Letters of Athol Cluny McPherson, January to March 1915 - Part 7

3
He reckoned that it was the fault of the air craft
that they never got a shot as it scattered the
camels in all directions, they (the 8^th) were
in trenches that two men were killed & fourty
wounded (the night before), so they were near enough without
being in it, Pebble Wallais was telling me
that they get a bar for it. moloney considers
the real Turk a splendid type of a soldier her
says that he is small alongside most of them
& that they are as well equipped as we are
Young Wallis was saying that the Indians are
great sentries, they never take their eyes off
a prisoner & if he tries to escape his fate
is sealed. We have a full holiday once
a week now & only have church Parade on
Sundays. We have a fellow in our tent
from Ararat named Vauslon Vauston, he is
a school teacher & seems to be a tiptop fellow
He came here as a Sergeant but was reduced
by McCay as he said all appointments had to
come through him, but I believe he is going
so get the stripes back in a day or two
we all hope he does as he will be our
Sergeant, I believe [[?]] who is our
Sergeant is going home as he is crook
 

4
with rheumatism, - Vanston knows Frank Welb
or “Flaky” as he calls him. I believe Gerald
Ryan is out in the can near Cairo, he is
a dairy wherever he is. Well Joats I want
so write to mother by this mail so must close
I hope “Plucks” Eczema will soon be alright
again. Please remember me to all
Horsham friends including Bevs ,Grays, Renniss
Mrs Rathy & Billy also old Billy Smith & his Wife
when you see them. Kind Regards to Miss
Jenkins & heaps of love so all at home
including Marion.
I remain
Ever yr loving Brother
Athol C. McPherson
P.S. Please give my kind regards to Mr
Hackett & the girls when you see them
A.C.McP.
Hope Fred & Ally won at Murtoa.
 

teie lang
Egypt 20th1
My Dear Red
I was pleaser to receive both yours
Mothers letters last night & to hear all was
aviy well at home. What a rain that mst
Ohdie been in Harshaw, it would be worthy of tha
memorable night that McColl lectured in Horthau
it would have been very nec if it had come
in the middle of shripping, as it would have
been in an ordinary season it mst have been
very pately as you never got any at home,
I hope you & clley have the tilck to were as
Mustor this year, you ought to have plenty
of time to bractece mote bick, with no lawer
fo take off, it seems fins to be finished striping
before Christmas, let us hope you will have ad
eight was wverage next year, it is sure to be
a good price. I havent seen any of the
Horshan fellows lately to pleek to saw Hard
Srith yesterday euening, he was in charge of
The 8th Batation quarter Guard, but as are
we all at attention we contant speak
to each other, according to what I
heard the day that I was dout
 

at their camg young Fusz must be a real young acountree
I believe on fellow (Gie arnost) lost four founds out of his
eto they were all very suspicous about a youg fe
I often wish I was
very dark & fond of using his lands.
in the 8t Battalion with are the Horsham sellows
but as sut got to know all the fillows here o le stil
to them, if ever I do get a transfer it will be to
the et. W. Light Horse, that colonel Autill is in charge
of, but the Chauces are we will never be at thhe same
place together + thew it would be doubtful y they would
have a fellow that had no traning with them as they
want to know a but about it before going intoaction
I saw Symons again this evening, he is suffering from
a tlork: c I has gove qute dest ie it. thes loue
mack fold hire that he contant to anghing tor
hive, I wouldnt say anything about it to Mr Symon
Edont make too beg a mouth ful of it) as he might not
have mentioned it, hes abught otherwise t goes
+ out on the march with uh every day. Eaptain
Haker is in charge of us now with Captain
greas second in command, as I think
 

I told you befored 6 + I cos are joied now
& make one Col, as about 250, I was sorry we
never joied with o Coy as we all reckon tapt
Carter is the lust of the lot I looks after tis
men will, besises being a good officiy osead
of addressing letters to C loy now, my address is to
of Cloy but of course I always get them
the same addressed to C. but its just as well
to address to C as there is no Enow Cloy is
near enough without any section. D just got
as far as thio when one of my Heut makes brought
down two letters one from Father & the otherfrom
Jook I was delighted to get them & will
answer them as soon as possible, of course
they came by the same mail as the ta
Mothers & Yours but they often take two
In to sorrey to
days to bost them here.
hear about yun Pray, I thik the best shin
he could do would be to go to the front, be
would at least be out of the way for a while
&wee very torry for Mr TMrs Fray Fetell espe
-ially Mr G. Febill ao they mush have to key
such a lot from Mrs Tray although is wa
dead funny for Shirlock Holmes Aryny
 

