Letters of Athol Cluny McPherson, April - August 1915 - Part 10

Conflict:
First World War, 1914–18
Subject:
  • Documents and letters
Status:
Awaiting approval
Accession number:
AWM2022.6.414
Difficulty:

Page 1 / 10

MByporweara or ivernacia 22.N. 2 J No Cobeoe PreAMe, Nr 5.715 CABLEGRAM. & This Memage has been received snbject to the Post and Telegraph Act and Regulations An Complaints to be addrewsed, in writing, to the Deputy Pootmastor Gonoral aMMwe moman Eastern 6 9cavro 2nd 9 10 pn 883m Murray MoPherson Forsham t aseteenth Quyte willl June A. Pherson 222
by Deareat Mother at a liue or two to let you know that I aue will & top you are all the same at some I thit it is ther weeks since we landed here & as are have been under sgre fomency every any me ane getting quireuredto it One of myold tent mates Wer Pubusone, who was in the seue tut as I was at h madows was kelled last week by a bont exploding I was only a fw yars away at the time, it wounded auother fellow in the leg but only olightly, they don't do very much harm as a rule, at right we can see then coming as they lood jut lie a rocked in the arr Our fellows bew ip a Turtess trence on Sunday night at shook she grond like an earth quake, you would never believe that erepesuves could be so powerful I dont know what it must be like in a trench, where the thers gowggt Geo I agrewitt you at it is letter to be righting against the surks than the Tumons, they don't seem to be say so butal we have had ritter one or two sossital says here ever since we landed & atto they always shell other boats they never attergt to fire on the Rosf Hasy but we heard the Fernens never respect the red cross in France toth te tehell was wrounded again ear wek but it warns anything werns, after he had tue attended by the 8th he came round to see me before he left for the coospital I was vvery he was wounded as he wer hi nearly every thy sle at the trenches. Thease amemuer e taphends, also hear Ms Mellar one t0 he & Hill whe an write sending are a wrete t da oo by st mail se by His itenorio. Ip is soke sust t ud myteit ate
Gellys 16171 by Duna Notley as the will sisst wrly te o mee bying trday I i so let you deet Damwell mdter t sey I was go to recive lettes from tome by the last to kuon that all wwere well & got atters from you fort, Hs Inor Dicker the dates were the 9th t ye by pals the sone tisdey over she would, goit wantt about the same we e for there ala Ile weks. I was sorry to tere sron you litte that Roy M Leaw was killed I enquired about him several time cousus find out where was or what had topeved to He came to see me the day we lyft here to go & scape Hille so be must have been shot up there, I beel very sory oor his pexce I shinl Harold Smith wound was very slight b he lisks back yet I saw sil Arnott a few days dgo the see to be a I ae heard ow Roth Buschall as getsing on as he would have gone away in a Hospital sty Swouldtan wrissen & told his mother about him only I know te well twrite himself as he cont badey wrt shaut you very much for sending me te soshot myps thy arrived by the same ma as she letter I was vey yead by the rosks thy were just whas I wanted I was sorr rear you were without a gilaga I hope you soon got another thank you very much for sude me the Roll as hotpour cist with pr the seruo & of the get the Housam Lunes now as a f smit from Bumpings get it oder to he by George Carteyle was wounded here the first day we landed has just some back again he came ders thut will in liert so ove got his mumber & pitalion now, Ill lint him aet i eor we get herthee, I aa mut me ux was glad you gead good rain again & wouldet be a bit seeprised y fore had arvery seavy fall tceds we had it posted on the board a gew day ago that is had tree wng in evy ae Wesaurtiatia & sllra give a good resson the6 year you ought so make i for the eaone & wheat promises to be to high will mother ame wrt close but ay wwall Froen R wcended wt tore las th inds Bill sleathos Drnce will fot Dut Fall at resug the
My ter Veker Feliot Sy as I thint the read haves here t I mest sevid a histie to ht you havn that Iou will, I rever received by letters by the nall that came in yesterday, but dont thet that a reail was missed pove some & tt Napwit up tot we in a day os ts to setnt mull setting ott mre weeg Awhata pave whons by may dee 20 2at t fon a W r illle allis inoring t hewas telling me that Limhes outher t hase it some sucaps ont the poit i well & has got a pot as termentes sui ugate t be a saily carbilled I h tes was downr thet ar about the kug are moiniteg by tht trst yt tsa ther year & dotge in to nay there os to choag it fiihs but well, they numnhe a t by ee me accout ar p high Baths out yex I have beewty anign forkep g se to so dying inthe is pt ntstiel t ove ab Me covig daws ago, we should e aor gid clucite to far it is a vit pvea o the but the rst to dre tovely& & ut thlys avted e seen as digt place i ishile bt saw anythenlike they are se I wich I tould send some of the case of shellt prruponto he would make such su as guperwer we pic thi up all over the Glace detive got quire and Ligug mattives non i ound walwes alwee eyeat 13 au theat whe aout Dety sonat balnt wih five et Ster 52 re ao wit one with a o to all wsed gunsy tor
Master On Active Sewice Mursray Jo Sheeoo Clyne Milton Horshain Victoria Tustratia
Tillegte Trerty My Dear Cld Pose July 18th I was so pleased to receive your nice long letter of the 9 th yuve by the mail yesterday, it is grand so get so many letters note sore, I must congestulate you on the way that you seem so have improved at writelly Im a tirrilely rothen waiter mybelp but I ean tell when a person has impoved his hand. I expect you will be a real artost when I get back, that is provided I get there. I thought it a pretty good whe about alley & the supposed pup, you never said what the pups are, but I conclude they will be stay ar I dont shink they would teve quyhoud on the place, I would like to get a collic if we tappened to go to England as if I got that far I would get to Scotlaud by look or by cost rton e are the pi of argo for pete Thigo are gobyy on about the same here you should ie the shills flying at night, you can see them all the way, our fellows put a lott unto the salho last night & we were sitsinging whoeting them flying a cross, you a see plensyay them in the day time. Irnce sow the Trumps go down are were canped in a hollow as the tune, but I saw all oy the Kennace rusting to bee asentance, my make se he go down the Foliath was sunk while we were by at Kelles We see plying te tere really every day, they have got as common to us as boak. & sevt be verysafe. Ihid a long letter nowe your Dalldy: by this mails must there utmold man weele mend Daday wher is tile my lore & dall at h hop se we well ou write again soon. Wese heaps of tt te athall
Mrs M. B MCRL. tyne tit Horphan storia iate his
T Dud Ste was so pleased to receive the littes by the mai ys see bast & to hugw that yor were all well a sant ofr the cetters fa ta day ofter the mactpame in oo thes inylos Thugo are goueg on gunt & rul have gone to the wd abbut the samelher the surhe dont send to faliy the Edea retse & was only a gue they hall in austial about Colonl Waclers being worenlsa, as & dont thank he ever ar scrapet tn to ne hill tt e was a cudutall w Lamnag annt know inccityon is w bitt he gumifed th othe suept of the trenc & a pllow iu tw welh in the no abught again noe the besinet or tt Walts hold me be sobiee sere again & here although they cas ons be about theee hils away as lttor the most, tt we areilt supposed &oI leave our ovisiion & as te basi be an officer ot any treach & discylie doe wa Hare how eterbengin that see hearly twlue noathe weet still yeshont a gueup to the tiue of sew canting & she e to he hy next o all that you have fnce to an aloo aavatout sreell & lople he will ro be cluight i te t Corse iting tte eo tdt Mar bew neaweamamne time Sanrey bytarastd yt this far that night & thee hurcted of in Lodey Fisu I Walles agai the Trus s toth me tis brother ca kes was alught ha tes alright as suly alo sold me you wgalley the likety to do aull to Sit Arustt, be ho abigst & thei sould this year ot oth & wo month amtio ate nst the coust in t everrse oa haus e out come do & en &qr Ave iter wl ape Te we whe saye this t a whe yewis with tic & all arreedla he peeps of love to all or sut aguatt artet 28

