Thomas Whyte Collection - Wallet 4 - Part 4 of 10

29 
If it is an advance & a red flag 
shows, we cannot move forward until 
steps have been taken to overcome it 
by moving in reinforcements & of course 
this must be done without weakening 
any of the line sufficiently for the 
enemy to ge pierce it.  On Thursday 
& to-day the manoeuvres were carried 
out on a new ground to us, the 
other side of the pyramids. It is 
similar to the cana desert at th on 
this side except that is not quite 
so hilly.  Yesterday we marched in 
going right alongside the Pyramids 
& past Mena House on to the camp road 
or 'Canberra St.' as it sign posts name 
it. 
Next week we have Divisional training 
& then I believe we slacken off a lot. 
We may have a four days bivouac 
like  the 1^st Brigade; but nothing has 
been rumoured about it.  I dont 
think we are likely to move from 
here for some time.  There have been 
three cases altogether of smallpox 
none of them recent but I hardly think 
they would move us until a quarantine 
time had passed from the last case

30 
Wednesday was our leave day 
but all the Brigade had vaccination 
parade.  All who had not taken sufficiently 
to show marks were done a gain.  This 
is not really necessary but they 
evidently were taking no risks. I 
was done again  but up to now there 
have been no signs.  We were the 
last company to go through at about 
3 o'clock.  Poor Harry Nott looked 
quite fed up, he had been at it from 
8 o'clock.  We were then free to go 
to Cairo.  I didn't find anything new 
Several of us had a bonzer dinner 
at the Restaurant Parisien.   We always 
have afternoon tea at Groppi's or Saulto 
two celebrated 'Confiserie Cafes'  I think 
I told you about the wonderful creations 
you select yourself from the glass cases 
before you go into the tables.  Wednesday 
was evidently not reckoned as a holiday 
as we are to get from 10 to 10.30 tomorrow 
Last Post has gone so I may not be able 
to continue until Sunday. 
Saturday afternoon I have not been into 
Cairo after all 'mafeesh filoose', no money, 
or at least not enough to make it 
worth while. I have found from experience

31 
Sunday evening. On Saturday even [[afternoon?]] 
a swim in the baths & then went out 
to the Heliopolis Sporting Club with others 
to get some Crosses. A Lancaster Territorial 
Regiment had lent us 15 sticks so we went 
out to get them. This Regiment the 6^th has 
about 60 Lacrosse players. And Manchester 
is very strong in the game and most of 
the best players enlisted in a bunch 

32 
We got wind of Lacrosse being played in 
Egypt by the notice in a paper of a match. 
We promptly wrote a letter to them asking 
them for a loan of sticks which they were 
kind enough to do.  They were very anxious 
to meet an all Australian team as they 
had practically an all England team. 
We got their letter on Thursday so posted 
a notice in the mess sheds straight away 
calling a meeting to form a 10^th Battalion 
Lacrosse Club.  Fifteen turned up. Captain 
Nott was elected to the chair.  The officers 
elected were Patron Col. Weir (We thought 
about electing Lord Kitchener) President Cap. 
Nott; Vice presidents Major Harcombe & 
Lieut Eric Talbot-Smith (an old player) Captain 
your humble servant Vice Captain Serg Gordon 
Secy & Treas. R H White and the usual 
committee of 5 & a selection committee 
of 3. We arranged a match for to-day
with the 9th (Queensland.) It took 
place this afternoon on a ground alongside 
the train terminus. They were very weak 
but had several Victorians to 
help them. The servers had arranged 
to come out at 3.30 with 9 more 
sticks to make up the 24 needed. They 
did not arrive until after 4 so we started

169 
2.30.  left Mudros Bay  April 24th Sat. 
Imbros Is.   about 8,  just after dark. 
waited for several hours. 
Aboard Foxhound 11.30.  parted 
Ionian midnight 
3.30 got into small boats 

33 
with 7 on our side & 8 on theirs.  We quickly 
threw 6 goals so I got our chaps to hang 
off a bit & give them a chance  At half time 
the scores were 8 - 4.  Before we started 
the rest of the sticks arrived so we both 
had full teams.  We finished at 11 to 1. 
For next Thursday we are trying to arrange 
a match with the Victorians & next 
Saturday the 3^rd Brigade & Manchester 
if we can get leave.  I expect I will 
be very stiff tomorrow but I don't feel 
tired yet.  There was a chap from the 
3^rd came over to see me to-day about 
Lacrosse matters  Incidentally he was 
able to give me some very useful 
information about those commissions. 
He has a friend, a major, attached to 
Divisional Headquarters  The information 
is as follows.  A batch of 42 Australians 
will go to England within a fortnight 
He is one of them  A second batch of about 
double the number a little later & then 
a third.  He is finding out to-morrow 
if our 5 are among any of them.  He 
thinks he remembers Blackburns name 
in the second. 
Our little crowd will be getting smaller 
Phil Robin was appointed a lance corporal

168 
That appears to me a ridiculous thing 
to write.  You have no idea how difficult it 
is to keep up two forms of correspondence 
especially when one is to be censored & the 
other may never reach you.  Well good night. 
Little Girl.  They expect a short land campaign 
on Gallipoli. 
 Your ever loving boy 
Tom. 

