Thomas Whyte Collection - Wallet 4 - Part 7 of 10

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The usual weekly mail closed last night
but I didn't write as there was nothing
to say.
I think No 18 would catch the mooltan
arriving in Adelaide about March 24. so
possibly you will get it about the same
time as news of our first engagement comes
through.
I hope you have been able to get a look at
copies of 'Land & Water' They contain are easily the
best articles on the war. Hilla Hilaire Belloc
is recognised as the best writer of strategy
etc the war has produced. Feb 28, Mar 6 & 13
numbers contain articles on the duration of
the war Of course it is quite impossible to give
any definite date but he gives evidence of
several factors that will operate largely in
bringing it to a conclusion in the near future
It is evident from reading Belloc's article
that the Spring forward movement will
not be ready until may. Then again if
the exhaustive tatics of the allies may
still be persued so that the least loss of life
 

59
Friday March 5
Here we are lying at anchor off Lemnos
waiting for Greece to declare war at least
that is the rumour. The harbour is splendid
Half a dozen transports and as many
men of war makes you realise that there
is such a thing as war.
We arrived yesterday evening after a
wonderfully calm voyage.  Yesterday we
passed lots of islands of all of which
seemed uninhabited, some of them only
rocks. As we approached here there were
lots of men of war knocking round us
looking very ghostly in the pale moonlight
with not a light showing. I could can
make out what look like at a couple
of battleships or armoured cruisers, a
destroyer, two torpedo boats & a submarine
They have been nearly all on the move
the only other transport I can recognise
is the Suffolk. Evidently the 3rd Brigade 
was made here. The island from here looks
a mixture of rocks & [[dou]] grassy downs
a village of about 50 houses lies
abreast of us. There is higher land
further back. If the rumour on the
top of the page is true & Greece does not
declare war by tomorrow night we will have

142
& everybody seems thankful to have a chance
of doing something at last nobody talks
as if he was not coming through alright
& all thought conversations touching on
the dangers are jocular. War is a wonderful
thing.
Saturday Still more transports coming in,
some with regulars from India.
It has been rough to-day which may possibly
delay our departure as the men of war may
not have been able to make things ready.
We had a trip out this morning in spite
of our protests that was impposible to make
any headway against the wind. After half
an hour we hadn't cleared the ship so
put back.
It is a great disappointment about this mail
There are only English letters, resorts & parcels
I knew no regular mail was due in
Alexandria until this week but there was
just a chance that other than a mail boat
had been used as I believe they have been
doing in Egypt with mails from Egypt lately
 

60 
to move out I suppose. We have no reliable
news at all. I dont know even if we
we are intended to land here. We don't know
what is in the wind, what the next 24 hours 
will see bring forth. The brigadier went
off in a pinnace this morning to the
flagship. She got  ran aground on a little mud
island much to everyones amusement
& another pinnace had to haul them off
I have an idea Lemnos is mentioned
in ancient Greek history. Wasn't some
naval engagement waged near here?
Nobody seems to know anything about it
Didn't Paul wander round this way too?
It is a great disadvantage not having
any books to refer to. I wish the Adelaide
Public Library was handy
I have been amusing myself by mending
socks & clothes sewing on buttons &
greasing boots. I have had my rifle to
pieces & got all the sand out a job that
took me a couple of hours. Apart from
examination of kit rifles there have been
no parades. There is a great shortage of
books but we manage to fill in time
somehow.
Saturday night Still here I believe Greece has
leased this island to Great Britain.

141
appearance yet. The reinforcements with
a lot of men left in hospital at Mena
were drafted in to-day bringing the battalion
up to full strength
The best news I heard is that No.18 was
fixed up & with an ordinary amount of
luck should go through. Chapman came
back in the Osmanieh that Khedival mail
packet. He rejoins his company as headquarters
staff could not put him on their strength.
The Malda cast off this morning & so far
only 4 bags of mail have been sent here,
mostly English letters & Aust parcels & none
for me.
We were paid £2 each to-day Everybody
was broke including the officers.
It looks as if we were off on Monday.
No one could possibly gather from the
appearance or manner of the men that we
were on the eve of a possible murderous
engagement. Life still goes on the same
 