CABLEGRAM

Phoned 9.49

EC

Eastern 6  9 Cairo 2nd 9.10pm 8E375

Murray

McPherson Horsham

Vic

Quite well sixteenth

June 

McPherson

9.22

 

Gaba Tepe

6/7/15

My Dearest Mother

Just a line or two to let you know that I am well & hope

you are all the same at home I think it is ten weeks since we landed here

& as we have been under shrapnel fire for nearly every day, we are getting quite used to 

it. One of my old tent mates (Vern Parkinson), who was in the same tent as I was at Broadmeadows 

was killed last week by a bomb exploding, I was only a few yards

away at the time, it wounded another fellow in the leg but only slightly, they dont 

do very much harm as a rule, at night we can see them coming as they look just 

like a rocket in the air. Our fellows blew up a Turkish trench on Sunday night, it 

shook the ground like an earthquake, you would never believe that explosives 

could be so powerful I dont know what it must be like in a trench when 

the charge goes off. Yes, I agree with you that it is better to be fighting 

against the Turks than the Germans, they dont seem to be half so brutal, we 

have had either one or two Hospital ships here ever since we landed & altho 

they always shell other boats they never attempt to fire on the Hospital ships 

but I've heard the Germans never respect the Red Cross in France. Roth

Burchoell was wounded again last week but it wasnt anything serious, after he had 

been attended to by the Dr, he came round to see me before he left for the hospital 

