Mixed papers relating to the service of James William Albert Simpson - Part 9

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wave to us and the men stare and say under their
breaths "All over them." The people of London stare terribly
at the Australians for their uniform is so distinctive. No
one will strike up a conversation because it is not
considered proper unless one is introduced - one might
on the off chance commence a conversation with a
Lord or a "Dook" if he did. I was going to the
Abbey last Sunday but the visit did not come off as
I felt too rotten to go. Well Gra a halt for a while
as time is up - two months of this life will drive me
mad. I am utterly sick of England with nothing to do.
Thursday Night 8 o'clock - I am in bed Gra and expect my masseuse
in any minute but I want to finish your weekly letter to
catch the Mail tonight. Well my dear old girl it is still rotten
being caged in London. I have not been able to go out one night
since I came here except to see myself lying in a deck chair
screened on the pictures and then I came home as soon as the
picture was over. I have certainly been one or two motor
drives but that grows monotonous when one does not
feel fit. Last Saturday Matron, the masseuse two other Officers
and I went to Harefield Hospital where all the Australians
are. We drove through the lovely English lanes for twenty
miles. On the road we passed the famous Harrow
School. When the men of the 13^th heard I was there
quite a number of them came along to see me. It was
interesting to talk to them. Most of them were cracked
 

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on the famous 2^nd of May. I met Colonel Norris and Dr
Rob's best man there! he wished to be remembered to him
so you might tell him when you ring up. Norris wished
to be remembered to Sir - Les Woods is an orderly at the
same Hospital but I did on see him - he was up in
an aeroplane. On the road home we saw about twenty
planes up - one of them travelled over our car along the
road. If my nerves were in good trim, I could easily get
a fly around. On Sunday afternoon two car loads of
us went to Tagg's island - Lady Reid's daughter was
with us. She is some girl, I guess. She answers the door
here and dusts the rooms but she is bubbling over with
fun when Matron is not looking. At Tagg's Island
there was a tremendous crowd - everybody staring
at the "wounded 'eros." One would not think
England was at war to see the gaiety of this scene.
Boats and punts by the hundred on the river -
dozens of small tables under the trees loaded with
afternoon tea and cakes. And my word the girls
dress and look nice. We all had our photos taken
beside one of the House Boats - I shall send you
one when they are completed. I have some
wonderful photos of the Peninsula and my hovels
but it is too risky to send them home by sea
as the mail boat may be torpedoed, etc. Today we
got word from Princess Alice inviting us to
 

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Windsor Castle for afternoon tea on Saturday afternoon
and then to look around the Castle. I am
not going to miss that trip for something. There
are two cars always at the disposal of Officers
to go any trips but we must go alone and
cannot take outsiders. If there is not enough
Officers to fill them the Nurses fill up the
complement. Well Gra my news is a little
scarce this week so I shall have to draw to
a close. Good-night my dear little girl -
oh that it were reality. Best love and kisses for
my own dear little Diddy and yourself from
Your loving husband
Jim.
I am just longing for a letter from Australia
again to hear about you all. Remember me
kindly to Sir, Mr & Mrs Mids, etc. I got a
letter from Alan Hensley yesterday and shall
answer it later.
Jim
 

AUSTRALIAN
AUXILIARY HOSPITAL.
1, Moreton Gardens,
The Boltons, S.W.
28.8.15
Dear Sir,
I have just read through
again your most welcome letter dated
20.5.15. Three months it has been
in reaching me but news has been
most welcome to me while in
Hospital - for ten weeks I heard
nothing from Gra except that I
got a Cable with the two welcome
words "Both well". Well Sir if you
were here I could talk shop, war,
and hospital to you galore but it
is hard for me to settle to writing.
I am feeling much better except
that I have got the use of my
legs back and my left arm is
much stronger. Most of the pain
 