34 
in No 4  Platoon Mickey Smith will 
probably be transferred to a position 
on Brigade Headquarters which Lieut 
Holmes got for him recommended him for.  I don't know exactly
what it is but at anyrate he will 
be pleased to get out of Beevors clutch. 
I think you know we arranged to keep 
together & not take any non como position 
but only commissions if offered.  Of 
course this thing the 5 of us put in for 
broke all that up so Phil & Mickey were 
free to put in for their positions. 
  A couple of photos were taken to-day 
& if they are any good I will try & get 
copies for you.  I expect there will be 
plenty in the S.A. papers about the match 
to-day as Rhodes Du Rieu & the others 
have all been writing long accounts of 
it some of which are sure to find their 
way into the papers. 
You will have to be satisfied with a 
short letter this week as there seems 
to be a lack of news & as I want to 
write several more letters to-night. 
Everything is all right darling.  I still 
think of you all day long.  The evenings 
are the best as when I am lying in bed. 
I always smoke a cigarette and think hard of 
you.  Good night my darling angel.  Yours for- 
ever  Tom 

167 
have been as near death as they are ever likely 
to be.  There is nothing to notice in any 
altered demeanor in the men except that they 
seem a bit alter more light hearted.  Of course 
our individual chances fill our minds 
foremost but when they are spoken about 
it is always in a joking spirit.  Personally 
I feel exactly like I used to on the morning 
of any important boat race.  Perhaps when 
we are creeping through the scrub or waiting 
to land the reality of our risk will come home 
to us 
Blackburn & Jose have gone on the battle cruiser. 
Smith is not a scout now but will carry a flag 
to show the men of war where we are.  Fisher will 
be a connecting file so Stokes & I will be the only 
ones of the old half dozen with the Coy. 
It is satisfying to know that Mjr Hurcombe 
will be back in charge of the supports. 
All lights will be out to-night so I will have 
to close this up so as to get make sure of 
getting it in safe hands. 
I wrote you a really (last letter for a while) yesterday 
[*C11.*]  It may only go the same time as this but there 
is always the chance of this not reaching your 


35 
Mena Camp 
Tuesday 
Feb. 23. 14. 

15 
My Darling Little Wife, 
What a day oh what a day. Think, 
10 letters & 7 6  papers to-night!  I can' t realise 
it.  And your wonderful letter  It has 
been well worth waiting a fortnight for 
It is now just after 9 and it has been was 
announced 2 minutes ago that a mail 
is being closed for Australia at 10 - a 
French special I suppose.  So don't expect 
anything much. 
I will have to leave answering your 
letter until later in the week 
The letters were from you, & from Feo, 
Linda, Mother, Jack, Miss Hutchison, 
Frank Gunn, Cecil Oswald & Syd Middleton. 
The papers were 6 Mails from Feo. which came 
altogether, but which he said in his 
letter were posted each week, and a Bulletin 
from someone whose writing I can't recognise 
There are hundreds of Bullys about all 
with that famous cartoon. 
Well to get on to the most exciting 
news.  We are off within a fortnight 
Where to I cant tell.  The Brigadier wouldn't 
say & they evidently want us to believe

166 
at 10 to-night  We all land together in the wee 
sma' oors on a spot near very close to where I have been 
tipping.  The plan as much as we know of it 
& can guess is a marvel of ingenuity & strategy 
I hope to be able to tell you about it in No 20. 
There is no denying the fact that we will be on 
an extremely dangerous job  With great luck 
they may not discover us before morning 
& th Let us hope so.  The knowledge we have 
of the positions of the batteries & trenches 
is remarkable  It fills you with astonishment 
If the men of war settled all the batteries before we 
land it would give away our intentions; so 
we have to settle a few of them with the bayonet 
before dawn.  A Coy being in reserve to the 10^th 
won t see much of this unless the other Coys are 
hard pressed.  We are steaming along at only 
7 or 8 knots. the Brigade boats being in line 
escourted by 1/2 doz O.G. destroyers & the Swiftsure 
They are careful for fear of submarines. 
Y A person dropped on this boat without previous 
knowledge would never hazard a guess that 
by this time to-morrow the passengers would 


