Thomas Whyte Collection - Wallet 4 - Part 6 of 10

153 
We have been told quite a lot about our 
plan of attack etc. but it is not advisable 
to commit any of it to paper.  I was right 
in what I said on page 40 about B4. 
More than this I cannot tell you just now. 
The 'Cecilia' an army hospital ship is lying 
quite close to us.  Australian nurses of the 
1st Stationary Hospital are onboard.  When 
alongside the other day I made enquiries 
about Gay Burns but she is not theres. 
Last night & this morning we have had 
rows to the Malda at the other extreme 
end of the harbour about 4 miles.  Luckily 
it was dead calm. 
The harbour was a beautiful sight last 
night.  With only the men of war in darkness 
& the lighted portholes of the transports 
showing reflections in the dead calm water 
you can imagine what a sight it was. 
You lose all sense of proportion of the size 
of ships with these great 15000 tonners 
kicking around.  Even the Ionian, 9000 tons 
looks small beside them & yet she is 
2000 tons larger than the Kyarra or Kanowna.

49 
The British forces pumped water from  
the canal into the low lying ground shown in  
sketch as A&B (shaded) rendering attack  
on Kantara only possible where our forces  
were most strongly entrenched Y-Z. 
The first attack took place at 3.26am but  
was easily repulsed. At exactly the same  
time a Turkish force of unknown  
strength advanced right up to the canal  
to a point marked X between Ismailia
 & Toussum & launched galvanized iron  
boats. The fighting at this point was very  
fierce for a time but in the end the  
enemy were repulsed (this is evidently  
where that strategy described in a previous  
letter was shown by our forces). 
Had they brought forward their 25000  
troops in reserve about 6 miles away  
the issue may have been different. 
There is some who believe the reserve  
refused to go forward. 
The boats were used by the Turks had  
been dragged across the Sinai Desert  
on sledges by relays of men. 
Wonders will never cease. The second  
lot of 'wasters' were to have embarked  
a week a go but the boat was not  
ready. The were all sent to Abbassia 

152 
Sunday Apr 18 
I feel mad with myself for missing that golden 
opportunity of sending you this book.  The Osmanieh 
was going back to Alexandria with kitbags, 
sick etc. Chapman went with her as also did 
Lieut Robley who is going back to Australia. 
Chapman had left the Ionian 10 minutes 
before I heard & the boat was gone the 
next morning.  I will have to wait & chance 
an engineer friend on the boat though perhaps 
it may be months before he gets a chance 
to post it. 
Although we seem to be nearer departing since 
I last wrote we really have no definite knowledge 
of when we leave.  It is 7 weeks to-day since 
we left Mena so to-morrow we will have 
been 49 days on the Ionian exactly as long 
as we were on the Ascanius.. 
Time has passed much the same the last  
few days as before.  Yesterday evening we  
moved right out near the mouth of the  
Bay.  The harbour seems nearly full.  There must  
be close on 100 transports, supply ships & men of war  
 

50 
3 or 4 days ago & placed under watch  
there. Half an hour ago Scotty turned  
up here & made straight for Major  
Hurcombe who has promised to do  
his best for him. He only heard yesterday  
we were to move soon. However he broke  
away goodness only knows.  
'Ah thought Ah wud be able to kill a  
few more Germans if Ah wint wi this  
force insted of ha'ing to gaw to Australia  
& back' he explained to the Major.  
What a character he is. 
We are still in the dark as to our  
destination or actual date of departure.  
Since writing on Tuesday the war news  
unfolds yet another likely objective. 
I'm in Constantinople. If the Allies  
intentions are serious & a Russian  
attack is really intended on the   
Dardanelles an Australian landing  
party from the side would possibly  
be a help. Still what's the use of  
all this surmising.  You will know  
long before this reaches you I expect. 
A&B Coy did all the Divisional guards  
& fatigues instead of the 9th Battalion  
for the 24 hours commencing 5pm  
yesterday. I caught an easy guard. 

