Lieutenant Colonel William McKenzie, MC, OBE - letters - 1915 - Part 2

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here & know write home things
that should be stopped for the
good of the country. I intend
going into Cairo on Monday morning
He handled a few deaths this week.
a couple very suddenly, one a Vice
Sergt dropped dead at 10-45 p.m.
on Tuesday night and then on Thursday Wed
night Macintosh (South Aust) was
taken to hospital Tuesday, I spoke to
him that evening he developed New
Sinitis & died that Wedy evening.
A funeral almost every day takes place.
among the 30, thousand troops.
The Commnr mentioned in his long
letter to me that he was bringing
you to Melbourne tho' he didnt
know to what part now the exact
date, but I guess it is over now.
He also told me that a new D.C.
would be going into Bendigo
on Jany 14^th so I guess he is
there by now. I wonder who he
is? I hope they do well! I regret
also to learn from the Commnr that
Dennis & Gore have refused to
shift from Melbourne & have been
granted extended furlo' He tells
me also that o there have had to
shift. I see Edna has gone to the trade
 

7
I had a letter from Carpenter
in which he tells me that he is appn
literary Secty to General Booth and
Col Kitchings place & Kitching has
gone to the Foreign Office. M^cAlanan
having gone into Holland
& Ridsel being retired. All the
H.Q. Officers at G.H.Q. were reduced
in salary 4/- in the Pound, quite a
few good officers left being unable
to live ^so they reckoned. This was the
reckoned the responsible folks did.
Some queer things that were
unnecessary as well as unhelpful.
I wrote a report of Elnsworth's
visit here to the British and Aust
Cmys. I hope it appears safely.
I gave the British report to Unsworth
as also a letter for the General
& Carpenter. The Genl sent me a 
message of greeting (verbal) by Unsworth
as did also Commn of [[?]]
they had prepared a great welcome
for me in London. I am sending
you Carpenter's letter to keep, as
also xxxxxx know this cannot carry
these about. Indeed, I'm seriously
contemplating sending the bulk
 

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of my luggage to London, especially,
if we go East to tackle the Turks.
which is more than likely now.
I trust my darling that you are keeping
well & fit. I am sorely pitying you at
the time of packing & shifting & hope you
get plenty of help in doing so and are
now comfortably settled in nice
cottage, at least until my return
when I am able to do the rooting &
lifting. The Commr tells me that
10 Chaplains are being apptd to the
Aust Troops (Citizen Army) of the 
Commonwealth, this is a fine victory and
show up well for the P.A.
You mnot now allow yourself to feel
lonely or downhearted. [[Thr?ne?]] yourself
into the Corps work & do something
worthwhile; if the Scotch College
is not too expensive send Don there
for 2 terms (6 months) It should
not cost more than 5/- a week surely.
Apart from the books say 10/- a
week in all. We can stand this
for a year for him. You may
have fixed him up elsewhere well
so let it be. I trust you implicitly
to fit the matter satisfactorily.
Adieu my darling, fondest love
& happiest greetings. Hugs & Kisses
for all the children. Yours as ever
Father
Australian
War Memorial PR84/150 (3)
 

The Salvation Army.
Chaplain Expeditionary Forces,
4th Battalion A.I.F.
Mena Egypt
Jany 31^st 1915
Mrs McKenzie,
My Darling Wife/
I am glad to be
able to take up my pen & write you
once more of my condition and
doings. Let me say, I am just
keeping splendid in health busy
in doing good & having a real
helpful time among the men.
I got your letter written on
my birthday (Dec 30^th) & was so
pleased to do so & to learn that
you with all the children are keeping
real well & things are going
on all right. I also note with
pleasure that Mrs May has
been up to see you  again &
is very kind & thoughtful of her.
I was more than pleased to
hear that Donald had signed
the articles of War & been sworn
in as a soldier without any
pressure being brought to [[bea?]]
on him. It gives me pleasure also
to hear of Gordon's & Manis'
elocutionary efforts.
 

