Papers of Athol Cluny McPherson - Part 11

6OCT 14 35P  VICTORIA     600

Mr Murray McPherson

c/o W Officer Esq J P

Mount Talbot

Via Norodjuha
 

[*Heaps 

of love from

yr loving 

Son

Athol
My Regimental
number is 352*]

[[?]] E Section

Military Camp
Broadmeadows
My Dear Father
Just a few lines to let you know I
am still in the land of the living. We had
rather a lively experience last night, there was
a prisoner in the guard tent & as he was
very violent they tied him down, & when the
other Battalions (the 6th 7th & 8th) heard of it
they came up to release him, the consequence
was that (the 6th we called out with
rifles at about 8.30, however he was let
out about ten oclock & we were allowed
to go to bed. I would have been very
lively if we had to tackle three Battalions
but there was one thing in our favour
we had all the officers with us & the
college line, I always think when it comes
to fighting they wont be far behind. We
had a sham fight yesterday with blank
carriages, it gives one some idea of the
noise of rifle fire. There is some talk of
us going on board next Saturday, they make
out we are waiting for the New Zealanders
Hope you are having a good time I fixed
that Power of Atterney up & gave it to Dick
 

VICTORIA
Mrs M B M McPherson
Clyne Milton
Horsham
 

Military Camp
Broadmeadows
Monday night
My Dearest Mother
Just a few lines to let you know
I am still in the land of the living. Thank
you very much for this writing pad you [[will?]]
notice that this is some of the paper [[?]]
day yesterday, it was very wet & as [[?]]
day, there was no parade, so I [[ask??]]
& got it from 9.30 am to 9.30 at night of course [[?]]
out to Dick. I was sorry Jook never got down but
hope she will come down this week, I told Dick
to write & tell her I would pay her fare down
if she liked to come, I never told him what class
but expect her to come first. I had a bonzer
easy day today, was on Police duty just [[?]]
our line. I dont know yet when we are
going, there is some talk of us going this week
but the general opinion is that we are going
Tuesday (tomorrow week). I believe they
wont let us know (or rather put) the address
on our letters as to where we are, but they
will be pretty clever if they can stop me letting
out as Dick has given me a lot of names
that will represent different places. This paper is
about run out so must close, with heaps of love
to all at home
I remain yr loving son

Athol
 

352

Lieut Barrie 8th Battalion

[[Lou?]] Scottish Birth [[?]]

332204219

3222023301

3334231301

0302423410

3400000010

10 

Miss Grace Sheean

Park View

Bruce Street

Preston

Miss [[?]] 32 [[?]]

[[?]]

[[?]]  

3332204210

3222023301

3334231301

0302423410

3400000010

Alphabet - see original document
 

Wednesday 21^st Left [[?]]

[[?]] a great feud [[?]]

by the people on the Pier

Thursday night saw at

boat [[?]] turned out to 

be a New Zealand  [[?]]

part bound for England

due at Albany the same

time as our boat

Friday had physical

drill including Boxing

& bayonet fighting, saw

a couple of whales spouting

at night in distance

also saw a bonzer shark

that came right under

the boat, the Cruiser

Melbourne passed us going 
as an escort.

Saturday. Physical drill

all day & on guard at

night sea very calm

Sunday Still on Guard

sea moderate, but a bit

of a swell had a song

at night

Monday wrote home

to [[?]] m T Murray

& [[?]] arrived at Albany

about xxxx eight, oclock fifteen

boats (transport) [[?]]
 

the bay raining most

of the morning

Thursday 1  Rained all night

& part of morning

Pulled in towards

the wharf in [[morn?]] &

started [[?]] in Africa

wrote to Jook

[[?]] five [[?]] [[?]]

Wednesday About 40

Boats in the harbour

including four warships

The [[advance?]] or a [[?]] [[?]] on

board in the Afternoon

we pulled out into

the bay & "punctured"

xxx the afternoon

morning [[lectured?]]

in the afternoon

[[On?]] rules in Active

Service very much

off at night

W Thursday had lecture

on rules of war & a

little squad drill. Saw

troops marching near

Albany. Reported that

a S.g Major fell over

board & was lost 

[[?]]to be rushed after
 

The N. Zealand boats

came in in the morning

(Transports) [[?]]. The Ch of [[?]]

Parrou went ashore  &

agreed to get us anything

he got a fair order incl

riding shoes for self

A chop out of [[?]]

taken ashore with a

poisoned hand that

was very serious.

Saturday.  Transports

still busy coaling.

Peason (from our table)

taken ashore with

plurisy & Pneumonia

(discharged) posted

a letter (open) to

Father, we expect to

leave for E about

five tomorrow now

Sunday 1st Sailed from Albany

in the morning. Thirty eight

boats in three lines. Saw a

coaster believed to be "Katoomba"

going [[last?]], had Church service

in morning. Our boat 

"Orvieto" led the procession

in centre. On guard 

at night, rate of travelling
 

very slow, only 44 miles

done in first 5 ½ hours

a "Bulldog Scout" [[out?]]

on each side, back & front

lights all out on deck

at 9.30
Monday Passed Cape

Leuwin at 2 in morning

saw the revolving light

W.A troops joined [[?]]

A big swell on

at night several [[?]]

221 miles

Tuesday A big swell

on innoculated

in the morning no

drill in the afternoon

the W.A Troops joined

us, with a couple of

War ships including

a couple of one Japanese

21.4 miles

Wednesday 4th Nov

Rifle drill both morning & afternoon

Sea fairly calm, Saw

five horse thrown

overboard off the [[Southern?]]

Some of the

troops got paid

heard that there