Lieutenant Colonel William McKenzie, MC, OBE - letters - 1915 - Part 6

4^th Battalion
Egypt
March 26^th 1915
My own Darling Wife
I have just got your
letter dated 23/2/15 which was 30 hours
behind the other mail delivered. It
has evidently been overlooked yesterday.
I also got the 'War Cry' dated July 27
the first for 4 weeks & all by the
'Cry' that you had led on Sunday
at Camberwell & this fact gave
me considerable pleasure I assure
you. I also read with interest the
'puff fan' given you by Mrs McMillan.
After this you should dig in the spurs
& drive ahead. I am quite sure that
you shall have a great time at
the Corps before this year closes.
There is quite a screed from my pen
in that 'War Cry' & it reads pretty
good too. I can quite imagine
the folks being interested in it
as it is quite readable stuff tho
I say it myself. In another lengthy
letter from McMillan, he tells me
that my epistles create considerable interest 

2
I note your remarks re the poor
Belgians, but let me say there
is much attention being given them & many
refugees are having a fair better time than
ever they have had. Many are also turning
professional beggars. It is those remaining
in conquered Belgium that have the trying
time, but when food is given them, Often
the German conquerors steal this away
& the Belgians don't get it. This is
a fact. It is also a fact that thousands 
of Belgian women, including hundreds
of Nuns, are expecting to become
Mothers. thro' the doings of their conquerors.
The proposals made that
all these children shall be destroyed
either before or after birth. When
Germany is entered, the doings of the
Belgians & French in that country
will be terrible, in repayment of what
they have suffered. The worst (by far)
is yet to come when famine faces
them, tens of thousands of British,
French, Belgians & Russian prisoners
will die from starvation in
Germany and Austria. 

3
I hope ere this you have had
a good fall of rain ere this and
that the drought is completely broken, so
that the hearts of the people are cheered
up once more, Qland is evidently doing well
in the seasons as also parts of N.S.W.
Melbourne seems to be the worst in the
unemployment line. I hope it soon passes
away - I guess it will, tho' the winter
may be a bit slack.
I got a 3 page letter from Capt'n E. Hay
so she still owes me another three
to make up the 6 pages she intended
to write. I can guess she was pleased
with the first cards & the Camel photo
No doubt they'll put that picture in
the 'War Cry,' and the "Victory" so my
pictures will pass round once more.
I will be a well advertised man ere
I get back & this should help me some.
I wrote a lengthy letter to the General
& another to the Chief-of-Staff a
couple of weeks ago, then last week
I wrote a report to "Under the Colours"
It will not appear until May number
tho I guess there is a screed in March N^o 

4
I also wrote a report of the
N.Z. tent work to that "Cry", so in
every country I will be much
better known than heretofor.
I likewise wrote a lengthy newsy
letter to Carpenter & Unsworth. You
see I expected to be moving hence my
desire to keep march with the times.
Yes thanks I recvd the book & letter
from Adjt' R. Thompson London, I wrote
& acknowledged them to her. She
I understand has been very sick, laid
up for 3 months - pluerisy or something
of this sort. Unsworth speaks of going
to France to take charge of all Salv
army work there (in connection with the
War, Special efforts) least he says so
tho' he is always going to do something big.
Earls, Lords, Dukes, Princes Kings & Queens
are his common every day experience.
I just got a very lengthy & deeply interesting
epistle from McMillan, he's a gem
to give me the news. this is the only
lengthy epistle within the month.
so between the Commdrs long newsy
letters Mac, Henry & a few others
I manage to get a fair sprinkling
of news concerning the Army in Aust.

5
I hope Don is settling down to his
schooling in good style. I guess he'll
find the French taxing for a few months
but by the end of June he'll be able
to do fairly well on the job. He evidently
likes the school & will apply himself.
Esther Hay tells me that Mavis & Gordon
Hay are great "cobbers" I suppose she
goes up to their house occasionally.
and Gordon will come down to you.
I hope you had a good time with the
H.F. Special 'Joes' at your Corps & got
the crowds along to the meetings.
Esther says it's great to have the McKenzies
at the Corps. No doubt you'll see Mrs
Hay now & again who will visit your
Home League at intervals. While the
Commr is away on tour, I hope
the congresses prove a big success.
He will doubtless have good times in
Perth & Brisbane. I see Knight goes to
the West. He will get a fine reception.
McMillan says Winter's cond^tn is rather
serious & he wont be going on to B'hurst.
He has an undue pressure of blood on
the head as also Bright's Disease. Billie
no doubt will make the most of it,
and hang off as long as possible!
Tho' I hope for his own sake he'll
soon be on top again.
 