The Salvation Army.
Chaplain Expeditionary Forces,
2
Colin, I guess is going on as usual and
giving his mother heaps of love for me.
Manis will have lots of new songs to
sing to 'Daddie' when I come home.
I was awfully happy to get her big letter
It is lovely writing & such a lot of
hugs & Kisses made me jump for Joy.
I'll be looking for the next one to
come. I also got the Xmas cards this
week returned from London. Thanks
awfully much everybody they are
past the thing tell them all I
hope they like the Egyptian Cards
that I am sending along, Ive
sent dozens to them & more  are
coming, also the photos previously
mentioned. I hope you have long
ere this got some of my letters
& al the cards. You'll be swamped
with my letters if you get them
all in the same day & will
require a day's holiday to read
them & you'd have no time to cook
the children's dinner that day.
So be thankful if a dozen of them does
go astray. No doubt you are July
receiving all my epistles from
Egypt as I hear they were not censored.
[*The Censor has been put on again lately & the
Officers pass thro' this process once more*]

The Salvation Army.
Chaplain Expeditionary Forces,
4
Then on Monday night a young man came
to my tent & got saved - Evans of
Golden Square, later at 9 1-p.m. the
same evening another fine solder
sought Salvation in my tent.
They were of good cases. My theme
was Repentance & its fruits. We had
a mobilization Parade on Monday for
an inspection of war equipment
& our readiness to move in 24 hours
I was out at this. On Tuesday, we
had a route march of the Pt
Brigades & all the Impedimentaries
We blazed over 10 miles & I confess
I was tired when I got home.
I had a good sponge bath, a complete
change of clothes & had Aftn tea
then made for the Post Office. On
Wedy I went to the hospital among
the sick & yesterday I went in
to the City on [[Bis??chiply??]] to get a
sleeping valise for the front as
that is all one is allowed to take.
All the rest is left at the Base. The
men in the Trenches have little
beside their great Coats. It must be
a terror for them in the mud &
snow. I guess hundreds get Pneumonia
 

5
I didn't get one as they were sold out until
next week, so I'll have to go in again.
I am going in next Friday to join with the
Bishop of Jerusalem (Dr M.S. Jones) to the
get it then probably. I went out to new Zealand
lines, found Green in bed tortured with 

vaccination. I also found another Officer
there Adjt Martin a recent arrival from
Malta, who had come to run the Army tent.
he is a married man with 2 children. They
have had five [[?]] all together. Their
tent will be a fine success. Martin is a 
most suitable fellow in dealing with the men
I had a sale of sox & gloves & netted £8
for the war comforts fund. Things
are going very nicely with us.
 

6
The other troops from Australia
expected here within the next fortnight.
The Hospital ship has arrived, with
165 Nurses & 90 Doctors, They are billeted
at Mena House, which is the Hospital
at present - a monster Hotel taken over
for the purposes. This has to be our
Base hospital for the time being. Other
Troops will be coming forward continuously,
every 2 months a fresh supply.
I don't think the war will be brought to
a conclusion at an early date, altho'
I [[devoatedly?]] hope so. It seems to become
more complicated as time proceeds.
Millions will lose their lives event be
decided finally.
 

8
There is no definate news as to when
where & how we are moving from here.
Altho' there are rumours galore we may be
here until the middle of March and then proceed
to Europe for the fighting line, or we
may go to tackle the Turks. Anyhow, the Aust
boys are longing for a go.
I hope this finds you all nicely settled,
In the best of health & spirits and busy
with your work and war fare.
Heaps of loving hugs & Kisses to you and
all the children. Kindest regards to
everybody. I am yours as ever 
Father
Captn W. McKenzie 
4th Battalion A.I.F.
Mena Egypt.
 

Egypt 23/1/15
Dearest Muma/ I have
just this moment recvd
your letter with those from
Donald & Gordon, intimating
that you have got the first
batch of my letters posted
at Colombo & have read
them safely, 3 times, tho'
it is Washing Day. I'm 
afraid you did little
washing then. Any how,
I'm glad you got them
& enjoyed their contents
& the children their postcards
& notes. You'll get letters
regularly every week now.
So the sun will shine &
the moon look bright once
more. Goodbye [[?]]
& God Bless you
Father