few camels and goats being their only visible supply of food.
By nightfall we were again in Palestine after replenishing our
depleted water supply at the final border outpost. About 10 p.m. we
stopped at a road construction camp to refill our petrol tank. Here
we were almost demanded to partake of tea and seated in a circle with
four or five Arabs, tea was soon found for us in the usual small
glasses. A delicious reviver and on enquiring into the workings of their
"Hubble Bubble" pipe, our host in a matter of seconds refilled the pipe
and in turn the mouthpiece was passed around and we were surprised at the
pleasant aroma of the Bedouin tobacco. An exchange of tobacco took place
and the manners of these Arabs were/proved. They would not help themselves
to our tobacco but would only accept what was measured out to
them. We were all very sorry to leave their company but we had to
push on through Beersheba and Gaza and travel further to our camp.
Seventeen hours in all were spent in the car that day and we were not
sorry to crawl into our bunks.
The trip cost each of us less than five pounds and I know of no
other three days leave for a soldier that could show him the places,
the people and the scenic beauty as seen by us on this colorful
excursion.
The many pictures taken at Petra by our party will serve as a
record to show our friends when we return home but the camera cannot
quite capture the beauty of the gaunt red mountains with their ever
changing tints and vast mausoleum of the departed races. The narrow
rocky defile called the "aiq", is its only gateway to the outside world
and no motor car can ever disturb its eerie stillness. Petra is one
of the greatest wonders ever wrought by nature and man.
 

No 28 

VX 17049
Cpl. T. R. HUNTER
2/1 Aust Corps Field Survey Coy
R.A.E  A.I.F. abroad
Tuesday 16^th Sept 41
Dear Mother & Jean
Mother, your letter N^o 23 has
just arrived accompanied by one from Ron.
I was very glad to hear that you are both well
and everything is O.K at home. With the
blossom coming out at the present the place
must look very nice and Spring must be very
noticeable.  I was also pleased to see
that Jean has acquired all the obstacles
at the office, and that she is contented.
Ron's letter told me of the
visit you & Joan made to his new home
and of his doings up in the snow with
his new skis. He enclosed some snaps

of his home and Joan & myself with

some others at Rosebud & Portsea last Xmas.
He seems to be very happy & quite 
settled down.
Since my last letter there
is little to tell except that I have
seen the Morley boys who came here a
day or so back. They’ve been here for
20 months - perhaps. I should not say
here, for they were in every phrase of the
business and they both look very fit.
Apparently, definite news of young
Ralph Doughty has come to hand & I only hope
he is not too bad.
Sorry folk a about the absence of news

but that is how it is.

Many thanks for the stamp. We are 

all very hearty & well,

Lots of Love

Tom
 

P.S.   Ron's snaps may get knocked  about 
here, so I’ll enclose 3 of them 
safer keeping.
2.
On Saturday I met Bill George 
from Blackburn & from his relatings
he has experienced a very busy & 

exciting time having been in all
the theatres of action.
Ralph knows him fairly well &
he told me he had received
canteen orders from Jack Beton
& the boys.
Love

Tom
C. Tyler
AWM2017.208.1

[[?]]
C. Tyler

28
Mrs. B. M. Hunter 

277 Springvale Rd

TUNSTALL,

VICTORIA,
 AUSTRALIA.

 

AWM2017.208.1

No 31

VX 17049;
CPL.T. R. HUNTER
Aust Corps Field Survey Coy
R.A.E. A.1.F. abroad
Wednesday 8/10/41
Dear Mother & Jean,
After what seemed a very long
lapse (15 days) the Airmail arrived today
bringing 2 from you & three from Joan.
Mother, many thanks for the canteen order & 

stamp. Sorry to read that Mother, you’ve
had a cold but sooner or later with the
approaching warmer weather, the colds will be
run out. It must be very pleasant to
play tennis around at Alma’s. Please
remember me to them all & tell them I
would very much like to have a game as we
did a year or so back.
Evidentally I failed to mention the
fact that the Palestine Symphony concert orchestra

is composed with temperamental Jews mainly,
numbering up to about 75 when the full
orchestra plays. Whatever you do, do not
over-do the V.A.D. work to much as when in
such things as that, one sometimes feels they
should attend their duty when perhaps the
weather is obscene and you may have a 

cold. Not that I mean that the V.A.D
is not important, but health must always
be considered. Is it still as interesting as
you first found it?
It was very nice to read of Jean's
examination but the more interesting part
will be when the results came to hand.
Just as a note of confirmation of
my previous letter in which I stated having
sent back £20 for you to deposited in the S.S. Bank
for me and in a week or so here the move I
 

2/
intend to make in allotting 2/- per day
to my bank account.
It was a peculiar thing here the other evening
when after visiting the pictures & seeing
"Mice & Men", George had a mouse run over his
face twice, waking him up on each occasion &
I may add he has a wonderful knowledge of
the Australian language.
Many thanks for the papers you have forwarded
and mother, if you do not mind, don't
worry about sending Lini's as we seem to get
hundreds of them.
Congratulate Ralph in his approach by
G. Motors for a job for they must realize that
he possesses very good qualities.
I am enclosing some seeds of a flower that
at present, is growing in abundance in some nearby
gardens. It is a peculiar
Hand drawn diagram - see original
type standing about 3 feet
high & at the head of the
flat stalks are myriads of
tiny flower heads that form
one big head about 7" X 3"
in an oval form. It is supposed
to be imported from
California. They are grown very thick and look grand.
If you could cause the ends to become seedlings,
then plant them about 6" apart and I would
suggest they be in loose soil in the sun.
Please don't worry about clothes for us
as they can be obtained when necessary from our
store and the idea is not to have too much to cart about.
There was a pretty successful sports meeting here
last Sunday and although we did not win we made
an excellent effort in the Canteen & won easily there. Left
the Pommies - not standing.
Well folk everyone here is well & I hope you are
both well, & all's well.
Love
Tom
N.A.Johnson
 

On the original diagram  Heads of flowers

Velvet finish of

Red to a magenta

Seeds held in tiny

rough pods

3 feet         Flat stalks

Large flat

green leaves

SCANDAL SHEET (Private)
It was certainly a flash of news
to read of Cousin Jack's coming
acquisition. If it should be anything
similar to his nibs, it will
certainly be a devil.
And, Joan (don't worry) tells
me that Alan's wife has her
doubts and of course Alan
knows nil. Any rate I
guess Joan will tell you
when you next see her.
As for Jack it seems too
strange to believe but these
things will happen.
Tom
 

These are the seeds from a
large velvety red/magenta
colored flower in some nearby 

gardens. It has been
described as similar to
"Prince of Wales flower" &
"Cocks- comb" but I have
never seen them. Grow
about 3' high & only
have one or 2 flowers
per stalk. Flower
is about 7" long 
[[?]]. Flat [[2?]]