Thomas Whyte Collection - Wallet 1 - Part 12 of 14

50 
in which I scored well. The third 
was 5 rounds at a head & shoulders 
target 1/2 inch across. You can hardly 
see this at 30 yards but I managed 
to fluke 2 bulls & 3 inners. It took  
the two companies who went out,  
until 6 o'clock to finish, which was 
good going as there were only 24 
targets to fire at. The hours march 
back at dusk was quite pleasant 
A company did pretty well on  
the whole. 
The weeks seem to have altered 
their commencement from Sunday 
to Wednesday, mail receiving day. 
I received your letter of Dec 17 enclos- 
ing a letter from Owen. His was chiefly 
a letter of a private nature( that makes 
you curious). He tried for a vacancy 
in the Light Horse whilst on a 
holiday in Sydney but failed. He 
knew 6 men at Cocos. The one that 
sent out the S.O.S. signals was 
Percy Croft of Adelaide Your letter 
was a dear. You can't imagine

52 
attack being made on Egypt shortly 
or not at all, but what I believe  
is that transport difficulties make 
anything like that quite impossib 
impossible. They would leave their  
lines of communication liable 
to be cut by a small force to say 
nothing of the possibility of an 
army leaving Turkey at the  
present juncture. When Germany's  
spies failed to blow up the canal  
her plans on Egypt were finished. 
Saturday Afternoon What a day was  
yesterday.  The English mail  
arrived with your letters of Nov  
19th & 27th (2) including Mollies,  
one from Linda and a Henley 
programme & results from  Feo.   
There was one from Gay Burns  
first.  I got it just after coming  
in.  I had just opened it & seen  
from whom it had come, when  
someone said, "There's some Adelaide  
nurses."  I looked round & there  
was Gay within 6 yards of me

53 
with two other nurses.  The  
letter was written in the Red  
Sea 4 days previously & posted  
in Alexandria on the 14th when 
the day after the Kyarra got in.  She had 
come up for the day with all  
the other nurses & had come out  
to Mena in the hopes of seeing 
the Gordons & me.  After a chat 
I got Jack Gordon & we went as 
far as the main ground just 
near Mena House.  She said she 
would write to you.  I am enclosing 
her letter as it may interest you. 
When I got back I got your letters 
I can't think how many times 
I have read them over.  If you 
only knew what enjoyment 
I get out of them you would  
never tear any of them up.  Don't 
be worried about them taking 
up too much room, my kit bag 
will hold any amount.  I am 
not sure whether that the last budget accounts 
for all the back letters.  In the

54 
letter of Dec 17 you say  
"I did go to Marjorie Pybus's 
wedding after all"  There is nothing  
apropos of that in any previous 
letter.  The dates however are 
just about consecutive all 
through, so perhaps it does not 
mean anything. 
Kiss Molly for me & tell her I 
will come back as soon as 
I can.  That cutting which says 
the officer's mess is at the 
Mena Hotel, Cairo is funny. 
Headquarters Staff of the Division 
is quartered at Mena House which 
is also the base hospital. 
We have all heard of Snow 
getting 5 years which serves him 
right though I think he must 
have been hard pressed.  We have 
heard of rumours of Kuhuel & 
& von Doussa being in trouble 
I can't understand about Lex He is 
generally very good at answering 
letters.  I have always felt pleased

55 
that I bought that rug  It is because 
you get so much pleasure 
from it.  My handkerchiefs 
are lasting out all right.  you 
are a darling to spend so much 
time on the new ones. 
Thos. Lindsay was brought very 
forcibly to my mind the other 
day.  It is not often I see a 
looking glass but in at the 
photographers I got a shock 
to see how red my embryo 
moustache looked.  I felt delighted 
after the first surprise was over. 
I know you wont believe me so 
I will try & send it to you when 
I shave it off. 
Nothing more to report about 
the commissions.  We have 
heard absolutely nothing, nor 
has the Colonel sent for Smith 
yet. 
Now for a bit of interesting 
news.  Phil. Robin is to be 
married tomorrow.  Phil.