61
This sounds most likely.
A severely censored mail closed to-day.
We were not allowed to mention anything
about the war where we were or even if
we had left Egypt. I sent you a note
from which you may be able to gather
where we are & that all is well. I also
wrote one to mother & Lex, & a post card to
Linda. I don't know how it is going
back.
The 9th landed to-day They are going to
bivouac for 3 days. The two colonels tossed
up for which battalion was to land & as
usual 'Flossie' lost. We are to go ashore
for exercise every other day I believe.
This is a beautiful harbour, completely
landlocked & evidently very deep & roomy
as there is an armoured cruiser a French
cruiser 3 destroyers 3 submarines & a
torpedo boat besides 7 or 8 transports
Three arrived this morning from England
with some Territorials aboard. I heard
there were some marines also aboard
another transport. One of the men of war
arrived from the Dardanelles to-day
The information comes  passes through several
hands so it is sure to be garbled
The forts seem to be difficult to complete

140
I was speaking to Cap Baker to-night
He used to stay at the Coffee Palace & is
the vet. attached to Brigade Headquarters
He mentioned something about a job
as mounted military policeman but I
thanked him & declined. It might be
a farely safe job but policeman I couldn't
take on. Still I would give alot to be out
of B4 º command.
I finished a most delightful book to-day
'Mightier than the Sword' by Alphonse
Courlander. It is a very human realistic
story of journalism & except for its
fantastic ending is first class.
Well enough for tonight my dear. Goodnight,
Friday
Everything is bustle & excitement
The [[Lonian?]] with the other 3rd brigade 4 boats
are back near their old positions while the
harbour is gradually filling with transports
Practically all the ?? Aust division is here
No Light Horse have or N.Z. have put in an
 

62
capture as the Turks keep bringing up
field guns & preventing any parties landing party
The rumour goes that a force of 500 marines
landed in two parties One was cut up
terribly & only 8 returned This seems to
be the only one of many rumours that
is reliable. Apart from this we have
heard no war news whatever.
It looks to me as if they will make
this a base for an army operating against
the Dardanelles. Whether we will see
any actual fighting or not is hard to
say.
There was one amusing incident when
the 9th were disembarking. The ships
boats were in a leaky condition through
the sun. One started to fill when the
men got in. An officer tried to make
a cheap hero of himself by gesticulating
in the boat & telling the men to keep
calm as everything was alright. The
men were treating it as a joke while
the officer seemed the most excited.
Of course they were all quickly on board
again with nothing more than wet feet.
The weather has been lovely, most
temperate neither [[?]] hot nor cold
There is not the extremes in temperature

139 
Lieut Robley of in charge of the Machine Gun
section is very ill Rheumatic fever &
pneumonia He is a fine chap used to work
in Elder Smiths. That reminds me our
old colour sergeant Oliver (whom Vera
Sewell came down to Morphettville to see)
has had a bad time with asthma. It is
a toss up whether he will be sent back or
not.
We had a trip to the Minerva this afternoon
& went on board.  She is only a small
cruiser with 6 in. guns & quite a contrast
to the 'Liza.
The Canopus did a good bit of work last
night. Captured a steamer flying the American
flag evidently trying to run the blockade. She was
chock a block with ammunition. She is
lying not half a mile from us now.
Loading stores & taking in water has
been going on all day & we are off on
Monday.
 

63
we had at Mena either.
There were are a lot of little towers on both
sides of the harbour we couldn't at first
make out. I find they are windmills of
the Dutch style. There are several hamlets
round about. A bumboat was out
alongside this morning & quickly sold out
of cigarettes, matches, biscuits & walnuts.
They could speak English well, I suppose
most likely they had been sailors.  
We have all been paid 30/- each pay 
how long this is to last us I don't know
I rather like this idea of a diary letter
If I leave a letter until post day I don't seem
to be able to get half the filling. Jotting down
every other day or so, seems to lengthen it
out though it must seem stale reading when
you get it. I have exhausted everything
to-night so I will say goodnight darling.
Oh another thing that is difficult is to
find new love phrases. I dont like repeating
the same old ones. I think I will have to
try & get that book on 'How to write Love Letters'
Sunday night Nothing fresh has happened.
The chief interests of the day seem to be the
various rumours that float round. The
inventive mind of the Australian soldier
is superb. I will give you to-day 'latrinograms'