6
It was too bad for 'Beauty' to snuff out
like that, the different climates fixed her.
I hope the others lay a bit now, find
them plenty of green grass & try the
price of broom corns it may be much
cheaper than wheat & it is just as good
for fowls, if 6/6 a bushel get it, if
wheat is 7/6 or over. What became of
Mavis' black cat and the Canary?
I am happy to say my work goes on apace
our meetings etc are doing O.K. &
souls are ^now getting saved each week.
I am in Camp & have been out one
night with the boys. this week. A lot
of British troops have just come to join us
& now 7,500 reinforcements have arrived
today so now we have over 40,000 Aust
& 15,000 N. Zealanders in Egypt here.
This makes a fairly large force. We won't
move now for a couple of weeks, so
we will spend Easter here. Things shape
as if we will face the 'Turk' at no distant
date & this will give us experience to face
the Germans later on. We are ready to go.
I must now conclude hoping this will
find you well in every way as also
the children. (We each hugs & Kisses
from Father & accept same yourself.
Give best regards to all enquirers.
May God richly bless you.
Yours as ever
Father
[*PR 84/150(14)
Australian
War Memorial *]
 

Latest   Monday March 29^th 1915 4 pm
Just a line more. We had a funeral
on Satdy morning after which
I journeyed for a couple of
hours thro' the native Quarters
of Cairo. You will no doubt read
about the funeral in the War Cry.
A chap from Crows Nest, Qld
Hartley Pneumonia the cause.
We had successful lantern service
on Satdy. A terrible day on Sunday
The worst sandstorm yet. I had
a trying time at the Church Parade
trying to preach. I lasted 5 mins then.
We had a fine time at night when
I gave "Fits" we finished with 3
seeking salvation. Others signed the
pledge.
We had a review by Sir Ian Hamilton
this morning & marched past. It
was a great sight as we marched
eight deep past the warscarred
hero. He will be the Generalissimo
of this great Mediterranean Force —
4,000 multiplied by one hundred.
You'll read of our doings soon.
Sixty thousand French troops among
them sixty thousand of Terriers & sixty
thousand Aust & N.Z. among them.
Canadians too & others
 

Alexandria Harbour is a very
wonderful sight now with a
great quantity of Transports
& other Aifes. Your papers 
of course will give you
much news.
I am first class in every way,
certainly feeling a wee bit excited
& possess an eager spirit for
the fight.
I must close with warmest love
& for best greetings to all.
May heaven bless & help & keep
you. Hugs & kisses to all.
I am sending a lot more
post cards as also
paper cutting for Donald.
Father
[*PR84
Australian
War Memorial*]

4^th Battalion
Egypt
2/4/1915
My own Darling Girls
Once more I take
up my pencil to write you a few
words informing you of my continued
welfare in Egypt. I went
out to see Green & Martin on Wedy
last the former was down in the
dumps somewhat owing to his
last instructions that he will be
left behind at the one sea base
& cannot get up to the fighting
front he has had his horse taken
from him also, so things are
only middling with him. I have
spent some time hunting up men
about whom their parents or
sisters have written besides visiting
the hospitals for sick.
I had another great concert on
Monday night at least I was
the Chairman of the affair. It
was the most 'homy' yet, as there
were a number of lady performers.
Over 3000 were present & the men
 

2
tore down the mat walls of
the Bungalow to see & hear.
The place looks a wreck now.
It was a phenomenal success.
The men would have me as chairman.
It was a most enthusiastic
'Go' All others are scared to take
the chair when I'm about.
I am sending you a paper
cutting re the concert. Over
2,000 sat around outside &
about 1,200 were inside. Some
of the big officers came up and
congratulated me on the way I
handle the men. One V.C Major
said very few people can do it
like you. A Methody Parson tried
& they howled & clapped him down.
I enclosed a sketch of him
when he was trying, it was funny.
I jumped up immediately, blew a
whistle & there was instant quiet.
I did a quiet chuckle to myself
as the methody was a Colonel.