56 
kept it quite to himself but from 
one or two suspicious happenings 
I jumped to conclusions 3 days 
ago & tackled him with it 
When on active service you  
have to get permission from 
h.q. before being married. 
The Colonel was very good 
giving the use of the officers' 
mess for the ceremony & 2 
days leave (all he could.) to 
Phil.  They are being married there 
as it would necessitate a delay 
of 3 weeks if outside the camp. 
Lieut Lance Lewis of the Light Horse 
is to give the bride away & Mickey 
Smith is to be best man.  Only 
Blackburn, Fisher, Jose, Stokes, 
Gordon, Major Beevor, the Colonel, 
Les Canaway in the AMC (Phils 
cousin) & myself are invited. 
Smith has this minute shown 
me a receipt he has written out 
for any money Phil owes him 
as a wedding present.  Phil

57 
had to borrow about a tenner 
as he has not been able to get 
some money he had sent to 
London yet.  It is very kind 
of Smith I think.  We have not 
had time to get Phil. a present 
yet.  Olive Haines may probably 
be bridesmaide  She is a nurse  
on the Kyarra to and may not 
be able to get up tomorrow. 
I don't remember telling you 
the bride's name.  It is 
Honeywill.  They are h.a. people 
& have been travelling in 
England some few years  tho two years. 
I haven't seen her for 3 or 4 
years & have forgotten what 
she looks like.  I will tell you 
all about the wedding tomorrow. 
The company are on leave 
to-day but I did not go in 
to Cairo.  I asked Phil to get 
the photos so they may be 
out in time to post tomorrow 
under separate cover I am

58 
posting you a couple of cuttings 
which may interest you & a 
new view of Cairo.  I don't know 
anything of the part it was taken 
from but it gives you a slight 
idea of the size & style of archi- 
tecture.  There was another cutting 
I have mislaid of Sir Geo. Reids 
farewell letter to the Aus Troops. 
I won't trouble about it as 
it is sure to have been cabled 
in full.  As a letter I have seldom 
read its equal.  It meets every 
every requirement shows the 
utmost tact & not overburdened 
by a word. 
By the bye how do you like 
this idea of carbon letters?  It 
helps me a lot.  There are only 
60 pages in this book. 
Major Brand was talking to us 
the other day in the desert.  Among 
other things he said we were not 
to describe what we were doing 
in the way of drill in our letters

59 
There was no talk of censorship 
at present but if too much inform- 
ation was published in the papers 
the censor would be used.  There 
is nothing significant in it but 
don't wonder if I do not say anything 
much about our work.  We will 
probably be going on a route 
march one day next week.  It is 
only a few minutes before lights 
out so I will say good night darling. 
Every night when I have turned in 
I smoke a cigarette & think hard of 
you.  I don't remember when I have 
gone to sleep without thinking of 
you.  I enjoy that half hour nearly 
as much as receiving letters. 
Sunday Evening What a day! 
Charles Garvice is not in it with 
romance; but before I get on 
to the wedding.  After church parade 
this a.m. we had a review of a 
sort.  General Birdwood & staff 
posted themselves on the way 
down from the sand hill on

60 
which the 3rd Brigade hold their 
church services  We marched 
past in lines of platoons, that 
is about 30 abreast in file.  It was 
not too good the sand being 
difficult to keep a line on. 
We had just time to tidy ourselve 
up before the great event at 
11.30.  Mrs & Miss Honeywill were 
brought out by Lieut Lance Lewis 
& had the use of Major [[B4?]]. tent 
to do any necessary [[?]].  The 
officers mess was set out with 
chairs just like a church. 
Phil had a new tunic & putties 
which gave him a smart 
appearance.  The bride had 
some sort of a grey travelling 
dress with a patent sort of 
tailboard cut very neatly & 
a smart white felt hat cocked 
on one side in French style. 
She is short & slight & not 
bad looking.  Mrs Honeywill 
is a fine sport.  She is only