151 
Had quite a hard day to-day.  Went ashore 
this morning & been round to several 
boats this afternoon & across to the Malda after 
tea.  We have practically been at it all day. 
When the wind is favourable we use a sail 
in the boat.  Black kit bags had to be handed 
in to-day.  I think they will be sent to 
Egypt where our base will be for the 
present instead of here.  Water & landing 
difficulties decided against Lemnos I believe. 
If we make sufficient progress in Turkey 
I expect the base would be moved to there. 
I put all your letters in my kit bag.  There 
is plenty of room there & the opportunity of 
reading them over again on the way home 
is worth all the risk of losing my bag. 
Well here we are no ‘forrader' than when I 
started No 19.  Oh I wish it was all over & 
I could be with you on May 24th.  Still what's  
the use of wishing for the moon. I am just 
going to finish up with Goodnight my Darling.
 

51 
on the 'Strand', the shops at  
the back of the lines, from 'Retreat'  
to 'Reveille' only so I have had  
most of to-day to myself. There is  
great activity, preparation to striking  
Camp. I believe we are taking our  
tents with us. There has been fresh  
issue of nearly all clothes. I believe  
we are to get caps the same as the  
second contingent. I have 4 pairs  
of boots now which I managed to get  
by gentle engineering. The ones  
I had at Morphettville are as good  
as new in spite of two being twice  
soled. It will be a job to pack my  
kit bag. Four shirts, two cap comfortors
1 dz Hkchfs. 2 singlets lined with wool  
6 pairs of socks and everything else  
issued. 
There doesn't seem to be much fresh  
in war news. The Russian retirement  
out of East Prussia was expected  
a month  ago in highest military  
circles. I am enclosing a cutting  
that may interest you. 
We are going on leave to-morrow  
Sunday. We are off at 7pm tonight march to Cairo 
entrain at 11 & reach Alexandria early. 

150 
A few more ships have arrived & we are all ready 
for departure but nothing seems to be known 
of when we are to be off. 
Wednesday An opportunity offers so Goodbye for 
the present. 
Yours ever 
Tom. 
  
Wednesday Evening Apr 14 
I missed the opportunity mentioned above but 
may just possibly get another better one to-morrow. 
I missed the last by 10 minutes so you can 
imagine how disappointed I am. 
A mail closed to-day so I wrote you a short  
note C9.  There was nothing to say so I am afraid 
you will be disappointed at your birthday letter 
for it ought to reach you about May 23.  I only 
hope this reaches you at the same time. 
I am so sorry I shall not be there.  I thought I 
would sure to have been,  last October.  This war 
seems to be proceeding very slowly.  Still I think 
it much better that the Allies evident purpose, 
of making it a war of attrition & saving thousands 
of lives is worth all the waiting. 
An English mail arrived yesterday & Fisher got  
two copies of Land & Water.  The articles are 
very interesting. 
We have not been kicked out of the 9th Orderly 
Room yet though it may happen to-morrow. 
 

52 
to-morrow morning. The 10th are embarking  
on the 'Ionian' destination unknown.   
We had our leave yesterday. We managed  
to get up a team to play the Englishmen.  
Some of the best players could not go  
& their places had to be taken by 5 very  
raw mugs. I suppose I will have to blame  
them for our horrible licking of 20 to 6. 
The Terriers  played a very fine game  
& I can quite believe they would beat  
any team left in England.  I was selected  
as captain. The Terriers had the advantage  
of us having had plenty of practice at there  
own sticks. Our passing was very erratic. 
I managed to get 3 of the 6 goals. In  
the evening several of us dined at  
the Restaurant Parisian and after  
a short wander around came home.  
We struck tents at 6.30 this morning  
& have been straightening the place up  
since. It will take us all day so I 
won't have time to write anymore.  
I hope we get our mail this week  
before leavingleavin. It is quite likely we  
won't leave Alexandria for a week as  
I believe the whole division is to go .  
They are calling me. Good bye for the present darling.  
Remember every week parted will make the reunion 
more wonderful. Your loving husband Tom. 