I was sorry he was wounded, as Ive seen him nearly every day since we came into 

the trenches. Please remember me to all Horsham friends, also Mr & Mrs Millar

& give my love to Lot & Will when next you write I may write to Will

in a few days. Im sending an army PC to Flo by this mail. I'll try & write

to her soon. This paper is done so must close With heaps of love to

all at home, including Marion. I remain always
yr loving son

Athol
 

 

Gallipoli 16/7/15

My Dearest Mother,

As there will most likely be a mail leaving today I must

write you my usual weekly letter to let you know that I am well

needless to say I was glad to receive letters from home by the last mail

& to know that all were well. I got letters from you, Jook, Fred Ross &

Dickie the dates were the 9th & 10th June they just took about two days

over the month so it wasnt bad going. Things are going on just

about the same here, we have been under fire here now for nearly

twelve weeks. I was sorry to hear from your letter that Roy

McLean was killed I inquired about him several times &

couldnt find out where he was or what had happened to him

He came to see me the day we left here to go to Cape Helles

so he must have been shot up there, I feel very sorry for

his people I think Harold Smiths wound was very slight but

he isnt back yet, I saw Gil Arnott a few days ago, he seems

to be A1  I haven't heard how Roth Burtchaell is getting on

as he would have gone away in a Hospital ship, I would have

written & told his mother about him, only I know he will

write himself as he isnt badly hurt. Thank you very much for

sending me the socks & mufflers they arrived by the same mail

as the letters  I was very glad of the socks, they were just what

I wanted. I was sorry to hear you were without a girl again,

& hope you soon get another. Thank you very much for sending

me the Roll of honour list with Mr Bevs Sermon, I often get the

Horsham Times now, as a J Smith from Brimsprings gets it sent to him

by George Carter, he was wounded here the first day we landed

& has just come back again he came across Frank Webb

in Ciaro so I've got his number & Battalion now, I'll hunt him up

if ever we get near there, I'd like to know what Battalion Clarence

Gillies is in, he may have my number & in that case he would

hunt me up. Was glad you had good rain again & wouldnt

be a bit surprised if you had a very heavy fall since as we

had it posted on the board a few days ago that, it had been

raining for three days in West Australia & still raining

given a good season this year you ought to make up for

the last one & wheat promised to be so high. Well Mother

dear this paper is done so must close With kinds Regards to all

friends "Billy" & Mrs Smith included With love to all at home

as well for T Dick & all at Hedley I remain always

yr loving son Athol
 

 

Gallipoli Jly 22nd

My Dear Father

As I think the mail leaves here tomorrow I must send

you a few lines to let you know that I am well, I never received

any letters by the mail that came in yesterday, but dont for any minute

think that a mail was missed from home & expect letters will turn
up for me in a day or two, as I havent missed getting a letter
by a mail since we left Australia infact I have got two or more
from home by everyone so Mother & Fran always write. I saw
Tebble Wallis this morning & he was telling me that Lyn (his brother) was
pretty well alright again in fact he tried to come back from Malta
some time ago but the Dr thought he wasn't fit. Tebble was looking fairly
well & has got a job as permanent runner for Brigade xxx H.Q it should
be a fairly easy billet. I saw him on his way down there this very
morning. Things are just about the same here. The Turks give us a
few shells but they get plenty in return, they get paid back in full
I'm so glad there is a chance of a good season this year & do hope
it turns out well, Sheep must be a big price in Victoria now & by
all accounts are likely to go higher. In about three months days xx we will

have been about three months out here & have been under

fire the whole time, the rifle fire keeps up all night, but

it doesnt make a bit of difference to us sleeping unless it gets

very heavy & then we are awake expecting the Turks to attack

if they do come forward they will get a fairly warm reception

We are wondering if France will come into this war as their

Parliament was to meet of a couple of days ago, we should know

soon now. This is a grand climate so far it is a bit

warm in the day time but the nights are lovely & cool

but the flys are awful, Ive seen a few in different places

in Victoria but never saw anything like they are here

I wish I could send some of the cases of shells home from here

they would make nice fine vases for flowers, we pick

them up all over the place. We have got quite used to

flying machines now, ours fly round nearly every day taking

observations, they seem to be very safe the Turks nearly

always fire at them but cant get anywhere close we saw

them fire about thirty shots at one, one night, but dont think

one burst with fire [[?chains]] aft of it. Well Father dear this paper

is done so must close. With Kind Regards to all Horsham friends

& love to all at home Marion included

I remain 

Yr loving son

Athol.

