Thomas Whyte Collection - Wallet 1 - Part 8 of 14

C9. 
April 14.15.
My Dear Eileen
Since writing last week an Australian 
Mail has come to hand. I received your letter of March 11.
I am so sorry you didn't receive any letters for 3 weeks
I posted one each week. I had a letter from Campbell &
Jack O'Connell by the same mail. Campbell has written a
letter I have not received.
Chapman has been given a commission in the British Army
He was one of those recommended at Mena & is the only
one in the brigade to get one.
Quite a host of 'Land & Waters' has come along lately. They
are remarkably interesting. I hope you have been able
to get hold of some.
There is just a chance of No 19 reaching you about your
birthday but I cant promise
This will probably reach you on May 24 or  thereabouts
I am sorry I can't offer you a better birthday letter
but I know you will understand.
Nothing further has happened since I last wrote
& things are going on as usual. We are getting our
3 meals a day regularly & some of the benefits of
civilization so I suppose there is nothing to complain
about. To-day we received a very welcome issue of ½ lb
each of Capstan tobacco. I have quite a stock now.
You may possibly receive some photos posted in Adelaide.
Rhodes has sent some films home & asked his people
to post one or two to you. This may possibly be the last
letter for a while so don't be disappointed if a mail
or two misses you. Wishing you many happy returns
of the day With love from Tom.

                                                          11
                                                          Mena Camp
                                                          near Cairo
                                                          Dec 24th 1914
My Dear Little Girl,
It is getting near midnight.
I have been keeping awake purposely
thinking hard of you. It does not
seem a bit like Christmas. The officers
have been having a bit of a shivoo
in their mess tents, a bit of singing
has been going on in some of
the men's tents but otherwise there
is nothing to distinguish it from
any other day. There has only been
the usual amount of leave to-day.
Sports are to be held for the 10th
to-morrow.
This mail business is getting
fearfully serious. The mail
the other day was only a small
one nearly all Queensland & Sydney
letters sent via America to London
& forwarded here with a few English
letters. No mail has come direct
from Australia yet. There is

                                                12
a silver lining to the cloud however
I have just been over to the 3rd Brigade
tent P.O. The two clerks are working
hard sorting a big mail which
we are promised to-morrow.
You can't imagine what a tremendous 
longing I have for a letter
Two months is a long time to be without
any news of you whatever.
Christmas Day 1 am. I have been
thinking hard of you lying in bed
smoking. I have been trying to go
over every incident since that
happy fate first brought us to-gether
Do you remember the Adelaide Station
a certain afternoon in April 1912?
I think it was the reading of that
delightful letter in Sydney with
the '6^o' on the back of the envelope
that settled me finally. I have
been thinking of all those wonderful
trips times in the hills, on the river, on the beach in
the summerhouse in the dining &
breakfast rooms & best of all in
the drawing rooms and those

                                       13
peevish rows dows  we used to have,
which we only had to enjoy the
making up. Oh you were a Penelope
in those days. Still you were
more concerned over a certain
tall lady than you used to admit,
so I had my revenge. I wonder 
if Stewart has been in any of the
fighting in Africa.
I heard some news yesterday that will
interest you. A man in the
Engineers Corps who knows General
Bridges was here seeing Stokes
& Fisher. The general told him
that we would never see any
real action. We might go
to France in the Spring, but
guarding lines of communication
was the most we could hope for.
The troops have improved wonderfully
during the fortnight we have
been here, that is as far as
ceremonial drill is concerned.
We can slope, order & present 
arms as good as regulars, and stand as
stand at ease as the best [steady as the

                                   14
We can slope, order or present
arms with any regulars & as for
steadiness when standing at
ease, you can hardly detect a
movement. In the army this
is always emphasised as a special
point, exactly why, I can't tell.
We had a very interesting three
days this week. We A Company took up a
position which B company had
to attack. We spent two days
on entrenchments & surveying
our position & the third day
B Coy attacked. The first attack
was messed up by both, & the Colonel
who was umpire ordered it
to be done again. This time
we both distinguished ourselves
& got a lot of praise from Colonel
Weir. B Coy were declared the
winners much to our surprise.
Of course sham fights are very
unsatisfactory affairs as good
shooting counts for nothing.
Well I had better go to sleep now
Goodnight sweetheart.

                                       15
Christmas Day I had a most
delightful morning. I skipped
Church parade & got your letter
of Nov 5. You can't imagine how
delightful it was. I have only
read it over 3 times yet, but will
read it through once a day until 
the next arrives. It was wonderful
reading it. I actually cried &
laughed. I felt oh so homesick
the last week, I never wanted you
so much; but the letter made
a wonderful difference after
a bit. I am only looking forward
to the next now. I had one
from mother & Teo too.
I must tell you about to-day.
We had a real blowout for
dinner. Turkey was off but we
had a delicious stew instead.
Cauliflower & potatoes, plum pudding,
canned pears, currant lunch
biscuits and a large bottle
of champagne among 5 of us.
Harry holt gave us the wine

                                     16
as a surprise. There was only
one toast 'Absent friends'
The sports were held this afternoon
but I didn't attend. I went
up the hill near the pyramids
to read your letter again.
I had some afternoon tea
at Mena Cafe with Stokes
and a chap on H.Q. Staff named
Scott-Young. It has been more
like a Sunday than Christmas
Day. I feel very sorry for
Phil. Robin & Micky Smith.
They received no letters. as theirs 
Smiths had his all addressed
to his bank in London &
they have not been forwarded
yet.  Robins' girl is in London
but is coming to Egypt with
her mother.
Later Just received your cable,
You are a darling. You can't
imagine the joy it gave me
I stared at it for a long time
Several of the others got cables

                                     17
too, but I'll bet they didn't get
the enjoyment I did.
I am sorry I have not got my
photo taken yet. The 14/- a week
goes nowhere in Cairo although
everything is so cheap that
is why I suppose. We are to get
our back pay next week so
I will get it taken then.
I wont send you a cable, it will
be too late for Christmas. I don't
know how you feel about it
but I always hate getting presents
even a day before or after       7
the day.
I heard something to-day that
is fairly reliable. We may possibly
be here only until the end of
January & then go to the South
of France to continue our training
We are a long long way from
being fit for the field. It looks
as if we will be doing garrison
duty there etc. to relieve those million
French trained soldiers who are

                                         18
evidently intended for the Spring
movement. The result of the War
looks very rosy. The Germans
are evidently all out. The If they
do not cave in before the
Spring they won't have the ghost
of a hope when the 2 or 3 million
allies reinforcements get to them.
It is practically certain we
will never be anywhere near
the front. They may make
use of the Light Horse for
special work but I will be
very surprised if we ever fire
a shot.
We are to start the double
Company drill on Monday.
This was introduced into the
British army early this year.
It is rather difficult to explain.
There will be the same number
of men in a battalion but
only in 4 companies Each
company has a first & second
in command & is split up into

                                        19
4 platoons with a subaltern to
each. A lot of the non-com. positions
are altered so Jack Gordon may
possibly be reduced to Lance-
Sergeant.  It will take a lot of 
getting into, as it means practically
learning our Company & battalion drill
again.  Keith Green may possibly
get second in command of 
our Company.
I will answer your letter on 
Sunday afternoon. Goodnight
Darling.
Sunday. I am writing this in the
canteen tent. They provide tables
& forms to seat a couple of hundred
so letter writing is so much more
comfortable than in our tents.
It is too hot to go up on the sand
hills. This place is remarkable
for the extremes of temperature
You need all four blankets at
night & look for shade in the
day time.
I have just read your letter for