149 
a fire control station.  The usual practise is to 
control the guns from an observation point some 
distance from the fort both on account of better 
security & so that the dust raised by the shells that 
hit will not affect the sighting.  The first shell from 
the 'Liza took off the roof, the second the top storey 
& the 3rd left debris only.  The forts replied but 
the shells fell very short.  "Actually under fire"  
Flossie said when he got back. 
Chapman has been given a Commission in the  
British Army & attached to Lieut Colonel Wyly of the  
Intelligence Corps.  A portion of this corps is attached 
to the A & NZ Army Corps.  I am sure no one will  
grudge Chapman the honour, he well deserves it. 
A great joke was played on Crowhurst last night. 
He got a  Registered parcel containing a pair of socks & mittens 
on which 1/4 had been paid in stamps.  A false 
registration book was rigged up & he was asked 
to pay 1/3 surcharge.  He was in a great state holding 
forth much to our amusement as he is rather a 
hard case.  Just as he was left had made up his mind to  
enter a complaint to the colonel we gave him 
back his 1/3. 
 

53 
Alexandria  
March 1st 
No 17 

My Own Little Girl 
It is now 5pm & we are likely to  
pull off at any time. I posted No 16 from  
Cairo but as late orders came out that all  
letters were to be censored it may have  
been held up on that account. I sent  
you a postcard to this effect. 
We left Mena at 8 oclock last night marching  
into Cairo where we waited for a couple  
of hours in the square of the Kasr el Nil 
barracks at present occupied by a regiment  
of Lancaster Terriers. Although it was 11 when we  
arrived they were kind enough to open  
their canteen & we soon bought them out  
of pudding, bread & cheese, cold meats, tea  
etc. The march from there to the railway  
station (central) was about 1 1/2 miles. 
The roads all the way were po tarred macad. 
& played up with our feet a little, after being  
used so much to sand. None of them seem  
to be sore to-day. We had a slow train  
journey of about 5 hours which landed us  
in Alexandria at 8 this morning. 
I was sorry the journey was mostly in  
the dark as I would very much liked to  
have seen a bit of the Delta as it was

148 
What a goat I am when I said I hadn't received 
the flannels I got the idea into my head it  
was body belts.  Of course I received the monogrammed 
knitted flannels.  By the way isn't that rather 
a confusing misnomer. 
Feb 19 is quite a remarkable date.  It is the 
day the Australian contingent to New Guinea 
landed back in Australia, the day we became 
full blown soldiers after our 6 months service, 
the date of the first bombardment of the 
Dardanelles & notable for another event you 
probably remember. 
Tuesday.  I am afraid our reign in the 9th Orderly Room is 
to end.  An officer came in last night & said it was 
wanted for regimental duties so we will probably have 
to go out to-day. 
Yesterday the Queen Elizabeth did a trial run to the Dardanelles. 
Her engines have ben fixed up properly & the 15" shells have 
arrived.  All the colonels & staff of the 3rd Brigade were taken  
up for a recconoitre.  I heard they had quite an exciting 
time for the colonel at any rate.  Our Flossie was 
in a great state of excitement when he came back. 
There was an unsuspicious looking white house on a 
hill half a mile from one of the ports.  I appears they have 
just tumbled to the fact that it was being used as 
 

54 
we saw quite a lot this morning. 
Vivid green everywhere.  What intense  
cultivators the Egyptians are. Every square 
yard seems to be utilised.  They don't waste 
ground on fences not even round their 
cemeteries which have no dividing line 
between them & the fields. The villages are 
much the same as near Cairo. Mud shacks 
with an appearance of being all joined together 
with no system or method whatever.  The ones 
we saw this morning were lower roofed than 
near Cairo, smaller & with frequent domes. 
It is not hard to imagine how Egypt supports 
22 million people. I don't think you could ever 
be out of sight of one of these villages in any 
part of the valley. I have heard a yarn that 
Lord Kitchener while a captain in the Egyptian 
Army disappeared for 3 years.  He spent it  
'doing' Egypt as a native.  If it is true what 
a wonderful story he could tell. 
The Ionian is not a large boat, about 6000 tons 
I think an Allan liner from the American trade. 
She has just come from India.  Some shells 
she brought that need refilling as well as other 
cargo for England has been landed here. 
There were large quantities of firewood waiting 
to be loaded when we arrived.  These two  
circumstances obviously prove we are  
 