 

 

 

On Active Service

Master Murray McPherson

"Clyne Milton"

Horsham

Victoria

Australia

 

 

 

Back of Envelope

 

 

 

Gillipoli Tuesday x

July 13th 5.

My Dear Old Ross.

I was so pleased to receive your nice long letter of the 9th June

by the mail yesterday, it is grand to get so many letters from home. I

must congratulate you on the way that you seem to have improved

at writing, I'm a terribly rotten writer myself but I can tell when

a person has improved his hand. I expect you will be a real

artist when I get back, that is provided I get there. I thought

it a pretty good joke about Alley & the supposed pups, you never said what

the pups are, but I conclude they will be sheep, as I don't think they would

have greyhounds on the place, I would like to get a Collie if we happened

to go to England, as if I get that far I would get to Scotland by hook

or by crook, I reckon Collies are the pick of dogs for pets. Things are

going on about the same here, you should see the shells flying at

night, you can see them all the way, our fellows put a lot into the

Turks last night & we were sitting up watching them flying across, you

can see plenty of them in the day time. I never saw the Triumph go down

we were camped in a hollow at the time, but I saw all of the Pinnaces

rushing to her assistance, my mate saw her go down, the Goliath was sunk

while we were up at Helles. We see flying machines here nearly every day, they

have got as common to us as boats & seem to be very safe. I had a

long letter from your Daddy by this mail. Must close now old man

Give my love to all at home & your Daddy when you write mind

you write again soon. With heaps of love to yourself & hoping all are well

Yr loving Uncle

Athol.

 

 

JW

Mrs M B McPherson

'Clyne Milton'

Horsham Victoria

Australia

[*PASSED BY

NO2641

CENSOR*]

 

 

 

Back of Envelope

 

 

 

xxxxxxxx

July 14th 16

My Dearest Mother

I was so pleased to receive three letters by the mail yesterday

one each from Father You & Jook. & to know that you were all well

I didnt get the letters until a day after the mail came in so think

they must have gone to the wrong Coy. Things are going on just

about the same here, the Turks dont seem to fancy the idea

of attacking us. It was only a yarn they had in Australia

about Colonel Wanliss being wounded, as I dont think he ever got

a scratch & hope he never will. Nixon Bleakly was accidentally wounded

with a bayonet I dont know exactly how it was done, but hear

he jumped down off the Parapet of the trench & a fellow stuck him with

the bayonet as he came down, he is alright again now & Tibble

Wallis told me he was back here again but its very hard to hunt

fellows up here although they can only be about three miles away at

the most, but we arent supposed to leave our Battalion & as Ive never

been up before an officer for any breach of discipline dont want to

start now after being in the force nearly twelve months.

I was sorry to hear you were still without a girl up to the time of

writing & hope to hear by next mail that you have one. Was also

very sorry to hear about Bobwell & hope he will soon be alright

I'm glad Bob McClocanan is getting better again but he must be a stronger

being if he can live at 110 I dont think. I fancy Annie must have been dreaming

at the time. Sunday Afternoon 26th _ I got this far last night & then knocked off

until today. I saw P. Wallis again this morning & he told me his brother came back

again today & is alright again he also told me Your Greggy was alright, I was

talking to Gil Arnott, he is alright, I'm glad Jessie & Alley are likely to do well

out of their fowls this year. I am on the H.Q. Police now & have a fairly good

time , there are only four of us. Its a bit "crook" only about two mails a month come

from Australia for about the next two months. It is just three months since

we landed here. Today its pretty good to send some of  the accounts of our landing

here by different letters home, talk about a stretch of imagination,  I suppose you

saw where the fellow lost his rifle & came to pips with a Turk & both fell down the

Cliff into the water & the Artillery drove of [[?]]. To begin with, the water is

about three chains back from the cliff so I dont know how he fell off

If ever I get back to Australia I'll go to hear Capt Dexter some time or other

if I have to travel all Victoria to do it, if he has the luck to get back

he will have huge Congratulations, hes popular with everybody. It will be

alright for Jack Hackett to get stationed at Murtoa, he will be able to get

home so often. Well Mother Dear I have just about come to the end of

this paper so will close, With kind regards to Bevs,Greys, rennisons, Wallis

McMullins & Mr Minens (when [[?]] write to him) I'd like to be playing

tennis with him now, but fancy I'll have to wait a while. With

heaps of love to all at home & Will, Vot, Dick & all at Hedley when

you write, I expect they will be at Hosher by now, kind regards to

the Hacketts & love to Marion. I remain always

Yr loving Son

Athol C McPherson

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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