Thomas Whyte Collection - Wallet 2 - Part 11 of 12

Reply to. No. 1 Coy
Intermediate Base
England.    

 

Adelaide Y.M.C.A. Army Department
At Lemnos [[?]]

Saturday
March 6  1915

My Dear Eileen

                   There will probably be a mail

going out at 4.30pm, the first chance I

have had of dropping you a line since

No 17, pages 53 to 56. The previous letter to that

was one posted in Alexandria Cairo last Sunday

No 16 pages 40-52. No 17 was posted in Alexandria

on March 1st. From page fifty seven I am

writing you a letter which [[I will]] post when the

opportunity offers.

The censorship is to be very strict I believe

so don't be disappointed if with this short note.

We have not had any war news this month 

and are all wondering how things are going 

especially [Censored]

I am in tip top nick & feeling very well so are

all the others you know.

I wrote a letter to mother & Teo but do not know

whether they they will pass or not

I detest this censorship more than you do. There 

seems nothing you can say. I wrote a letter

to you yesterday but had to tear it up as it

had no chance of passing.

2

I haven't seen Gay for some time but wouldn't

be surprised to run across her in a few weeks

as there is some talk of that lot following [[?]]

taken all through we have had a good time the 

last week. What our job will be there is no

knowing. At present it looks like as if we

would still be doing something similar to

the last 3 months. I can't think of anything

more to say, except goodnight [[?]]

[[Yours truly?]]

Tom

There ought to be another mail within a 
week or two.

Passed Censor

Miss E Champion

'Cartoon'   Omar Place

Unley Park

South Australia

South Australia   Adelaide   26 Apr 15 4.45   

At Lemnos off 

March 18 1915

My Dear Eileen

Everything is going along

smoothly. We are gradually settling down to 

troopship life though it is not the most enjoyable

Heard today we are likely to be here for some time

It is 3 weeks since we have seen a mail but one

is expected daily           [charge

We get a summary of the official war news

each day which serves to keep us slightly in touch

with the world.            [French

I have an idea Gay is here, but exactly where at

I don't know.

Not a sign of the others yet. Rumours say they

have not left [[leave]] the last base yet.

Since the first the last week or so  I have been doing a good deal 

of rowing in ships jigs. Practically the same crew

as at Aden rows the Brigadier round. Its much

more interesting than sloping [[?]] & route marches

I am up to page 92 in the book, but what chance there

is of posting I can't even guess.

You might ask Tom to ring up Rev F.H. Stokes & give him

what information you have gathered.

I am afraid you will have to wait for any news

until there is a chance of sending those carbon

pages.

19/3/15                            2

Friday A library was opened to-day. The crew being

off duty, owing to a trip ashore last night,

I was able to read one of McCutcheons novels

'Nedra' The finish is most perplexing. I didn't

know whether to feel disgusted or pleased. But

I expect you have read it.

Up to page 96 with only 4 to go to complete the book

I haven't another so will have to fall back

on odd scraps of paper.

How I long for a letter. It seems worse than

that 3 weeks at Mena.

The last couple of weeks has been quite  civilized

actually, sleeping in pyjamas on a smoking

room couch. The pattern of the saddleback

seems to me exactly the same as Tom's & Freda's

I have the use of a very nice marble topped

card table to do any writing. How long it

will last I cant say.

Fisher has been down with tonsolitis but

all the others are well.

They are very strict on the censoring

It is only owing to Cap Green's kindness I have

been able to send more than one page.

They have service postcards printed with

phrases like  'I am well'  'I am in hospital'

'I am wounded'. You cross out what is

not wanted. Not sure if 'I am dead' is

on them.

Old B4 is still the most disliked in

the whole battalion even among the officers

I think. I always feel like punching his

bald greasy countenance whenever I see it

The food has been a lot better the last

couple of days since we have had our

own cooks in the galley.

I can't think of any more to say so

goodnight

Yours ever

Tom

Love to all.

PASSED BY CENSOR

Miss E. W. Champion

No an 18

'Cartoon' Omar Place

Unley Park

South Australia

SOUTH AUSTRALIA

ADELAIDE 

8 MAY 15 7-PM

ha mi lt on i s i n

charge

the French [[?]] leave

na first

      Adelaide Y.M.C.A. Army Department

Reply to                                                       C6.       3rd Brigade forming

T A Whyte                                                       covering party for

No 47 A Coy.                                                    landing three weeks

3rd Brigade                                                            

1st Australian Division                                                   Friday

England                                                                                 March 26 - 15

Intermediate Base
 

Dear Eileen

                      A mail is leaving today for Egypt, M

but I dont think there is a connecting one 

at Port Said next week for Australia; however

I don't like to miss a chance. I was able to

get No 18 cor covering from March 3rd to

March 22nd (p.p. 40 - 100.) off on the latter date.

C5 went with it partly explanitory. There

is just a chance of it getting through. for

There is some talk of us landing here

for a while. A spell ashore would be pleasant.

It is well over three weeks since we had a 

mail. I heard the reason was that the

Egyptian authorities did not want to take

any chances of betraying our position.

However I believe we will have one in

a weeks time as I heard Gen. Birdwood

had cabled.

No sign of Gay yet. Everything is going

along well. I think we are in  for a good 

time.         With Love

                                       Tom

here for a month

I think 

waiting for 

a hundred thousands

troops

hamilton is in charge

the French leave first

leave first

3rd Brigade

forming covering

party for landing 

three weeks

 

PASSED BY CENSOR

[[?]] 26

Miss E.W Champion

'Cartoon' Omar Place

Unley Park

South Australia

 SOUTH AUSTRALIA

ADELAIDE 

8 May. 15. 7-PM