147 
Rifle Club with Noel Webb as chief coach. 
Nobody seems to want to be left out in the 
cold. 
We have had great laughs over those letters 
of Corporal Mitchell to Lady Brown that 
have appeared in the 'Mail'.  The last 
has been posted up while & crowds have  
listened & roared while somebody has read the 
ridiculous lies out.  He is getting a 
fearful time but is the sort of complacent 
fool that ridicule doesn't trouble. 
Still some troopships arriving.  The latest 
rumour is that we start Wednesday morning 
weather permitting.  I must not say too much 
about our movements now. 
We had a view of a seaplane in flight 
this afternoon.  I didn't tell you that the 
mother ship of with 21 seaplanes has been 
in harbour several days.  There are all 
sorts of troops here but I must not detail 
them because etc. 
 

55 
not going to Europe.  Firewood would only be  
loaded in a desert.  The general opinion now 
is Alexandrietta or Jaffa to cut up the railway 
so as to successfully prevent any raid on 
Egypt for some time. 
The accommodation is not quite as good as on 
the Ascanius but as it will only be a 3 or 4 
days trip we won't notice it.  The 10th & 9th 
with Brigade Headquarters staff are on board. 
This morning while waiting for our time to  
go on board (11.30) Smith Jose Fisher & I did  
a slope to the city.  We drove about the narrow 
stone paved streets for a while & then pulled 
up at a fine hotel in the European quarter 
We had a magnificcent feed of ham & eggs 
& coffee & came back without being missed. 
Alexandria is different to Cairo.  There is 
a much greater number of Europeans (mostly Dagos) 
about.  The streets we went through had all 
a similar appearance being both a closer 
mixture of Eastern & Western than Cairo. 
There they are nearly all distinct.  Of course  
we only had time to see very little. 
The harbour is full of shipping & a lot of  
likely looking transports are about. We will 
probably pull out to-night into the stream. 
Goodness knows when you will hear 
from me [[again]] . I havent the slightest 
 

146 
after they are due.  I hope they do arrive as 
they will be very useful.  Lots of the chaps 
have been getting socks posted to them. 
Though I have plenty at present they are 
a pair would probably be useful presently 
as one kn never knows when the black 
kitsbags will be getatable. 
Jones had a letter from Barry Muirhead. 
You will remember him, he is engaged 
to Cassie Butler.  After mentioning that 
the Adelaide R C had 43 enlisted to date 
& talking about a lot of fellows eligible 
for the front joining rifle clubs etc. 
he adds 'So you see we are all intensely 
patriotic & do our duty nobly (& safely). 
We seem all mean enough to deride the 
stay at home soldiers.  You always hear 
a jeer of disgust when somebody reads out 
that so & so has joined a rifle club or 
the Local Light Horse.  How we did laugh 
over the photo in the Observer of the Ladies 
 

56 
idea of what the mail arrangements will 
bea.  We may be only there a few days or we 
may be there a month. I hardly think we 
will see any fighting.  We will be well above 
the Turkish landing army. If they met 
us I hardly think they would fight. They 
must be in a most deplorable condition. 
The state of the prisoners in Cairo could 
hardly be worse whatever must their 
state now be. 
I have joined a cable league.  Anything 
interesting is cabled to Fordham the broker 
in Adelaide who sends postcards out to about 
a dozen of our fellows people.  Your name 
has just been added to the list, at least 
he was informed last mail.  I only heard  
about it yesterday Saturday or I would have 
joined before.  A cable was then sent 'Leaving 
all well' as much as the censor would allow. 
In case of anything serious a private direct 
cable would be sent. Fordham has the 
shortest cable address & the best means of 
informing those in the 'ring'. 
It is getting late now & I think I had better close 
so as not to miss any chance of posting.  I will 
try & send a series of postcards of the "Book of  
the Dead" the Egyptian Bible at the same time. 
The only thing I feel concerned about is that I 
don't know when [I'll] get another letter from you. 
[[Goodnight?]] my Darling [[?]] 