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is in my back and lower part of my
limbs - more on the left side than the
right. I look pretty well but I think
that is due to the way I looked
after myself during the campaign -
I kept away from drink and
women and that is very much
more than many of the Officers can
say. Many of the limbless men
are due to the latter. I am
lucky to be as well as I am and
there is no doubt that Providence
watched very closely over me. I
have been recommended to be returned
to Australia as unfit but please
do not tell dear old Gra - she
has borne up very well during it
all - I can tell by the tone of
her letters. A trip to Australia may
fix me up and I shall soon be
fit again to do my little bit
before this show is over. I would
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persist in Malta that there was not
very much the matter with me but
twelve weeks in hospital has
disproved that - Nearly five weeks
have we been in London and I
have not been able hardly to leave
the Hospital - an occasional Motor
drive - then a couple of days out to it
again. Everybody is very kind but
I know what it means to be "Alone
in London". I received four letters
from Egypt from Gra and it was
most cheering for me to read
about dear little Diddy and his
doings - his birthday also Sir how
very, very kind you had been to
him and to Gra - My one great
wish is that he will always remain
a comfort to you - I just long
to take the two of them into my
arms once again. My poor Colonel
 

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wrote me a long letter this week - he is
greatly upset about our severe losses.
All the Officers of the 13^th Battalion
have been wiped out - of the original
31 who landed not one has been
untouched. We have had three
colonels - three seconds in command
and four Adjutants - but the
Battalion still holds its own. If I
returned now there would hardly be
any of the original men left, just
reinforcements. My Colonel and I are
great friends - he came a hundred
miles to see me in London when
he heard I was here - and stayed
in the hospital two days with me.
There are splendid opportunities for
me if only I were able to get back
to Gallipoli but that cannot be
for a while - You have probably heard
in Australia that the Colonel and
I were again mentioned in despatches -
The news came out in the English
 

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papers about a fortnight ago - it
makes one feel that although there
a short time - we did our little
bit. The War Office rang up
yesterday for particulars about
me as they are going to present
me with the Military Cross while
I am here. Tomorrow we go to
Windsor Castle at the invitation
of Princess Alice - I wish it
were possible for me to see
something of England but that
is not possible at present. We
get invitations to all parts from
perfect strangers to visit the
 

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best homes in the British Isles. I could
have splendid times trout fishing as
the season has just opened. I
saw Doctor Norris and he wished
to be remembered to you - he is
to be a Member of the Board
that I attend. Sir James McColl
is my new physician - he is
very nice - My medical attendants
now number twelve since I left
Gallipoli and each has a
different complaint for me - Small
pieces of bomb are still working
out of my system. My masseuse
is a Miss Gillespie of the flour
mill fame. She was taught by
Jamieson and Henderson at Kings
College Melbourne. her brother went
to Carlton College. Another
Officer whom I met was
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taught by your brother Walter. Well
Sir I suppose you are now thinking
of the Show - Little Did ought to have
the time of his life. I hope you
are feeling much better than when
Gra last wrote and also that
things are going along smoothly at
the School. I am waiting now
to hear the results of the Junior
Exam - we get the Sydney Daily
Telegraph here so the news ought
to soon reach us. I was sorry to
miss the last big scrap on the
peninsula as that was the only
work that had been done there
since I left. It is about time for
the Doctor to make is usual
tour of inspection so I shall
have to close. Give my best
regards to all the lads at the
School - Many, many thanks
 

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once again for all your kindness
to Gra and dear little Diddy
from
Your sincere friend
Jim
 

At Sea
10.6.16.
My dear old Gra,
Once again we are
tossing about on the deep, and I
can tell you it has been some
rough today and yesterday. Some
of the seas are coming right over
the top of the ship. One of the
Sisters and I were walking along
the main deck yesterday evening
and the waves seemed to come
level with the rails, then we
would sail over them. As I
was going along the same deck
to bed a huge sea came over
and, men, blankets and lifebelts
were floating about everywhere.
We are on a very seaworthy boat