to do as lut o detictive work in a motoecart I wonder
what he said? & wife also terry to hear Mr Hackett had
been cinwell + hope he it aleight again now. Ofare give
my very kind regards to b whiles next you bee ruce &
Ill most likely
hope connie to keeping alright now
send the Phots of the Plyraveds this mail, also the Chocolan
I hope they both arrive alright you caw give the Hackess
thate of it I know marion & cohme dolt te chocotat
We go for some bonger marches now our over the desirt
w ever marched right avoos yet, of course it is a save
distance about 2000 miles, we are gitting quire used to sand
oree always lns going to lable some but a shilliug a day
docent secut to go very far, but is does a person good to
have to do on a uistle money of every body was honest &
Ld never be short, but a fellow is always buying some the
that some fellowqucted, there are some awful rogues
in this eac. Will tss y I dont think there is
wythg ilse to say + as i goig to write me
of the arhers this week IWclose, please excure all the
Ferarches + mirtakes.. Hoping all are will& with
love to all, inclusing mariow & aend Regards to
Leusins I remain seway
L plovery Brother
athol
 

Therea Camp
Egypt Set 24
My Dewr Fatter
I was pleased to receive letters from your
Mother & Steila today + to know all was well
at home, it is alright +o think that you are
giking our likters alright, she ones that I received
awas were in aurwer to mine witten a
I was intrested to
few days after amas.
read your description of the Ryrameds, she hole
that you mention as having been made just
where the champer starts to ascend, the suide
told us was an air shaft, but its only in keying
with the many ather lies that they tell, you can
as one what a certain & king is & thlu ask
the next one that comes along & he will
You gave
give you a differsent answer
a good description of she three, it is lovily
granise on the little oyrauidr the place where
the Quuns body was laid has a lovely
arched cogg, lut out of graute, you can ever
go so the son round by a Chamber + it is archd
just like the cutrance to a church the gravise
is red with dark gry streaks through at.
Gomarrow is our day off T as we were
 

paid today, we are going out to petryied
forrest, also so have Another losk through the
dead city, it is very whusting, there
are gaves all through it. we saw there
funerals of poor people when we were in on
Monday, there poor people, (it is only the poso
people that carry the coffeer through the stret
the rich have a very fine hearse I pair of
harses) carry the coppen on their shoulderd
through the streets if is shopld like thas
covered with cloth, The people follow
behind hicking up a hidious row.
We had rather a furry trip on monday
five of us went together including a Sergeant
we had very little money, so we took our
paneesalps + waterbothler took the train to
the ordshorts if the sour then went for
a cruise wound, we walked a good many
miles + came beack bey train & got to camp
about 9tm we were encky to get two holidgs
a week, but as we had done 48 hours guard
& the Bashalion was on leave the furt day
we got it when we came of guard & the
Bakalian haliday is tomorrow, we go off
again som
a we get coughguard
 

now + the last I was on, I couldet walk
about as it was a stationary post on the
guard sent, we had a couple of crook prisoners
ilcluding maston who was spreadiagled at sroad
meadsws, but Im pleased to say he is gone
for a while at auyrate, he got six months
hard labour & throther got your months, shey
were sent to liare, an are well rid of bes
She worst of it is they have to
like that
pick men off the guard that have never been
in the guard sent so I expect to be on it
nearly cluern time our Platoon is a guard
now
Libo of the Fergeants have sold
me now that Im the Only one in the sat
company that doente rouse once the
way that we are treated, I think some
up these fellows thought they we comin
here to lie down + elt all day, theyrouse
from when we start out until be come
back, for my own part it is easier than
I thought it would be, she hardest time
was learding the drill in Broadmeadows
&hey always house about the time we
are out, but they overlook the fact
that we set down most of the sum
her
 

we are out.
Roth Burtehaell came
over today to see if I would go out to the
other syramids tomorrow, but there is talk
of it being out of bounds now on account
of some roodlums from heie destroying things
in any ease another fellow + I stuck a regger
ut ldst Suday wiek rated what he would
charge or a dontry a n ooe
& as he wanted eight bot we sold him to
stek to it, its a bit over the odds to pay
Om pleased you have such a
that much
los of fallow & his year I hope you have a
good season. Well there is no more news, Il
Brire to mother before the mail goes, there
is talk of us moving very shartly but to when
we dont know there is a rismoser of fofp
snot camnon hops galleaceet
with heaps of lone to all at home
I hoping to thear from you again soon
I remain
yr loving son
Athol C McPlurn