145 
Sunday April 11.  A mail to-day from Australia. 
It must have come by a transport 
that left Egypt late Wednesday of Thursday. 
I feel so very sorry at you not getting my 
any letters for 3 weeks.  I didn't miss a mail 
in Egypt & can't understand it. 
Your letter was the one covering from Feb 8 
until March 11.  There was one from Campbell 
& Jack O'Connell.  Campbell had evidently written 
me a letter I didn't receive explaining the 
missed Xmas present.  He mentioned he 
hadn't seen you for some time.  You know 
that pretty girl in O'Hallorans office 
Iris Fisher she used to come down to the 
rowing at the Port.  Well I used to tease 
Campbell about her.  I think he is struck 
from something he says in his letter. 
The photo I sent him was battered about 
in the face.  He remarks that my representation 
is evidently not as hard as the original. 
I haven't received the woollen flannels 
but that is not strange as parcels have 
a habit of turning up a month or so

57 
This [&] following letters received after 
25 April 
No18 
22 
  
My Dear Little Wife
H.M.S. Ionian 
Wednesday March 3. 1915 
It is difficult to know what to do about 
letters now.  They will all be censored & just what 
we will be allowed to say I don't know.  I loathe 
writing letters for the censor more than you 
do.  There always seems to be nothing to say. 
I think I will fill in everything I can in 
this letter from time to time & have it posted  
at the first opportunity uncensored. 
Well we found out yesterday we are bound 
for Lemnos an island 60 miles from 
the Dardenelles.  Apart from hearing it 
is a Greek possesion (doubtful) of with 
13000 inhabitants mostly Greek, I know 
absolutely nothing more. 
We left Alexandria at midday yesterday. 
I believe we should have left before but 
they did not finish taking all the wood aboard. 
We are not accompanied by any other boats. 
She is an awful tub of a boat & pretty dirty. 
I believe she had been transporting Indian 
troops & landed some at Port Said before coming 
on to Alexandria.  The accommodation is very 
limited & the food is not as varied as the  
Accanius  but plentiful.  There are no

144 
no possible.  The greatest ?? successes so far 
(factors that will loom large in determining 
a successful issue) are the Allies superiority 
in artillery & aircraft; the former depending 
on the latter to a large extent.  From Belloes 
articles you will easily be able to understand 
why.  No less interesting are Jane's naval 
contributions & Col Maudes' on Engineering 
problems, especially the last two or 3 concerning 
the Dardanelles. 
Nobody seems to have any idea as to our 
method of attack.  It may be at the isthmus 
of the Gallipoli Peninsula (Bulair) either from the 
Sea of Xeros (Saros) or the Dardanelles, it may be 
lower down on the Peninsula or on the 
Asia Minor coast & just possible at Smyrna 
unless some other body has that job. 
We don't know how things are going in 
the Dardanelles not even if there has been 
any fighting there at all recently.
 

58 
hammocks which is a blessing as 
they are a nuisance.  We are allowed 
nearly everywhere & I have had a good position 
on the boat deck to sleep in the two nights. 
There are an insufficiant number of 
mess tables to go round so some have 
to eat their meals sitting on their kit bags. 
Nobody grumbles for a wonder.  Not  
that it would do any good but soldiers 
always grumble even when they are 
well treated.  It is only until to-morrow 
though, so it won't be as bad as it might. 
We have a great pontoon on board with 
a stern that drops like a tailboard 
for landing horses so we evidently won't 
land at a wharf.  Exactly what we will 
do I can't tell.  The only think I can guess 
is that Lemnos will be a base for 
operations against the Dardenelles. 
We may be there all the time & never see 
the Turks. 
When leaving Alexandria we passed the 'North 
Carolina' an ‘U.S.A.’ cruiser.  Their band 
played the National Anthem.  The decks 
were lined & they gave cheer after cheer 
& dipped their flag while we replied. 
The sea have been very calm & the boat 
hardly rocks.