36 
it is France but I have my doubts 
The news came yesterday evening. 
Of course there was excitement and 
cheers & bands  The 9^th & 11^th are to go 
Saturday in advance the rest to follow 
within a week or fortnight. There are 
three four places we might go to.  The Persian 
Gulf , Syria or Palestine , France , or England 
I hardly think the former, though we have 
heard nothing from that force for some time 
which must mean that they are not 
strong enough to take Bag dad or dont 
want to , more probably the latter.  Syria 
I hardly think because of something Major 
Brand said when lecturing another company 
the other day.  It was about the recent 
Canal engagement; when we had a 
chance to settle the Turks completely 
but were ordered not to do, for political 
reasons.  I will tell you more about it 
next letter.  France it may be but they 
say we are to be re-equipped which 
could be easier done in England as 
well as transporting us with the others 
To day we have been practising billetting. 
Streets lanes houses shops etc were 
marked out with flags at a suitable 
place near Tigers Tooth and we were

165 
a couch for many a week or so. 
Some more mail came aboard to-day. 
A letter from Ron. Morgan was my 
quota.  I got a great shock to hear read that 
he heard Gordon Campbell was engaged 
The sly beggar.  I wonder if its true? 
I will enclose the letter but I daresay 
you will find it very hard to decipher 
he is such a bad writer.  Ron is one of 
the whitest men I know. 
I will try & add some more to this to-morrow 
& that will be the last in this book.  I am 
taking the first duplicate book with me to 
write on the back of the carbon copies.  I have 
made a little cloth writing case that will fit 
in my haversack without taking up much room 
Saturday afternoon 24^thApr.  Here we are on our 
way to the spot that is going to be a play a large 
factor in the result of the war.  We left Mudros 
Bay at 2.20 & are due at Tenados or Imbros about 
8.  C & B Coys with the regimental scouts were taken 
aboard the Prince of Wales this morning.  The rest 
of the battalion will be transferred to 2 TB.Ds 


37 
marched in.  There was a turnout 
at the alarm and lectures.  It wasnt 
sh  interesting.  We are to get boots & 
deficiencies in equipment to-morrow 
Well I am glad we are to be on the 
move though I should like to see 
more of Egypt.  But we came to fight 
& thats what we all want to do, at 
lease we say so, though personally I 
would jump for joy if peace was 
to be declared to-morrow. 
There is nothing but indignant discussions 
everywhere about Beans letter.  I haven't 
had time to more than glance at 
it.   It is no doubt true in the main 
but told in a way that seems exaggerated. 
No doubt the first outline came 
from Headquarters.  I have had several 
discussions with old soldiers & I think 
I express the general opinion of those 
entitled to compare, that the troops 
behaviour, considering all circumstances, 
is in so better than South Africa & 
might be every easily much worse. 
The temptations are far greater,we have 
been in one place for 11 weeks and 
taking a broad view based on a knowledge 
of human nature things are better

164 
We will be transferred to T B D's & other 
men of war up there somewhere get in 
as close as possible & then into gigs 
to be towed by tugs ashore.  Wont it be 
eerie in the dark creeping towards an enemy. 
What tricks our nerves will play with us. 
and then in the morning with their 
artillery harassing us & its our ships screetch 
guns flying overhead.  I wonder what I 
will feel like.  If we run up against the 
Turks at night it will mean the bayonet 
no firing at night.  Well we are in 
for it so its no good worrying.  If I get 
through alright well & good if not well 
its the Buddhist's Nirvana for me & 
you bear the sorrow.  That's the cruellest 
part of war those that are left.  Still even 
the greatest sorrow heals in time. If it 
didn't what an unlivable world this would 
be.  Here I am indulging in morbid 
thoughts when I ought to be asleep probably 
the last sleep I will get in pyjamas on 


38 
than I expected.  You needn't be frightened 
about contagion.  Any infectious case 
is isolated immediately & we all have 
our own blankets which nobody else 
uses.  Every little while there is what 
we call a short arm parade when the 
doctor examines everyone.  We had 
it at Morphettville :  It is not really 
necessary as anyone who tried to 
escape isolation would soon be 
dealt with by his tent mates. 
I can quite understand the horror with which 
Bean's letter would be read with by 
narrow-minded females , but if they 
only knew of what happens in their 
own country they would get a shock. 
Then a gain these things always read 
much worse in cold print.  Anyway 
I don't think it will have the desired 
effect which evidently is to try & make 
things better with the following contingents. 
They will soon find it is 
exaggerated in the main & there 
they wont believe any of it. 
Now as to the commissions.  We 
feel very wild about Stokes letting 
this be misunderstood all over Adelaide 
though he denied it to-night.