138
The mob 2 or 3 hundred cut the hoses &
turned them on the police. The police
fired several volleys over their heads but
4 or 5 were hit one fatally I believe.
A Territorial regiment arrived but were
more inclined to join in than disperse
the crowd. They had all melted away
by 8 o'clock. The N.Zers started the fun
but the Australians finished it.
I was tipping something like that to happen
before long with that crowd spoiling
for a fight being kept inactive so long.
The details I heard may be quite wrong
but they sound true. I am glad if those
military police got a touch, they have been
looking for it.
The best news of all is that a mail has
arrived 53 bags but a lot parcels They
are starting on it to-morrow at 6. I may
get my letter in time to reply by the mail
closing to-morrow
 

64
(1) The [[?]] Island is to be a base for 100,000 troops (2) We will
be here from 4 to 6 weeks (3) The force is to be
made up of English Regulars, Territorials
troops from Malta, Marines & the Australian & NZ
Corp. The (4) Lemnos is claimed by both Greece
& Turkey.  G.B. has taken possession at present
& will hand it over to Greece at the end of
the war. (5) Half the 10th is to go for a route
march to-morrow.  (6) The allies troops in
Belgium & France have been driven
back 50 miles. (7) The rumour about the
500 marines is exaggerated.
Whatever is one to do. You can never
trace the origin of these 'officials' The
officers are really worse than the men.
The admiral came aboard for a few
minutes to-day. Who he is I can't say.
There is much more room on board now
the 9th has gone. They have taken all their
tents. This looks as if rumour No 2 is right.
There is no parson on board so no Church
Parade to-day. Disinfecting troop decks instead.
This is because of the presence of some species
of livestock. Luckily I have not been inhabited
yet. I am anxious to get ashore, I scent
pages of descriptive matter or attempts at
it. Oh well another goodnight I suppose
Dear it is getting a long time now

137
Thursday The second reinforcements are here
alright We went aboard one of the transports
to-night She is the smallest a Khedival
Mail Coy liner There are detatchments fro
of all the Aus. battalion 2nd reinforcements
on board the 5 boats now in. This is
some of the news I picked up. Alexandria
is full of transports so all the division including
2nd contingent will be coming here.
There was a bit of a rumpus in Cairo the
other day something that will make the wowsers
secretly rejoice & sermonise Some Maori
was stabbed or robbed in a house in the
Whazi (Bazaar) (a house of ill fame) At about
3 the next afternoon a mob wrecked the
place & burnt the furniture in the street
'Short of wood' yelled someone & down came
a photo yours & mine wardrobe & a piano. They were followed
by ladies (?) knickers etc until quite a large
bonfire was going. The fire brigade
& mounted military police arrived

65
I often feel wild with myself for coming
away. What wouldn't I give for a week
in Adelaide now. It seems so lonely to
me sometimes inspite of all the new
interests, but what must it be to you.
What a score will be mounted for that
reunion. Goodnight Dearest.
Monday night They gave us half an hour to
warning for a mail to-day. I was just
able to scribble a few lines on any MCAP.C.
From it you may gather rumours Nos 1 & 2
A & B Corps went ashore for a route march
to-day I did not go as I was on duty in
a boats crew taking them ashore & bring-
ing them back again. They passed through
two hamlets & were greatly impressed
with the cleanliness & the fertility of the soil
The Greek inhabitants speak Arabic as well
& the troops were greatly surprised to be
greeted with 'Saida' pronounced Say eeda
(Good-day) There are two Arabic words
that will sure to be Australianised when we get
back Saida & Imshi (equivilant to 'get
out') This latter word is used to inferiors
when their presence is not required
A great battleship came in to-day which
some of the sailors said was the 'Queen
Elizabeth' that wonderful new creation

136
of Jack Johnson's defeat. Quite legitimate
I suppose on the ground of fighting.
That snowcapped mountain I mentioned
the other day was on Monday showing white
only in a few ravines. Yesterday morning
it was one glistening mass of white again
We can see it quite distinctly from
out present position.
B4 has had his moustache clipped in
The approved military style you remember
Stewarts) It takes away that greasy Dago
look he had but shows to my idea
a viscious looking mouth. How I loathe
that ass. He is only 32 by an Australian
military book I picked up I thought he
was about 40. Sunday evenings at a
service Col McPhee holds he flashes an
eyeglass. That is the only time it is seen
for very obvious reasons no doubt.
Well it's time I turned in so goodnight
my little girl. 

66
with the 15 inch guns that was able 
to fire on the Dardanelles forts whilst
a mile out of range.
Some Royal Marine Infantry were about
to-day but I did not see them. From
those that were speaking to them I gather
that ramous 1,2,3 & 7 are probably true
some of the marines were (ref) those referred
to in 7.  About 50 had been killed.
I did a bit of washing to-day as I could
got plenty of hot water from the wincher
it was easy work. I have overhauled all
my kit & done all the mending possible.
It seems strange as there is nothing I
can do. It is the first time in my life
I have not had something that wanted
doing. It is a most unsatisfactory feeling
I don't think I will let it occur again.
About the war finishing in May-
I am going to alter my opinion to June
The Spring army will be later getting
to work than I originally thought. The A
sergeant of marines on board to-day
thought it was sure to end by June.
He had been fighting in France before
coming here. He witnessed that famous
charge of the London Scottish but I did
not hear of his comments.

135
She was one of the 1st contingent transports from
Australia.
A barge load of horses was re embarked this
evening. They are wonderful submitting
very patiently to be hauled up like inanimate
cargo. It was very interesting watching them.
You could just imagine them saying
What the  -How the - Where the - as supported
by a broad felt band reaching from their
fore to hind legs they were whirled aloft.
A gentle drop on to the deck a slight pause to
clear the tackle & off they were led to their
stalls, not a murmur nor a shiver just
a querulous gaze around. I have just had
a look at some of them feeding in their stalls
with great gusto & quite at home,
We had a trip early this evening to the shore
& were dug out again at 9.30 to take round
orders & some officers to the 9th landing
The war news to-day says something about
the Bulgar Servian incident being patched
up. Sandwiched in between the Russian
& French communiques is the announcement 

67
I have just finished reading a book
of Warwick Deeping’s ‘The Rust of Rome’
Have you read it? I was neither disappointed
nor enthusiastic. One passage is worth
quoting "And by agnosticism he understood
not that grotesque guy dressed up in misrepresentations 
by theologians & petted with paradoxical
squibs, but a sincerity of mind that comes
from fearless & cleansing thought.'
You needn't read that paragraph out to
the others. I was wandering how you got
on with some paragraphs in my letters;
whether you ever started on some, that to
say the least, would startle the hearers.
I can fancy what mother would look like,
& wouldn't Freda have a lot to say.
What would you do, flee or blush & face
it out. Wouldn't it be terrible ?
It is late now & I have to be at the
Gangway at 6.30 am so once more
Goodnight my little girl.
Wednesday Evening I thought of quite a lot
to write about during the last 48 hours
but most of it seems to have slipped my
memory.
I have struck a bonzer job. You remember
that crew at Adam for rowing the Colonel
around, well it has been called into

134
This morning a C.P.R. boat the Lake Michagan
& a P&O Branch liner flying the Australian
flag came in & took up berths where we were.
Second & 3rd reinforcements are supposed to
be on board.
I haven't decided how I am to get this book
to you. Everything in the shape of diaries is
prohibited from being carried about. I think
the best plan will be to make a parcel of
it & your letters & give them to one of the engineers
to post when he gets an opportunity.
I want to keep your letters but there is too
much chance of losing my kit bag so the
best thing is to post them with this book
Later
I was interrupted by word that a mail was closing
this afternoon at 4 o'clock I hastily wrote.
to Linda mother Lex Tom Freda & your father not
forgetting C8 for you & got them in just in time
Now comes word that the boat that was to take
the mail to Malta is not in harbour.
Part of the 4th Brigade (2nd contingent) is on
those two boats that arrived this morning
the Pera arrived this evening from Alexandra

68 
requisition again for the use of the 
Brigadier Colonel & Staff & the Colonel &
Adjutant It is practically the same.
Rhodes & I are the only oarsmen. The six
others are all men of warsmen. It has
been placed in orders and we are free
from every other duty. That means
We miss parades, guards & fatigues of which
there are plenty. Sergeant Tomlinson is
in charge. We have about 2 trips a day
the rest of the time to ourselves. Yesterday
& today we were ashore for a few hours.
The Greeks come down to the landing place
with their wares in the shape of nuts, oranges
Turkish Delight, cigarettes, milk, honey, butter
& matches. We had quite an amusing
time with them You never saw The such
an assortment of wearing apparel
fustian cap was in great evidence so were
those funny trousers reaching to the knees
with yards & yards of spare cloth between
the legs. Some had primitive rawhide
sandals others old boots. One pair of dapper
American yellow button boots looked very comical
with in conjunction with greenish khaki
puttees with a red border hem and
white striped blue trousers & goatskin
coat, the fur inside & tanned leather outside